By Olivia Ritter ‘17
Does it bother you that everything in the world is so expensive? More often than not, I open my wallet to find it empty, those unoccupied pockets staring me in the face. At best, some sad dimes and nickels. That is the unfortunate consequence of living in the 21st century, which is turning out to be a real money-sucker.
Every time I leave my house, I have to mentally prepare myself for the impact the endeavor will have on my wallet. I’m talking serious mental math and planning ahead for exactly what I’m going to buy: Counting every piece of currency and subconsciously kissing it good-bye.
In this day and age, the biggest stores to shop at as a high-schooler are Urban Outfitters, Lululemon and Vineyard Vines. Consequently, you can’t get anything under $50 at any of these stores. But, hey, that’s what’s “in.” If we’re not trendy, what are we? That’s the worst part about this dilemma: We feel pressure to spend so much money because the popular stores have insane prices. What’s that? You want a plain, black sweater? That will be $79. A white, long-sleeve shirt from Vineyard Vines? Oh, just $42.
Clothing stores are not alone in this price problem: Restaurants and places to get food are not far behind. According to Business Insider, 23 percent of teenagers’ spending is on food. And Starbucks, the leading restaurant, ain’t cheap. A average grande coffee can be up to $4.45. Sushi, an equally popular place to go for sustenance, also requires a bank loan for payment. A fun dinner with friends turns into a struggle to find out how you’re going to pay for your school lunch.
Add VSCO to the mix. If you’re unfamiliar, VSCO is a photo-editing and sharing platform which requires high-quality artsy pictures. A popular subject of such pictures is food. There is no such thing as an artsy, VSCO-worthy picture of $1 fries from McDonalds. No such luck.
As a teenager, money is getting harder and harder to squeeze out of my parents. Luckily, babysitting exists. But unluckily, any money I make disappears in as little as 24 hours, all because I took a quick trip to Montclair. I could have also chucked that money down the toilet because there’s already a hole in my leggings and I spilled my coffee everywhere.
As a community of teenagers, let’s rise above the trends of pricey clothes and lavish food options. Let’s embrace $20 watches from Target, where we can also get discounted bananas! If you’re someone who can ask their parents money at any moment…great. I’ll just be collecting change from the couch cushions.
