[Grammar] the difference between "a little" and "the little"?

[Sofia98]

Can someone explain to me what's the difference between "a little" and "the little"?
I have this sentence: "I quickly packed my few belongings and spent ... money I had on a one-way ticket home"
So do we use " a little money" or "the little money"?
Thanks very much ^^

 

[5jj]

The. It's a specific amount of money, the {little money (that) I had}.

 

[abaka]

And, just to add to 5jj's excellent post: without the specification "that I had", which makes clear you spent all your money to book passage, it's just any small amount from your total wealth. In that case "a little money" is appropriate: I quickly packed my few belongings and spent a little money on a one-way ticket home.