I've Got The Saving Money Thing Down, Not So Much The Shrinking Part :/

I have not updated my blog in a LONG time. I am sorry about that. I am trying to prepare for this cruise, more financially than anything else. When I started this blog I had mentioned that I weighed 178lbs, I now weigh in at 166lbs, so I lost weight, but not nearly as much as I would of liked by this time. So, I really need to get my butt in gear, December is going to be here before I know it!!

However, I think I have almost mastered my couponing skills! I am going to upload a video shortly of an amazing trip to Kroger and I am wanting to do a short video about stretching a dollar at CVS. I also want to post my healthy find of the week on here as well. So hopefully I can stay on track and there will be a lot to look forward to on my future blog post!

Let's Talk Couponing!

So, let's talk about saving money, since I am not doing to good on staying on track with my diet. I have a passion for saving money. I truly think I eat, sleep, and breathe coupons. It started off as just a way to get a "high" at the store every once in a while. Then bills just kept adding up and seemed like one thing lead to another and before we knew it we were shoulder deep in debt. Now I coupon to survive. I love it though! I feel proud when my husband hands me $50 for groceries and I can come back with a trunk full. So I am going to share with you some recent "hauls" I have made and hopefully get you in the money saving mood as well. For anyone who doesn't know OOP means: out of pocket...coupon lingo ;)

OK, the above picture is from April 25th. This is a Kroger haul, I got 5 Dawn dish soaps, 2 Nestle Nido dry milk, 2 bags of Dad's cat food, 96 ct Kroger brand diapers, 72ct tub of Kroger baby wipes, a canister of Kroger little puff snacks, 1 French's hoseradish mustard, 2 bottle of Country Bob's sauce, 1 bottle Vlasic relish, 6 sticks of Speed stick deodorant, and 2 little peanut M&M's Easter canes. OOP: $5.67

This is a Family Dollar haul that I did yesterday, May 5th. I got 32loads of Gain. Tortilla shells. refired beans, q-tips, 2 sticks of lady speed stick, 1 pk of Bic lighters, Reach dental floss, Sun dish washing tabs OOP:$11.59

This is a Dollar General trip. I got 1 pk Bic razors, 1 Reach toothbrush, 1 bottle of Head and Shoulders, and 2pks of Kiss nails. OOP: $1.54. 

Lastly, this is a Wal-Mart run. This little trip to Wal-Mart reminded my why I usually avoid that place at all cost (The cashiers all seem to hate couponers). So, this trip I got 2 bottle of ant killer, 4 boxes of pasta, and 2 boxes of fly strips. OOP: $4.59

These are just some examples of what you can get with coupons. I really do try to save my household as much money as possible, to hopefully help us out in the long run. 

I hope you get excited about saving as much as I do!!

~W

March of Dimes Walk

Yesterday was the 3 mile walk for the March of Dimes. I had a lot of fun, despite the cold rain. I completed the walk in under an hour. It was held at the OSU branch in Mansfield, OH and they were wonderful host. It truely was a wonderful facility. Also, breakfast was provided before the walk, and hot dogs and chips after the walk. We walked in honor of my nephew Avery. He was born at 23 weeks, weighing in at 1lb, 2oz. He definately has a special place in my heart and is quite the fighter. Our team was first time walkers and was able to raise $952! It was an awesome day and am looking forward to next years walk! Now enjoy pictures from the day!

Highbanks

This week has been a good exercise week (in my opinion). On Monday we went to Highbanks and did a nice hike (about 3 miles). Then I cut 1 minute, 20 seconds off my mile. Again I did the intervals, this time however I started off walking 1/4 miles, then ran 1/4 mile, then walked like half of the 1/4 and ran the rest of the time. I am hoping I at least lost another 2lbs this week. I will let you know on Sunday. On Saturday I will be walking in the March of Dimes walk. It is a 3mile walk. That will only help my exercise regiment for the week :)

So, I have decided that I need to step up my couponing. I am really stressing having enough money for vacation. I feel that if I am able to make a stockpile and not buy any groceries from September through the end of 2012 that will give enough time to save for souvenirs. I have a small stockpile of shampoo/conditioners and body wash. Hopefully, I am able to do this. So many goals I am working towards at once.

Disappointment

So I am really disappointed in myself. Last week I did not run at all. I guess I just had an off week. Today I weighed in at 172.3. Which means I did lose a few pounds. I found this article though: www.webmd.com/diet/guide/lose-weight-fast-how-to-do-it-safely and it did help me understand some things that I need to be doing and what not to do. I just still can't believe I let last week go by without doing any exercise at all. That is something that I really need to stick to. Today I did get on the treadmill and did a mile with intervals walking and jogging in 16 minutes and 45 seconds. Then I kept walking for half a mile more, just because. So I think with the encouragement from my sister and the article listed above, I will be able to run this 5k in June. Let's hope so.

~W

Glad I Did

Honestly today I was not even thinking about exercising or anything. I had to get up early this morning for work and then I came home and made dinner. (Yes! I actually made dinner, and not out of a box!) Then I had a mishap with my chair, so I was just kinda blah. Then I decided to watch my favorite show (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, yeah, yeah, I know.). While watching and folding laundry the treadmill was just there taunting me, so the show went off, I changed clothes and cut a minute and a half off my mile. Again today I did intervals of walking 1/4 mile, jogging 1/4 mile. It was nice though to see my time go down and see that I could push myself a little harder, even when I didn't feel like working out in the first place.

Now I must tell you about this chair. I put a pic of a chair similar to mine, except mine is blue and prettier. So, today I am sitting in my chair in the fully reclined position (Yes that chair reclines, it's amazing! I love it) and I remember that I haven't submitted my work that I did today. I lean over without sitting up to grab my laptop and shifted my weight just right that the chair sat up pinching my arm in between the back and the arm rest. My first reaction is to scream, which then freaks my husband out, then I start yelling for help, which he promptly comes over and pushes me back and lectures me about doing these kind of things and getting hurt. He then goes into an apology for getting stern with me. At that point I am in tears, not sure if the tears were from the pain or the sheer shock that my favorite chair tried to eat me! I just thought I would share that little now humerus story with you. Now I know, sit up in my chair before shifting my weight any which way.

~W

Sunday=Coupons!!!

Sunday is coupon day, and today must of been my lucky day because when I opened my newspaper they had slipped in an extra SmartSource insert for me. I also kept my date with my treadmill. I decided this morning to do intervals on my treadmill, so I ran (ok, more like jogged) 1/4 mile and than walked 1/4 mile. It took me 18 minutes to do 1 mile. So, I do need to improve on my time and distance. Today while with family, I decided I was going to run a 5k in June!!! What was I thinking? Anyways, it is something to keep me motivated, I am also looking at these stairs. I will share more about those another day however. Right now it's off to read a book before bed so I can get up early for my work week.

~W