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[EU] How many months savings do you consider enough? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by what_is_a_name@lemmy.world to c/personalfinance@lemmy.ml

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As the title says I am trying to see where people stand on this. Obviously this is all personal preference. But that is what I am after.

After depleting our savings when buying our apartment 2 years ago, we’re about to cross 6 months liquid savings in just plain old savings account with ability to immediately withdraw money.

(To clarify that is 6 month assuming 0 income, which is very unlikely given the social system of our country - so realistically we have even more in savings.)

As you can imagine, the interest in this account is not great, so I want to set a limit as to when we stop dumping every spare penny into the savings account and begin doing other things (likely try to invest).

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[–] idkwhatimdoing@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I personally keep like 4 weeks cash in a checking account, some traditionally invested that I don't plan to touch for many years, and everything else (12+ months at this point) in an investment account at the same bank as my checking, but exclusively invested in a money market fund with same day liquidity. MMFs are earning around 4+% while fed interest rates are so high, and being able to sell and transfer to my checking in a single day feels like it's basically liquid already.

Since that's the case, I don't want any more than necessary sitting in an account earning 1% or less, just doesn't feel like that much of a difference between investments that can be liquid in 2 hours vs. savings, but my bank is great about quick investment selling and transferring.

[–] Wooster@startrek.website 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m not sure I follow your reasoning.

I mean, 1% interest is admittedly criminal, but it’s still better than the 0% in checking. And a month’s wages feels like a lot—to me—to leave entirely idle.

Everything else though sounds like you’re well and ahead of the game though! Kudos for balancing your portfolio. 👍

[–] idkwhatimdoing@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

A big part of that decision is honestly that we live in a very old house, and a few times we have needed to buy new appliances or pay $10k+ in a ≤24hr. emergency, so we try to keep roughly that amount as liquid as possible. Since that's earning zero and the MMF is nearly as liquid as savings, we just keep all the rest in the higher-interest options, and none at all in a traditional savings account. It's just been the most convenient and highest yield, lowest risk, most easily liquidated option, with the ease of liquidity cutting minimally into returns while MMF rates are so high.

[–] Wooster@startrek.website 2 points 1 year ago

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying. 🙂