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, Lily, a student at Emerson College, shares her weekly spending habits.
Don’t get me wrong — I absolutely love being a city girl. There are so many dreams and opportunities to explore under the skyscrapers of downtown Boston as a junior at Emerson College. Over the past three years, though, I’ve been learning the ropes of city spending. College life in the city is a thrilling experience with friends, classmates, fellow RAs, and even some fun dates, but it can be a little costly.
While my sole role during the school year is as a Resident Assistant, I also worked at a bakery over the summer to earn spending money because the RA payment is essentially a free room and board scholarship.
Balancing my love for exploring cafes, museums, and shops with a frugal mindset, I’ve discovered you can be a social butterfly on a budget. Trying to limit myself to $300 to $350 a month, I take pride in finding all the freebies, joining every rewards program possible, saving up gift cards, and using cash instead of credit.
Even though I’m on the school’s meal plan, most of my money goes to food. Despite occasionally missing DH (dining hall) times due to their early and limited schedule, I make up for it by trying out new restaurants as a self-certified foodie. As winter RA training brings me back to the bustling city, I can’t wait to dive back into the excitement of urban living.
Sunday
1:30 p.m. — Before moving back to campus, I went to my fave nail studio for a full acrylic set with a cool cat-eye effect. Even though they were a bit expensive, I wanted to treat myself and ultimately end my horrendous nail-picking habit before the start of the spring semester. $80.
Daily Total: $80
Monday
11:00 a.m. — Following my first training session, I hit up Panera with one of my other RA friends for a late breakfast. I picked up a refreshing Green Passion smoothie along with a toasted blueberry bagel and plain cream cheese. $11.64.
Daily Total: $11.64
Tuesday
4:15 p.m. — After fully unpacking and settling in, I needed a few small necessities from CVS. With some coupons, I got some alcohol prep pads (perfect for small cuts and earrings), travel-sized hand sanitizer (the lavender one smells so good), lip balm (to avoid dry lips on those windy, winter days), and some other fun lip products (glitter gloss and a lip-liner sharpener). $13.73.
8:30 p.m. — While I had a meal plan dinner at the dining hall earlier in the day, I was still a little hungry later in the night. Luckily for me, I had enough reward points at McDonald’s to redeem a free McChicken sandwich, and I was Mclovin’ this quick late-night snack. $0
Daily Total: $13.73
Wednesday
8:45 a.m. — To finish off training, I treated myself to a Tatte House Latte. This delightful 12-ounce iced honey halva coffee features a housemade halva syrup blended with a double ristretto shot and milk, making it the perfect kickstart to my morning. $5.88.
Daily Total: $5.88
Thursday
2:30 p.m. — I’m a big sushi lover, so I was dying to get a poke bowl from Pick N’ Roll Sushi. Today I got “The Works” which includes everything from crab salad, cucumbers, Hawaiian salmon, lettuce, seaweed salad, shredded carrots, shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, spicy tuna, tempura crisps, and unagi sauce. And it’s so convenient that the shop is just a few doors down from my building. $16.49.
10:30 p.m. — Recently turning 21, I’ve enjoyed venturing out to explore the local bar scene and having a fun drink with some of my 21+ friends. There’s a bar conveniently located just a block away that hosts an event called “Tam Thursdays,” and my friend and I decided to check it out for the first time. $18.
Daily Total: $34.49
Friday
Other than going to the gym with some friends, I stayed on campus for most of this chilly city day and heated up some of my favorite Trader Joe’s frozen foods: one of their Carne Asada Burritos for lunch and some Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons for dinner. $0.
Daily Total: $0
Saturday
8:00 a.m. — I had an early first-year move-in shift this morning, and it was essential to kickstart the day with my trusty Dunkin’ medium iced coffee — cream, no sugar. I wouldn’t be a Mass city girl without it. I was able to use reward points for it, so I got it for free. $0
3:30 p.m. — I love fashion, and Boston has so many great secondhand clothing spots. A few of my friends and I went thrifting, and I found this super cute black and light pink Y2K bag with an embroidered “L” on it. I just knew I had to get it because it was literally screaming my name (L for Lily) and my personal style. $10.
Daily Total: $10
Although I spent just a little over half of my budget during this first week back on campus, walking around the city again and treating myself before school starts has been so much fun. Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep making the most of my time in Boston by discovering different places downtown and trying out new experiences.