For a long time, women have been afraid to talk about money. It’s been seen as taboo, tacky, and straight-up awk. But not anymore. Winging It is an anonymous series where we ask college women how they spend their money, make their money, and think about money. Sometimes, we’re planning our finances well in advance; other times, we’re straight up winging it. Either way, we’re getting real.
The Basics
Who I am: 20-year-old white woman from Illinois. She/her.
School: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
The $$$ I earn each month: $500
The $$$ I’m given each month: $200
The $$$ I get from scholarships, etc: $4,300 per semester
Current job: Paid job at the campus apparel store
Dream job: Working for the government and blogging on the side
Where I live: An off-campus apartment
The Breakdown
How I spend:
Groceries are my biggest expense throughout the week, followed by coffee and an occasional meal out. I have a lot of food allergies so the food I eat is typically more expensive than the average college student’s diet. I try to meal prep as much as possible in order to spend less eating out or buying snacks on campus.
Why I almost always buy discounted:
When I’m in the mood to buy new apparel, I do not pay full price for anything. I love to shop for clothes and shoes, but try to shop for cheaper products in stores — I use coupons and shop sales whenever possible. I love shopping Old Navy sales, TJ Maxx, and second-hand stores. I also purchase a lot of my clothing second hand from Plato’s Closet or Goodwill.
How my friends talk about money:
The majority of my close friends at school have jobs and fund most of their activities themselves. This makes it easy to discuss money struggles with them. We talk a lot about our financial situations, usually asking for advice. I also update them quite often on my credit card debt situation.
I only feel like I have to spend money to keep up with my friends in social aspects. My friends and I love to spend time together over food or coffee. I don’t feel any pressure to keep up with them as far as brands go.
Study abroad and money:
I studied abroad for a semester and spent a lot of money to travel every weekend. I wasn’t able to work to cover the expenses while I was out of the country, which put me into credit card debt. I pay the minimum payment every month.
$$$ + anxiety:
I worry the most about my debt. I am $20,000 in debt between school loans, a car loan and credit card bills. While I pay the minimum amount each month, the interest is killing me. I’m nervous about getting a job after I graduate in May — I’ll need a job as soon as I graduate that pays well so I can start paying off my debt. Money is a major issue for my anxiety.
My week in terms of $$$:
Gas and groceries are my biggest expenses throughout the week followed by coffee and an occasional meal out. I like to spend time with my friends over food or coffee. I splurge on wellness items like skincare and vitamins. I am very big on preventative care and try to keep my body as healthy as possible, but that can be expensive.