Becoming an adult in 2026 is declared a scam. Amid the skyrocketing price of dairy and the soul-crushing low balance beep of a Leap Card, students in Dublin are in need of a cost-of-living crisis that cannot be solved by part-time employment alone, but by a complete change of mindset. Students can reclaim their money without losing their social lives by using the “50/30/20” rule and learning to use what they call Man Math.
Photo by Willfried Wende
The financial crisis is evident on the supermarket shelves to the average student of Griffith College. What was once a mere block of cheddar has become a luxury good, which can fetch almost up to the price of around 6 euros. You add these exaggerated grocery prices with the hidden tax of getting to the store every day, and the treat yourself once in a while iced latte, and it is no wonder that most bank accounts are permanently traumatised.
I made a three-week Coffee Strike to get at this. I saved about 100 pounds by eliminating the lattes made by the barista, switching to home-made caffeine instead. This experiment taught us an important financial lesson: we are not always broke, just leaking money with little, everyday habits.
Although it is a laugh to listen to, Man Math, the fallacy that a pair of sneakers costing €120 is free because one wears them every day is a fun way to go, academic financial theory is a more sustainable way to go. The gold rule of survival is the 50/30/20 Rule:
50% on Needs: Rent, utilities, and groceries. (But in Dublin, to be honest, this is usually 80%).
30% on Wants: Pints, sneakers, and streaming services.
20% to Savings: The rainy day fund in case life takes a wrong turn.
The greatest challenge to the student budget is Lifestyle Creep, the propensity to spend more simply because you have a little more in your wallet. The 24-Hour Rule is the best weapon against this. Wait a whole day before clicking on the Buy Now button on that late-night Instagram advertisement. In case the dopamine hit is missing by the morning, your bank account will win.
Money management is not about leading a dull life, but it is about ensuring that your money finds its way where it is really needed. Small wins make big freedom: whether you decide to walk rather than take the Luas, or you manage to survive a coffee strike to afford those headphones you want to get all month.
In case you live on student discounts and good vibes, my latest podcast on Spotify is a more in-depth and more disorganised exploration of the adulting process.
