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Spendorsave—Thestudent'sdilemma1DoyoufeelasconfusedandmanipulatedasIdowiththisquestion,ShouldIspendorshouldIsave?Ithinkthatthemessageswegetfromourenvironmentseemtodefycommonsenseandcontradicteachother.Thegovernmenttellsustospendorwe'llnevergetoutoftherecession.Atthesametime,theytellusthatunlesswesavemore,ourcountryisingravedanger.Banksofferhigherinterestratessoweincreasesavings.Thenthesamebankssenduscreditcardofferssowecanspendmore.2Here'sanotherfamiliarexample:Ifwedon'tpayourcreditcardbillontime,wegetdemanding,nastyemailsfromthecreditcardcompanysayingsomethinglike:Yourfailuretopayisunacceptable.Payimmediatelyoryou'llbeintrouble!Then,assoonaswepay,wegetafollow-upemailinacharmingtonetellingushowvaluableacustomerweareandencouragingustoresumespending.Whichdepictioniscorrect:afailingconsumerintroubleoravaluedcustomer?Thegapbetweenthesetwomessagesisenormous.3Theparadoxisthateverydaywegettwosetsofmessagesatoddswitheachother.Oneisthepermissiveperspective,Buy,spend,getitnow.Youneedthis!Theotherwecouldcallanuprightmessage,whichurgesus,Workhardandsave.Suspendyourdesires.Avoidluxuries.Controlyourappetiteformorethanyoutrulyneed.Thismessagecomestousfrommanysources:fromschool,fromparents,evenfrompoliticalfiguresreferringtotraditionalvalues.Hardwork,familyloyalty,andthecapacitytopostponedesiresarecoreAmericanvaluesthathavemadeourcountrygreat.4Buttheoppositemessage,advertising'spermissivemessage,isinescapable.Thoughsometimesdisguised,themessagesareeverywherewelook:onTV,inmoviesonprintedmediaandroadsigns,instores,andonbusses,trainsandsubways.Advertisementsinvadeourdailylives.Weareconstantlysurroundedbythemessagetospend,spend,spend.Someonerecentlysaid,Theonlytimeyoucanescapeadvertisingiswhenyou'reinyourbedasleep!5It'sbeencalculatedthatbytheageof18,theaverageAmericanwillhaveseen600,000ads;bytheageof40,thetotalisalmostonemillion.Eachadvertisementisdoingitsutmosttoinfluenceourdiversebuyingdecisions,fromthebreakfastcerealweeattowhichcruiselinewewilluseforourvacation.Thereisnoshortageofideasandthingstobuy!Now,ofcourse,wedon'trememberexactlywhattheproductswere,buttheessentialmessageiscementedintoourconsciousness,It'sgoodtosatisfyyourdesires.Youshouldhavewhatyouwant.Youdeservethebest.So,youshouldbuyit—now!Afamousadvertisementsaiditperfectly,Iloveme.I'magoodfriendtomyself.Idowhatmakesmefeelgood.Iderivepleasurefromnicethingsandfeelnourishedbythem.Iusedtoputthingsoff.Notanymore.TodayI'llbuynewskiequipment,lookatnewcompactcars,andbuythatcameraI'vealwayswanted.Ilivemydreamstoday,nottomorrow.6Whathappensaswetakeinthesecontradictorybutexplicitmessages?Whatarethepsychologicalandsocialconsequencesofthiscampaigntocontrolourspendinghabits?Ononehand,wewantmorethingsbecausewewanttosatisfyourmaterialappetite.Mostofusderivepleasurefromtreatingourselves.Ontheotherhand,alittlevoiceinsideusechoesthoseuprightmessages:Watchout,takestockofyourlife,don'tletyourattentiongetscattered.Postponeyourdesires.Don'tfallintodebt.Wait!Retaincontroloveryourownlife.Itwillmakeyoustronger.7Anyway,manyoftheskillsyouneedasasuccessfulstudentcanbeappliedtoyourfinances.Consideryourfinancialwell-beingasakeyingredientofyouruniversityeducationasmoneyworriesareextremelystressfulanddistracting.Theycanmakeyoufeelterribleandhinderyourabilitytofocusonyourprimeobjective:successfullycompletingyoureducation.8Howcanyoubeasmartandeducatedconsumer?Manyschools,communityorganizations,andevensomebanksofferfinancialliteracyclasses.Considerconsultingwithyourschool'sfinancialaidofficeorseekinputfromyourparentsorotherrespectedadultsinsettingupabudget.Anadditionaloptionisfindingapartnertohelpyoustayontrackandfindpleasureintheadministrationofyourownfinancialaffairs.Mostimportantly,ifyoufindyourselfgettingintofinancialtrouble,don'tletyouregogetinyourway;urgentlygethelpwithtacklingyourproblembeforeitspinsoutofcontrolandlandsyouinlegaltroubles.9Allthiswillhelpyoubecomeaneducatedconsumerandsaver.Asyoulearntobalancespendingandsaving,youwillbecomethecaptainofyourownship,steeringyourlifeinasuccessfulandproductivedirectionthroughthechoppywaters.