Frugal Friday

 Not many frugal things happening in our world, but here we go!

Saving on things we buy

• Redeemed a $10 off coupon for delivery pizza for Nick's Friday night poker game

Earning money

• Earned $50 doing surveys this week
• Committed to doing no more job applications until January, but saw a few that were interesting, so submitted additional applications. 

Avoiding spending

• Used a gift card to buy the boys lunch, and also used the free bakery treat reward to get myself a cookie. ;-) 

Eating what we have

• I made a large charcuterie tray for the boys & friends one night. Sam loves a cheese tray, so we'd stocked up before he got home.
• We've been going through so much fruit! Sam is a huge fruit eater, and says it's very expensive in college. He's more than making up for it at home.
• I made a chicken teriyaki rice dish, and used up the last of some ancient carrots.
• Even though I'm not a huge fan of an orange spice tea that I somehow have in my pantry, I've been working my way through the stash. Then I can move on to other flavors!

For others

• This is mostly because we absolutely love hosting Nick's friends, but they also really appreciate our house being their "spot" for any and all get togethers. Our grocery budget can flex to absorb all of the fun treats & snacks, and we love seeing the teens at various events. Debates, swim parties, poker, etc. 
• Picked up gift cards for Nick to give out to teachers that wrote letters of recommendation for him. (They are not current teachers this semester.) They write those letters during their own time, and we so appreciate their thoughtful contributions to the college application process!

What about you? Any wins you want to share? 

2024 Points and Miles Rewards Recap

I like to track these numbers to ensure we're 1) getting the most from our travel budget and 2) that we are not overvaluing things like our credit cards & making the right tradeoffs. We pay our credit cards off each billing cycle, and don't carry a balance. 

Before I dive into the value of our perks, points & miles usage, here's how we approach travel & accrual of points, miles, etc.

We use credit cards for all purchases, as long as the cost of using a credit card doesn't outweigh the value. For example, if a purchase charges 1% fee and our card gives the equivalent of 1% cash back in Hyatt points, but also accrues free night awards, and additional bonus points, then it's a worthwhile trade off to us. 

Sam's tuition is definitely the heavy hitter here. As you may have heard, college is expensive. ;-) We charge his tuition on our credit card, and then reimburse ourselves from our 529 (minus the credit card transaction fee, as that's not a covered expense). 

We also make sure to leverage airline miles whenever a flight is extraordinarily expensive, we are covering a gift for someone else or we are just trying to offset the cost of the rest of a trip. 

Here are all of the miles, points & perks we used in 2024, and their approximate value:

Hyatt:

• Used a free night award for Arizona college tour in January, saving $175
• Used two free nights for the Napa half race with my mom & sister, saving $700
• Used four free hotel nights for the Sedona hiking trip with my mom, saving $1436
• Gifted my nephew a free night at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo (with lounge access & room upgrade) - $450
• Points to cover our all inclusive Costa Rica hotel, and applied a Suite Upgrade Award, saving $4,218
• Travel not happening in 2024, but redeemed/booked in 2024
• 3 nights at a hotel in Sedona in March for a girls trip - $1500
• 2 free nights in Madrid - $800
• 3 nights at a hotel in Seville - $1050
• Gave away a ton of expiring upgrades, suite awards & guest of honor benefits to friends & neighbors (not included in total below, but approximate value of about $1500). Possibly more value, depending on where each of them redeem the awards. I lost track at some point, as I gave away so many. These are the types of awards intended to be gifted. 

Miles:

• Alaska miles to cover the cost of 2 tickets to Portland for Sam's graduation party/family event, saving $872
• Southwest points to book my mom's flight to Sedona, saving $359
• Used the following United upgrades (came free with my status earned in 2023. Unfortunately, I will have no status in 2024, thanks to zero work travel ;-))
• Upgrades for Sam & Nick to Portland, about a $200 value
• Upgrades from a friend & her daughter from Denver to Portland, about a $300 value
• Upgrades for a friend & her daughter on an international flight, saving them about $750
• Received a gift card for a United upgrade via one of M's coworkers - $150
• Upgrades for Nick, Sam & my nephew on a flight from Portland to our house, about a $300 value
• Alaska miles to cover a flight for my sister, saving $300

• Southwest points to get my nephew from Tucson to Portland, saving $650 (we used miles because the flights were insanely expensive)
• United miles for a flight for myself & a friend on the way back from Moab (in turn, she covered the car rental), saving $400. 
• Hotel comps in Las Vegas to cover a hotel & meals with a friend - $1000

Total value:

• Hyatt - $10,329
• Other - $5,281

Grand total = $15,610

Edited to add: not mentioned above, but we also earned $110 from cash back offers on the Hyatt card, and a whopping $462 on our other Chase travel card. I go through once a week & look for cash back offers, adding any I think there's even the slightest chance I'll use them. If I make a purchase, cash is automatically added to our account statement. I find that our other Chase travel card has higher value offers, & increases the value of that card. For example, this year they had 20% cash back on ski passes, which was a big chunk of the value returned (of the $462). 

We have big travel plans in 2025, so hoping to strategically use lots of additional points & free nights! Feel free to ask any questions about how we think about travel planning, credit card usage or anything else!

Menu Planning

 It's been a bit of chaos lately, with lots going on & not a lot of menu planning. I definitely need to decide what we're having for dinners this week.

• Friday - Nick had friends over for poker, and I ordered them pizza. M & I had coconut shrimp & salad.
• Saturday - we ended up skipping dinner, as it was a crazy day.
• Sunday - I made a double batch of this chicken teriyaki rice, as Sam was supposed to be home with his girlfriend. Their plans changed, so we now have A LOT of leftovers! I froze half, to avoid waste.
• Monday - tacos
• Tuesday - leftover chicken teriyaki rice
• Wednesday - chicken shawarma
• Thursday - spaghetti & meatballs
• Friday - leftover shawarma

What about you? What's on your menu this week? 

Frugal Friday

 Here's what happened in our house this week!

Saving on things we buy

• I went to the store & stocked up on dinner ingredients, yeast & a few other items we needed, and used a $20 grocery store reward (earned from buying gift cards). 

Earning money

• M wanted to get rid of some old motorcycle pants. I sold them on Facebook for $40.
• Redeemed Fetch rewards for a $10 Amazon gift card
• Received a $23 settlement for a class action lawsuit of some sort.
• I gifted one of M's coworkers United upgrades, and they gave us a $150 gift card as a thank you.

Avoiding spending

• Avoided a lunch out, which I was in the mood for one day. 

Eating what we have

• We often don't get through the last of buns & bread & the like before it goes bad. I've been much better lately about freezing buns, and successfully finished off an entire package (including the random 1/2 bun that was in the bag) & a loaf of bread, using two ends turned inward to make a grilled cheese for Nick. It was a satisfying feeling to finish both!
• I was super tempted to get a sandwich when I was out & about, but convinced myself to come home & find something in the freezer. I found a filling chicken & dumpling soup, and paired that with pomegranate seeds. We are still eating pomegranates!
• Made Nick quick fill in lunches between events, practices & study groups, helping him avoid eating out.
• Defrosted a burger patty for M, on a night when I was at a late soccer match. 
• Finished off all of the leftover lemon chicken (which was delicious, btw). 

For others

• Filled out reports for volunteer students, held two calls, and sent over scholarship options for one of the students.
• Volunteered at an event at the high school
• Cleaned up trash after a soccer game. 
• Gave away a bunch of hotel room upgrades, perks & lounge access awards through Buy Nothing. I've had them expire before I can use them in previous years (I already get all of these perks myself when traveling, so these are intended to be gifted) & it feels so nice to give them to people who are excited to receive them & will use them. Woohoo!

