Thriftism

It might be freezing outside, but you can be warm and healthy with this easy to make squash soup. Butternut squash makes a tasty soup and it is an great meal or side. There aren't many ingredients, but it is sure to go over well with even picky eaters. Not to mention it packs a load of nutrients into each bowl. What You'll Need:  1 Med Butternut Squash (4 Cups) 4 Stalks Celery 1 Yellow Onion 3 Carrots  2.5 Cups Water 2.5 Cups Chicken Bouillon Garlic to Taste 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream Step 1) Bake Squash Bake squash at ~350 for 45 minutes. Check out our how to cook squash  post or video if you need help.   Step 2) Cut/Cook Vegetables Cut celery, onion, and carrots into small pieces. The size isn't a big deal, but we will be blending later so judge according to your blender/food processor capabilities.  Put the vegetables in a stock pot or cook in smaller batches if need be. Boil under soft.            *Another option is to sti

Did you have a New Year's goal of getting in better shape or losing weight? I know that is one of my goals, but I don't have a gym membership. Gyms can get fairly expensive and then you have to have the motivation to drive to the gym to workout. Rather than going this route, I do workout at home. These can be a great alternative, but sometimes you don't want to watch a video to workout and in the winter it is nearly impossible to run on the ice or in the below zero temps. The good news is that winter provides its own forms of working out. Every time it snows, we might be able to get a little workout in. Shoveling can be a wonderful workout and should be a big change in pace from your typical workouts. Calories Burned 30 Minutes (150lb Person) Shoveling Snow - 200 Aerobics Low Impact - 170 Cycling (10-12 mph) - 200 Walking (4mph) - 152 Jogging (6 mph) - 338 Tips for Safe Shoveling: Wear warm clothes (Its WINTER!!): The last thing you need is frostbite.

Happy New Year! Maybe you're still recovering from the party of the year or maybe you're just trying to find something to do in your day off. Either way, it's that time when many are writing resolutions and once again we will be setting goals rather than resolutions. If you need a refresher on the best way to set and achieve goals, be sure to check out our posts: New Year, New You: Swap Resolutions for Goals Part 1 - Importance of Goals New Year, New You: Swap Resolutions for Goals Part 2 - How to Set Goals New Year, New You: Swap Resolutions for Goals Part 3 - Achieving Your Goals Even if you didn't accomplish everything you set out to do last year, remember that this is a new year and a clean slate to begin working towards your goals again. We are aiming to make 2017 our best year yet and will have you hold us accountable. Our goals are listed below for the world to see and we will be updating our progress throughout the year at the beginning of every mon

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 (4 of 6) Teach English: Foundational Principals (Completed FEB 2016) Teach English: Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Completed MARCH 2016) Teach English: Lesson Design & Assessment (Completed MARCH 2016) Seeing Through Photographs (Completed NOVEMBER 2016) Check out  Coursera  for a wide variety of free courses or  Duolingo  for language learning. 2. Install Kitchen Backsplash and Cabinet Pulls✔ 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 The main fram