At the beginning of the summer, I came into a little bit of extra money and then got a month of rent free, so I ran around all summer spending money like I was made of it. Since it fell in at the same time I got my new job, I guess my brain thought that it was always going to be like this, forgetting that an extra $1100 goes a long way but doesn't last forever. I just checked my bank account, which looks amazing with a balance of more than $1000, but when I took out my bills for the month and my rent... eek! Less than $50. How did this happen!?
At least making of fool of yourself is pay what you may...Before the summer, I was good about cooking at home, buying cheap beer and wine and hanging out at the house with friends, mostly going out on the weekends and enjoying free, money-conscious events. But lately I've been going out almost every day, drinking all the time, buying food and coffee and taking cabs everywhere. Well, Zac, it's time to chill out.
This has happened before. Every few months, we young and poor New Yorkers need to feel the slapdown to remind us that we are not, in fact, the Masters of the Universe, as we have been so led to believe by our amazing lifestyles and this epic city. I'm just a lucky kid with a great job and a shitty paycheck, living in Harlem and wearing budget jeans from Uniqlo.
Not that there aren't plenty of things to do for cheap. Even just this weekend Meghan and I went to the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side, where it's pay what you may and we paid $3.50 each to get in. (Support education, but stay on a budget, right?) And the city is chock full of these things, even cheaper if you bring a sandwich.
Seeing as how my wallet is now empty and will be for a while, I'll be taking advantage of every student discount and pay-what-you-may opportunity I can find. And there's always Hulu.
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