What about you? Any wins to share?

Wednesday Miscellany

 Largely copying my response over from the Frugal Girl blog post, because.. it's that kind of day! Random things that are top of mind for me right now.

• We've hosted a ton of AP physics study groups at our house over the past ten days, as everyone prepares for the final. I've cleared Trader Joes out of snacks!
• DS17 found out that he didn't get an immediate entrance into one of his target colleges yesterday (and, the one DS18 is at) & needs to provide his first semester grades. It's not a no (and, it happened to dS18 as well), but he's so bummed & freaking out about the other schools he applied to. This process is so stressful! I'm trying to help him stay calm & focused on the things he can control.
• I have a ton of research & prep to do for an interview on Monday. I'm excited about the company, but know nothing about the vertical industry, so I need to dive in. I've started a list of all the elements I want to research & understand more to be prepared. 
• I'm still in the running for a couple of contract jobs I applied to, so we'll see what happens there. 
• DS18 had two finals at night yesterday. I can't imagine taking tests at night. I'm an early bird. Luckily, he's a night owl.
• I'm still trying to figure out how to get DS18's skis to him. We'd planned for him to fly back with them, but the shuttle that goes from the airport to his college doesn't accept skis. The logistics are killing me!
• We upgraded DS18's bed to a queen. I need to list all of his matching furniture & twin bed on FB. And clean up the mess we created last night while doing all of that. It also meant ordering new bedding, a mattress, etc. His bed had a good run, as we bought it when he was 2. 

Okay, that's enough miscellany from me. What about you? What's top of mind for you today? 

Fitness Recap

Another week has whizzed by! I found it very helpful to set a few goals for the week, and monitor those a bit more closely each day.  

Workouts:

• Monday - 4 mile hike + 30 minutes of elliptical
• Tuesday - 60 minute HIIT class
• Wednesday - 3 mile hike
• Thursday - 60 minute HIIT class
• Friday - 60 minute HIIT class
• Saturday - 50 minute strength only class
• Sunday - 60 minute HIIT class

Average daily steps: 13,722

Average calories: 1370

Weight: Down 2.5 lbs. For transparency, I weighed myself in the morning (I always do), after a night when I didn't really eat dinner due to a late soccer game. 

How I feel about the past week: Overall, I achieved my goals that I set for the week - dropping my calories & increasing my steps. I'm happy I'm paying more attention to my steps, because it definitely helps increase my overall activity. Generally I'm pleased with the week. 

Goals for the week ahead: I'd like to maintain my trajectory & continue my goals from last week: keep steps above 12k/day, keep calories at or below 1400/day & avoid snacking. 

What about you? How are you doing with your health & fitness?

Menu Plan Sunday

 

I have a bunch going on this week, so it's a pretty boring menu for the week. Here's what we're planning on eating.

• Friday - grilled chicken, ravioli & acorn squash
• Saturday - gyozas & wings
• Sunday - chicken curry & rice
• Monday - grilled burgers
• Tuesday - chicken shawarma
• Wednesday - leftover curry & rice
• Thursday - chicken shawarma
• Friday - tacos

What about you? What's on your menu this week?

Frugal Friday

 Here's how the first week of December went for us. 

Saving on things we buy:

• Used Rite Aid rewards to buy four packages of sparkling water, noting the minimum purchase for a corresponding Fetch offer. Paid $9.21,and earned $2 back via Fetch. 
• In the same vein, used CVS rewards to stock up on vitamins, including a BOGOF sale, and a BOGO50% off. I saved about $30 on the vitamins, and earned another couple of bucks back via the iBotta cash back reward. 
• Picked up chicken at Costco for $5/off per package. Packaged it out & stuck it in the freezer for future chicken needs. 
• Stacked a $5 off a $50 purchase at the grocery store with two $20 rewards (earned from buying gift cards). It was the last day of the $5 off & I decided I'd do a stock up to be able to use the $40 in rewards & the extra $5. I bought: two packages of tea, two containers of oat milk, 4 packages of cheese, 2 very expensive containers of candied fruit (for some holiday baking) & a giant bag of gummy worms (part of Nick's Christmas gift). All told, I spent $13 after the coupons.
• I received a request from the staffing agency I'd used to do a sexual harassment prevention training. It was unclear if I needed to (my user study work had ended), but I took it anyway on the off chance I got paid & made $40. 

Earning money:

• Made $150 doing a couple of user studies,& saw a user study that required a teenager. Nick is desperate to find a flexible job (around his many activities, which is near impossible to find), so I asked him if he wanted to participate & he made $30 on a user study as well. 
• Filled out a few other surveys & earned $20. I'm trying out a few low touch side hustle options.
• Sold a scarf on eBay & made $16. It's been listed forever, so I'm glad to see it gone!
• I also sold a workout pullover top on eBay. 
• Received a $25 Discover gift card as part of a settlement. 

Avoiding spending

• Can't really think of anything that fits the bill for this. It's an expensive month, with gift purchasing & all. 

Eating what we have

• I picked the last of the 20 or so pomegranates & M cleaned a bunch of them. We were able to send Sam back to college with a huge container, as pomegranate seeds are his favorite. I've been snacking on them all week as well. 
• We finally finished off the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers (steak, beans & scalloped potatoes). The stuffing was gone the next day, as it's my favorite!
• I've been using spinach in smoothies for lunch, to drive up my veggie consumption, and also stay on top of the large containers of spinach M buys. For my smoothies, I use: a banana, spinach, a small scoop of peanut butter, oat or soy milk, & any frozen fruit I have around for a little sweetness. I would like to add protein powder, but it depends on when I'm making the smoothie, as protein powder bothers my stomach if I haven't already eaten. 

For others

• My sister & her partner have been so incredible for Sam (attending family weekend, managing transportation from the airport, stocking him with supplies) that I wanted to thank her. Used Alaska miles to purchase a flight for a trip she's making here, saving her ~$300. 
• Gave away teen clothes to a local mom, including two pair of dress pants that she was very excited to receive. 

What about you? Any wins to share?

Goals for December

 I'm very excited for the month ahead. Sam will be home for three weeks, we will spend Christmas with my sister & her family, my BFF & her daughters, & my parents. We also have a ski trip at the end of break. Yippee!

Here are my goals for December

Financial:

• Save $2000.
• Mini freezer clean out. Use up the following:
• 1/2 of the pizza
• A bunch of the tater tots from the restaurant sized bag M found on super mark down. ;)
• A package of naan bread
• Sell fitness watch
• Sell/give away all expiring travel rewards
• Make $100 in side hustle

Family:

• Finish all holiday shopping/wrapping/baking
• Have a fantastic holiday season with the family
• Book travel for spring girls trip & trip to Spain with M
• 2 dates with M

Fitness:

• 15 strength workouts 
• Follow the No S diet 15 days & track calories daily
• Have eye exam 
• Maintain my weight during the holiday season

Personal:

• Complete daily tasks 20 times (meditate, language, journal)
• Get together with friends
• Declutter 25 items
• Network 2x
• Continue exploring jobs
• Spend time on volunteer role
• Come up with more structure in my daily routine

What about you? What are your goals for December?

November Goals Recap

 November whizzed right on by. I had the impromptu trip to Las Vegas & Zion, lots of job searching & a bonus few days with Sam for Thanksgiving. Here's how I did on my goals:

Financial:

• Achieve savings goal - yes, done! We actually were over a bit, which is always nice.
• Mini freezer clean out: 
• 1/2 of the pizza in the freezer - no progress
• Use up the cranberries - done! Made cranberry muffins
• Sell the white car - done!
• Sell fitness watch - no progress, as this is through M's work alias & I have no visibility. I'll remind him & see what's up. 

