Love Lola: lack of cash causing stress, Lola has the solution
Hello My Lovelies,
Lola here, I thought I'd stray from the expected this week and offer you an intimate peek into my twisted little mind rather than posting a letter from another Smitten Kitten or Runaway Romeo. No, this week I'm taking the reins, the straddle and the stirrups (yeow!) and halting this cheval.
I need a space to vent my thoughts and share my POV. And since I've yet to fall victim to whichever Twitter-Face-My-Mail monster is currently manipulating the majority, I'll stream my thoughts the old fashioned way, pen to paper, or in my case, fingers to keyboard. I've received so many letters about back to school stress, money woes and settling into new routines that I feel I must respond to the masses! Honestly, you guys sound like a basket of terrified puppies and I can't blame you! September flashed past us in the blink of a MAC-shadowed eye and we're slowly creeping into October with as much restraint as a hurricane.
Are we seriously entering Week six? I don't know about you tater tots, but this girl needs a wake up call. Didn't we just get back here? My textbooks have barely been opened and my binder still has that brand-new chemical plastic smell. How is it possible that some classmates are still waiting for their OSAP funding while teachers are scheduling final exams?
Personally, my favourite sign that ‘back-to-school' is officially done and classes are underway? The slow decline in the fashion and fixin's around campus. Just look at the girl next to you; last week she was probably wearing a Gossip Girl worthy ensemble complete with Little J raccoon eyes and a perfected ‘messy pony,' having spent hours preparing to strut her stuff down these hallowed halls. Today she's in her sweats, eating a Mars bar and she probably isn't even wearing lip-gloss! The surest sign of winter's ominous approach and the somber devotion of the student body is the number of hot girls wearing Lululemon yoga pants in your homeroom.
Now that we're all shaking in our boots; as mid-terms and wind chills approach, it starts to become painfully clear who has been wisely budgeting their school allowance and who's having too much fun with their funds. I've already received three letters from students who are dangerously close to spending their last borrowed buck and it's not even November yet.
Allow me to share with you my tried and true ball-busting budget maker. It's drastic, but if you're looking at spending your last $3.25 on parking tomorrow then it's time to get down to business sweetums.
Step #1: Take all the money you have from shoeboxes, bank accounts, sock drawers and couch cushions. Don't do this with a calculator or a spreadsheet; numbers written on a piece of paper (or worse on a computer screen) DOES NOT FEEL REAL. Take out your money. Look at it, touch it, smell it, pile it up in a giant mess on your bed and just stare at it.
Step #2: Divide your cash, dimes and pennies into three equal piles; one for October, November and December. Now, don't pass out, but this is the only money you have until the next OSAP payout in January. Take your piles and put the cash into three clear jars with tight lids. You have to be able to see the money everyday to make this work.
Step #3: Put your bank card somewhere safe and out of the way until January. Seriously.
If you have to go into ‘the jar' every time you need cash, you'll always be faced; literally, with how much or how little money you've got left in your nest egg. When you're counting quarters for a mickey of vodka, you may begin to reconsider your purchases.
I truly wish that I could just host a giant mani-pedi-Molly-Ringwald-lovin'-hair-braiding sleepover to give everyone a night to relax and breathe. This time in your life is super stressful. Surviving college is sometimes as impressive as graduating so give yourself a nice pat on the back for showing up here everyday. Even if you are in your pajamas.
Send me your letters about how you're staying stress-free this term and your tips could be shared here next week.
Ta-Ta for now kiddies; play nice or you know I'll hear about it!
Love Lola
Got a question? Email me at lolaletters@live.ca - All emails are confidential and your identity will be protected. If you're not comfortable sending me an email, just click on the Letters to Lola link on the left side menu to send me your question.
Lola here, I thought I'd stray from the expected this week and offer you an intimate peek into my twisted little mind rather than posting a letter from another Smitten Kitten or Runaway Romeo. No, this week I'm taking the reins, the straddle and the stirrups (yeow!) and halting this cheval.
I need a space to vent my thoughts and share my POV. And since I've yet to fall victim to whichever Twitter-Face-My-Mail monster is currently manipulating the majority, I'll stream my thoughts the old fashioned way, pen to paper, or in my case, fingers to keyboard. I've received so many letters about back to school stress, money woes and settling into new routines that I feel I must respond to the masses! Honestly, you guys sound like a basket of terrified puppies and I can't blame you! September flashed past us in the blink of a MAC-shadowed eye and we're slowly creeping into October with as much restraint as a hurricane.
Are we seriously entering Week six? I don't know about you tater tots, but this girl needs a wake up call. Didn't we just get back here? My textbooks have barely been opened and my binder still has that brand-new chemical plastic smell. How is it possible that some classmates are still waiting for their OSAP funding while teachers are scheduling final exams?
Personally, my favourite sign that ‘back-to-school' is officially done and classes are underway? The slow decline in the fashion and fixin's around campus. Just look at the girl next to you; last week she was probably wearing a Gossip Girl worthy ensemble complete with Little J raccoon eyes and a perfected ‘messy pony,' having spent hours preparing to strut her stuff down these hallowed halls. Today she's in her sweats, eating a Mars bar and she probably isn't even wearing lip-gloss! The surest sign of winter's ominous approach and the somber devotion of the student body is the number of hot girls wearing Lululemon yoga pants in your homeroom.
Now that we're all shaking in our boots; as mid-terms and wind chills approach, it starts to become painfully clear who has been wisely budgeting their school allowance and who's having too much fun with their funds. I've already received three letters from students who are dangerously close to spending their last borrowed buck and it's not even November yet.
Allow me to share with you my tried and true ball-busting budget maker. It's drastic, but if you're looking at spending your last $3.25 on parking tomorrow then it's time to get down to business sweetums.
Step #1: Take all the money you have from shoeboxes, bank accounts, sock drawers and couch cushions. Don't do this with a calculator or a spreadsheet; numbers written on a piece of paper (or worse on a computer screen) DOES NOT FEEL REAL. Take out your money. Look at it, touch it, smell it, pile it up in a giant mess on your bed and just stare at it.
Step #2: Divide your cash, dimes and pennies into three equal piles; one for October, November and December. Now, don't pass out, but this is the only money you have until the next OSAP payout in January. Take your piles and put the cash into three clear jars with tight lids. You have to be able to see the money everyday to make this work.
Step #3: Put your bank card somewhere safe and out of the way until January. Seriously.
If you have to go into ‘the jar' every time you need cash, you'll always be faced; literally, with how much or how little money you've got left in your nest egg. When you're counting quarters for a mickey of vodka, you may begin to reconsider your purchases.
I truly wish that I could just host a giant mani-pedi-Molly-Ringwald-lovin'-hair-braiding sleepover to give everyone a night to relax and breathe. This time in your life is super stressful. Surviving college is sometimes as impressive as graduating so give yourself a nice pat on the back for showing up here everyday. Even if you are in your pajamas.
Send me your letters about how you're staying stress-free this term and your tips could be shared here next week.
Ta-Ta for now kiddies; play nice or you know I'll hear about it!
Love Lola
Got a question? Email me at lolaletters@live.ca - All emails are confidential and your identity will be protected. If you're not comfortable sending me an email, just click on the Letters to Lola link on the left side menu to send me your question.
