November 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 still need to look at more courses.
            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. Argh, no progress since April?!?!? I know, I know, we need to get a move on. Maybe I can stain while Race is out deer hunting?
          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 did it!!! We were able to spent a delightful three weeks in England. Talk about our thriftism lifestyle paying off. We were able to spend a week in London, a few days in Bath and Bristol, a week down in Cornwall/Devon area, visit the Peak Disctrict/Sheffield, and run down to the cliffs of Dover. Be sure to follow us on YouTube, Twitter, or Instagram for videos from the trip, pictures, and travel advice. We have quite a few videos giving you thrifty options of attractions while you're on vacation. While we did save a lot for our trip, we ended up spending less than half of what we planned. We tried to take advantage of any free attractions, cheap (but delicious) food, and cheaper accommodations. We were even able to stay in a few 4 star hotels and a B&B built in the 1300s for under $80/ night because we search for deals and tried to be flexible on the trip! Watch for more travel posts throughout the next year.  
          1. Paint Office
            1. Done! We are about halfway through putting up trim. Then we just need to get a bookshelf and move all our office/workout furniture and accessories upstairs and we will be set.
          2. Workout 4 Days/Week
            1. We walked around 10-12 miles every day while we were on vacation. We also rented bikes one day and tried surfing, talk about a workout... We haven't been nearly as active since we've been home as work prevents us from walking quite as much. I'm not sure if we've worked out 4 days a week, but probably 3 days.
          3. Save $10,000 Save 50% of our income
            1. Right now we are around 37% of yearly income saved. Going under budget on our trip make a big difference. We will have to try to stay on budget with our food and entertainment the last two months to make it to our goal. I've been trying to start using more coupons and planning meals around sales.
          4. Lose 10 Pounds
            1. I went down almost half a pound while on vacation. That may be disappointing as we were active all day every day, but we did indulge in local food and ciders every day too. I'm still sitting around the 3 pound mark, but no weight gain is a positive for me coming home from vacation. This may improve with the improved workout schedule as well.
          5. 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
            9. Wash cloth - will publish instructions this month.
          6. Publish Blog Posts Twice a Week
            1. With being gone half of October, we really didn't do well publishing content. Sorry about that. We will make an effort to publish more thrifty 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. 
          7. 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. We also blanched green beans and peas. 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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