Unless you’ve been really lucky, or somehow managed to land an amazing job right out of school, you probably know what it feels like to be pretty flat broke.

You know, scraping by to make rent, buy groceries, pay off student loans, and still have a tiny, tiny amount to live like a normal person.

But you’ve gotta admit: there are some good parts about being broke.

Don’t believe it? Check it out.

How Being Broke Can Be Pretty Sweet

1. When it comes to having fun, you get creative.

Who needs to spend a ton of money at the club when you can do this:

2. When you do go to the club, your friends often offer to buy you a drink…

3. …because they know when you’re doing well financially, you’ll return the favor.

Any time you’re out with friends and you don’t have to worry about the bar tab, this is you:

4. You appreciate the pure beauty of thrift stores.

Seriously, Macklemore’s got it right. It’s so much fun!

5. And you totally rock the look you’ve got, because you’re no walking billboard.

Don’t need any Prada to strut your stuff!

6. Sale at your favorite store? Drink specials? Free Ritas? Yeah, you already know about all that.

You are the queen / king of coupons. You know, since you kinda need that extra money for, like, sustenance and stuff.

7. You treat the possessions you do have with so much care.

When you finally manage to save up enough money for a working computer, that sucker will last.

8. You’ve learned to cope with stress.

You don’t mind being busy or balancing a billion things, just as long as you’re not checking your bank account balance. Because when you do, you generally react like this:

9. On payday, you feel like this…

…even if “treating yourself” means buying takeout for dinner that night. This lo mein tastes like victory.

10. Speaking of food, you appreciate everything that’s not rice or Ramen way more.

11. And when you only have a few things left in the fridge, you make it work.

When someone tries to explain that you can’t make a meal out of ketchup, tuna, and Saltines, you’re like…

12. The dollar menu exists, and it’s a wonderful thing.

Well, at least it is for the first three minutes, until you’re like this:

But let’s just take that as it comes.

13. That moment you find a twenty in the pocket of your old pants…

…pretty much pure bliss.

14. Your willpower is unbreakable.

You’ve got a budget, and you’re sticking to it!

Mainly because you’re slightly afraid of what would happen if you didn’t, but shhhhh.

15. You know that when you do make the big bucks, you will know how to manage it.

You’ll see your friends buying $8 coffees at Starbucks, and you’ll still be like:

16. But you know that money isn’t the important thing.

You’ve learned how to have fun and love life without a ton of it.

17. For example, who needs a gym when you can go outside and soak up the sun?

18. And who needs a fancy wine and cheese night when you can have a Netflix and pizza night?

So much more fun. (A huge thanks to that friend whose Netflix account you’ve bombarded.)

19. Because you know that you appreciate what you can afford a million times more…

You don’t take life for granted. Every time you get something nice, even if it’s little, you react like this:

And life is way nicer that way.

20. …and you have learned what is really important.

Featured photo credit: Sharon Drummond via flickr.com