How much should I actually save?

The truthful answer is: it depends. It depends on what you earn, what your rent is, and what's going on in your life right now. Anyone who gives you one magic number without knowing any of that is guessing.

So instead of chasing a perfect figure, let's find one that's realistic for you — because a plan you'll actually stick to beats a perfect one you'll quit.

• A common target is 20% of your take-home pay (the savings slice of the 50/30/20 rule). It's a great goal to aim toward.
• If 20% isn't possible right now, that's completely normal — especially with high rent. Start with whatever you can, even 5%.
• A simple move: save 1% more than you did last month. Small, painless, and it compounds into a real habit.

Here's the part that matters most: the gap between saving €0 and saving €20 a month is bigger than the gap between €20 and €200. It's not really about the amount at first — it's about becoming a person who saves.

Once the habit exists, growing it is easy. So don't wait until you can save "properly." Save a small, almost-embarrassingly-tiny amount now, this month. That's the whole trick.

You don't have to jump to 20% overnight. Nudge it up when life gives you room:

• Got a raise? Send half of the extra straight to savings before you get used to spending it.
• Paid off a subscription or a debt? Redirect that same amount into savings — you were already living without it.
• Set a calendar reminder every few months to bump your automatic transfer up by a little.

Do this a few times and a scary 20% arrives on its own, without a single dramatic month.

In order: first a small emergency fund (aim for €500, then a month of expenses), then whatever matters to you — a trip, a deposit, a laptop, a calmer mind. Saving with a purpose is far easier than saving just because you're told to.