Studying abroad was one of the most amazing experiences of my short life. When I came back to the United States, however, and checked my bank account, I was shocked to see how much I had spent over the course of a few short months. Without the time to squeeze into a job amidst my full course load and unpaid internship, I was forced to come to terms with the fact that this semester would be one of reducing. No money? No problem! became my mantra, and as the weeks and months flew by (seriously—how is summer already almost here??) I learned how to be fabulously broke. It’s not as horrible as you may think; in fact, having little extra funds can actually be kind of enjoyable. Don’t believe me? Here’s why:
1. No money to dine out forces you to learn to cook
This being my first semester in an apartment with a full kitchen, I quickly realized how much money can be saved by making meals instead of ordering Fin’s. Though their chicken fried rice is the stuff of legend, I’ve been pretty good about refraining from calling their number (which is on my speed dial), and making my own stir fry. When I calculate it out, making stir fry for myself costs less than $5, which definitely saves me extra cash.
When my roommates and I come home late on Saturday nights, our first instinct is to order pizza. Living off campus prevents us from scavenging Late Night, so Domino’s is ultra-tempting. Instead of giving in, however, we’ve learned to keep frozen pizzas in our freezer to pop in the oven when we get home. I know, I know this doesn’t exactly count as “cooking,” but it still is a good money-saving trick (even if it doesn’t save us many calories. Oops!).
2. It also makes you double think the importance of going out
Pre-study abroad, I loved going out Thursday through Saturday. Cabs to bars downtown, as well as the stupidly expensive drinks they serve there, often runs you about $40 a night on Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, when I was more likely to stay on campus, going in on alcohol, or splitting it with my roommates, added to my weekly expenses.
Since I have a hard time justifying $40 to go stand in a downtown bar and watch messy people do messy things (there’s also the fact that we usually just go to Mary Ann’s, now), Thursday nights out have largely become a thing of the past. Since I reconsidered my partying instincts, I’ve realized that going out isn’t really that much fun. I prefer to hang out with my girlfriends in our apartment, painting nails or splitting a bottle of wine. Either one of these activities is nearly free, and makes for a better experience, in my opinion. I still have a soft spot for going out, but only doing it every once in a while has made it more of an event than it used to be!
3. Stay away from CVS at all costs
I don’t know if this one’s just me, but I literally can’t step into the CVS in Cleveland Circle without spending at least $50. I go in for my prescriptions and walk out with not only my meds, but also nail polish, make up that I certainly don’t need, Starbucks K-Cups that are less expensive across the street at the actual Starbucks, and some sort of holiday candy. I’m not sure how these scant items always add up to $50, but they do.
Being broke has taught me to avoid CVS at all costs, or only bring cash with me so I have to stick to a budget. Even better? Put blinders around your eyes as you race to the pharmacy so that you don’t see the Essie nail polish display when you walk in. I don’t know why nail polish displays are so powerfully enticing to me, but I can’t look at one without buying like four different shades.
Living the broke girl life this past semester has taught me more than just these three things, but these are my favorite life lessons learned. As summer approaches and the possibility of accepting an unpaid internship becomes more and more real, I’ve had to come to terms with the idea that being broke as hell may become more of a lifestyle than I thought it would. Thankfully, I always manage to scrape by and have my awesome parents who help me out. Someday I won’t be broke girl, but for now I’m making it chic…or at least trying. Anyone else willing to cut out Starbucks? I hear it saves you millions.
Photo Sources:
1. http://iowagirleats.com/2012/08/23/take-out-fake-out-easy-chicken-fried-…
2. http://ilovemudgee.com/2013/mudgee-news/four-chocolates-for-wine-for-women/
3. http://www.dominichulinda.com/2009/08/fall-2009-nail-polish-collections….