Spending money within your financial means is important—but it is also important to prevent yourself from getting stressed out by your finances. Thankfully, there are ways in today’s world to refrain from spending money yet, letting you treat yourself every once in a while. Here are some ways you can give your wallet a break, and relax.
Download Free Phone Applications
Would you stay off of your phone in class for free pizza? If so, download the application, Pocket Points. The app knows when you are on campus, and will give you points for the time you spend off of your phone once you open the app and lock your phone. You can redeem your points for various prizes—one being free Jeff’s pizza. This is a simple way to pay better attention in class and reward yourself for a hard week of studying without having to touch your wallet.
Sign Up for Restaurant Emails and Coupons
If you ever have a hankering for a certain restaurant, make sure to see if they have coupons on their website. Most places have an email club you can opt into to receive coupons, or the website may direct you to their app for your phone. For example, if you download the Baskin-Robbins app, you receive various coupons—one being for a free scoop of ice cream. Need a pick-me-up after an exam? Go for a free scoop!
Go Adventuring
We take for granted the many different places surrounding our town of Manhattan. If you are tight on money for the month but need a getaway, there are so many nature-made destinations nearby. Go hike the Konza Prairie, take a walk around Tuttle Creek, or enjoy the sunset On Top of the World. For more information on different places to explore and events in the area, check out the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau website, www.manhattancvb.org.
Avoid Peer Pressure
One of the easiest ways to avoid spending more money than you are earning is to communicate with your friends about your financial situation. Tell your roommate to deny any request you have to go to the mall because you know it’s not in your budget, or communicate that you can only afford one trip out to eat this month. We are all college students—chances are, they are in the same situation, and it is nothing to be ashamed of.
If you would like to schedule an appointment to make a budget with Powercat Financial Counseling, you can do so at www.ksu.edu/pfc. Once you start tracking your expenses, you will know when and how you can “treat yourself”. After all, college is hard, and everyone needs a break sometimes.
Allison Becker
Peer Counselor II
Powercat Financial Counseling
www.k-state.edu/pfc
