BUDGETING

One Night Out: How Did I Spend $100?

Whether you’re grabbing dinner with friends, celebrating a birthday, or heading downtown for an evening, a night out can be a great way to relax and recharge. What many people don’t realize, though, is how quickly the small expenses can add up over just a few hours.

Think about what costs a typical evening might include:

• Ride share to meet friends: $15
• Dinner: $25
• Drinks or coffee: $20
• Cover charge or event ticket: $15
• Late-night food: $15
• Ride share home: $15

Total: $105

Looking at each expense individually, which could vary significantly depending on numerous factors, none of them seem unreasonable. In fact, most of them probably feel like a normal part of a night out. The surprise comes when you add everything together -- what felt like a casual evening with friends suddenly turns into more than $100 spent in just a few hours.

One reason these costs can catch us off guard is because they’re often spread across multiple purchases. However, that doesn’t mean you should stop going out or avoid spending money on the experiences you enjoy. Having fun, making memories, and spending time with friends are all important experiences. The key is simply understanding the actual cost of these experiences so you can plan for them instead of being caught off guard later.

Budgeting experts with the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommend creating a plan for how you’ll spend your money each month and tracking your expenses along the way. This can help you see where your money is going and make it easier to decide where you might want to cut back if you’re working toward another financial goal.

Another one of the easiest ways to stay on track is to set a spending limit before you leave the house. Entertainment is considered a variable expense, meaning it’s one of the spending categories you have the most control over from month to month. If you’ve decided your budget for the night is $60, you’re more likely to make decisions that help you stay within that amount -- maybe you eat dinner before meeting your friends, split a ride with someone, take advantage of student discounts, or skip that one extra purchase. Small decisions like these can make a big difference without taking away the fun.

Before your next night out, try estimating what you think you’ll spend. Then, the next day, compare that estimate to what you actually spent. Tracking your spending, even for one evening, can help you build better budgeting habits and make it easier to plan for future nights out.

Sources:

https://consumer.gov/your-money/making-budget

https://consumer.gov/content/make-budget-worksheet

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/your-money-your-goals/toolkit