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Making ends meet on an AmeriCorps living allowance can be a challenge, particularly if you have never lived on a limited budget before. We have compiled a list of tips and ideas we think you will find helpful. The Volunteer Iowa website has a page of resources for members and Alums; here’s the link. If you have things to add please share them with your program staff to be passed along Volunteer Iowa. |
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FINANCIAL AND BUDGETING
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Tip or Tool |
How to Make it Work for You |
Notes |
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Develop a budget |
A monthly budget is a financial planning tool that allows you to plan how much you will spend or save each month. It also allows you to track your spending habits. Fulltime and three-quarter time members are eligible for a free subscription to the budgeting tool, You Need A Budget. If this is of interest to you, contact your program staff for access. Here are some other budget resources that may help you. |
For help with developing a budget, click here For information on how to budget, click here For a budget worksheet, click here Article on Zero-based budget - Link
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Money Management Tools |
There are several free tools that can help you manage your money. There are apps for people who are budgeting with partners and apps for people who are budgeting alone. And you can just use the envelope method of money management if you are uncomfortable tracking your finances in an app. The keys are using something and being consistent. |
Simplified budgeting snapshot - Pocketguard Individual budgeting/credit monitoring - Mint Zero-based budgeting - Everydollar Shared envelope budgeting - Goodbudget Budgeting with a partner - Honeydue General budgeting information - Nerdwallet List of Consumer Reporting Companies - Link |
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Statewide Financial resources |
UnityPoint, with the assistance of Together We Can, has developed a statewide resource that provides free and reduced cost services that address a variety of financial needs. Access to lists of financial resources can be located by entering your zip code. The system also allows you to narrow the search by filtering by a variety of variables. This site is available in a variety of languages. |
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Form Good Money Management Habits
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FOOD
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Tip or Tool |
How to Make it Work for You |
Notes |
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Share with your fellow members |
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Food budget-extenders |
Eating and saving money on food can be a challenge. Everyone wants to eat well but saving money on food can really help your budget. Here are some articles and tips and ways you can extend your food-buying dollars.
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Iowa Food Bank Location Search How to Eat Well on $100 per Month Community Supported Agriculture in Iowa
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Meal Planning |
Using the store ads is a good place to start. If you have kids, get them involved. Ask them to use the ads, give them a budget and tell them how many breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks they need to plan and create a grocery list for. This is a great way to help your kids learn valuable lessons. Here are some other tips:
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Frugal Recipes to Try When Money is Tight
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Food and Meal Resources |
UnityPoint, with the assistance of Together We Can, has developed a statewide resource that provides free and reduced cost services that address a variety of needs related to food and meals. Access to lists of these resources can be located by entering your zip code. The system also allows you to narrow the search by filtering by a variety of variables. This site is available in a variety of languages. |
OTHER HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES
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Tip or Tool |
How to Make it Work for You |
Notes |
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Housing |
Housing is likely the largest expense you will face during your service year, often between 25% to 50% of your income. If your program doesn’t provide housing, don’t be afraid to ask your program for housing recommendations if you are relocating; consider sharing housing costs by having roommates. Here are some sites that will enable you to enter the criteria to fit your needs, accessibility to public transit, zip code, etc. Qualification criteria may apply. |
Housing Resources for those in need of Independent Living Centers |
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Rental Assistance |
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers resources such as finding subsidized housing, applying for public housing, and housing choice vouchers, and other Iowa resources. Members serving in Boone, Jasper, Marion, and Warren County have access to a rental/mortgage assistance program. This program offers a once a year assistance of $300. Other criteria apply. Click link in the next column to find additional information. Polk County also offers rental assistance – the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). To qualify, applicants must demonstrate COVID-related impact to their inability to pay rent. Click link in the next column to find additional information. |
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Utilities |
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is a federal grant program established to help reduce the heating and cooling costs for low income persons, the elderly, people with disabilities and children by improving the energy efficiency of their homes, and thereby reducing the households’ energy bills. For information on eligibility check here. If you are already enrolled in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, you are automatically eligible for WAP services. Information on the LIHEAP is provided in the Member Benefits Resource and can also be found here.
The EBB is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that provides a temporary (Covid-19) discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. Those who are eligible can receive up to $50/month discount on broadband services and associated equipment rental and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50). There are other limitations. For more information go to https://getemergencybroadband.org/ |
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Cell Phone Services |
Using an independent cell phone company or moving to a pre-paid service can significantly reduce your monthly cell phone bill, even if you are a big consumer of data. You likely will give up some customer service and it is better if you are at a point in your current plan to break your contract or are willing to pay the penalty to break the contract. It also helps to if you have paid your phone off. You also need to be willing to do some research to see which companies provide the best service for your area and your needs. There are tons of options. Figure out what you really need. Some have great family plan options, some have unlimited data, some plans reward users for longevity. Check if your program has a discount option with a cell provider. The list in the Notes section is not inclusive, just a place to start. |
Here are some options to investigate:
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Healthcare |
Learn how to save money and still receive the care you need. Start by reading the details about your healthcare plan so you know what services are available. In some plans tele-health services, visiting the doctor remotely, is less expensive than an in-person visit. Using an “in network” service provider is nearly always less expensive than using a someone who is outside the network. Prescription savings is another way to save on your healthcare. In the next column are some links to sites that may help you save on those costs. Information on the AmeriCorps member healthcare benefit is outlined on the Member Benefits resource, as well as a resource on Public Benefits and how the interact with the AmeriCorps living allowance and benefits.
