Getting a flat tire on the highway made me rethink my emergency fund

I was driving back from a work trip in Austin last month when my tire blew out on I-35. The tow truck alone cost $150, and the new tire was another $200. I had to put it all on my credit card because my savings were too low. That whole mess showed me my $500 emergency fund wasn't enough for real life problems. Now I'm trying to build it up to cover at least three months of bills. How much do you all keep set aside for stuff like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

evahart1mo agoMost Upvoted

What kind of stuff are you including in your three months of bills calculation?

pat6391mo ago

Just the basics like rent and utilities? Or other stuff too.

the_jake1mo ago

Yeah, pat639 has a point about what counts as basics. I've seen a lot of friends get caught because they only saved for rent, but forgot about stuff like car repairs or a vet bill.