Life has a way of giving people surprises and curveballs, and many of these obstacles require cash. If you are barely getting by and concerned about what you will do if you suddenly have a large expense to pay for, you should start preparing now. You can almost guarantee that this will happen to you at some point in your life, but if you prepare for it, the effects may not be as devastating to your checkbook.

The First Step: Develop an Emergency Fund

One of the most basic pieces of advice you will ever receive involves setting up an emergency fund. Living paycheck to paycheck is quite common today according to experts. The Washington Post reports that 38 million Americans live this way, and most people living in this manner do not have any money put aside for emergencies.

If you have absolutely no money saved, you will face a huge dilemma when an unexpected expense comes your way. This will cause you to look for ways to get cash fast, and you might have very few options. One option is a cash loan, or payday loan. This is one of the easiest ways to get cash fast, but you will have to pay it back within a few weeks.

On the other hand, if you have money saved in an emergency fund, it will be there when a bill pops up. You will be able to use this money to pay the bill, and this will not affect your normal monthly or weekly budget.

Creating an emergency fund is easy, and you can choose to save your money at home or in a bank. The hardest part of this is setting aside enough money each week to build up the fund. Just remember though that you can start small and continuously add to the fund every time you get paid. This will work, even if you only save a couple of dollars each week.

The Next Step: Find Ways to Cut Your Spending

Learning to live in a simpler, less-expensive way is another important step to take to prepare for your financial future. If you have decided to set up an emergency fund but are having trouble making it grow, you may need to incorporate some frugal-living strategies into your life.

Here are several ways to live a more frugal life, and these ideas could help you save more money for your emergency fund.

• Stop eating out – if you eat out often, you might be spending way more than you need to for food. Change your habits and start cooking your own meals. Purchase ingredients that are on sale and look for recipes that are cheap to make.
• Downsize – this can refer to many things in your life, including your home, car, cellphone features, and cable TV services. Saving a little bit of money on normal monthly expenses is a great way to put more cash in your pocket.
• Make a plan – one of the reasons people spend too much money is because they do not plan for expenditures. Before you get paid, make a plan for the money, and only use the money the way you planned to use it.
• Cut purchases – you may be able to save a significant amount of money by developing careful shopping habits and by changing the products you use. Instead of paying full price for anything, look for coupons or sale items for the products. Instead of using expensive cleaning products that you can purchase, make your own out of vinegar or baking soda.

The smallest changes with the way you spend money can make a difference in your life, but doing this takes time and consistency.

If you ever reach a point where you cannot pay a bill or unexpected expense, you could always apply for a cash loan from a payday store. These are easy to get, and you may even be able to qualify for a loan even if you don't have a job or a checking account. Check out sites like http://www.kosterfinance.com for more information.