As a college student, I understand the constant nagging and mention of money. Whenever a friend or school event offers an activity to do, there are many thoughts flashing through your brain. A couple of them range from "yeah, that sounds like fun" but then the thought of "how much does it cost?" is the worst one. All of the sudden, you are thinking about your bank statement and how much physical money you have in your wallet. After making some heavy calculations, you either agree to dish out the money reluctantly or solemnly decline the offer.
Money has always been an issue in life and will continue to be one. As the saying goes; “Money makes the world go round” and this inanimate object dictates a lot of our actions. Whether or not we go out to eat for dinner, buy that cute dress, or subscribe to a streaming service, they all revolve around money. There are a lot of nice things in the world that differs in quantity, quality, and name brand recognition. For instance, I would like the latest and greatest new phone but I do not need it. I would also like to travel the world but maybe that could wait another day. In either case, I hope I made my point that money plays a big factor in our lives.
In which case, we all have vices when it comes to money. Some spend it frivolously, while others are penny pinchers. I consider myself a penny pincher because I am saving my money for a rainy day or a special occasion. I never want to have the feeling of not being able to have something when I need it the most. I have friends who go out weekly and buy new clothes or go out to eat. Yeah it is nice to be able to do that but when we want to hang out or plan a trip, your cries of money have no sympathy in my heart. Please learn to budget better. Yes I know that we are all in college and our main priority is to get a degree. I might have a part time job but I do not expect you to have one too. In fact, I've been saving my money this past year for the reason that with my busy classes and activities, I do not have time for a job. However, time and time again these mentions of your inability to fork over money to catch a movie or jokingly say "sure, if you are paying for it" are only acceptable the first few times. Of course, we all complain about the costs of textbooks and the hefty fees for sports but reoccurring cries of money gets old real fast.
One of the best advice I've ever heard from someone was "If you plan to buy anything, make sure you are able to buy it two times over or else you should not buy it in the first place". Those words rang true to my ears and still dictate how I spend my money which dictate how I live my life. I heard those words from a co-worker one slow night working, as she had the same issue with her friends in college. On a hot summer night while her friends were out enjoying the summer, she was working towards her winter break plans. Another great quote about money that I heard recently was that "if you are asking for the price of something then you probably can not afford it in the first place". We are all adults so it is better to learn now then later to budget your money. Enjoy life but with some discretion.
