Almost half of Americans die nearly broke

If you're still years away from retirement and don't have much in the way of accessible savings, you should work on establishing your emergency fund early on, so that it's available for you when you're older. To start, create a budget that maps out your current expenses and find ways to cut corners. If you're willing to make a series of smaller changes, like eliminating several restaurant meals each month or scaling back your leisure spending, you may come to find that you're able to build that fund without making too many major sacrifices along the way.

If small lifestyle adjustments don't work, however, then you'll need to start thinking big. That could mean downsizing your living space to a more affordable property or moving someplace less expensive overall. Or, it could mean selling your car and taking the bus every day if that's an option where you live.

If the idea of altering your lifestyle makes you miserable, then your next best bet is to earn more money to amass some savings. Working a few nights a week or a couple of weekends a month might put enough cash in your pocket to build savings quickly.

Finally, make a point to stay away from credit card debt, even if it means working extra to ensure that your bills are always paid in full by the time they come due. Though avoiding credit card debt won't help you build your savings, dodging interest charges will leave you with more money to put in the bank.

Once you enter retirement without an emergency fund, your chances of building one are pretty much slim to none. And with that comes the risk of not only dying nearly or fully broke, but running out of options for paying your bills when they happen to catch you off guard.

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