Business Insider contributor Jackie Lam says she took an unconventional approach to building her emergency fund.<br />Wasting no time, the minute she got her first, tiny, rented apartment, she began saving towards her goal of $5,000. And she got there fast, by 'glamping' in her apartment.<br />For the first few months of residency, she ate and slept on the floor. Later, her mattress and box spring came from IKEA.<br />It took her three years to finally buy a used loveseat off Craigslist. The rest of her furniture was lovingly hand-picked from the curb.<br />Lam kept her grocery bill down to $25 a week by planning menus based on sales. By using Christmas LED lights and candles, spent $15 a month on electricity.<br />She kept her car in great shape by biking, walking, and taking the bus everywhere she could. And guess what? She hit her target in just a year!