Resources for member wellness and mental health can be difficult to locate at times. The AmeriCorps healthcare comes with mental healthcare benefits, as does the Member Assistance Program (MAP), through the Association of State Service Commissions. If you’re looking for other resources here’s a list of others to consider. |
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Various Household/Living Expenses |
UnityPoint, with the assistance of Together We Can, has developed a statewide resource that provides free and reduced cost services that address a variety of needs related to household expenses, including rent and mortgage assistance, maintenance, utility, phone and internet assistance and assistance with medical care. Access to lists of these resources can be located by entering your zip code. The system also allows you to narrow the search by filtering by a variety of variables. This site is available in a variety of languages. |
ENTERTAINMENT AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT
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Tip or Tool |
How to Make it Work for You |
Notes |
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Cut the Cord |
Share Netflix (or other streaming service) account with family, friends, or members/VISTAs. In some places in Iowa, it is possible to get free basic TV over the airwaves, you may just need an antenna. |
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Use the Library and other free resources |
Local libraries have more than just books – check them out for free internet, audio books, board games, DVDs, CDs, tickets to local events (zoo, science center, etc.), tablets for kids and more! Other free resources for books, podcasts and music include Spotify, Audible and Pandora to name a few. The Library of Congress has an assortment of resources for people who are blind or print disabled. That also benefits people who are looking for audiobooks. |
For a list of libraries in Iowa, click here |
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Bike Trails, Picnicking, Hiking, Geocaching |
Iowa has 72 state parks across the state. Most of those have a variety of fun things to do. The state also has numerous county parks too. The county park system is easy to use – they have an online camp registration system and an online guide to help you decide which park best suits your needs - Iowa's County Conservation System Guide to Outdoor Adventure. In 2020, Iowa Parks turned 200 years old. In support of this milestone, there were several free resources developed to get people to visit the parks. The Iowa Department Transportation (DOT) publishes a map of trails across the state. You can order those from the DOT website. You can also pick up free bike and trail maps in county courthouses and other public buildings. |
The state park guide can be found here Trails available on Iowa Department of Natural Resource (DNR) property, click here County parks camping registration, Link For geocaching information, click here Geocaching trail link Parks 2020 resources - click here To order a Bike Trail map, click here To search for hiking trails, click here |
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Gyms/Yoga |
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To find a YMCA in your area, click here |
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Concerts, festivals, theatres, theaters, museums, and historic sites |
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Des Moines Performing Arts Volunteering Volunteer for events in and around Des Moines Free things to do in Des Moines Recreational Volunteer Events in Cedar Rapids Free things to do in Cedar Rapids Free things to do in Iowa City Free things to do in the Quad Cities Free things to do in Mason City
Note: Various entities (i.e., museums, zoos, farmer’s markets, etc.) may have offer discounts to those who receive SNAP. |
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Activities with kids |
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Education |
During a recent survey of AmeriCorps members in Iowa, training and certifications ranked very high on things that were desirable outcomes of members’ service. While many members are receiving professional development opportunities because of their time as a member, you don’t have to wait for your site supervisor to send you to a training or only take courses that align with your service. There are plenty of free and nearly free options for certifications and professional development for online courses from schools like Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Duke, and more. Check out the resources in the next column. Note that many courses are free, but some may charge a fee for certification. |
These links are specifically related to the Non-Profit Sector: |
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Restyle your lifestyle |
• Unsubscribe from promotional emails – they encourage you to buy or try things you just don’t need • Initiate No-Spend days in your week – or entire weekends! This will take practice, but your spending can be cut in half • Consolidate monthly subscriptions (Amazon, Disney+, Netflix) with friends or family members • Repair or mend clothing instead of buying new. Check out this article - 8 tips to help clothes last longer
• Buy secondhand – It doesn’t just mean thrift shops, try Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay and other local buy/sell pages
• Simplify your bathroom routine. Or consider ways cut costs by making homemade cleaners, bodywash, toners and moisturizers. Pinterest has a lot of suggestions and recipes to help you start this process. Check out the products designed for men. Often, they’re the same, just packaged differently and priced lower! • You can also reduce costs and help the environment by making a variety of homemade cleaning products. Vinegar is earth-friendly and is great for cleaning everything from windows to floors to bathrooms, and it’s easy on your budget as well. Again, Pinterest has MANY posts about making and using homemade products to clean your home and other things, including laundry. Take a look! • Move social gatherings from restaurants and bars to your home or backyard • Know where your money goes – Track your spending and face your habits. • Consider this order when looking for something – “Use what you have, Borrow, Swap, Thrift, Make, Buy” |
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