Nickle and Dimed

29 days later... and $315.

All things considered, my budget experiment went pretty well. I have two days left and one mandatory work-related-but-you-still-pay lunch. My mom even gave me $20 last week – I’m practically rich.

The play by play is pretty boring. Roughly $25 spent on office snacks (mostly caffeine), three restaurant lunches (which means 19 packed lunches). No shopping except one t-shirt (mandatory sailing crew purchase) and one pair of rubber boots (essential Halifax gear). Two nights out and two at the movies.

Granted, this doesn’t count the pre-reiumbursement $200 I dropped in Ottawa on airport, transport and meals. It wasn’t my fault that the continental breakfast was $12. I ate food in styrofoam containers but it adds up. Go figure.

It also doesn’t count $82 on paint supplies to re-do furniture or $60 on physio. My back was in rough shape, despite walking 5km to and from work because I can’t afford gas.

Now I have to make my budget experiment a permanent practice. For all those unexpected incidentals, (the un-official total being well over $600) well, that’s what student lines of credit and future well-paid jobs in my boring middle age are for. Right?

Barbara Ehrenreich revealed the dark side of the Merry Maids. I realized rejecting consumerism still has a price tag. Count your pennies kids, life is rough.