Do you have any tips on saving tips?

Piggy bank and then empty it as you say weekly and put it in the bank. It’s no different really from saving any other money. Put it away before you can spend it.

You have to make the decision to be disciplined. That might mean that each shift you work you put the first X amount in that envelope and allow yourself to spend anything over that. If you set yourself up to strictly it might be to hard to stick to the plan and then you find yourself out of control.

Buy mostly what you need, not what you want.

Kudos to you for getting back to work and wanting to save. Force yourself into saving by having your bank deduct a certain amount each paycheck. Doesn’t matter what that amount is, just keep having it deducted, and when you get a raise, increase it. You may miss the money at first but soon you’ll get used to not having it, and over time, as the savings adds up, you’ll be more and more inclined to save more. Good luck!

Judi is on the right track. If you don’t allow yourself some little pleasures its all too easy to get discouraged and just start using more and more of it since its cash.

Set up a system that works for you. Something along the lines of maybe 5–10 % for little luxuries and then all the rest into the bank to make a dent in those bills.

You’ve been straitjacketed by having little to no money for so long that’s it’s easy to fall into the temptation of the pendulum swinging the other way, especially when dealing with cash.

I was in the same situation when I used to do street busking. It was all cash. So my limit was 10% and everything else got squirreled away.

If you totally deprive yourself severely it will get on your nerves. Hence my suggestion of a small set amount for little treats. Then putting away all the rest won’t seem so stringent.

It’s a rough lifestyle that really does require a lot of discipline. It’s very easy to get into the habit of getting off shift and then going out with the rest of your coworkers cause you have cash on you and end up blowing most of it.

I got into the habit of only going out certain nights of the week. I also set up a savings account with another bank(that way it’s out of the way for me to access) Each week I put away as much of my money as I can. When it’s in the account I don’t look at it and I don’t consider spending it so it works out.

Don’t forget you need to pay some taxes on your tips.

List all your expenses, plus some wiggle room for unexpected expenses. I really recommend not spending anything but the necessary things for a solid month and build up some savings. I don’t mean you can’t eat dinner out one night or enjoy a movie. But, nothing extravagant, really be very prudent. Once you have savings you don’t have to worry as much about saving.

Once you have some built up so you can pay your bills even if you miss a week of work, then you can spend more freely, while still saving some money. Set goals for how much you want to save, it should help you get satisfaction from seeing your savings grow, similar to a material thing like new shoes or a car.

If you have been living on much less money, then you can just keep living the same, maybe with one splurge, and save the rest for a short while.

I also like the idea mentioned above of setting aside a certain amount each shift, or maybe every week. Whatever works best for you. I never really did that. I am more of a save save save, and then when I want something, if I have the money I buy it. I don’t like to buy thinking or assuming I will have the money tomorrow. When my husband and I got salary increases or bonus money, we never drastically changed our spending immediately. We keep things the same and watch the money accumuate. Eventually, when the savings look very healthy, we might make some sort of change.

Do not get into debt, it costs too much. Only use a credit card if you already have the money to pay for something, and pay off credit cards in full every month.

Don’t drink alcohol, especially not at a bar or restaurant, unless maybe your restaurant let’s you have a drink for free or cheap now and then. Such a huge waste of money. My husband and I cannot believe how much an alcoholic beverage is. I would assume people easily spend $30 a week on alcohol. Think about it like this, $30 times 3 months is $360. That is a weekend vacation for me for me with a friend. Everything counts. Maybe you really like your drinks, but take a hard look at what you want to be able to do in life, what you want to affird, and what you spend money on.

Long term you want at least 3 months of expense money in savings. Meaning if you lost your job, God forbid, you could go 3 months without work and still be able to pay for everything. The more months, the more secure you feel and the more free.

Why not put jars with labels on like rent, food etc., then do not take from them until the end of the month.

I think selling old clothes & electronic gadgets is the best way to collect the money but if you are not using such items. As well as, eat home made food only as compare to fast food. Try to make a box for the money saving & never try to use that collecting money except any emergency.