Thursday, February 28, 2008
I just had my interviewish thingy at the substitute teacher staffing organization. I say "interviewish thingy" because it seems to be the closest to an interview that I'll need, yet it wasn't an interview. Even on the phone when I was scheduling it, the guy called it an "information session." I showed up, filled out their application, and the guy took a look at my resume and made a little chit-chat about Penn and asked a couple questions like, "How many days a week did you want to work?" and, "Magnolia, now where is that?" The next step is getting fingerprinted. Unfortunately, he said that it will take 4-6 weeks before I'm actually teaching because of the state processing my background check and certification :/ So that puts me at teaching April and May, and the last week of May I will need to take off to get ready for the wedding. Oh well, what can ya do?
So Ryan and I spent (what I consider to be) quite a bit of $$ on groceries in January ($375), which led me to want to trim our grocery spending in February. Now, we did "inherit" a lot of meat and stuff from January, but I am quite pleased to announce that we spent less than $100 for food in February! $99.40 to be exact :P That's through the magic of combining sales and coupons. And the spending even includes a bunch of wet food for the cattens. We don't have any meat to pass on until March, so the March goal is $225. That should be a piece of cake, so I might even shoot for $200. I know, I'm crazy, but it's a fun little game to me and makes me feel less guilty about being unemployed.
Oh, Jen, Ryan wanted me to ask if you could adapt the LOTR theme for dulcimer.
He was kidding (I think!).
So Ryan and I spent (what I consider to be) quite a bit of $$ on groceries in January ($375), which led me to want to trim our grocery spending in February. Now, we did "inherit" a lot of meat and stuff from January, but I am quite pleased to announce that we spent less than $100 for food in February! $99.40 to be exact :P That's through the magic of combining sales and coupons. And the spending even includes a bunch of wet food for the cattens. We don't have any meat to pass on until March, so the March goal is $225. That should be a piece of cake, so I might even shoot for $200. I know, I'm crazy, but it's a fun little game to me and makes me feel less guilty about being unemployed.
Oh, Jen, Ryan wanted me to ask if you could adapt the LOTR theme for dulcimer.
He was kidding (I think!).
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Have you ever felt your life had a higher calling, but you weren't sure exactly what?
Do you like power trips?
Do you want a good story to add to your collection of life experiences?
Would you be comfortable reading and speaking in front of a group of approximately 75 people?
You know how on Friends, Joey married Monica and Chandler?
Do you want a cool thank-you gift that did not come from CVS?
Do you want to come to our rehearsal dinner?
That's right- it's legal in New Jersey and we are recruiting for someone we know to get ordained online and perform our ceremony. Getting ordained is free, and while you probably have to read some stuff and take a quiz, I doubt it would be too difficult. Or if you don't want to volunteer yourself, suggest someone else. Then we can all gang up on that person and force them to do it.
Do you like power trips?
Do you want a good story to add to your collection of life experiences?
Would you be comfortable reading and speaking in front of a group of approximately 75 people?
You know how on Friends, Joey married Monica and Chandler?
Do you want a cool thank-you gift that did not come from CVS?
Do you want to come to our rehearsal dinner?
That's right- it's legal in New Jersey and we are recruiting for someone we know to get ordained online and perform our ceremony. Getting ordained is free, and while you probably have to read some stuff and take a quiz, I doubt it would be too difficult. Or if you don't want to volunteer yourself, suggest someone else. Then we can all gang up on that person and force them to do it.
Friday, February 15, 2008
I've got the ball rolling on the teaching thing. I had to leave a message for the recruiter because he was on vacation the last couple days, but it sounds like he will be back and able to meet with me next week. I've also: ordered transcripts, asked two Penn people for reference letters, and had half my tuberculosis test (have to go back on Monday to have my arm checked). All that's left is updating my resume and going shopping for some interview pants. Yay pants, boo resume.
I will try to explain the cute Valentine story. All y'alls will probably not appreciate it as much as the Slickdeal community, though. So you need to know- "ECBs," or "Extra Care Buck" are the coupons that print at the bottom of the CVS receipt after you buy a qualifying item. If you get an ECB for $4, you have to spend the entire thing or lose the part you didn't spend. Sooooo, I told Ryan that I didn't want him to spend a bunch of money for V-day, but that I did get him a card, so he should probably get one for me. I suggested he grab some ECBs and get it at CVS :P So I guess on his way home from work he stopped there and had a $4 ECB but picked out a $3 card. So he had an extra dollar to spend. All on his own, he figured out that the best thing to buy would be a $1.29 Gatorade because they spit out a $1.29 ECB (effectively free). The kicker is that he tore off the $1.29 ECB and tucked it into the card he gave me :D
Ok, if you made it all the way through that paragraph and actually paid attention, you deserve a gold star.
I will try to explain the cute Valentine story. All y'alls will probably not appreciate it as much as the Slickdeal community, though. So you need to know- "ECBs," or "Extra Care Buck" are the coupons that print at the bottom of the CVS receipt after you buy a qualifying item. If you get an ECB for $4, you have to spend the entire thing or lose the part you didn't spend. Sooooo, I told Ryan that I didn't want him to spend a bunch of money for V-day, but that I did get him a card, so he should probably get one for me. I suggested he grab some ECBs and get it at CVS :P So I guess on his way home from work he stopped there and had a $4 ECB but picked out a $3 card. So he had an extra dollar to spend. All on his own, he figured out that the best thing to buy would be a $1.29 Gatorade because they spit out a $1.29 ECB (effectively free). The kicker is that he tore off the $1.29 ECB and tucked it into the card he gave me :D
Ok, if you made it all the way through that paragraph and actually paid attention, you deserve a gold star.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Gee, if I made a special money saving blog there would be pretty much nothing left in here!
