How to build more savings..

is there a specific amount of money I should be aiming to save

You should have an emergency fund of 3-6 months of expenses saved in an easy to access way (savings account usually). After that, you can build savings with savings accounts, retirement accounts, and other long-term savings options (investments, other funds, etc).

The exact dollar amount a month depends on your specific budget.

I need a tactic so that I stop spending on dumb things (eating out, drinking, amazon, etc.)

Speaking of budgeting, you need to budget. Tell your money where to go, instead of trying to figure out where it went.

The sidebar has good links on how to handle money.

/r/personalfinance Thread