How much should my emergency fund be?

A common target is 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. If income is variable, 6 to 12 months may fit better.

What counts as essential expenses?

Rent, utilities, food, insurance, minimum debt payments, and transport, not dining out or subscriptions you would cut in a crisis.

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Free calculatorMost helpful for Savers

Emergency Fund Calculator

See how much you need in your safety net and how long it takes to get there.

Emergency fund planner

Monthly essential expenses

$2,500

Months of coverage

6 months

Already saved

$2,000

Monthly savings toward fund

$300

Target emergency fund

$15,000

About 3y 8m to reach your goal at this pace.

Emergency fund

Saving $300 a month from $2,000, you reach $15,000 in 3y 8m.

Where you stand

Covered today: 0.8 months; $2,000 against $2,500 a month.
Your target: 6 months; $15,000
Still to save: $13,000

Milestones on the way

Each step gives you more breathing room.

1 month of expenses, $2,500In 2 months
3 months of expenses, $7,500In 1y 7m
6 months of expenses, $15,000 (your target)In 3y 8m

What if you saved more each month?

Time to reach your emergency fund target at different monthly amounts
Monthly savings	Time to target
$300 (yours)You	3y 8m
$400 (+$100)	2y 9m
$550 (+$250)	2 years
$800 (+$500)	1y 5m

Save your results

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Your next step

Same numbers, different next move

Two people can get this exact result and need totally different first steps. Your Money Type tells you which one is yours.

Strategist“My plan works. I just want it to grow faster.”
Spender“The money is gone before I think about it.”
Saver“I save it. Then it just sits there.”
Scrambler“Every payday I’m guessing what gets paid first.”

Find my Money TypeFree, about 2 minutes

Already know yours?

How It Works

01
Enter your monthly essential expenses and how many months you want covered.
02
Add what you have already saved and what you can save each month.
03
See your target emergency fund and how long it takes to reach it.

The 4 Money Types

The Math Is the Same. Your Next Move Isn't.

Spenders, Savers, Scramblers, and Strategists each need a different first fix. The free quiz tells you which type you are, so you know what to do with this number.

Find My Money Type

Common questions

: A common target is 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. If income is variable, 6 to 12 months may fit better.
: Rent, utilities, food, insurance, minimum debt payments, and transport, not dining out or subscriptions you would cut in a crisis.

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