The client who never paid: Why I'm now an emergency fund evangelist

As a graphic designer, I used to live paycheck to paycheck, thinking emergencies wouldn't happen to me. When a major client ghosted me after a project, I had no buffer and almost missed rent. That scare was a wake-up call I needed. Now, I automatically transfer a portion of every invoice to a savings account. It's boring, but it lets me sleep at night, lmao.