Entering the world of adulthood is never easy, espcially when you realise that Mom doesn’t control your budget anymore. But you can win at adulting, if you just learn to conquer your self-pity. By Garret Brent
“Budget adulting”. It’s a phrase I’ve coined for myself. Times are tough, and Mom is no longer willing to send me money when I put on my sad voice. I’ve actually got to pay bills and become familiar with all sorts of other similarly frightening concepts.
I came up with the phrase to put words to the feeling I get when I do something very frugal and adult-like, to celebrate the victory and another step towards becoming self-reliant.
One such skill is sale-hunting in the grocery store. I’m getting better and better at it. When you put those sales together with the rewards at grocery stores, and come in so way under budget that you can go for a night out with your mates – that’s what I call ‘#winning’.
I need these phrases to help me deal with my self-pity. Self-pity and denial of what I want are really awful feelings. Is this how it feels to be an adult? I needed a way to reward myself for doing good, instead of phoning Mom to beg for a few hundred. I need to actively recognise the positive side of adulting.
Autonomy, making-do, gratitude, and not taking myself so seriously. My job doesn’t pay so well (not as well as my parents used to), but I don’t expect it to. I’m a junior with only my dedication, ethics, and smarts (and the occasional smart quip) to offer my employers.
I know that this phase of budget adulting will pass, as I grow in experience and prove my worth. Every time I win at this adult thing, I get a little kick of satisfaction.
Owning that grocery list, doing without that takeaway sushi, drinking tap water and not bottled sparkling, dealing with the fact that my wardrobe sucks – it’s not a fabulous life. It’s my life, though, and I will do it the best way I can. Adulting, on a budget.
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