Sunward Teen Member Delia Bradley breaks down the impact that friendship can have on a teen's spending habits.
There are a number of things that can influence one’s financial decisions. Groceries, rent, and other bills are all examples of financial obligations that adults have to commit to. As a teen still living with my parents, I don’t have to worry about the majority of those things. One thing that I do have to worry about is how my friends can impact my financial decisions. I’m sure that when you think of what impacts your financial decisions, your friends wouldn’t be the first thing to come to mind. In reality, they do so in an inconspicuous but rather important way.
For many people, the opinions of their friends are very important. It’s very easy to make financial decisions based on a friend’s opinion without ever realizing it. For example, if your friend likes to eat out at a certain restaurant, you may find yourself taking that friend to the restaurant because you know it will make them happy. This also goes for accepting invitations to go out for meals or go on shopping sprees. Although it is not bad to splurge and spend money with friends within reason, it is important to set boundaries not only with your friends, but with yourself as well. There are many ways to avoid spending money unnecessarily while around friends, such as suggesting inexpensive or free activities like taking a hike or bringing food from home and having a picnic at the park.
Friendship should never feel like a financial burden. Although it can be easy to spend money unnecessarily while out with friends, it is very important to be able to control yourself. I am by no means saying that it is bad to spend money while with friends, but by saving money using boundaries and self-control, you can still enjoy yourself with your friends and have money to spare for a later time!
