“Your total will be $13.64.” the casheir says. You think to yourself, I have 13 on my card and I think I have 64 cents– in my wallet …25, 35, 50, as you rush from the store you say, “!ait nevermind I’ll be back.” And you never come back.
This is the dialog of everyday life when someone is depending on the next paycheck. In college we often find ourselves a dollar, quarter, or a penny too short. It’s almost 2020 and that means it’s time to stack those funds up and the only way to do that is to start budgeting.
A college students favorite line is I’m broke or I don’t have any money. Some students live on campus working at least one or two jobs trying to provide for themselves without interfering with the lives of their parents. Budgeting is a life skill that can be mastered by the click of a button or a simple change of mindset. Do you think your ready for the next step to adulting? If not, I recommend you get ready.
Budgeting is all about organization and having fun. It’s best to know where your money is going, rather than spending it all at once. Be sure to have your notebook on hand when it’s time to know when things are due. Try using Google Calendar or even your Apple calendar to keep track with due dates and times of your personal finances. Google calendar allows you to change colors of what you include within the calendar. If you would like to make all reminders for bills Blue and and all Treat Yo’Self reminders pink, by all means knock yourself out. It’s about doing what works for you, not what works for everyone else. Let’s take another look into budgeting, perhaps through a more digital aspect.
There are more than hundreds of budgeting apps for us to try, but it’s all about finding what works for you. If you’re looking to invest, save, and grow your saving all in one try Acorns.Acorns is a money saving app that will invest your spare change every time you spend money. Once you connect your debit card and start spending you will be investing like a pro. Or how about you try an app that put rainy day money away for you and divides your money by making automatic payments for your credit card? Try Digit, an app that automatically analyzes your spending and saves an amount of your spending so you don’t have to.
After you’ve invested with a click of a button, take the time to write down how much you spent during the day or even the week! Although a lot of things are now digital, when you have a change take the time how much you spend on unimportant expenses. You’d be surprised how much you spend on things you don’t need. At the end of the day anyone can save money or even budget. Think about the small things in your day you can live without. Maybe instead of buying a starbucks coffee everyday for about $5 you use that same amount of money and but k-cups to make your own.