Like most other college students, I have developed a bad habit of overspending. Unfortunately, my big-spender mentality is causing some big dents in my bank account. So, a couple weeks ago, I decided that I would put a limit on how much money I would spend at school each week. Truthfully, around 99.9 percent of my money is lost buying food on campus, so I decided that, if I could curb my campus splurging, I would see smaller dents in my bank account. For some reason, I decided on a budget of $20 a week. The day before I started my challenge, I went to the bank and withdrew a crisp twenty-dollar bill. Immediately, I felt a pang of regret, and Andrew Jackson’s gaunt face didn’t comfort me at all.
Day 1: Starvation and Starbucks
I forgot to eat breakfast before I headed to work, so by 1 p.m., I was starving. Motivated by my hunger, I sprinted to Starbucks and ordered a venti strawberry acai refresher and a grilled cheese sandwich. My hunger blinded me, so I eagerly handed the cashier my crisp twenty, and she gave me back my change and receipt. I quickly tucked it into my back pocket and collected my food. It wasn’t until I scarfed down my food that it crossed my mind to check my change. I was in shock when I saw only ten dollars and some change left; I was very disappointed in Starbucks for some reason. I sat there and thought to myself, “How could a piece of bread and flavored water cost more than $9?” I was beginning to understand why I had dents in my bank account.
Day 2: Boycotting Gatorade
There was no way I was blowing through the second half of my money in one day, so I got up extra early and made myself a continental breakfast. However, later on in the day, I had a dance midterm, so I needed to buy a Gatorade. It was going to be two hours of dancing, so I knew water wouldn’t cut it. I strolled into Outtakes and picked up my favorite Gatorade. I reluctantly handed the cashier my money, and she handed me back my change. To my surprise, she handed me eight dollars, and told me to have a good day. “How was I supposed to have a good day when all I have is eight dollars left to spend?” I thought. Moreover, when did a Gatorade cost two whole dollars? I stood there staring at my change as I contemplated why I made this poor decision. As soon as my dance midterm was over, I went home ate my dinner and swore to never to buy a red Gatorade again.
Day 3: The stare down
It was a long day. I had a few interviews to conduct and a study session to attend. In the morning, I drank some coffee and had a bagel with cream cheese. The coffee suppressed my appetite, so I wasn’t hungry until later into the evening during the study session. I adore my professor, and I like to think that I’m an attentive student, but, on this day, the more he spoke, the more I wanted to rip the skin off of my face. I could not retain anything he was saying because the only thing I heard was my stomach yearning for food. To make things worse, another student was sitting right in front of me eating plantain chips. With each crunch her mouth made, mine salivated a little more. I finally understood why my dog loved staring at me while I was eating because I found some satisfaction in watching her eat.
All I could think about was getting food, and the opportunity presented itself when my professor decided to take a break. I sprang up from my chair and announced that I was going to get food, but the young lady with the plantain chips told me not to waste my time and offered me her chips. I wanted to say no, because I was slightly embarrassed because I thought she must have seen me staring at her. Then I remembered that I was not in a position to turn down free food, so I thanked her and took the chips. After class, I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought that I just had my very first “food stare down.” I didn’t spend any money that day, and I was honestly relieved.
Day 4: People are actually nice
I stayed home for most of the day. I decided that I wouldn’t go to school until it was time for my exam, so I spent the morning eating fruits and rereading my notes. Something about NSU awakens my appetite because, as soon as I arrived on campus, I heard an all-too-familiar sound coming from my stomach. However, I wasn’t opposed to the idea of spending some money today because I didn’t spend any the day before, so I thought I would treat myself.
At first, I went to Starbucks because I was craving a frappuccino, but when I saw that the smallest frappuccino cost almost $4, I excused myself from the line and headed over the Parker building where I would sit for my exam. I sat in the lobby, waiting for my friends and thinking about what to buy. Eventually, I got up and headed to the Parker Kiosk in front of me. I looked around, masking my concern for the prices with an indecisive face, until I settled on buying a Nutella snack for $1.69; I wanted an energy drink as well, but that cost $3.09, so I decided to remain energy-less and thirsty. The cashier and I sparked up a conversation, and I innocently told him why he had not seen me buying my usual $10 worth of snacks this week.
The person behind me started laughing while they eavesdropped on my story, and I guess it compelled him because he offered to pay for my food. Of course, I played coy and refused the offer, but he insisted. He even told me to get a drink, but that made me uncomfortable, so I told him I was fine without a drink. I lied, and after he paid for my snack, I went back and bought a Gatorade ―a white one, because I swore never to buy a red one again. I was down to $6 on my fourth day and was slightly impressed.
Day 5: The worst success
My week was finally winding down. It was a Friday, so I decided to go to the Flight Deck to buy something to eat. Thankfully, I decided to read the menu because almost every item was too expensive for me. At first, I thought of having a classic burger, and then I glimpsed the price and thought “Almost $7? Not happening.” I had to do that embarrassing face again, the one where I pretended to consider buying something but knew it was out of my price range. Eventually, I settled on buying fries. The fries cost a little over $3, and my pride was hitting an all-time low. I didn’t even finish eating the fries; I just went back to work and counted the hours until I could go home and end this challenge. This was the first time that I ever completed a challenge, but with $2 left in my pocket and my bruised ego, I didn’t feel like a champion.
I hated being on a budget, but it made me realize that I didn’t pay attention to the prices. Being on a budget forced me to look at the prices and think about how to spend my money. I cheated a little because I got free food on some of the days and ate at home.
Clearly, $20 is not enough for me to spend on food at school, which leaves me to wonder if the food at NSU is expensive, or if I’m just really bad at handling money. Maybe it’s time for me to research that? Regardless, I have now decided to continue limiting the amount of money I spend at school by eating at home. I have also decided that $35 a week is a more realistic spending limit. I have looked into bringing lunch to school, but who am I kidding? I have neither the discipline nor the time to go through with that.
