Toystoryduo's Journal....Moving Forward From Here

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies.

I have been shoveling snow for the past two days and I am counting that as exercise. I shoveled my parents' driveway 2Xs yesterday and our driveway once yesterday and once today. Around 2:30 p.m. I'll need to go down and shovel my parents' driveway before my dad gets home from work. Ours will need to be done again too.

Yesterday's CVS trips were good! We spent less than $20 out of pocket, saved over $131, and earned $51 in Extra Care Bucks.

Today's Plan:

* Shovel (again! )
* Rewards Programs
* Clean up a bit
* Sort coupons (5 newspapers worth!)

Today should be our first zero spending day of the year! We plan on staying home and shoveling snow. No need to go out in this weather.

Have a great Monday!
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Barb~ Thanks! We ended up buying 4 more newspapers yesterday for a total of 5. We already saved the cost of the paper by using the BOGO coupon for Oust. That was a money maker at CVS! Plus, we still have all of the other great coupons as well.

Deb~ Thanks! I tried paid blogging last year and found that I just didn't have the time due to homeschooling and working for my DH's business. I'd love to get back to it and see if I can make money on it some day. If you have any tips or suggestions to share, that would be great!

 

[inkkognito]

Shoveling snow most definitely counts as exercise! That is a wicked workout...sounds like you're really getting hammered with the snow.

Good luck with the zero spending day. The weather just makes it that much easier

 

[lovinaz]

I do not envy all that shoveling you have to do! But I know it is quite a workout, so good job!

I thought Cloudy was cute. Did you see it in 3D?

 

[eyor44]

Thanks Lisa. So far, I have only earned 1 cent at SR this new year! Up until now, I haven't had any problems getting surveys, but I haven't been able to get one the past couple of days. I just started a new rewards program called Simple GPT. Right now, I'm just doing the paid clicks and that can earn you up to $2.00/day! If you multiply that by a 30 day month, that's $60 right there! If you want a referral, let me know.

Yes, Tracy, I would love the info. If you want to go ahead and send it, I just won't be able to do anything with it until after next week.

Love how you have your goals listed at the bottom.

 

[eyor44]

Yesterday's CVS trips were good! We spent less than $20 out of pocket, saved over $131, and earned $51 in Extra Care Bucks.

I am completely impressed with this. There just never seems to be the products I buy on sale that much. I do love CVS though and sometimes get great deals.

I bought three papers and then one of my guys brought in a huge stack to work this morning. Second one to pick up coupons at the airport as they were coming home on a Sunday. People buy papers and then just leave them lying around for others.

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies.

This is me right now. -> I am sooooo sore after all of that shoveling the past few days. No workout for me today, unless I do some stretching. I'm going to try and avoid shoveling, but if I don't help, that means my DH will be shoveling two driveways by himself. So I guess that means that I will probably shovel at some point today. Pain builds character, right?

Yesterday was my first no buy day! Boy was it hard. After shoveling, I wanted my DH to go top Taco Bell so badly. Then I realized two things:

1. I really didn't want Taco Bell. I just wanted to feed my poor me, I'm so tired and sore emotion. (I took a nap instead of eating.)

2. It's a no buy day which means buying nothing.

Today will not be a no buy day. Entertainment books are on sale through MP and I need to get one. I'm also going to buy two books from Amazon by Don Colbert: Seven Pillars of Health and I Can Do This Diet. I saw him on TV yesterday and a lot of what he said makes sense. Hopefully his books will be just as good.

After we drop the rental car off, my DH and I may go to Applebees for lunch if my MIL will watch the kids. We have a gift card so no out of pocket there.

Today is our first day back to homeschooling. The girls are having a hard time getting back on schedule so I think this will be a light week subject wise. We'll get back on to the full schedule next week.

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

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Barb~ Yep, we're getting hammered with snow. Over two feet and counting!

Amy~ We really liked Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. We didn't see it in 3-D, but I bet that was cool!

Lisa~ I sent you the info about Simple GPT. We have a total of 5 papers from Sunday. Our coupons are cut, but not filed yet. There were lots of good ones in this week's paper!

 

[eyor44]

Tracy
I received your PM. Thank you. I am going to hold it until I return next week.

Be careful with the snow shoveling, but what great exercise! I don't have any experience with shoveling snow, but if anyone needs any advice on raking leaves, then I'm your girl. I have lots of experience with leaves. They never stop falling.

Way to go on the No Buy Day!

 

[traceycooper]

well done on having a no buy day Tracy - could do with quite a few of those myself!!
All that shovelling must have burnt quite a few cals

 

[inkkognito]

Ouch, I can just imagine those sore muscles from shoveling. Sounds like a nice, hot bath is in order.

Good for you to realize where that Taco Bell craving was really coming from! Insights like that are great...they really help you stay on track because you can't argue with the logic and that turns it into a choice instead of just an automatic, self-appeasing act.

 

[solar]

Wow, great job at CVS - and great job on the "no buy" day!

I'd say shoveling absolutely counts for exercise.

As for the paid blogging, I did it a couple of years ago, but what i did find was that there were a lot more companies out there then most people realize, and by working with multiple companies I made more. I've not done it for quite awhile now, so not sure if those companies are all still in place.

 

[lovinaz]

I hope the snow stops soon so you can stop all that shoveling!

