Emergency fund as a couple: This is what you should have saved

Some couples have separate accounts, others have a joint account, and others have both. In the latter case, both partners have their own and a joint account from which expenses are deducted, such as rent or joint purchases.

If you also have a joint account, no matter what form it takes, you have probably already thought about how much you should have in savings as a couple.

When you talk about your own nest egg, it's usually about a person and their own personal reserves. But how much money should you actually have in savings as a couple? Is there a clear amount here too that can be used as a guide? We got to the bottom of this question.

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Nest egg as a couple: This is how high it should be

If you look at a person as single who has their own income and expenses, you can generally assume something like thisthree to six monthly salarieswhich you should have on high edge. But here too it all depends on your individual life situation.

How much money a couple should have saved as an emergency fund is also very individual. Basically, the amount of your emergency fund clearly depends on your income and your expenses.

If you live in the same household, you both pay your rent together. Since rent is, at least for most people, one of the biggest monthly costs, you should make sure that you can make ends meet for a few months if, for example, one of you loses or quits your job and not immediately starts a new job starts.

Basically, you should write down your income and your expenses. This includes both your joint and your individual costs. This gives you a better overview.

You should consider the following criteria:

• How much money do we make monthly?
• How much are our shared expenses?
• How much money do I need for myself?
• What unforeseen expenses might arise that affect both of us?
• Have we each saved our own emergency fund?

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Once you have listed your joint expenses, you can discuss possible scenarios and calculate how much money you would need.If each of you also has your own account, this offers the advantage that you can also support each other. If you both already have enough money separately from each other, you don't have to worry too much about your shared nest egg.

Is three to six monthly salaries 'too much nest egg' for a couple?

Since you can share a lot of expenses when you share a household, for example if a household appliance breaks or your car needs to be repaired, you can adjust the amount of your emergency fund accordingly. Three to six combined monthly salaries may seem a bit much as a reserve.

However, you should also take into account that you may have to pay a higher rent because the apartment is larger or a partner earns significantly less. If someone really unexpectedly loses their job, three to six combined monthly salaries no longer seem like that much. So if you want to be on the safe side, you can do well with three combined monthly salaries.

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If you have a joint account, it is a good idea to park your emergency fund in a joint current account. Here you can quickly get your money if you urgently need it. At the same time, you make sure that you don't use your savings amount for everyday expenses.