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How can one not feel guilty about treating themselves in this current financial climate? 

It seems like this cost-of-living crisis isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I knew that would be the case when “Cozzie Livs” (cost-of-living) got accepted into Macquarie Dictionary’s words-to-watch list. Even our vocabulary is making room for this diabolical mess. God helps us all! 

Grimly, no one is affected by this cost-of-living crisis more than university students and young people. I can feel it, my friends can feel it, and I’m sure you do too – feed a family of four for under $10? You'd be lucky to find a decent meal for one that costs less than $10. A handful of broccolinis from Coles already costs me $5 and it doesn’t help that dining out is just as expensive too. 

I’ve become more and more conscious of my resources and my spending. So much so that I sometimes feel guilty for treating myself whether that be to a nice meal or even just a cup of boba after a long week of classes. I mean, it’s a hard not to feel that way when boba costs over $6 and a sushi roll is now $4. That’s $10 I could’ve put into groceries or laundry. 

But I’ve had to remind myself that it’s ok to indulge in a little pick-me-up sometimes. In fact, I believe it’s important we do.

It’s a form of self-care, which can be beneficial for your mental and emotional wellbeing. Buying yourself something other than the necessities is like presenting a gift to yourself. You feel pampered and care for, and we all know we need heaps of that to keep us going in this current climate. 

Whenever my classes make me feel like I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a sweet treat to wash away the stress never fails to make me feel better and ready to pull myself back up again.  

Getting yourself something nice also helps boost your motivation. It’s like getting a gold star from your primary school teacher for completing your homework: you feel appreciated but also whatever it was you were doing suddenly became a bearable task. As adults, you should remember to reward yourself too, especially when everything just feels like a chore. 

I know we must be a little more careful with our spending right now but whenever you can, don’t forget to indulge yourself in something nice too. We deserve to feel good about ourselves, even in this cozzie livs crisis.