To ask how much you keep in your emergency fund?

[ByCheekyDreamer]

Some say 3-6 months’ expenses, others aim for a year or more. What’s actually realistic?

I would like 20k but have about half that and some will be used for holidays .

I keep the standard 6 months worth.

£15K I could get right now but I have a lot in my ISA I could get in a day or so.

Currently….. £310!
Barely make it to payday each month so any savings are hard come by.

I don’t want to put a number, but enough to cover the bills and living expenses for a year, liquid. I am a single parent raising a young child though, I think I’d be comfortable with 3-6 months if I wasn’t the only source of income for multiple people 😂

Spent most of my life relying on availability of overdraft due to circumstances. Was never in a position to save anything substantive until recently

I don't have one. I am on benefits and don't have anything to save after all the bills.

We have £20k which is about 6 months. We followed Dave Ramsey too and now on baby step 6 trying to get rid of our mortgage.

I just have whatever I can save, it is rarely at 3 to 6 months of expenses, but anything is better than nothing.

I have a handful of loose change in my purse and an extra bag of cat food.

I don't have a specific emergency fund, all our savings are in cash ISAs that I max out every year. I ensure that they are easy access, flexible ISAs so I can withdraw if absolutely needed for an emergency. Thank goodness I didn't put them in S&S isas given the climate as we need the funds in 2yrs time.

£20k

I had from £10 -£1000 for years when kids were younger and I worked part time. Up to £3000 now, would be more but I'm paying down the mortgage as coming up to retirement.

I have a very steady job though, and no risk of redundancy without a significant pay out.

Very little compared to what is usually recommended. About £2400 for me and £5000 for husband. We're in quite stable public sector jobs and have been directing money towards paying off our mortgage, rather than towards savings since we bought our house 8 years ago. We paid off our mortgage earlier this month so hopefully we'll now be able to direct our mortgage payments/overpayments towards building a buffer.

I had 3 months. Now I’m down to 0.5. Thanks, cozzie livz, broken down washing machine, dead car whatever emergency DH had at the end of last year that I can’t even remember now…

Nothing, I am not in a position to save as my whole wage is spent on essentials. On the plus side, due to earning a rubbish wage, I am entitled to 6 months full pay sick leave if the shit really hits the fan, so that would equate to about £14k if I was ever unfortunate enough to need to take it.

Keep all of my salary to myself , he gave me green light when he decided the banking would not be shared, so I said: OK. Now he is sorry and his mum has to pay his shortages

We have £10k sitting in an easy access pot for emergencies, other savings are locked away but could get more out if needed.

25k

About £10k in cash as a ‘float’ for day to day.

Six months expenses in premium bonds as easy access.

Anything else goes in stocks and shares.

I have depleted and rebuilt this a few times now - house deposit, maternity leave etc…!

It also depends on how old you are. I keep my bank account (and other financials) below the level for my adult child to need to go through probate. But I'm old, so my requirements are very different from a parent with young children.

I'm just gonna say that you think the chances are low, but DH and I do vastly different things and last year were put at risk of redundancy on the same day

Not suggesting you do anything differently, just wanted to put it out there that in this economic nightmare, the odds are much higher.

Literally nothing. To be fair we've had some huge financial challlenges over the last few years.

We actually have £1500 in our savings but it was a retention bonus which has to be paid back if my husband leaves his job before he's been there a year. He's planning to leave so we can't spend it. Infuriating!

4k, so less than three months, but savings altogether are a bit higher, an extra 1.5-2k maybe.

I'm being made redundant later this year, I'm praying I find another job before the redundancy pay runs out as I'd love to add a chunk to our savings as I think it's the only chance we'll have to do so in the foreseeable future.

I didn’t know normal people really had this.
I’m so clueless.
I have about £200 saved up and I thought that was a lot.