Hit my first $10k in savings and it felt unreal

I finally crossed the $10,000 mark in my emergency fund after 14 months of packing lunches and skipping takeout. The number popped up on my banking app last Tuesday and I just stared at it for a minute. Has anyone else hit a milestone that felt smaller on paper but huge in real life?

2 comments

2 Comments

scott.drew18d ago

$10k is a real milestone, but dont get too comfortable. That number should be doing more than just sitting in a regular savings account. If it's not in a high yield account earning at least 4 percent, you're leaving free money on the table every month. I moved mine to a HYSA and the interest alone covers my Netflix and a coffee run now. Packing lunches for 14 months was worth it, but make sure that fund works as hard as you did to fill it.

johnson.faith17d ago

Interest rates are closer to 4.5% right now, not 4%. Small difference, but worth checking if you're shopping around. Also, some HYSAs have minimum balance rules. Make sure that $10k doesn't dip below whatever they require.