A little planning now can help you handle a natural disaster or other emergency.

Many Americans have focused on their need to be prepared in case of an emergency. Very few, however, consider financial preparedness in their plans. From keeping an evacuation box with important documents to setting up an account with emergency funds, preparing now can be the difference between financial security and financial crisis.

These simple tips from financial experts at Union Bank of California can help anyone prepare financially for a natural disaster:

• Conduct a Household Inventory

Create a household inventory for items of significant value and locate originals of important financial and family documents. Store original documents in waterproof bags in a safe deposit box or durable "evacuation box" and photocopies in a safe place. Use a CD to back up key documents on your computer. If practical, store copies with friends or relatives who live outside the area.

• Know Your Insurance Policies

Understand what types of losses your renters or homeowners insurance covers. Ask your insurance agent or financial planner about additional coverage for floods, earthquakes, home offices and big-ticket items. Keep copies of your policies in a safe place along with your other important papers.

• Keep Cash Accessible

Keep at least $300 in cash at home in a place where you can get to it quickly in case of a sudden evacuation. The money should be in small denominations for easier use.

• Create and Maintain a List of Emergency Contacts

Keep a list of important emergency contacts, including direct family members, doctors, medical facilities, numbers for your bank, insurance agent and company, lawyer and financial planner/advisor. Credit card 1-800 numbers can help you quickly retrieve account information.

• Keep an Emergency Savings Account

This account should be separate from any other account and contain enough money to cover at least three to six months of living expenses.

"We've learned from the aftermath of recent natural disasters that financial preparedness is not always top of mind," said Union Bank's Executive Vice President Ronald Kendrick. "Follow these guidelines to ensure you and your family are protected financially."

Perhaps you can relate to this scenario: The moment you thought you were back in the financial game of life, something else came along that smacked you back down into the land of money woes again. Was that an accurate scenario? For many people it is. Perhaps a tragic emergency or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came by and you had to pay more money than you expected to pay.

Whatever the situation, you were just clawing your way back to having control of your expenses when you pushed back down. Of course, the end result is debt!

How do you deal with that mounting debt? What can you do to solve it? There are many solutions and one of them is loans. We are going to show you the different kind of loan options you have to help you make the decision wisely.

A Secured UK secured loan is one option that many people just might want to choose because it gives them a variety of potential loan amounts and interest rates. If that’s you, the choice is yours! You can choose the loan amount that is right for your situation. And, the rate of interest on the principle is usually determined by several things. For example, the prevailing interest rates, the risk the lender faces from the recipient, the amount of money you want to borrow, and the repayment period. Also, a Secured UK secured loan comes with several flexible repayment terms, including the repayment frequency and the loan period (which is the amount of time you expect to pay the loan back). That way, you can manage the loan over a period of time and suit it to your income.

Be sure to shop around. If you look around at the many options available, you’ll probably find a Secured UK secured loan that provides you with a good amount to borrow, competitive rates, an attractive repayment period, and a repayment frequency that meets your needs. Consider this example:

If you have a large amount of utility bill outstanding debts (such as credit cards, loans, or bills owing), a Secured UK secured loan might be a good option in order to help you consolidate those utility bills into one manageable payment. That way, you can keep the lights on and the water running! Get a loan for a little more than your current accumulated bill so that you can put a small credit on each outstanding amount. That way, you’ll gain back your good name from the utility companies, and you’ll have a month or two of reprieve before you have to start paying back both the loan and the new utility bills you incur. It just might be a period of time where you tighten your belt, but it will allow you to live comfortably.

A Secured UK secured loan has many options. One of those is to consolidate your utility bills and let you begin the fight to win back your good name while keeping the lights on in your house. Many people are choosing to add a secured loan to their financial management plan. Is it the right thing for your out-of-control utility bills?