Esther Trattner By Esther Trattner

Surveys routinely show that most Americans don't have emergency savings to cover a big expense that comes out of nowhere, like a $1,000 hospital bill or car repair.

If you're not prepared for a rainy day, what can you do when it starts pouring?

Here are 10 dependable ways to conquer that expense --- and avoid similar debt disasters in the future.

This is a members-only article.

Become a member now for $9.99/month to read this article and get unlimited, ad-free access to all of the best articles on MoneyWise.