Experts say 2, 000 is the magic number to help guard against debt. But even 200 cuts the risk of falling behind on billsHaving 2, 000 in savings means you are 60% less likely to fall behind on household bills and have a much lower risk of problem debt than someone with little or no money put aside. That is the headline finding from an academic study that has found that when it comes to the protective power of savings, 2, 000 is a turning point.