You may be able to save more money than you think, advisor says: 'You just have to go look for it'

With the rising cost of groceries, rent and other essentials, having money to set aside and save can feel impossible.

However, saving doesn’t always require more money — you might just need to reorganize what you already have, says Kashif Ahmed, a certified financial planner and lecturer at Suffolk University in Boston.

Ahmed, who teaches a finance class to undergraduate students, says many of his students tell him they want to save more, but say they lack the funds to start. That tracks with national data: Nearly 75% of Gen Z adults reported having $1,000 or less saved, according to a Self Financial survey of over 2,000 adults in July.

But often, “the money is there, you just have to go look for it,” Ahmed says.

Here’s where he recommends starting.