Deleted user
"Now, before you pay off all your debt, if you don’t have a fully funded emergency fund, you should do that first. Have 3-6 months’ worth of expenses in a separate savings account for those rainy days that we all experience."
But if you're on a means tested aid program you can't do that. You're often limited to $2k in assets although in recent rears some states are making exceptions and there are a very few Federal exceptions.
So instead I'd advocate a $500 emergency fund like a good rate savings account (at least 0.3%) and possibly a $500 balanced mutual fund if it doesn't put you over the limit. I would avoid precious metals right now although crypto is looking like the new gold standard.
Having at least a little backstop is better than none. You just have to have the discipline to leave it be except for a real emergency and not spend because of a want.