Tuesday, November 4, 2014

The Life of a Poor College Student

My mother has always told me I have expensive taste. Well, that is a difficult thing to deal with when you are stuck in college with an on campus job where you only make about $100 over the course of two weeks. Although I am extremely lucky to have a campus job, saving money is not my strongest skill. I recently received my Little in my sorority, and that cost me the majority of my checking account. I am beginning to feel low on money, but there are so many things I want to buy. 

I have a closet full of clothes, but I only want more. My favorite pair of boots is falling apart, so I need to replace those. I am not eating like I should because I have no food in my dorm. I guess I never realized how difficult living on my own would be for me. 

I am now done blowing my paycheck on craft supplies and I can sit and actually evaluate my budget for the remainder of the semester and year. 

There will always be new things for me to buy, but I'm hoping to improve my self-control so I can leave school with a decent amount of money saved. I don't think my expensive tastes will ever change, but I can learn how to wait for the day I have a career and am bringing home a paycheck big enough to support myself and a family. There is not a sports car in my near future, but if I can start saving now, maybe somewhere down the road you will see me rolling around town in my sky blue, convertible mustang.

If you have any tips for saving money, please feel free to comment below! I need all the help I can get. 

3 comments:

  1. Contrary to what some people believe, college professors don't make all that more than high school teachers. It's sad. At any rate, here is what I've been using to help me get debt free. Hope it helps! http://www.daveramsey.com

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  2. Michelle,
    The one piece of advice that my dad told me was to learn the difference between wants and needs. Whenever I am about to make a purchase, I always ask myself that question, and I usually decide not to buy unless it is an essential.
    However, my best piece of advice is to spend time with people who are less fortunate than you. Reflecting back on mission trips and time spent at the food bank has really saved me from spending money. I have learned that less is sometimes more, and it is extremely important to cutback on waste. I care less about material items, and I have learned to focus my attention on more important matters.
    If all else fails, just know you aren’t the only poor kid in town, and it may help you feel a bit more at ease.

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  3. Michelle,
    Becoming a fellow poor college student I have learned two things. Other than things I have to study for class. One is that there are a lot of ways to make Ramen delicious, other than just take it out of the pack, add water and die from starch, and two sell your blood.

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