Family:

• Help Nick with final applications & essays - done, although by "final", that was out of the ones due in November/December. There are plenty more scholarship essays ahead.
• Sort out plans for winter break - done!
• Fianlize all travel plans for Sam - done!
• One fun activity with the boys - Sam, M & I went on a hike. Nick is injured from soccer.
• 2 dates with M - we played pickleball & went out for dinner on Friday night

Fitness:

• 15 strength workouts - 13/15
• Follow the No S diet 15 days & track calories daily - 5/15 days following the eating plan, and tracked about 75% of the time
• Schedule MRI - I scheduled this, but now don't need to have the MRI done, so it's cancelled.
• Lose 2 lbs - I gained around 1.5 lbs this month, which isn't the direction I'm trying to go!

Personal:

• Complete daily tasks 20 times (meditate, language, journal) - 15/20
• Get together with friends - lots of friend time: hikes, trip to Zion, walks, coffee meet ups
• Declutter 25 items - 15/25
• Network 2x - done!
• Continue exploring jobs - lots of job exploration & applications
• Spent time on volunteer role - yes
• Come up with more structure in my daily routine - not much happened here. 

So, that's how November went at our house. What about you? How did you do with your goals for the month? 

Fitness Recap

I'm finding it really helpful to recap my weeks here, so hopefully it's useful or at least entertaining to some of the readers as well. ;-) 

Workouts:

• Sunday - 60 minute workout class
• Monday - 60 minute workout class
• Tuesday - 60 minute workout class
• Wednesday - 4 mile hike (hip was twinging a little, so didn't want to run)
• Thursday - 4 mile Thanksgiving hike with Sam & M!)
• Friday - 60 minute workout class
• Saturday - 4 mile hike

Average daily steps: 12,960. I've been tracking my daily steps a bit more closely, to try & hit the 12k/day target, and it appears to be working. 

Average calories: 1560

Weight: honestly, I didn't weigh in this week, which is never a great sign! I try to remember to weigh in on Monday, to get an accountability check. 

How I feel about the past week: Well, I definitely enjoyed my week. My food calories were pretty okay, but we had martinis & wine during the week, which bumped my overall calories *way* up. I've also been MUCH snackier than usual. I'm tempted by what's in the pantry, and when I buy snacks for the teens (extra this week, as Sam was home), I'm tempted by them. It's hard to remember in the moment that I don't have the metabolism of a teen boy!

Goals for the week ahead: Continue my 12k/day average, cut back the calories to 1400/day, which is going to be hard with snacking. Therefore, LESS or no snacking! 

What about you? As we enter the holiday season, do you have any health or fitness goals?

Menu Plan Sunday

I didn't do much planning for the week, after Thanksgiving. I spent all of my effort on the Thanksgiving meal plan and my planning shut down after that. ;-) 

• Thursday - Thanksgiving (steak & traditional fixings)
• Friday - the boys were both off with friends, so M & I went to dinner & shared a salad & French dip
• Saturday - Thanksgiving leftovers
• Sunday - grilled burgers
• Monday - ravioli & chicken sausages
• Tuesday - leftover burgers
• Wednesday - something easy, because Nick has a soccer game, so likely grilled burgers 
• Thursday - leftover ravioli & chicken sausages
• Friday - pizza & salad

What about you? What's on your menu this week?

The last of the harvest

 I picked all of the remaining pomegranates yesterday, and M got started on deseeding them. We sent Sam home with an enormous tupperware of arils, so he can eat them throughout the week at college. Pomegranate seeds are one of my favorite snacks, so I'm also thrilled.

We dropped Sam off at the airport this morning, and I definitely would have been more emotional if his winter break wasn't coming up in two weeks. I'm so grateful he'll be back soon!

As for today, here's what's left on the list:

• Yard work. Raking leaves! All of the leaves!
• Walk with M
• Language lesson
• Budget roundup 
• Goals check in
• Setting goals for December
• Sorting out a menu for the week

What are you up to today?

Frugal Friday

It's that time of the year where I hit the fine balance of trying to save on things we buy that are on sale for the holidays, while not overstocking or wasting money on things we don't need! 

Saving on things we buy

• Redeemed a $5 grocery store reward before it expired. I also downloaded some digital coupons & uploaded the receipts to Fetch & iBotta, saving another $2. 
• Took advantage of some gift card offers at CVS for things we will use, such as Uber (getting Sam to/from the airport at college - Eugene has no shuttle from his school), Netflix, & a store where I'm getting a few Christmas gifts.  I uploaded my CVS receipt to iBotta, which will earn a little back on the non-gift card items. I also used CVS rewards for a couple of road trip/hotel snacks for our post holiday ski trip. And finally, remembered to pay with the credit card that had a $5 cash back offer for CVS. *bonus, just noticed that the gift card spend also counted towards the iBotta cash back offer, which is a huge & unexpected win!*
• Bought ingredients for pomegranate martinis + NYE champagne & used a loyalty coupon to save $15 off. Then thought to check iBotta & noticed they had $6 off of the vodka I purchased. Yay for unexpected discounts!

Earning money

• Cashed in change that's been lingering around the house & turned it into an Amazon gift card for $21. Something useful ahead of the holidays, although not exactly earning money & rather turning my own money into something more convenient.
• Sold a pair of shoes & a shirt on eBay, making ~$80 after fees & postage. 
• Not earning money yet, but continuing to apply to jobs & have met with a few recruiters this week. 
• Speaking of iBotta, I cashed out $30. I try to cash out whenever I'm over the $20 threshold, as you never know if they will limit cash back options, increase cash out rate or end it all together & move it only to gift card redemption. 
• Finished some training for a user study I participated in a few weeks back, and made $50.
• 
  

Avoiding spending

• Saw an adorable teal colored sweater that really caught me eye. Went so far as to put it in my cart & find a discount, and then I remembered that I'm not working & have tons of sweaters & very few occasions to wear them! 
• (Avoiding spending for others) Finished a puzzle & will send it back with Sam. My nephew is picking Sam up at the airport & taking him back to college. My sister can then get the puzzle from my nephew. She loves puzzling! I also enjoy it, but remembered that it hurts my back & either need a way better set up or to stop doing puzzles. It's a nice winter distraction, so I'll have to see if there are more ergonomic options. 
• I almost upgraded Sam's seat on his return flight tomorrow, but I had one extra United upgrade & it looked promising for it to clear. Avoided paying out of pocket, and his upgrade cleared so he's no longer sitting in the very last row! It's a short flight & he would have been fine either way, but I still get a little parental anxiety over him being in the last boarding group, and whether there will be room for his bag, etc. 

Eating what we have

• I finished off the last of a package of turkey, and made sandwiches for lunch over the past few days.
• I also wrapped up some broccoli cheddar soup that we had on hand.
• We've eaten lots of incredible pomegranate from the tree, as well as six strawberries that somehow grew, despite the lack of sun recently.
• We had plans for M to grill chicken on Sunday, but Nick ended up hosting a poker party, so we picked up Costco pizza instead, so we could help Nick with the party prep plans. M marinated the chicken & grilled it later in the week. Glad we remembered to shuffle things around, particularly as M wasn't excited to grill in the rain. ;-) Oh, and we use lots of garden herbs in the chicken marinade, which adds great flavor. 
• Took the leftover Costco chocolate chip cookies to Nick's school soccer parents meeting, where they were scarfed down by hungry players.
• Made a chicken & rice dish on Saturday that was "fine", but lacking in some flavor. It was actually better as a leftover, and I added some sriracha to bump up the flavor even more.
• M wrapped up the last of a package of cooked brisket he purchased at Costco while I was out of town, ensuring none went to waste. 
• Made Nick a quick dinner after a late soccer night, using up leftover pasta & adding meatballs from the freezer. And a banana, because they are at the perfect level of ripeness. 

