I’m leaving school soon and I want to go to a business class afterwards to learn how to start my own business for the handbags I make for my friends and family.

My parents say they will support me going to business class, but that I will have to pay for the class myself and also start helping out a bit more at home with buying our groceries.

I’ve never been good with my money, there’s never any left when I need it - it's like I have a hole in my wallet! I also love eating street food with friends when I can - but I know this is preventing me from saving anything.

I asked my mum to share her top hacks for saving more money and they helped me get from zero to my goal just in time;

Know your ins and outs

Mum told me to start out with a savings goal you need to look at both your income and your outgoings. The goal of savings is to have more coming in every month than is going out. If you're coming up even or even spending more than you make - you won’t hit your goal.

Label your luxuries

Note down what you spend money on for one whole month. At the end of the month, grab two colour pens and highlight your ‘needs’ with one color and ‘wants’ in another . A need is basic food, health or commuting to school or work - everything else is a ‘want’. Then you can see what ‘wants’ you spend most money on and set small goals to spend less. My first goal was to not buy milkshakes for an entire month.

Be ready for setbacks

Life throws us challenges - and sometimes these have costs. Like an emergency dental appointment or travel for a family emergency. Prepare for setbacks by adding 10% extra to your savings goal, so if something does happen it won't set you completely off track.

Mum even helped me buy a small piggy bank to save some small coins every month and open it at the end of the month as my ‘treat’ money. It isn’t much but it means I can eat out once a month with friends - which makes me happy!

I’m so grateful for mum’s savings advice! With her help I was able to put away enough each month to save for the course and I’m now confident enough with money that I will also be able to have enough each month to contribute some rent at home too.