$10.37

I have $10.37 in my pocket and I have decided to make it last until Monday. So this morning I took a quick inventory to see where I stood. I have plenty of cereal, meat, potatoes, eggs, potato chips, salsa, cheese, and cold cuts. I am short on peanut butter, bread, coffee, fruit, vegetables, light cream, and ice cream. I have half a liter of Pepsi and four bottles of beer. I am out of vodka. Gin will have to do.

My car has three quarters of a tank of gas in it which should be plenty until Monday as I am really not planning on going anywhere anyway. I have plenty of dog food and cat food so Joey and Spot are all set. And I found two cigars....just in case.

So I now know what I have....and here is what I decided I needed. I can hit the day old bread bin at Stop & Shop and grapes are on sale at another market. I will also need $3.00 for my Sunday paper (there is no sense in living like an uninformed philistine....). I figure I will have around $4.00 left after bread, grapes, and the paper.

I will switch to espresso to stretch out my coffee and eliminate the need for light cream. I have a chicken in the freezer that I can roast tomorrow...and make a stock for chicken soup to have for lunch for a few days. And having gin in my martini instead of vodka won't kill me.

Now...I could easily go to the ATM for cash....but that is really not the point. The idea is to make due, to make something out of nothing, to stretch, to conserve, and to save. Yes...I admit...my little game is made easier by the fact that I will not have my kids until Monday and that I do not have a completely empty pantry. I also admit that I am doing this out of boredom and for the need for a distraction...

I wonder how much a ticket to Amsterdam costs....