I think most of us agree that the easiest way to save money is to transfer a fixed amount into a separate savings account on the very same day when you get paid. This way you don't have the time to spend it and you will not mix it up with the other funds which are dedicated for buying what ever you want/need. For most people the amount of money they put aside depends on two obvious things, their income and their expenses. I don't think using a percentage is good because for someone making $3000 a month and someone making $1500 a month, 20% of their salary is a very different thing. So it's best to determine the amount to be set aside based on how much extra you have after you've paid all your mandatory expenses such as rent, bills, food etc. Personally I do not do this as I'm really good with finances, so I spend what I need to and the rest stays on my account and when I have a decent amount (a couple of thousand) I transfer it over to either my stock broker or my long term savings account. What about you, how much do you save each month?
I can't save anything per month, sadly some months I have a negative balance and on the following months I need to cut on my expenses. I think it's a great idea to put some money apart each month though, but if it's not enough I need to go there and get it.
