Longhorn Life
Planing out your expenses
Page 8
When moving off campus, it’s important to keep in mind that your monthly living expenses will not just be the amount you pay in rent. There are a lot of other factors to consider when you decide how much you can spend every month. If you have $1,000 dedicated to housing per month, that doesn’t mean you can use that whole budget for rent money. Here are the essential elements that should factor into your housing budget as a whole: rent, bills/utilities (Internet, electricity, cable, water, gas, gym, cell phone, etc.), parking, groceries/food, transportation, entertainment.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
BUDGET
Do more, for less
Creative ideas for decor on a dime Nathalie Lumang
it into an art project.
Longhorn Life
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OPPORTUNITY
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reating a bedroom design to fit your personality can sometimes be a challenge when resources are limited. As a college student living on sandwiches and Easy Mac, you probably don’t have the money to splurge at IKEA to create your dream room. However, even with the recession hitting your bank account, you can still have a space you love that lets your inner self shine. Childhood keepsakes Bringing relics from your childhood to college may seem a bit a juvenile, but it is more common than you think. You probably shouldn’t bring your whole beanie babies collection, but rather something small and unique that has sentimental value to you. It could be something as small as a rare toothbrush holder that’s not sold anymore, or a souvenir from a past summer trip. Adding a touch of your childhood will help to represent who you were and who you are, without spending any money. Store Leftovers Stores such as Aeropostale and American Eagle constantly change their decorations and displays. When they are done with non-merchandise items, stores just throw them out or give them to their employees. So if you work in retail, or have friends that do, you may have access to some great free decor. It never hurts to ask for the old decorations, and you can always tweak them to your own preference. It may not seem all that fitting to hang a huge Old Navy logo above your bed, but you can get creative and somehow turn
joyce isleta/Longhorn Life
Stickers, stickers, stickers! This may seem like the most immature thing in the world, but there are stickers out there besides Lisa Frank and Disney. Stores such as Hobby Lobby and Michael’s Crafts specialize in little things like this. Some stickers to consider are artsy designs, letters to spell out your name or even silhouettes of people (see photo above). These can show your creative side or even your sense of humor. Bulletin Board Collage If you are a more creative type or just love to save little things like concert tickets or movie stubs a collage would be right around your area. The collage does not have to just be pictures of your friends, but may also include little things from your everyday life that mean a lot to you. Putting these things on a bulletin board may draw attention and could easily create conversation with others. It’s not necessary to dump your life’s savings into your room. Just because you don’t have the budget for something outrageous, doesn’t mean you should keep your room a blank canvas. Don’t forget, you can always add decorations over time, it doesn’t have to be an all-at-once project.