For others

• I reviewed college essays for one of the students I'm mentoring, & gave feedback on that. 
• Picked up trash after Nick's soccer game. He's the captain & is responsible for ensuring their area of the field is clean (water bottles, cups, etc). I stayed & helped him out. They have a bunch of new players & must not know the drill of picking up their trash before they leave, but he will definitely remind them for next time! I also found two non-plastic water bottles, and sent those off with the coach, so they can be reunited at the next practice with their owners. 
• Gave a friend one of my United upgrades (I actually gave her & her daughters all of my remaining upgrades, but only one cleared) so that she could be upgraded on the flight from Europe.

What about you? Any wins to share?

Wednesday things

Today is the day Sam flies home from college! I'm so excited to see him & can't believe I haven't been able to hug him since September. Next year is going to be hard for me.

I went to Nick's first high school game of the season, where they tied. It was *very* chilly! I was all bundled up & drinking tea, and I was still cold. Next time I'll bring my hand warmers. He was very good with the team, giving pep talks, providing guidance to people who needed it, and keeping the team motivated. He also did an interview for the school paper at the end (he's the captain of the team), which was so cute. It did mean staying even longer than planned, however! I was a popsicle by the end. We came home & I made him a very quick dinner while he showered, and then he met up with friends, as he has no school today.

It is an absolutely gorgeous fall day today. Instead of a workout class (if I do more than 3 in a row, my tendonitis acts up from the running), I'm going to go for a hike this morning & enjoy the fall leaves & hopefully see some deer!

Here's what else is on the list:

• Pick up the house
• Laundry. Nick was injured during a play last night & his uniform has both lots of dirt & blood on it. Need to soak that.
• Go for a hike
• Pick up a few items we need at BevMo, for our famous pomegranate martinis tomorrow
• Work on a few job related tasks
• List a pair of motorcycle pants on FB 
• Pick up Sam at the airport!

What about you? What are you up to today? 

Grocery store shopping

 I track all of our expenses, but I also like to jot down prices of items we're purchasing, to compare over time. I also find it really interesting to 1) see what other people buy and 2) how much they pay for each item.

So, here's our shopping receipt for the week. We bought this at Costco, and picked up more than usual, as Sam will be home for a few days over Thanksgiving:

• Fairlife chocolate shakes. These are really expensive, and Nick drinks them for a quick meal between practice & school. - $33.99
• Milk - $6.99
• Honey dew melon - $3.99
• Goat cheese (pkg of two) - $7.99. This is for Thanksgiving
• 4 lbs of Fuji apples - $6.99
• 2 lbs of broccoli - $5.99
• Mini peppers - $5.99
• Pears - $8.99
• Plums - $4.99
• Cauliflower - $6.99
• Chicken patties - $15.99. Nick makes these himself for a meal, if he gets home after we're in bed.
• Costco brand chicken chunks - $15.99
• Spinach - $4.59
• Tomatoes - $8.99
• Romano cheese - $19.41
• Romaine lettuce - $4.99
• Cucumber (3 pk) - $6.99
• Bananas - $2.49
• 3 lbs of limes - $6.49
• Pomegranate juice - $9.59. For pomegranate martinis over the holidays.
• Kerrygold butter - $11.99
• Organic olive oil - $24.99

Total spent = $225.39. Overall, an expensive trip with some pricey stock up options, as well as buying more than usual for Sam's visit + Thanksgiving. (We will go to Costco again before Thanksgiving & get the things that can't be purchased this far in advance.)

What about you? Do you track prices over time? 

Fitness Recap - the last couple of weeks

 I normally track my fitness pretty closely, but the last few weeks I've been off of my game. I was traveling & then came back & haven't been as disciplined for whatever reason. Ah well, such is life. One of the goals of tracking is that it helps me remember to get back on track. Lack of consistency happens, but the sooner I can get back on track, the closer I will get to my goals. So, transparency it is! 

Workouts:

• Sunday - 11/10 - 60 minute workout class
• Monday - 11/11 - 60 minute workout class 
• Tuesday - 11/12 - 50 minutes on the elliptical
• Wednesday - 11/13 - 4 mile hike with a friend
• Thursday - 11/14 - quick 20 minutes on the elliptical before my flight
• Friday - 11/15 - travel day with friend, but we did get in a quick 30 minute walk once we arrived at her place
• Saturday - 11/16 - about 5 hours of hiking
• Sunday - 11/17 - about 5-6 hours of very difficult hiking
• Monday - 11/18 - travel day, no workout
• Tuesday - 11/19 - 2 hour hike with a friend
• Wednesday - 11/20 - 60 minute workout class
• Thursday - 11/21 - 30 minutes on the elliptical before a mammogram (oh joy!)
• Friday - 11/22 - 60 minute workout class
• Saturday - 11/23 - 75 minutes of yoga + 1 hour light walk with friend
• Sunday - 11/24 - 60 minute workout class

Average daily steps = 12,521, which is pretty nuts given two of those days were really long hiking days. The rest of the days were quite low, thanks to not nearly as much walking due to the weather. I'll have to keep an eye on my overall steps with the rainy season. 

Average calories = 1800. This is a guess, as I wasn't super consistent with my tracking.

Weight = up 1.2 lbs

How I feel about the past 2 weeks: I'm not surprised to see the numbers, but it's clear that's not going to get me to where I need to be. I didn't have much of an appetite on the big hiking days, but consumed plenty of calories on other days, including those with minimal workouts. I need to figure out how to maintain my healthy habits, even when my routine changes. 

Goals for this week:

• Track calories daily
• Avoid sugar (a dessert on Thanksgiving is fine, if I want something)
• Keep my average steps at 12,000

What about you? How are you doing with your health & fitness? Do you have any plans to stay on track over the holidays?

Menu Plan Sunday

I'm going to try a different timing with my menu plan, and post it on Sundays (despite the lack of symmetry with "Monday" and "Menu" ;-), and have Monday be a fitness recap. I'll give it a whirl & see how it goes.

• Friday: orange chicken & fried rice
• Saturday: spaghetti & meatballs + garlic bread
• Sunday: one pot chicken & rice
• Monday: leftover spaghetti & meatballs
• Tuesday: tacos
• Wednesday: leftover chicken & rice
• Thursday: Thanksgiving! We have steak, scalloped potatoes, sauteed green beans with parmesan & toasted almonds & ice cream & pie. Oh, and the adults often have pomegranate martinis as part of happy hour, where the teens eat goat cheese crostini with pomegranate seeds on top. 
• Friday: chicken shawarma

What about you? What's on your menu for the week? Any fun new recipes to recommend? 

Saturday Happenings

I spent the majority of the morning working through job applications (always a treat) & getting chores done on the computer. I also finished my shopping for M (we just do a few small items) & rounded out my list of what I still need to buy. That felt nice to mark off of my to do list.

As for the rest of the day, I have a few fun things on the agenda (yoga, old coworker meet up) & then regular chores:

• Make one pot chicken & rice dish for dinner
• Call Sam (getting him to answer will be the real adventure)
• Help Nick with some college application tasks
• Review essays from student I'm mentoring
• Daily chores (language lesson, journal & meditation)
• Pay physics tutor
• Go for a walk with former coworker
• Vacuum
• Sort out flights for girls trip to Sedona in the spring

What about you? What are you up to today? A mix of chores & fun, I hope!

And, for visual interest, photo of the start of one of our hikes last weekend. Zion in the fall was incredible!

