An emergency fund is the money you set aside for the things you cannot plan for: a car repair, a gap between jobs, an unexpected bill. The goal is not a perfect number on day one. The goal is a habit you can keep.
Start with one month of essentials
Add up what you must pay each month: housing, food, transport, utilities, minimum debt payments. Aim for that single month first. It is a goal you can reach in a few months, and it already covers most small shocks.
Automate, then forget
Set a recurring transfer for the day after payday. Money you never see in your spending account is money you do not miss. Even a small amount, repeated, becomes a real cushion.
Give every pot a name and a job. A fund with a purpose is much harder to raid.
Keep it separate and reachable
Hold the fund in its own account so it does not blur into everyday spending, but keep it somewhere you can reach within a day or two. When you use it, rebuild it before you increase other saving goals.
General information only, not personal financial advice.