“Squirrel” (ardilla) you may know. Squirrels store nuts for their winter food.
Humans also store things for future use, so in that sense we are “squirrels”. So some mortals “squirrel away” (almacenar) money for a “rainy day” (ahorrar para cuando lleguen tiempos peores).
Other phrases that are similar are “stash away (quardar) and “to hoard” (amontonar, atesorar) things or money.
To squirrel away can be negative or positive: positive if you are prudently saving for future needs, negative if you squirrel away or hoard things for no real purpose.
Have you squirrelled away something?
