Daphne Hsu gasped when she saw her bank receipt. Her account balance was -$35.10. So that night she called her mom.

Hsu, of Cincinnati, had withdrawn $80 from her account so she could shop at an Urban Outfitters sidewalk sale in Evanston the next day. She said she didn’t realize that she was running low on money and made an impulse decision.

“My mom didn’t say anything directly about the deficit,” Hsu said. “But by the tone of her voice, I could tell she was disappointed.”

Over the course of five weeks at the National High School Institute, journalism cherubs learned how to manage their own money. Though some had prior experience with budgeting, most cherubs gained a sense of responsibility and independence at the program.

“The experience taught me how to be careful and watch how much I’m spending,” Hsu said. “My mother has my back for now, but in the future I’ll have to figure it out.”

Elise Butler, of White Bear Lake, Minn., managed her own money three years ago during a summer program in London. But she still had a rocky start at the cherub program.

Butler left her wallet at home, and her dad had to give her cash for the first few weeks. Butler’s aunt delivered the forgotten wallet later.

Marielle Collins, of Morgantown W. Va., said her parents deposited money into her account every two weeks. Her main priority was paying for entry into the ice skating rink where she practiced every morning. Collins also said she had to plan trips to the ATM according to her plans to eat out or shop.

“It’s definitely different to pay for everything yourself,” Collins said. “It’s good to learn to handle all that because before we know it we’ll be out in the real world.”

Janani Webb, of Memphis, Tenn., saved money she earned as a tutor for elementary and middle school children before the program started. During the five weeks, she estimated that she would spend about $500 but only spent about $300.

Webb said food was her main priority, but she also bought some Medill apparel.

“I leave room to treat myself,” Webb said. “I know how to focus on priorities but also keep a balance between what I want and what I need.”

Hsu got similar advice from her mother after her experience.

“She said I need to be more careful in the future,” Hsu said. “I’m going to always look at my bank receipts now. She told me to get those for a reason.”