Does anyone have any tips on saving money with little income?

Well if it were me I would b putting 90 into the saveing jar and 10 in the fun jar, it takes hard work to save money especially if u don’t have much in the first place, the fun u give up now will b rewarding in the end, as u will have ur car and house, priority is a big thing for me, no play till the hrd work is done first

Oooops hard work is done

Hmm, I’m not sure if we really need a budget, as we don’t pay bills or anything like that.

-when shopping buy the shop brands -buy a cheap money can (a tin can that hollow andu make a slit in the top which u can put money in -look for he sales! -befro u buy something think baout if u need it -when sorting your money put 80% into the saveing jar but having the allowance of the 15% will incourage you to save more so u can spend more!!

I agree. I would LOVE to put it ALL in the savings jar, however… doing so may tempt us to dig into it when we want to do something fun. We have cut down on doing things like going out to eat. We plan to only do something “fun” once every two weeks or so. Also, we agreed that we cannot spend everything or large amounts out of the fun jar at a time. I think after the fun jar starts getting too full, we’ll take some out of the fun jar, and put it in the savings jar.

Well maybe try this, only have so much money in the fun jar, u know put a set amount and put everything else in the saveings jar

buy food staples (rice, flour etc.) in bulk grow your own veggies and herbs if possible shop the second hand stores or watch sites like Kijiji for free stuff walk, bike or carpool whenever possible

I find saving loose change really helpful, it adds up and I often use it for buying things I need that are at $2 shops (books, pens, hairties lol). I think food would be the most expensive thing, try and buy foods that are cheap when brought in bulk, and quite filling such as rice and noodles. Are there any odd jobs you or your partner could do for a little extra income? Mowing lawns, shoveling snow, cleaning gutters, even babysitting/pet-sitting?

We have food stamps, so we don’t have to buy food. My boyfriend is working, but not making much… and around here, there is nothing to do. Everyone is poor, so nobody can afford to hire a baby sitter, pet sitter, etc… I plan on getting a job as soon as I turn 18 though, which is in about a month. I just can’t get on right now, because I would need a workers permit, but since I will be 18 in about a month, there is no point in going through the trouble to get the permit.

That’s what we are thinking. Like, no more than $50 in the fun jar… anything over that will be put into the savings jar.

You can always use a budget, and I wish at your age I would have know how to budget my money, and also wish I would have started my retirement then as well.

Look at bonds or an IRA,

Find ways to have fun together that don’t cost extra money. Instead of eating out, take turns making romantic dinners for each other. Invite friends for pot-luck meals and games. Go swimming or running or biking or playing tennis together.

Since your neighbors are in the same boat, barter with them Trade baby-sitting (together?), housecleaning, etc. for things and services that you would otherwise have to buy.

“Since your neighbors are in the same boat, barter with them Trade baby-sitting (together?), housecleaning, etc. for things and services that you would otherwise have to buy.” What exactly do you mean by that? What things and service that you would otherwise have to by are you talking about? Can you be a bit more specific and give some examples please?

For example, there might be someone in your community who, in exchange for your labor, could make your next new blouse or jacket, or help you improve your job interview skills. I’d be happy to try and give more examples, but I don’t know your situation very well. Does all your money go into the savings and fun jars? Besides movies and eating out, what do you spend money on out of need or desire? What do you do without, even though it would be really helpful, because you can’t afford it?

I recommend that you put away like 50$ a week or even $20 a week might not be much but will turn out to be something in the end :)

All of our money goes either into the savings jar, or the fun jar. Occasionally, we have to buy shampoo, deodorant, etc… We do not have any bills, nor do we have to pay for things like toilet paper, my parents get that… and food, we get food stamps. We are currently living with my parents for free, until we can save up enough to get a car, and place of our own.

Ok, sounds like the main area for you to increase your savings is to find more free or cheap ways to have fun. You didn’t mention if any of my few suggestions about that (above) were relevant to you, and I don’t know much about what the two of you enjoy doing, but if you want to say a little more about that we can see if I (or anyone) can come up with some more ideas. :)

I opened up an ISA account, it’s really great because i can’t touch the money in it, it is purely for saving, and i have an savings account to help me save a bit and i can touch the money in that one

Regardless of how much money you earn, the best money-saving tip is still, to budget. You mentioned that you aren’t paying any bills that is why you don’t budget, but, that doesn’t mean you don’t have necessities that you need to take care of. Always allot a budget that would be enough to cover your needs. In this way, you will have a clear idea of how much you could put more in your savings jar. Furthermore, since you have allotted a budget for your “fun time”, I suggest that you look for ways that will enable you to have fun without costing you any money so that you can put the money in your savings jar instead. Another tip is to check your credit score more often. Doing so will allow you to keep yourself updated of your progress and will in turn, encourage you to save more. Check out for more tips: