Do most people have savings?

We put aside 25% of our income each month to save for all of the non monthly costs like car tax, mot, presents at xmas, clothes, new glasses, DIY, house insurance, car insurance etc etc. Also we are putting aside £75 pcm to save for a new car in 5 years time (hope ours lasts that long!). This means we don't have any 'surprise' bills like the car tax dropping on the door mat, as we save 1/12 of the annual cost each month.

We also have ISA savings because we don't have any critical illness cover, mortgage insurance or decent pension provision. We don't save much into these at the moment though because we have 2 children and I am a SAHM so there is only one income in the house.We'll start again when the children are at school and I have an income.

We don't save for holidays really because we can't afford them at the moment, although we are saving to get married (we need 3k so we've been saving £100 per month for a few years)

We have friends on much, much higher incomes than us that live day to day and are amazed that we have savings. But I don't see the point of not saving each month for things you know are going to happen? the bills have to be paid whatever you do. Sorry if that sounds smug, its not meant to. I think I'm a bit obsessive about organising our savings sometimes and I refuse to get a credit card. ?

We do have savings. We have the suggested 3 months expenses in an ISA and then have always had extra savings for specific things which at the moment is pretty non existant as the thing we were saving for (Maternity leave) only finished last month and we used all the savings so we will start savings those up again from next month.

We also have a savings account that works with our joint current account so that rather than having the money in a current account earning no interest, it sits in the savings account until it is needed and then gets transferred. Although tbh at the moment it makes naff all interest? but I am still in the habit of using the accounts that way.

We used some of our savings a while ago to pay off some of the mortgage but we can draw those back at any time. It made more sense to do that as we were paying a higher interest rate on the mortgage than we could get on the savings.

Not at the moment as we are trying to pay off overdrafts but will save afterwards.

We do have savings but we're about to blow nearly all of them on a new car and then, hopefully, a house deposit. I try to save a bit every month and that goes out of my current account the day I get paid so I'm not tempted to spend it but I do dip into it every now and then.

We've tried to do what Freda does but have never got quite as far as setting up the direct debits to make it happen. We will one day soon though. H is a lot more irresponsible with money though and lives very day to day, I find it hard getting him to plan ahead.

We have an offset mortgage so no savings as such, but the capacity to re-borrow some of what we've paid if needed.

We do save, but not as much as we should. The aim is to have 3 months of both of our salaries, but we have 2 months of one so far and about to buy a new car...

We're in pretty much the same boat as both my H & I were lucky with the 90-00s housing market, never had student or other loans, don't have or plan to have kids and earn decent salaries. Generally savings will pay for holidays, home improvements, car switches and eventually off the mortgage early.

No, we have debts. I'd love to earn enough to clear the debts and start saving but it doesn't look likely.

We have standing orders for a minimum of £300 per month. We got engaged in Nov 08 and have managed to save £6k since christmas - although OH got a £2k bonus, we are shocked at what we have managed to save! We both have good salaries though and I earn extra with my hobby business ontop of my full-time earnings. My job isn't secure though, saying that, it hasn't been secure for 8 years but I'm still there!

We normally have a grand or so in savings but then decide we need a holiday etc We're lucky in that I took to ensuring all the CC's were paid off a few years ago and although we have a mortgage and loan, we can afford them and the household bills on 1 wage. Any big items like fitting the new kitchen, sofa etc gets bought/paid for with OH's bonus each year.

Our next project is maternity leave/conservatory savings (the latter so wedon't have to move when we get little ones hanging around lol)

No, we don't have any savings. We have some debts which we are clearing, and I'm expecting a payrise, so hopefully we will soon come to a point where there will be something left to put aside each month.

We have been pretty unlucky over the last few years. Just days after buying our house (4 years ago) I was made redundant, then 3 days after our wedding (2 years ago) H was made redundant and was out of work for 4 months. I'm almost scared to save as every time we do, and make a big purchase, something bad comes along!!