`I have to be wise in spending my allowance'

`I have to be wise in spending my allowance'

Students are ready for the end of the academic year and their
long holiday, which is to start this month. Some have planned
various activities, such as hanging out in shopping malls, going
out of town, camping and the like. They want to make their one-
month holiday useful and fun, despite their limited allowances.
The Jakarta Post talked with several students about their
anticipated and well-deserved school holiday.

Natalia, 18, is a second-year student at a private high school
in Tangerang, Banten. She lives in Gading Serpong, Tangerang,
with her family:

I plan to go to Malang, East Java, for about nine days with my
classmates and some new friends.

A Christian youth organization has organized a retreat, with a
number of activities.

Religious introspection, reflection and spiritual sharing with
new friends, and singing in a choir will surely help me grow. I
am looking forward to going there soon. It'll be cool, I'm sure.

I believe the activities will help my spiritual development.
In this way, it's worth my money. This program, including
accommodation, will cost me around Rp 450,000.

Of course, I also need pocket money if I want to take a city
tour with my friends. But I don't dare ask my mother for more
money!

Although...if she could spare another Rp 100,000, I would be
very grateful. Then, I could have some fun with my friends during
the retreat.

After the retreat, I will probably just stay at home spending
the rest of my holiday reading novels, comics and other things.

Tari, 18, is in her final year at a private high school on Jl.
Poltangan, South Jakarta. She lives nearby with her family:

I don't have any plans to go anywhere during the long holiday.
Besides, it's not really a holiday for me, because I have to
prepare for university.

I will be busy doing that, since I haven't been accepted at
any university yet. To tell you the truth, I'm worried about it,
especially because we're not that well-off.

Why should I go out of town just to have fun, while my mother
struggles hard to save money for my school tuition?

If I need to go somewhere, I'll just go window shopping at
malls in the city with friends. This way, I can save my
allowance. My mother gives me about Rp 5,000 a day, which I
usually spend on clothes or makeup.

It would be better for me to help my mother with her rujak (a
traditional fruit salad with peanut sauce) business.

Besides, I need a lot of money for my university enrollment
fee, which is so expensive now. It will cost me millions of
rupiah.

Icha, 14, is a second-year student at a private middle school
in Pluit, North Jakarta. She lives in Tangerang with her family:

I don't have any specific plans to go out of town during the
long holiday, but my parents want me to join them at a company
outing in Puncak.

My father and his colleagues are planning to rent bungalows
for a couple of days to hold an internal party with their
families.

I guess it'll be cool, as we will have a barbecue, grilling
fish and chicken, drinking the whole night through, and talking
until dawn.

I think I'll go with them. It's better to have fun with them,
rather than being home alone without anything to do.

I'll also spend my holiday playing Play Station with my father
at home, or hanging out in shopping centers once in a while with
my friends to catch up on some window shopping.

I don't have that much money for shopping, since I have to
manage the allowance my mother gives me, which is only about Rp
100,000 a month. I have to be wise in spending it, so that I can
still have fun every month, even with a limited allowance.

-- Leo Wahyudi S