Empowerment Tip #14: Empower yourself FINANCIALLY, by paying attention.

Need is reality for some people and a complaint for others. What is need?

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary need is the lack of something; a condition requiring supply or relief. Need is directly related to poverty. Wow, just let that soak in.

I consider myself far from impoverished but how often do we tell a friend how much we need money?

I think there is a real problem when we can't admit that we need guidance with our finances how we spend and where we spend.

I was eating lunch with a group of friends and were discussing how much money has changed in our lives. As a child, I saved all of my money and was reluctant to let even a dollar go to an "unworthy" cause.

But since a plastic card is the new dollar bill how much do I actually think before swiping my card at Walmart? Chili's? or Victoria's Secret?

I can't see my account, I can't see my money disappearing at the moment that card is swiped.

The real issue was pointed out by SFA junior, Martika Hamilton, when she said, "I need to prioritize more." She pointed out the reality that what she's spending isn't real to her, because she can't see it.

Money has become intangible to our society.

If you can't touch it or handle it how can you remember what you spent? There was no physical transfer of your money. The only interaction was the swipe of a card. And electronic deduction from your account, thats a scary thought.

It's not that there isn't a way to stretch your money; we just aren't paying attention to where it's being spent.

If money was a picture it would be a collage of education, transportation, family, health, food, bills, everything. These are what money represents in our lives.

To make a long story short, consumerism is like a disease but you don't have to be a host to this disease.

Think about what you spend, consider your credit and debit card as precious as the five dollars you owned as a child. Prioritize your spending.

As a college student I realize there are events on campus all the time that I can attend to save money, yet still have fun. Almost all on campus events have free food, the movies on campus only cost a dollar and if I'm really looking to make some money this summer why not invest in the lifeguard program at the Student Rec Center. The possibilities are almost endless.

There are numerous other examples of potential activities at:

http://www.sfasu.edu/308.asp

http://www.sfasu.edu/campusrec/83.asp

Explore your financial possibilities!

Just grindin' the ax- Liza