Thrifty Tip Tuesday: Earn Cash by Shopping Online

If you are anything like me, you are constantly ordering something online. I feel like I am always forgetting supplements and needing to order more, and with the home improvement fire lit under my bum, I'm ordering these items constantly as well!

Some of my favorite places to shop are eBay, Vitacost, Hotwire and Priceline (for travel), and so on.

How would you like to make your regular purchases and MAKE EXTRA CASH?!

Well, you can!! I use a GREAT site called Ebates! "Where it pays to shop online." They have online rebates and coupons for over 1,200 stores!! You earn 2-5% back from most online vendors. (Sometimes MORE!!)

My current cash back to date is $280.08. SERIOUSLY!

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now. It's FREE! All you have to do is use their site to search through your store of choice and the cash back is automatically credited to your account. It's practically effortless! They then pay you quarterly via check or PayPal.

Here is my referral ID so that you can start earning cash back, too! CLICK HERE

For more money saving tips, hop on over to a wonderful blog by a fellow Kentuckian, Jamie at I am a Money Magnet. She just started Thrifty Tip Tuesday, and I plan on linking up each week to share some of my money saving tips and tricks!

Sneak Peak

I worked all day yesterday on the bathroom! Hard labor was interrupted only by the gym, cooking, and eating. There were many MANY speedbumps along the way, but here is a sneak peak!

It is not 100% complete yet. My shelves did not work out, so I still need to find art for above the commode. I also need some simple decorative towels and a new trash can. I decided not to repaint it. Instead, I just washed the walls!

I did it all by myself, too! :-D

And in case you forgot, here is where it all started... YIKES!

A Goal Without a Plan is Just a Wish

My goal is to compete. However, I do not want to just waltz up on that stage, unprepared in heels and a sparkling bikini. I want to bring a better package this time around.

I’m sure you’ve heard the famous quote, "A goal without a plan is just a wish." This afternoon I mapped out my plan. I don’t want to be lost, spinning my wheels, with no direction. I want to know where I am going.

I spent some time looking through old progress pics. It’s funny what you will find. Certain things hit me. When I was doing plyometrics two times a week, my ass was bubblier. Hmmm… wonder why I quit? I actually LIKE doing plyos!

There were also pictures of me with less muscle and more fat, yet I still had a teeeeeny TEENY bit of ab definition. This was back when I actually worked my abs directly… and often. I clearly remember why I quit that! I felt like my waist was getting thick. Of course, that was just because of the extra fat around my midsection

So, I mapped out my plan… week by week, day by day, until I had two months worth of cardio, plyo, and ab workouts scheduled. I realize that planning 8 weeks in advance is a bit excessive, but I was on a roll! Plans can change, and I’m okay with that. Now I’m super excited! I can’t wait to start crossing off these workouts, one at a time!

A goal without a plan is just a wish. — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

BodySpace

Are any of you all on BodySpace? I just "discovered" it this week. Okay, I've known about it since going to the Arnold in 2008 and signing up to get a free t-shirt... but I never made a profile until now! LOL!

I am so busy at work, yet I find myself going gaga over member pics, playing in the charts and graphs (I LOVE charts and graphs), and I even wrote my first blog post over there. :)

Last Chance Syndrome <-- My first post.

Is it totally lame to copy/plaste <-- HAHA PASTE a blog from there to here? I didn't know if there was certain blogging etiquette that I wasn't aware of. (Like I'm the poster child for proper etiquette or something.) I will paste it at the end of this post post, since I thinking some of you will be able to relate. I know one of you does. Not naming any names. Ha!

If you're on there, look me up! I don't know if it will "stick" since I have the attention span of a two year old hopped up on candy and Mountain Dew.

My profile: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/GenieMarie/

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LAST CHANCE SYNDROME

Pardon me while I attempt to remove my head from my ass.

It just hit me that this Saturday marks 16 weeks out. Mentally, I don’t feel ready to start dieting, to start saying no to my beloved Cadbury Eggs that just came out!!!, to start passing up the bread basket when we go out to eat (I LOVE bread!), to force myself onto the treadmill in the dungeon basement that I completely burnt myself out on last year… I won’t even mention that I have to drudge through the cardio sessions a couple hours before sunrise… because that’s when it’s most convenient.

I find myself suffering from what I will call Last Chance Syndrome, sneaking in a glass of wine a couple nights a week (okay, maybe 2-3 glasses of wine on a weekend night! ), buying Cadbury Eggs because I know I will not get to soon, and cookies… I’ve had a couple this week. All these things I love are things that normally I can say no to without wincing, but now that I know that I won’t be able to eat them whenever I want soon, makes me want to stockpile them in my belly.

So, now that I have fessed up, I am going to turn it all around. I am going to flip this Last Chance Syndrome into something good. This may be my last chance to hit the national stage. This may be my last chance to give it my all. You never know WHAT the future has in store, or if you will even live to see the future!

16 weeks out, and NOW I’m ready to rock it.

