Stage 5 · Lesson 1 of 7
An emergency fund in months, not money
An is savings kept only for a loss of income or a real emergency, in an account you can reach within days. Count it in months of essential expenses: rent, food, bills, loan payments and money you send to family, not your full lifestyle.
A common rule is three to six months. In tech right now, when searches after a layoff often take several months, six or more is safer, especially if you are the only earner or on a work visa. Start small if you have to: one month is far better than none. Keep it separate from investments that can drop in value.
Common trapcounting you might never get, or money in shares and crypto that could be worth much less on the day you need it.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with
- GuideFreeTech Interview Handbook: Resume Guide
Yangshun Tay
Rewrite your CV around results so it is ready before you need it
Practise
Keep handy
Also worth your time
- Learn In PublicRead
Proof of work that lives outside your employer and stays with you