How do you save money if you're living pay check to pay check?

Hello, for starter we could start by tracking your expense for the month. At the end of the month, look at the top three highest percentage within your budget and see if you could cut them down. Relook at certain category and think if its a MUST expense. For example, shopping, private ride hailing, eating out at restaurants.

Prioritise your goal- paying yourself first. By allocating a portion of your money into a seperate bank account once you recieve your pay, you are left with what you can spend, not what you can save. Do not touch the money in the account under any circumstances. You could start with 15% of your salary then slowly increase as you adjust your budget.

Hang out with friends with similar saving goals, which might help to motivate you further and also keep each other on track. I think it is nice to have someone you can go and enjoy some cheap food and good deals together too.

Most importantly, you need to have a little bit of resilient to make sure you are on track. Once you start to see the number in your saving account grow, it usually gets easier overtime. Goodluck!

As a foodie, hope I give you some advice no one has mentioned before.

There's nothing wrong about spending on food, but make it count. E.g. if you're spending on a good meal every week, that's around 4weeksx$35=140

Meanwhile, if you order in Mac's 3 times a week, that's 3x4weeksx$12=144

The experience is incomparable, and one is significantly more unhealthy. Ofc your mileage may vary but you get the idea. Make your money and calories count

I disagree to people whom say NS allowance are too little to save. I started saving money when I started as a sergeant. I started when my mother gave me a wake up call back then.

she asked me how much I was earning and saving as a recruit, I said $420 and $0.

then she asked me how much I was earning and saving as a sergeant. I said $890 and $0.

she immediately gave me a look, and said it doesn't matter how much you earn when you keep increasing your expenses, which I felt was darn true. So from then on I started watching my expenses carefully because it's a foundation to how you will spend your money when you are working in the future. No doubt, I still treat myself from time to time to hang out with my friends but it should be controlled To an extent.

my salary have grown more than 3x since my first job, but my spending has definitely not inflated by 3x so as I'm earning more, I make sure I'm saving much more!

First thing, since your bank account less than 2 digit, try put CIMB Fastsaver cause they don't deduct anything if monthly less than the fall below fee. Second thing, I will say try avoid grab. Wake up a few minutes can save you a ton, but try not to skip too much meals, get a simple bite if you are not hungry. Third thing, you are still very young, don't rush into investing, read some book, read some forum and you are good to go in the future. good luck pal :)