How to save money when your parents have access to your bank account
Minors and young adults often have joint bank accounts tied to controlling parents who take their earned money without permission. Because parents retain legal access, accumulated savings can be drained constantly, leaving young earners with no safe way to store their cash.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using cash tips as personal spending money and depositing paychecks into savings
- 2Cashing paychecks and using a physical savings envelope or book system
- 3Opening a separate bank account with an older sibling that the mother does not know about
- 4considering saving up for a Honda Element, living in it and cutting them off
- 5planning to change banks this week
- 6considering negotiating a fixed monthly rent contribution instead of random withdrawals
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“my mom has been “borrowing money” since I’ve gotten a job. It’s just frustrating because I save and do everything right but my financially incompetent mother will take everything eventually”source ↗
“It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even count anymore, all I know it’s over 15k.”source ↗
“I’m getting to a breaking point because it’s almost every other day she takes money.”source ↗
“I like the idea of saving my cash because my mom is narcissistic and I do not want her to see how much money I have. It’s also unfortunate because she can control my money with the bank I’m under her with.”source ↗
“She has access to my bank account for some reason. I think when I was a minor she had joint made it so she’s just taking it. I don’t even send it. She doesn’t even ask anymore.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4How to save money for a future nonprofit tax-free
- 2How to manage personal savings alongside a joint account
- 3How to say no to parents asking for money
- 8Where to invest money for a child when college plans are uncertain
- 4How to rebuild an emergency fund while supporting family and student loans
- 9How to balance saving for retirement and enjoying your 20s