Finals season is among us college and university students, and with it comes immense stress, anxiousness and endless hours of studying. Not only is December exam season for many of us, but the holidays are just around the corner. This time of year is one of the most expensive times of year for everyone. For a university student who is down to crunch time and needs immense amounts of caffeine as fuel, spending is a heightened experience. I decided to track my spending for a week to showcase the realistic spending habits of a university student during this time of year.
Sunday
I typically use Sundays as a reset day to do all the things I might not have had time to do during the busy week. Every two weeks my bank account gets charged a $36 fee for my gym membership at GoodLife Fitness, which was my first expense of the week. I enjoyed a good workout this day and then met up with a friend to discuss our living situation for next year. During this encounter, we went to Starbucks, where I spent $6.72. That was the extent of my spending during this slow Sunday.
Monday
Mondays are one of the days I work and, as I work at five in the morning, I have to Uber to work. My Uber is typical $12.15 these mornings. During my break at work, I got a coffee and an egg white wrap from Starbucks, which totalled about $10.40. Buying breakfast is not something I love to do, but my early mornings are such a rush sometimes that it becomes a must. After work, I went to the gym, then to my two classes and therefore did not spend any more.
Tuesday
On Tuesday I spent the morning in class and the remainder of the day studying in the library on campus. Luckily, I was smart and made my own to-go coffee at home, so I was not as tempted to make any coffee purchases on campus. I recommend this to anyone studying for finals, as coffee can be a must, but it can be expensive if purchased daily. This was almost a spending-free day until I received a message from a family member requesting the money I owed for a part of another family member’s Christmas present. This cost me $20.00 but concluded my Tuesday spending.
Wednesday
On Wednesday morning I had another shift at work and spent $12.15 on an Uber as well as $10.40 on a coffee and a breakfast sandwich during my break. However, after work, I had to stop at the grocery store to pick up bread, pasta sauce and cheese, which came to $10.48. I needed bread in order to make toast in the morning to prevent me from continuously purchasing breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks daily, and I needed the cheese and pasta sauce for dinner. In the evening, I had a dentist cleaning which cost me $35.80, as Laurier’s Dental plan only provides me with some coverage. After the appointment, I went home to make dinner and concluded my day.
Thursday
The Thursday of this week marked the beginning of the month, which meant it was time to pay my rent. I paid $610 for my rent which, for the Waterloo area, is on the lower end. However, with the recession, all rent is predicted to raise significantly for the next school year. I also am charged a $250 fee every month for my Invisalign payments, so that was also charged to my account. I spent the entire day on campus doing schoolwork and therefore didn’t make any actual purchases this day.
Friday
I worked Friday morning as well and spent my regular $12.15 on an Uber ride but decided not to purchase any Starbucks this morning. However, after work, I headed over to Bath and Body Works where the annual candle sale was happening, where the regular $30 candles were only $11.95 each. I picked up four of them, which came to a total of $54. Fridays are my campus study days, so after work, I picked up a bagel and tea at Tim Hortons for $4.83 and headed to study for the remainder of the day.
Saturday
On Saturday morning I did some online shopping and ended up spending $60.42 on Christmas gifts for my family. I wasn’t feeling the best this day and spent the majority of my day in bed. I also didn’t feel like cooking, so I ordered food from Uber Eats for a total of $33.88. I typically don’t like using food service apps in order to get food, as I’m not a fan of the delivery fees and service fees that accompany the actual cost. But every once in a while I do use them. This was my last purchase of the week, as I ended my week at my boyfriend’s apartment, building gingerbread houses and watching movies.
As a student, the majority of my spending is on food as I’m always on the go and typically don’t have time to cook every meal or make a good coffee. Expenses can be a source of stress for many people, myself included. The temptation to buy coffee every day or shop at the mall must be held back sometimes in order to put money towards fixed expenses such as rent or healthcare. Overall, spending is definitely something to be conscious of during school, but also something to use to your advantage. If you really need that coffee or bagel in order to boost your energy to study, go for it. Do what’s right for your body, your brain and your happiness. Money will come and go, so remember to use it towards what’s best for you, whether that’s a Bath and Body Works candle or an iced coffee.