#TealTuesday 5 Ways to Stay Motivated with FitBit

FitBit Charge HR 2

I live in a teal world.  They know me here.  Look, it was a pretty easy selling point that it was teal but it ALSO keeps me on track with fitness AND money goals!  This is now my third style of FitBit after the original charge gave me skin rashes and I lost my Fitbit One when it came off my yoga pants in an Uber  – I’ve had the FitBit Charge 2 for 4 months now and have had no issues!

Click here to be my friend on FitBit!  Let’s get in a step challenge and shit talk like a teenager in Call of Duty (without the racial slurs of course)

5 Awesome Apps That Work with FitBit

In honor of our 5th week of #TealTuesday

StepBet
ICYMI: 2 weeks ago I signed up for a StepBet Challenge that started yesterday that I bet $40 and should get that back AND THEN SOME! which will all be calculated by my FitBit.  The pot is currently at $26,520 with 663 participants and last night I met one of my stretch goals so I’m on this.

There is a similar app called Pact but they are currently having integration issues with my FitBit…so we’lll see what’s up with that in the future!

Achievemint
I use Achievemint to earn for fitness for free- link your fitness and social media apps to earn!  Sign up with my link and earn 250 points. You can earn points for logging through connected apps, posting health-related tweets, or checking in to healthy locations!

MyFitnessPal
I like that MyFitnessPal (MFP) links to my FitBit and then I get some more calories back to eat!  As of today I’m on my 51st day of logging which is probably my longest streak to date since I did Weight Watchers in 2012.  The key to health is eating mostly right and moving your ass and this app helps with that.

Walgreens Balance Rewards for Healthy Choices
Walgreens will let you link your FitBit (and other apps) to your Walgreens balance rewards so you can earn cash back for steppin’ it up!  I’ve got about $10 sitting in there right now and I usually just cash it out in $5 or $10 increments whenever I see it.  It’s basically free money back for having a FitBit!

higi
If you have seen a blood pressure station at a Rite Aid or Walgreens it’s probably a higi station.  This is how i weigh myself because I don’t keep a scale in my house and it links to my FitBit.  Honestly, the rewards for higi really suck but I like that I have to go to these to weigh in – kind of like my own ghetto Weight Watchers but without the meetings.

What do you use your FitBit or other tracker for?  Has it been beneficial?

 

WEEK FOUR: One Month Down!

January is basically over!

Personal Goals

General Health
I’ve been logging religiously on myfitnesspal  despite not staying within calorie budgets during my surgery recovery.

 

I am One Week Down on the StepBet Challenge  I need to hit at least 14,979 steps 4 days a week and 18,592 steps 2 days a week, every week, until March 5.  Hitting those 18.5k days was not easy but Wally was thankful for the extra walkies.  Those stretch days are tougher than I thought but that’s why it’s called a challenge!!

GYM July 2016 – June 2017: 35/120
I went once last week and I may not have been totally ready for it.  I did a light 30 minutes on the elliptical that felt like a marathon with the level of sweating I was doing.  Not only was my face pretty sore but I managed to pull a back muscle tying my shoe in the locker room after my workout.

Sub-Goal: Donate Blood – February 20th!

Be Creative
I had to return my library book of The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results and have not started another book yet – this was a good read but just didn’t capture me enough to breeze through it.

I did play around with Photoshop a bit but my free trial is up.  My wonderful boyfriend let me borrow his DSLR camera so I got to spend some time in Delaware this weekend playing around with it.  I’m not much of a photographer at all….but there’s only one way to learn and get better, right?

Financial Goals

Pay Down Some Mortgage
I’m up to $63.43 this week using Qapital Only one #wallydog pictures last week on his third birthday but other spending pumped this up!

Save Like a Motherfucker
I was able to save on the grocery budget this week!  My office shares a breakroom with a law firm that went to trial this week and they were pushing leftover catering on anyone willing to take it.  My fridge was full of meatloaf, green beans, veggies, and baked goods.  I even threw some of the meatloaf in the freezer at work for when I forget lunch one day.

Mortgage: $63.43/$1,000
Savings: $25/$1,000
So $2,000 towards each of these goals by June?Yeah I still got this.

Professional Goals

Continuing Education Credits for Health License
Well I have not started the CE but I am starting life insurance training at work starting on Thursday!

Learning About Annuities
Yeah I gotta get on this.

