Comprehensive Calculator Guide
An emergency fund covers your essential costs if your income stops or a sudden expense arrives. Three to six months of essentials is the usual target: with SAR 6,000 of monthly essentials, six months is SAR 36,000. Add what you have saved and what you can put aside to see when you will get there.
How many months, and where to keep it
Three months may do for a stable job with no dependants; six suits a family on one income; nine to twelve suits irregular earnings. Count essentials only: housing, bills, food, transport, loan payments and insurance.
Keep it in a separate account you can reach within days, not in shares that might be down when you need them, and rebuild it first after using it.
How to Use
- 01Enter essential monthly costs and choose the months to cover.
- 02Enter what you have already saved.
- 03Enter your monthly saving to see the months needed.
Formula Used
Fund = essential costs × months | Months to go = still to save ÷ monthly savingPractical Examples
Example 1
6,000 a month for six months, 10,000 saved, 1,500 a month: 18 months.
Example 2
9,000 a month for three months from zero at 2,000 a month: 14 months.
Important Tips
- Automate the transfer on payday.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Sizing the fund on all spending rather than essentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How big should an emergency fund be?
- Usually three to six months of essential costs.
- Where should I keep it?
- In a separate, easily accessible account.
- Fund or debts first?
- Many start with one month, clear expensive debt, then finish the fund.