Every good financial plan has a built in buffer, or stash of cash, you will need in case of emergencies. The questions becomes: how do you calculate what is right for you?

You need to look at your essentials:
Housing, food, clothing, transportation, health insurance, and utilities are some of the basic essentials we all need. It is a good idea to have 6 months of these essentials stashed in a savings account as a safety net.

How do you get started?
Once you have established what your list of essentials will cost you each month, you need to start stashing. If that monthly amount is $2000, then start saving $500/mo. until you have your full buffer saved. Small bites will allow you to accumulate your stash.

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