what does everyone consider an emergency worthy of the emergency fund $$? i have lots of things in my head...some dire and some not at all. i need some good rules for us before any of it is spent.

things that are outside of regular budget and aren't something you can choose not to spend your money on...car repairs, home repairs, medical expenses

What Julie said, basically. I am trying to have car repair $ in a separate periodic expense fund, saving $100/month toward it. But until then, a $500 car repair would have to come out of the emergency fund.

Car repair, home repair (water heater breaks, plumbing needs repair, etc). For me, also, if my income dips below a certain point, the emergency fund is to cover that - so covering bills, groceries, and other basics for the month to make up for my income shortfall. It is to smooth out the irregularities of a freelance life. So in that respect, it very well might be that I dip into it for a month and pay for things like clothing, books, or lessons - things that are not technically an emergency. But the cushion gives us the ability to continue to live normally even while our cash flow dips. Technically I guess I have that separate from the e fund. I have the "cushion" in the linked savings account, and the e fund in a separate savings account that is harder to access. Both are skinnier at the moment than I would like them to be ;) but building up.

We just did spend some of it on repairing dh's car! So grateful we had it to spend. As soon as that was done he had to replace his tires... so we drained it a little more... :(

I agree with everyone else. It gets used on unexpected things like car repair, medical costs, home emergency repairs, and stuff like that.

I agree with everyone here, too. Car repairs, home repairs that can't be waited for (ie....broken heater in 20 degree weather, washing machine, etc), medical expenses that aren't in the normal budget. Other than that, it's not really an emergency. :)

keep in mind $ spent from there has to get paid back. So, it's for something you haven't saved for, to avoid a cc usage, that needs doing right away.

<sigh> ok, can i ask my real underlying question here?

i have the LLL conference coming up as well a SLP conference at which i get my 10 hours of CE i HAVE to have in order to keep my certificate, lisence, etc.

we don't even have money to pay the basic needs at the moment...unfortunately you ALL know that (that's not easy, btw...but a different thread all together...lol).

the SLP conference...cheapest thing i can go to to earn all of my hours for the year. this year...such a blessing...it's in MY hometown. wow...so no hotel or anything. i just have to pay the ummm...can't remember for sure, but it's almost $300 registration. so...of course we're not saving for that or anything else for that matter. but i could use the emer fund. wwyd?

and then there's the LLL conference. i just got accredited as a leader and there is a new leader ceremony on sat. our group will have accredited 4 new leaders by then, so we're all planning to be there...and it's supposed to be special for us all...and all of the leaders will be at the conference and/or ceremony as well to see all of us. then on sunday is a new leader training that i have/need to be at that starts at like 8...1.5 hours away. tim is flexible and would love for us all to go to the conference. a friend and i are planning to share a cabin for $70/night, but she does know that there is a chance we'll decide not to stay all nights. we really want to go up friday morn and stay fri and sat night ($140). i have asked for a scholarship for the $65 (i think...i don't know for sure) registration fee, which is cheap to begin with. full kitchen...each take a night making dinner...no extra food costs really. will take gas to get there. so...$200 at most. emergency fund? (i won't cry if you say to not go, but i'll be close...lol!) just want to hear everyone's thoughts on this too...i think...lol!

oh...and in the past....cc automatically...no questions asked. so i am happy to be making progress in this area.

Is there anything you could do to raise the funds yourself? Or to do so in a very short amount of time to pay it back in the emergency fund?

That's what I'd do :)

<sigh> ok, can i ask my real underlying question here?

i have the LLL conference coming up as well a SLP conference at which i get my 10 hours of CE i HAVE to have in order to keep my certificate, lisence, etc.

we don't even have money to pay the basic needs at the moment...unfortunately you ALL know that (that's not easy, btw...but a different thread all together...lol).

the SLP conference...cheapest thing i can go to to earn all of my hours for the year. this year...such a blessing...it's in MY hometown. wow...so no hotel or anything. i just have to pay the ummm...can't remember for sure, but it's almost $300 registration. so...of course we're not saving for that or anything else for that matter. but i could use the emer fund. wwyd?

and then there's the LLL conference. i just got accredited as a leader and there is a new leader ceremony on sat. our group will have accredited 4 new leaders by then, so we're all planning to be there...and it's supposed to be special for us all...and all of the leaders will be at the conference and/or ceremony as well to see all of us. then on sunday is a new leader training that i have/need to be at that starts at like 8...1.5 hours away. tim is flexible and would love for us all to go to the conference. a friend and i are planning to share a cabin for $70/night, but she does know that there is a chance we'll decide not to stay all nights. we really want to go up friday morn and stay fri and sat night ($140). i have asked for a scholarship for the $65 (i think...i don't know for sure) registration fee, which is cheap to begin with. full kitchen...each take a night making dinner...no extra food costs really. will take gas to get there. so...$200 at most. emergency fund? (i won't cry if you say to not go, but i'll be close...lol!) just want to hear everyone's thoughts on this too...i think...lol!

