You’ve binge-watched enough HGTV to know you want a house. Now the big question: how much house can you actually afford? Because despite what social media makes it seem, buying a home isn’t as simple as “manifesting” it into existence.

Let’s get real: your car doesn’t care about your bank balance before it decides to break down. Your roof? It’s not waiting for payday to spring a leak. That’s where your emergency fund comes in—a financial safety net for when life throws its inevitable curveballs.

So, you want to own a home? Congrats on embracing adulthood—or at least pretending to. But before you start picking out paint swatches and Pinteresting DIY projects, let’s talk about the unglamorous (but essential) part: budgeting.