Did you know Bank of America won’t let you transfer endlessly between your savings and checking account? I didn’t until I failed to stick to my budgeting plan, forcing me to constantly transfer money back and forth. My dopamine hit has always been clicking “Place Order” and prancing up to the mailroom in a few business days to pick up my new prize.
I knew that I couldn’t keep living life like this when I opened my iPad in lecture and the girl next to me saw my email notification saying that my balance was low before we made eye contact. And to add to that, she had just seen me open the promotional emails from Sephora a minute ago. How embarrassing! This is why in January, I decided to make my own version of “No Spend January.” I treated my online shopping as an addiction so my bank account could be saved. Here are the rules I stuck to:
- Going Cold Turkey
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Since middle school, coffee and studying have been inextricably linked; one cannot simply exist without the other. To minimize changes to my studying routine and save money, I allowed myself to buy two coffees per week. The rest of my non-coffee days, I forced myself to walk past Kerckhoff’s cafe and went upstairs to the study lounges or Powell. I’m aware this process seems extremely easy but my eyes were twitching with irritation every time I skipped my Kerckhoff trip. I went to bed hoping that all their espresso machines would break so nobody could get coffee. Quitting caffeine meant headaches, fatigue and my desire to become Brooklyn Beckham growing exponentially (seems unfair that he and I share mediocre skills but he can easily afford coffee every day due to his family tree while I can’t). Over the month, I did learn that you CAN have a productive study session and not spend close to $6 each time. Who knew?
Note: If you really need a fun drink while studying, grab a pack of Crystal Light (they have ones with caffeine) or these Kombucha sticks. Flavorful and more fun than plain water.
- Make the Algorithm Work For You
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One of the biggest ways TikTok has negatively impacted me is the urge I feel to try the newest beauty/fashion/wellness item. All it takes is a few seconds of watching the video, doing a quick Google search and suddenly I’m convinced that I need L-Glutamine to “heal my gut.” A major switch I did in January was putting a time limit on my social media apps and making TikTok’s algorithm work for me. I figured since its algorithm was the one that made me want to buy everything, it could also work the opposite way. Soon, I found myself on the “de-influencing” side of TikTok, where creators share why you don’t need products. Whenever I feel the urge to spend some money, I pause and force myself to either read terrible reviews or watch some “de-influencing videos.”
- Trick Yourself
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In my developmental psychology class, my professor was explaining why three-year-olds fail the marshmallow test because of their lack of inhibitory control, and I was vigorously writing it down on my iPad (which was an impulse buy). It seems I have more in common with my professor’s toddler than my peers.
To find a more financially feasible way to attend workout classes and control my urges, I signed up for the Group X pass at UCLA’s Recreation Center. For $45, you get unlimited classes for cycling, pilates, yoga, Zumba and much more. I just tell myself that it’s practically the same as Equinox. It’s not, but being slightly delusional is necessary to reach difficult goals.
When I feel the urge to online shop because of a feeling (like being stressed for midterms), I repeatedly tell myself “I’m so lucky,” as a way of convincing myself that everything will work out and I most definitely don’t need to run to the Hill Top store to get another pint of Ben and Jerry’s. This way, I’m saving money AND changing the way I think about my life.
Saving money is difficult when your form of relieving stress is partaking in the inflated economy. But it turns out that saving money is actually possible if you stick to your budgeting rules. In January, I spent about 40% of what I usually do on unnecessary purchases. Make your budgeting rules reasonable to your lifestyle and stick to them for at least three weeks to make it a habit!