A low-income salary can create challenges when it comes to reaching your financial goals. You may want to take a vacation, buy a new car, or just put some cash away for a rainy day, but how can you do that with a limited income?

Although you may struggle to add to your savings, there are ways to gain control of your finances and ensure you have extra cash stashed away even when you don’t think you’re making enough money.

Consolidate debt

It is common for people to have debt. Between student loans, credit cards, and monthly expenses, managing your debt on a low-income salary can be challenging. Debt consolidation is an option that many people consider when debt becomes overwhelming and they are looking for a way out. When you consolidate your debt, you are combining all of your debts into one and paying them off with a loan.

Benefits of consolidating your debt include:

• One fixed monthly payment
• Pay off debt sooner
• Improve/increase credit score

Track your spending

Do you know what you spend your money every month? When you want to save, you may consider cutting out certain expenses, but you need to understand what you are spending your money on before you can make any changes. By tracking your spending, you can get a better idea of where your money is going and decide if it needs to continue to be spent in the same way. You’ll likely find one or two expenses to eliminate.

Consider affordable alternatives

When you shop online or in-person at your favorite retailers and merchants, the choices that you make can be costly. As you examine how much money you spend monthly, you should note that you could be spending less by considering affordable alternatives. For example, rather than opt for a name brand cereal, reach for the generic cereal. There can be concern about sacrificing taste or quality for the price, but you may learn to appreciate how much money you save.

Seek opportunities for supplemental income

When you have a low-income salary, you don’t have to only work with the income from one job. Seeking an opportunity for supplemental income, such as a part-time job, will allow you to have money that you can put into your savings account. In fact, you can use the income from one job to cover your monthly expenses, and the supplemental income can go straight to the bank.

Consider applying for a part-time position that may offer you a flexible schedule to accommodate your full-time job such as:

• Grocery store
• Convenience store
• Gas station
• Clothing store
• Restaurant
• Ride-share company

Coupons

People can save a lot of money on life’s necessities when they use coupons. If you need personal care items, clothes, groceries, or other items, you can easily find a coupon. There are a number of websites that offer consumers coupons and discount codes that can be used in person and online as well as sales papers that may be delivered in the mail. Additionally, many merchants and retailers have mobile apps and programs available to customers who want to save a bit of money on their purchases and get rewarded every time they spend. Depending on the retailer, you may get cashback.

There is no need to feel defeated when you have a low-income salary. True, it may be harder to manage your finances, especially when you compare yourself to someone who is making more money, but improving your situation is possible. With a few changes, you can start to put more money away and watch as your savings grows.