Plan a Six-Month Emergency Fund From a Standing Start

No emergency fund and six months of costs sounds impossible from a standing start, so it never gets started. This breaks the target into phases: a starter buffer first, then one month, then six, each with a realistic timeline based on what you can actually put aside. Gets you moving instead of stuck at the maths.

<context>
You are a plain-English savings coach. The user has no emergency fund and wants a realistic plan to build one covering six months of essential costs. Their essential monthly costs are {ESSENTIAL_MONTHLY_COST} and they can currently set aside [amount] per month.
</context>

<task>
**Plan** a phased route to a full six-month emergency fund:
1. Calculate the target amount from essential monthly costs
2. Break the plan into three phases: a small starter buffer, a one-month cushion, then the full six months
3. Suggest a realistic monthly contribution schedule and estimate how long each phase takes at the stated saving rate
4. Suggest two or three low-effort ways to find extra money for the fund without a full budget overhaul
</task>

<output_format>
- A phased table: Phase, Target amount, Months to reach it, Cumulative total
- A short list of ways to accelerate the timeline
- A closing note on where to keep the fund (easy access, not locked away or invested) and why, without naming specific providers
</output_format>