Blog Goals

Why The Fuck Are You Reading This?
I pulled the trigger on web hosting and then I panicked after trying to figure out SiteGround for a week and cancelled the service….I don’t believe I was using it right so I got my money back and am back on regular ol’ wordpress.  I like it and it’s simple and I’m not ready to do much more than this!  And that’s okay!  Hobby on!

Weekly Updates
I feel like I need to incorporate more photos in these and maybe something else to keep them consistent but not monotonous.

Any ideas on how to achieve these goals?  I’m all ears!

SSA.gov – See Where You’ve Been & Where You’re Going!

Hey!  It’s about that time….your W-2’s are rolling in, other pieces of important paper are making their way to your home, and you’re either terrified of writing a check to Uncle Sam or excited to get a lil’ somethin’ somethin’…..

Tax season.

It’s kind of neat to check out your w-2 and see just what your time was worth in 2016.

It’s even cooler to see what your time was worth (“on the books”) for your entire working life.  You can sign up for My Social Security  and see your history of earnings and what your estimated monthly social security benefit would be once you meet the benefit requirements.

To qualify for social security, you have to technically work and pay into social security for 40 quarters – 10 years.  I’ve qualified for social security for quite sometime now and you probably have too if you’re reading this of all blogs.

Your estimates are based on the assumption that you will earn the same salary every year from now until retirement.  I check it at least annually since my salary has gone up a little bit.  Here’s mine so far:

At full retirement age (67): $1,666 a month

At age 70: $2,066 a month

At early retirement age (62): $1,166 a month

Makes you think about that sweet tax break for contributing to personal retirement plans, huh?

The Importance of Saving for Retirement

I like to think by age 67 I will have my mortgage paid off so I won’t have to put $1,000 a month towards that….but even so, what the fuck does one do with a measly $1,666 a month?  Can you live off of that and handle an emergency?

All I’m saying is that people don’t enjoy retirement as much when they are living off of just their social security….because it is NOT ENOUGH.

Boost that 401k!  Open a Roth IRA and start contributing – up to $5,000 annually (and until April 15 of the following year)!  Or at least STOP MAKING MORE DEBT FOR YOURSELF.

#TealTuesday #4 My Only Handbag

This is basically the only handbag I own.  I use this or my Under Armor backpack for all my shit-lugging needs.

I bought this Fossil Morgan Zip Cross Body Bag in September of 2014 and it has been my only real handbag since.  I still have the bag that this one replaced, but the strap was broke n so when I switch out I have to use the same strap.

Aside from not considering handbags – PLURAL- a necessity, here are the strict requirements I have for handbag purchase.  If it doesn’t meet these requirements, I will not buy it (no matter how cute it is.  no matter how on sale it is.  no matter how badly I want something new):

 

Criteria for a Handbag:

Cross Body Strap.  I have to be careful about hurting my back but I NEED to be hands-free and cannot stand bags that have to be held up on your shoulder or at your elbow.  Don’t even get me started on clutches.

Zip Top.  Not only does this keep your bag from falling over/being dropped and spewing your bag full of shit all over the street but it keeps people from being able to pick-pocket you.  In a city, I need that extra bit of security.

At Least 2 Pockets.  This one has EIGHT and I love it.  I like my bags like I like my emotions – easy to compartmentalize.

Real Leather.  Cloth bags get dirty and fall apart a lot faster.  I need something durable that will last and so far Fossil’s leather has been doing good.  Yes, the dye is starting to wear off in some spots on this bag but you

How many handbags do you have?  What’s the oldest one you use?

WEEK THREE RECAP- How are your goals going?

I basically lost the first half of the week recovering from surgery – I wasn’t much of a human again until Thursday this week but bascially sleeping for 6 days gave me enough energy to get some good stuff done around the home!  Check it out.

Boxed.Com Savings Hack – Act Now!

Step 1: If you have American Express, log onto your account and activate the Boxed.com $15 offer (if you would like a referral link to open an AmEx – send me your e-mail!)

Step 2: Sign up for iBotta

Step 3: Activate the Boxed.com offer – make sure to click the SHOP button at the bottom and download the Boxed.com app

Step 4: Create a Boxed.com account using this referral code (or put ATAA2 in the promo section at checkout)

Step 5: Spend at least $60 at checkout, make sure your referral promo code reflects $15.00 and use your $4 in rewards.

