By Ella Bergman
The coronavirus may be the only thing on people’s minds right now, but it’s best to focus on the positives that can come out of this self-quarantine it has forced us into. While it may seem like there are infinite ways to spend our time over these next few weeks, it’s best to keep the future in mind and continue on the budget you’ve set before all of this craziness. The world may seem like it’s ending with how much this virus has blown up, but life will continue when this is all over.
First, this time at home is a great time to reflect. Look back on your budget you have set for yourself, or if you don’t have a budget at all, now is a great time to set one! If you already have a budget in place, take a look at what you have spent your money on this year so far. Is it accurate to your budget? Does any spending need to be adjusted? Once you have determined what is going well and what needs to be fixed, fix it! And don’t stop there; throughout these next few weeks test out your new-and-improved plan and see if it really works for you, and if not, adjust it again. All this free time makes it easy to spend money on things that seem good at the moment, but are probably not helping our saving for the future. Be wise in the way you spend your money during this time. Think about your future self and what you will need to use your money for in the future to cut back on spending now. Sticking to your normal routines can also help with stress management, as I’m sure there is plenty of stress coming from all the information (whether true or false) being spread about the virus.
Budgeting might not sound fun, but now is a great time to get all the things done that you have been pushing off because you “don’t have enough time.” Now, you have all the time in the world. Sitting down and being productive is great, but we all know that can get boring. Find times between the work to have fun and do other things you can’t normally do with school and other activities consuming your life. Watch a movie or two, read a book, learn something you’ve been wanting to do for a while now. Linked HERE is a list of some other ideas that USA Today came up with to keep you from wasting away. It’s easy to give in to the lethargy of self-quarantine and take this time as an extended vacation, but you’ll be much happier spending your time on things that will matter when this break is all over.
Works Cited
“100 Things to Do While Stuck inside Due to a Pandemic.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 16 Mar. 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2020/03/16/coronavirus-quarantine-100-things-do-while-trapped-inside/5054632002/.McManus, Kaitlin. “5 Productive Things to Do in Quarantine.” Vault, Vault, 13 Mar. 2020, www.vault.com/blogs/general-articles/5-genuinely-productive-things-to-do-in-quarantine.
“Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Mar. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html.
This is such a good idea. Everyone is so stressed with this virus going on they are not really thinking of the positive things that you could do now to help you in the future for budgeting. Not only that but so many other prices and such are down right now which may be important to some people depending on their circumstances. Good ideas you shared with us and I hope people really do take the time to reflect as its so important.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your positive take on what we are all experiencing right now. The virus has affected the world in a lot of different ways and has disturbed our daily life routines as we know it. I think that now is a great time to make time for all of the little things that have been put off, and to slow down and focus on what is important, and our finances can definitely be something that could use some prioritization.
ReplyDeleteI loved the article you linked! Even with something as simple as talking to your friends being difficult, we can take solace in knowing everyone feels the same way. I want to use my free time the best way that I can, and I didn't even consider budgeting. However, that is a perfect thing for me to do now that I am going off to college. What better way to spend my time then to plan for my future.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned that no matter how bad the situation seems, it will eventually be over. It may be easier to follow a budget right now, since a lot of prices are down (especially gas!) and things like concerts, sporting events, and other things that might encourage someone to spend unnecessary money are cancelled or postponed. I think it's a good idea to keep a positive mindset, even if it seems that there is nothing to be positive about. It won't do anyone any good to just worry and not take advantage of their free time.
ReplyDeleteI like how you focused on budgeting during this quarantine because this is definitely something that people can focus to still look forward to the future after this virus is over. I also like how you added a list of fun things we can do to still make sure that we are enjoying ourselves and not becoming overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteBudgeting is something great to do while being stuck in quarantine! Even though it might not seem fun, I agree with your point that you're helping your future self. Budgeting can also make life seem a little more normal than it actually is. I am so happy you put the link to the USA Today. It already feels boring and I need some new ideas! Thank you for finding a positive in this madness and sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really nice idea about focusing on budgeting instead of the virus. I also agree that in times like this we often online shop and buy things we truly don’t need. I think budgeting is something every high school students need to learn so why not experiment with it when we have all the free time in the world.
ReplyDeleteYou have such good ideas about focusing on budgeting instead of being worried about the virus. I love how you linked another article if we wanted to explore this topic more.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this, I thought that it was a really good idea. Considering how many people suggest tv shows to watch while we are at home for a while. I enjoyed the twist on what you can do with all this new time on our hands.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you could have picked a more needed topic at the moment! I really liked your mention of saving during this time as you don't know what you will need to spend on in the future. For me personally, due to the corona virus both of my part-time jobs are shut down temporarily. This brought a lot of stress into my life as I am "missing out" on potentially a great deal of money. To compensate for that, I already began thinking about other ways I am going to need to save to make up for these losses. One big thing is I won't be spending as much aimlessly on food, clothes, etc. simply because I will be in my house. However, thinking more about this is something I should spend my self-quarantined time doing.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really important topic for this time. I agree, being stuck at home can get boring really fast, so doing things you've been putting off is a good way to spend the time. Since my work is also closed due to the quarantine, I think it's time for me to consider creating a budget for the future, or at least until the quarantine is over. This post has helped me to remember that I should focus on completing things that I've been putting off.
