AH! Life gets in the way of the best of plans doesn't it? I missed a couple of updates, but things have been moving slowly...
Fitness/Weight Loss
I am going to the gym - woo hoo! I actually went to a zumba class a week ago and l-o-v-e-d it! I am trying to find a place to take a cheaper class. The gym I went to didn't offer a pass just for classes, which is a bummer because I don't need a whole gym membership since we have a gym in our apartment complex. I do most of my fitness/weight loss updating on my that's fit blog, which can be accessed here:
http://www.thatsfit.com/bloggers/ashley-wisniewski/
Organization
I cleaned out my closet and it was amazing. Our apartment is tiiiiiiiny. Tiny. Small. Really small, but it works for us. Also, Peter once had a customer that said, "to live like no one else, you must live like no one else." We are willing to make sacrifices now so that we can afford a house hopefully in a few years...more on that later. So, since our apartment is tiny, we don't have actual dressers. You can imagine how difficult this is for me, so my closet needed some major help. It looks ten times better and it's easier to find clothes (imagine that...).
Savings
So, yes, we'd like to buy a house. When? Who knows. Considering we don't have the money for a down payment, it's not likely to be anytime in the near future. Sigh. Oh well, we have been working our tails off figuring out how to cut costs. One way has been to use Swagbucks. I LOVE it. I have been using it since October and just redeemed my 'swagbucks' for my 8th $5 amazon giftcard so that means I've made $40 just by surfing the net, answering a few surveys, etc. If you are interested, the link is:
Also, at the suggestion of my fabulous and spending-savvy little sister in my sorority, I opened an INGdirect online savings account which has a higher interest rate. If you are interested in opening an account, let me know! I can send you a referral link and if you use the link to sign-up (plus have an initial deposit of $250 you leave in there for at least 30 days), you can get a bonus $25! It's really a great way to earn higher interest on your savings, and for you to make $25 - for free!
Now, I have three "piles" of savings opened that just need to be funded: 6 months emergency savings fund, a down payment for a house savings fund and an everyday savings fund. I am about $60 behind my savings goals for where I needed to be this week. I have it mapped out how much I need to save each week to meet my goal for the year so I "owe" myself a little bit of money. Though I am behind, I am 8.5% towards my goal so I am closing in on being 10% there! Woo hoo!
Also, I must give a recommendation to go to my little sister's savings blog! Make sure to visit:
http://ahappysaver.com/ for great tips, recommendations, savings tips and coupons!
Education
Not much has happened on the education front. I did send my advisor from grad school an email putting the bug in his ear for a potential recommendation letter. I will work on my resume as well as personal statement during December/January and get that uploaded asap. Also, I need to request my transcripts. I will feel very accomplished when I have finished the application process.
Reading
I am now three books down:
-Dexter in the Dark (Jeff Lindsey)
-Bright Lights, Big Ass (Jen Lancaster)
-Heart of the Matter (Emily Giffin)
I absolutely adore Jen Lancaster. She is HIL-arious. And she reminds me of, well, me. No, seriously. We have the same birthday, love pearls, our signature scent is even the same (J'Adore Dior) AND we are members of the same sorority (Pi Beta Phi). Her first book is Bitter is the New Black. I assure you that you will love her! Visit her website at: http://www.jennsylvania.com/
Another one of my favorite author's is Emily Giffin. I'm thrilled that they are making a movie out of her first book (Something Borrowed). I literally read Heart of the Matter in one day because I needed to know how the story ended. It was simply wonderful. You can read more about the lovely and talented Emily Giffin at her website: http://www.emilygiffin.com/
I'm currently reading the fourth Dexter book and also started a random book that I found at a book sale, Lost and Found.
Speaking of Books...
Yikes. NaNoWriMo came. And went. And all I wrote were approximately 6,000 words. That's ok. Getting started was part one. Now there isn't any pressure and I have another ten months to create characters and a manuscript I can enjoy.
Until next week!
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