MJ: A Hard-Working Mom Builds a Savings Habit

Last winter, MJ* had two jobs: one at a community center in Minneapolis and another as a cook at a soccer stadium. When the pandemic swept the United States in March 2020, MJ was laid off from both jobs.

With her two daughters—one in elementary school and one a senior in high school—remote learning, MJ’s food and internet expenses shot up. Luckily, her unemployment application was approved, and the benefits helped her stay on track financially. 

“I didn’t have to stress and could stay home to handle helping them with online school,” MJ said. 

However, when the additional $600 of unemployment benefits expired at the end of July, it became much harder to make ends meet. But with no end to remote-schooling in sight, MJ faced an impossible choice, one that is familiar to many SaverLife members: income or family?

August 2020 was a tough month for many SaverLife members. Our data found that, after extra unemployment benefits expired at the end of July, 32% of members withdrew over $100 from their savings accounts in August—more than any other month in 2020 or 2019.

It was during this time that MJ found out about SaverLife on the Fresh EBT app. Before joining, she didn’t have any savings. 

“The last year has made budgeting become more of a focus,” she explained. The financial crisis caused by the pandemic made her want to be more prepared for future emergencies. 

SaverLife’s articles and resources helped her learn how to budget and plan to save. When she received a $500 cash grant from SaverLife’s Emergency Relief Fund, she put it straight into her emergency savings account. 

“I learned that getting some free money didn’t mean I should go spend it,” she said. 

MJ’s planning paid off a few months later when she came dangerously close to falling behind on rent. She withdrew some of the money from her emergency savings account to pay her bill and stay in her home. 

*Name changed for privacy reasons.