Talecia Bell

Once again, after swearing myself to a budget of $60, I unnecessarily spent about $110 trying too hard to party over the Halloween weekend.

As young adults, we have this sense of entitlement to party; many times, we mistakenly convince ourselves that spending for the purposes of having fun is what young people do.

Donte Morris, senior business major, said students are so eager to fulfill the college myth that everyone is partying and to avoid missing out, we spend without thinking.

“As students, we are encouraged to spend relentlessly to party. After a few drinks in a party environment, you think you’re Diddy,” Morris said. “You do not realize how much you have spent until you have spent too much.”

We justify this behavior with the notion that it is what we are supposed to be doing in college. We spend our money because it is mentally satisfying.

Whether we are overspending while out partying or shopping at the mall, more than half the things we purchase carry only temporary value.

Crystal Canonigo, senior recreational administration major, said she spent about $200 on a rhinestone T-shirt she only wore once.

“I purchased the shirt because at the time, Ed Hardy was a popular brand. The excitement surrounding bedazzled shirts was short-lived,” Canonigo said. “(Soon) I was no longer interested in the brand.”

Before you purchase, try to think about whether you will actually use the item for a prolonged period of time. A bottle of Belvedere vodka is obviously not going to last very long.

The desire to party is not an excuse to spend $100 on a bottle of alcohol.

Students should make it a point to identify what factors contribute to their impulse to overspend.

For example, if you are aware that the club scene triggers you to spend, convince yourself that you do not need to take your debit or credit card into the club with you “just in case.”

Instead, stick to the budget you mapped out before you got to the club, stop at the ATM and get the exact cash. This way, when you want to buy alcohol, you will have to stick to your predetermined budget.

If you are still in denial about spending for self-satisfaction, ask yourself this:

Have you ever been at the grocery store and had just enough money for what you have in your basket, but you got in line and ended up buying a pack of Bic lighters, two tabloid magazines and a pack of Newport cigarettes?

OK, so maybe you don’t smoke and you do not read tabloids.

But have you ever paid your rent more than 10 days late because on the Saturday before you blew away more money on alcohol than you can remember?

You are not alone. Most of us share this tendency to spend too much.

The first step in the healing process is to get rid of the idea that you are entitled to this type of behavior.

Money, like a gun, can be deadly when the finger is always on the trigger. Relax your grip, put your safety on and put away your cash. You will thank yourself later.

Talecia Bell can be reached at [email protected].