Blog Challenge Day 10: Extreme Couponing

Alright, the title is a bit of an exaggeration but I have seen the light and it shines with savings.  Although I think this officially makes me (as my great aunt lovingly called me) an old married lady, I have become a couponer.  In no way am I anything like the people seen on TLC's Extreme Couponing show.  However the savings I've seen in the few months since I've starting "couponing" have made me a believer.  I just wish I hadn't waited this long to start!

One day the hubs and I were relaxing at home when we heard a knock at our apartment door.  On the other side was a teenage kid selling newspaper subscriptions as part of a fund-raiser.  Although at first it seemed like a scam, after looking at the literature presented to him, my husband took pity on the poor guy and signed us up to receive The Orlando Sentinel.  Although, I really don't read the paper much (I get most of my local news from their website and twitter feed) I definitely look forward to the days when it is filled with savings. 

The Sunday paper is by far the most useful to me.  Not only does it contain booklets of coupons but it also holds sale flyer's for the week. I spend a couple hours each week matching up my coupons with sales for the products I need.  I have been able to save a lot of money and has definitely been worth the cost of the newspaper delivery.  Most of the stores where I currently shop not only print the savings on the receipt but the cashiers seem to delight in telling me how much I've saved in my shopping trip.  Once on the show, the woman featured explained the "high" she got from couponing.  I thought that was kind of silly or maybe strictly reserved for those who get out of the grocery store paying 2 cents for $500 worth of groceries.  However, I have definitely felt the excitement of a good bargain and savings.  On a recent shopping trip to Walgreens, I couldn't help but smile as my register reward coupons just kept on printing and printing. When the cashier looked at me and said, "you're not going to pay anything for this!" and I knew I'd made it.  Ha!  I know this sounds really mundane but in these difficult economic times especially as a newlywed couple just starting out, anything we can do to save money and better our situation and future is honestly cause for excitement.     

As a new couponer, I have caught myself purchasing way too much of something because I felt like I couldn't pass up a good deal.  Luckily this hasn't happened with anything that will expire or that I won't use eventually.  However I can understand how the people featured on the show end up with the "stockpiles" that they do.  I've struggled with feeling like I need to take advantage of a deal because I worry if it will be offered again at a time when I need the particular product.  However, I've found that most stores offer these deals often and that maybe I don't need to use the coupon this month.  In the same vein, many companies seem to distribute coupons for the same products month after month.

No matter how extreme my couponing may (but won't) get, I'm glad that I've started finding ways to save our family money.  I know that the tips and tricks I'm learning now will help me in the future.  I'm sure that this will not be the worst of times financially for us and I want to have the tools and experience I'll need as the needs of my family change and fluctuate. 

Thanks for reading.

BC10-8/8

Blog Challenge Day 9: Health/Fitness/Wellness: Healthy Alternatives

This is the first post of the Health/Fitness/Wellness series.

Healthy Alternatives

Living a healthy lifestyle can sometimes seem extremely difficult to us normal people.  What we see in the media often tells us that to truly be healthy, we need to take extreme measures.  I personally find that the best way to begin and stick with healthy lifestyle changes is to start by making small adjustments.  Not only will they make a big difference but actually making the positive change is so helpful to your esteem.  In this particular post, I'll be discussing small changes that I have made in my diet recently that have been beneficial to my overall health. 

I have been on a lot of "diets" in my life.  Although I have been successful using some "diet" techniques, I'm finding that since I don't have many actual pounds to lose and am mostly just trying to be healthier in general, that these diets don't really work for me.  I'll lose a few pounds and be satisfied but not necessarily any more healthy.  And once I go off the diet, the weight tends to come right back.  This is why recently I've decided to stop counting calories or trying different fad diets and instead make simple, positive adjustments to my eating habits.  Here are a few changes I've made this summer that I'd like to pass on to you.

1) Sandwich Condiment

          Old Choice: Mayonnaise                 New Choice: Hummus

 

I have always loved hummus and will often pair it with pita chips as a snack or meal.  I am an avid viewer of NBC's The Biggest Loser and one of the tips they gave during an episode was to replace mayonnaise with hummus.  Perfect! I thought...I've been looking for something to use instead of mayo and this was a great choice.  It took a few days to get used to the flavor difference but now that I'm used to it, I probably wouldn't go back to mayo given the opportunity.  Hummus is made primarily from chickpeas which are a good source of protein and good fats.  Also, although recently I have been finding great deals on store bought hummus, it is not difficult to make.  It only takes a few simple ingredients and a food processor.  Other popular mayonnaise replacements are guacamole and avocado.

