Only 38% of Americans have enough savings to handle routine unplanned expenses. That’s according to a recent Bankrate.com survey. These are basic issues, like a flat tire or a plumber’s visit to fix a clogged toilet.

To pay for these things, 26% of people (without sufficient savings) must forego buying other items… 16% borrow from family or friends… 12% pay with “plastic”… and 3% turn to riskier solutions… like car title loans.

If you’re one of the 62% of Americans with insufficient savings, you must get this under control before you focus on investing.

  Your savings is comprised in part by your “Start Over Again” (SOA) Fund. With this, if you lost your job and had to “start over,” you’d have enough savings to cover your current living expenses for a given time period.

Mark recommends a minimum of three months. But you may want to save as much as a year’s worth of expenses. Choose what you feel most comfortable with. In either case, you’ll never again suffer the added stress of being unable to cover a flat tire or unexpected visit to the ER.

To help you expand your financial safety net, Mark wrote his roadmap to successful spending, saving, and investing. It’s an essay called “The Secret of the Golden Buckets.” Read it for free, right here.