DR. WALLACE: I’m a college student who is working part time and taking out student loans to pay for my education. While in college, I’m trying to be as frugal as possible by not spending money on anything that is not absolutely necessary. Lately, however, my friends and my girlfriend have been complaining that my unwillingness to spend money is too extreme and prevents me from doing fun things with them.
My friends, for example, frequently go to the movie theater, and I rarely join them because I don’t want to pay for a movie ticket when I could watch a different movie for free at home. My girlfriend has also been asking me to go on date nights with her to try out some new restaurants in the area, but I hate to spend money on eating out.
I do have quite a bit of money saved up, so it’s not that I don’t have anything to spend, but I’m constantly working toward paying off my student loans. For the most part, my friends and my girlfriend are understanding of my financial situation, but sometimes they tell me that if I’m never willing to spend money on anything other than basic essentials, I’m going to miss out on the fun experiences that money can buy. Do you think that I’m being unreasonable by trying to save as much money as possible at this point in my life? — Penny Pincher, via email
PENNY PINCHER: Kudos to you for being conscientious about the way that you spend your money, and for working hard to pay off your student loans. Many people your age do not take student debt seriously, and continue to spend money as though their debt does not exist. It sounds like you are doing an excellent job of prioritizing your future financial situation, and I can assure you that you will one day reap many benefits as a result.
All this being said, however, it is important to remember that life is short, and you will only have one college experience in your lifetime. By no means am I recommending that you throw your budget out the window and spend money on whatever you wish, but I would encourage you to consider putting aside a little bit of money each month for you to spend freely on experiences with your friends and your girlfriend. It is OK to miss out on some social events for the purpose of saving money, but I would not recommend sacrificing all of them.
Finding a healthy balance between saving and spending money is a necessary life skill to develop, and I believe it can be dangerous to swing too far to either extreme. Continue to put money away for the future and work toward your financial goals but reward yourself every now and then by doing something you really want to do, even if it involves a cost. Partake in new experiences with your friends and your girlfriend while you can, as I guarantee that the memories you create with them will one day be priceless.
I’M NOW USUALLY ANXIOUS
DR. WALLACE: I feel so cooped up after all the time I’ve spent at home during the pandemic. This has made me feel a lot of small body pains and aggravations over the months for various reasons.
I’ve noticed that I feel a lot more anxious, sometimes about specific topics and other times just anxious in general about everything.
Is there anything I can do about this or any suggestions on how I might clear my head of all the negative clutter I’ve been experiencing? — Anxious Girl, via email
ANXIOUS GIRL: Many people here in America and around the world also share various degrees of similar thoughts to the ones you have been experiencing.
The pandemic certainly has made many people consider their personal wellness as a top priority. Certainly, exercise and any activities that involve putting you in nature would be good for both your physical and mental health. Seek to take walks or hikes whenever you can and try to build these excursions up to become a regular part of your routine.
To the degree you feel comfortable, perhaps consider taking a few mini vacations, even for a day or two over the weekend if you can afford to do so. There is something about traveling and hitting the open road that tends to lift our spirits.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
