Your essentials & timeline
Estimate must-pay monthly costs (housing, utilities, food, insurance, minimum debt, transport). Then choose how many months of runway you want set aside.
3 mo24 mo
Target & gap
- Emergency fund target
- $21,000
- Still to save
- $19,000
- Funded
- 10%
Progress
Saved vs remaining to hit your target.
Emergency fund 10 percent funded. Target $21,000.
Funded
10%
Frequently asked questions
- How much should I have in emergency savings?
- A common starting target is three to six months of essential expenses in cash you can access quickly. People with variable income or single-earner households sometimes aim higher—use the months slider to compare.
- How many months of expenses should I save?
- There is no single right number. Three months is a minimum for some; six is a popular middle ground; others choose twelve or more for extra cushion. Match the slider to your risk tolerance and job security.
- What counts as essential expenses for an emergency fund?
- Focus on costs that are hard to cut in a crisis: housing, utilities, food, insurance, transportation to work, minimum debt payments, and childcare—not discretionary fun spending.
Related free tool: House Down Payment Calculator — Set a down payment goal, what you have saved, monthly contributions, and an illustrative annual return to see time to goal.