How much money do you like to keep in your savings account? (Or think would be the optimum amount.) What do you do with the money after you reach that goal and the bills are all paid? Leave it in there? Spend it? Invest it some other way?

(by 2-3 paychecks I mean if you make $500 each paycheck, 2-3 would equal $1000-$1500 in savings) I asked it this way so you dont have to say how much you make

a wopping $0

I am to broke to save

As much as possible. My savings is strictly a savings. We save for our kids college separately, then our retirment, then a small savings of 2000$ for minior emergencies. Then our larger savings that would allow us to live for two years if we both lost our jobs. I want a nice retirement that's why I save. If I want something I but it from my checking.

I'd like 6 months of income, we have around 3 months worth.

We put at least a third of our income into savings. I can't say how many checks because we both work freelance and aren't on a regular pay schedule like most people.

My mom always said to keep enough cash in your savings to equal 6 months of pay.

We have a little over 20k at the moment. We had 30 but we put 5k down on a car this past summer. We aren't saving for anything specific but if the money was to be spent, it would be a down payment for our first home when we are ready to buy.

I think at minimum your liquid assets should have about 3 months of rent and bills be put aside. Then other savings that are not so easy to get the cash out of such as stocks and bonds (or what ever you like) you should have at least another 3 months worth.

It can happen all to suddenly that you can no longer work and the bills don't leave and health insurance dose not always pay what you think it will.

In 2006 I had about 6 months of savings and got hurt and was in bed for about 9 months... ruined my credit. AND I had a good nest egg at that time. So I now know that 6 months worth is not always enough.

Savings - About $15,000
Emergency Fund - A year's worth of my salary
College Fun - $6000 or so
House Fund - $10,000 or so (there would be more, but we just paid for a new roof)

We don't have an amount. The more the better. If it ever dips below 5k or so we start feeling itchy. That only happened once though and it's back to normal again. Our money goes to three places: 1.) Living expenses (food, housing, travel, shopping, whatever), 2.) Our son's college fund, and 3.) Savings. Our son is one and has close to 4k in his college fund at this point and we will continue growing his little nest egg for many years to come. We make sure we can put money in #s 2 and 3 before we even think about spending for ourselves (after we've paid bills and such, of course).