Do you ever have those moments when you are hanging out with a group of friends, then all of a sudden those friends decide they want to go and do something else. I am usually down for something else. In fact, I light up at the thought of something else. New and exciting activities with my friends is what I live for! Sadly, there are a few times that I have to reluctantly say no.
The money isn’t there
Scenario: You are hanging out with a group of friends at someone’s house. A commercial comes on about a new yummy dish at a restaurant across town. Everyone says how good that looks and wants to go. You have to come up with some silly excuse on why you can’t, because buying that meal is going to put your bank account lower than what is comfortable.
Scenario: A friend of yours calls you up. You haven’t had a chance to hang out with her in quite a while. She tells you how much she misses you and how she wants to get together. Of course, you are totally down for a hang night! She says how she has been wanting to go see a certain movie that just came out. Uh oh. Have you looked up movie prices lately? As fun as it sounds, you have to pass on the offer. As someone who can barely pay the necessities, you just can’t go off spending even $10 extra.
Scenario: Everyone wants to go to a concert that is happening nearby. Here all you can do is laugh, because there is now way you can buy a concert ticket.
People our age have these spontaneous moments when they want to go on some adventure (big or small). I have those moments, too. With very little responsibility or commitments on our shoulders, we can run out and have a grand-ole-time! Some of us can, anyway. However, If it isn’t on a dollar menu or in a dollar store, then it probably is not going to happen for me.
How do they have money?
Sometimes I feel like I am the only one. Everyone else can just go and do fun stuff. Not only can they afford it, but they just do NOT understand the extent of the fact that I can’t. The biggest lie I’ve ever heard is “it’s only $20.” There are many times that $20 is half of my stinking bank account! There is no such thing as ONLY $20. In my language, $20 is 20 bean burritos, 19 double cheeseburgers, four movies from the big movie bin, 200 new scantrons, 2/3 of my gas tank filled, etc. If that amount of money really isn’t that big of a deal to you, then you can just go ahead and pass it along to me. I mean, it’s only $20.
Either everyone except for me can afford all of these fun times, or no one is willing to speak up and simply state “I’m flat broke”. While I desire to spend time with my friends and meet new people, I do not want to foolishly throw all of my money away. There has to be a moment where we use wisdom with our finances. I love my friends. Friends, I want to hang out with you! Let’s just hang out somewhere free.