How Much Cash to Keep in Checking vs. Savings Accounts - NerdWallet (2024)

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The more cash in your checking account, the better, right? Not necessarily.

Money in a checking account is easy to access, and keeping balances above the bare minimum can help you avoid monthly maintenance fees. But having a bloated checking account means you're missing out on higher returns in a savings or retirement account.

In your checking account, it’s ideal to keep one to two months’ worth of living expenses plus a 30% buffer. Why the buffer? Banks earn billions of dollars from fees charged to customers who overdraw on their account or bounce a check. And running afoul of minimum balance requirements could mean being charged a monthly fee by your bank — so it’s best to have a cushion.

For savings, three to six months’ worth of living expenses in your emergency savings fund is a good goal to aim for. The right number for you might be higher or lower than for someone else. It's all about finding out what works for your budget. Here’s a quick look at how much cash to keep in your checking and savings accounts.

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Track your monthly spending

To figure out what your monthly expenses are, keep a daily spending log for one month. Include credit card purchases and payments that are automatically deducted from your checking account, like gym membership fees or loan payments. Use this base number to calculate how much you’ll need to keep in your checking account and how much savings you’ll need for your emergency fund.

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» Looking for guidance? Learn what a rainy day fund is and why you need one

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Put additional cash in a high-yield account

Once you’ve arrived at how much you’ll keep in your checking account, direct anything extra someplace where it can earn interest. Online-only banks tend to offer the best rates on savings, including annual percentage yields of 5% or more. That is significantly higher than the national average of 0.47% — which means it'll put more money in your account, no matter how much you contribute. You can read more about some of NerdWallet's favorite high-yield savings accounts.

Once your savings account holds about three to six months' worth of living expenses, consider opening an additional retirement account or increasing your contributions to existing retirement funds. Those include 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts.

Keeping the right amount of cash in your checking and savings accounts ensures that you’re able to cover your daily needs and emergencies, avoid unnecessary bank fees and grow your long-term savings. Again, it's about finding what's right for you, not having the average checking account balance.

» Is inflation impacting your finances? Learn how to save more when inflation makes your money count less

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to keep money in checking or savings?

It’s advisable to have both types of bank accounts. You can:

Use a checking account for spending and paying off expenses, and
Use a savings account to build and hold your emergency fund while earning interest.

How much is too much cash in savings?

An amount exceeding $250,000 could be considered too much cash to have in a savings account. That’s because $250,000 is the limit for standard deposit insurance coverage per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. If you keep more than $250,000 in your savings account, any money over that amount won’t be covered in the event that the bank fails. The amount in excess of $250,000 could be lost.

The recommended amount of cash to keep in savings for emergencies is three to six months’ worth of living expenses. If you have funds you won’t need within the next five years, you may want to consider moving it out of savings and investing it.

How much money do experts recommend keeping in your checking account?

It’s a good idea to keep one to two months’ worth of living expenses plus a 30% buffer in your checking account.

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How Much Cash to Keep in Checking vs. Savings Accounts - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

How much money should you keep in your savings and checking accounts? ›

Aim for about one to two months' worth of living expenses in checking, plus a 30% buffer, and another three to six months' worth in savings. Alice Holbrook edits homebuying content at NerdWallet.

See Details ›

How much cash should I keep in my savings account? ›

Though the amount you want to save may vary based on your living expenses, the number of dependents you have, and risk tolerance, aim to put away one to two months' worth of living expenses in a checking account and an additional two to four months in a savings account.

Keep Reading ›

Should you keep more money in your checking or savings? ›

Savings account: 2 to 4 months of expenses

After allocating one to two months of your expenses into a checking account, Anderson says that the two to four months of additional reserves should be put into a savings account — specifically a high-yield savings account.

Show Me More ›

How much money should stay in your checking account? ›

A common rule of thumb for how much to keep in checking is one to two months' worth of expenses. If your monthly expenses are $4,000, for instance, you'd want to keep $8,000 in checking. Keeping one to two months' of expenses in checking can help you to stay ahead of monthly bills.

How much money do millionaires keep in a checking account? ›

“Millionaires' checking accounts are all over the place,” Thompson said. “Some clients will only keep enough to pay for immediate expenses (e.g., $10,000) and others will have $150,000 in checking on any given day.”

Read On ›

What is the 50 20 30 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings.

See Details ›

Is 20K in savings good? ›

While $20K may not let you quit your job, it's enough to start building financial security, whether you max out your retirement accounts, invest in fine art, or divide your cash between multiple investments.

Read The Full Story ›

How much does the average person keep in their bank account? ›

One commonly cited data point comes from the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, which finds that Americans hold an average balance of $42,000 in transaction accounts. This average is skewed by people holding high balances, so it might be better to look at the survey's median balance figure, which is $5,300.

How much should a 30 year old have saved? ›

Fidelity suggests 1x your income

So the average 30-year-old should have $50,000 to $60,000 saved by Fidelity's standards. Assuming that your income stays at $50,000 over time, here are financial milestones by decade. These goals aren't set in stone. Other financial planners suggest slightly different targets.

How much is too much in a checking account? ›

Unless your bank requires a minimum balance, you don't need to worry about certain thresholds. On the other hand, if you are prone to overdraft fees, then add a little cushion for yourself. Even with a cushion, Cole recommends keeping no more than two months of living expenses in your checking account.

Tell Me More ›