Emergency fund calculator
How big your safety net should be, and how to get there.
₹40,000 (40 thousand) · Rent, food, bills, transport, insurance, school fees: what you can’t skip
Months of cover
₹10,000 (10 thousand)
Your emergency fund target
₹2,40,000
Reached in 24 months at your saving rate
- Essential costs per month
- ₹40,000
- Emergency fund target
- ₹2,40,000
- Already saved
- ₹0
- Still needed
- ₹2,40,000
Keep the fund somewhere safe and quick to reach, such as a savings account or a deposit you can break without a big penalty, not in shares.
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How to calculate your emergency fund
- 1
Enter your essential monthly expenses and loan EMIs.
- 2
Choose how many months of cover suits your situation.
- 3
Add what you’ve already set aside.
- 4
See your target, the gap and how long it takes to fill.
Your financial safety net
An emergency fund pays the bills when something goes wrong: a job loss, a medical bill not covered by insurance, an urgent repair or a family emergency. Without one, a bad month turns into credit card debt or a broken investment. The calculator works out how big your fund should be, how much you still need and how long it takes to build.
An emergency savings calculator: how much emergency fund you need, sometimes called a contingency fund.
How much is enough?
The fund is your essential monthly costs multiplied by a number of months:
- 3 months: stable job, two incomes, few dependants.
- 6 months: the usual advice for most households.
- 9 months: one income, dependants or a home loan.
- 12 months: self-employed, freelance, commission-based or seasonal income.
Count only essentials: rent or home loan EMIs, groceries, utilities, transport, insurance premiums, school fees and other loan EMIs. Leave out holidays, eating out and shopping, which you’d cut in an emergency.
Example
With essentials of 40,000 a month and 6 months of cover, the target is 2,40,000. If you’ve set aside 60,000 and can save 10,000 a month, you’ll reach it in 18 months.
Where to keep it
The money must be safe and available within a day or two: a separate savings account, a sweep-in deposit or a liquid fund. Don’t keep it in shares, which can fall exactly when you need them, or in long fixed deposits with heavy break penalties.
What comes first?
Build a small fund first, about one month of essentials, then clear expensive debt like credit cards, then complete the full fund. After that, plan bigger goals with the savings goal calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How big should an emergency fund be?
Usually 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. Choose more, up to 12 months, if you’re self-employed, have one income, dependants or a large loan.
What counts as essential expenses?
Costs you can’t pause if your income stops: rent or EMIs, food, utilities, transport, insurance premiums and school fees. Leave out holidays and shopping.
Where should I keep my emergency fund?
Somewhere safe and quick to access: a savings account, a sweep-in deposit or a liquid fund. Avoid shares, since they may be down exactly when you need the money.
Should I pay off debt or build the fund first?
Most planners suggest a small fund first, around one month of expenses, then paying off expensive debt such as credit cards, then the full fund.