Why is it so hard prioritizing on what to spend

[Hermelin]

Hi everyone ^-^

I feel like always struggling with what I should prioritize and spend my money.

I always find me having an inner battle between disre, what I need or need saving for the furture. Sometimes I get really frustrated (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

I just get a bit impulsive with my own money.

For example spending my money to buy a book to read but never read the book. Because I don’t have the time to start reading a book.

I’m one of those people if I start read a book I get hooked and will never stop until the book ends. Hours disappear which I’m supposed to spend on studying ¯\(◉◡◔)/¯ That’s just how I am.


My list of planning to spend money on this month:

Medicines
Vaccines for the bunnies
A few bills
Going out with friends (just 40 $)

What I need to save money up to:
Train tickets
Literature for my courses
Fix a budget for the bunnies
Birthday present and Christmas
Every month bunny things

(My mother always get something expensive for Christmas which me and my brother split the bill, so the one who have the most money pay the most. So it becomes fair with our own economy.) This time will be my time, because I’m the only one that have a income.

What I want to buy:

New laptop
Harry Potter books
A few anime movies (4 movies)
New winter jacket and shoes
Overall new clothes

I’m literally stealing my mother’s winter jackets, because the jackets I have are from when I was between 13 and 15 years old. Most of my clothes are from that age in my closet. I always had too big clothes for my size when I was younger otherwise they wouldn’t fit now.

I’m struggling to fill up and buy just one piece, so I can throw away the old clothes (I donate the clothes to the church).


I know my parents are ready to buy me a new lap top as a birthday and Christmas present. But I don’t want that, I know my parents don’t have the best economy. They never say when they struggle, but when they ask money from me and my brother we often give them. So me and my brother never ask for anything, from them.

Often me and my brother, borrow money from each other when we need to buy something and pay back a later time.

Myself don’t have that much because I have traveled, payed my driving license (my parents payed also but I lied about the prize, so they didn’t have to pay everything) and didn’t live at home for a year.

Working the whole summer break only gave me 2800 $, that’s 2 months work, I had no summer break. I only have 600 $ now . Those money will disappear this month.

I had to pay back to my brother because of the unexpected veterinarian costs. That I managed to have before summer and under summerノ( º _ ºノ)

At least no more debts laying around to my brother, he didn’t expect me to pay everything back טּ_ טּ

I literally feel like I’m getting pulled in different directions by my different desires and rational mind. On how I’m supposed to spend my money.

Do anyone have a few tips, that you can spare a university student.

 

[A & B]

My monthly income is around $250-$300 a month. I try to keep at least $100 in my account at all times. I put around $20-$50 in a jar for vet funds a month depending on how much I can spare. Veggies are about $50 a month, litter is around $20 every 6 weeks and hay is $30 every 4-8 weeks, along with other bunny stuff like toys, paper bags, etc. I only spend money on myself when I need to (makeup, hair stuff, skincare, clothes). I've had this mindset that if it is for the bunnies it isn't a waste of money which isn't true. They don't need new toys weekly, they have plenty of plates and bowls, and they don't need any more blankets. I've been trying to save money for Black Friday at the end of next month (not sure if that's a thing in Sweden) because I want to get things to redecorate my room and redo the bunny pens until I 100% love the way they're set up. I also have to save up for a car and begin planning to set aside gas money and pay for drivers ed.

I don't have any tips but I figured I'd let you know you're not the only one here struggling with money.

 

[Hermelin]

I have a bit more 300-500$ every month. It all depends if I work, but the cost of train thickets it’s 100$ every month, bunny insurance 30$ and a few bills on 70$.

So it dosen’t give that much after with other expenses on the side. I highly think I payed too much taxes last month but those money I will get back in a year when I do the declaration

Of course my bunnies go first, they are going to get their vaccinations but just now I’m thinking if I should fix my doe cage and change her floor and paint before winter or wait for next year.

But then it might start to mold but she have already gotten a new roof.

Myself bought hay for 8 months for 20 $ so I’m finally svaing money on that.

Before it was 100$ on hay every month. Never expected my french lop doe eating a big bicycle basket of hay everyday.

Also my books for the new courses are expensive around 200 $, never looking for the drug chemistry to start. That book cost too much for only 1 month course

 

[Flakes]

I’ve probably already spent $1200 on Dortmund in the week he’s had me. That doesn’t include the vet bill I’m sure I’ll get next week.

 

[Hermelin]

I’ve probably already spent $1200 on Dortmund in the week he’s had me. That doesn’t include the vet bill I’m sure I’ll get next week.

In the beginning it’s normal to spend quite a lot of money. Specially when buying everything you need.

