Cause Essay

     "Your check will be made out for $1,200, and you may move in immediately."
This was what my landlord told me the day I moved into my apartment. Freedom! But yet again, I'm broke!
     "Let's go to Chili's for dinner, and maybe I'll get some drinks. Then we can go to the movies and get a bunch of popcorn." Finally, a night out. Bye, bye, money!
     "Thank you! Your credit card has been charged $175.45!"
This was my boyfriend's 21st birthday present: concert tickets for this past summer. Yes, I'm broke again!

     Why is it that no matter how hard I try, I can't save my money to save my life? It's always one thing or another, and my bank account is always the one that is suffering.For as long as I have been making my own money, I've had such a hard time saving it. Whether it's because I have crazy amounts of bills due, or because I went out and had some fun, or because there was a birthday or holiday that I had to use my money for, I am always broke.

     Ever since I turned 18 years old, I have been welcomed into the wonderful world of bills! (Can you sense the sarcasm there?) Cell phone bills, insurance bills, rent, college bills, gas, food, heat, electricity, internet, etc. Sometimes it seems like these endless companies that humans can't live without are so eager, and so overjoyed when they take your money. Taking money is to bill collectors as collecting cats is to a cat lady: so much fun! But can I blame them all for stealing my money away, or do I blame myself? I chose to have a nice cell phone, to live on my own, to attend college and drive a car. But these things are also an expected part of living these days. If I were to limit myself to these expenses only, I would be living life, but not to the fullest. This is not the end of the money-sucking parasites that seem to always have their teeth sunk into my bank account.

     Having fun and doing things for yourself is necessary. Right? If we didn't take a little time and money for ourselves, surely we would all be unhappy robots doomed to work, pay bills, learn, eat, sleep, repeat. I work days and I am enrolled in school full time, and my boyfriend works overnights as well as occasional days on top of that. When the one night finally comes that both of us are free and not too tired to stand, we want to go have fun. This is understandable, isn't it? We always go out and have a great time, and we don't worry about anything that we always have to worry about... until the end of the night, the fun is over, and I realize that we just spent the equivalent of our electric bill on dinner alone. I always wonder if I should feel bad about things like this, but in the end, what's done is done, and I take on a few extra hours to cheer up my empty savings account until the next money-eating parasite comes around.

     The end of the year has always been my favorite time of year, starting around October. I love the holidays (the snow...not so much.) But just like everyone else around the world, I find my debit card cowering in my pocket, begging me not to abuse it too much. In my family, everyone just so happened to be born around the same time. my brother, sister, dad and I all have birthdays between the months of October and January, on top of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Oh, and Black Friday... nobody can forget that. You may see where I'm going with this already, but all hopes of saving money during this time of year is completely non existing. I have this annoying need to get everyone I love something really great and perfect for them as gifts, and when I find that perfect gift, I love seeing the reaction on their faces when I give it to them. Maybe I can't save money when it's birthday and holiday season, but I think my bank account understands this one.

So after expensive birthday presents, big decisions that make my bank account sad, and many nights out, I have finally decided to start saving my money. Between having a full time job and being a full time college student, I have decided that there are things I need to prepare for and I need to start taking responsibility for things. I know, it's all boring, no-fun adult stuff, and I know it's not going to be easy (or fun!!). In the end, my bank account and future me will thank me!