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Single woman who makes $24,000 a year shares 12 smart ways she saves money

"These are some of my best tips to save a lot of $$ in the long run."

Image via Canva/baseimage

Single woman shares 12 ways she saves money on low income $25,000 salary.

Saving money is possible, even on a low income. While every penny matters, saving money on a small salary can be achieved with smart budgeting and being mindful about spending.

To help others save money, a single woman who makes $24,000 offered her best money-saving tips. From smart strategies for saving money on groceries to creative ways she leverages her community, she shared 12 of her best money-saving habits.

Plus, her advice inspired others to share the financial tips that helped them save money when funds were tight. Start saving more money with these tested ways to save money with a low income.

budget, budgeting, save money, saving money, how to save money Budget Saving Money GIF Giphy

12 ways to save money on a $24,000 salary

- Make DIY dawn power wash with 2 tbsp of rubbing alcohol mixed with 4 tbsp of dawn dish soap.

- Use a bidet before using toilet paper. The bidet does all the hard work the toilet paper is mostly just to dry off - depending on how much money you need/want to save you can use old cut up t-shirts to dry off instead of tp then throw them in the wash once every few days.

- Use period panties diva cup and reusable pads instead of disposable period products.

- Don't be afraid to buy used furniture - just be sure there are no bed bugs.

save money, money saving tips, money saving advice, financial advice, low income Money Invest GIF by Sara Dietschy Giphy

- Used electronics are just as good as new.

- Thrift store are amazing places for pretty much any home goods item.

- Home made cold brew is amazing...one part coffee to 4 parts water.

cold brew, cold brew coffee, homemade cold brew, cold brew gif iced coffee art GIF Giphy

- Simple syrup is also pretty good...there's tons of recipes all over the internet

- Shop your cupboards for food to eat before going shopping for more food.

- Use beans or tofu instead of meat, but if you find meat on sale BUY IT!

- The cook books Good and Cheap and Food Substitutions Bible are amazing cook books.

- FRIENDS ARE AMAZING!!!! I needed a new tv a month ago because the sound box on mine went out. So I messaged some friends asked if anyone had a old tv they needed to get rid of and a friend showed up with a nice lg flat screen that's nearly double the size of my previous tv & I only paid $40 for it.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

More money-saving tips for low incomes

"Go to the library and look for https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tightwad-Gazette-P...https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tightwad-Gazette-Promoting-Alternative/dp/0375752250 books. It was written in the 1990’s so some of the information is outdated but much of it is relevant today. I started following The Tightwad Gazette back when it was just a newsletter. I am a single female, raised 2 kids myself, retired at 60, 100% debt free and I credit my success to those books!!" - BENKACY

"Use the library for Internet access, printing off paper copies of legal docs, study material, etc. If you live in a large apartment complex they often have a community board in the main office or in the main hall- you can post ISO notes or advertise side hustle work you offer." - Adorable-Flight5256

"When buying used furniture always ask the person if they have anything else they’re selling if you’re looking for other items. I had posted a recliner for sale & a very young, sweet, newlywed couple came to pick it up. In conversation it came out that they had just been married two weeks before, and they were furnishing their first apartment. On a whim I asked if they needed anything else. They left my house with a recliner $25 less than the initially agreed upon price, a like brand new coffee table that I had been thinking about selling (heavily discounted) & a free complete set of dishes and some other nice kitchen items that I had. I joked that it was my wedding gift to them, as I remember what it was like when my husband & I were first starting out." - RBAloysius

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"I thought that I had a terrible selection for thrift stores. Then I needed a costume that looked well worn. Checked the thrift store that I knew about and found nothing. Googled 'thrift stores near me' got like 10 results. All within about 10 miles. So yeah, even if you think you know all the free / cheap local options check Google periodically." - No_Gear_1093

"Reusable anything has been a game changer. Making the switch to cloth paper towels means no added expense every month and we have a handful to use in rotation when the rest are in the hamper waiting to be washed. We also use our local Buy Nothing group on Facebook. We’ve scored an air conditioning unit, an Ikea Poang Rocking chair, a queen sized bed frame with storage, and a few other helpful items. I’ve also borrowed items there, as well as saved money going to the florist for my Ikebana class by asking people in the BN group if they have flowers or other materials I can use for my assignments." - radioflower525

