While politics might seem like something that only the rich are able to get into, there are plenty of ways that you can become involved in politics in your own area without having to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Especially if you have a natural talent for politics or feel particularly passionate about a hot-button topic in your area, there’s no need to talk yourself out of running for an election simply because you don’t feel like you have the cash to devote to it. 

So to show you how you can be successful in politics without a huge financial investment, here are three tips for running for public office on a budget.

Set Up A Way To Accept Donations

For most politicians, it’s not their own money that they’re spending for the majority of their campaigning. What usually happens is that someone decides to run and then seeks out donations from those who’d like to see him or her win that election.

To get this form of fundraising working for you, Jessi Phillips, a contributor to Vice.com, recommends that you get some way to accept donations very shortly after you decide to run. This could be through your campaign website, a PayPal account, or any other way you can legitimately start collecting donations from those who want to support your candidacy. 

Spend Your Money The Right Way

It’s almost impossible to run for public office without spending any money, especially when you consider that you usually have to pay to simply sign up to be on the ballot. So to ensure that your finances don’t get out of control, it’s wise to have a plan for how you’ll spend your money on the most important things.

According to Chassity Martin and Heather Wood Rudulph, contributors to Cosmopolitan, spending your money on marketing yourself is a great idea. Some of the best ways to get your name and photo out there without having to spend a ton of money include things like palm cards, mailing out personalized letters, and putting up yard signs on the property of people who support you. 

While other marketing materials can be helpful, these three things are a good place to start when your funds are limited. 

Work With What You Do Have

Just because you may not have as much money as those you’re running against doesn’t mean that you should count yourself out of the race.

There are plenty of other ways you can get a leg up on your competition and edge them out of the running. Susannah Snider, a contributor to U.S. News and World Report, shares that if you don’t have the most money, try to have the most people supporting you or make the best use of your time. Whatever you do have to work with, make sure you take full advantage of it. 

If you’re wanting to run for office but don’t have the funds for a typical campaign, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know how to run for public office on a budget.