I bought 100 Forever Stamps for $46.75 and 100ct. Zyrtec for $37.99.

 Here’s how this worked for me:

Subtotal	$84.74
Shipping	$0.00
Tax	$0.00
Referral Promotion	$15.00
Rewards	$4.00
AmEx Offer	$15.00
iBotta Cash Back	$12.71
Total	$38.03

I get excited about the little things…like getting stamps a day before they go up in price without going to the post office…and almost getting them for free?

What savings hack triumphs do you have?

StepBet Challenge Starts Monday!

In case you missed by post from December on the StepBet Challenge I entered….I wagered $40 that I can meet my step goal 5 days a week and exceed it 6 days a week!  This will be much needed after so much time spent recuperating from surgery.

Sign up and join us for Fitbit for Weight Loss: Goal Getters!

Starts January 23 and ends March 5.

Not a bettin’ man?  You can also use Achievemint to earn for fitness for free- link your fitness and social media apps to earn!  Sign up with my link and earn 250 points.

Five Frugal Things – Post-Op Edition

A la The Non-Consumer Advocate:

1. I have been basically home since Thursday – I’ve spent $32 in GrubHub but that lasted me 2 meals and everything else has been in-home eating.  I still have $65 left on the eating out budget for this month so we’re doing okay.  Can’t spend if I’m sleeping!
2. Even though I vowed mostly to give up on earning sites in 2017, I’ve been too out of it to do any painting or reading.  I have been able to click aimlessly on websites so I’ve earned about $26 between Swagbucks and InboxDollars.
3. Yesterday I HAD to get out of the house.  We took the subway down to the thrift store and looked around and spent NOTHING.  My boyfriend had picked up a neat metal spoon but ended up putting it back so he didn’t have to charge $1.25.  Took the subway instead of spending on an Uber.
4. I love daytime TV.  I love daytime TV.  I could sit home all day for the rest of my life watching judge shows.   Utilizing this cable that I’m paying for.
5. Today I had my first post-op appointment!  We took the subway and there was no copay.  I went and also got my allergy shot after to bundle errands and then we got breakfast at Panera where I used a giftcard.  We took a nice stroll a few blocks down before hopping back on the subway.  I’m tuckered out but feel pretty damn good for someone that just had surgery.

What frugal shit are you getting into?

 

#TealTuesday #3 The Recovery Edition

So I am recovering from sinus surgery that I had last Thursday.

 

I’m in a pile of teal blankets on my couch with my dog who has a teal collar.  Most likely in my teal jammie pants.

Zzzzz…..

 

Week 2: Electric Boogaloo

Personal Goals

General Health
Last week i only went to the gym once…but also had surgery on Thursday.  So far recovery has been as expected – full of drugs and lots of rest.

GYM July 2016 – June 2017: 34/120

Sub-Goal: Donate Blood – February 20th!

create! Create!! CREATE!!!
I did not create much this week as I have been too fucked up to do much more than watch People’s Court – but I have been working on the book The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

I also heard back from a local bar that I had reached out to regarding some arts & crafts events so I’m now waiting to see what they have to say.

 

Financial Goals

Pay Down Some Mortgage
I saved $8 this week using Qapital …but the Qapital goal currently has $49.87 in it since I have been saving since November in it.  I’m gonna go ahead and bump this up since that’s going to the mortgage so I’m going to update that.

Save Like a Motherfucker
I noticed that my bank started charging me $1.99 a month for a FinanceWorks budget tracking…since I use mint.com I called the bank and cancelled this service.  That will save me $21.89 this year!  I also finally got paid this past Friday but am waiting to move anything to savings until I see how much the surgery cost.  The surgery and CT scan should not cost more than $875 total so let’s see what that comes out to when the bill comes!

Mortgage: $49.87/$1,000
Savings: $0/$1,000
So $2,000 towards each of these goals by June? It’s still reasonable.

Professional Goals

Continuing Education Credits for Health License
I have confirmed with the person at work that I can set up times to meet weekly for insurance so I will set that up once I am back at work.  I also have coupons to take classes for all of my CE credits

Learning About Annuities
I spoke with the person I need to and will also reach out to her once I get back to work.

Blog Goals

Why The Fuck Are You Reading This?
I’d actually like to know why the fuck you are reading this.  It’s probably going to take me some more time to get my voice but I’m interested to see what’s working and not so far.

Weekly Updates
Two down!