It’s not that I am a stingy person when it comes to money, but being a student-athlete in college gives me hardly any time to work a job. Let alone make any source of income. However, it wasn’t until recently I was faced with the ultimate pocket burner test: having a boyfriend. Just like caring for our beloved pets, a boyfriend comes with needs too.
When I first started my relationship, there was no problem at all. Probably because we were still in that awkward phase. You know, the relationship chapter of whether or not to hold our partner’s hand or worse: go in for the kiss. But as that chapter slowly began to close, the comfortability phase started to open.
The once timid boyfriend of mine, now comes into my dorm room without a trace of deodorant and goes straight for my fridge. Yes, I know that sharing is caring, but boys tend to eat way more than girls. I purchase an entire bag of grapes, plus take the time to walk all the way down the hall to wash them in the community sink just to find that the grapes are gone in the next two days. This is without my hand even touching the bag. This is just one of the many examples I am constantly finding myself in. Whereas when I was single, I replenished my food weekly, but because my boyfriend has become overly confident with the idea that my groceries are now our groceries, I am at the store a minimum of three times a week. I even had to get an Ingles advantage card to start racking up my savings for the daily grocery runs.
Not only has the grocery store become a money grabber in relationships, but so has date nights. My TikTok page went from depressing single videos to glamorous date night ideas. Don’t get me wrong, I love the switch of content, but the videos encourage my devilish money spender side. I start with a simple scroll on TikTok out of bored then find myself watching a cute couple pack the perfect picnic for a sunny lake day. Instantly, I am sold on pursuing that same date. This requires buying the perfect food for a picnic, a picnic basket and blanket, basically the entire setup plus whatever else aesthetic comes to mind. It would be fine if this only happened once a week, but TikTok dates are a recurring trend on my “for you” page. And now it’s really starting to take a toll on my pockets.
Now, don’t even get me started on the “just because” gifts. I understand buying presents for holidays like Valentines and Christmas, but what I can’t wrap my head around is the gifts for no reason. This does make me a super big hypocrite, because I love my occasional surprise flowers. However, men are hard to shop for without a direct cause. I can’t just show up one day with a pristine Rolex watch and call it a “just because” gift. Not only does the surprise gift ruin my wallet, but it also drives my mind crazy.
Moral of the story is don’t let your relationship take over your finances. Sure, spend a little money here and there, but just make sure you are not going overboard into a sea of debt.