A majority, or 64%, of Americans don't have enough cash on hand to handle a ,000 emergency expense, according to a survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or NFCC, released on Wednesday.
Only 36% said they would tap their for an emergency. The rest of the 2,700 people polled said that they would have to go to other extremes to cover an unexpected expense, such as borrowing money or taking out a cash advance on a credit card.
"It's alarming," said Gail Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the Washington, DC-based non-profit. "For consumers who live paycheck to paycheck -- having spent tomorrow's money -- an unplanned expense can truly put them in financial distress," she noted.
That's the case for Allyson Curtis, 35. "I think about it every day," she said.
Curtis was unemployed for only three months last year, but in that time she accumulated ,000 in credit card debt that she's now struggling to pay down. In the case of an emergency, Curtis said she would likely postpone other payments and pile on additional debt.
She is already putting off 0 in dental work and a car inspection due to a crack in her windshield, which will cost 0 to replace, she said.
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