How to (properly) save money?

[Lumen_Astrum]

See, I was interested in this Notebook laptop. But then, I am always short on money. I have 100+ on my savings, and that laptop costs 10,000+...

I am given money almost once a week, around 100+ for food, transpo, and some other. Usually, I just spend 20+ for the transpo, but I'm ALWAYS hungry, so I buy a little food. But on schooldays, I'm given 50 each day for snacks, and just like I say, I am ALWAYS feeling hungry, so usually, I end up spending it all. xD

Yearly, though, we have this "aguinaldo" thing during Christmas, where our relatives give us money instead of things. I was able to scrape up a thousand from that event, but unfortunately... well... I spent it on those books I was drooling on last summer.

How should I earn more money? Part-time job? Do some selling of my drawings?
And how can I hold back that temptation to spend-spend-spend-repeat-that-cycle-again thing? xD

Because I really want that laptop to avoid messing up my brother's/father's files over and over again

[Aleema]

Well, a job would definitely help. You really won't see a good rise in income just not spending. I'm not sure at what age you can work in the Philippines, but 13 is too young here in the States. Unless you do what most kids do your age: odd jobs. Pet sitting, baby sitting, mowing lawns, etc. Art commissions online might be your best bet right now, since you're in an environment with high demand for art. 10,000 is a large goal from just getting 1,000 around Christmas (your biggest payday of the year). Even if you never spent your 100 a week, you'd need to wait 2 years at least to save up that much money. So just do yourself a favor and get some sort of outside source of income.

Also: look for a cheaper laptop.

[Sapphi]

Realistically, I think to meet a goal like that it would be best if you got a job. At least in my experience, it's much easier to save your money when you see it growing steadily, knowing that you'll be getting a paycheck soon and be that much closer to your goal. Shaving a little bit off your allotment for food is also a way to save, but it's much slower and is therefore more likely to get discouraging, leading you to give up and spend what you have on something more accessible.

As far as temptation to spend, it's just a matter of self-control... something I really lacked in high school (like you, I spent a lot of money on snacks). It can help when you really want to buy something else, to think of the thing you are saving for and think of how much faster you'll be able to get it if you don't spend your money elsewhere. I'm in this boat right now... saving for a car, don't know what's going to come my way, so I want to make sure I don't spend too much on unnecessary things so that when I find a car I like, I don't have to think "IF ONLY I DIDN'T BUY THAT UNNECESSARY THING LAST WEEK, I WOULD HAVE HAD MONEY FOR THIS CAR!"

[OtomeWeekend]

*nods* agrees with the others.... realistically.

=Unrealistic THEORY=
-You can go grab some rich kid's wallet(Oh no, just kidding. Don't ever do this to anyone or at home)
-Make a debt and pay it with your body(i.e. slave, maid etc. nope, not what you are imagining )
-Ask your parents to give you a bigger allowance(this was quite effective to me, i promised something like, I'm gonna eat vegetable now...)
-The one you want to buy, ask it to be your b-day present.
-Pawn anything valuable in your house

....anways 2 of the unrealistic suggestions are true and the other 3 were false. Ignore those suggestions XD

Well, I was once like you as well, "I will save my allowance and buy a psp!" my monthly allowance was 3500, but i was tempted to buy this and that or eat those or these and i ended up with nothing. I still have been able to buy it, when i begged my mom that I'd eat all kinds of food, from fish to vegetables from yogurt to ampalaya juice. And I got my wish.

Anyways, the best way you can earn was indeed to work. But if you are still a student the only chance you can get is during summer or by selling stuff etc.(My friends and i once bargained used stuff and we actually earn a lot). Anyways, I was being off topic -_-

The only way i can tell you to save money is by: bringing your own food, water, whatever. And use as little possible money as you can if you can. If your home is not really far to your school, you could try to just walk, if its a bit far, you can walk or ride a bicycle... if its really far, you should spend a bit of your money or wake up early and ride your bicycle or walk(a good diet too)...---Well, this is a spartan way of saving money= killing yourself from hunger and tireness just to save money. :\

I haven't really saved up any money yet since, i was a spoiled brat who would get what she want with a liepromise/ *shotshotshot* kidding XD

[SilverxBlue]

Were actually on the same boat, I also suffer from over-spending. I've been wanting to buy a new PS3 all for myself, but I can't seem to save enough money for it.
The solution my Dad came up with, was to give me a part time job and make a bank account and he would monitor it, and surprisingly it works.
I had to quit my part time job though, cause my nephews has been giving me nothing but hell whenever I try to tutor them. Therefore, I still have to rely on my mother's monthly sending of money.
And now my brother has been helping me find another part-time job but it's pretty hard since I'm only 16, and since you are 13 it'll be harder for you.
So selling drawings/asking for commissions is really your best option to earn and making a bank account which your parents will monitor, is probably the best option to save.

The minimum to make a bank account for teens here in our country is 2,000 pesos though (roughly $50 for those who want to know.) so you still have to save for that amount.

