1. You learn how far you can stretch the term “dinner.”
2. You think twice about buying essential items — such as toilet paper.
3. But somehow you always find money for alcohol.
4. You're always promising your friends that you will Venmo them "tomorrow."
ROBBER: give me all of your money ME: shit can i venmo you
Tomorrow is like a week from now, right?
5. When you start reconsidering your passions and will take any job that will feed you.
interviewer: why do you want this job? me: I've always been passionate about being able to afford food
I'll be passionate about whatever you need me to be passionate about.
6. Expiration dates on food and drinks become mere suggestions you feel free to ignore.
7. When you can't afford name brands at the grocery store, so you end up eating knockoffs instead.
8. When you have to mathematically calculate the cost of heating per degree in your apartment.
9. Thrift shopping just becomes shopping.
10. You wish there were a lower octane gasoline.
11. When you're out shopping and this happens:
"I'll definitely come back later after I think it over."
12. Taking a more creative approach to gift-giving becomes a necessity.
She loves me! #macaroniart #ValentinesDay
If macaroni is on sale this week, all this could be yours.
13. You get sneaky with 30-day free trials and endless email aliases.
14. You've googled this at least once.
15. You stay in a Starbucks 19 times longer than anybody else for the free Wi-Fi.
16. You discover how expensive laundry is so you decide to just smell bad instead.
17. Even though you probably shouldn't be shopping, RetailMeNot.com is the first bookmark on your phone.
18. When your card gets declined and you act like it's an issue with your bank, but you're just out of money.
19. When it's payday and you immediately overestimate what you can afford.
20. Anytime you check your bank account you're hit with a wave of anxiety.
21. And finally, you fully acknowledge that even though your parents can’t tell you what to do anymore, your bank account sure can.
