How I Started Saving Money in High School (And You Can Too)

Let me guess: you don't have a job, your "income" is whatever your parents give you on weekends, and the idea of "saving money" feels like advice meant for adults. Same. That's exactly where I started.

Here's the thing nobody tells you — saving money in high school isn't about how much you earn. It's about building a habit early so when you DO start earning real money, you already know what to do with it. And the good news? You can start with literally five dollars.

Step 1: Open a real savings account (not your parent's wallet)

If you're under 18, you'll need a parent to co-sign, but most banks let teens open a savings account for free. Some great ones to look at: Chase High School Checking, Capital One MONEY Teen Account, or Alliant Credit Union Teen Checking.

Why this matters: when your money sits in a physical drawer or your Apple Pay, it feels spendable. When it's in a separate savings account you have to actively transfer money out of, you'll spend it less. Trust me on this.

Step 2: Save first, spend second

This is the rule that changed everything for me. Whenever I get money — birthday cash, allowance, gig work — I move a portion to savings before I let myself spend any of it.

My personal split:

• 50% to savings — out of sight, out of mind
• 40% to spending — for whatever I want, guilt-free
• 10% to "future me" — long-term goals like a car or college spending money

You can adjust the percentages, but the principle stays: save first, spend second. Not the other way around.

Step 3: Find one expense to cut

I went through my Apple Pay history and was shocked. Almost $80 a month on bubble tea, snacks, and random Amazon purchases. Not on anything I'd remember a week later. Just impulse stuff.

I didn't cut everything — that's not realistic. But I picked ONE thing. For me, it was bubble tea. I went from buying it 3-4 times a week to once a week. That's about $40 a month back in my pocket.

Find your "bubble tea." It might be:

• Coffee or energy drinks before school
• Fast food after practice
• Random Amazon impulse buys
• In-game purchases
• Snacks at the gas station

Step 4: Set a tiny, specific goal

"I want to save money" is too vague. Your brain needs something concrete. Try something like:

"I want to save $300 by the end of summer for [specific thing]."

Mine was saving $500 to buy a used DSLR camera. Having a real, exciting goal made saving feel like progress instead of punishment. Every $20 I put away meant I was 4% closer to that camera.

Step 5: Track it (but make it easy)

You don't need fancy budgeting software. I literally use the Notes app on my phone. Every Sunday, I write the date and how much I have saved. That's it. Two lines.

Watching that number grow — even slowly — is genuinely addictive. It's like a video game where the reward is freedom and options later in life.

What this gets you

Look — I'm not going to tell you that saving $20 a week is going to make you rich. It's not. But here's what it actually does:

• Builds the habit — when you start earning real money in college and beyond, you'll already know how to save
• Gives you options — emergencies happen, opportunities come up, having even $300 saved means you can act
• Makes you feel in control — and that feeling is honestly worth more than the money itself

I started this in 9th grade with $0. By the end of 10th grade I had over $600 saved without ever having a "real" job. Two years from now you could be the same. The only thing standing in the way is starting today instead of "someday."

Now go open that savings account. Seriously, right now. I'll wait.