I'll be honest...I would NOT use your emergency fund for this. Unless it is something that you are earning money from doing, I think you need to save your emergency fund for exactly that--an emergency!
If you need to go to these events, then I would try to make it a day trip (even if that means getting up super early to drive there).

well the speech thing is to keep her certification which will in fact be earning her money in a few years

What happens if you don't get the credits to recertify? What do you have to do then? Is it something that will be easy to get again, or would you have to go through everything from the beginning again?

You're looking at spending half of your e-fund (assuming it's 1000). What would happen if after you did both, you needed a $600 car repair for your dh to get to work? Would you regret spending the money?

What happens if you don't get the credits to recertify? What do you have to do then? Is it something that will be easy to get again, or would you have to go through everything from the beginning again?

You're looking at spending half of your e-fund (assuming it's 1000). What would happen if after you did both, you needed a $600 car repair for your dh to get to work? Would you regret spending the money?

oh...it would be SO not fun to lose my certification and/or liscense and have to get it back. i definitely can not lose it.

i think there's no way around either putting the conference on the cc or using the emer fund. i figure at least i won't have to add more/pay more interest if i use up some of the emer fund. it's all coming up too soon to figure out a way to make money for it (but thanks, sandi). i'll just have to be working on putting it back in the emer fund.

the LLL conference? well...if an emer came up and i had spent the money on that. well...<sigh>...i'm so very social and such a learner (hence love conferences like that)...i probably wouldn't regret going. not that i should be that way...it's just true.

:hug: hon - things are rough right now for us, too. It'll pass. Just keep swimming. :)

How long till the LLL conference? Can your group do a fundraiser for you and the other leaders to earn money toward going?
In our chapter, each leader has a conference fund account. It is funded by money raised from our fundraisers (silent auction, garage sale, etc) and a portion goes to each leader that participated. You can use the money toward conferences, and new books when needed. All group and leader dues, along with things like info sheets, are paid out of the regular chapter account.

Can you have a yardsale, ebay fest or anything? I would say if the certification is a career must, then do it; but while the LLL Conf. is fun...well, maybe not an "emergency" to attend that.

I am passing up the FPEA Conference this year because I just can not justify the costs involved. If I knew it would only be the registration, maybe, but gas, food, drinks/coffee shop, and then anything I figure the kids "must" have for next year, well, I am passing on the temptation.

We did not spend ours until just recently and now are building it back up.

I don't know if this was a "emergency" but for dh and I commuting to our two jobs (between the two of us, we drive 120 miles minimum each day) we used our fund to buy a small pick-up truck that gets killer gas mileage. It was one of those vehicles that you never see up for grabs.....perfect condition (13 yrs old) and we offered $400 less than the guy was asking and he took our offer.

With current gas prices, it will pay for itself very quickly.

So, in our minds it was not a true emergency, but it was enough for us to tap into that emergency fund. We've had the fund for mover 2 yrs. (Dave Ramsey is who we generally listen to)

Michelle

How long till the LLL conference? Can your group do a fundraiser for you and the other leaders to earn money toward going?
In our chapter, each leader has a conference fund account. It is funded by money raised from our fundraisers (silent auction, garage sale, etc) and a portion goes to each leader that participated. You can use the money toward conferences, and new books when needed. All group and leader dues, along with things like info sheets, are paid out of the regular chapter account.

oh cool...that sounds so great. we all pay our own dues, conferences, etc. we get reimbursed for mailing and such, but the dues and conferences are out of your pocket. now...we have a good bit of money in the account at the moment, and when the question was asked, 3 of us raised our hands as welcoming/needing help. so...i actually have the reigistration paid. the cabin is $70 a night for 2 nights. and NO eating out, which won't actually be very hard at all because it's in the mountains at a state park. there's only one restaurant...at the lodge...and while, convenient, it's not that tempting. i guess you all can tell that i decided to go. if i had been a leader for a while, i might have been able to resist (just got accredited last month).

Can you have a yardsale, ebay fest or anything? I would say if the certification is a career must, then do it; but while the LLL Conf. is fun...well, maybe not an "emergency" to attend that.

I am passing up the FPEA Conference this year because I just can not justify the costs involved. If I knew it would only be the registration, maybe, but gas, food, drinks/coffee shop, and then anything I figure the kids "must" have for next year, well, I am passing on the temptation.

constantly selling stuff over here. having a yard sale to raise money for another cause that we aren't able to give to any other way...lol.

good for you for making the best financial decision in your situation! i'm saving up my willpower for the millions of other things i need to resist. LOL! :o

I was going to reply (started a couple times) but anything I said felt judgmental. ;) Only you can decide if something is worth the money even if it's not the smartest financial decision. I learned that last year w/my sofa/loveseat setup and new washer/dryer. Most on here thought it was definitely *not* smart, and it wasn't, honestly - we should have just lived w/the futon on the floor until we could find a decent used sofa on craigslist, and I could have limped through with yet another crappy used washer and dryer.