My kids are also having a hard time getting back on the school schedule. DS13 already told me he can't wait for it to be over, and that was on his first day back from Christmas break!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I hope your snow slows down so you can not have so much shoveling to do! I hate shoveling, lucky for me, ds does it all now. And I let him! He also does our neighbor whose husband died last year and I just sit inside with some hot tea and watch him!

I think coming back from Christmas break is so hard for kids. A long winter ahead and I know my kids are slow to get back in the groove.

Great job resisting Taco Bell! The no buy thing is doing double duty so that's awesome!

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies!

Yesterday was a good day, but a long one. It started with homeschooling, then moved on to shoveling, then we returned the rental car, did a lot of running around, and then watched NCIS x 2, and came home and went to bed. The problem is that I started not feeling well last night. I took some sinus medication and was able to sleep through the night, but I'm still feeling punky today.

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling
* Rewards Programs (almost done for today!)
* File coupons
* Check grocery store ad for deals with coupons
* Spend 15 minutes in DD7's room to help her declutter

I realized this morning that I need to focus on cleaning and de-cluttering this month because February is always tax month for me. If I can get a good percentage of it done now, then I won't need to worry about it in February.

With all of the shoveling this week, I have gotten my 3 days of exercise in. I did buy the 30 day shred last night and may give it a try tomorrow if I feel okay.

My bonus posted at SR so progress is being made towards that $50.

Today should be a no buy day. Did most of the shopping that needed to get done yesterday so today could be a 0 day.

Hope everyone has a great day!


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Lisa~ Thanks! I just saw on the news last night that we're supposed to get another blast of snow tomorrow. I am so ready for spring!

Tracey~ Thanks! I hope the shoveling did burn a lot of calories. I had two ice cream cookie sandwiches yesterday!

Barb~ Thanks! I was kind of proud of myself for facing my emotions and forgoing the Taco Bell. I don't do that too often so I considered that a HUGE victory!

Deb~ Thanks! I may check into paid blogging again after tax season.

Amy~ Thanks! To be honest, I am having a hard time getting back on schedule too. We had most of the month of December off with our WDW trip so it's going to take some time to get back on track.

Amy~ Thanks! I'm not a real fan of shoveling either. The good thing is that I burned some calories while getting the driveway clean. It's one of those "two birds with one stone" thing.

 

[kimwim8]

Wow Tracy! You're a shoveling queen! That's a GREAT workout!!

Make sure you're rested from the shoveling before starting the Shred. It's a rough one!

I love the idea of zero spend days. I'm going to borrow that idea, if you don't mind!

 

[lovinaz]

Things just seem easier to deal with when you have a clean and clutter-free house, I think it is a great idea to get that situated before tax time!

 

[inkkognito]

Ugh, I hope you can shake off whatever bug might be trying to take over your body. Echinnacea (sp) might help, especially in combo with vitamin C.

You're doing great with the shoveling and exercise on top of it. That is one thing I do not miss! I'll be interested to know what you think of the Shred when you start it.

 

[traceycooper]

its weird - it feels so familiar to me when you say its time to do taxes, as i remeber you doing them last year & the year before!! we must be almost related by now!!!
Hope you feel better!

 

[eyor44]

Hope you feel better and have a good day today Tracy.

Want to come to my house and help me unclutter? I have had two yard sales in two years and yet my house and attic are still full. I think it multiples when I go on vacation. I'll wait patiently until after tax season is over.

 

[DisDee]

Hope you're feeling better today Tracy!

I'm really impressed with your goal-setting and completion. So many of us set the goals but never do anything about actually trying to meet them. De-cluttering is a tough one, cause it always seems to grow again. Good luck with getting the stuff under control. I need to make you my example for completing my own goals.

Have a great day!

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies.

I'm still not feeling well today. I've been eating oranges for vitamin C and will start taking vitamin D again as well. My eating yesterday was not good. I'm glad today is a new day.

Today's Plan:

* Grocery Store
* Library
* Post Office

Yesterday was a no buy day, but today won't be. I need to go to the grocery store and I need to send my DBro his Christmas presents. The girls have Toys R Us gift cards they want to spend and rather than go to the store, I think I'll let them shop online. I'm aiming for tomorrow and Saturday to buy no buy days though.

We did manage 15 minutes of de-cluttering in my DD7's room. It's going to take several days of that to get it clean. It's funny because my DDs are almost complete opposites when it comes to clean rooms. When my DD9's room gets messy, she will focus on it until it's clean. When my DD7's room is messy, she focuses on everything else and hopes someone else will clean it! Too funny!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

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Kim~ I probably won't get to Shred until next week. Since I don't feel well, I don't think I'm up for that. Feel free to take the zero spend days idea...I took it from someone else myself! LOL!

Amy~ Thanks! It's amazing how often I need to de-clutter. Between our homeschooling paperwork and my DH's work paperwork, plus all of the extra stuff, the clutter seems to pile up on a regular basis.

Barb~ Thanks! I've been taking vitamin C and will start taking vitamin D as well. I'll have to see if I can find some Echinacea (sp?) while I'm at the store today.

Tracey~ LOL! I think we are related! We have the same first name and we are WISH sisters!

Lisa~ Cheering you on at the marathon from Ohio! You'll do a great job!! As far as coming to help you de-clutter goes... Is it warmer where you live and with no snow? If so, I am so there!

Denise~ Thanks! My problem is that I usually set too many goals and then never accomplish any of them. LOL! I'm trying hard to change that this year though. I really want to lose this weight!