Money management is always a work in progress. Since I signed up for this in January, I have changed what I'm doing.
1. I have decided to base my EF on $1500 a month expenses, rather than $1200, so it is not quite fully funded to my 4 month target. That needs to be worked on, but not urgently.
2. I have separated my sinking fund from it. I opened a second HSBC online account (its where I have my EF) for it.
3. Instead of adding a steady prorated insurance amount each month, I'll add more erratically, since I"ll also still be adding to the EF. I'll just be sure that the insurance is covered by the time it falls due. I have $350 in it now, some normal saving, some tax refund. I need $400 by mid April.
I considered also adding some additional to it for car replacement/maintenance costs. However, I've decided against this. I know this is not orthodoxy, but I really hate to have much sitting in savings accounts at such pathetic interest, when I am desperately pushing retirement funds. Time's running out and I'm behind. Sure, the market's not great now, but that's a good time to buy. So I'm hoping for car luck, and if not, there's the EF I could tap for repairs, good insurance to help if it's replacement, because I would only replace for now if it was totaled.