Free printable kit · 17 pages
Build Your First Emergency Fund, Step by Step
Set your target, pick the right account and build a cushion month by month
- What car repairs, vet bills, ER visits and job loss really cost
- October 2026 savings, CD and T-bill rates vs the national average
- Three sample savings plans with months to a 3 and 6 month goal
- Target worksheet, 12-month savings tracker and milestone timeline
- HYSA vs money market vs CDs vs T-bills, plus FDIC and NCUA limits
- Automation checklist, bank questions and savings scam red flags
Get the Emergency Fund and Savings Starter Kit
Enter your email and we will send the PDF right away, plus new cost guides about twice a month. Unsubscribe anytime.
What is inside
3 Cost tables1 Sample budget page2 Worksheets1 Comparison1 Timeline1 Checklist1 Page of questions to ask1 Page of red flags1 Page of ways to save1 Glossary30 named sources
- 3Cost tablesWhat common emergencies cost
- 4Cost tablesCould you cover it? How Americans are doing
- 5Cost tablesWhat savings pays now: national average vs top rates
- 6Sample budgetsThree sample savings plans: your first 12 months
- 7WorksheetsEmergency fund target worksheet
- 8Worksheets12-month savings tracker
- 9ComparisonsWhere to keep it: savings, money market, CDs and T-bills
- 10TimelineMilestones: from $0 to 6 months
- 11ChecklistsAutomation checklist: save without thinking
- 12Questions to askQuestions to ask before you open an account
- 13Red flagsRed flags: savings and investment scams
- 14Ways to saveSavings moves that make a real difference
- 15GlossarySavings terms in plain English
Every number in the kit comes from a named source, listed with its date on the last page. General information only, not professional advice.
Read the full guides
Saving & InvestingCalculatorEmergency Fund Calculator: How Much Should You Save?Use our emergency fund calculator to size your goal. 3 to 6 months of essentials is the rule; for the average US household that's about $13,000 to $26,000.
BudgetingCalculator50/30/20 Budget Calculator: How to Split Your Take-Home PayUse our 50/30/20 budget calculator to split take-home pay. On $5,000 a month: $2,500 for needs, $1,500 for wants and $1,000 for savings and debt.