Based on your financial expertise, provide your response or viewpoint on the given financial question or topic. The response format is open.

Should Emergency Funds be Used for Infrequent, but Likely, Expenses?
Which of these categories are emergency funds meant to cover? Emergency funds are for emergencies, which to me means expenses that are unanticipated and can't be covered out of "normal" cash-flow.  Oil changes are not an "emergency" and should be part of your normal budget.  Car/house repairs and doctor visits might be an emergency depending on the severity and the urgency (e.g. do I need to fix this now or can I save up and fix it?) For known, predictable expenses that are infrequent (Christmas, birthdays, car insurance, home insurance/taxes if it's not part of your mortgage payment), I use an escrow account.  I calculate how much I'll need for all of those things put together over the year and set aside a fixed amount each paycheck to ensure that I have enough to cover each item.  You could do something similar for minor doctor visits, car repairs, etc.  Estimate how much you might spend and set aside some money each month. If you find you're spending more than you thought, just increase the amount.  You can use envelopes for each type of expense, have a separate checking account for those, whatever.  The point is to set it aside and make sure you have enough left over to cover your known expenses. The whole point of an emergency fund is to be able to pay cash for emergencies rather than borrowing to pay them and dealing with interest, late fees, etc.