Friday confessions

Let's do this, shall we?

1. I drank 2 cups of hot chocolate this week. But, I put 3 packs of powder in each cup. So I really drank six cups in 1 day.

2.At home, I don't cover my sneezes. I know, I am gross.

3. I took 4 baths in 1 day. I don't know what I did on Saturday, but I spent the majority of my day bathing. I guess we just need to get a pool.

Fess up y'all!

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Its the Principal of the matter

A few weeks ago,  P was paying our energy bill and noticed something odd, a minimum usage charge.

Looking over it, I started to get a bit frustrated, because P and I are vigilant about turing off lights when we leave a room, running the washer and dryer during off peak hours, and using our heat and a/c sparingly. We have even talked about installing solar panels on our home in order to produce our own electricity, and then sell it back to the energy company.

I ended up calling the energy company 2 times the next day, and both times, the customer service representatives were extremely rude and completely unhelpful.  When I asked for an explanation for the charge, I was told that it was only $9.95, which was not much money, so I should just deal with it.

True, $9.95 is not much money, but for me, its the principal of the matter. The fact is that we work really hard, and will even be a bit uncomfortable in order to save energy. We will bundle up in the winter under blankets and jackets, and in the summer, we keep it warmer than we like in order to save energy.

The 2nd customer service rep I spoke with told me to "use more energy so we don't have to pay that charge."

After speaking with these reps, I was more and more frustrated. It baffles me that we would be charged a fee for using too little energy, and that it is almost like being penalized for being good stewards of our resources.

The bottom line, yes, the charge is minimal, yet it does not encourage me to save, conserve, and reduce my consumption. In fact, I am charged a fee for doing so.

Luckily for us, we live in a state that deregulated energy, so P and I are shopping the market and looking for a plan with a better rate, and a company that encourages and rewards its clients for reducing consumption.

Do you read the fine print on any of your bills? Or, do you do like I normally do and just pay them without looking to closely?

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Happy Friday!

 

Lets get our confessions on.

1. I got thrown out of our adult league soccer game for cussing at the ref. It is a coed league and this guy came at me full speed and took me out without going for the ball. I could have been seriously injured. The ref said play on, and I had some words for the ref. I then got removed from the field.

2. There are two Allison's on our team. We both have brown hair, and that's the extent of us looking alike. A guy on the other team kept asking if we were twins. I said "yea, we ware twins and our mom gave us the exact same name."

3. P says I raise my voice an octave when I talk on the phone. So when I make calls in front of him, I deepen my voice, and try to sound like a man when talking to people.

 

Fess up!

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Top 13%

I received a pretty cool email earlier this week from my one of my favorite stores---CVS.

In 2013, I was in the top 13% of all savers in the nation who shopped at CVS.
Their calculations do not take into account all the manufacture coupons I used at the store as well.

The price of EVERYTHING is rising, and the only way I know how to stay under budget is by utilizing coupons when I shop.

For us, $755.22 is a lot of money, and we have managed to build an impressive stockpile by combining sales and specials with store and manufacture coupons.

Currently, our stockpile has at least 2 years worth of hair care, razors, cleaning products, laundry detergent, dental care, and make up.  We have about a 3 month supply of paper products on hand right now.

For most people, I think they have a misunderstanding of the couponing process, and those who coupon. There seem to be two different stereotypes: Extreme Couponing and Grandma Couponing.

Extreme Couponing: Thanks to the TLC show, Extreme Couponing, many people think that when utilizing coupons, you have to buy 90 packs of hot dog weiners at a time,100 bottles of Ragu, and must dumpster dive to get enough coupons.

False. Most people who coupon, do not go to this extreme. I have never, nor do I have any plans to dumpster dive for coupon flyer's or buy 100 bottles of mustard. That's just insane.

Grandma Couponing: The shopper is haggling with the cashier over .30C off a box of Wheat Things, and the process takes 10 minutes, the line backs up, and while everyone is waiting for a manager, people in line are starting to grumble.

Both of these are not how I coupon. On average, I can walk into Target, and buy a cart full of groceries, personal care items, clothes, electronics, and books, and manage to save around 35-45% and the process to scan my coupons takes about a minute and a half.

I have posted a guide to couponing in the past, and I would be happy to do a refresher if y'all want. The best part is, it really takes me less than an hour a week to plan, and then I shop during the week. It is easy, I promise!

(If you want to see how much I save throughout the year, click on the savings tab at the top.)

Are you a couponer?

Friday Confessions

Happy Friday My Friends!!!

I hope you have had an amazing week, and are ready for a 3 days weekend.

Lets fess up.

