Is it 3 months or 6 months of expenses?

Both are defensible, it depends on how steady your income is and how fast you could replace it. Two stable incomes lean toward 3 months; a single or variable income leans toward 6. Start with a 1-month buffer either way so you are never at zero.

Should the emergency fund be based on income or expenses?

Expenses, specifically your lean, must-pay expenses. Sizing it off income overstates the target, because in a real emergency you cut discretionary spending first.

Where should I keep it?

A separate high-yield savings account: liquid (same-day access), safe (not invested), and out of your everyday chequing so it is not accidentally spent. The goal is certainty, not returns.

Emergency fund or invest first?

Secure a small starter buffer first so a flat tire does not become credit-card debt. After that, many people build the fuller fund and invest in parallel rather than fully finishing one before starting the other, momentum matters.

How does Wiggle Budget help me hold the line?

Keep the fund as a separate savings account so it stays out of your spendable "chequing" balance, and let the timeline project your real cash forward, so you can see what is genuinely safe to spend without dipping into the fund.

How much emergency fund do you really need? A simple way to decide

Wiggle Budget.

Preparing your view

Wiggle Budget.

Preparing your view

Wiggle Budget.

Preparing your view

How much emergency fund you need: 3 to 6 months of lean expenses, how to size it, and where to keep it

How much emergency fund you need: 3 to 6 months of lean expenses, how to size it, and where to keep it