Top 10 Money Saving Tips for Youthworkers
How to be a Youthworker without getting your purse strings in a twist.

1. Save on the rent. Just sleep at the church building. You spend most of your time there anyway.

2. Save on petrol money. Just sleep at the church building. You spend most of your time there anyway.

3. Save on food bills. Only eat the communion bread/wafers* and communion wine/ribena*

4. Don't make any friends - and if you already have some, give them to other people as you won't have time to see them anyway. That way you can save money on your social life.**

5. Avoid material possessions. If your young people come within a mile radius of your belongings, you will most likely have to replace them all anyway.

6. Do not give your young people your e-mail address/phone number/MSN name. In terms of lost sleep and lost work hours alone, this could cause financial and emotional bankruptcy.

7. Avoid attachments (more commonly known as "boyfriends" and "girlfriends"). They can get expensive. Besides, Youthwork is your significant other.

8. Do not go away for the holidays. After all - as soon as they realise the church mini van's keys are missing they'll hunt you down at your hotel/parent's/caravan park/Spain anyway.

9. Avoid traditional holidays/celebrations where presents are expected. Remember, a family is for life (just not for Christmas).

10. Make your own presents. If you are unable to avoid such occasions this can be cost effective and enjoyable. Knitted woolly hats (for football fans in the winter), a mix tape of all your favourite Christian Classics ("Shine, Jesus, Shine", "Kumbaya My Lord" and "Jesus Loves Me, This I know" could be just the thing for a nice family singalong) or Bible bookmarks (with verses from Leviticus warning against over-indulgence at Christmas time) are just some of the many ideas that will warm the festive hearts of your relatives.

* Delete as applicable according to your denominational preference.

** You may need to ask someone to explain what this is.