Phases 1 and 3 of The Escape Plan

Build the cushion that breaks the cycle.

Most debt starts with an emergency nobody saved for: a car repair, a doctor's bill, a slow month. Savings is what turns those from a crisis into an inconvenience. Start with one month of net pay. Once you're out of consumer debt, build to three months and stretch to 6.

Find my savings goal How it works

Your Savings

Emergency fund

62%$6,200 of $10,000

One-month bufferDone ✓

Auto-transfer each payday$250

Full fund reachedAug 2027

HomePlanSavingsGoals

How it works

Savings happens in two stages.

Not all at once, and not before everything else. The order is what makes it work.

Start with one month

In Phase 1 your only goal is one month of take-home pay. Not six. One. It's enough to stop reaching for a credit card when something breaks, and it's small enough to finish fast.

Then pause and kill the debt

Once you have the month, stop. Every extra dollar goes at debt in Phase 2. Stacking cash while you're paying 24% on a credit card is running in the wrong direction.

Then build three to six months

Debt-free? Now grow it to 3 to 6 months of net pay in Phase 3. 3 months finishes the phase, but right now I want you to stretch to 6 months. Single income, commission pay, or kids at home? 6 matters even more.

Keep it boring and separate

High-yield savings account, ideally at a different bank from your checking, automated every payday. Out of sight is the point. This is insurance, not an investment — it's supposed to be dull.

Run your numbers

What's your number, and when do you hit it?

Put in what your essentials cost each month and what you can set aside. You'll see your first milestone, your full goal, and the dates for both.

Your numbers

Use your take-home pay — what actually hits your account after taxes. Same number the quiz uses.

Take-home pay each month ($)

Months to cover (3–6)

Saved so far ($)

How often you save

You can save each month ($)

Where to keep it

Your emergency fund shouldn't earn nothing.

A regular savings account pays next to nothing. A high-yield savings account keeps the money just as safe and just as reachable — and actually earns something while it waits. Look for no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and FDIC insurance.

Compare high-yield savings accounts Get the 52 Rule tracker

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