Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.
How much money should I have in savings?
Our data says that the average Australian has $31,179 in savings. Find out how much savings people in your age group have, and how to boost your balance.
{"menuItems":[{"label":"How much money do Australians have in their savings?","anchorName":"#how-much-money-do-australians-have-in-their-savings"},{"label":"How much should I have in my savings?","anchorName":"#how-much-should-i-have-in-my-savings"},{"label":"How much should I save each month?","anchorName":"#how-much-should-i-save-each-month"},{"label":"How to boost your savings","anchorName":"#how-to-boost-your-savings"},{"label":"Boost your savings with a high interest savings account","anchorName":"#boost-your-savings-with-a-high-interest-savings-account"}]}
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 just over $30,000 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.
Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker data for May - June 2023 shows that on average, Australians have $31,179 in cash savings.
Men have more saved than women, with an average of $42,373 in savings compared to $19,507 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: $54,196
Aged 42-61: $43,956
Aged 27-41: $16,072
Aged 18-26: $9,490
Average savings by age group and gender
As well as age, the average amount that someone has in savings also differs depending on gender. The following graph shows the average cash savings amount for each age group split by gender. This Finder data is based on responses from more than 3,000 Australians as of June 2023.
18-26 years
27-41 years
42-61 years
Over 61 years
Men
$10,835
$18,716
$58,436
$58,691
Women
$8,837
$14,632
$21,273
$46,695
Our data shows that males aged between 42 and 61 years have substantial savings of $58,436 on average. In comparison, females in this same age group have just $21,273 in cash savings - 36% of the savings of their male counterparts.
Even in the youngest age group, Gen Z, males on average have more money in savings than females with $10,835 compared to $8,837.
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.
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.
Finder data shows that on average Australians save $614 per month. The average monthly saving for men is $725 and for women it's $509.
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.
Boost your savings with a high interest savings account
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
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.
Wondering how your grocery bill stacks up to your neighbour? We break down the cost of food in Australia, and how much we’re spending by state, lifestage and household size.
Looking for alternative investments? With a ROI of up to 3,593% lego may be worth considering. Read on to find out which lego sets are worth the investment.
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please note that the information published on our site should not be construed as personal advice and does not consider your personal needs and circumstances. While our site will provide you with factual information and general advice to help you make better decisions, it isn't a substitute for professional advice. You should consider whether the products or services featured on our site are appropriate for your needs. If you're unsure about anything, seek professional advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan and read any disclosure documents (such as any Target Market Determination (TMD) and/or Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)) issued by the provider before making a decision.
Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance. Acceptance by insurance companies is based on things like occupation, health and lifestyle. By providing you with the ability to apply for a credit card or loan, we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application for credit products is subject to the Provider's terms and conditions as well as their application and lending criteria.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