But honestly? I don't regret either set of purchases. We sit on the sofas constantly; they're like infrastructure for the house - we have nothing else *in* the dang house but that seating area, my office, and the kitchen table. So it is truly a gift to have seating that works for the space. I say a little prayer of gratitude every time I put the wash in or use the dryer, because this is the first nice set I've had in my adult life. It's saved me a lot of headache and stress to know the clothes are going to get clean and dry the first time around.

My point...you value the LLL conference highly. You will go, you will enjoy it, you will use what you learn. It's an experience. No, quite frankly, it's not at all financially smart for you to use up *any* money for *anything* but necessities right now. (Nor was it for us for the years we were living in the red.) At the same time, life goes on and there are these experiences or major purchases that are sometimes difficult to emotionally remove ourselves from.

Eh, I wouldn't survive long w/Dave Ramsey. Not gazelle intensity here. LOL. I still believe in focusing hard on living simply, but I'm also a hedonist to some degree!! I really am. I struggle with it all the time.

Those are my coffee-fueled rambling thoughts for this morning. :p

oh...it would be SO not fun to lose my certification and/or liscense and have to get it back. i definitely can not lose it.

i think there's no way around either putting the conference on the cc or using the emer fund. i figure at least i won't have to add more/pay more interest if i use up some of the emer fund. it's all coming up too soon to figure out a way to make money for it (but thanks, sandi). i'll just have to be working on putting it back in the emer fund.

the LLL conference? well...if an emer came up and i had spent the money on that. well...<sigh>...i'm so very social and such a learner (hence love conferences like that)...i probably wouldn't regret going. not that i should be that way...it's just true.

If it comes down between using the emergency fund or the credit card, you should use the emergency fund. Right? Because otherwise, what is the point of having an emergency fund?

The whole thing is a wash though if the credit card is still getting charged every month anyhow.

This trip sounds really important, I wouldn't feel guilty about going.

I agree w/LL - it's a better mindset to use the emerg fund, then focus on replacing the emerg fund, than to use the CC. If an emergency comes up before you have replaced the $, you still have the CC to use. Meanwhile your mindset is to save to replenish the efund.

I saw Dave Ramsey mentioned somewhere in another post? Are you doing his "Financial Peace" workshop? Dh is! Money stresses me out so while he's hangin' with Dave, I go and hang out with Beth Moore. And since I am also in your shoes in someways, I feel like I can chime in! I'm working a small amount, Dh is teaching, but just took a pay cut. It's pretty tight here.

You gotta have your CCCs. It stinks that is so darn expensive. I'm getting ready to fork some $$$ soon I have a feeling. I will have travel and a hotel probably. I'd used the emergency fund and work on paying it back. It's interest free!

And something that I have been meaning to check into....There is also one of those speech catalog companies that offers free CEUs on their website. Do you know about it? I forgot which one...one of the big name...Linguisystems, maybe? I think it would take a while to get 10, but if you start soon enough you have three years, right? I need to find the info and I will pm you if it looks doable.

Pmed you! :) I'm gonna work on doing some of these. I already have a few credits through some online stuff with my prn job, so I can add to it. Not nearly as much fun as a conference. BUT when I was a new LLL leader, I would have chosen the LLL one before the AHSA one anyday. In fact, I did.

and very OT...I'd love to meet you someday. I think we'd have lots to talk about ;)

Hey! and if you have THE SOURCE for Dysphagia (or Aphasia) another text with basic dysphagia stuff (like a goal bank!) I'd be interested in buying it....might be able to help you raise some $ for the fun conference. I have
J. Logemann (sp?) book on Dysphagia, but that's it I think and I need a quick referece type of book. I'm a little older than you and coming through school got NO training in it and now I'm feeling the need to learn a lot.....quickly.

I was going to reply (started a couple times) but anything I said felt judgmental. ;) Only you can decide if something is worth the money even if it's not the smartest financial decision. I learned that last year w/my sofa/loveseat setup and new washer/dryer. Most on here thought it was definitely *not* smart, and it wasn't, honestly - we should have just lived w/the futon on the floor until we could find a decent used sofa on craigslist, and I could have limped through with yet another crappy used washer and dryer.

