Cha-cha-cha! A love letter to the person who invented the PAP

The glory that is the pre-authorized payment never ceases to astound me.

I love how I don't have to do anything. I love how it lets me budget, both from a time and a money perspective. I love that it means I don't have to kill trees by writing a cheque (and really, how retro are cheques?).

I have paid all my bills that can't be PAP'ed, except for my VISA, which I only paid half of this week.

I don't know if any of you have expenses that have to be filed for work, but I am so [insert expletive here] fed up with our system. We have to file and code via an online program, and then submit the receipts. I did that, yet Tweedledee and Tweedledon't in our accounting group can't seem to process expenses in a timely fashion. I'm stuck carrying the balance until I get my expenses paid back from work. I admit to having thrown a major (polite) temper tantrum over it, resulting in work agreeing that THEY will pay the interest charges since Numbskull and Dimwit can't work a software program!

I *hate* when I can't pay my balance off in full. It's not just a personal pet peeve - I hate the idea of paying interest on something I've purchased outright. Such a stupid thing to do! It's like chewing a stick of gum again!

Anyways, my outgoing for the month so far has been as follows:

Rent (utilities incl.) - $927.81
Cable (incl. cable, home phone and internet - discount bundled) - $138.00
Cell Phone - $59.28
Insurance - $20.70
Health Club - $61.96
Trainer - $62.33
VISA - $246.92
Transit - $22.50
Bank Fee - $12.95

So, my outgoing has amounted to (pass the O2 and praise the spreadsheet!) $1,552.45.

Boy, am I glad I get paid well for what I do!

Seriously though, I so do not like that number. Analysing the costs, of course, I know I could live without my gym membership (the trainer thing is a PAP that let me do my personal training without shelling out the full amount for my trainer at one time). I could live without cable (though my fellow city-dwellers would be in peril, since it relaxes my already-wound-for-sound self).

But I don't want to. I like my cable package and when the weather isn't nice, I do use the gym almost every day.

Incidentally, I didn't make it to the gym at all this week - I have been so tired, it's crazy. I did, however, lift weights and do stretching and squats'n'lunges at home while watching tv. I also did some major walks, so I don't feel too bad about not achieving that goal.