How much money should I have in savings?

The amount of cash you should have saved will depend on your income and age, but there are some averages you can compare yourself to.

Finder research indicates that the average Australian has $37,4080 in savings. However, these numbers vary widely between age groups, gender and household income levels.

If your balance isn't as healthy as you'd like it to be, don't fret - we'll show you how to boost your savings. And if you feel you've got too much cash sitting in an account, you can learn how to invest it.

How much money do Australians have in their savings?

Comparing how much you have in savings against the average figure can be a useful way to see whether your savings are on track or not.

Men have more saved than women, with an average of $46,056 in savings compared to $36,313 for women. However, this also changes greatly depending on age.

Here's how much money people in the following age groups have in savings on average:

• Aged over 61: $49,076
• Aged 42-61: $51,789
• Aged 27-41: $36,214
• Aged 18-26: $20,160

How much should I have in my savings?

You should aim to have at least three months worth of living expenses in your savings. This is to ensure you can get by if you were to suddenly lose your job or be out of work for another reason, such as health problems or a change in your personal circumstances. If you were to find yourself out of work, your standard living expenses like rent, mortgage payments, energy bills and grocery bills don't stop.

If your monthly living expenses are $2,000, you should aim to have $6,000 in your savings account at the very least. If your living expenses are higher at, say, $4,000 a month, you should aim to have closer to $12,000 in your savings at any given time.

To work out your current living expenses you need to look at your bank statements and calculate how much is coming in and how much is going out each month. The amount that's left over (if there is any) is your monthly savings. The amount that's going out is how much you spend to live. If you don't want to sift through your past transactions to figure this out, the Finder app can automatically do this for you.

Finder survey: Do Australians automate their savings?

How much should I save each month?

There's no magical number for the amount you should be saving each month (sorry!). But we can look at how much Australians save each month on average as a starting point.

One popular method to figure out what you should be saving is the 50/30/20 rule. The 50/30/20 method suggests that 50% of your monthly income should go towards essential living expenses such as rent, food and other vital bills. Then, 30% of your income goes towards other non-essential spending like entertainment (hello, Netflix!), eating out, technology and weekends away. The remaining 20% of your monthly income should go towards your savings.

Using this method, if your monthly income was $3,000 you could aim to save $600 per month. And as your income grows, so should your savings. So let's say you get a big pay rise and your income is now $5,000 a month; your monthly savings should also be increased to $1,000 a month.

Of course, this method isn't set in stone so you're encouraged to tweak it until it works for you. You might even find that you can save a lot more than 20% of your monthly income. However, 20% is a good starting point to aim for.

How to boost your savings

If your savings aren't as high as they could be, don't worry, there are lots of ways to boost your savings. Here are a few to get you started:

• Open a dedicated savings account with a competitive interest rate. The higher the interest rate on your savings account, the faster your savings can grow.
• Look for ways to reduce your spending. Take a look at your recent transactions for things you can easily cut out or cut back on. If you need some inspiration, here are 50 ways to save more money.
• Look for ways to increase your income. There are many ways to earn money from a side hustle. Consider selling unwanted items online, renting out a spare room or car space, driving for a ride-sharing company, doing freelance work in your industry or putting your home up for rent on Airbnb when you're not there.
• Have a budget. Budgets can help you control expenses and reduce any emotional buyers. Additionally budgets will clearly show you how much you can save and where you can cut spending.
• Compare and switch your services. From your health insurance to your energy plan, there are plenty of savings to be made by switching.

Written by

Alison Banney

Editor

Alison Banney is the money editorial manager at Finder. She covers all areas of personal finance, and her areas of expertise are superannuation, banking and saving. She has written about finance for 10 years, having previously worked at Westpac and written for several other major banks and super funds. See full bio

Alison's expertise

Alison has written 625 Finder guides across topics including:

• Superannuation
• Savings accounts, bank accounts and term deposits
• Budgeting and money-saving hacks
• Managing the cost of living