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Olivia Arocena • Writer and Editor

Nov 2, 2026 8:30 AM EST

Budgeting: Squidward style

If you were wondering, when did you become bitter like Squidward? It might have been when you had to learn to budget through trial and error.

Learning how to budget can be humiliating, but hey, there is no other way to learn. Keeping track of your money is a full-time job, except I suppose if you earn so much money you don't need to keep track of anything, which is hardly the case for anyone I know.

You have to remember when everything is happening, what you've already paid for, how much money you can spend on ridiculous stuff, which stuff you'll have to wait for, and you even have to save an extra couple of bucks just in case something unpredictable happens.

Budgeting requires unreasonable self-awareness, and it's not a job you do only one day at the first of the month, and then you forget about it. It's something you have to actualize every time you make a new decision and calculate everything again. If you stop doing that for two weeks, I guarantee you your finances are going to be wrecked.

A series of seemingly inoffensive expenses: an iced coffee here and there, that sweet treat you got from the gas station on your way back from the gym, that extra ride home, and suddenly you can't afford groceries at the end of the month.

Now that I budget and I'm a fully functional adult, I understand Squidward's demeanor a lot better. There is something about him being permanently exhausted and having a constant bitter disposition that just seems so relatable these days.

When I look into his eyes, I can see he has a budget; I know he is up to date; I know he updates it religiously and that he knows exactly how much money he has left for the rest of the month, and it's not plenty, even though we're only on the first week. He is just like me for real.

Maybe bitterness is the natural result of knowing how much everything costs and how much effort you put into the bare minimum? God, I understand him more than ever now, even though I don't want to.

Maybe after we hit the Squidward evolution as adults, we can reach for the SpongeBob evolution; that would be more about finding joy in the simple things, because there is no use in being bitter about something you can't opt out of.

Don't get me wrong, guys; I'm not saying you should ignore your finances from now on. I'm saying you need to keep tracking them, but don't let that take the joyfulness out of your soul (even though it is hard).

Strive for better, but don't miss out on enjoying every step of the way. Even if you're working as a fry cook on the mainland's version of the Krusty Krab.

Until then, never forget how hard you judged the poor Squidward when he was only trying to survive adult life, just like you are now!