An emergency fund is for dipping into when you don’t have a choice, while a walk-away fund is for when you want to make a choice. Illustration: Alice MollonWhen I graduated from college in 2011 into a slow job market, I was happy to take any job. But two years later, I found myself stuck in a role without a career trajectory or opportunities for growth, and I realized I had to walk away. I got some other gigs lined up, asked for a small raise, and when they said no, I also said no, getting out of that dead-end job. Ever since then, the power of saying no to jobs—of having options—has stayed with me.

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Persons: Alice Mollon