Shoes and Surprises

Every other Friday=Bill Day.
I generally dread this day.
Receiving one's paycheck is supposed to be a glorious day.  A day full of hope for what the next 2 weeks may bring.  Not for me.
The day begins with me picking up my paycheck before work...working till 11:30p...then coming home by midnight only to have to sit down with the monster and delegate where my money is to go.
The monster has always used the "envelope" method.  This method is where you cash your check, bring the cash home, then separate the money into different envelopes for different things.
My envelopes are as follows:
1. Car Insurance
2. Cell Phone
3. Medical/Co-Pay
4. Spa/Wax
5. Comcast
6. Savings
7. Car Repairs
8. Misc.
Once money is placed in each envelope I am then giving gas money and allowance (monster calls it "blow money").  This is to last me until my next check.
We got through and count the amount of money in each envelope...record it on the outside so she knows I'm not "stealing" any and she then makes me recount the ways I spent my blow money over the previous 2 weeks.
I try and rush her as much as I can so these nights can get pretty heated.  She can't understand why I fight against her so much.  For instance, we got in a fight over cable.  Yes, TV.
One of the only things I demanded when I moved here was that I have HBO and Showtime.  The vi bitched and moaned cus it is more money, but I'd be paying so once again he makes no sense.
She begins to tell me that I am going to have a big shock when I move out.  I won't be able to have cable and most likely I'll have to decide over my cell or my Internet.
Oh hell no.
I laughed at her.  She wanted to show me what it was going to be like and have my cable shut off in a month. I was pissed to say the least.  She was not going to shut that off.  I freaked out.
She smirked.  Oh that bitch was loving the fact she had gotten me riled up.
She said she'll leave it on.  I then followed that comment by saying, "And I'll have it when I move.  I will find a way."
I personally don't think I fight against her enough.

This past Friday was my bonus check.  YAY!
Extra money means extra things she wants me to get.  On my list is shoes.
I have a shoe fetish.
I have bought shoes that will never touch pavement.  I can last for hours in a shoe store.  So when she said the word I perked up and became little miss sunshine kiss ass.
I was given $150 for shoes to which I planned on spending Monday with my friend Kate.

Sunday came.
Monster needed a coupon for future shopping and had me look it up on the store website.  She requested I get this coupon for her.  I went along with her excitement over this 10% off coupon until the end when I looked at her and said,
"Great...so would you like me to forward this to your email at work so you can print it?"
"What do you mean?  You can't?"
"If I was Harry Potter I'm sure I could, but last time I checked I didn't have a printer."

My plan succeeded.  The next words out of her mouth were "Take $100 and get a printer. I saw them for sale at Walmart."
Shoes and new technology.
Now of course this blessing of money came with the usual confusion of I can get shoes, but I can't spend it all.
 
Monday is here!
I meet Kate at her house and we go shopping crazy!
Bob's, Payless, Walmart, Five Guys Burgers for lunch.
I get home a little bit before the monster and spread my bounty out on my bed.  7 pairs of shoes and a deskjet wireless HP printer I bought for $56.
The deals I got were amazing.
I came home with with a little under $50.
The monster comes upstairs, stops at my door, and gawks at the items on my bed.
She is in awe.  Things come out of her mouth like..."I can't believe it."
"You actually bargain shopped."
"I actually have to give you credit."
But of course, she has to throw in, "I guess this was just a lucky day for you."
No, not lucky, it's called maturity and shopping savvy.  Something she doesn't think I have or ever had.
I guess I'll just have to take my small victories as they come to me.