1.I stepped in poo on Saturday, and I have yet to clean my shoes. Out of sheer laziness, I have left them laying on the front porch all week long.

2.P and I got into a huge fight.  The fight got a bit out of control and some of the low lights included--dog poo on fingers, the ripping of underwear outside, and someone storming out of the house.

3. I let out a huge burp at the gym. I didn't think anyone was around, but a guy walked up next to me, and just stared at me with a look of disgust.

3. My allergies have been OUT OF CONTROL.  I have been blowing my nose a lot. And I have been leaving my dirty tissues all over the house.

Fess up friends!!!!

She said my name

There I am, somewhere in this photo, just getting my plank on at the  Pure Barre studio. 

As y'all know, I have been taking Pure Barre these past few moths, and it has quickly become a real passion of mine. Pure Barre is a mix of ballet, Pilates, and yoga. It is completely different from any type of workout I have ever done. Every single class pushes me out of my comfort zone, and it is really hard to "phone in" one of the workouts. It hurts so good.

This past weekend, I was at the studio for the 8:15 class and it was taught by an instructor that I have never had before. She has a reputation for being the most hard core instructor there. I was nervous when I signed up for that class, but realized quickly that I needed to get over my nerves and get ready to hurt. And hurt me she did. By the end of class, I was drenched in sweat and my legs were shaking, but I made it through.

Even though the classes are really tough, the instructors are amazing. They are all very encouraging, and just like in yoga, they are constantly moving around the room making adjustments to everyone while we are in a series. They are also really great about complimenting you by name.

I have never been complimented by name.

For the record, I am really bad at Pure Barre.

For someone who has excelled at every athletic pursuit attempted, the fact that I am not the best in class is hard for me. But, I also think it is one of the reasons I keep coming back. But, on Saturday, during the 3rd and file series of seat work, the hardest instructor at the studio said "Great job Allison."

I almost pee'ed on myself out of excitement.

I am whats called a "striver." I am motivated by praise and acknowledgement. Growing up, my dad was very demonstrative in his praise, and now as an adult, I am constantly seeking affirmation.  When they are withheld, I tend to strive even harder to gain someones appreciation and admiration. Often, this will lead to a place where I try to please others.....I become a people pleaser.

In our marriage, I am often guilt of doing things just to gain P's praise. If I cook a new meal for dinner, no matter how it tastes, P has learned that before he can critique, he needs to praise my "valiant effort." I cannot tell you how many times he made a comment about adjusting some spice, or reducing the cooking time that it ends up in a declaration that goes a little something like this "Well, if you don't like my cooking why don't you make dinner." Or, and perhaps my best line is "Fine, if you don't like it I won't ever cook again." And then I reach for the skillet and start throwing everything out. (And yes, I am up for a Tony award for my performances) Poor P.

Suddenly, I realize that I am my mother. She said the same thing to us after one chicken cordon blu dish that went off track when I was 12. My dad and I hated it, and she declared that she too was never cooking again.

For some reason, there is something deep in me that needs affirmation, that needs praise, that needs to be acknowledged.

The negative side, is that it is very difficult for me to give someone bad news. I tend to approach bad news in what P calls the hamburger method. The top bun--start with a compliment and smile--the meat--the complaint or bad news--the bottom bun---another compliment and smile.
For someone like P, who is such a straight shooter, this type of BS drives him nuts. Often, he will tell me to "just say it." Again, that leads to other types of fights and arguments. I know, I am a true pleasure to live with.

Moral of the story---I like praise, but need to be more direct.

Even bigger moral of the story....I got complimented at the Barre!

What about you? Striver? Direct? People pleaser?

Let me know.

Friday Confessions

Happy Friday everyone. I hope you have had a wonderful week.

Lets do this!

1.I drank dinner, straight from the bottle. P was at a work function and was going to be home late this week. So, I parked myself on the couch and decided to have some vino. I felt that glasses were over rated, so I just drank it straight from the bottle like the classy broad I am.

2.I have been dressing myself from this pile all week.  Some dirty, some clean. I am really not that discriminating.

3.Remember when I said I was going to turn off the t.v. 2x a week. Yea, I have plopped myself down on the couch each night. 

4.I had a meeting one morning at 9:30 about 10 minutes away from my office.  Rather than going in at 8:00, I went to my meeting first, then sauntered in the office well after 10:00.

And now for the giveaway winner. P has selected Stephanie Gossett. Please email me with your address and I will send the VISA gift card to you! Congrats!

I hope you all now how amazingly funny and fabulous you are! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for coming by here each week, y'all make my Friday's the best!

Now Fess up friends!!!!!!