Resist The Urge To Splurge
For as much as college students cry poverty…they certainly have a lot of very nice
clothing. Just because you don't have a salary doesn't mean that you are making
an insignificant amount of money—tips and weekly pay checks add up. It may not seem
like it, but in college you have fewer bills than you ever will in your life—guaranteed.
I didn't believe it either, but it's true. You might have a car payment, but most
likely you don't have a mortgage, and your student loan payments won't become due
until 9 months or so after you graduate.
This article provides information that I wish I had stumbled across before beginning
college and serves as a reminder to students that someday you will actually be out
of college. And if you haven't heard, graduating is typically synonymous with losing
your parents financial support. College life is a temporary state: if you have extra
cash consider that in just a couple of years you will be out of school and money
doesn't stretch as far with more responsibilities. If you aren't going to save,
at least spend your money on things that you can take with you throughout the next
10 years.
Some things you might want to purchase before graduating:
Kitchen Utensils
These tools aren't cheap but when you have a kitchen of your own they are very necessary. Good utensils don't wear out; they'll take you through your college apartment and into your first house. Before throwing down 20 bucks for a lunch, consider that when you graduate you will need to make
thousands of lunches and you will need some supplies to work with.
A Decent Suit
You can buy 10 cheap suits that will last two weeks a piece, or one good one that will last you a lifetime. Another piece of fabulous advice from a professor. After you graduate, you will go to dozens of interviews,attend sloshes of conferences, and enjoy many business lunches. You will need a
good suit for such events, but the funds for one may not be available then. Invest in one before you graduate if you have the opportunity.
Small Appliances
This includes microwaves, televisions, stereos,and toasters. I'm not suggesting you start a collection of each but if you're bent on spending your money anyway, why not get something that will continue to give to you throughout the years? Forty bucks could get you a nice blender…milkshakes anyone?
Furniture
Typically, you move into a big empty apartment after you graduate. The key word here being "empty." It costs a great deal to furnish an apartment and it usually has to be done very slowly. If you can anticipate some of your future needs and have access to easy storage, I would suggest purchasing a few staple pieces of furniture because you will eventually need them.
Outerwear
You can't wear blazers and puffy parkas forever. In college, as far as dress is concerned "everything goes" is the rule of thumb. Not so in the work world. One day you will need to walk, talk, and dress like a professional. For men and women, a knee length wool coat is appropriate for almost every occasion. Again, this is a high ticket item, but a good coat could keep you toasty for a decade and maintain your professional appearance.