Out from the Shadows: Part Two or "My Affair with Ulysses"

So the secret is out on my brother. He's a cheapskate. Don't worry Clay, you're miserly ways are going to be my guiding star.

You see, me and The Mister of the House have decided to try a little experiment. After reading an article about a family that decided to spend no money for a month (or at least try), then coming across the blog of a coupon queen who kept a strict budget even as a free-wheelin' college student, along with the constant example of my penny-pinching (or at least penny-whining) brother, I've decided to spare myself and family with the constant swipe of the plastic. Credit and debit included.

Hello basic math skills, let's get some practice counting change, adding bills, because we're going green for all of these purchases. CASH ONLY PLEASE:

• Groceries
• Gasoline
• Entertainment

This is my new boyfriend. I go for the ornery distinguished older men...with power. Former President Ulysses S. Grant, will you please make sure I don't live off Top Ramen and get bloated?

Every Monday, I'm withdrawing this bad boy from the bank and hoping he'll make it to Saturday. For all my: groceries, gas, and entertainment.

Oh Andrew, Ulysses was a bore! I had to exchange him for a little fun. Will you promise to stay with me until the end of the week? I'm tickling his chin. He's sort of smiling back, I think he likes it.

This is me on Tuesday after my hour-long primping routine in the morning. I'm already down five bucks after feeding me and the offspring with a five-dollar footlong. Thank you Subway.

Now it's Wednesday, and after being out of milk and bananas (the offspring's staple) I ran to the store. Only 30 bucks left and the local artisan gift market this weekend! Ahhhh!

So I'm still writing checks for my bills, but throughout the coming weeks we'll be analyzing to see if they are really essential, and they might be given the boot. Bills allowed:

• Heat and Utilities
• Power
• Student Loan (still!)
• Insurance
• Cable and Internet (cable?)
• Telephone
• Cell Phone (do we need both a landline and a cell phone?)
• Netflix (Where else can we get Monarch of the Glen and those crazy documentaries we love?)
• Mortgage

Since The Mister of the House works overtime and is out and about being a worker guy, we've thrown him a twenty to cover his lunches and expensive beverage choices (maybe time to switch to water buddy, I mean sweetie-pie).

As a safety net, we'll allow ONE REFUEL of ONE CAR per month, and a possible $100 splurge for Christmas gaps (we've mostly got it done though).

Am I already cheating? I'm scared. Does anyone want to be one of Clay's 'skates with me?