In Her Campus’ series Where’d My Money Go?, we’re taking a look at what one college student spends in a week on campus. In this piece, Fabiana, a senior at Florida State University, shares her weekly spending habits.
The first receipt I ever catalogued in my alphabetical index card organizer was for a $5 protein shake I got at a rest stop during my fifth grade trip to EPCOT. The fact that I know this tells you two very important things about me: I’m extremely money-conscious, and I love a fun drink.
I’ve carried my smart (and maybe-too-anxious) money habits from elementary school to my upcoming senior year at Florida State University. I’m very lucky to have scholarships and parents that cover the cost of things like my phone bill, which means that any money I make during my summer breaks is mine to spend on things that make me happy. I eliminated my money-guilt mentality when I studied abroad in London last fall. I’m completely happy with how (and how much) I spent; I’d been saving money my whole life to make that dream come true, and I used it to make the absolute best of my time abroad.
Now that I’m back home with no huge financial expenses on the horizon, it’s time to grind and recuperate the pounds I spent in England. It’s a working girl summer: I’m balancing a journalism internship, two online classes, and a part-time (tragically minimum wage) job as a Barnes & Noble bookseller. I get to save 99% of the money I’m earning, since I live at home and drive my parents’ cars (the other 1% is budgeted for mandatory sweet treats). I’ll break out my color-coded budget spreadsheet once the school year begins, but for now? My goal is to make the number in my bank account grow.
Sunday
5:30 p.m.: My family and I went mini-golfing after I got home from work. My ticket cost $12, but family bonding time is priceless (especially since my parents paid for me and my siblings).
Daily Total: $0
Monday
9 a.m.: The early bird gets the free coffee! Playa Bowls opened a new location close to my house, so it offers a free 16-ounce sweet cream cold brew on Mondays between 8 and 10 a.m. The free drink put me in such a good mood that I surprised my sister with her favorite mango bowl for breakfast. $13.91
Total: $13.91
Tuesday
5 p.m.: I’m tempted to buy a new book during every shift at Barnes & Noble, but you know what refuses to cave? My wallet. I went to the library and checked out four books from my TBR list that I want to read but don’t care about enough to have on my bookshelf. Judging a book by its cover has aesthetic and financial benefits! $0
7:30 p.m.: My friend and I went shopping on a cute beachfront street in our hometown. I added a minimalist, stainless steel ring to my jewelry collection to replace a cheap (and subsequently tarnished) ring I’ve worn every day for months. I’m justifying this purchase as a necessary addition to my closet. $21.40
Daily Total: $21.40
Wednesday
6 p.m.: My mom and I had a very productive café date this afternoon (she did Big Corporate Things and I submitted a mediocre Canva edit for a 2000-level art appreciation class). I fueled our work session with an iced soy lavender matcha for myself and an iced oat chai latte for her. $13.61
8 p.m.: Once the café closed, we went on a Target run for groceries and beauty essentials. I’m interviewing Antonia Gentry tomorrow, who’s promoting her partnership with JOYBA, so I thought it’d be cute to pick up a pack of four bubble teas to casually sip on during our Zoom call. My mom’s RedCard covered our trip. $0
Daily Total: $13.61
Thursday
1 p.m.: JOYBA’s PR person was so happy to see me drinking one during the interview that she’s sending me samples of the brand’s new flavors! Baby’s first PR package! I’m starting to see the appeal of the influencer lifestyle. $0
Daily Total: $0
Friday
1:30 p.m.: In a flash of what I could only call impulsive derangement, I cut the front pieces of my hair 10 minutes before I had to leave for work. I’d planned on getting coffee when I clocked in, but the adrenaline/horror I felt when I saw my shorter-than-expected curtain bangs gave me more than enough energy to get through my closing shift.
Daily Total: $0
Saturday
8:30 a.m.: A clopening shift (AKA working back-to-back closing and opening shifts) definitely calls for caffeine. One of the perks of working at Barnes & Noble is getting one free iced coffee per shift. I maximize my benefits by adding cream and pumps of vanilla and caramel syrup.
Daily Total: $0
Weekly Total: $48.92
This week was a pretty typical snapshot of my working girl summer era. I’m proud of how mindful I’ve been about saving money over the past couple of months. My future self will thank me once senior year is in full swing — those graduation photo shoot dresses aren’t going to pay for themselves!