“Defeat is simply a signal to press onward.” Helen Keller

Budget Busters

I spent a lot of money this week... on things that I don't budget for...

1) New suit. Yes, I did it. I wasn't planning on it, but I saw it on Diva Exchange... and, well, it was love at first sight. I hope it fits.

2) Our Foreman bit the dust. The non-stick surface was no longer non-stick, no matter how much Pam I sprayed on that mofo. I ordered a replacement/upgrade through Amazon. Wouldn't ya know. I just checked the status, and they shipped me TWO! WTF?! You can bet your sweet bums that I will be returning one of them.

3) And, as you know, I ordered some bathroom goods.

I need to freeze my cc, because I have blown my financial load. I am really excited about it all, though. :)

In other news, my running stint was short-lived. I lasted a whole week... and I still haven't hopped back on the cardio bandwagon. Attempt #134908 to start it back up will begin next week.

Weight training is totally on point. I live for the iron! I could lift two times a day on most days (BUT I don't!). It's totally unfair that cardio should be almost a daily occurrence (and sometimes more often!), but that would be frowned upon with the weights! LOL!

I am totally postponing starting prep. I want to enjoy my Cadbury Eggs and wine for a little bit longer. I am also eating some foods that my gut is not happy with, although they are "healthy" for most people. Let's just say my digestion isn't happy.

So, that is my brief recap. Work has been CRAZY busy! Insane! and I haven't had the time to pop in and post updates. I hope everyone had a great week! I'm so thankful that this week is almost over! It has not been a good one.

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Chandelier Sparkle

This is the color I recently chose for our bathroom. It looks pink here, but in real life it has a hint of yellow... just a little warmth.

Chandelier Sparkle

I picked up several swatches on a recent trip to Wal-Mart, and this was the one that I liked best in the room. There is one speedbump, though. Our trim on our ceiling is white, which does not match the wood in the room. This is disappointing, but I just don't see myself putting in all of the effort to change out that trim.

POTTY ART

Instead of searching high and low for artwork that I like and find suitable for above the porcelain god ;) , I have decided to install a set of floating shelves. Then I will strategically place a few pillar candles and neatly folded towels on them so that it can be both decorative and functional.

We are also installing a new toilet, and I still need to pick out a shower curtain and window treatments. That will wait until after everything else is finished! Can't wait!

Menu Planning Monday - 02.15.10

Hi guys!! I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! Seth and I had a nearly perfect day! I was sad to go to bed, because I just didn't want it to end!

It's been a while since I have menu planned. I'm in an organizing mood, so I decided to pick it back up today!

Week of 02.15.10

Monday: broiled lemon herb pollock, baked potatoes, roasted asparagus spears

Tuesday: turkey burgers (light wheat bun for the hubbsy, no bun for me!), oven baked fries, green beans

Wednesday: chicken parmesan on whole wheat or corn (mine!) noodles, salad

Thursday: bake fried salmon, garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli

Friday: PIZZA or HOT WINGS! (homemade and healthified!)

Saturday: Chili, cornbread

Sunday: Chicken, baked potatoes, salad

Check out more menu plans over at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

18 Weeks Out (rounded down)

From and including: Thursday, February 11, 2010

To, but not including : Friday, June 18, 2010

It is 127 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date

Or 4 months, 7 days excluding the end date

Alternative time units

127 days can be converted to one of these units:
10,972,800 seconds
182,880 minutes
3048 hours
18 weeks (rounded down)

Junior Nationals will be here in a flash. EEP! I hope I can get in the cardio groove sooner than later! I am excited, scared, and totally not ready to start dieting and cardio-ing. BOO HISS!

I can't wait to see my sistah from anotha mistah again, though! YIPEE!!

In other news, the shit has hit the fan in la casa de Sammons. We are without internet, one of the cars is without heat, along with a hodgepodge of other mishaps. Thankfully, all are minor, and all will be back to normal in a week.

Back to cardio...

Man, how I despise each boring second! I think I have bipolar cardio disorder. ;) I go through spurts of LOVING it, loving the alone time, the quietness... and then there are times like right now where I would rather saw off my pinky toe with a butter knife than endure a single minute of it. I've done 12 minutes this week... TOTAL. Monday I ran 1/2 a mile on the treadmill. Wednesday I ran over my lunch period. I only had time for a mile, and that took a whopping 7 minutes. However, I must say, that I did enjoy my mile run around the track. It's hard to run when a treadmill is keeping your pace, but I found it quite easy to zone out to some Radiohead while running lap after lap after lap at our gym's indoor track. It's a small track... 14 laps is a mile. Since that mini-session wasn't so bad, I am going to strike a deal with myself, right now. I am going to do one measly mile every time I step foot in that darn gym. It's just seven minutes. It isn't torture. And if I go to the gym four times in a week, that makes almost 30 minutes of cardio... almost. How sad and pathetic am I? LOL!

Do you all have a workout or things you MUST do but severely dislike? Me? Aside from cardio, I really dislike fixing my hair, including blow-drying it. I usually don't. Ha!

Also, thanks for all of your input on the bathroom sconce!

