| name | ynab-emergency-fund-builder |
| description | Guides building an emergency fund from zero, or strengthening a thin one, with staged achievable milestones. Use when a user says "I have no emergency fund", "how much should I have saved for emergencies", "help me build a safety net", "I keep raiding savings for car repairs", or "where do I start with an emergency fund". |
| license | MIT |
| compatibility | Works standalone; optionally enriched with live goal/category data when the ynab-mcp MCP server is connected. |
| metadata | {"author":"auzroz","version":"1.0.0","mcp-server":"ynab-mcp"} |
YNAB Emergency Fund Builder
What this does
Guides building an emergency fund from zero (or strengthening a thin one)
using staged, achievable milestones rather than one intimidating target, and
recommends naming specific potential emergencies as separate categories
instead of one vague catch-all.
When to use this skill
- "I have no emergency fund"
- "How much should I have saved for emergencies?"
- "Help me build a safety net"
- "I keep raiding savings for car repairs"
- "Where do I start with an emergency fund?"
Should NOT trigger on: planned, recurring irregular costs already
showing up in transaction history (use ynab-true-expenses), or allocating
one lump sum across several priorities (use ynab-windfall-planner).
Workflow
Step 1: Set the staged milestones
Present the staged approach rather than one big number:
- Starter fund: ~$500 — enough to absorb a small surprise without going
into debt.
- Intermediate: $1,000-2,000 — covers most common one-off emergencies.
- Full buffer: 3-6 months of expenses (6-12 months if income is
irregular — see
ynab-irregular-income-planner).
Step 2: Name specific categories, not one catch-all
Recommend breaking "Emergency Fund" into a few named sub-categories tied to
real, plausible emergencies (e.g. Car Repair, Tech Replacement, Medical) —
this makes the fund feel concrete and makes it easier to say yes to a
withdrawal when the specific thing it was for actually happens, rather than
feeling like raiding a vague pile of savings.
Step 3 (if MCP-connected): Set it up
Call MCP tool: ynab_create_category — for each named emergency sub-category
Call MCP tool: ynab_goal_progress — to track progress toward each stage
Call MCP tool: ynab_category_balances — to check current funding level
Step 4: Suggest the funding mechanism
Recommend small automated weekly/monthly transfers as the base, with
windfalls (see ynab-windfall-planner) as accelerants to jump between
stages faster.
Output format
Current stage: [none / starter / intermediate / full buffer]
Next milestone: $X (currently at $Y)
Suggested categories: [Car Repair, Tech Replacement, Medical, ...]
Suggested monthly contribution: $Z to reach the next milestone in N months
Troubleshooting
MCP connection failed — proceed in coaching mode using amounts the user
provides; note live category data isn't available this session.
Unauthorized / token expired — the YNAB connection needs re-authorization
before categories can be created directly.
When the skill is NOT the right tool
- Known/recurring irregular costs (not true emergencies) — use
ynab-true-expenses.
- Splitting a specific lump sum across several priorities — use
ynab-windfall-planner.