Frugal Friday

 Saving on things we buy

• Sam asked if he could join ski club in college, and wanted a season's pass for Christmas. I was able to get the college discount ($60 off) pretty easily. I also review my credit card offers regularly, and found a 20% cash back reward for the pass, which will save another $211! That is a huge savings. I've never seen the season pass credit card offer, and typically skip over the "entertainment" category of rewards, but this reminds me to explore all options. 
• I chased down our orthodontia claim with our dental insurance, and finally got a hold of someone who could help. We received a reimbursement check of $2300. 
• Noticed that the local airport was running a holiday parking sale (if you pre-book), so I was able to book advanced parking for our trip to Portland over Christmas. I saved $12 by booking early. 
• I was very close to clicking "buy" on Southwest flights for my parents to visit in April (when we are going to Spain - they will be looking after Nick - the last trip where we will need to fly anyone in for "child" care purposes!), but decided to check Alaska. Alaska hasn't been competitive vs Southwest in at least 18 months, but today they were $400 cheaper! I also assumed I'd used the wallet credit I had in my spreadsheet, but nope, I also had a $300 travel credit, which saved almost half of the cost of the flights. My parents prefer Alaska vs Southwest, so they will be thrilled. 

Earning money

• I found $81 in my Paypal account (a combination of Rakuten cash back + a survey payment), and transferred that over to my bank account. 
• I had a small gambling budget for my night in Las Vegas, and won money, which is always a really fun treat! 

Avoiding spending

• Saved around $1800 on spring club soccer fees, as Nick is playing school tennis instead. Last year he needed to do both to keep his soccer skills high enough to make the high school team, but this year is his last year of club soccer & we've just completed the fall season! We've had 2 kids in club soccer for 11 years, and then one bonus year with just Nick. It's been a lot of soccer!!!
• Chatted with the family about ways to reduce holiday spending, now that 5 of 6 "kids" are adults. We are moving into an exchange vs gifts for all, which will cut off two folks from everyone's shopping list. 

Eating what we have

• Defrosted the remaining beef & broccoli for an easy dinner this week. I tend to not use much broccoli in the first prep of the dish, knowing we will have leftovers. I then warm the beef, and add fresh broccoli & allow that to just barely steam, and then serve. It keeps the broccoli fresh, and makes the leftovers very tasty. 
• Made (an extra hungry) Nick popcorn as a pre-dinner snack. All of that school soccer is increasing his appetite.
• Made Nick various lunches from items around the house, when he was home between high school & college class. I used up the last of our bread & cheese to make him a few grilled cheese sandwiches this week.
• We had the leftover white bean & chicken sausage skillet leftovers for a dinner, and then I had the rest for lunch, along with a piece of toast and a banana. 

For others

• Hiking friend from last weekend & I previously worked for the same company. She received a very senior promotion offer from them, so I helped her negotiate the offer & come up with a list of questions, prep for the offer call. As I'd previously worked at the company as well, she appreciated having someone she could discuss it with who knew the compensation. 
• Had a call with one of the students I'm mentoring, and reviewed her college essays. 

What about you? Any wins to share? 

Mid week menu plan

 It's definitely been a fly by the seat of my pants menu plan this week. But, checking the freezer & going through what's available in the fridge always helps.

My friend & I did takeout on Friday night, and then a dinner out on Saturday & Sunday, so no meal planning was involved.

On Monday, I came back & had no plans, so Nick picked up takeout Greek food for the two of us, while M ate leftovers (his preference). 

I got it together yesterday, and defrosted the beef & broccoli dish, cutting up fresh broccoli to steam at the end of the warming of the beef, which made the recipe much fresher tasting. No one likes mushy broccoli.

• Wednesday - as for today, I've defrosted the white beans & sausage dish that we both really liked from last week.
• Thursday - there is taco meat in the freezer, so I'll be pulling that out & Nick will have tacos, and we will have taco salads
• Friday - I also discovered orange chicken in the freezer, so that will be the plan

I will plan a proper meal plan for next week, including Thanksgiving! What's on your Thanksgiving menu?

Zion, St. George and Las Vegas

 As I mentioned in a previous post, a friend and I met up for a very impromptu trip. We hadn't seen each other in 10 years, and it was so fabulous to catch up! It felt like no time had passed & it was so wonderful to spend time together.

We also had an absolute blast, and so many laughs that I spent chunks of the trip crying with laughter. I've missed her so much. 

We met up in Las Vegas, spent a night there, and then headed to St. George, where she has a vacation condo. We hiked one day at Snow Canyon, and another day at Zion. Zion in the fall was breathtaking. (Photos below). We also got lottery permits for Angels Landing, so we did part of that hike. I stopped where the chains drop off & there's a sheer vertical on both sides. I'm not afraid of heights, but that was a definite no for me. There are no photos anywhere near Angels Landing, because I had both of my hands very tightly wrapped around the chains! :-) 

Here's how much the trip cost:

• Flights to/from Las Vegas  = $100 seat selection fees + $485 on a gift card (pricey, as they were very last minute)
• Rental car - my friend covered this
• Hotel in Las Vegas - I used comps to cover the hotel & parking fees
• Two lunches & one dinner in Las Vegas for both of us - largely covered by comps, minus tips & drinks for the road trip to St. George = $124.76
• Two dinners in Utah =  $97.85 (I treated for one, and paid for myself for the other)
• I bought groceries & supplies for breakfast/lunches while hiking = $104.84
• Airport snacks = $12.39
• Lyfts to/from the airport (M ended up not being able to drive me) + while in Las Vegas = $151.40 (could have saved a bit by parking at the airport, but trip was very last minute!)
• Angels Landing permits - $12
• Park entrance fees = covered by my friend's park passes 
• Souvenirs at Zion (for me + Nick)  = $103.97
• Lodging in St. George = stayed at my friend's vacation condo

Total spent for 5 day trip = $1192. It worked out so well, as my friend had the condo & already had a rental car, and I was able to use the comps in Las Vegas. Overall, it was an incredible trip and one we will definitely be repeating!

Are you afraid of heights? Here's a quick overview of Angels Landing, if you're not a hiker. 

Frugal Friday

 It's definitely not going to be a frugal week here, because I'm joining a friend on a very last minute (planned this week) hiking trip. We will be staying in her condo, but the trip involves a flight & sharing the cost of a rental car, so definitely still some expenses. 

Saving on things we buy

• Uploaded a couple of digital offers at the grocery store and saved a couple of bucks. Also added the receipt to iBotta & saved another $2.50.
• Reached out to Sam's roommate's mom (she's booking his holiday travel) to coordinate their flight times. This means they can share an Uber to the airport, which will save ~$50. 

Earning money

• Transferred $22.38 from iBotta to my savings account. Not a lot, but I'd rather cash it out, as some of these programs devalue points & earnings over time. 
• Signed up for a user study and earned $75/day on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday (three hours/day). 

Avoiding spending

• The only time M could take me to the airport was several hours before my flight, so I agreed to get to the airport *very* bright & early to avoid the cost of an Uber. 

Eating what we have

• M bought oat milk at Costco, and it wasn't the regular kind. I tried it, not knowing there was a big difference, & I'm really not a fan. It's Costco, so these are two large containers. I've been using 1/2 of my preferred brand, and 1/2 of the watery Costco version, to avoid waste. I'll be happy to see the end of that second container!
• The pomegranates are absolutely fantastic right now, and they have been a delicious dessert in the evenings. 
• I went out to a goodbye brunch for a friend that's moving, and brought home leftovers. Those served as my lunch the following day. 
• I fed myself, Nick & M after the user study on Tuesday, and then Nick let me know he was having five people over for a physics study group. So, I got busy finding other things they could all eat. They finished the ramen from the pantry, and ate a bunch of chicken tenders I keep in the freezer for just such occasions. 
• We've been buying the big containers of spinach from Costco, and it's always my goal to use it up before it gets slimy. I've been looking for recipes that use it up, and so far, so good. We've only had to toss a small amount. 
• I finally used up the cranberries from the freezer to make M cranberry muffins. Bonus that I used up some expired orange juice & yogurt that needed to go as well. 

