I love to shop. Shopping is wonderful passing time when you’re bored; need “therapy,” or when you are looking to have a fun day. The only problem with shopping is that it prevents you from saving. If you’re like me, you are busy working during the summer in order to save money for school. It’s so hard to save money for school when there are so many cute clothes on sale! It also doesn’t help when you work in one of your favorite stores! I work retail at one of my all-time favorite stores to shop in, every time I work new products scream my name. I’ve been forced to learn the secrets to self-control when it comes to buying. The secrets I have learned have allowed me to save a ton of money, enough to buy my own car and help pay for school!

The first secret is to start a change jar. Change is so annoying. It weighs down your wallet, clinks in your pocket, and is rarely used when buying.  You have to keep yourself from stealing change from the jar, but when you do it adds up fast! Think about it, every time you break a bill you get more change! Once your jar gets full take it to the bank in exchange for paper money, you will be surprised at the amount of money you can walk away with! A penny is nothing on its own, but it’s worth so much when it’s grouped in numbers.

The second secret is to recycle your cans! Every can is worth 5 cents! Throwing cans away is like throwing nickels away. Find a cardboard box or old trash can and mark it “cans only,” fill it up and turn it in to your local grocery for cash! This is such an easy way to get money back for your purchase. If you’re buying canned beverages anyway, this is such a simple thing to do.
My third secret is to work a lot and spend a little; it’s easier said than done. When I am out and I want to buy I usually try to remind myself of what I’m saving for. I ask myself questions like….

• Will I still want this in a week if I don’t buy it now?
• How much use will I get out of it?
• Is it worth its price tag?
• Is this something I NEED?
• Do I have something like it already?
• Why do I want this?

By asking yourself the tough questions, you’ll find that the answer is usually no. If it’s not, a treat is okay once in a while. Set yourself some boundaries and try your absolute hardest to stay on the right track. It’ll all be worth it when you have money for school and the things you really need.

- Speedy G.