Emergency Fund Calculator
Set your essential monthly spend and target months. See your goal amount, gap, and how much to save each month.
An emergency fund covers essential bills if income stops. Most people aim for 3 to 6 months of essentials. This calculator turns that rule into a dollar target and a monthly savings pace.
Calculator
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Free, no accountHow it works
- Enter essential monthly costs (housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, minimum debt).
- Choose how many months you want to cover (commonly 3 or 6).
- Add what you already have saved to see the remaining gap.
Formula: Target = essential monthly × months. Gap = max(0, target − current savings). Monthly save needed ≈ gap ÷ months (default pace).
Example
Essentials of $3,000 and a 6-month goal need $18,000. With $4,000 saved, the gap is $14,000, or about $2,333/mo if you want to fill it in six months.
FAQ
What counts as essential?
Costs you must pay to keep housing, food, transport to work, insurance, and minimum debt payments. Dining out and streaming usually do not.
3 months or 6 months?
3 months is a solid start. 6 months (or more) is safer with irregular income, dependents, or a single earner household.