My first week of junior year was filled with excitement and buzz; consequently, my friends and I went out each day for lunch that first week. Each time I spent $10 for McNuggets at McDonalds or tacos at the Frontera Grill taco truck, I justified my spending by telling myself it was just the first week, and everyone was freshly licensed.
But the second week of school rolled around, and we went out every single day again. I still thought it was acceptable, as it was the beginning of school. As the weeks continued to pass and my friends and I continued to go out to lunch almost every day, I could no longer justify myself.
Whenever I go out for lunch, I don’t think it’s a big deal; after all, it’s only around ten bucks. But when I got home and looked at my bank account, I realized the expenses were creeping into the triple digits and not sustainable.
I know what you’re thinking: The most logical thing to do would be to simply stay on campus for lunch. But, everytime I try, I miss blasting music in my friends’ cars and eating a toasted bagel at Saratoga Bagels or getting Chicken McNuggets at McDonald’s.
Unfortunately — although perhaps relievingly — I was eventually forced to regulate my excessive spending when my parents, shocked by the diminished balance, refused to refill my bank account.
In an effort to manage my excess spending, I started going home during lunch and preparing a home-cooked meal or walking my dog.
I also learned to bring snacks to school. The vending machine may seem like a cheap and convenient way for a snack when you’re hungry, but even $1 snacks rack up to large amounts of money after repeated purchases. Bringing a snack from home is a quick and easy replacement for snacks that aren’t even that good.
Lastly, and most importantly, I found friends who are also trying to cut down on their spending with you. Following the first month of school, my friends and I decided to only go out for lunch twice a week. The other days, we pack our own lunch and stay on campus. At the start of the year, I would often go out simply because I didn’t want to be the only one staying behind without my friends. Now, I don’t have to worry about rushing to my friends’ cars in the parking lot before they leave — rather, I can stroll to the lunch table.
It was definitely difficult to regulate the newfound freedom of being able to go off campus, but with the help of friends and consistency, I have become a more eco-friendly and responsible spender.
