Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSpending habits; five ways to save your money in 2009
By Sean Dotson
Posted: 1/13/09, 1:09 AM EST Section: Feature
3) DonÕt order out as much. Cooking or visiting the dining hall is a lot cheaper. Make a homemade meal for yourself and use leftovers as lunch for a few days. LetÕs be honest, it will help to kick that gut that you promised to pay more attention to this year, too. Further, before you leave for the store, make sure you make a list of what you need. That way, when you get to the store, you donÕt hit up the chocolate and snacks aisle; IÕm totally guilty. Get what you need and get out.
4) Have a movie night with your friends. Popcorn, some candy, drinks and two tickets can cost a fortune these days, particularly at the movie theater. Plus, you can pause the movie, move around and talk as much as you want. Not to mention you can forget about the worries of sitting next to a mysterious and potentially smelly stranger. Gross.
5) Cause a dramatic and sappy breakup between your credit card and your wallet. Debt adds up, plus killer interest rates are murderous to our bank accounts. If you insist on using the card for essentials, then take the advice of Professor Dutkowsky, ÒDonÕt overextend yourself. If you use the credit card, pay it off.Ó Make sure you know your interest rates, as well. If you donÕt pay your bill off in time, you could end up paying up to four times the original amount.
A cutback kind of budget doesnÕt necessarily yield a lower standard of living. Moderation counts and you should always keep a mental balance of spending money on this or that. Keep track of your spending and see how much you can save this year. You may be in for a big surprise.
Sean Dotson is a sophomore geography and international relations major. He now visits StarbuckÕs once a week and sleeps a lot sounder, too. He can be reached at smdotson@syr.edu.
4) Have a movie night with your friends. Popcorn, some candy, drinks and two tickets can cost a fortune these days, particularly at the movie theater. Plus, you can pause the movie, move around and talk as much as you want. Not to mention you can forget about the worries of sitting next to a mysterious and potentially smelly stranger. Gross.
5) Cause a dramatic and sappy breakup between your credit card and your wallet. Debt adds up, plus killer interest rates are murderous to our bank accounts. If you insist on using the card for essentials, then take the advice of Professor Dutkowsky, ÒDonÕt overextend yourself. If you use the credit card, pay it off.Ó Make sure you know your interest rates, as well. If you donÕt pay your bill off in time, you could end up paying up to four times the original amount.
A cutback kind of budget doesnÕt necessarily yield a lower standard of living. Moderation counts and you should always keep a mental balance of spending money on this or that. Keep track of your spending and see how much you can save this year. You may be in for a big surprise.
Sean Dotson is a sophomore geography and international relations major. He now visits StarbuckÕs once a week and sleeps a lot sounder, too. He can be reached at smdotson@syr.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Vanessa
posted 1/13/09 @ 2:01 PM EST
great tips, sean! this is my new favorite column.
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