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The Daily Iowan
Budget balancing on when a weakened short on bucks dollar Students navigate shifting habits, financial pressures as they learn to manage money.
From groceries and gas to sorority dues, Kyla Eha stretches $100 a month to cover it all — a self-imposed limit demanding discipline with every purchase. But with gas prices rising nationwide in recent weeks, adding roughly 30 cents per gallon on average, that fixed budget now has even less room to stretch. As she nears the end of her first year at the University of Iowa, Eha said the constraint has turned into a system. What started as a limit has become a carefully structured budget, shaping how she spends, saves, and plans ahead. “It's really important to get used to not going over a budget, learning how to save money, making sure a savings account is set up, and knowing where to put a paycheck,” she said. “I think these are all really important things to have a good foundation moving forward.” But not all college students are so careful in
their financial planning. Research from McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm based in New York City, shows Gen Z consumers — those born between 1997 and 2021 — often balance a strong desire for financial security with a willingness to spend, especially on everyday “micro” purchases and experiences. In a global survey from McKinsey, a majority of Gen Z respondents said they still splurge in categories that matter to them, even as they express concern about their financial futures. “Gen Z is investing quite a bit in experiences rather than things,” McKinsey partner Christina Adams said in a 2025 podcast. “They’re also spending on microexperiences — they’re willing to pay for the cup of coffee that brings them joy at the beginning of the day, or they’re willing to invest in nutrition, which they view as important.” The tension between discipline and discretionary spending highlights a divide among students: while some like Eha build strict budgets, others are still figuring out how to manage money in an environment where small, frequent purchases quickly add up.
At the same time, broader economic forces are adding pressure to students’ already tight budgets. According to the Associated Press, a “weakening” U.S. dollar has driven up the cost of everyday goods, from groceries to travel, effectively reducing the purchasing power for consumers. Kelsey Ryder, senior associate director for the office of financial aid at the UI, said when starting a budget, it’s important to have a sense of where money is going and how much is being spent monthly. “Track your spending as a starting point,” she said. “Understanding where your money is going can really help you think about what you would want your goals to be.” Even as financial aid officials emphasize the importance of tracking spending, students are also navigating outside influences that shape how and where they spend their money.
Impending dorm move-out fuels Physical ‘throwaway culture’ media finds Move-out fills dumpsters with unwanted dorm items across campus. As the school year comes to a close in Iowa City, dumpsters fill with trash bags, discarded furniture, and barely used decor — signs of a growing “throwaway culture” that is continuing to grow among college students. The University of Iowa is working to address these concerns by implementing donation programs at UI residence halls by partnering with Goodwill of the Heartland. From rugs and storage bins to free T-shirts and decorative pillows, many items purchased at the start of students’ first year are thrown out months later, often due to overbuying and the pressures of move-out week, UI students said. For UI first-year student Sarah Blake, deciding what to keep and what to get rid of is a practical process for her. Blake said she makes purchasing decisions based on the durability of the product. “I am planning on throwing out my rug because it has so much hair in it, and it’s gross,” Blake said. “I want to give my mattress topper to an incoming freshman because I won’t need it next year, and it is in good shape.” Blake said some purchases made at the beginning of the year proved unnecessary and were not used as much as she had anticipated.
popularity across Iowa
Data shows the sales of physical media have grown nationally, and Iowa store openings are coinciding with the increased demand.
move-out process. “My roommate bought a ton of decorative pillows for her bed, and we don’t use any of them,” she said. “They are stuffed behind our couch.
With the rise of streaming services and declining sales, it seemed as if DVDs and vinyl were going to become a distant memory. However, over the last couple of years, a jump in sales and a newfound appreciation for physical media among younger generations has breathed new life into the market at a time when individuals are struggling with affording streaming services and the cost of living. In March 2026, the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade organization that represents the major U.S. music labels, released a 2025 sales report showing U.S. vinyl record sales surpassed $1 billion in 2025, marking the 19th consecutive year vinyl sales had grown in the U.S. For DVDs, the Digital Media Entertainment Group, a trade organization specializing in the promotion of entertainment platforms and products, released its 2025 year-end report, showing DVD sales still decreased, but only by 10 percent, a much lower rate than years prior, and 4K ultra high definition DVD sales increased by 12 percent. In December 2025, Chris DeLine opened Razzle Dazzle Music & Movies in the Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Before establishing the store, he started taking the online sales business seriously in 2022 with the intention of launching his own store.
According to the Rachel Carson Council, an environmental group that focuses on sustainability, the average college student produces 640 pounds of waste annually, most of which occurs during the