CHADS CORNER

Being in school can get a little stressful, anyone agree? I think we can all admit that there are times where we just need a little down time to simply kick back and relax. With a budget, that could be a little difficult. I get it; we’re young. Our idea of kicking it back and relaxing is going out with our friends, partying and drinking the night away. But do you know how expensive that is? In one of my recent classes, Personal and Business Development for Advertising Sales 1, we calculated a rough estimation as to how much we spend on alcohol each year. I can’t quite remember the exact number we came up with but get this, it was over our yearly tuition. That’s over $4,029.25, yet we still find ourselves doing it anyways.  My advice today is on how you can have fun without wiping your bank account dry. First tip? Try having a girls/boys night in. Tell everyone to bring a dish of their own, something you can all share. It doesn’t have to be fancy and it definitely doesn’t have to be costly. I love these sort of events because it gives my friends and I a chance to catch up over dinner. Wanna make an entire night out of it? Have a movie marathon. You can never go wrong with getting cozy and watching a few classics with your friends. 

Obviously, different activities vary due to the seasons. Let me tell you my absolute favourite thing to do during the summer. On a low budget, I would take $13.50 and go down to the lake front with my friends before the sunset. I’d spend $3.50 on bus fare and the $13 on food. Usually, it was a nice piece of strawberry cheesecake from Second Cup and an iced coffee from Tim Hortons. My friends and I would go sit down on the docks, eat out food, talk and as cheesy as it sounds, we would watch the sun set. Hopefully you guys get some fun ideas out of this, or even create your own.  Kick back, relax and enjoy, xo.  

Alright, now that I have your attention (haha, sorry), I’m going to be writing about how you can save money while buying clothes. I think I’m speaking for the majority of post-secondary students when I say that clothes are important. What you wear defines who you are as a person. It’s your own personal brand. The first thing we think about when we wake up in the morning, aside from brushing our teeth or showering, is; “what am I going to wear today?” 

From personal experience, I can admit without shame that I’ve spent at least $800 on one shopping spree. That’s when I had a job and was making my own income. Now that I don’t work anymore, I wouldn’t be caught dead at the mall. A lot of the sigma revolved around clothing is that it has to be brand named in order to fit in with society. I’m here to tell you that that is complete bull. One of the thing’s I’ve realized is that I could buy a sweater from Walmart and it would be just as good as the sweater I would buy from Aritzia. If there are any tips that I could give you, it’s: Try shopping out of your comfort zone. Don’t give into the peer pressures of society. If you’re looking for a plain t-shirt of any colour, I urge you to go to Walmart or Costco opposed to the Aritzia or H&M. 

Another piece of advice that I could offer is always look for big sales. You know, the ones that offer 50%-70% off the entire store. That way, you could buy your clothes in bulk, instead of wasting $80 on, let’s say, one pair of jeans. Now, yes I get it, it’s that time of the day where you question me and say “Chad, the quality of brand named clothes are so much better.” My answer? Not necessarily. If you treat your clothes like garbage and don’t take care of them properly, of course the quality is going to decrease. The point that I’m trying to get across is that, if you take good care of your clothes, they will definitely last longer, even if it isn’t branded. 

Happy shopping guys, xo.

Now, we all know how irritated and cranky we are when we’re hungry. There’s actually a term for that; it’s called “hangry”. Hungry + Angry= Hangry, clever huh? Being a student, you really need to learn how to manage your time. Eating is very important, especially when you’re like me and have a class that’s from 9am till 5pm. You know you’d have to fit a meal or two in between that time. I know what you’re all thinking; Chad, I can just pick something up on campus. No biggie. I used to think like that too. But if you’ve noticed, campus food isn’t all that cheap. A couple of weeks ago, I paid almost $5 for a bowl filled with six pieces of watermelon (believe me, they weren’t big pieces either). I could have bought a whole watermelon for $2.99. I know, not my best decision.

What I’m going to share with you today is one of my all time favorite meals. It’s diverse, tasty and most importantly, it’s affordable. Brace yourselves; tacos. Or even better, taco salad bowls. The price may vary depending on how much or how little you’d like to add, the average cost for a meal like this can add up to something as cheap as $10. The best part, you can make it in bulk and store it in the fridge for the next day!  This is a recipe I’ve made for 2 servings and it includes: 

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped   1 tomato, diced  1/2 a red onion  1/2 a cup of sweet corn  Ground beef (As much or as little as you’d like)  Your favourite taco seasoning  Any type of shredded cheese  Lemon for garnish  Sour cream for garnish 

I love this recipe because all you really have to do is chop your fresh veggies, cook the ground beef and toss it in any bowl or container. It’s quick and I even believe people who can’t cook can find solace in this delicious dish. It’s also quite diverse, like I’ve previously stated. Don’t like beef? No problem! Substitute with chicken instead, or if you’re a vegetarian, try tofu! Like a bit of kick? Add your choice of hot sauce! I promise, you could make a couple dozen variations of this taco salad and it’ll taste amazing every time.  Happy cooking guys, xo. 

Hey there! I’m Chad and I’m just you’re average 19 year old girl living a mediocre life. If there’s anything you need to know about me, it’s that I’m obsessed with journals. I have my very own collection, a variety of different sizes, colours and designs.  Some of which are filled front to back, others not so much. A few of my other interests include singing and hiking. I used to compete in singing competitions when I was a kid, it actually helped me get over my fear of public speaking/performing. As for hiking, this past summer I went to Blue Mountain with my family. I must say, it was probably one of the best experiences I have ever had. It’s gorgeous up there, if could visit every day- believe me, I would.  Currently, I’m a first year student in the program of Advertising and Marketing Communications. How do I like it so far, you ask? I’m in love. The only down side is that I had to quit my job that I had during the gap years I took, in order to make time and focus on my studies. I paid for my entire tuition out of my back pocket. Books? All paid for by: Me. Supplies? Do I even need to tell you. After spending all of that money, I’ve realized that living on a budget is incredibly challenging. But then again, I also know that there are a million and one ways on how to live off of a budget and still have a good time. Want me to elaborate? Want tips and tricks on how to save money while buying food, clothes and necessities? Stay tuned, xo.