Today's trip to the grocery store:
Earned: $13 coupon toward next visit
Net: $2.52 :D
I've been thinking about doing some substitute teaching in the surrounding school districts, maybe 4 days a week or so. I'm finally starting to get bored around the house, and there's only so much wheeling and dealing to fill my time (unless I start getting 10 copies of the paper). There's a staffing place I'll be calling early this week to set up an interview. I'm sure I'll be accepted, though, because 1) they hire people who have as few as 60 college credits, 2) I have a lot of teaching experience, 3) they especially have needs for science and math subs, and 4) I'm just all around God's gift to schools. It's in my nature.
Today's trip to the grocery store:
- 10 boxes Green Giant frozen veggies
- small box Bisquick
- large box pancake mix
- 3 tubs Betty Crocker frosting
- 4 cans Progresso beans
- 3 boxes Pop Secret popcorn
- 1 Philadelphia Inquirer (because every girl needs 3 copies)
Earned: $13 coupon toward next visit
Net: $2.52 :D
I've been thinking about doing some substitute teaching in the surrounding school districts, maybe 4 days a week or so. I'm finally starting to get bored around the house, and there's only so much wheeling and dealing to fill my time (unless I start getting 10 copies of the paper). There's a staffing place I'll be calling early this week to set up an interview. I'm sure I'll be accepted, though, because 1) they hire people who have as few as 60 college credits, 2) I have a lot of teaching experience, 3) they especially have needs for science and math subs, and 4) I'm just all around God's gift to schools. It's in my nature.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Yesterday at CVS (well, actually 3 CVSes) for a $4.46 profit:
The paper was for more coupons :)
I'm having trouble deciding the best way to divvy up my stockpile when you guys (and others) come down for the wedding. One idea was gift bags with items I "matched up" to people as best I could based on personality, etc. But I want stuff to go to people who need/want/could at least use it most, whereas others might think it was weird to get a bag of drugstore stuff. Especially the guys- unfortunately there is less "fun" stuff for them, whereas most girls would welcome free makeup and hair stuff (I think). Poor guys will probably end up with pain relievers, toothpaste, and shaving cream.
Ideas? A giant free-for-all? Hide the stuff in the backyard like Easter eggs? Gift bags? Or feel free to comment with stuff you would like from the following list, and I can reserve them for you.
Makeup (all types, especially eyeshadow as you can see from the above pic)
Shampoo/Conditioner
Styling products
Body wash
Body lotion
Face wash
Razors
Shaving cream
Pain relievers (oh lordy do I have tons of pain relievers)
Toothpaste (tons of it too)
Energy drinks
On a completely different topic, I start volunteering in the cat room at Petsmart tonight! Cleaning litterboxes, feeding them, and giving them snorgles, pets, and attention. I will probably be doing two three hour shifts per week. Unfortunately they only have volunteers during evenings and weekends, so it won't relieve my daytime boredom, but more kitties is a good thing. I wish that I could also be a foster parent for kitties that aren't ready for adoption yet, but Ryan won't let me because he thinks I would get too attached and wouldn't want to give them back. What do you think- should I go behind his back and do it anyway? I'm sure he'd just be pretending to disapprove if he came home and there was a cute kitty.
The paper was for more coupons :)
I'm having trouble deciding the best way to divvy up my stockpile when you guys (and others) come down for the wedding. One idea was gift bags with items I "matched up" to people as best I could based on personality, etc. But I want stuff to go to people who need/want/could at least use it most, whereas others might think it was weird to get a bag of drugstore stuff. Especially the guys- unfortunately there is less "fun" stuff for them, whereas most girls would welcome free makeup and hair stuff (I think). Poor guys will probably end up with pain relievers, toothpaste, and shaving cream.
Ideas? A giant free-for-all? Hide the stuff in the backyard like Easter eggs? Gift bags? Or feel free to comment with stuff you would like from the following list, and I can reserve them for you.
Makeup (all types, especially eyeshadow as you can see from the above pic)
Shampoo/Conditioner
Styling products
Body wash
Body lotion
Face wash
Razors
Shaving cream
Pain relievers (oh lordy do I have tons of pain relievers)
Toothpaste (tons of it too)
Energy drinks
On a completely different topic, I start volunteering in the cat room at Petsmart tonight! Cleaning litterboxes, feeding them, and giving them snorgles, pets, and attention. I will probably be doing two three hour shifts per week. Unfortunately they only have volunteers during evenings and weekends, so it won't relieve my daytime boredom, but more kitties is a good thing. I wish that I could also be a foster parent for kitties that aren't ready for adoption yet, but Ryan won't let me because he thinks I would get too attached and wouldn't want to give them back. What do you think- should I go behind his back and do it anyway? I'm sure he'd just be pretending to disapprove if he came home and there was a cute kitty.
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