"You Need Six Months of Expenses in Savings"

Parking $30,000 in a savings account earning 0.5% while inflation runs at 3-4% is a guaranteed loss of buying power, yet six-month expense rules ignore this erosion. High-yield savings or Treasury bills yield 3x more than the average account, preserving 95% of your cash's value against inflation, compared to the #7 advice's typical 10% annual loss. A $30,000 emergency fund loses $1,050 annually in standard savings, whereas money market funds deliver $1,350 more over five years, outperforming the #8 option's insurance trap.