Lesson

Savings Foundations | Options Educator

Create a savings goal and automate contributions.

In this lesson

Why Savings Comes First

• Starter cushion = $1,000 — protects against small surprises
• Full emergency fund = 3–6 months of essentials
• Save in HYSA, invest for growth — don't mix the two

How Much to Save — A Concrete Number

• Multiply monthly essentials by 3 / 6 / 9 depending on income stability
• Essentials ≠ total spending — excludes discretionary
• Milestone your target so it feels reachable

Automating Savings So It Actually Happens

• Automate transfers on payday — remove decision-making
• Keep emergency money at a different bank from checking
• When income rises, raise savings % automatically

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