Set a cash buffer as monthly essential spend times months of cover, then show the gap versus cash you already have.
| Target | – |
| Gap | – |
Use this emergency-fund calculator to size a rainy-day pile. Three to six months is a common range; variable or commission income often wants more. The gap is never negative: if you already have more than the target, the gap is 0.
Target = monthly essential spend × months. Gap = max(0, target − cash already).
Essential spend / month: Housing, food, insurance, minimum debt — not discretionary extras.
Months of buffer: How many months of that spend you want in cash.
Cash already: Liquid savings that count toward the fund.
Target: The cash pile you are aiming for.
Gap: How much more to save (0 if you are already there).
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