The Plan

I am so proud of myself today.  The Perpetual Procrastinator actually accomplished something.  A small something, but something nonetheless.  I put an allowance system into action. 

Here is the weekly break down:

$50 groceries

$20 me

$20 Paul

$20 Chichi (my puppy-wuppy)

$20 Miscellaneous (laundry detergent, paper towels, deodorant, etc.)

After Paul picked me up from work we went to the bank and made the withdrawal, then straight to the grocery store, after $44 and change and we are set until next Friday or that’s The Plan.  After the monthly bills we should have roughly $700 to put towards our credit card debt. 

What does it all mean?  Well it doesn’t mean a thing if we don’t stick to it.  Paul is all for it.  Oh, easy going, even tempered Paul will have little trouble sticking to The Plan.  His only vice is smoking, we figure he can take it out of his weekly allowance if he can’t quit.  The hope is that we can quit together.  We do everything else together, why not this?  We’ll just have to stay out of each others hair and be tolerant of loud swearing spells brought on by a picture hanging askew or the dripping of a faucet heard from the house 2 doors down. 

Food, Starbucks and Marlboro Reds are my vices.  Smoking and Starbucks give me a mini-vacation in the middle of my unbearable workday and in the evening food gives me the means to escape the memory of my unbearable workday.  And round and round it goes.  If I’m really going to give this budgeting the old college try, I have to think, think, think.  How can I change these habits that are so deeply engrained upon my soul?  Replace them with new, healthier habits?  If I need to get away from work for 10 minutes, what’s better than a cigarette?  Nothing.  But there’s got to be something, maybe not as good but good enough.  Perhaps a short walk around the block.  Downtown is a cool place and in the winter I can walk the skyways.  I’ve got to say the temperate skyways are preferable to huddling in below zero weather with not but the cherry of my cigarette to warm me.  I will bring my lunch to work, packed with a few snacks to keep me from getting so hungry that I give in to the many wonderful smells of french fries, Chinese food or pastries that drift through the streets and buildings beckoning to me, like the mythical sirens with their sweet or savory aromas, so enchanting, I go off course, follow the scent and before I know it I’m caught in a rip tide so strong I can’t fight my way back, so I crash into high priced, high calorie foods and sink.  I’ll chew gum and avert my eyes from all the smokers and try not to notice the satisfaction on their face as they find solace and comfort from inhaling the smooth, rich, mouthwatering flavor, followed by exhaling every care out of their chest and into the world.

But first I have to get through this weekend.