What is the number one culprit of diminishing bank accounts? Food. And I don’t mean the ½ dozen eggs and tub of pre-made cookie dough that you got at Tops a month ago. Eating out blows cash faster than virtually any other day-to-day expense.
You are about to be shocked by what you have been doing without even realizing it.
But don’t worry, you can fix it without having to starve or eat ramen or cereal!
Coffee:
You go to Starbucks or Café Kubal every morning before class, or during that awkward break you have in the middle of the day. Its just coffee and a bagel, not a big deal! BUT once you have enjoyed your harmless Grande latte & pastry combo 4-5 times per week, you will have spent over $100 dollars by the end of the month.
o Fix #1: Make coffee at home and bring it in a cute travel mug or grab some disposable Styrofoam cups.
o Fix #2: Stop buying lattes. Just get flavored coffee and pour some soy milk in it a few times a week instead….it will cost you about seventy dollars less per month.
Drunchies!!!
After a night of drinking, you get back to your apartment and you are just so unbearably hungry that you NEED PIZZA. And you need it NOW. So you and your roommate order $30 worth of Dominos. That’s about $15 3x a week that you probably don’t even remember spending….Why did I tip the delivery guy $12.50?
o Fix #1: Three Words: Frozen Food Section. Stock up on chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, frozen pizzas. I agree it isn’t as good…but at 2:30am I doubt you will be able to tell the difference. BONUS: I bet you can cook it faster than the delivery man can drive to your place. Just don’t burn yourself.
o Fix #2: Just go to sleep instead of eating. You will wake up with just a normal hangover and not a carb hangover too. Plus you wont feel guilty! More cash AND calories to spare! Double Win!
Marshall Street
You don’t feel like cooking, you are starving between classes; you are addicted to Chipotle etc… Whatever your excuse is, the stores on Marshall Street GOBBLE our money faster than we can gobble a burrito bowl with extra chicken and guac. Yah dude I know it costs extra **insert eye roll* But guess what…the average trip to Marshall Street costs about $10+ ….and we know that we venture there approximately 5-10 times per week….there goes another $100.
Out to Dinner With Friends
Syracuse has some of the BEST FOOD in the country…seriously. Man vs. Food came to play here, and so did Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Your foodie friends also enjoy the local restaurants as much as you, so at least once a week you all plan a nice outing to somewhere like Dino BBQ, Pastabilities, Bleu Monkey, or all of the amazing new places at Destiny USA. Wine, appetizer, oops I need more wine, Entrée, dessert…suddenly you find yourself wondering how $35 worth of food and beverage can possibly fit in your stomach….If you and your friends have outings like this 4x a month, then you have spent somewhere around $150. Damn.
o Fix it: Invite your friends over and cook together! I know it sounds like something that middle-aged housewives do….but it can be really fun. Look up recipes online and have everyone bring some ingredients. Grab a cheap bottle of wine for like $10 (which is almost the same price as ONE glass at a restaurant). If you all suck at cooking? That’s probably ok! You can laugh about how awful your meal turned out and maybe learn something new. Plus you can be loud and obnoxious without disturbing the older couple to your right who is looking at you probably saying “Oh God I hope OUR daughter doesn’t talk about (insert topic of inappropriate convo you just had) in public.”
If you are guilty of any (or all) of the above eating-out-habits….you probably spend AT LEAST $530 a month on meals that you don’t even remember. With this money, after one semester, you have spent the equivalent of:
The cost of THESE Louboutins:
Or a flight to Europe!