"If you're in the US, please look into WIC and SNAP. WIC covers basic groceries, formula, and I'm sure you'd qualify if your county has it - the income requirements aren't as difficult because it's a more limited plan on other ways (what it covers, who can qualify)." - sunnysidemegg

"I work as a window tinter I make about 22k a year, I am 23 with no kids and I live alone with no roommates, I am fortunate to have worked out a cheap rent situation with my landlord by taking care of our properties he is my next door neighbor and lets me run an ethernet from his place for free and we share a common water system that he pays for. So I am only responsible for my electricity which is about 60 a month in winter and 160 in summer. I drive a paid for 20 year old car with 180k on it. It has no heat, AC, or power locks. I do all of my own work on it so that saves a lot of money. As for clothing I buy Walmart clothes, which works out since my job has me ruining a lot of clothes, and I prepare my meals from base ingredients. I eat out maybe once a week and that's somewhere cheap like Whataburger. As for a sit down meal at a nice restaurant that is once a moth at the most. I can save about 500 a month comfortably without having to restrict my way of living. I don't spend alot of money to begin with. No traveling. No fancy shoes, (I own two pairs of shoes my boots I wear at work and flip flops for the beach. Lol.). I also don't drink. When I spend money its mostly on dates and video games. Currently saving up for welding school, once I get certified I should be able to double my income with the first welding job I get." - User Unknown

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What is the 'digital divide'? Zendaya grew up in it. And she wants it closed.

For Amanda Acevedo, getting on the honor roll meant fighting through a lot of physical pain.

The 10-year-old from East Harlem, New York, didn't have a reliable computer at home or school to complete her assignments in the evening. In order to keep up in class, she was often left with no choice but to write out entire essays using her thumbs on her mother's cell phone.

Can you imagine?

GIF via "Without a Net: The Digital Divide In America."

Rory Kennedy couldn't — until she witnessed it herself.

“[Acevedo] would sit there and you would hear her thumbs crack and she would talk about it being painful," explains a dumbfounded Kennedy, director of the film, "Without a Net: The Digital Divide in America," which features Acevedo's story.

I'm speaking with Kennedy at the documentary's New York Film Festival premiere on Oct. 3, where a number of the film's supporters — most notably, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" star Zendaya — rallied behind its cause. "I thought, my God," Kennedy continues, as we chat a few minutes before her film debuts to a full house. "We are making it physically painful for poor kids to learn in this country.”

"Without a Net" shines a light on the discrepancies between the haves and have-nots when it comes to technology in our public schools.

The film paints a startling picture.

In wealthier districts, students tend to have far more tech resources at their disposal than students in poorer ones. A Pennsylvania high school in "Without a Net," for instance, boasts a popular, well-funded robotics course, but just a few miles away, another school struggles to integrate even a few basic computers into its curriculum. The money's just not there.

It's a "digital divide" that'll cost us in more ways than one if we don't act. By 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates 77% of all jobs will require computer skills — a figure that will only increase throughout the following decades. This issue isn't just about equality, it's about long-term economic security too. If future generations don't have the necessary skills for 21st-century jobs, we'll all be left behind.  

For Zendaya, the "digital divide" hits particularly close to home.

Zendaya at the screening of "Without A Net: The Digital Divide in America." Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Verizon Foundation.

The Hollywood star, who eagerly threw her support behind Kennedy's documentary, is an ambassador to the #WeNeedMore campaign by Verizon — an effort to make tech more accessible in underfunded schools. The telecom giant co-produced the film.

Stories like Acevedo's, Zendaya says, hit close to home.

"I grew up in [the digital divide]," she explains, dressed in a glittery gown on the red carpet — worlds away from the working class Oakland, California, community where she was raised. "It’s something that I’ve lived firsthand." As a child, Zendaya attended a well-resourced private school where her dad worked and had the privilege of benefiting from financial aid. But her mom taught at a struggling school in the area's public school system; the stark contrast left a lasting impression on the actor.

"How do you have a school where kids are able to experiment with coding and build robots and then you have schools that don’t even have Wi-Fi?" Zendaya continued. "What are you telling those children?"

As Zendaya notes, pointing to her learnings from the film, the solution isn't to go out and buy a bunch of iPads either. It's more complicated than that.

