How big should your emergency fund be?

The internet says 3–6 months. Reality is more useful: the right buffer is the smallest one that lets you sleep and keeps a broken laptop from turning into credit card debt.

A single month of essentials covers the majority of real emergencies: a boiler, a car repair, a delayed paycheque. Get there first before chasing bigger targets.

Freelancer with volatile income? Aim for 6+ months. Two stable salaries and no dependants? Two months is often enough. Match the buffer to how quickly you'd recover from a shock.

A separate high-interest savings account works. It should be reachable in a day, but not in the same app you use to buy groceries — friction is a feature.

Automate a transfer on payday, however small. €50/week becomes €2,600 in a year without a single conscious decision.

Should I invest my emergency fund? No. The whole point is that it's available and doesn't drop 30% the month you need it.

Emergency fund or pay off debt first? Build a €1,000 mini-buffer first, then attack high-interest debt, then finish the full buffer.

Does the buffer replace insurance? No. Insurance covers rare catastrophic costs; the buffer covers common small ones.