When interest rates on savings accounts hover near 0 percent, it's easy to see why so many people shrug off the question about where to park their emergency cash. Financially savvy people assume that they can get better returns by putting money in stocks or mutual funds instead of letting the it "languish" in a low-interest savings account. But everyone needs a place to keep some liquid cash.
Think of it this way: If you have your paycheck deposited into a checking account for paying bills, and sweep all your leftover savings into a retirement fund or an investment account, what will you do when you have an emergency like: