If you have a minimum wage job it is challenging to live within your means but it’s possible. The key is to budget your income carefully and avoid unnecessary spending. Maybe you’re a college student who has a minimum wage job in order to pay for expenses or you could be a single mother who is trying to make ends meet while starting your home-based business. Whatever the situation, here is how you can survive with this salary.

Car Is Not An Option

It might be wise to have a car to get around if you live quite a distance from work but since your salary is not very high, getting a car might not be an option. If you live in a big city with reliable public transportation, why not ride the bus to and from work? It’s cheaper than the upkeep of a car and you get to meet interesting characters on the bus.

Cook At Home Often

When you have a minimum wage job, it’s not a good idea to eat out all the time. Instead you should cook healthy meals at home. Shop for groceries based on your store’s weekly sales and then have fun by coming up with new recipes from those items. Buy your favorite items in bulk when they go on sale and choose the cheaper meats such as leg quarters.

Use Public Computers

If you cannot afford Internet service on your salary, then use the public computers at the library or community center. Using the public computers serves as a check-and-balance because you’re only allowed to be on the computer for a certain amount of time then you’ll have to log off so that others can use it. This keeps you from wasting so much time on the Internet and developing an addiction. Devote your computer usage to job research and applying for better-paying jobs.

Save Those Dollars

You should take out a portion of your check each week and place it in your savings account so that you will have funds for emergencies. This is especially important if you have kids or if you do not have health insurance for medical expenses. If you get income from sources other than your regular job, put it in savings.

Remix The Clothes You Have

Instead of buying new outfits, you can remix the outfits you have if you have accessories and sewing skills. For example, you can turn your old T shirts into skirts and you can purchase accessories to complement the outfits you have. By doing this you save money. In conclusion, when you use these tips you can make it on minimum wage.