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Eleven measly days. That’s how far I got into this farce known as “Sober January” before the demons inside of me decided that enough was enough.
You know the friends from college that you never really talk to anymore? The ones that you still trade comments with on Instagram from time to time but certainly aren’t going out of your way to visit or telephone to catch up? A friend like that popped up on my doorstep last Thursday night from New York City. That’s right. The city of apples, baby. He’s a nice enough guy, but for some odd reason, the relationship we had in college that centered around drinking lethal amounts of alcohol and doing drugs just didn’t last once we graduated.
He had given me two hours notice that he would be crashing on my couch for the weekend, and while I considered telling him that I was participating in Sober January and I wouldn’t be able to hit the town with him, I threw caution to the wind and ended the facade on Thursday night.
I don’t like to talk about my finances. I find people who discuss their personal wealth in public settings to be gauche, uncultured swine. But since this is a semi-regular column about people spending money, I’ll play ball just this once.
Thursday
What I Spent:
– Dinner at Yuzu Sushi, $34.18
– 2014 Woop Woop Shiraz, $12.06
– Illegal drugs, $30
Me, my NYC friend, and two others went to a BYOB sushi restaurant near my apartment. We drank three and a half bottles of wine and ate a lot of sushi. I bought some weed about an hour after we got home from the restaurant and we ended the night playing ping pong in my basement.
How I Saved:
I didn’t spend any money on cabs because I’m really trying to walk more in 2018. It was damn near 50 degrees on Thursday night when we walked from my apartment to the restaurant, but it was fucking miserable by the time we left. The temperature hovered around 25 when we walked back home.
We also called it a night after dinner, which meant that I didn’t have to spend any money on after-dinner drinks at a bar.
Where I Should’ve Saved:
I definitely did not need to buy weed when we arrived home from dinner, but I didn’t have any booze in my house and the night was still relatively young following dinner. I decided rather than bare the elements to go buy beer or make my entire party walk to a bar, I’d bring the party to us and just smoke a little dope. Whatever. It was fun and I don’t regret it one bit.
Friday
What I Spent:
– Anti-oxidant smoothie,$ 7.95
– Two (2) tickets to Phantom Thread, $30.30
– Popcorn, $8.95
– Lyft, $12.50
How I Saved:
No trip to the bar on Friday night because my friend from NYC was out with a lady friend of his. Didn’t see him. It was absolutely huge not having to open up my bank account on Saturday morning and see a cool hundred dollars was spent at a bar I don’t remember being at. I also had 50% off rides with Lyft this entire weekend so $12.50 for rides to the theater and back home wasn’t bad at all.
Where I Should’ve Saved:
So I worked from home on Friday. My friend who was staying with me wasn’t meeting up with this girl until later on in the evening and he is a member at Equinox. Luckily he had a guest pass for me and I got a really nice workout in for free. The eucalyptus towels are fucking amazing and I even got to take a steam post-workout. Also saw Michael Shannon doing squats but I was too afraid to go up and talk to him. He’s actually pretty tall in person. Anyway, I probably didn’t need to buy an overpriced smoothie at the bar inside of the gym, but I was feeling bougie and I wanted it. No regrets.
Saturday
What I Spent:
– Lyft, $15.06
How I Saved:
My parents came to the city because it was my dad’s birthday. Other than my Lyft rides to and from their hotel in the loop, I paid for absolutely nothing. We had a great dinner at an Italian spot in Old Town and drank until around midnight. Good times were had by all.
Where I Should’ve Saved:
I guess I could have taken public transportation to and from the Palmer House hotel, but I splurged because I had that 50% off code and I knew I wasn’t going to be paying for anything this day.
Sunday
What I Spent:
– Jets Pizza, $12.00
– Coca-Cola classic (20 oz. bottle), $1.75
– Coin operated laundry, $2.00
– Flight to Washington D.C. next month, $229
How I Saved:
I split an extra large pizza with two of my roommates. It would have been economically irresponsible as well as extremely unhealthy for me to order Jet’s Pizza by myself. If you’ve never had Jet’s or heard of it before, it’s deep dish pie and it’s really fucking good and very filling. Washing it down with an ice-cold Coca-Cola was nothing short of perfection.
Where I Should’ve Saved:
I should have gone to my girlfriend’s place to do laundry because she’s got an in-home unit, but I felt like watching the divisional football games and I knew she wouldn’t be down for that.
I’m visiting a couple of friends in D.C. next month and I’m really fucking excited for it. I haven’t ravaged the Georgetown bar scene since I was an intern on the hill. Southwest didn’t have anything cheaper than the $229 nonstop flight so I bit the bullet and just bought one.
Total: $395.75 .
Respond
jduda@grandex.co
damn duda i didn’t know you burned
spliffs only
Smoking up and playing ping pong all night is the move.
8-corner pizza from jets is the move
Turbo crust or gtfo
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted here.. turbo is the only way
Care to help out an uninformed East Coaster? I imagine I’m not the only one wondering what Turbo crust is
Spent the weekend in NOLA for a bachelor party. I’m too scared to add it up
Dinner at Orso’s?
Topo Gigio
Great choice. Glad y’all enjoyed.
Moneyyyy… it’s a trip
If you’re in Georgetown, hit ya boy up. Let’s get some drinks
Jets is the GOAT don’t @ me
Jets is very good and an absolutely solid chain but, especially in Chicago, is certainly isn’t the GOAT.