ANCHOR LEAD:
DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH CASH TO GET YOU THROUGH A CRISIS?
A NEW STUDY SHOWS MOST OF US DON'T. BUT WHAT IF THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS LIKE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, OR YOUR CAR CALLS IT QUITS AND YOU NEED A NEW ONE?
HERE'S_________WITH A HEADS UP ON HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HAVING A CASH CRUNCH.

TRACK ONE Length: 06
LIKE MOST TWENTY SOMETHINGS, STACY COWLEY AND HER HUSBAND BRIAN DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT SAVING FOR A RAINY DAY.

SOT
KEY @: 09 Stacy Cowley, Had sudden expenses
"The immediate priority was, Oh god, you know stretch my tiny little paychecks to cover bills, and you know rent and food."

TRACK TWO Length: 07
THAT CHANGED WHEN THEY WERE SURPRISED WITH AN UNEXPECTED HOSPITAL STAY AND A TRIP TO AUSTRAILIA FOR A FUNERAL IN THE SAME MONTH.

SOT
KEY @: 20 Stacy Cowley, Had sudden expenses
"We went from having no big expenses to having $4,000 in major expenses that we hadn't anticipated or budgeted for."

TRACK THREE Length: 08
STACY'S NOT ALONE. GREG MCBRIDE WITH BANKRATE DOT COM SAYS THEIR RECENT SURVEY SHOWS MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EMERGENCY CASH STASHED AWAY.

SOT
KEY @: 35 Greg McBride, Bankrate.com
"Fewer than 4 in 10 Americans, just 39%, actually had savings cushion equal to 3 months worth of living expenses."

TRACK FOUR Length: 04
FINANCIAL EXPERTS RECOMMEND A CUSHION OF THREE TO SIX MONTHS LIVING EXPENSES.

SOT
NO KEY
"Do an actual cash flow projection, take a look at what their expenses are going to be over the next year, two years, three years, and think through what types of emergencies may come up."

TRACK FIVE Length: 04
OETH SAYS PICK AN ACCOUNT THAT GIVES YOU EASY ACCESS TO YOUR MONEY.

SOT
KEY @: 1:00 Scott Oeth, Financial Planning Association
"It should be a liquid account so you don't have to worry about selling and investment at a loss or incurring a large tax liability."

TRACK SIX Length: 07
MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LOSE MONEY...A GOOD GUAGE: IT NEEDS TO EARN MORE THAN THE RATE OF INFLATION... LIKE HIGH YEILDING SAVINGS AND MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS.

SOT
KEY @: 1:14 Greg McBride, Bankrate.com
"It's very important to maintain the buying power of your money otherwise it's just as damaging as a loss of principal."

TRACK SEVEN Length: 05
OETH ALSO ADDS CONSIDER PERSONAL AND HOME EQUITY LINES OF CREDIT, BUT WARNS...

SOT
KEY @: 1:25 Scott Oeth, Financial Planning Association
"These aren't things that we generally want to draw on for non discretionary or just frivolous expenses."

TRACK EIGHT Length: 05
NOW, STACY SAYS SHE'S A SAVVY SAVER AND WILL BE READY FOR THE NEXT EMERGENCY.
SOT

NO KEY
"I started setting aside 200 out of my paycheck, and start treating that like any other hard bill."

ANCHOR TAG:
OETH SAYS WHEN YOU START SAVING, SET A GOAL AND LIKE STACY... PUT AWAY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN EACH MONTH UNTIL YOU REACH THAT AMOUNT. HE ALSO SAYS ALTHOUGH YOU WANT TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN YOUR EMERGENCY ACCOUNT, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TOO MUCH HORDED AWAY... YOU COULD MISS OUT ON HIGHER RETURNS THAT YOU COULD GET FROM OTHER INVESTMENTS LIKE STOCKS OR MUTUAL FUNDS.

SOURCE INFORMATION: FOR CLIENT-STATION USE ONLY
The information provided below is for client-station use only. It is provided to help you obtain answers to any additional questions you may have and to help you localize a story. This private contact information, including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses, cannot be given to viewers nor posted on your Website. It is for internal station use only. Any exceptions to this will be clearly noted. Thank you.

Greg McBride
Bankrate.com
11760 US HWY 1
Suite 500
North Palm Beach, FL. 33408
PR Contact:
Chantal Von Alvenslaben
561-630-2400

Greg McBride is a Senior Financial Analyst with Bankrate.com. Their recent survey shows that fewer than 4 in 10 Americans have enough savings stashed away to cover 3-6 months of living expenses.

Scott Oeth
Financial Planning Association
7241 Ohms Lane
Suite 170
Edina, MN 55439
PR Contact: Beau Ballinger
800-322-4237, ext. 7172
Scott Oeth, is a Certified Financial Planner with Midwest Investment Advisors in Edina Minnesota. Oeth is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota State University Mankato and is an active member of the Financial Planning Association.