Ask ten migrant workers how much they save every month and you'll get ten different answers, most of them rough guesses. That's not a criticism. Nobody ever sat them down and walked through how to actually work this number out.
Here's a way to think about it that doesn't require a finance degree.
Start with what's actually fixed
Before you can decide how much to save, you need to know three numbers. What you earn. What you must send home (rent, school fees, family support, whatever's non-negotiable). And what you need to live on where you are.
Most people can name the first two roughly. Almost nobody has a clear number for the third, because daily living costs get paid in small amounts that disappear into the noise. Track a single month closely and you'll usually be surprised by what's left over, in either direction.
A starting target: 10 to 15 percent of what you earn
This isn't a law, it's a starting point. If your income allows it, aim to set aside somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of your total earnings as deliberate savings, separate from what you send home for ongoing family needs.
That sounds small. It adds up faster than people expect, especially once you can see the running total instead of guessing at it. The bigger benefit isn't the percentage itself, it's that you've created a habit of paying your future self first, before the month's spending eats into what's left.
If 10 percent feels impossible right now because of debt or family pressure, that's useful information too. It tells you the real problem to solve isn't your savings discipline, it's your monthly obligations.
Adjust the number based on your actual situation
A few things should push your target up or down:
You're carrying a migration loan or debt. Prioritise clearing that first. The interest is a guaranteed cost every month it sits there, and getting rid of it frees up real room to save later. We've written about the savings goals worth having, and getting out of migration debt is one most people underrate.
You have specific deadlines coming up. A child starting school in two years, a family medical situation, a visa renewal fee. Fixed dates change the math. Work backwards from the date to the monthly number you actually need.
Your income is irregular. If some months are better than others, save a higher percentage in the good months rather than trying to hit the same number every time. An average over three months is more realistic than a fixed monthly target.
The number means nothing without tracking
Here's the part that actually decides whether any of this works. A target percentage is just a thought experiment until you can see, every month, whether you hit it.
That requires knowing exactly what came in, what went out, and what you set aside, consistently, not from memory. If you haven't built that habit yet, start with tracking what you send home first. Once you can see your numbers clearly, picking a savings target stops being a guess and starts being a decision you can actually follow through on.
RemitDiary logs your transfers and your savings goals side by side, so the percentage you're aiming for and the percentage you're actually hitting sit on the same screen. No separate spreadsheet, no end-of-month guesswork.
Set your first savings goal in RemitDiary today. Download free on Google Play.