'I never impulse buy.' 10 women share exactly how much they have in savings.

For some, saving money can be as easy as downing three slices of New York cheesecake in one week (which this writer definitely did not do), while for others, saving is… difficult, to say the least.

Putting aside money from your paycheck for a rainy day – or something bigger, like a house deposit, wedding or new car – can be tricky, especially if you earn peanuts and rent in Australia. Or anywhere, for that matter.

But saving is particularly hard because it ain’t fun. It means going without – whether that’s forgoing dinner and wine out to stay in and cook at home, or nixing your beloved daily coffee habit.

Watch: Mamamia asked money expert Michelle Hutchison about how to have a stress-free approach to spending this Christmas.

Which is why we must commend those who have managed to save, well, anything.

So we decided to ask a diverse range of women exactly how much they have saved in the bank – and to share their best money-saving tips.

Because let’s be honest, we all really want to know how much each other earns, but we’re too polite to ask.

10 women share how they save money.

Alyssa, 23

"I have $28,000 in my savings. My partner and I were originally saving for a house deposit, but in the meantime, we've turned our attention to saving for our wedding and honeymoon. I find it best to create savings goals for myself. At the moment, I try and put away 30 per cent of my paycheck when I get paid. Most months, I don't touch that chunk of savings, but sometimes big expenses or things like birthdays/events will come up and I have to dip into that. I very, very rarely buy myself lunch at work and I'm not a coffee drinker, which helps."

Sarah, 26

"I currently have $9000 in my ING and about $22,000 in an investment portfolio. About $6000 of all of this is from my parents though! Have to flag that! I don't really know how I saved so much, I don't shop a whole lot and when I do I spend about $250 and then that'll do me for the month. I'm lucky because my boyfriend is also a good saver but we go on holidays a lot and use Qantas points and credit cards in a smart way, that all helps!"

Madeline, 23

"I have $15,000 in savings. I'm not saving for anything in particular, but saving is really important to me. I choose groceries really carefully and check myself before spending... while still allowing myself to enjoy the occasional purchase. I get paid monthly, so on payday, I transfer $2000 over to my savings account, and then use the rest for rent/food/expenses + generous weekly allowance for fun."

Jane, 21

"I have $3500 in savings, I am saving to do a trip to Germany and Turkey. I move all my money into my savings except for a little bit so then I constantly have to move it and look at how much I am spending and think is it worth it? But... online shopping is the DEVIL!"

Joanne, 26

"I have $85,000 in my savings. I try to only buy what I need and take my lunch to work most days instead of buying it. My weakness is food though, especially sweet treats. I shop on sale ONLY and would have only paid full price a handful of times. My fiancé and I have been saving for our wedding and house."

Apunda, 28

"I have about $11,000 in savings. I got to more than $20,000 but then recently bought a car and went on a holiday and somehow all my money disappeared. My issue with spending has always been the little things... food, Ubers, coffee, drinks on a night out. I'm not that into shopping and don't spend unnecessarily on clothes or shoes. I wish I could be more organised with preparing food and cooking dinner because I think that would make a huge difference. I suppose my 'savings tip' would be that if you ever feel like buying something (homewares, clothes, make up) give it 24 hours. I never impulse buy. I have a think and if I'm still excited about it I'll grab it. The other would be to take advantage of returns. I see so many people who are too lazy to exchange/return."

Amrita, 26

"At the moment, I have $1200 in savings. It's been an odd year. I did have about $24,000 but spent it on a long holiday. And recently I've had to pay for bond, rent, a new car, new couches and been supporting my partner while he looks for a job. So it has drained my savings a lot. I have found I am better at saving when I'm in a routine, and since I'm not, I've been buying things left, right and centre, because it's convenient and easy. When my partner gets a job we're looking to save up for a house. The things I used to do to save were to have instant coffee each day instead of buying, not buying any new clothes (the ones I have are fine) and my mother in law is teaching me the importance of buying second-hand when I can."

Serena, 30

"I currently have $37,000 in savings. Last year I bought an investment property with the 150k deposit I'd saved up over a decade of working full-time. I was also made redundant years ago and that was a big chunk in my bank account, about 25k!  I've always found it relatively easy to save though. My fiancé and I don't live the most extravagant lifestyle. We do a weekly shop at Aldi and cook almost every night of the week. We barely ever go out drinking. But every year we do a big overseas holiday and that's where most of the savings go!"

Marie, 25

"I have $1500 in savings, this is mostly from my tax and then I also try to put $200 or so in it a fortnight. However, I have a medical condition and the cost of the consultation is $200 each visit so that always sets me back. My partner and I share the savings account so we both contribute to it. The way that we save without going backwards is by looking at what we spend our money on, like Amazon Prime, for example. My partner recently realised he doesn’t use it much anymore so he got rid of it. Little things like that all add up. Also, Afterpay and Zip Pay are so handy but having money sitting there you owe back also takes out of your savings, so we always plan to have nothing owing from those either."

Dana, 25

"I don't really feel comfortable saying how much I have in my savings, but I have a few saving strategies. I meal prep and only buy lunch and/or dinner once a week, some weeks it may be more but I am aware of how much I am spending. I have coffee at work so rarely buy takeaway. I'm on my family's Netflix. I alternate between Physio and massage appointments to save money, instead of having two appointments in a week. Also, I'd replace one of those with a yoga class as it's half the price. I look at my sport facilities membership and try to update it so I'm saving. I occasionally have a good shop out and about and will also buy online. I try to find a cheaper alternative but sometimes it's better spending a bit more for better quality so will last longer! If I plan ahead and am organised with every aspect in life I definitely save better."

*Names have been changed for privacy reasons.

Feature Image: Getty Images.