But honestly? I don't regret either set of purchases. We sit on the sofas constantly; they're like infrastructure for the house - we have nothing else *in* the dang house but that seating area, my office, and the kitchen table. So it is truly a gift to have seating that works for the space. I say a little prayer of gratitude every time I put the wash in or use the dryer, because this is the first nice set I've had in my adult life. It's saved me a lot of headache and stress to know the clothes are going to get clean and dry the first time around.

My point...you value the LLL conference highly. You will go, you will enjoy it, you will use what you learn. It's an experience. No, quite frankly, it's not at all financially smart for you to use up *any* money for *anything* but necessities right now. (Nor was it for us for the years we were living in the red.) At the same time, life goes on and there are these experiences or major purchases that are sometimes difficult to emotionally remove ourselves from.

Eh, I wouldn't survive long w/Dave Ramsey. Not gazelle intensity here. LOL. I still believe in focusing hard on living simply, but I'm also a hedonist to some degree!! I really am. I struggle with it all the time.

Those are my coffee-fueled rambling thoughts for this morning. :p

thanks, lauren. i love that you can see that i value the experiences and that you're totally honest that it's not a good financial move...but that you also see that it's just not/doesn't have to be so black and white. i always appreciate your input so much.

If it comes down between using the emergency fund or the credit card, you should use the emergency fund. Right? Because otherwise, what is the point of having an emergency fund?

The whole thing is a wash though if the credit card is still getting charged every month anyhow.

This trip sounds really important, I wouldn't feel guilty about going.

thanks, emily. :) and...i do see what you're saying about the cc vs the emer fund.

Pmed you! :) I'm gonna work on doing some of these. I already have a few credits through some online stuff with my prn job, so I can add to it. Not nearly as much fun as a conference. BUT when I was a new LLL leader, I would have chosen the LLL one before the AHSA one anyday. In fact, I did.

and very OT...I'd love to meet you someday. I think we'd have lots to talk about ;)

Hey! and if you have THE SOURCE for Dysphagia (or Aphasia) another text with basic dysphagia stuff (like a goal bank!) I'd be interested in buying it....might be able to help you raise some $ for the fun conference. I have
J. Logemann (sp?) book on Dysphagia, but that's it I think and I need a quick referece type of book. I'm a little older than you and coming through school got NO training in it and now I'm feeling the need to learn a lot.....quickly.

thanks SO much for the pm with such great information! i really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

i'd love to meet you too! i know!!! you can come to the GSHA conference in a couple of weeks...and gets enough hours for the year...and stay at my house for free! ;)

books...oh i have a million! they're all packed in bins in the attic right now. I know i have several dysphagia and aphasia and other adult neuro stuff. hmmm...i don't think i want to sell anything though. i'd love to get a prn hospital or nursing home job some day...and oooo boy...i'd need those books big time. i feel like i've lost so much in that area just since school/internship. heck, i feel like i've lost things since working in the schools...and i have only been out of work for 3 years.

Pmed you! :) I'm gonna work on doing some of these. I already have a few credits through some online stuff with my prn job, so I can add to it. Not nearly as much fun as a conference. BUT when I was a new LLL leader, I would have chosen the LLL one before the AHSA one anyday. In fact, I did.

and very OT...I'd love to meet you someday. I think we'd have lots to talk about ;)

Hey! and if you have THE SOURCE for Dysphagia (or Aphasia) another text with basic dysphagia stuff (like a goal bank!) I'd be interested in buying it....might be able to help you raise some $ for the fun conference. I have
J. Logemann (sp?) book on Dysphagia, but that's it I think and I need a quick referece type of book. I'm a little older than you and coming through school got NO training in it and now I'm feeling the need to learn a lot.....quickly.

i just have to crack up that every time i read "prn job" all i can think is "p o r n job" haha! ok...back to speech therapist talk...:lol:

i just have to crack up that every time i read "prn job" all i can think is "p o r n job" haha! ok...back to speech therapist talk...:lol:

yk, I have never thought about that bvefore and now it's all I will see!

thanks SO much for the pm with such great information! i really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

i'd love to meet you too! i know!!! you can come to the GSHA conference in a couple of weeks...and gets enough hours for the year...and stay at my house for free! ;)

books...oh i have a million! they're all packed in bins in the attic right now. I know i have several dysphagia and aphasia and other adult neuro stuff. hmmm...i don't think i want to sell anything though. i'd love to get a prn hospital or nursing home job some day...and oooo boy...i'd need those books big time. i feel like i've lost so much in that area just since school/internship. heck, i feel like i've lost things since working in the schools...and i have only been out of work for 3 years.


no problem! I think most of it requires books (from linguisystems, of course), but there were a few true freebies in there. You'd have to start early though. I understand about the books. I so wish I had more stuff to draw upon...it just wasn't taught to us in grad school. I finished UNC-Ch in 92 and UNC-G in 95 and NEVER had any dysphagia course. My first intro was my very first job in a hospital! Yikes.