October New Year's Goals Check In

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It's that time of the month... time to check in on goals you know? :) Have you been sticking with it or have your goals fallen by the wayside? Here's where we at Thriftism stand:
      1. Take 6 Courses Online (3 of 6)
        1. Teach English: Foundational Principals (Completed FEB 2016)
        2. Teach English: Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Completed MARCH 2016)
        3. Teach English: Lesson Design & Assessment (Completed MARCH 2016)
        4. I will look at taking another course when I return from vacation. Perhaps math to help me expand my tutoring capabilities.
        5. Check out Coursera for a wide variety of free courses or Duolingo for language learning.
      2. Install Kitchen Backsplash and Cabinet Pulls
        1. INSTALLED!!! We finally put our backsplash up in May. We have to grout one more section, but it looks pretty sweet. See the how-to videos below if you're looking to put up backsplash in your home.  We also put in all the cabinet pulls. It sure is nice to have a handle on the drawers. :) 


          
      3. Construct Captains Bedframe 
        1. The main frame and drawers have been constructed. Now we just have to add the facing and get drawer pulls. I'd say about 60% done. This is the same as in April, but now we are using the bedframe and use it as our dresser. Still no facing so have to be careful not to snag clothes on the rough outer surfacing. 
      4. Read 12 Books
        1. Down by the River - Robyn Carr  
        2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
        3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
        4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
        5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
        6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
        7. Happy Potter and the Half Blood Prince
        8. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows
        9. Friday Night Lights (30% complete)
        10. ~10 magazines/month (want to get free magazines? Try out rewardsurvey to earn your favorite magazine as a reward)
      5. Visit London
        1. We are here!!! Be sure to follow us on YouTube, Twitter, or Instagram for pictures, updates, and some thrifty travel advice.
      6. Paint Office
        1. Done! Still haven't furnished or trimmed, but that sounds like a great winter project.
      7. Workout 4 Days/Week
        1. Who has time to work out when you are traveling?? :) Just kidding, we are walking our butts off on vacation. Before that, we might not have worked out much, but we were getting in a walk almost everyday.
      8. Save $10,000 Save 50% of our income
        1. We were able to do fairly well this summer through working extra hard and having a garage sale. Right now we are around 29% of yearly income saved. If we end up under budget for the trip that will help bump us up a little, but we will push even harder these last few months to get close to the 50% mark.
      9. Lose 10 Pounds
        1. No idea-- lost track of this goal this month. While on vacation, I didn't even attempt to track food or exercise. I also didn't have a chance to weigh myself before posting this as we are currently out of the country. Will have a better idea for our November update.
      10. Knit/Crochet 10 Projects
        1. Soap Saver, Will be creating a DIY post of this in the coming weeks!
        2. Owl Bib, Pattern taken from Lions Brand Yarn website
        3. Frog Bib, Pattern taken from Lions Brand Yarn website
        4. Shamrock Headband, Instructions on how to make on our blog!Soap Saver
        5. Soap Saver
        6. Soap Saver
        7. Soap Saver
        8. Doggie Blankie - half way done
      11. Publish Blog Posts Twice a Week
        1. While we were gone most of September, we did try to get a few posts out. With winter approaching, we will hopefully have more time to devote to getting you more content. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to Thriftism's Channel to get the latest money saving tips/tricks, as well as some DIY projects, yummy recipes, and travel tips. 
      12. Learn How to Can Vegetables
        1. We have canned 12 quarts of green beans, 4 quarts tomatoes, 2 quarts salsa, 1 pint of jalapeños, and 12 quarts of pickles. See our video below on how to can green beans. Watch for more videos on storing vegetables coming out soon!
How are your goals coming along? What are you doing to stay motivated? 

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