How to save money regularly: building a savings habit

by - 30/10/2026 in Savings

Saving money regularly can be achieved by breaking down the amount you save to smaller, achievable amounts you can afford to put away every month. Some people also automate this by setting up a monthly standing order, simplifying the process and allowing you to tweak the amount you save subject to your current budget whenever you like.

Why can regular saving help?

Saving money regularly helps build a savings habit, and many people find that a strong savings habit ultimately keeps them on track to build up a sizeable amount of savings more consistently than irregular payments into savings.

One of the ways people build these habits is by breaking down the amount they save each time into smaller, realistic amounts which are easier to afford and so make building a regular savings practice even more achievable.

How can you choose a realistic amount?

Choosing the most suitable amount for you can be guided by reviewing your past expenses to see how much you can spare each month. Many people aim to save around 20% of their monthly take-home pay, reserving the rest for essential living expenses and immediate purchases such as hobbies, subscriptions and gifts.

It’s helpful to keep in mind that the amount you initially decide can absolutely be flexible, so if you find that certain months require you to save less or indeed allow you to afford saving more, this can be tweaked easily.

Where could regular savings be held?

Many people prefer to keep their regular savings in an easy access savings account, as these accounts offer the flexibility of allowing you to deposit money as frequently as you like.

Other types of account, such as fixed-term bonds, do generally offer more competitive and consistent interest rates than easy access, however they also often only allow for a single lump sum deposit and aren’t always best suited to regular savings deposits. Some people deposit lump sums into these accounts once they’ve built up sizeable amounts in their original easy access accounts.

How can you keep the habit on track?

One of the ways people keep their savings habit consistent is by automating it, setting up a monthly standing order to save a specified amount. This can be a helpful way of naturally keeping the habit consistent and is also flexible, meaning you could tweak the amount that's transferred each month depending on your personal expenses.

It isn’t a problem if certain times don’t allow you to save as much as usual given higher living expenses or important life purchases. Having the flexibility to tweak a standing order depending on how much you can afford is a helpful way to keep your habit on track rather than being tempted to stop saving completely.

How to save money regularly: building a savings habit

When exploring how to build a savings habit, the following can be helpful:

People who save regularly often build higher savings balances than those who save irregularly.
Breaking down the process by saving smaller, achievable amounts consistently is a great way to build a savings habit.
Some people find it helpful to automate the savings process by setting up a monthly standing order, which can be tweaked based on your expenses at your convenience.
Keeping a savings habit on track is often as simple as not stopping, so a standing order that automates the process is a good way to keep your money moving into savings.
Even if you must lower the amount you save during certain expensive life periods, not stopping can be all that matters to keeping your habit strong throughout.

Frequently asked questions

How can I get into the habit of saving money regularly?

Many people automate the process by setting up an achievable monthly standing order, removing the need to frequently micro-manage how much you save. You can then review this standing order whenever you like.

How much should I save each month?

It’s good to aim to save around 20% of your monthly take-home pay. For example, putting aside just £500 of a £2,500 monthly salary can help steadily build up your savings.

Is it worth saving small amounts regularly?

Absolutely, any savings are beneficial and small, regular deposits into your savings accounts allow you to keep budgeting manageable. Smaller amounts are simple to set aside compared to your monthly expenses and help build savings habits more easily.

What are the benefits of regular saving?

Regular saving helps develop good savings habits, which frequently allow people to build up their savings more consistently than if you infrequently put aside larger amounts of money.

How can I choose a realistic savings goal?

It’s recommended to try and save around 20% of your monthly take-home pay, however this target can fluctuate based on your evolving budget. It can be helpful to review the amount you’re saving every few months to see if your savings goals have changed, based on whether you can afford to save more or less money.

Where should I keep my regular savings?

Most people will deposit their regular savings into easy access accounts, as they allow for flexible deposits as frequently as a customer would like. Fixed-term bonds generally earn greater interest, however they only allow for single lump sum deposits at the start of their term.

How can compound interest help my savings grow?

Once you earn interest on your savings, you can also earn further interest on that interest. This is called compound interest, and accounts that pay interest more frequently (monthly, rather than annually) have greater compounding potential.

How can I stay motivated and keep my savings habit on track?

Automating the process with a monthly standing order to your savings account is a good way of simplifying your savings process. Equally, reviewing how much you save every few months can help keep you motivated by allowing you to tweak the amount you save, finding the level which best suits your current budget.