An emergency fund is the cash cushion that covers your bills if income stops, and the standard advice is to hold three to six months of essential expenses, or more if your income is variable. Enter your monthly essential spending (housing, food, utilities, insurance, minimum debt payments, transport), choose how many months of coverage you want, and add what you have saved so far, and this calculator gives you the target fund size and the gap you still need to close. Add an optional monthly savings amount and it estimates how long the gap will take to fill. Building this buffer is the first step of a healthy financial plan because it keeps a setback from turning into debt. All figures are worked out instantly and locally in your browser.