How to Calculate Your Exact Emergency Fund Size in Under 15 Minutes

Step 1: Pull Last Month’s Real Numbers (3 Minutes)

Open your bank or credit card statements and write down:

• Housing + utilities
• Groceries + eating out
• Transportation (gas, rides, transit)
• Minimum debt payments
• Health insurance + regular medical costs Add them up → this is your true Survival Monthly Burn.

Step 2: Choose Your Risk Multiplier (30 Seconds)

Pick only the one that fits you best:

• Stable job + own home → ×6 months
• Stable job + renter → ×7 months
• Gig, contract, or volatile industry → ×9 months
• Single-income household with kids → ×10 months
• Already in a shaky sector → ×12 months Result = Core Emergency Target

Step 3: Add Your Personal “Life Happens” Buffer

Write the actual amounts for:

• Health insurance deductible → ______
• Likely car repair or replacement → $3,000–$6,000
• Home repair deductible → $2,000–$5,000
• Any known big expense in next 2–3 years (roof, furnace, etc.) → ______ Total Buffer = ______

Step 4: Your Final Number (Instant)

Core Emergency Target + Personal Buffer = Your Exact Emergency Fund

Real-life examples using this formula:

• Single renter, steady corporate job → $18,000–$22,000
• Married teacher, mortgage, two kids → $35,000–$42,000
• Freelance designer, variable income → $24,000–$32,000

Run this calculation any time your income, family, or job changes. Grab your statements right now—your perfect emergency fund size is only 15 minutes away and will stay accurate for life.