Honestly, when I heard a friend call his coin jar an emergency fund it really hit me. I was in the same spot a few years back. What worked for me was just setting up a tiny automatic transfer, like five bucks a week, to a separate savings account I couldn't see from my main bank page. Out of sight, out of mind. It's not much but it adds up way faster than a cup of change ever could.
Wait, he actually said that out loud? I heard a guy in my office say the same thing last week, but he was talking about a literal jar of coins on his desk. It was for parking meters, not some grand savings plan.
That's just sad honestly. Like, a cup of change is for laundry day, not your life falling apart. It's one thing to be broke, we've all been there, but calling it an emergency fund is just lying to yourself. Dude needs a reality check, not a pat on the back.