{"id":196801,"date":"2025-10-13T09:48:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T09:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/196801\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T09:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T09:48:09","slug":"why-every-woman-needs-a-f-off-fund-and-how-to-build-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/196801\/","title":{"rendered":"Why every woman needs a \u2018f*** off fund\u2019 – and how to build one"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saving money<\/a> is rarely easy, especially when prices for rent, energy and food keep climbing.<\/p>\n

A \u201cf*** off fund\u201d goes beyond the usual emergency pot<\/a>; it isn\u2019t there to cover car repairs or broken boilers, but to give you the freedom to walk away.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s money set aside for your independence – savings<\/a> that let you leave a job<\/a> that\u2019s harming your health, a relationship<\/a> that makes you feel unsafe, or any situation where a lack of cash<\/a> might otherwise keep you trapped.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why women<\/a> in particular benefit from having a f*** off fund, how much to aim for and, importantly, where to keep it.<\/p>\n

A safety net with a different purpose<\/p>\n

\u201cAn emergency fund keeps you afloat when life throws a curveball,\u201d says financial planner Rowan Harding, of Path Financial. \u201cA f*** off fund gives you the power to make choices. It enables you to leave a situation that isn\u2019t good for your wellbeing, at work, at home or anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

The need is especially critical for women. A recent OnePoll survey found average rainy-day savings is \u00a37,463 for women, compared with \u00a38,771 for men.<\/p>\n

Government analysis<\/a> puts the private pension gender gap at around 48 per cent for people approaching retirement. And MoneyShe reports<\/a> that more than 75 per cent of women are not confident they can afford a comfortable retirement, while roughly one in three feel trapped in a relationship due to a lack of financial independence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese aren\u2019t luxuries,\u201d Harding says. \u201cA back-up fund gives women independence, dignity and freedom, should it be needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

(Getty Images)<\/p>\n

How much should you aim for?<\/p>\n

Start with the essentials. \u201cAim for at least three to six months of expenditure for a \u2018normal\u2019 emergency fund,\u201d says Harding. \u201cKeep this ring-fenced in readily accessible cash.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd for a f*** off fund, the same rule applies, but it can vary. Those who are self-employed or on short-term contracts should consider six to twelve months.\u201d<\/p>\n

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As a guide, someone spending \u00a32,000 a month on rent, bills and food would want at least \u00a36,000 set aside, ideally nearer \u00a312,000. For insecure work or if you have dependents, the eventual target may be double that.<\/p>\n

Remember, you are saving for several months of costs, not earnings or income. If you earn \u00a33,000 a month, you\u2019re not aiming for three or six months of that figure.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about a perfect number,\u201d Harding says. \u201cIt\u2019s about having enough to breathe and time to make your next move.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting started when money is tight<\/p>\n

The idea of saving thousands can feel daunting, but momentum matters more than perfection.<\/p>\n

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open image in gallery<\/p>\n

(Getty Images\/iStockphoto)<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything you can put aside will help,\u201d says Harding. \u201cUnderstand your budget and income. Work out what\u2019s essential and what\u2019s discretionary and could be reduced or stopped. Always move your affordable contribution into your ring-fenced savings as soon as you\u2019re paid so it doesn\u2019t get spent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Break the goal into milestones: for example the first \u00a3500, the first month\u2019s rent, then \u00a35,000.<\/p>\n

Open a separate savings account to reduce temptation, and nickname the pot in your banking app (\u201cFreedom Fund\u201d, \u201cExit Pot\u201d) to reinforce its purpose.<\/p>\n

Where to keep it<\/p>\n

\u201cAny funds for emergency and f*** off savings should be kept in cash,\u201d Harding advises – as in, cash in a bank account, not literal money under the mattress.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis shelters them from market ups and downs. They are separate from long-term savings for future financial independence. Pensions and stocks and shares ISAs work very differently to cash savings.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can still align the money with your values. \u201cYou can choose to hold cash ethically so your money works hard for you and has a positive impact on people and planet, and isn\u2019t linked to areas you might not wish to support, such as weapons for war, fossil fuels or environmentally damaging mining,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Build in protection<\/p>\n

A f*** off fund is a big part of having – and feeling – financial resilience. \u201cHaving a \u2018Plan B\u2019 or back-up plan for \u2018just in case\u2019 means you can have peace of mind that whatever happens, your financial situation will be okay,\u201d says Harding. <\/p>\n

\u201cInsurance plans can also help. It\u2019s best to seek financial advice to find the most suitable protection for your circumstances. You will still have the emotional aspect to deal with, but knowing you\u2019re not reliant on anyone else financially can give you strength to face the challenges life throws at us.\u201d<\/p>\n

A f*** off fund won\u2019t fix the systemic issues women face, such as lower pay, smaller pensions and career breaks, but it reduces the risks of financial dependence and buys time to make decisions on your terms.<\/p>\n

However daunting the target may seem, the key is to start – and then to keep going.<\/p>\n

When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn\u2019t guarantee future results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Saving money is rarely easy, especially when prices for rent, energy and food keep climbing. A \u201cf*** off…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":196802,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[84,4176,4174,4175,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-196801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-personal-finance","tag-business","tag-finance","tag-personal-finance","tag-personalfinance","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196801"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196801\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/196802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}