Three to six months of expenses is a sturdy cushion, and it is also a number that stops many people from starting. Begin with a first target you could reach in a few months. Some households use a few hundred in their own currency. The point is a balance that can cover a small shock without a card.
Keep that money in an insured account you can reach quickly, and do not mix it with the holiday fund or the rent money. When you use it, refill it before you take on a new goal. After the first target is in place, stretch toward a month of essential bills, then further if your job or health makes a longer gap likely.
Start this week
Name the first target out loud as a number, open or label a separate savings space for it, and send the payday transfer there until you hit it.