Well, it worked once.

I did my grocery shopping today. I was right on it. I was doing good. I had combed the flyers and wrote my list and planned my meals for the whole week and even planned to hit two stores that are right acoss the street form each other to maximize the deals. I even had a coupon. One little coupon, but it was a good one. Even though my total savings was $45.29, my grocery bill was $60.86. I blame it on my hike today.

I have been wanting to get outside more because sitting at home all day on Sunday after my daughter goes to her dad's is very boring. Relaxing but boring. So I have taken up hiking. I loved it many years ago and haven't done it for a while. The bad thing is that it always makes me want to have a beer. I think nearly every time I've gone hiking I've either stopped at a microbrewery on the way home or gotten home and popped open a beer. A nice hearty, full bodied beer. It's nearly religious, I tell you.

So it occurs to me that there is no liquor contingency built into my budget. None whatsoever. I had not planned on this. I bought more than a week's worth of groceries today for that $60 so I assume my bill may be lower next week. Still, the beer sent me over. I'm a total beer snob. I can't drink the cheap crap. Oh no way. I needed the Red Hook IPA (on sale for $6.99). Now I have to think about liquor in a rationing sense. How long can I make this six pack of beer last? What about the two bottles of wine in my possession? It's a very good thing I have spent the last year stockpiling vodka. Really, it's damn near silly how much of that stuff I have.

I'm no lush, honest. But liquor money should be planned for. A grave error on my part. Would it be bad to reward myself for positive momentum with liquor? For example, it would be appropriate to allot supplemental income over my hopeful $200 month to booze, right? Right? Oh, please tell me I'm right...