The Plot Thickens...

I'm going to get to those FAQpons ASAP - Promise - But first, let me just say that I have started to encounter some possible entanglements with my rules and they are not sitting pretty with me.

So the other day I get an email from one of my college friends saying she's going to be back in Alabama for a few weeks this summer and she hopes to see us all. She moved to Utah immediately after she got married in November of 2007 and I haven't seen her since May 2008 at her sister's wedding! So I am all excited to see her for the first time in a year and then it dawns on me: I CAN'T GO BECAUSE I CAN'T BUY GAS!

My husband says this is ridiculous and of course I will just go and see my friend.

But I think that is failing the experiment, clearly and simply, and I am determined not to go into this with failure falling immediately after the commencement of the experiment!

So I've been wracking my brain, trying to come up with the solution for this problem and I just can't seem to find one. No one around here gives gas coupons. And what's so crappy is that it would only have to be for like, $0.25 off to count, but OOOOH NOOOO.

So.

Here is what I have decided my two options are:

1. Search the internets high and low to come up with some sort of gas coupon and hope to God that if I find one, it is for gas stations in my area.
2. Use a gift card I already own and buy gas outside the Walmart.

The second option seems like cheating to me. I mean, it's NOT a coupon. But it's not spending money, either, so it doesn't really go outside of the literal constraints of the experiment. But then that opens the door to all types of things, like buying the stuff I want (i.e. meat and fresh veg) with gift cards while buying the dry goods with coupons. And I don't want to go down the slippery slope but I reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaally want to see my friend.

I did not expect to have such a real life dilemma this early on, but here it is.

T-minus 27 days until I need a solution!

Also - don't forget to send me your ideas for "challenges"! Although this whole "trying to see a college friend with no gas" might be the best one yet. :-D