A first $1,000 buffer

1 min read

In shortA small cushion, so the next surprise doesn't land on a credit card.

A lot of debt starts with a surprise. The car needs a part, the vet calls, a screen cracks. With nothing set aside, it goes on a card.

A buffer is a small pot for those moments. A first $1,000 is a good target. It's the first step, not the whole emergency fund.

Example: how fast it builds

Paid every 2 weeks, $40 a pay gets there in just under a year.

It's only for real surprises. If you could see it coming, like rego, it belongs in a sinking fund.

Used some? Refill it first next payday, before fun money.

Keep it in a savings account at your bank, not as cash at home. In Stuffed, make a goal called Buffer for $1,000.

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