Nobody buys an umbrella on a sunny day, then everyone wants one at once. Prepare before the clouds.

Preparation is cheapest exactly when it feels least necessary, and impossible to buy at the moment you need it. This is not only about supplies. It is about savings, skills, relationships and the habit of asking for help, all of which take time to establish and cannot be established in an emergency.

Think about the one thing that would be hardest to arrange if next month went badly. Then spend a small amount on it now, while it is sunny. A little money set aside, one conversation with someone you might need, one document you should have. It costs less today than it ever will again.