For others

• Continued volunteering for the college students I'm mentoring. 

What about you? Any wins to share? 

Last minute trip planning

First up, I wanted to share another recipe that we liked. I made the chicken sausage white bean skillet last night, and it was so easy & simple. Highly recommend. We followed the recipe exactly, although we did top ours with fresh basil (lots in the garden) & will likely increase the spinach next time around. It was a great fall/winter dish. 

One of my favorite things about not working over the past few months has been last minute travel. It was my goal to "say yes" to lots of opportunities (when feasible) & just enjoy catching up with lots of people. I'll do a recap at the end of the year, but I'd definitely say I've achieved this. 

On Saturday, I texted an old friend to check in, and we set up a time to talk on the phone. I hadn't spoken to her in six months, & it was so fabulous to catch up. She mentioned that she was doing a last minute trip to her vacation house in St. George (near Zion National Park) & asked if I wanted to join. We haven't seen each other in 10ish years. Yes, please!

I'm flying into Santa Ana tomorrow, she's picking me up (she's there for work), & we're driving to Las Vegas. We will have dinner & stay the night in Las Vegas, and then carry on to St. George. We plan to hike & catch up. I'm excited my hiking boots are going to get another opportunity for use! We'll do the reverse on Monday, driving back to Las Vegas & flying home. 

I found a free night at the Aria in my email, so we will stay there & have dinner. 

I'm so excited to catch up with a friend I haven't seen in forever, and hiking is always one of my top ways to spend time together. 

When was the last time you said yes to last minute plans (travel or otherwise)? I confess to being a huge planner, and not being particularly spontaneous, so this is a work in progress for me. 

Menu Plan Monday

 Another Monday has made its way back around, and it's menu planning time. 

• Friday - salmon + gyozos (discovered we had three bags in the freezer)
• Saturday - leftover garlic noodles with beef & broccoli (this recipe was great, btw)
• Sunday - Swedish meatballs (carryover from last week) 
• Monday - chicken sausage & white bean skillet
  
• Tuesday - tacos (meat from the freezer)
• Wednesday - leftover Swedish meatballs
• Thursday - leftover chicken sausage & white bean skillet
• Friday - TBD. Maybe pizza

What about you? What's on the menu for the week at your house?

Fitness recap for the week

Like everything else in life, I find it helpful to track & recap, looking for ways I can improve. My goal for November is to lose 2 lbs, & continue to build & grow my fitness, while trying to improve my flexibility. I'm always also looking to maintain balance, get plenty of sleep and manage my overall stress (important for lupus).

Here's what happened this week.

Workouts:

• Sunday -  60 minute workout class + 4 mile walk with a friend who was in town
• Monday - yoga 
• Tuesday - 60 minute workout class
• Wednesday - 7.5 mile hike 
• Thursday - 60 minute workout class + 1 hour of pickleball
• Friday - 60 minute workout class
• Saturday - 4 mile walk

Average daily steps for the week = 13,952

Average calories for the week = 1522

Weight = no change

How I feel about the week: Tuesday wasn't a great eating day. I mostly skipped dinner & had Halloween candy & wine. Surprisingly, until that point, I'd eaten almost no Halloween candy (a vast improvement over prior years), but things went off the rails a bit on Tuesday. I pulled things together & avoided candy for the rest of the week. On Monday (yoga day), my steps were crazy low, but that sort of averaged out with the long hike on Wednesday. Overall, I feel pretty good about the week, all things considered.

Goals for this week:

• Drop the average daily calories down slightly (I have a VERY low resting metabolic rate), under 1500
• Avoid sugar entirely
• Maintain everything else

What about you? How are you doing with your health & fitness? Anything you want to work on? 

Saturday things

I'm so happy that my sister & her partner are visiting Sam today, on Family Weekend. We thought about going, but it's so close to Thanksgiving. 

I'm going for a walk this morning, making muffins & helping Nick with some college tasks. That's my to do list for the day.

Here are a few things that are making me happy right now:

• We are having stunning fall weather. It's going to be 70 today, and the leaves & the sunshine are *chef's kiss*. It's gorgeous & makes it really fun to be outside.
• I have amazing friends, and I've been making new friends through my workout class. I'm trying to expand my circle a bit.
• M & I are in such a good place. We always get along well, but there's something really special about having someone who deeply knows you & supports you through ups & downs. 
• DS17 made me laugh so hard yesterday. He's making posters for his cheerleading friends for their senior nights. The slogans he came up with (tied to the names) were hysterical, and he invested a lot of time in drawing pictures. He's a riot. I love how he supports his friends.
• M & I are playing a lot of rummy, and have bets going. We have to track them, because so much betting is occurring that neither of us can remember who is ahead & who "owes" who. 
• I joined a book club & am going to start reading a new book today. 

Anything you want to share that's making you happy today?

Frugal Friday

 It's Friday again! Here's a roundup of a few wins for the week. 

Saving on things we buy

• I needed a variety of pantry staples that I was out of, so decided it was a good time to hit up Safeway & use a $25 gift card I earned via Fetch. I also took the time to download two $1 off coupons in their app. I bought: stone ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, whipping cream, a bag of potatoes, & a bunch of celery. I spent $4.74. This was still a lot for what I got, but those pantry staples can be quite expensive, so it was a good time to use the gift card. I rarely shop at Safeway, unless they have a particularly good loss leader. I also uploaded my receipt to Fetch, saving a bit more, as they have a Safeway receipt offer.  
• With Sam at an out of state college, we've had a lot of flight expenses. Southwest is almost always quite a bit cheaper than Alaska. Costco was selling Southwest gift cards for $429.99 for a $500 gift card. I bought the limit of 5. I used my Costco credit card, which saved $43. All told, I paid $2149.95 for $2500 worth of gift cards, then minus the additional $43. 

Earning money

• Sold a pair of work pants I bought & didn't wear before I stopped working. Made $20 on eBay. One more item out of the house!
• A huge one - finally sold our extra car! This *almost* covers the cost of our property taxes, so that's a big win. 

Avoiding spending

• Charged our car for free at M's office. This is something we do weekly, but I often forget about the savings.

Eating what we have

• We've been using up peppers (purchased for fajitas during my parents visit) in salads
• Eating lots of pomegranates from our tree. They are delicious!
• Ate leftover french dip sandwich for lunch (this was from our Halloween dinner out)
• Rescued a potato soup fail by pureeing it, adding more cream & sour cream & thinning it out a bit with milk. While not exactly what I'd envisioned (my fault, I added too many other veggies), it's definitely passable. 

For others

• Very minor, but picked up some leftover trash on the pickle ball court, after we wrapped up our game. Someone else had left it behind, but it's nice to keep the courts clean for everyone. 
• I picked up glass beer bottles left behind on the soccer field. This is especially dangerous, as the bottles break, glass gets into the turf, and it can really injure the kids. 
• Continued to do calls & volunteer for my high school students. 

How about you? Any wins to share?

One week into November

 I'm trying to really focus on my goals this month, after a not so successful October. We're one week into November, and here's how things are going. 

Financial:

• Achieve savings goal. If we sell a car, that will get added on top of the savings goal.
• Mini freezer clean out:
• Eat 1/2 of the pizza in the freezer
• Use up the cranberries
• Sell the white car - yay! Sold!! 
• Sell fitness watch

Family:

• Help Nick with final college application & scholarship essay
• Sort out plans for winter break
• Finalize all travel plans for Sam -- all flights are booked. Need to sort out a shuttle. 
• One fun activity with the boys, while Sam is in town for Thanksgiving
• 2 dates with M - we played pickleball over the weekend. 

