February Spending Diet

As I wind down my first month on The Spending Diet, I can’t help but feel at least particularly happy with my financial progress and grasp on my money situation. I honestly thought I had it all figured out before now, but it turns out I didn’t. In fact, I still don’t have it all figured out, as budgeting, saving, and cutting costs will always produce new tips for me to learn. Well, here goes; this is my progress so far:

• I spent my allotted $100 for the month (mostly on coffee, one trip out of town, and Valentines Day. Oh! And eating out).
• THEN I took back some stuff I didn’t need and never used (The Spending Diet encourages this) and got about $30 back, which I spent on nothing (which is really something but it was insignificant in the fact that they were probably consumables).
• THEN I went $25 over on my budget eating out.

So total, on non-necessities, I spent about $155 on random stuff. I went over on my budget by $55 (I am going to count the $30 of take-backs because I should have put it towards my loan), BUT compared to last month, I did really well. I spent way less this month than last because I was consciously aware of it.

Negatives: I went over my budget by $55. I didn’t save that extra $30 I got from stuff I took back. There were times when I felt cheap or I felt like a mooch (like when someone pays for me and I can’t later return the favor(although I could if I was better with my budget)). When I see something at a store and I want to buy it. Like last night I saw a beach towel that I really wanted even though it is still winter and I won’t be using it at least until June.

But on the other hand…

Positives: I spent less money than I would have if I had never started The Spending Diet. I spent less money on non-necessities than I did during January. I learned a lot about living frugally and overcoming impulse buying. I helped inspire some budgeting. I don’t own more stuff that just takes up space and I am not stressing out about not having enough money or trying to live a lifestyle that is above my means.

Overall, I learned a lot about myself and my ability to spend less and go back to my old ways as a 15 year old that refused to spend any money. I learned that I have some growing to do in order to resist temptations like going out to eat when my budget doesn’t allow, or spending extra money when it should be saved. I’m excited to follow my budget whether my impulsive buying likes it or not for the rest of the months!

College Application Deadlines and Fees for UNC Schools

Interested in going to college this fall? Check out these deadlines for four-year public universities to make sure you have the best chance of getting accepted:

University	Application Deadline	Application Fee
Appalachain State University	February 1, March 15	$55
East Carolina University	March 15	$70
Elizabeth City State University	May 1, June 1	$30
Fayetteville State University	June 30	$35
NC A&T State University	February 15, Trans: April 1	$45
North Carolina Central University	June 1	$40
North Carolina State University	February 1	$70
UNC Asheville	February 15, Trans: April 15	$50
UNC Chapel Hill	January 7	$80
UNC Charlotte	February 1	$60
UNC Greensboro	March 1, July 15	$55
UNC Pembroke	July 15	$45
UNC Wilmington	February 1	$60
UNC School of the Arts	January 18, March 15	$95
Western Carolina University	February 1, March 1, April 1	$50
Winston Salem State University	March 15	$50
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics	January 15	$0

Remember that getting everything in on time is an important, and sometimes determining, factor in the admissions process so keep deadlines in mind.

If you are unable to afford the application fee, there are fee waivers available to you. See your guidance counselor for details.

Although community colleges are not listed, they are most certainly not discouraged. Most community colleges will accept applications at any time with a free application fee. Keep in mind that classes fill up fast so try to apply early.

Post-College Financial Lessons

My post-grad experience has been typical of many of my friends, complete with college debt, no money, and certainly no money to jump into being able to pay for an apartment or put a down payment on a house. My friends and I share our experience with thousands, of college grads all over the United States who are living at home to save money and pay off any debt before really settling down. Graduating from college comes the pressure to know exactly what you want to do and how to get there. But the reality is that it isn’t that easy. Many of us don’t know what we want to do with our lives, and statistics about people like us that surface the internet simultaneously give us comfort that we are not alone, while also putting added pressure on us to defy the stereotypes placed on us.

I don’t want to spend time feeling sorry for myself or my fellow peers in writing this blog, because truly, that won’t get any of us anywhere. What I would like to do instead is to explain what I would do if I could do it all over again.

These are my mistakes. This is what I would do differently:

1. I would live at home throughout college. If I did nothing else different, I would have half of the debt I have now.
2. I wouldn’t have spent half my savings my sophomore year of college. I would have significantly more money now and life would be so grand.
3. I would have gone to a tech school to get my associates before going to a 4 year college. If I did that, and lived at home all through that time, I would have have ¼ of the debt I have now, maybe less.
4. If I did number 3, coupled with working throughout college and paying my tuition as I went, I would have NO debt! No debt! People do it every day, and it is amazing!
5. I would have majored in something really really awesome that I love! I wasn’t crazy about my major and I put myself through a lot of unnecessary stress because of it. If I went to get my associates first, that would have given me time to figure out my passion (which I have learned a lot about over the past several years). I say that only because I don’t plan on getting a job in what I majored in, and I almost knew that from the beginning. I am one of the thousands of people who don’t know what they want to do with the rest of their life, and that really affected me in college. I would have been able to pinpoint a job with my degree a lot better had I majored in something I planned to use.
6. I would have gone to a tech school and been done. Maybe I would have done graphic design or welding. I don’t know.
7. I would have done more research when I was applying for college. Enough said.

I thought I knew everything when I was in high school and college. Turns out I was wrong. These ideas are ways I could have saved money, but I didn’t do it all wrong. Here are some tips that worked for me:

1. When I wasn’t spending, I was saving.
2. I worked in college so I didn’t use my refunds from my loan to live off of. Sending my refund checks back really cut down on my total loan cost.
3. I lived at home 2 out of 4 years of college which saved on dorm and apartment costs.
4. I went to a state school. Private schools are quite expensive.
5. I joined a program after college that would help pay my student debt.
6. I continue to live at home and defy social norms post-college to save money.
7. I never buy anything full price.

Just some things to think about as you go to school, graduate, or start living on your own. I am always interested in financial lessons learned by others if you are willing to share. What is your story?