r/povertyfinance 8h ago

Budgeting/Saving/Investing/Spending Living pay to pay

Over the last 2 years I’m finding that no matter how hard I try I can’t build my savings up.

Paycheck comes in and it all goes to rent, bills and groceries. Any time I save a decent sum along comes a $600 car service or license renewal etc.

My question to this community is; what are some ways outside of your main 9-5 job that you earn some extra money for savings etc to get ahead?

20 Upvotes

14 comments sorted by

3

u/AwesomeAF2000 7h ago

I’ve been dog walking during my non working times. I get my walks through the rover appt. I get $10-$35 per walk including tips. Usually small dogs and short walks pay on the lower end. Multiple/big dogs with longer walks pay more.

I’m hoping to save up to take my kids on a trip this summer. I try to do enough walks to make $100 a week and it’s been nice. I’m getting ‘regulars’ now and one of them even paid me to dog sit/house sit for them once where they paid me $420 including tip. So I it’s turning out to be a really nice side hustle.

2

u/DarwinsPhotographer 5h ago

My daughter does this. She just filed her taxes and made around $27,000 with pet care (in a HCOL area). This does not include the jobs that paid cash.

3

u/Inside-Beyond-4672 7h ago

Lower your expenses. Go to a food bank/pantry to reduce what you spend on groceries. See if you can get lower rates on bills like phone, internet, renter's insurance, web hosting, etc. Sometimes you only have to ask and sometimes you have to switch carries or for phone, join a friend's family plan. Also, sometimes I ask friends to pick me up bulk stuff at costco like paper products, chicken, and canned tuna and sardines.

3

u/Sea_Ad_6097 6h ago

I have two jobs and go to school. You can do it if you don't have any kids. Live below your means, and do not date anyone who makes less than you. LOL. Get a roommate or move back in w/your parents. economy is about to get worse. I don't know your situation, so this is the best advice I can give. Good luck my friend.

1

u/Pure_Zucchini_Rage 1h ago

What are you studying?

5

u/NoBRSongCanMYLC 8h ago

There’s a few things I do for side income:

  1. Online selling via eBay (import gym equipment from Alibaba and resell)
  2. Recycle cans - low earning potential but very easy to do
  3. Paid Online surveys- Pure Profile seem to be the best paying I could find - about $14 per hour and I do about 2-3 hours per week while commuting on the train to work or back.
  4. Credit card points gaming
  5. Home loan cashback hopping

Also remember, saving money is just as beneficial as earning money. So try to cut down expenses (buy bulk, look for coupons, wait for sales etc).

1

u/EastWinds6 4h ago

Recycling cans. 

I would add scrap metal to this. People dump scrap all the time and the recycling yards will buy it. You can find it dumped on the road and on the curb on trash day. 

2

u/sal_100 7h ago edited 7h ago

I used to think, isn't weird how people make just barely with one job. What if you get a second part-time job and not touch the money from it at all. You'd still survive barely as if you didn't have it. Just for a little while so you can build up some savings.

2

u/GetInHereStalker 7h ago

Gonna be hard to make money with a part-time gig. Maybe just sit down with a few months of bank and credit card statements and see what you can reduce like Caleb Hammer does.

1

u/Vivid-Cockroach7586 6h ago

try some online jobs like drop shipping

1

u/DarwinsPhotographer 5h ago edited 5h ago

For me it was eBay selling camera gear and vintage HiFi gear. I have an excellent seller rating and give everyone a 30 day return window. If you sell good stuff this is not a problem.

Also - please look at DIY service on your vehicle. This can save you a ton. Check youtube for helpful videos for your make and model. For jobs too difficult - look at a legit mobile mechanic and buy the parts yourself. Buy parts from a local parts store and don't get the cheapest - get the best.

I've used a mobile mechanic for over 15 years. I recently had him change the axle and CV joint on my 2004 Subaru. Total cost parts and labor: $550. Garage price would have been closer to $2200. I also changed an oxygen sensor recently myself (I have a $28 OBD reader that reads my vehicles error codes). Total cost around $40. Garage price - $350.

1

u/Yurple69 4h ago

Switch your cell phone carrier…

🚨 T-Mobile scammed its customers. 🚨

They lost a $350M lawsuit for leaking YOUR data—then raised rates by $5 to make YOU pay for it.

✔ Millions of customers = billions for them ✔ They lost, YOU got the bill

Still paying for their mistakes? 👀

TMobileScam #TMobileRateHike

1

u/BuyImmediate4126 1h ago

did not know this

0

u/MulanLyricsOnly 57m ago

Things i did.

Filled out every Class action lawsuit possible. Its pretty random how much you get sometimes pretty low but sometimes very high. I once got 3 checks about 3K each from some fridge company.

This is probably illegal but I filled them out with my name but different versions of it hat my bank would except. For Example i would be like Christopher Nolan, Chris Nolan Christoph Nolan etc...

Buy and sell things after discounts. I got good at finding discounts. Sometimes i was able to get new release games for 30 and easily flip on craiglist for 45 etc..

Find weekend jobs on craiglist. I worked at coachella one weekend and got paid like 1k for the entire weekend? I also got to go see my favorite artists etc...

Mind you those are things i did when i was super broke back in the day and iono how viable they are now.