Exercises in Frugality?
As some of you might know, I'm not a wallet fan. They always seem so bulky, just added weight and mass. So I carry my ID and other necessaries loose in my pocket. It also makes things more fun if anyone tries to pickpocket me-the human equivalent of those claw-and-toy thingies you see in arcades. “Oh, I'm sorry, all you managed to grab was an old business card from a limo service-but hey, it's got a 2004 calendar on the back!”
That's all well and good. Every so often I pare down what I carry, striving to bring only the essentials-driver's license, Metrocard (that's the subway fare card, for those of you not from NY), my company ID, my debit card, one credit card, and then some business cards between them (since you're not supposed to lump too many magnetic-strip cards altogether). These live in the front left pocket of my jeans, along with cash-my keys are in that silly “what do I really need this for again?” coin pocket on the right side.
Last night we booked our hotel for our Kansas trip. I had changed to shorts when I got home so I went and grabbed my credit card from my jeans. I pulled most of the cards at once because it was easier.
Can you guess where this is going yet?
This morning I left for work as usual. My daughter was particularly clingy this morning-she really didn't want me to go-so I was running a hair late. At the front door I checked for my keys. Check. Locked the door behind me, returned the keys to the coin pocket, patted my other pocket for ID, felt the clip on my company ID. Check. Hat, check. Cell phone in side pocket (I love carpenter pants), check. Off we go.
Ten minutes later I get to the subway station, climb the long flight of stairs, reach for my Metrocard-and it's not there.
That's right, it's with the rest of my cards. Back in my shorts. Whee.
Now, I had my company ID, the one thing I would absolutely have to go back for if I left it behind (okay, I have forgotten it once before and managed to get in but it's a pain, esp. since we have the kind of doors you need ID to get OUT of as well). But no Metrocard. And no mon-wait, what's this? I had a twenty in my other pocket, where I keep emergency cash. I'd actually known about that when heading out, because I thought to myself “I've only got two bucks left here [left side] but I've got the twenty here [right side] for lunch.” I had my keys, my company ID, and a twenty. And that's it.
So, rather than go back home to get my cards again, I'm making due today. I bought a FunPass-that's a one-day unlimited Metrocard ($7). I'll be having lunch with friends ($9-10). I'm going to the comic store, but I think I have credit there ($20)-I hope so because otherwise I can't get anything. And the FunPass will get me home again.
If this works, maybe I should stop carrying everything else altogether. Or maybe I should manacle them to my ankle so I don't have to worry about it.
That's all well and good. Every so often I pare down what I carry, striving to bring only the essentials-driver's license, Metrocard (that's the subway fare card, for those of you not from NY), my company ID, my debit card, one credit card, and then some business cards between them (since you're not supposed to lump too many magnetic-strip cards altogether). These live in the front left pocket of my jeans, along with cash-my keys are in that silly “what do I really need this for again?” coin pocket on the right side.
Last night we booked our hotel for our Kansas trip. I had changed to shorts when I got home so I went and grabbed my credit card from my jeans. I pulled most of the cards at once because it was easier.
Can you guess where this is going yet?
This morning I left for work as usual. My daughter was particularly clingy this morning-she really didn't want me to go-so I was running a hair late. At the front door I checked for my keys. Check. Locked the door behind me, returned the keys to the coin pocket, patted my other pocket for ID, felt the clip on my company ID. Check. Hat, check. Cell phone in side pocket (I love carpenter pants), check. Off we go.
Ten minutes later I get to the subway station, climb the long flight of stairs, reach for my Metrocard-and it's not there.
That's right, it's with the rest of my cards. Back in my shorts. Whee.
Now, I had my company ID, the one thing I would absolutely have to go back for if I left it behind (okay, I have forgotten it once before and managed to get in but it's a pain, esp. since we have the kind of doors you need ID to get OUT of as well). But no Metrocard. And no mon-wait, what's this? I had a twenty in my other pocket, where I keep emergency cash. I'd actually known about that when heading out, because I thought to myself “I've only got two bucks left here [left side] but I've got the twenty here [right side] for lunch.” I had my keys, my company ID, and a twenty. And that's it.
So, rather than go back home to get my cards again, I'm making due today. I bought a FunPass-that's a one-day unlimited Metrocard ($7). I'll be having lunch with friends ($9-10). I'm going to the comic store, but I think I have credit there ($20)-I hope so because otherwise I can't get anything. And the FunPass will get me home again.
If this works, maybe I should stop carrying everything else altogether. Or maybe I should manacle them to my ankle so I don't have to worry about it.
posted by Gryphon Rose @ 6:56 AM
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