I never thought that being a college student would be so expensive.
I knew that tuition, especially at Penn, was extremely pricy, but I didn’t know I’d be spending as much as I do day-to-day. From cab rides, to groceries, to late night Wawa runs, to downtowns and Blarney, I can’t seem to budget myself.
I know an easy fix would be to limit how many times I go downtown, to walk more often rather than take cabs and to eat in the dining halls instead of going out. And of course, cutting out Wawa. But it’s a lot harder than you’d think. It seems like all of the social events and anything that has to do with me spending time with other people involves spending money. This is especially true because we live in a big city where taking a cab is just so convenient and, in a place like Philly, not taking advantage of the amazing food would just be a sin.
I’ve talked to a few of my friends about it. They are in similar situations and had a lot of helpful advice:
“I realized I spend a lot of money on food. So my advice is that if you’re going to spend a lot money on food, try to avoid going anywhere on campus, and spend it on something worthwhile. And when I eat meals alone, I try to stick to the dining halls.” – L.R.
“I try to take public transportation whenever possible. It doesn’t seem like much, but it actually saves me a lot of money.” – A.W.
“My parents give me money every month for daily expenses, but I always feel so guilty. It’s embarrassing how much money I spend on a regular basis without even noticing it. I try to write down everything I spend money on, and as the month goes on, the list gets longer and longer. I started realizing how pointless a lot of my purchases were and I’ve started to cut them out. It has actually made a big difference.” – J.D.
What I learned from talking to my friends is that making changes, even little ones, actually does make a big difference on how much money you spend. At the end of the day, even just being conscious of your purchases helps save you and your parents’ money.