Fitness:

• 15 strength workouts - I've done a total of 4 so far. 
• Follow the No S diet 15 days & track calories daily - I've tracked my calories daily, and had two No S days. 
• Schedule MRI
• Lose 2 lbs

Personal:

• Complete daily tasks 20 times (meditate, language lesson, journal) - I've had 6 so far. 
• Get together with friends - yes, hiked, met a friend for coffee, met another friend for a walk, and pickleball with another friend today. 
• Declutter 25 items - 11/25
• Network 2x
• Continue exploring jobs. - oh yes. 
• Spend time on volunteer role - yes. 
• Come up with more structure in my daily routine

As for today, here's what's on the plan:

1. Workout class
2. Pickleball with a new friend
3. Vacuum
4. Trim some bushes in the yard
5. Work on job applications
6. Make cranberry muffins
7. Work on the menu for next week
8. Plan for the weekend
9. Daily activities (language lesson, meditate, journal)
10. Look into guitar lessons & a class at the local college
11. Call to set up MRI

What about you? How are you doing with your November goals? 

Wednesday Happenings

First of all, what is happening with recruiters? I've had three calls scheduled (this is over several months) where recruiters just don't show up. No reschedule, no cancellation email, no apology. It's so unprofessional. I get that things come up, but as someone who has interviewed hundreds of people over the course of my career, I've never bailed without notice or an email. So bizarre. Anyway, suffice it to say my interview yesterday didn't happen. I had one hilarious situation where an exec was reaching out to my LinkedIn, really wanting me to apply for a role. 1) I'd already replied. 2) the recruiter blew me off not once, but twice for a call. When I let him know about #2, he was mortified. I let him know, because clearly the recruiter was disappointing plenty of potential candidates out there.

Anyway, on to other things. 

I'm hiking with a friend this morning. We live near a nature preserve (one of my absolutely favorite parts of our location) & I have a great trail we take often. But, I found another loop of it (actually, Nick showed me a few weeks ago) that extends it a bit & ends with a gorgeous view. Maybe we will try that out.

I also didn't finish my volunteer work yesterday, so that's on the agenda for today.

And, job searching. I feel blessed that I've never had to job search like this before. I got my first job via an internship in college, and had a full time offer before I graduated. Then, when we moved to California, the company that hired M asked to interview me as well & I got an offer without trying. I swapped jobs within the first company I worked for, but that process was very easy & low risk. I do not enjoy the current job search process. I've made it to three final interviews where the company decided not to fill the role (very common right now, as companies are posting 3-4 jobs for every head count, and then seeing which they fill first & then cancelling the other roles). I'm also trying to make a bit of a pivot, industry wise, which is much harder than applying for the most logical next job from a resume perspective. Anyway, it's a lot of time & emotional energy. I have a lot of compassion for folks who are frantically job searching & are desperate to replace their income, because it's so rough out there. 

As always, plenty of yard work awaits me. And, maybe some muffin baking. Today feels like a day to make cranberry muffins (M's favorites), or, work through the glut of bananas. We're going to have to stop buying them. Nick eats maybe one a week. Definitely not enough to keep buying bunches. Maybe I'll buy the occasional solo banana at Trader Joes moving forward. 

What are you up to today? Inspire me with all of your fun or creative pursuits!

Distraction Tuesday

I'm trying to make sure I have plenty of healthy things to do today, so I don't doom scroll the news all day/evening. 

Here's what's on my list:

1. Sort out car title/transfer (we sold our extra car! Hurrah!)
2. Morning work out class
3. Daily chores (meditate, language lesson, journal)
4. Work in the yard for an hour
5. Get in 12k steps
6. Work on job applications
7. Puzzle or read
8. Come up with 10 things to sell or donate
9. Fill out coach's reports & complete all monthly tasks for volunteering role

What about you? What are your plans for today? Also, in the US, props to all of you who are poll workers, helping to ensure everyone can safely cast their vote!

Menu Plan Monday

 It's time to get back on the wagon with menu planning. October was a busy month with traveling, and having lots of house guests. We need to get back on track!

Here's what's on the menu for the week:

• Friday - ravioli (me) + leftover fajita chicken (M)
• Saturday - creamy dijon chicken
• Sunday - slow cooker potato soup
• Monday - leftover dijon chicken
• Tuesday - Swedish meatballs
• Wednesday - garlic noodles with beef & broccoli
• Thursday - leftover meatballs
• Friday - leftover garlic noodles

What about you? Do you have any new recipes on your list? The Swedish meatballs are new for us. I'm also looking forward to freezing the potato soup leftovers, so I can have easy lunches! I love soup for lunch in fall & winter. 

Sunday Happenings

Yesterday was a good day. I try & take at least one day a week to have a much easier workout (or, none at all, if we're traveling or the like.) I went for a morning walk, & then M & I played a quick game of pickle ball. It was very fun & the weather was perfect for both. It was super chilly for my walk, but the leaves were gorgeous. It warmed up enough for pickle ball that I played in a tank top & pants. 

I hustled home, and ate lunch & then headed off to watch Nick's soccer game. They pulled out a win, despite quite a few injuries and a few questionable calls. Nick gave me a ride home from the game, and we chatted about the fact that his club soccer season is ending in just a few weeks. Nick has been playing club soccer for 11 years, so this will be quite a milestone! I can't believe it. School soccer tryouts start tomorrow. You can't play games for both teams at the same time due to youth athletic regulations, so they are quickly winding down club soccer, so school sports can begin. 

I made a new to us recipe last night, and it was delicious. Highly recommend this creamy dijon chicken recipe. I chose it because it uses heavy cream, which I needed for a slow cooker baked potato soup recipe I'm trying tonight. And, we always have spinach to use up! 

As for today, here's my plan:

• Go to a workout class
• Make slow cooker soup
• Laundry
• Apply for two jobs
• Meet a friend for a hike
• Pay Nick's physics tutor
• Work with Nick on last college application
• Buy thank you gifts for the teachers who wrote Nick's college letters of recommendation
• Drop off Halloween candy at BN contact who is collecting it for a shelter
• Find 5 items to donate
• Talk to the boys about our plans for New Year's/winter break

What about you? What are you up to today?

October Goals Recap

 October was not a great month for goals, and it was not a great month for my health. I had a lupus flare, was diagnosed with another autoimmune disease, and the lupus (they think) is triggering a lot of anemia. All of that to say, I didn't have much energy in October.  I did have a fantastic vacation with M, and I'm on medicine for the lupus again, so fingers crossed I'm feeling more like myself in November.

Financial:

• Save $2500 this month. - We were reimbursed for a car we bought for my special needs aunt (I'm not counting that in our savings, as it just repays our account & we knew we'd be getting the money back - it just impacted our cash flow). We managed to save $1684 this month, falling short of our goal, as we paid for Nick's orthodontia work. 
• Freezer goal: - I accomplished neither of these goals
• Eat 1/2 of the leftover pizza 
• Use up the cranberries 
• Get car sold - nope. M has shown it a few times, but it's not sold yet. 
• Update CD that is renewing - yes! Moved it to a different term that was paying far better.
• Sell Sam's old bike & my old fitness watch - sold the old bike. However, I did manage to finally sell my old jewelry (a goal from wayyyyy back this year), & a few other higher value items & made $2630 in October, which is a big win. 

Family:

• Help Nick with college applications & essays, & achieve all school deadlines - Yes, & he's heard back from a few schools already. We have just one application & one scholarship form due in the next four weeks.
• Adjust menu plan for 3 diners - eh, I did okay on this. October wasn't a great cooking month, but we did manage to avoid tossing food, and are being better about food planning, purchasing & cooking. 
• Have a great trip to Costa Rica - yes, it was fabulous!