ReplyDeleteI do agree its a perfect time to reflect on your budget on areas that you are doing well in and areas that you can improve on.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you made a post about this, as it is very relevant information to all of us, and certainly helps people make good responsible decisions, and manages their time accordingly. The Coronavirus while it has made people very ill and has caused a lot of chaos across the world, it’s good to also take the time we have now and use it wisely. As you said in your post, making a budget for yourself is especially important, and for now a lot of people now can sit down and actually think about the money they spend on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This a great post to gather ideas and tips on what to do when in self-quarantine, and I’m glad you had the idea to make this post.
ReplyDeleteSticking to a budget during this long period of down time is an extremely crucial task that most people might not think about, especially considering that it is so easy to shop online and impulsively order or spend while stuck in the house all day. In this sense, creating a tighter budget specifically for this quarantine time may actually be even more beneficial because it limits your potential higher spending now and allows you more savings to spend once physical stores, shops, and restaurants reopen.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the conoravirus is on everyone's mind whether they shut down school or work. But if all of your is complete for school then sticking or making a budget is not a bad idea because since this virus is affecting the economy and some might be laid off and might be tight on money. Overall, since every one is is at home it's not a bad idea to practice or being on a budget.
ReplyDeleteI love how you chose this topic as it is what we all needed to read right now! While budgeting is probably not what is on most of our minds right now, you made a valid point that it should be. This would be very helpful to us as we prepare for the world to get back to normal, and in this time where we aren't getting out of the house much and spending our money, it is a great time to take a step back and look at where our money is actually going. This article helped to look at the broader picture and see what is actually important to focus on right now!
ReplyDeleteGiven the fact that this topic applies to all of us, I found it very interesting to read! Making saving strategies and different budgets will definitely be useful for our future. By saving our money and making a budget, it will help us prepare for unknown events coming our way and it will also help others by jumping on the bandwagon of change! This article really helped me see a different side of this pandemic! -Ellie A
ReplyDeleteThis was a great article for the time we are going through right now. There is so much free time now that some of us don't know how to fill it and working on a good budget to put into action is a great idea. My brother is home from college and he always has the news on regarding the stock market and how our economy is doing during this pandemic. Your article gave me a great idea of having him help me plan investments I can make in my future and how to plan a strong budget to take into adulthood like he has. Your article helped shine a positive light on our current situation!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea to do tasks that you've been pushing off for a while, or learn how to do something that you've wanted to do for a while. I think having a positive mindset about every situation is how you get the most out of life.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great article for the current situation we are going through, I like how you push the idea of continuing on tracking your spending and saving and budgeting entirely due to the massive amount of time we now have to ourselves at home, away from everything else. This article can really help someone who not only has nothing to do, but needs this for their financial situation.
ReplyDeleteDylan D
DeleteThis is a really helpful blog post because of the current situation we are in. It is very helpful to continue to keep the important things in mind, such as saving and budgeting during times similar to this one.
ReplyDeleteThis situation is so current and scary to think we do not have a time set on how long this will last! This is definitely helpful that you included the USA today article on how not to waste our time, as this might be a boring time to be in right now, locked out from the world!
ReplyDeleteI think that the virus has really made us look back at our habits and given us a time of self reflection. I do agree that we should take this time to look at new things that need to be fixed and focus on the positive during this scary time.
ReplyDeleteDue to the fact that I am currently on “corona-cation” (coronavirus vacation) I found this post very insightful. It’s hard to believe that in just over 5 months, the majority of us seniors will be in college! This post made me think about how I can start budgeting now in preparation for college. Oftentimes, I’ll stop at Kwik Trip before school and buy a coffee for myself. If I cut out Kwik Trip coffee completely, I could probably save a considerable amount of money that I could spend on more valuable things. Personally, I have not done any of the grocery shopping for my family in the last week or so, but I talked to my mom and we looked at how she budgeted for the next few weeks... groceries cost a lot more than I initially thought! As I start to be more independent in future years, I think I am going to thank myself for setting aside this extra time to set up some budgeting ideas now that I have this extra time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this post. One week into quarantine and already I feel the lethargy making it's move. Being aware of it will help me to stay busy, as well as the list you linked. I know firsthand how the virus is affecting spending, because I spent more money than I'd like to admit at Michael's in preparation for an extended stay-cation (before reading your article.) Personally I like to keep track of what I did each day, how much time was spent on it, and how it made me feel/future implications. This is just me however, and I feel it almost forces me to make better decisions.
ReplyDeleteThis is very insightful. This event is entirely new to all of us and it is important to understand how our choices affect ourselves not only to protect us from getting sick but also to protect us from spending too much money. I also agree that this is a great opportunity to try new things and finally get to the things that have been put on the back-burner.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post regarding what to do while stuck at home. Personally, I have not set a budget yet, and I think it is a great idea to start now. With all the time in the world, now is a great time to start something new. Especially with budgeting, a great skill to use and prepare for the future, can be taken care of while stuck up in quarantine.
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