No one likes to talk about the elephant in the room when it comes to college finances- cancelling plans to save money. The sensation of FOMO (fear of missing out) has reached new levels of intensity after a year of pre-vaccine life. The pandemic has altered the way we value our social lives and the friendships we foster. Now that we can finally have fun, we want to say ‘yes’ to every fun outing and adventure. It’s reasonable to worry that without quality time, friends will begin to distance themselves.
Whether you’re super organized and keep a spreadsheet for budgeting, or just try your best month to month, there’s nothing scarier than realizing your bank account is lower than you’d like it to be- especially right before a big weekend of fun plans.
The sad truth is, there aren’t many fun activities that don’t involve money. What’s the fun in walking down Park Ave without at least getting Starbucks or a cocktail? (Or ending up buying an overpriced blouse from a boujee boutique… let’s be honest). That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stay strong and put your foot down when it comes to your finances.
When you say no to certain plans because you don’t have the wiggle room for bottomless brunch or a night out clubbing, you’ll inevitably receive some pushback from the fun-loving friend who wants you to be there. (Again- FOMO is real, and it is painful). It’s important to remember that you’re not saying no to yourself forever- you can probably go out next week after you’ve worked a couple more shifts, or made dinner at home for a few nights.
You don’t have to miss out every weekend- but you’ll thank yourself later when you don’t have to mooch off a friend for drinks the next time you go out. Only you know the numbers in your bank account, so don’t give in when someone pushes back. Your friends love you and want you to be included, but they aren’t necessarily thinking about what’s in your wallet.
Restaurants in our area operate on a sliding price scale. You can easily go out and end the night with a reasonable check. It’s all about measuring which places are truly within your price range, and going from there.
Prato and Armando’s, for example, will do a lot more damage to your account than Garp and Fuss or Panullo’s. For drinks, make an occasion out of your mid-week slump and hit up Wine Room for half-price Wednesday. Better yet, take advantage of Thirsty Thursdays at Porch and get some half-priced drinks (…. and they’re strong, too). When you’re looking out for the weekly deals, you’ll feel less bad saying no to plans at bars and restaurants that are out of your price range.