It can be difficult to know how much you should save on a monthly basis and what target you are actually aiming at. There are a lot of differing viewpoints when it comes to how much savings you should have in place, so reviewing the savings rate as well as benchmarks to hit are key. This is reviewed based on four steps in order to build up your savings until you have at least six months of living expenses with the goal of protecting your lifestyle in the event of income loss.