For only my three bunnies I’ve spent 600$ on their different cages, because none of them can live together maybe two of them can. But only one it’s allowed to live indoors free roaming, so it will have to wait until I move out again.

Vet bills can get quite expensive, myself have been to the veterinarian 5-6 times this year. That literally ate up all the non existent savings I had.

Sometimes I think I should of just been satisfied with one bunny from the beginning. But my love for animals, won over my rational mind. At least I know my limit on how many I can own and provide for.

I wish one of the bunnies could be like the fable of the goose laying golden eggs but instead being bunny droppings [emoji23]

 

[somebunnylovesme]

You're bunny is more important than anyone else. I say, screw everyone this Christmas and only buy presents for your bunny.

 

[zuppa]

I’ve probably already spent $1200 on Dortmund in the week he’s had me. That doesn’t include the vet bill I’m sure I’ll get next week.

Wow that's a lot of money did he chew on your computers or something? I can't imagine myself spending that much especially if that's before vets.

 

[zuppa]

I have a bit more 300-500$ every month. It all depends if I work, but the cost of train thickets it’s 100$ every month, bunny insurance 30$ and a few bills on 70$.

So it dosen’t give that much after with other expenses on the side. I highly think I payed too much taxes last month but those money I will get back in a year when I do the declaration

Of course my bunnies go first, they are going to get their vaccinations but just now I’m thinking if I should fix my doe cage and change her floor and paint before winter or wait for next year.

But then it might start to mold but she have already gotten a new roof.

Myself bought hay for 8 months for 20 $ so I’m finally svaing money on that.

Before it was 100$ on hay every month. Never expected my french lop doe eating a big bicycle basket of hay everyday.

Also my books for the new courses are expensive around 200 $, never looking for the drug chemistry to start. That book cost too much for only 1 month course

Can you use public library or your college library books instead of buying them? Also most of articles you can find online for free, maybe ask in the library if they give access to free learning materials they should.

Also I don't know what is your subject there are plenty of free online courses on any subject that could help with your studies I love using them.

It's very cool that you got hay for another 8 months it's a bargain price really. I spend on hay too much I buy online once a month cost me about 18 in dollars I don't have a storage space to buy a bigger bale unfortunately.

 

[Hermelin]

Can you use public library or your college library books instead of buying them? Also most of articles you can find online for free, maybe ask in the library if they give access to free learning materials they should.

Also I don't know what is your subject there are plenty of free online courses on any subject that could help with your studies I love using them.

It's very cool that you got hay for another 8 months it's a bargain price really. I spend on hay too much I buy online once a month cost me about 18 in dollars I don't have a storage space to buy a bigger bale unfortunately.

It’s hard borrowing books and only one library have access to that specific book.

I’m going to read chemistry but specializes towards drugs (medicines), how they are built up and so on.

I’m studying to become a pharmacist. So it’s focused towards drugs [emoji4]

The library dosen’t stay open that long it close down around 19:00. Because that library only have books that towards doctors, pharmacists, nurse and dentist students. So they don’t find it necessary to stay open as long as the other university library that are open to 23:00 but don’t have my books.

So it will only leave me with 3 hours after my lecture are done, for the day.

Me being quite slow at learning need more hours and I have a hard time focusing, when I’m among people. Also one of the reasons I want to buy a laptop and headset to make it easier for me studying and also not taking my little brothers laptop all the time.

Articles my university provides for free, when I need to read them. It’s often articles from PubMed, so not that hard getting them.

I often buy books from other students to save money but sometimes, no one are selling the book I need for my courses.

It was not easy finding a farmer that would sell hay that where not too big. I live where most people have horses, so most farmer only sold huge bale of hay that need a tractor to drag that much hay.

The least 2 years, the hay prices spiked up a lot during winter because of the bad summers. So I need to be prepared for this winter. Because this summer weren’t the best. This summer the forest stream was all dried up. So I expect the hay prices to spike up during winter again in my local pet shop.

So I can’t comprehend how people still don’t believe in climate changes. I can remember how winter was a couple years ago, it was a lot more predictable instead of shifting between rain and snow for a long period of time. Before the snow came in November and in February it was gone. Now it’s shifting weather from November to January, then comes snow that stay to March.

This shifting temperature played my outdoors bunny, the young one started to molt to his summer fur in January. When the temperature got warm for two weeks and spiked down after. He had to molt again to get thick winter fur a month later, so I was really worried about him handling the cold.

 

[zuppa]

I finally got stove pellets delivered today much cheaper than I had to buy in store got 30kg very happy now! Need to sort out hay now there are online hay shops but they only sell in larger quantities, also they sell haylage in smaller amounts but I am not sure if it is suitable for my rabbits.

