I live the poor student life. I live pay to cheque and am frequently calling my parents for money. Needless to say, I rarely buy anything for myself outside of the realm of food (I rarely even buy clothes for myself and find most of my furniture on the street)
Here I am: I have just paid my tuition, some credit card debt, and will be receiving monthly rent aid all from student loans. I have an ample sum of cash left over to do with as I please.
What to do... What to do...?
This becomes a problem. Having grown accustomed to my poor student life (this is the first time I have had any left over cash after paying my tuition), and growing up in a lower middle class home, I have never spent more than fifty dollars on myself at any one given time. My cell phone I received for free when I signed a contract, my CD player (which I have applied tape to hold it together) was a Christmas gift, and I got my T.V. and VCR (which I rarely use) for my Birthday. I am, for once, actually in a position to buy myself something beyond my life's basic necessity.
Here I am: Feeling guilty about spending any of this money on myself.
I can afford to purchase a MP3 Player for myself. I am definately in need as my Discman is on it's last legs. But then that money would be gone, and I wouldn't be able to use it to purchase a plethora of other items that I would like to own. I could go to New York City, but then I probably couldn't afford an MP3 Player. I could buy clothes, but then I wouldn't have any money to use to go out and show off my threads on a Saturday night. I could give it to charity, but then I would be in need of that charity's help as soon as I made my donation.
I could save it, but then I would just be putting off this conundrum for another date in the future.
All of these thoughts, all of these choices, all of these options just leave me stressed. There is a responsibility implicit having money. I have the power to do some much. Money equals power and all power has responsibility closely attached. Sometimes I wish I never had this responsibility in the first place, but then Iwould never have an MP3 player.
Here I am: With money to spend and guilt that led me to my computer to write this and avoid spending it.
What to do... What to do...?
Is the only answer to make more money?
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
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6 comments:
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Your blog was very informative.
I have a debt site/blog. It pretty much covers debt related stuff.
Check it out if you want to.
Saving money is boring. Spend it on a lapdance.
Make more money.
That's always the right answer.
uhuh, definitely the lapdance.
i ve been in that situation, if you really really want an mp3 player, get it.if not save your money you might have a better coolos idea that crosses your money and then you ll need the money.
Thanks for taking the time to put this site up. I've bookmarked it and will be back to spend some more time here.
Check out my imprinted thanksgiving greeting card related site at http://holiday-stories-and-poetry.com.
John
Just remember that the keyword here is LOAN. You will eventually have to pay this money back. If you're an artist you won't necessarily have money rolling in when you finish school. You have the advantage that you don't pay any interest until you leave school. Use that. If you invest your leftovers each year in something that locks your money in at high interest like a GIC then you could have a sizeable chunk to use to pay the loan off when you need to... or a bit of money for an emergency. Of course if you really NEED something now then buy it but remember that this cash is only yours temporarily. Treat it that way. Hope this helps.
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