Money Guide
Practical guidance for building financial readiness
Emergency savings
How Much Should You Have in Emergency Savings?
The three-to-six months rule is not where most households start. Here is how to size an emergency fund around your real expenses, your income timing and the setbacks most likely to hit you.
7 min read · For individuals
How to Start an Emergency Fund When Money Is Tight
A step-by-step way to start saving on a low or irregular income, built from what actually worked for households in our community savings cohorts.
8 min read · For individuals
Why $500 Can Be an Important First Savings Milestone
$500 will not cover every emergency. It covers the ones that most often push households into high-cost borrowing — and that is what makes it the milestone that matters first.
5 min read · For individuals
About the author
Nesha Brown is the Executive Director of Mint To Prosper Foundation and Founder of the Conqueror Community Savings Program. A social entrepreneur whose mission is rooted in her lived experience of homelessness and financial exclusion, Nesha has helped over 500 families gain access to traditional financial products. She is committed to empowering individuals and communities to overcome financial challenges and build lasting stability.
Nesha Brown — Executive Director, Mint To Prosper Foundation · nesha@minttoprosper.org