How to Budget for Emergencies As a Renter

Life is unpredictable, and emergencies inevitably arise from time to time. Although you can't prepare for all of life's unexpected twists and turns, you can make sure that you have a little wiggle room in your budget when you need it. If you're struggling to build an emergency fund, here are a few tips to get you started.

Check out your bank account. Before you do anything else, take a look at your income and expenses. This will give you an idea of the areas in your spending where you can make some cuts and save extra cash. For instance, do you eat out four or five times a week? Cutting back to once or twice could have a major impact on your bank account.
Aim for 5 or 10%. Once you have an idea of where your money goes, come up with a realistic amount of money you can put away from each paycheck. Experts recommend somewhere between 5% and 10%—you probably won't even notice that it's gone!
Save first, spend later. After you decide how much you want to put away with each paycheck, put it straight into your savings every time you get paid. Don't wait until the next pay period to set it apart—it's easy to spend if you leave the extra in your checking account.
Make your emergency fund off limits. Don't think of your emergency fund as extra cash, think of it as an off-limits last resort that you only use when there are no other options. This way, it'll be there when you need it.

5 Easy Budget Tips to Set Aside $1,000 for Emergencies [EveryDollar]
How to Build an Emergency Budget (and Why You Need One) [Lifehacker]
Budgeting for Emergencies [Consumercredit.com]