I stare at my bank account, looking through my past transactions. I see -$400 on a flight to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to ski over winter break. Over $100 was spent on food, drinks and activities while I was there, and let’s not talk about the cost of the lift ticket package I paid months earlier.
I glance at an itinerary pulled up on my computer. I had over $300 calculated for a round-trip train ride to Flagstaff, Arizona over spring break. Add in $50 on campsite reservations in the Grand Canyon and who knows how much I’ll spend on food and hiking gear.
I checked my Venmo; nearly $800 requested from my girlfriend for a flight and car rental in San Francisco. I know I’ll be in charge of finding campsites in the various national parks we plan to visit during a week-long road trip, and I’m thankful those are pretty cheap.
And ominously looming behind all of this is an expense far greater: the prospect of graduating in the spring without a job lined up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly trying, and I believe I’ll land one eventually, but the weight is there nonetheless.
The average person would probably look at my situation and come to some immediate conclusions: “This kid is just financially irresponsible.” “He’s just wasting money.” “In this economy?”
These people may be right. I’m quite aware I’m not exactly “saving” money how most soon-to-be graduated college students should.
However, I don’t believe for one second that I’m “wasting” money. On the contrary, I think I’m spending this money exactly how extra money should be spent: on things I enjoy.
I love traveling. I love exploring new places. I love trying new things and spending time doing my favorite outdoor activities. These things bring me so much joy, and I will never apologize for paying for them.
I heard a quote one time, and I probably am butchering it, but it goes something like this: “Saving all your money is not the way to go. Be frugal on things that don’t interest you, things that you don’t need. But spend lavishly on things that you love.”
I am spending lavishly on the things that I love. And right now, that means spending money to travel across the country to the landscapes I used to only dream of seeing with my own eyes.
I don’t have many bills, I plan to live at home after graduation and I am quite cheap when it comes to other things. I genuinely do not remember the last time I bought myself a piece of clothing that wasn’t replacing a piece with holes in it. I am not a fashion person, and I let my friends and family give me whatever they want in the form of gifts. I’ll wear that, or take stuff from my dad and brother.
My car is a 2015 Honda CRV with 170,000 miles on it. I will drive that thing until the wheels fall off. Sometimes, it shakes when I put it in park, but I’m not a car guy, and as long as it gets me from point A to point B, I’ll be fine. But, if you’re into cars, you should feel no shame spending money on your new ride.
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I’m not a foodie. I rarely go out to eat, and when I do, my go-to is a $8 Chipotle bowl. I get double rice, double beans and every veggie on the line so that in the end, I usually have enough for two meals. But, if you’re a foodie, you should feel no shame spending money to try new restaurants and buy fancy ingredients for home-cooked meals.
I search for deals on everything from food to new books. I sometimes am a complete oxymoron, cutting every little cost on some things but spending without a care in the world when the prospect of a new adventure comes up.
The point is, don’t always feel bad about spending money. Money is not meant to be hoarded, and that number in your bank account won’t mean anything unless you use it in the real world.
Save where you can so you can spend where you want. That’s the more common saying, but I like the other one more. Is life not about pursuing what you love? What’s the point of saving and saving with no end goal?
Money should be used to facilitate doing what you love, and if you can save on other things, you will find enough left over to pursue those passions. Figure out what you love, what brings you happiness, and when you spend money make sure you’re using some of it for that.
It's never a waste if it means you’re living life to the fullest.
Sam Norton is a senior biology major with an environmental science co-major and a journalism minor. He has been writing for The Student since his first year, won a regional SPJ award for his opinion columns, and is currently the GreenHawks and Opinion editor. He loves the outdoors and working with his fellow TMS writers and editors.
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