[platonicheart]

Well, firstof all you should start considering part time job that is suitable for your age. Or, since you only get a 100 as your allowance, if the place that you're going to is not that far, then you could ride you bike or just walk instead (it's a good exercise you know^^ ). And as for snacks or food, why don't you try snatching some stock snacks or cook your lunch in your home before going somewhere.
I know what you mean by the "temptation-to-buy-books". I also have that disease, but then if you're really in to books, you don't always have to buy a brand new, try considering buying used book, thee are plenty of bookstores that sells those, it will save you some money.
Selling your art may be a good idea, though you just have to go through some processes to open an account if you stil don't have one.

Why don't you:
1. If you're smart enough, offer some tutorial services to those whom you know are poor in knowledge.
2. Ask your parents if you could have a raise in allowance if you do a certain job well (this works for me ever time ^^ )
3. Try baby-sitting, it may be hard sometimes, but if you have your way with kids, then you'll do great.

Well, lastly, it's really up to you on how and to what extent you can control yourself. Maybe always putting the notebook as your goal in your mind would help you get motivated to stop lavishingly spending money and save.

"No pain, No gain"

[Greeny]

If you want to really save money, you should re-think on whether or not you really need a 10,000+ laptop.

[Snowflower]

Well, for one thing, you could stop buying all the pre-made food and actually cook filling meals instead. Buying little bit of food over time can cost you A LOT. It also might be great idea to open up some sort of a savings account so you can get at least some interest on it... Although I'm not sure how old you have to be to open one in your country.

2. Part time job with something you really love so you don't stress out over it. (I'm working at a pet store in my local mall & basically, I get paid to play with puppies XD )

3. Selling your art can be tough. No matter how good of an artist you are, it can take quite some time to make profit.

[LVUER]

Do you really need a laptop? By buying PC, you could get same specs with much lower price (except for the mobility, obviously).

[Sapphi]

LVUER has a good point. Desktop computers are cheaper, less likely to overheat and die, and it is also easier to replace things in them in case something breaks. The other nice thing about them, is that at least where I live, it is pretty easy to find computers and accessories in the trash because as people upgrade, they get rid of their old stuff. Since I don't need to have a top of the line computer to make visual novels, use photoshop, or surf the web, that suits me just fine. I don't know what it's like where you live, but maybe you could shop around, look in the classifieds for example? People will part with things they consider "outdated" pretty cheaply if they aren't outright pitching it.

[PyTom]

Disclaimers: I'm a guy born to upper middle class parents, here in the US. So my experiences may be totally irrelevant. Also, get your parents' permission.

The one thing that works in Lumen_Astrum's favor is the exchange rate. 10,000 PHP is $232 USD. That's not a lot of money to raise in $5, $10, or $20 at a time. I'd consider trying to do something that can be sent over the internet. (Commissions, or contract programming, or donations, or something.) If you can pull it off, then that will help you improve the income side.

Reducing spending is great - but after a while, you lower your standard of living too much. I've found the best way to raise money is to raise your income while keeping your standard of living the same, and saving/investing the rest.

[azureXtwilight]

I've been living in a dorm and I have to actually save money until my parents send me money, so here are little tips that at least works for me:

1. Don't eat outside, means you cook your own food. By calculations, it's cheaper to buy ingredients that you can save for a few days and cook than to buy something outside. You can bring homemade food to school.
2. Don't eat snacks! XD Snacks seems cheap, but hey, if you buy snacks over and over they will be expensive altogether!
3. I used to sell my drawings at school for a small amount, and seem to be able to make profit and adds up my pocket money. Why don't you try that? Usually my friends would use it as the front of their notebook or something, but mostly it's just for fun.
4. Well, this might be too early, but maybe you can consider getting some scholarship too. I mean, that they give me X amounts of money each year as long as I keep my grades high and it's really helpful for saving money! I know that you're a smart one, so why not? XD But I think it's a bit too much?
5. Part time jobs can help too, just don't overwork yourself.

Above all, I think that your parents think that a laptop is unnecessary for you right now, they might want you to focus more on your studies so be patient!

[Lumen_Astrum]

Thank you all for the tips~
I'm really trying to find a cheaper laptop, but I only find one from an "opening promo" XD

Well, most of the time, we need the laptops at school for presentations and stuff... >_>

[lordcloudx]

Get your parents to give you the money for it in exchange for some services you can offer -- seriously

Btw, 10,000 PHP is already a significant amount by Philippine standards, to be clear. In my area, that's slightly above the minimum wage minus income taxes. http://www.nwpc.dole.gov.ph/pages/regio ... le_r6.html

If you have access to the internet, you can actually make that much money in about 1.5 months if you find a part-time job as content-writer or some other SEO tasks from foreign employers. All you need is a steady internet connection, google-fu searching skillz and a way for the employer to pay you such as through a Xoom or Paypal account. You'll need to set up an ATM account, so you might want to ask your parents about that. I'm not sure if you have "capacity to act" yet. (Are you over 18?)

[OtomeWeekend]

Thank you all for the tips~
I'm really trying to find a cheaper laptop, but I only find one from an "opening promo" XD

Well, most of the time, we need the laptops at school for presentations and stuff... >_>

One good advice from someone that has been had by some scammers in the philippines. Don't bite those promos unless you are sure that they are really fine. I was scammed once when I bought a laptop in a very cheap price but it broke down after 6 months, so much for the money I've saved. -_-

I still think its best to buy those that were not it promo. They might be a bit expensive but if you used them properly you can use them for a very long time and that costs what you've spend.