15-minute financial fixes to save time and money

With 15 minutes, you can do a lot more than save a few bucks on your car insurance. In fact, while shopping around for car insurance is important, that's probably one of the last things you should do if you have a spare quarter hour lying around.

If you're like many Americans, the last couple years have been very financially trying and it's always a morale boost to get a few quick wins. Here are five quick financial moves you can do right now to improve your financial situation.

Start an emergency fund
An emergency fund is a pool of funds you set aside for unforeseen emergencies. It can cover something as small as replacing a flat tire on your car to something as big as losing your job. The goal of the fund is to give you access to cash without the penalty of interest. Fortunately, starting an emergency fund is very easy and something you can do in less than 15 minutes.