@lauriluillier Edit: sorry I didn't realise this question was on financial sub, I just saw swiss flag and thought it was in general Switzerland sub. My thoughts are more appropriate for mere mortals who try to figure out life, and not people who already have a hold about own finances. But I'll leave it here in case some other poor soul stumbles upon it.
Ideally, I recommend 6 months of
latest real living expenses as comfortable minimum (which means if you reduce expenses, you can squeeze more time out of that amount). If you're working, and quit the job, in unfortunate circumstance where you depend on RAV - first money you might see will be 4 months from your first date of unemployment and it will be just 70% of your insured salary (if your employer didn't insured your full one, you're in even bigger pickle).
Where exactly you hold it isn't that important - what is it's ability to get it in one month notice, in case you get fired, although then RAV money will come in 2 months.
This is assuming you're not getting penalty unpaid days 'because you weren't tried to find job person enough'. It's entirely possible you never see any money and get kicked out of RAV if they conclude you're not looking to work. Which might or might not be true. Doesn't matter, it's single person's decision and that person isn't you.
So cash/immediately accessible - 1 month if in that time you can get the rest. Or 2 months or whatever long it takes to get the main savings accessible.
If you're self-employed, even with 2-3 years you won't regret. It can be invested in some low risk options somewhere where you can get it out relatively fast.
Ordinary situation - whatever you can. Every hundred you already have and don't have to go in debt - means you didn't lose additional money on fees and 'loan' rates. Every month you didn't spend it, but managed to increase it, gives you a bit more wiggle room if bad time hits. So, just be a hamster, collect bit by bit, no need to feel bad if you don't have ideal amount already now.
Plus it helps to know there is sozialamt with nothilfe option which from what I've understood basically can borrow you money. Example cases from their site - health care bill and you didn't save in time for franchise + 700, especially when it's between years so you need double that amount.
However, amount over 25k for B and 60k for C permit holders might lead to downgrading the permit or deportation if they conclude your goal is living from social help. I think it's possible to return it even for long term help, however how they count that, depends on the canton and 'individual case'.
I think I remembered numbers correctly, doesn't matter, important takeaway is there are limits, and no, they won't help you pay 3-5k flat or provide 7k for rest of living expenses for two people - they will make you move to cheap accommodation if you want further help.
So basically there are systems in place that can help you, but also they will stop helping if that's your only way of survival here. If you are citizen, they're stuck with you
Edit, forgot first question.
Currently 100 that's unallocated for specific purposes so 'general emergency fund', because last year depleted our savings, and this year had own unplanned expenses we decided to go forward with anyway. Hamstering now, it looks like this month will bring 1000 or so
Don't get me wrong, we have cash in budget, cash reserved for planned expenses and such, that can be shuffled around, some planned expenses can be delayed and so on. But atm we definitely don't have that ideal of 6 months. Maybe 2 with drop in expenses.
Not bad, but not yet good, so we have goals to achieve. No stress either. And no restrictions on our other wants or lifestyle. So basically we're casual hamsters aware of situation which isn't where we want it to be so working on it, not anxious hamsters who are fighting for survival and don't dare to look at the bank account. If anything, I'm eagerly awaiting my system of automatic shuffling of money to kick in on 2nd so that I can explicitly see how much we didn't spend this month aka saved.
With some time, we plan to finally start investing on our own. Because it started to look feasible.
I don't recommend such approach, it isn't financially wise. However having money stashed on bank account and not feeling alive and happy today doesn’t appeal to me/us. Some people would feel alive and happy with probably 1/4 of our expenses and saved the rest for quite some time. That's fine. We all live our own lives. And we all have different risk tolerances.
I had differential diagnosis of potential cancer with lifetime expectancy of less than a year if I was late. I was 33 at that moment. I had to wait several weeks for operation and analysis. And live with that information. Such experience changes your priorities. A lot. Even after it ends up not being that bad and you have 'normal life expectancy'. Enjoying life today without restraining ourselves is our top priority and if money can get us something we'll be really happier with, by all means, that's right purpose for our emergency savings fund. Mental health in our house is pampered as much as we can comfortably afford. Mindful spending, but spending nevertheless. Because we had it seriously damaged by those who were supposed to be your safety net, so a lot of healing to do. Also, no kids. And I recently ended contact with my family for my own wellbeing. So many factors.
Aka, exact number doesn't matter - what matters is your game plan and which amount of security / back up you need. Your budget, spending habits and risk tolerance will yield amount that works for you. For now. You're free to adjust whenever you feel that need.
