I've been working toward a $10k emergency fund for about 18 months and finally hit the target last week. Here's what actually worked for me.

The biggest change was automating the transfer on payday — before I could spend it. I started with $50/week and gradually increased it as I eliminated small subscriptions and got a modest raise. The HYSA interest helped psychologically even if the dollars weren't huge.

For anyone just starting: don't aim for 6 months right away. Aim for $1,000 first. Then $2,500. Chunking it made it feel achievable instead of abstract.