This note presents the finding of an extensive qualitative and quantitative study conducted by MicroSave in Uganda. It emphasises the fact that poor people are lacking access to formal means of savings, and thus face extremely risky environments when they save in the informal sector. For example, the study showed that poor people saving in the informal sector losto n average 22% of the amount they have saved in the last year, and that people who had access to formal means of savings saved on average three times more in the last twelve months.