Day 7

This morning, I was getting ready to head to work with the wife and she mentioned that she was out of cash and needed to swing by an ATM. No problem, there are tons of ATM's between the house and the office. We dropped by the closest one and withdrew a hundred bucks. I don't know how other marriages work, but in my case, I earn the majority of the money and spend the minority. In fact, I don't even know where the money goes most of the time. We're not big spenders anyways, so I assume it's safe.


So today, like many before it, my wife got the cash and divvied it up. She usually needs more and so she'll often take sixty or even seventy percent of the pull. I have no problem with that. Today, however, I got ten bucks. It wasn't a punishment or a statement by her, though. Since I started this project, my daily expenditure is essentially zero. I eat breakfast and lunch at home and that's it. I don't eat dinner or munch on snacks. I don't buy coffee or candy, either. I don't have to ride the bus or train, nor do I have to take cab rides.

This was unforeseen for me. I didn't think that I'd be saving cash as a Buddhist. I mean, I knew my booze and cigarette expenses would disappear, but I didn't fathom this low-level of spending. Unforeseen yes, but totally crucial to the whole process. You see, ridding myself of earthly desires is easy to say, but harder to do. However, when you are forced to sacrifice everything that requires money, it becomes quite simple to go without.

I have ten dollars in my wallet. How long will it last?