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.

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