 

[user 28242]

Hope everything turned out okay! Deciding what to spend your money on can be hard at any age.

Make sure you write a list of the things you pay every month. Your bills, rabbit insurance, their food, etc. Add in some extra for those other things like the train tickets and other 'regular' things.

Then look at what you want to save for. Maybe you could split some extra money between something you need and something you want? For example, say you have $100 extra after all of the regular things. Maybe you could save $60 for your school books and $40 for a laptop every month?

I don't know your situation, but I order hay online. It is timothy hay and it is shipped in a box, but I do not need a lot because I just have 1 rabbit.

Another idea is to allow yourself to save for or buy 1 'fun' thing each month, like 1 book or 1 movie. You also said you have books you never read - is it possible to sell a few of these?

I know Christmas has passed, but I was going to suggest they just HELP you pay for maybe half of it? That way it is still a gift, but they do not pay the whole thing. If you can save some money to pay the rest, that could be a good compromise.

Good luck!

 

[Hermelin]

Hope everything turned out okay! Deciding what to spend your money on can be hard at any age.

Make sure you write a list of the things you pay every month. Your bills, rabbit insurance, their food, etc. Add in some extra for those other things like the train tickets and other 'regular' things.

Then look at what you want to save for. Maybe you could split some extra money between something you need and something you want? For example, say you have $100 extra after all of the regular things. Maybe you could save $60 for your school books and $40 for a laptop every month?

I don't know your situation, but I order hay online. It is timothy hay and it is shipped in a box, but I do not need a lot because I just have 1 rabbit.

Another idea is to allow yourself to save for or buy 1 'fun' thing each month, like 1 book or 1 movie. You also said you have books you never read - is it possible to sell a few of these?

I know Christmas has passed, but I was going to suggest they just HELP you pay for maybe half of it? That way it is still a gift, but they do not pay the whole thing. If you can save some money to pay the rest, that could be a good compromise.

Good luck!

Thanks for the tips, I’m still struggling but everythings okay and bought a few things during the sale.

I ended up using all my money I had saved up during christmas to buy all the presents. So my savings are down to 120 $ [emoji28]

Going to try filling it up but going to the vet and getting a 3 months train ticket, so my salary this month will be 0.

I also need to find a new summer job, don’t want to work where I am. Too much work and I’m really scared if something goes wrong, taking all the responsibility and trying to act calm. When I don’t know everything, I am supposed to know to be able to act in all cases. The panic I felt when a person got food stuck in throat or when a person disappeared, I nearly called the police but managed to find the person after 1 hour running around like crazy.

I’ll be trying to budget up my economy better this year. I’ve been quite bad last year compared to before. But I bought things I truly needed and didn’t travel.

I missed out going to germany, France, belgium and venice in italy last summer. I spent all that time working instead of traveling. Truly felt what a bummer needing to work my whole summer while my little brother and mother was traveling.

This summer will also be working but 4 days I will go to a comic con in my country. So I’m hoping I will manage to keep my budget and save a lot money for the summer. At least fix a budget so I have 1000$ as my savings for the bunnies. Which I had once before, but everything went to vet costs and hay when it got bad.

 

[samoth]

It’s hard borrowing books and only one library have access to that specific book.

I’m going to read chemistry but specializes towards drugs (medicines), how they are built up and so on.

I’m studying to become a pharmacist. So it’s focused towards drugs [emoji4]

Keep in mind where you plan to be 5 or 10 years from now -- I still reference my chem & physics books for my job years after graduating. If pharmacy is a degree program that follows university (not sure how it works in your country), you might want those undergrad books to help with grad-level studies.

I'm all about putting buns/other lives as a high priority, but you still need to remember to prioritize yourself and your future

 

[Hermelin]

Keep in mind where you plan to be 5 or 10 years from now -- I still reference my chem & physics books for my job years after graduating. If pharmacy is a degree program that follows university (not sure how it works in your country), you might want those undergrad books to help with grad-level studies.

I'm all about putting buns/other lives as a high priority, but you still need to remember to prioritize yourself and your future

I have planed my future, I have only one year to go until I can get my pharmacist identification. So I’m planning to maybe do my internship on Ireland instead of sweden. So I can see how it works in another country.

Pharmacy it’s a degree program mine it’s for 3 years so only a bachelor examen, didn’t want to study for 5 years because I wanted to see what I want to work and later on study the advanced chemistry and specialization. So I’m planning to later on study for 2 years.

So I’m planning to save all the chemistry books that are more advanced and about drugs. I already regret that I got rid of my organic chemistry [emoji28]

But you can never be sure how the future will be but at least I have a plan and a goal.