I was in the minority and preferred this one:

And you all unanimously preferred this one:

That eases my mind a bit because your choice is the more affordable of the two.

I still really like the first one, though, so I haven't ordered either. I will make my decision by the end of the week! I gotta get this bathroom D-U-N, DUN!

Happy Thursday Bloggerfam, and I hope you are staying warm!!

Bathroom time!!

No, not going to the bathroom time. LOL! Time to redecorate the main bathroom.

Our home is 60 years old... and our bathroom definitely showed it when we first moved in.

Who am I kidding?! It still shows it.

Here is a before pic from the listing...

Do you see how dinged up the vanity was?! OMG! And check out those lovely plastic knobs! Please ignore the mess. These pics are over a year old from when we first moved in.

Gravy thinks it looks horrible! Do you see the look of disgust on her face? ;)

Well, I managed to refinish the vanity and replace the knobs. It's looking better already!!

These knobs didn't last long, though! They are now satin nickel (not shown below).

Judging by the soap dispenser, I am guessing this pic was taken some time around Halloween 2009. :-D

Here's how it's going down...

The new faucets were installed in 2009. The new knobs and all hardware have been changed to satin nickel as well.

I am replacing our white plastic curtain rod with a nickel crescent rod to make our shower feel roomier. :) Also, that inherited multi-colored shower curtain has got to go! I'm thinking matching ivory, beige, or off-white shower curtains and roman shades for the tiny window.

While we're at it, we might as well paint the bathroom a pale yellow, too! (WOW! That yellow swatch didn't look as bright before!) The bathroom is small. I want to open it up! I'm also partial to an antique white for the walls. Thoughts? I like things to look kind of old and earthy... and I think all white (not bright white) would look good with the wood. So, it's a toss up at this point! I'll have to check out some paint swatches before making my final decision.

I am having trouble deciding between the sconces pictured above. Which do you like better? I think I like the left one, but it is twice the price!

My other roadblock at the moment... this shelf. I don't like it in here! It doesn't match at all, so I am moving it to the basement bathroom. I'm having a hard time finding artwork to put in its place.

There's my tentative plan! I'm sharing it with the whole world (or at least my Bloggerfam LOL!) so that I will get off my lazy butt and JUST DO IT! :)

If only I would adopt that mindset for cardio.

I LOVE THIS STUFF!

I love fruit, yes I do!

I love fruit, how 'bout YOU?!

Ya'll like my cheer, I just know it. *insert cheesy grin here*

One of my most favoritest (hehe) things right now...

BARE FRUIT SNACKS!! Get your hands on them! Seriously!

You might remember my previous review here. Well, guys, here's another goody... Cinnamon Apple Chips!

You can read for yourself. I don't have to tell you that there are

NO ADDITIVES. NO PRESERVATIVES. NO ICKY INGREDIENTS. NO GLUTEN. NO ARTIFICIAL ANYTHINGS...

Just crispy, cinnamony, baked dried goodness.

There are 6 servings in a bag.

I eat the entire bag. Every. Single. Time.

They're that awesome!

P.S. Check out that ingredient list... How can you not LOVE THAT?!

Check out their website www.barefruitsnacks.com for more info. You can order there, QVC, and recently I bought a few bags from Vitacost!

SO GOOD!

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with Bare Fruit Snacks. These products were given to me to review on my blog.

January in Review

Yo!!!

How did you all make out in January? I did... eh... okay. You can find the original goal post for January here.

January 2010

1. Spend $50 per week (or $250/month) on groceries. - Uhm, fail! I was depending on Mint, but the delay bit me in the ass. We ended up going over. In February I am setting the same goal, but I will write my grocery totals in my planner to make sure we stay under budget!
2. Set restaurant ($85/month) and entertainment ($125/month) budgets. Success!! Let's keep the ball rolling.
3. Get back on the healthy eats bandwagon. Check!
4. Learn some fitness mandatories. I did just okay with this. I wanted to be able to do the splits by the end of this month... and I wanted to be able to do a 1-arm pushup. Well, I completely slacked on both! Luckily, one morning I devoted several minutes (yes, I am THAT much of a slacker) to the push-up, and I was able to crank them out once I figured out how to balance myself. As for the splits... I'm carrying that on over into February!

The budget goals were huge eye openers for my husband and me! Even though we broke the grocery budget we still saved a ton! It felt great to be mindful of spending and not be so frivolous! Our savings account thanks us, too!

February 2010 Goals

1. Spend $250/month on groceries (approximately $50/week).
2. Adhere to $85/month restaurant budget and $125/month entertainment budget.
3. Pay more attention to food sensitivities! I will get this squared away before the hardcore comp pepping begins!
4. Do the splits!
5. Practice yoga 1x/week
6. Run 2 miles and ENJOY IT! (This was actually a January goal that I forgot about! LOL!)
7. Complete bathroom makeover. New sconces, shower rod, artwork or shelves for above toilet (???! ), shower curtain, maybe paint (but maybe not! LOL!)

What are your February goals?