Fitness:

• Continue PT for hip - I haven't been consistent about this, but as long as I'm keeping an eye on my running pace, speed & frequency, my hip pain has been pretty manageable. 
• 15 strength workouts - I got in 14/15 workouts, so close! 
• Follow the No S diet 15 days & track calories daily - I lost track. I'm guessing I had about 10 days of No S, and I tracked calories about 75% of the time
• Successfully run the 10k with my sister & friend - yes, and I PR'd vs the same race last year. I'm very pleased, given how I was feeling leading up to the race.
• See the doctor about lack of energy & overall health - I had three doctor's appointments, plus a CT scan, and two rounds of lab work in order to figure out what's going on, as well as additional appointments next month. It was no shortage of effort to manage my health in October. 
• Lose 2 lbs - I maintained my weight, which I'm fine with, given all of the above. 

Personal:

• Complete daily tasks 20 times (meditate, language lesson, journal) - I didn't track this, and wasn't particularly consistent this month. I'd estimate I managed around 10 times.
• Get together with friends - yes, saw friends for hikes, coffee, & working out, not to mention my girls trip to Portland for the 10k.
• Declutter 25 items - 24/25 items 
• Network 2x - yes, I met an old friend for a hike, and one for lunch. 
• Continue exploring jobs. Apply for two jobs in a "pivot" field. - Yes, I probably applied to about 10. 
• Spend time on volunteering role - yes, I've continued to mentor the three students I'm helping with the college process. 
• Play pickleball 3x. - nope! Didn't happen this month. I thought we might play in Costa Rica, but it was a bit too hot & humid for us. 

What about you? How did you do with your October goals? Let us know so we can cheer you on!

Frugal Friday

 It's been a busy week, as we've had guests (my parents, then my uncle, and finally just my mom, after my dad & uncle left). Here are a few wins we cobbled together. 

Savings on things we buy

• Submitted receipts to Fetch & iBotta, and saved $1.60 on a grocery store purchase

Earning money

• Filled out a health care survey for a $10 Door Dash gift card. (I will combine with my credit card Door Dash offers.) 
• Sold a watch on eBay

Avoiding spending

• Considered taking my mom out to lunch one day, but we'd already had quite a few meals out over the past few weeks, so I picked up sandwich fixings, and we sat outside in the sun & enjoyed our lunch together. 

Eating what we have

• Had leftover fajitas for dinner one night
• Planned meals for our visitors (chicken & rice, burgers, etc) to keep costs under control
• My mom & I had salads with chicken for lunch one day, and leftover soup another day

For others

• Had a call with the one of the students I'm mentoring. 

What about you? Any wins to share? 

November goals

 I'll be back with an October goal recap soon. For now, here are my November goals! 

Financial:

• Achieve savings goal. If we sell a car, that will get added on top of the savings goal.
• Mini freezer clean out:
• Eat 1/2 of the pizza in the freezer
• Use up the cranberries
• Sell the white car
• Sell fitness watch

Family:

• Help Nick with final college application & scholarship essay
• Sort out plans for winter break
• Finalize all travel plans for Sam
• One fun activity with the boys, while Sam is in town for Thanksgiving
• 2 dates with M

Fitness:

• 15 strength workouts
• Follow the No S diet 15 days & track calories daily
• Schedule MRI
• Lose 2 lbs

Personal:

• Complete daily tasks 20 times (meditate, language lesson, journal)
• Get together with friends
• Declutter 25 items
• Network 2x
• Continue exploring jobs. 
• Spend time on volunteer role
• Come up with more structure in my daily routine

What about you? What are you hoping to accomplish in November? 

Costa Rica Trip Cost

 I like to add up the cost of trips, and track them for myself. I also share here, in case it's of interest. 

Photo of the beach at our hotel, for visual interest. 

Expenses for the trip:

• Two business class tickets from San Francisco to Costa Rica - covered using credits from previously cancelled Turkey trip & travel credits. One of the reasons we planned this trip was to use these credits before they expired. 
• Six nights at an all inclusive hotel - free with Hyatt points
• Tips during the trip - $200
• Cash left for my parents to spend on food, etc - $500
• Cost of my parents flights from Portland to San Jose - $60 (the rest was covered with miles)
• Hotel charges (this was a massage for me, and two nicer bottles of wine) - $374
• Airport purchases: local treats for the boys + rum for my dad & a drink for myself - $22.50
• Excursion for two to the rain forest, waterfalls & hot springs - $290
• Cost for parking at the SFO airport during our trip (priced out, and cheaper than Uber) - $126
• Transportation to & from the airport in Costa Rica to our hotel - $134

Total spent = $1706.50. My original estimate was $1260. Transportation was a bit more than expected, and we hadn't factored in tipping, which was a miss. The massage & wine were also unplanned (but enjoyed!)

How do you track your travel planning expenses? 

I'm back

Costa Rica was absolutely fabulous. We had such a great time together, and really enjoyed all of the adventures. 

Photo of a sunset hike we took near our hotel.

We got back late on Friday, and my parents & uncle were staying with us for a few nights. My dad & uncle drove a car to Washington, so left yesterday, with a stop to see Sam at college. My mom will stay with us until Wednesday, as she was looking for a bit of a break from some care giving at home. She's been enjoying the time, hanging out with me, M & Nick. 

In terms of a menu plan, we've been flying by the seat of our pants. M grilled chicken & made rice on Saturday, and then grilled absolutely delicious burgers yesterday. I think we will defrost chicken fajitas to have for dinner tonight, and then have leftover burgers tomorrow. 

Hope you are all doing well!

Frugal Friday

 It's been a relatively quiet week around here, but a few wins to share.

Saving on things we buy

• Ordered a few things Sam needs for college. Debated having it sent to us, and having my dad take it to him (they are visiting), but remembered that anything delivered in Oregon is tax free, so went that route. 

Earning money

• Nothing much happening here. I completed a survey for $50. 

Avoiding spending

• Ate at the lounge on Friday for free, vs buying food at the airport. 
• Used Southwest credits for our flights home for Christmas. I had a combination of gift cards (purchased at a discount at Costco) & a flight credit we had for Nick for something I can't recall at the moment. 

Eating what we have

• I planned two dinners at my sister's house (at her request, she's been really busy), and made sure they had coordinating sides. (Mexican chicken skillet one night, nachos the next). 
• Had Sunday brunch leftovers for brunch on Monday, ahead of our flights.
• Made dinner ahead of a few appointments & picking up my parents, so we didn't have to do takeout. 

For others

• Fed all of the random teens who showed up at my house this week for impromptu study sessions. ;-) 

What about you? Any frugal wins to share at your house?

Menu Plan Tuesday

 I flew back from Portland yesterday, so I'm a little late to the party. Here's what's on the menu at our house.

• Friday - I ate at the airport lounge, and then had a glass of wine when I got to my sister's house
• Saturday - my sister's partner made us Mexican chicken rice skillet, which was delicious.
• Sunday - we celebrated our 10k run with nachos, which I try to only have on special occasions, because they are a true indulgence. These were delicious, with carne asada on top. Yum!
• Monday - I got home from the airport & scrambled a bit to figure out dinner. M grilled salmon & I made a spinach salad to go with it.
• Tuesday - tonight will be grilled chicken over salads
• Wednesday - likely pasta & meatballs, if Nick is going to be home. It's his favorite.
• Thursday - I'm making chicken fajitas, after we pick up my parents at the airport
• Friday - tacos, so we can use up the rest of the chicken fajita fixings

What about you? What's on your menu this week?