I will admit, I am not the best at saving my money. Recently I have really noticed this thanks to the absurd amount of packages I have to get from my apartment mail room, so I have been trying to cut back. I think by sharing my spending from last week, it will not only help me realize that I probably have a spending problem, but also might help you what is an essential item to spend your money on or not. I would also like to add that I have two jobs sustaining these habits, but the goal of course is to save that money that I’m earning for more important things like gas, groceries, and rent.
It certainly was not a perfect limited spending week, but here it is all broken down.
sunday
Sunday’s are typically my grocery shopping days, so we’re already starting off with a hefty amount, with $92.90 at the supermarket. This is slightly more than my usual weekly spending on groceries, but I had really left shopping for the last minute so there was a lot to buy. I also grabbed a quick lunch with a friend at a local acai bowl place, spending $9.14 there.
That brings us to $102.04 to start off the week.
monday
On Monday, I started the day with dunkin’ coffee for $3.46, and then later in the day had to pay for parking for $1.75. I also realized I forgot to get toothpaste and mouthwash while I was at the grocery store, so that was another $8.79 at the pharmacy.
Definitely cheaper than the day before, but our total so far is $116.04.
tuesday
Again on Tuesday I started the day with dunkin’, getting a coffee and some hash browns for $6.93. I think you’ll notice a trend with how I start a lot of my days.
That was all for Tuesday, brining us to $122.97.
Wednesday
Wednesday I had a bit of a stressful day, so I may have tried to cope by doing some online shopping. I got a new pair of sneakers for $109.99, and a new water bottle for $39.99. Definitely not a healthy way to deal with one stressful situation, but I am at the start of trying to change my spending habits, so not everyday can be a good day.
Halfway through the week, and we’re at $272.95.
Thursday
On Thursday I made yet another dunkin’ trip, so that’s another $3.46. In the afternoon I babysat, and of course we had to make a stop at the gas station for a little after school snack, costing us $7.43.
That will bring us to $283.84.
Friday
Friday miraculously I did not spend anything, so we’re still at $283.84.
Saturday
Finally to end off the week, I made a trip to the liquor store for $22.97, and of course stopped at dunkin’ on the way for another $3.46. Later in the day I rented a movie with my boyfriend on amazon for $3.99.
And that ends off the week, with our grand total being $314.26.
After writing this and actually taking the time to look at my spending habits, I think we all can agree I should start making my own coffee. I also still have some unhealthy habits with spending and feeling as though shopping is the right way to feel satisfied or cheer me up when something doesn’t go my way, but as I said before, I am still working on it. Something I have started doing since the beginning of the year was keeping a note with things that I think of that I want to buy, and writing it down first and thinking about it for a few days. I am typically very impulsive when it comes to seeing things I like online (my instagram ads definitely know how to get me), so this has saved me a lot of times, allowing me to think about if I really need it or want it.
I think many college students sometimes have trouble managing their money in an effective manner, as often times this is the first time you are on your own and earning your own money. I think keeping track of my spending and maybe making a note in a format similar to this, I will think about how much or how often I am spending my money, and I can get better with saving.