Dammit. I really don't want to use my credit card any more than I absolutely have to. This is an emergency, though. I simply can not function without coffee till payday.

I have a new card that my bank gave me, just because I'm so super. It's an evil, evil card. The interest rate is higher than any of my other cards, and I can make it put cash in my checking account with one simple keystroke online. I know that's a dangerous road to even think about going down, and I'm certainly never, ever going to do it again. You know, unless it's an emergency.

The standard credit card guilt has a new spin on it right now. By mid-October, I'll be bringing home larger paychecks than at any previous point in my life. It's funny. I figured out that technically, I'm only getting a 50 cent raise. But, the leap from 35- or 38-hour weeks to 45-hour weeks means a net gain of about $8000/year. Woot.

Surely, that means I can afford to charge a $30 coffeepot, right? And while I'm there, I need water filters and new underwear and cat food and coffee beans and more pens and a new crossword book and shampoo...

OK, yes. I do in fact know exactly where in that list I should stop. Nickle and diming myself into debt is no less stupid than doing it all in one mad splurge. In fact, it's arguably even more stupid. If I went completely insane, and charged a flatscreen TV or something, in six months, I would know exactly why I was in debt.

Never, ever charge things that will be gone by the time the bill comes. I know this. It's completely obvious, right up there with "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line," or "Never promise Crazy a baby." It's really hard for me to remember it, though.


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