Emergency Fund Calculator
Calculate an emergency fund target
Work out the size of your emergency fund: money set aside for surprises such as a breakdown, a medical bill or a loss of income. You need your essential monthly expenses, the months you want to cover and what you've already saved.
Calculate your emergency fund target
Result
Fund target
€9,000.00
- Still needed
- €6,000.00
- Months already covered
- 2 months
- Progress
- 33.33%
Formula version: 1.0.0
How to use the emergency fund calculator
- Add up one month of essential expenses: housing, utilities, food, transport and debts.
- Choose how many months you want to cover.
- Enter what you've already saved and see how much is missing.
How the emergency fund is calculated
Target = essential expenses × months · Gap = target − current fund
The number of months depends on your stability: with irregular income or dependants it makes sense to cover more months.
Emergency fund example
With €1,500 of essential expenses and 6 months of cover, the target is €9,000. If you already have €3,000, you cover 2 months and still need €6,000 (33.33% complete).
Illustrative example with the data shown; not a guaranteed outcome.
Assumptions and limitations
- Only essential expenses count, not optional ones.
- The fund should be kept somewhere liquid and low-risk.
Frequently asked questions
How many months should I cover?
As a guide, 3 to 6 months of essential expenses; more if your income is irregular.
Where should I keep the fund?
Somewhere you can access quickly without losses, such as a savings account, separate from everyday money.
Related calculators
See savings calculatorsIndicative result for information only; not financial or tax advice. Read the legal notice · How we calculate results
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