PAY YOURSELF FIRST !
 
Follow the Rat Race to Riches 'Six Steps to Saving' guide.
 
This SIMPLE tool will help you to budget your monthly EXPENSES and build an EMERGENCY BUFFER against those unexpected bills.

The goal is to set aside a minimum of 10% of your monthly take-home pay as savings and split the balance between your needs  and wants according to your personal circumstances.
 
Initially, build up your savings to 1x your normal monthly expenditure, which provides coverage for any one-off emergencies, such as a parking fine. That way, you do not go overdrawn or into debt if there is an unexpected expense or a delay in receiving your income.
 
Once that is achieved, the next step is to build up your savings to 3x your normal monthly expenditure. That way, if you lose your job, you can cover three months worth of expenses, which is enough time to find a new job, avoiding the need to go overdrawn or into debt.
 
This simple budgeting tool is designed to help you get from Financial Vulnerability to Financial Stability.