Applicant #20: Evita Caldwell

Evita Caldwell is a 21-year-old from St. Louis.

Evita's video application:

Evita's current situation:

I am a recent college graduate working at Walgreens as a Pharmacy Technician until I have the opportunity of beginning my desired career.

Evita's blog post:

Getting the Most out of Your Wants

I want it and I want it now

Ok, let’s admit it. We’ve all been there. Ladies, we’re walking through the mall and those cute pair of shoes stumbles upon us and we cannot resist. Gentlemen, a cool new gadget jumps out in front of you, and you just have to have it. And then we walk over to it. The many conversations began playing in our conscience.

Ladies: “Oh, it won’t hurt if I just try them on.”

Gentlemen: “Mmm… I’ll just test it out to see for myself how it works.”

Once the shoes have been tried on, and the gadget has been tested, we meet the final challenging question… “To buy, or not to buy?” Knowing when and when not to buy

The difficult aspect about a ‘want’ is that sometimes you cannot always have what you want. At least not right away. We all deserve to treat ourselves to something nice. But, treating ourselves to something nice comes with being responsible. Whenever you are stuck wondering whether or not to treat yourself, consider these tips to ensure that you won’t spend your last (or near your last) in order to have something that you want.

• Do I have enough funds for this right now?

o Pretty plain and simple, this requires knowing what you already have in the bank. Online banking is a great way to stay up-to-date on how much you have in the bank. Check your bank account regularly to ensure that you have the amount you need in order to make a purchase. Remember: This includes paying attention to recent transactions, as all transactions are not posted right way. Make sure you factor in all pending purchases when considering whether or not you have enough for what you desire.

• Have my other immediate financial obligations been fulfilled? o As difficult as a want may be to resist, sometimes it is necessary. If you have other financial obligations at or near the time that you have a want for something, then your want would have to hold off for the time being. This would include, for example, a nearing due date for an unpaid bill. Once immediate financial obligations have been fulfilled, then factor in your want and subtract the cost from what you will have once all previous transactions have been completed.

• If I buy this now, how soon will I be able to replace the cost?

o If you have the funds needed for your want and all other financial obligations have been fulfilled, think about how soon you will be able to replace the funds needed for your want. Some questions to think about are, “How close is it to pay day?” or “How long will I have to wait for more money to come in?” Being able to replace funds for wants will ensure that you will have future funds for emergency purposes or other financial obligations.

Happy financing! :)

Evita