Savings

So I have taken my test and now I have to wait one month to FOREVER to hear about the outcome of a test that will only effect THE REST OF MY LIFE. I think I'm handling the stress pretty well :-)
I've had steady work since the middle of June that will last for another two weeks, plus I've picked up a few extra jobs. So all told, I'll be looking at ~$650 for the month. This may not seem like much, but it actually covers all of my living expenses so the BF won't have to pay for me to have food and shelter. When I find out my results I'll be looking to add one or two more contracts for fall. Starting the paperwork now and then finding out about my test would actually end up being more of a pain than just waiting a little bit longer. I'm definitely ready to start earning adult amounts of money and I know it would help me with a lot of my goals.
Which goals, exactly?
I'd like to earn $2,000 a month. I started crunching some numbers and that is a pretty magic number for me right now. It would allow me to cover basics, plus fun and new clothes and still have $1,000 for savings! Since engagement, marriage, weddings, vacations, a home and possibly grad school are all real possibilities in the next three years or so, I need to start socking away a lot. And if I am earning $2,000 (or anything over $1,000 really) and my mans keeps up his salary, we would be looking pretty good.
My first savings goal is to have $500 in an emergency fund. I've read a lot of PF blogs that recommend getting three months to one year of savings built up. I'd eventually like to build up to that amount but with my still small income, I figure that something is better than nothing. Right now I only have $42 bucks and it is all in coins (wrapped up and ready to go to the bank). Since most savings accounts require you to start with a higher amount, I'm going to leave it in cash for awhile. I figure it'd get "lost" in my regular account and accidentally spent so I don't want to put it there. Though I know a lot of online savings accounts will offer higher rates, for my basic emergency fund I want it to be accessible more than anything, so it'll end up in a simple savings acct. at my bank earning next to nothing.

Here's to saving up my spare change!