CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME

I did the math and calculated the total I spent on textbooks and readers in college, which came out as $1,985.52.  Keep in mind that I was not even able to keep track of all of the prices on my textbooks from my first year due to missing receipts and what not, so I’m missing a huge chunk in the total.  I’m also not even adding the shipping and handling and/or taxes.

I’m estimating that the missing chunk is about $200-$400, so I probably spent a little over $2,000.  Considering that I got a good amount of financial aid in the first two years, I’m okay with spending that much.  The bastards got greedy though and didn’t give me shit for the next two years when I started going to UCSB, so that’s aid that could’ve been really useful, i.e. with gas money…

Thanks to WaMu online, I have a history of my purchases for gas.  I was able to input the numbers on Excel (first time using the program outside of school) and I found out how much I spent on gas during my two-years of commuting from Ventura to SB and back: $1,375.82.  Looking on the bright side, I drive a Honda Civic so it could have been worse.

Oh wait, what about those UCSB parking permits?  $396 + $432 = $828.

And can’t forget that wonderful speeding ticket and the traffic school charges that soon followed!!!: $302.95

Electronics are my Achilles’ heel.  In the past four years, I have splurged on a Samsung LCD monitor ($339.99), Dell Inspiron 6000 ($1,300), a Yamaha keyboard ($550.17), split on a birthday gift—PlayStation 3—for my dad ($200), Nintendo Wii + games + accessories ($550.24), and a Nikon D90 + Nikkor 17-55mm 2.8 + other camera equipment ($2,518.99).

If you add up all of these transactions, my wallet and bank account bled a total of $9,951.68 in four years.

Almost $10,000 right there.  That doesn’t even include purchases on miscellaneous junk (video games, toys, etc.) and other important expenses such as food and clothing…  I’m actually fortunate to even have money in my bank account right now and guess what?  I’ve never worked before in my life.

This is why I don’t buy stupid shit like DVD’s anymore (unless it’s a movie I will watch over and over again).  This is why I prefer to buy used over new items.  This is why I goto the clearance rack.  This is why I shop at thrift stores.  This is why I wait for things to go on sale.  This is why I avoid going out too much.  This is why I try to freeload as much as possible off of my parents (LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD).

It’s just way too expensive to live and I’m greatful that God made me a simple person.  I realized that I’ve got to limit myself when I buy the things I want (not need) and I am okay with that.

Eventually, I’ll get a job and be responsible for paying my own bills and this and that, but when I look back at these college years and see that magic number, $9,951.68, I’ll think to myself…

“hey, at least I didn’t spend it on crack, right?”