2) Dessert

Old Choice: Ice Cream                         New Choice: Low fat fruit smoothies.

 

Anyone who knows me well knows I love ice cream!  It is definitely my favorite treat and something that I can (and did) eat every day.  Even though I always tried to buy light ice cream, I knew it was still something that I shouldn't be eating every single day.  Another wall that I constantly have difficulty breaking down in my quest for health is the fact that I do not like fruit.  For me it is a texture issue.  I love the flavor of almost any fruit but for some reason my palate cannot handle the textures.  It has always been frustrating for me because so many fruits have great health benefits but I can't seem to make myself like to eat them.  One day while grocery shopping my husband and I came across the frozen fruits (probably while we were looking for ice cream...ha!).  He made the great suggestion to try fruit smoothies instead of ice cream for dessert.  What a great way to (try to) get me off my ice cream addiction and get more fruit into my diet.  Yay!  And it has been working out well.  I'm still getting my sweet, cold after dinner treat while consuming good calories and fruits with natural sugars and antioxidants.

3) Sweet lunch treat

Old Choice: It depended on what was on sale and/or in the pantry)

New Choice: Greek Yogurt!

 

Some people might argue that I am obsessed with Greek yogurt and that is because I kind of am.  I loveeeeee me some Greek yogurt.  Most single portion Greek yogurts contain around 14 grams of protein in only around 140 calories! Great, right?!  Its a great way to get more protein in your diet and more of those natural sugars since Greek yogurt is not overly sweetened (real or artificial) like regular yogurts.  And luckily, I'm not the only person who has jumped on the Greek yogurt train.  Many currently popular yogurt brands have added Greek yogurt to their repertoire.  As well as a few new (to me) brands becoming easily found in regular grocery stores.  I have tried almost every brand of Greek yogurt (thanks to coupons from my mom) and decided that my first choice is still Chobani.  Yum Yum Yum!  They have many different flavors that my husband and I both enjoy.

Most of these changes I've made were based on recommendations.   Although I am so very far from having a perfectly healthy diet, I hope that my recommendations are able to help you fuel your body in the healthiest ways possible.  I would love to hear some of the "healthy alternatives" that you've incorporated into your diet to help foster a healthier lifestyle.

Thanks for reading.

BC9-8/7

Blog Challenge Day 8: Looking forward

After my "writer's block" issue yesterday.  I've decided that I think doing a couple of "serial" blog posts might help me find some focus for my writing.  I have two in mind that I will begin as part of the challenge and hope to continue once this challenge is over.

1) Health, Wellness & Fitness
This series in particular will hopefully be on-going as there is always something to write about on these subjects.  They are very important to me and are things that I think about everyday.  I spend time doing research and implementing the things I learn on these topics into my life.  Although I am far from perfect when it comes the my health, wellness and fitness, it is very important to me.  I also feel it is important to share the things that I learn with others and hopefully help them improve theses areas of their lives as well.

2) Newlywed: A year in review
Since I wanted to blog throughout the entire first year of our marriage and I didn't, I guess blogging about it will have to suffice.  I wanted to document our first year in this way so that I would have the memories forever.  I also want to do it in case reading about the ups and downs of our first year might be beneficial to other couples beginning a marriage.  I absolutely love being married and want to share our first wonderful year with everyone.

If you have any other ideas for a series I could write on, please let me know.  I hope you'll enjoy these and that you'll keep me accountable to continue working on them.

Thanks for reading.

BC8-8/6

Blog Challenge Day 7: Writer's Block

Finishing the last entry in a journal I wrote to my husband for six years of our relationship - My gift to him on our wedding day

Well it took a week, but its happened. I hit a bit of a wall in my challenge. Fortunately as I have been working on blog posts this week, the ideas for the subject of the posts and the content have come to me pretty easily. However, as I sit down to write right now, I don't really know what I want to say. The problem with blogging without a specific focus or topic is that if no profound thoughts have gone through your head, or nothing meaningful has happened, you may not feel like you have much to say. At least, nothing that would really hold the interest of a reader.

I recently read an article on how to combat writers block but a lot of it wasn't necessarily applicable to me. It was an article to assist those writing blogs but it catered more to those who's blogs have a specific subject or following. Also that they have other social networks to fall back on for responses or questions coming from their readers. As I never expect this to have any sort of real following, that wasn't too helpful to me.