"Without a Net" dove into the three major barriers keeping tech inaccessible for millions of students:

  1. There's a lack of tech products in schools. Thousands of schools simply don't have the funds to buy every student a laptop or create classes like coding and robotics.
  2. There's a lack of internet connection in schools. Particularly in poorer, rural areas of the country, connecting to high-speed internet is surprisingly difficult and astonishingly expensive. Despite progress in recent years, 23% of school districts still don't have sufficient bandwidth to meet the needs for digital learning, according to the Education SuperHighway.
  3. There's a lack of tech-trained teachers in schools. Even if products are available and the internet's up and running, training teachers on how to use the products in their classrooms is quite costly. In fact, 60% of teachers feel they haven't been adequately trained on using technology in the classroom, a 2015 survey by Samsung found.

"The things my mom had to do just to get computers in the classroom or just to get Wi-Fi or just get arts education," Zendaya said, shaking her head in frustration. She may have blossomed into a Hollywood movie star, but she's clearly still agitated by the injustice undermining her hometown. "[My mom] worked too hard to do something that should just be there."

One thing those three major barriers have in common? Yep, you spotted it: They all cost money. Lots of it. And inner-city schools, like Acevedo's in New York City, as well as a good number of rural districts simply do not have that funding.

School funding is largely contingent — and arguably overly dependent — on local property taxes.

In affluent communities, where businesses are flourishing and property values are high, public schools reap the benefits in their bank accounts. In districts where business is scarce and property values are lower, the local tax pool schools dependent on is significantly reduced. As the film noted, this massive inequality — seen in metropolitan areas like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Chicago — means some schools have the funds for more and better qualified teachers, nutritious lunches, innovative art programs, and classroom technologies, while others barely make ends meet.

A Chicago student protests cuts to public school funding in 2013. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

We desperately need change. And you can be part of it.

Kennedy is encouraging viewers to hold public screenings of her film — which is free to view on YouTube, as seen below — to raise public awareness of the issues at play and push for change at the grassroots level.

But students can play a role in making a difference too. Zendaya hopes underserved kids who see the film feel inspired to speak out in their own communities and challenge the status quo. Their futures are worth it, after all.

"Your voice is powerful, your voice is strong," she says. "It’s OK to go ahead and ask for what you think you deserve."

Watch "Without a Net: The Digital Divide in America," below and learn more at DigitalDivide.com.

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If you're under stress, self-care is essential. Here are 5 ways to do it on a budget.

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Cigna 2017

Self-care has become a trend across internet media in the past few years. But here's the problem: It's inaccessible for a lot of people.

Yes, self-care is a super-important and essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It’s backed up by science, doctors recommend it (in fact, doctors themselves should do it!), and, frankly, it's hard to fault taking care of yourself.

So what's the hang-up? Most resources on the topic are targeted toward people who have time and money to spend on self-care. For people in lower income brackets, it’s understandably very frustrating to feel like self-care relies on your ability to pick up a glittery bath bomb at the mall.

We can't all be you, my friend. Image via iStock.

It’s doubly upsetting because self-care is even more important for people who experience high stress levels for long periods of time. People who are most at risk for burnout are the ones who need self-care and preventive health care the most. Research shows that family caregivers are at a much higher risk for depression, alcoholism, and chronic illness when they attend to the needs of others at the expense of their own.

The good news is that self-care — real self-care, not the superficial trend — isn't about money. It's about prioritizing and setting boundaries.

Self-care isn't a specific set of activities like massages, manicures, or other seemingly luxurious expenses. It's about doing what's necessary in order to prioritize your needs above others' wants.

Audre Lorde said it best: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation."

So it may not be feasible to come home from work and spend loads of time and cash on setting up an at-home spa. But taking a little time to do what makes you feel good and keeping an eye on indicators of your health such as blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), cholesterol, and blood sugar is essential to keeping you healthy and, in turn, keeping everyone that you care for healthy, too.

You can do plenty of self-care at the dollar store: pick up some bubble bath, light a cheap candle, or treat yourself to a new nail color. Image via iStock.

Here are five ways to prioritize self-care on a low salary:

1. Work in teams.

When you work full time (or even more than that) and are supporting a family, it can be nearly impossible to get even a moment alone. So work in teams — coordinate with your spouse, siblings, coworkers, friends, and community to help you arrange some free time. Offer to watch another mom's kids in exchange for a night off next week. Even as little as an hour can rejuvenate you.

