the PF recommend is 3-6 months of income in a quickly accessible emergency fund. and that doesn't include like savings for goals (weddings, vacations, etc) or housing projects or whatever, which sure as shit rich people do.

admittedly, when I do talk to high income people about finances and stuff, I often get the impression they play it real loose, don't really have savings strategies, carry CC balances and do dumb shit like tap HELOCs for non-emergency shit. but I just thought that was because most of the high income people I know are fools, not that they were a representative sample.

[–] ped_xing@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't think the recommendation of "3-6 months of income in a quickly accessible emergency fund" scales well. If you don't make much and could need to buy another beater car after your current one inevitably dies, sure. But if you make significantly more, to the point where you max out your retirement accounts, what's wrong with using a brokerage account for savings? I can have that money ready to spend in 7 business days and can use my credit card and checking account in the meantime. Yeah, risk, blah-blah-blah, but going with a guaranteed almost-zero is a suckers' game while the line is still generally going up.

[–] came_apart_at_Kmart@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

brokerage go up and down. meanwhile, HYSAs are around 5% and if the deposit is big enough, there are CDs even with near zero penalty for early withdrawal. it's not recommended to keep an emergency fund in any vehicle which can go down, because usually line go down comes with widespread job loss,.like in '07

the point of the fund at that level isn't replacing an unreliable car. those people drive nice cars with warranties and insurance. for someone pulling down $150k, needing a new car is barely a problem. the fund is for actual cataatrophe. generally, it's for losing a job and being able to float for 90+ days, stay current on all loans, and keep the family on COBRA and the same network while they decide how to shift benefits around and be somewhat selective about the next job, instead of having to take whatever comes.

[–] ped_xing@hexbear.net 2 points 1 year ago

Sorry, I wasn't aware of HYSAs until now; I was speaking based on the bad rates I was seeing when I decided not to mess with savings accounts anymore. Thanks for the info.

[–] Llituro@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago

dont forget that a lot of people who get fat account numbers slap the reset button by dumping all of it into a down payment on a house

[–] AcidSmiley@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago

I just thought that was because most of the high income people I know are fools, not that they were a representative sample

well from my personal experience, i'd say they probably are a representative sample. The world is run by complete clowns and we're beginning to see the consequences.