Also, this particular time, this feels less like a block and more like a "swirling." I have many disconnected thoughts and ideas going through my head and can't seem to find any way to lasso them together into something concise and focused. Obviously this is bound to happen but it is still frustrating. I plan to "journal" more throughout my days in order to put my ideas on paper. I hope that this will 1)help to get them to stop swirling around my mind 2)remember them when I sit down to write and 3)give me a place to begin to connect my thoughts before beginning a post. I know this is a popular writing exercise as well as one to relieve anxiety about forgetting things.

I hate feeling mediocre as a writer but obviously with the small amount of study and practice I've had, I can't really expect to much of myself. I just hope that this challenge and my efforts to work on my writing in general will help me improve.

What are some strategies you use when you feel that you have writers block (or swirl)? Is there a trade secret I don't know about? Fill me in!

Thanks for reading.

BC7-8/5

Blog Challenge Day 6: Sleep

Ahhh...I missed a day! Lameeee. Sorry everyone, this is "yesterday's" post to make up for it. I'll get caught back up I promise.

So on to the reason why I didn't post yesterday. Sleep. I had a long day yesterday doing stuff around the house, spending some time with friends and working. By the time I got home I was so exausted that I could barely keep my eyes open long enough to put pj's on and brush my teeth. Pretty much anyone who knows me relatively well knows that I love to sleep. I sleep somewhere between 8-12 hours a night and often nap during my lunch break during the day. It is definitely one of my favorite activities and that is not something of which I am ashamed. Over time I have discovered the importance of "rest" for your body, mind and soul.

When I was in college, I honestly didn't have enough time to truly "rest." As most college students do, I got involved in so many things and with that on top of my school work, my mantra was often, "I'll sleep when I'm dead." Since I was younger and able to function on fewer of those precious "z's," it wasn't too much of a problem and is not something I regret. Now that I'm a little bit older and little less busy, I've definitely gained a new appreciation for rest. Mind you, I don't mean sloth, I mean legitimate rest. It is so important for your body to recover from whatever you may have done during the day. For me, my job is physically strenuous so my body needs that extra recovery time. I have learned to listen to my body in this sense. Now I am able to stop and let it rest without guilt.

It is also equally important to let your mind rest as well. I am someone who's mind is almost constantly "going." I'm always thinking about something, worrying about something or trying to plan something. Honestly, this can sometimes be more exhausting than physical labor. Very recently, I've really started noticing how important it is to rest my mind. When my mind is tired, I get cranky and anxious which is the opposite of what my mind needs at the time. This is something I'm still working on however because often when I try to rest, I find my mind wondering because I am not distracting it with other things.

Resting my soul is something I am just starting to understand. I have always been a person who prays but other ways that people can meditate on the Bible or just "wait on or rest in the Lord" is something I have not yet learned to do. This is something I hope to work on and hope that it will help me be able to "rest" physically and mentally as well. Last night, I knew that I needed to rest and the honestly my blog post would probably have suffered due to my exhaustion. That is why I decided that is was important to put this off until today.

Make sure you take the time out of each day of your life (when you can) to rest your body, mind and soul.

Thanks for reading.

BC6-8/4

Blog Challenge Day 5: "Back to school...back to school..."

The husband and me at my college graduation - May 2008

So after spending six years completing my undergraduate degree (due to transferring schools and doing an internship), I've decided to return to the halls of academia. Or in my case, my laptop. Ever since graduating, I knew I wanted to go back to school for my graduate degree but was really unsure of what degree I wanted to obtain. I looked into programs in the same field of study as my undergraduate degree. I found many programs of high esteem as well as cost. When discussing my prospects with my husband (boyfriend at the time), he asked me what I was going to do with this degree. He was concerned that I would not be able to find a job with another degree in the media field and rightly so. I graduated 2 1/2 years ago and still have not been able to find any job with which I would use my undergraduate degree. I researched a bit and found that the best prospect for someone holding a graduate degree in this field, in the current economy would be teaching at the undergraduate level. So I somewhat let the subject go. Because I could barely find part time employment at the time, graduate school was definitely not in the budget.

