The Jewish Chronicle
Money Saving May
Our blogger Ellie Hyman raises a topic that is uppermost in every student's mind
May 10, 2017 15:00
Our blogger Ellie Hyman raises a topic that is uppermost in every student's mind
May 10, 2017 15:00Throughout the month of May, I have decided to shut down my bank account. I have purchased enough food to last me the month, and, as of Monday 1st May, there will be no more spending.
I am notorious in my house for being the spendiest of the bunch. Deliveries arrive daily addressed to me, I rarely return from a lecture without stopping to browse and coming home with a shopping bag or five, and I often find myself browsing online for things that I definitely don’t need when I definitely should be revising.
With university finals looming in the (far too near) distance, I have decided that I need a shift in priorities. My mind needs to be focused on Restoration poetry (to my dismay) – not on convincing myself that the limited time 20% discount from ASOS for things I don’t need will actually be saving me money.
Not buying new things in a society so heavily focused on having the newest and latest in everything will also, I hope, realign my perspective. It’ll force me to assess what I actually have, whether I actually need it or enjoy it, and whether it needs to be replaced every 2 weeks. The answer is probably no; but if, in some cases, it may be yes, then I will be able to be selective and make educated purchases.
Not to mention that it’ll probably help my bank account. Being a student, money magically appears in my account every term, courtesy of the Student Loans Company, and by the time it runs low, it is magically replaced by the Bank of Mum and Dad. I am aware that that is not reality, and I am aware that this is terrible preparation for the real world. I don’t want to finish university and have no clue how to manage my money, still reliant on my parents to top up my bank balance when it’s looking a little worse for wear.
Money Saving May will be tough for me – tougher than it would be for most. But if it frees up time that I can spend on revision, and if it is half as character building as I anticipate, it’ll be worth it.