Excuse me for any nightmarish flashbacks this anecdote holds: The car is in the shop for a check engine light when suddenly a pipe bursts at home. The dog needs to make an emergency visit to the vet and little Johnny needs money for an overnight with friends.

These are life’s little nuances – and they seem to happen all at once. If you’ve tackled this obstacle before, you’re not alone. In fact, 30 million U.S. workers say they’re financially distressed and dissatisfied with their personal financial situation.

Without a strong footing in financial well-being, these expenses could wreak havoc on your stress levels, sleep habits, and much more. Save yourself from the unwanted headache by navigating and planning for your financial future.

Save the Salary Talk

You know that a well-rounded benefits package will attract you to a company and keep you in the halls more than a slight increase in pay will. And there’s truth to back that up. Once employees meet a basic income level, the well-being benefits associated with increased salaries plateaus. So then what do employees want once they hit this plateau?

They want TVs – particularly flat-screen LCD televisions. Ok, maybe not you, or maybe you already have one. But it’s factors like the ability to make discretionary purchases or social status that makes them an extra happy camper.

More money doesn’t necessarily translate to happier, healthier employees. And while these discretionary purchases have you feeling better, it’s only momentary. Long-term security is your goal.

What You Can Do

The first step in securing financial well-being? Robust tools and programs from your company that support employees’ financial well-being –like including 401ks with a company match or health savings accounts. These kinds of resources help you save for the future, making it easier to come out of any unexpected financial struggles unscathed.

Another option? Feed your need for learning opportunities by bringing your classroom mentality into the workplace. Take advantage of trainings on financial well-being in the your workplace to stay a leg up on ways to save for the future – like planning for retirement, saving for college, or setting up a monthly budget.

No matter which income bracket you fall into, look for programs and resources offered by your work that keep an eye on the future. Managing budgets better now means less stress and sleepless nights whenever the next unexpected car and home repair strikes.

Looking for more ways to support your well-being? Check out our Pulse Paper on how building the right habits leads to healthier employees.

This article originally appeared on: The Uprising Blog