However after the all the craziness of getting a new job, planning a wedding and moving last year had ended, I felt that urge to return to school again. One thing I love about being married, is that you always have someone to bounce your ideas off and give you another perspective on any life choices. Also that you don't (and shouldn't) make any of these choices alone. After doing some research, presenting my ideas and discussing the topic with my ever-supportive husband, I decided that I would apply to pursue a degree in Non-Profit Management at the University of Central Florida. I am fortunate enough that I found a program that is conducted completely online. I get the benefit of taking online classes and therefore keep my full time employment - one of my husband's (and my) stipulations for enrolling in a program. The university being so close gives me piece of mind that if I ever need to handle any school-related matters in person, it will be easy for me to do so. A win-win. I was also fortunate enough to receive enough financial aid to cover the costs. It would have been impossible for us to pay for school out of pocket so this is truly a blessing.

So here I go! Terrified because the classes I will be taking will be very new and different to me and excited because this will hopefully give me a way to enter the field I have wanted to work in for a long time. I have a lot riding on this (mostly promising my husband that I WILL get a job in this field) and I'm really hoping that this will get my professional life back on track.

If you're interested in the program I will be beginning this month (yikes!), check it out here.

Thanks for reading.

BC5-8/3

Blog Challenge Day 4: Book Club

As much as I'm sure you all lovvvveee my introspective ramblings, I thought I'd change things up a bit. So here's a few book reviews and recommendations for you. Don't worry there won't be any spoilers!

1) My favorite book of all time Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Oh I love this book so much, I think I've read it three times! I was given a copy by one of my favorite teachers for my high school graduation. I started reading it a few days later and read it within 48 hours. The first night I stayed up until 5am (what!?) reading because it is that good. Its the only book I've ever read that I literally could not put down. Whenever I recommend it to others, I always give them a warning. "Make sure you have about two days you can spend reading this book because it will take over your life until you finish it."

Here is a brief description taken from Wikipedia:

"Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers is a historical romance novel set in the 1850s Gold Rush in California. The story is inspired by the book of Hosea from the Bible. Its central theme is to portray the redeeming love of God towards sinners."

What I love so much about this book, is not only is it a wonderfully written but that it brings a biblical story into a different time period. It makes for a unique setting and shows that the themes in this story transcend time and culture. It is definitely a must read!

2) My recent/current favoriteJulie & Julia by Julie Powell

I have to admit that I did see this movie before reading the book but honestly it didn't ruin either experience for me. I absolutely loved the movie. Not only are the performances of the story spectacular but its one of the only movies that makes me cry and laugh, sometimes at the same time. Its such a wonderfully emotional story that bridges the gap between these two amazing women. To those who have seen the movie, you should definitely read the book because it is just as good, if not better.

Here is a brief description taken from Wikipedia:

"While working for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in August 2002, Powell began the Julie/Julia Project, a blog chronicling her attempt to cook all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.The blog quickly gained a large following, and Powell signed a book deal with Little, Brown and Company. The resulting book, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, was published in 2005.The paperback edition was retitled Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously."

One of the things I love about this book is that Julie is a character (person) that is easy to relate to. She is someone that I understand, a real person. Granted she is a "real" person and not only a character in the book/movie, I mean real in the sense that she shows her true self in her story. Honestly, I feel the way about her that she seems to feel about Julia in the book/blog. Julie Powell's candid retelling of her year with Julia is very fun to read as well as an inspiring story. Check out the blog that started the whole thing The Julie/Julia Project. (It starts at the end of the project so you'll have navigate back to start at the beginning).

3) Currently reading

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

This book was lent to me by my mother-in-law who borrowed it from her sister. I plan on passing it along to my mom and then maybe my sister as well because it is a great book. I'm glad that it was given to me because I probably wouldn't have happened upon it on my own. It is another historical fiction based on an actual event. (I'm seeing a trend here)

Here is a brief description taken from the author's website:
"One Thousand White Women begins with May Dodd's journey west into the unknown. A government program, in which women are brought west as brides for the Cheyenne, is her vehicle. What follows is the story of May's adventures: her marriage to Little Wolf, chief of the Cheyenne nation, and her conflict of being caught between two worlds, loving two men, living two lives. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time."

What I enjoy most about the book is the personalization of history. By writing the book in the form of letters and journals, it gives you a character to attach to and see the story through her eyes. If you do pick it up, (which I recommend that you do) the "authors note" and "introduction" are must reads. It gives a better understanding as to how this story was created. I'm only about half way through the book but I've only been reading it for a few days. If you'd like my full review after I've finish, feel free to ask!

I hope you've enjoyed my recommendations and don't find this post too boring. I'd love to hear some of your book recommendations too!

Thanks for reading.

BC4-8/2