2. Focus on intention, not luxury.

The thing that makes self-care valuable isn't how much it costs — it's about making a plan to do something for you and following through. Pick something that you do already and find a way to make it a mini-event. Take a walk alone in the sun during lunch. Plan to make your favorite dinner next week. Stop at the library and rent a movie you've been wanting to see.

Public libraries are an awesome resource for free stuff. In addition to books and movies, some also offer classes and events for adults and kids alike. Image via iStock.

3. Don't let others guilt you out of it (or into doing something else!).

There will always, always be something that someone else is asking of you, but it's important not to feel selfish for putting aside time to take care of yourself. Giving all of yourself to others isn't a sustainable lifestyle for anyone, and you'll be useless to yourself and others once you're all burned out.

Plan a walk during lunch, and don't let anyone persuade you to cancel on yourself. Image via iStock.

Self-care can include saying "no" to things, too! You may feel obligated to take care of your family's basic needs, but beyond that, you have every right to refuse to do something that gets in the way of doing you.

4. Remember to make time for doctor appointments too.

Self-care isn't just about stress — it's also about keeping your body and mind healthy. Make time to see your doctors regularly (before a health issue arises!) and be sure to check your four health numbers so that you can take steps to prevent disease early. Make your hygiene a habit that you refuse to break. See a mental health professional when you're having a hard time. You, your mind, and your body deserve basic care and respect. So remember: Go. Know. Take control.

Making time for your medical and mental health is essential. Image via iStock.

If you don't have health care coverage, research free medical and dental clinic options in your area. You can also find resources for locating affordable mental health services in your area.

5. Keep it simple.

Don't get overwhelmed by the idea of having to plan yet another item into your routine. Self-care is about what makes you feel good — not what others say you should do.

It's not selfish to make self-care a priority. You can't keep others healthy if you aren't healthy yourself.

Learn more about how to take control of your health at Cigna.com/TakeControl.

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A mom needed a Christmas miracle, and Eddie Vedder delivered.

Like this family, 1 in 3 children are growing up in low-income households.

Facing eviction and the prospect of not being able to give her children the Christmas she felt they deserved, Tyshika Britten took to Craigslist hoping for a miracle.

“I am a mother of six, 5 boys and 1 baby girl,” she wrote on Craigslist. The 35-year-old hair stylist worried her children would wake up on Christmas morning to disappointment. "I'm trying my best. I pray every day and now I'm begging for help. I know it's not about the gifts, but they are kids! I'm such a failure right now. ... Please help me."

Help came in the form of Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder.

On Dec. 20, the Washington Post featured Britten's story as part of a wider-ranging article on the struggles facing poor and working-class families around the country. That same day, Vedder and his bandmates were named to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2017 alongside the likes of Joan Baez, Journey, and Electric Light Orchestra.

After hearing about what Britten was going through, Vedder decided to send a check for $10,000 to her family. Others joined in, as well, sending the family a Playstation 4 and a tablet, among other things.

Eddie Vedder at a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015. Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images.

In Britten's plea for help, Vedder saw echoes of his own childhood.

"I was just so moved by the story and what this mother did for her children," Vedder told the Washington Post, recalling Christmases in which he received used and sometimes broken toys as a child. "I thought those kids must be so proud of their mother for reaching out. That takes a lot of courage."

Working families shouldn't have to struggle to afford the basics, especially over the holidays, and yet more than 1 in 3 children are growing up in low-income households.

Eddie Vedder saved the day for Tyshika Britten, but the problem goes much deeper than one family's Christmas. Vedder himself referred to the gift as a "tourniquet" to help one family through what is hopefully a short-lived rough patch, but poverty is a complex, wide-ranging issue affecting the lives of millions nationwide.

Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images.

Last year, rapper 2 Chainz engaged in a similar act of generosity, bringing Christmas to one family by paying their rent for an entire year. These acts of good faith and charity are heartwarming, but they're also just temporary.

We may not all be rock stars, but there are surely things we can do to help out those less fortunate this holiday season.

There are thousands of families in need. Why would Vedder choose this family? Because they reminded him of his own family's struggles years ago, their story moved him powerfully to act.

It's easy to turn off stories of poverty when they feel far away from our lives — but when we can see ourselves in the shoes of those who are less fortunate, it's easy to do something. Our similarities may not always be glaringly obvious, but if we look hard enough, those stories aren't so far away from our own.

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