Have you ever seen those fire extinguishers behind glass at hotels and other public buildings? The idea is that if there is an emergency, you break the glass and can put out the fire with the extinguisher. You need an extinguisher in your financial life, too. You need something that you can’t access too easily – like when there’s a sale at the mall – but you can access easily enough when a real emergency crops up. Here’s how to build your plan:

1) Figure out where you can make money. Plenty of folks worry about losing their job or suddenly coming up short. Some worry so much that they get ulcers. You’re smarter than that because, hopefully, you know that money is a little like cookies – You can generally make more if you are able-bodied and healthy. Therefore, figure out how you can start making money fast.

Temp agencies are a good place to start and generally allow you to make a few bucks fast whenever you run short. Find a few in your area and find out how long it would take you to apply. Temp agencies have long been the secret weapon of starving artists and they are remarkably handy in a pinch. Also, look up information about jobs you can take on right away – freelance work or work for a friend – which can net you cash quick. That way, if you suddenly find your cash flow interrupted, you won’t skip a beat.

2) Figure out where to make money if you are not able bodied. It’s not just job loss you need to worry about. Car accidents and illness can deprive you of a paycheck and can make it very hard to work. Rather than fretting about the worst, look for passive ways to make income. Passive income means that money keeps rolling in, even if you are on the couch. Everyone needs a passive form of income in their lives. Renting a vacation home, or having a room in your house you can rent can provide you with much-needed income in the event of a problem.

3) Start saving – a lot. You need to have at least 3 months of income in a savings account for real emergencies. If you’re smart, you’ll have a lot more than 3 months. No excuses. Skip Starbucks today and start saving. Get in touch with the childhood joy of a piggy bank. Just save.

4) Pay down those debts. In a financial emergency, it’s your debts that will sink you, - you’ll have to keep paying them off even when you can’t afford to do so. Plus, any savings you have will be eaten away by debt repayments. Find ways to pay down your credit cards and other obligations and you will be safer and enjoy more money each month, too.

5) Get some Credit – just in case. If you know your job is in trouble or you may be facing a huge problem, consider getting a line of credit or a low-cost credit card now, if you do not have one already. This is especially important if you have good credit. Once the problem strikes, you may have a hard time maintaining credit scores or passing an employment verification, and it’s nice to have some cash you could use if you got really hungry.

6) Work it out on paper. Stuff happens – loss of work, sudden illness, a sudden huge bills from the IRS. Get in touch with your inner worry wart and write down the worst-case scenarios. Then, write down what you could do in each case. Pack up the paper and file it away with your financial statements. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to panic. You can start implementing your plan right away.

Having a financial emergency plan isn’t about being a pessimist, it’s about being a realist. With a bit of luck, you’ll never need to ‘break the glass’, but it doesn’t hurt to have a contingency plan in place. Remember: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.