Guys, budgets are severely underrated.
College will always serve as the loudest testimonial of this, screaming from the tops of towering piles of tuition bills and student loan paperwork. A day in the life of a college student quite clearly showcases the importance of keeping a budget. Quarters are sacred for the simple purposes of parking meters and laundromats. Found $5 bills are the only things that make spontaneous lunch purchases possible, and $20 bills are honey from the heavens that give you the wings that you need in order to fly into the weekend financially able to grace yourself with any kind of restaurant food that your little heart might desire. Any bills above 20s are essentially nonexistent — as far as we are aware, anyway.
When money isn’t available to us, we notice and we notice fast. Think of the last time you couldn’t buy something, or go somewhere simply because you didn’t have the money. I’m quite familiar with that sharp, sudden mental pain that reminds you of the digits your bank account doesn’t currently hold.
Attending college and being out of your parents’ home will inevitably show you that you need to handle your finances with care. You can’t just borrow money from your parents off-hand like you used to, and asking them for it starts to become embarrassing.
What I’ve found to be the most helpful thing to do for myself financially is simple. At the beginning of each week, I take 10 minutes to think about what I need to spend money on, and then compare that with how much money I actually have to spend for that week. Keeping a budget is a small, but mighty concept that keeps me from embarrassingly kissing the $5 bill I occasionally find in my coat pocket.
It’s a simple concept, but it’s vital as well: Don’t buy what you want before you have bought what you need.
When it comes to managing your own income, the word “need” will never carry so much importance. The biggest pitfall for college students are the wantful purchases that we make. When the ice cream just looks so good that it’s practically angelic, or the late-night calzone delivery feels like the soul mate you’ve been waiting for, it’s your pre-planned budget that will keep you grounded. Should the end of the week find you with some extra dollars, that ice cream or calzone could serve as the perfect celebration for all your money-saving hard work.
Budgets are cool — they have style. A budget is basically the next best thing just waiting to be discovered. Reiterate those thoughts in your mind until they stick, and you will feel lame for not keeping track of your money. At the end of the day, bank accounts are finite, and so is your life by association. Simply take that reality in to account (pun intended), and spend your money accordingly.
April Jaynes is a senior studying journalism and anthropology. Have any tips for successfully managing money in college? Email April at aj188310@ohiou.edu.
