The reasons for saving vary and are influenced by your age, income, job, stage in the life cycle and number of children. A primary goal of any savings program is to establish a fund to cushion the impact of large recurring expenses. Another is to provide a safety-net for unexpected expenses and emergencies.
Saving is also important for reaching short and long-term goals.
It will also depend on your special family circumstances and on how much is needed to reach your specific goals. Just thinking about the lump sum required to reach any one of the goals may be overwhelming. Break the lump sum down into smaller amounts that can realistically be saved each pay period. Separate your money related goals by when you want to achieve them. Saving and investing are not interchangeable terms, although many people use them that way.