Having a low salary does not mean that you are unable to save.
Quite the contrary!
By having a small income, we are much more inclined to pay attention to it, weigh our purchasing decisions, and reduce our unnecessary purchases.
However, many people with modest incomes feel they are unable to save.
This is not the case since you can always save money on a small budget: it’s all about attitude and especially managing your money.
Many people have even gotten rich from a low income.
It is not only thanks to their entrepreneurial genius, but above all, it is thanks to their ability to manage their low salary at the start.
Be honest with yourself.
- If, for example, you buy a toy for your child because he insisted on it and you didn’t want to deprive him of it, this is an absolutely unnecessary expense.
- If you are in this situation, know that you are not the only one.
- A lot of parents buy crazy amounts of toys and other unnecessary gadgets for their children.
- They think it is their duty or good for the child – which is not necessarily the case.
- On the contrary, the child understands that there is a right to everything and will only ask for more.
- He will have a hard time appreciating what money is worth and will not even realize the efforts you make to provide for his unnecessary desires.
- You have to know how to say no when necessary.
Calculate your monthly income
This calculation should be quick because it is your salary.
If you are a micro-entrepreneur or have another situation, calculate all the income that falls on your account each month.
If your income is irregular, take an average over the year.
Analyze your monthly budget
You are now able to have your monthly budget with your expenses and income in front of you.
Whether you’ve jotted it down on a piece of paper or your computer, you need to have the big picture of your monthly budget.
By differentiating your expenses and comparing them to your income, you should be able to see your “ financial health.”
Two cases are possible:
- The sum of your income is greater than that of your expenses. This means that you are already able to save money and that your salary management is sound. You can always do better, either by saving more or by increasing your income.
- The sum of your income is less than the sum of your expenses. In this case, you must be having a tough end of the month and struggling to manage your money. So this is a sign that you need to take action. We will start right away.
Switch to real management of your budget
This step is very important if you often find yourself in financial difficulty.
It is also useful if you are struggling to save and want to manage your money better to carry out the important projects to you.
To manage your money, you can start by:
- Plan a monthly spending budget that allows you not to be in the red at the end of the month and, if possible, to save. This expenditure budget must, therefore, be lower than your income.
- Check your accounts regularly throughout the month to verify that you are not spending more than expected. For example, at mid-month, you shouldn’t have spent more than half of your spending budget. Be careful to take into account fixed costs such as rent, which falls only once a month.
- If you spend more than planned, be careful the rest of the month and limit your spending as much as possible.
If you have already tested this method and it does not work for you, we advise you to switch to a more precise management of your expenses (see below).
At first, you will have to put in some effort, and it will not be pleasant.
But then, good management of your money will be natural.
Specialized software will allow you to have good budget management thanks to its features:
- Make statements by category of expenditure
- Use transaction categories
- See your budget in the graphical form if you are visual
- Reconcile with your bank statements
Reduce your electricity, water, and gas expenses
If you have paid these expenses every month, know that this is not necessarily the best solution.
Even if it allows you to have fixed monthly payments, this operation does not allow you to analyze your consumption, let alone compare the different months.
You don’t pay for what you consume now. You pay based on what you have consumed before.
Admit that this does not help much when you want to save money on a small budget.
On the contrary, if you pay the bills on your actual consumption, you can compare immediately and thus be able to take action.
Here are some ideas for actions to reduce these expenses:
- Use your washing machine and/or dishwasher only during off-peak hours.
- Systematically turn off the lights and educate your family to do the same.
- Unplug appliances on standby that consume and weigh on your bill
- Do not let the water run while washing your hands or doing the dishes because this increases the bills.
Reduce your fixed and variable expenses
We have given you some ideas previously for your electricity, gas and water bills, and your insurance.
You can also reduce other expenses:
- Your rent. If you are in the red at the end of the month, would it be possible to move to pay lower rent?
- Food. If you eat out often or buy ready-made meals, consider cooking your own meals and bringing leftovers from your meals to work. This will save you a significant amount of money at the end of each month.
- Transportation. Is there a way to spend less money? Is it possible for you to go to work by bike, for example?
Generate additional income
To save more, carry out your projects, and have money to deal with the unforeseen, you can generate additional income in addition to your small salary.
And especially to be able to perpetuate this attitude over the long term.
This will allow you to fund projects that you think are impractical today.
So what are you waiting for to make possible your ability to save money every month even with a small salary?
