Starting over

My plan has been to sign up with Weight Watchers again and get this weight off that I've put on since stopping last October.  I'm at the one year mark of when I started last year and I've gained over half back on of the 17 pounds I lost.  Time to do something so it's not all 17 to loose again.  I checked in on their site a few weeks ago to see if they were offering any specials and to just prepare myself for what it may cost to sign up.  I knew I wanted to wait until end of July to start fresh at the beginning of a month.  We also had a busy week end with out of town friends for the week end and a family gathering on Sunday.  I thought everything perfect to start now so I wouldn't be dieting when our friends were visiting.  

Yesterday morning I weighed in, measured and got on line to sign up.  The $1 sign up fee special I saw a few weeks ago was no longer being offered!  Wow, I was disappointed.  I'm wasn't so sure I wanted to pay 29.95 for possibly only a month of using the online tools. (thinking positive) The monthly fee is $18.95 so for just one month it would cost me 48.90.  I just couldn't bring myself to justify paying that much money.  I could try the "old plan".  I have all my books and the points card.  The new "points plus" is so much easier and better though.  The tools like the app for calculating points and the bar code scanner app to use in store (this gives you points when you scan product) makes everything so simple and easy.  On my own I will have to hand write a food journal.  On line it's so simple to enter in and it also rewards you with points for exercise. 

It's been as high as 142 occasionally

I decided to not give up so easily and called WW's to see if they would consider waving the sign up fee being I'm a former member.  The young man said no.  Then I asked about the $1 sign up special that I thought was for month of July.  That ended on Saturday he informed me.  Bummer, I missed by two days.  Really?  You can't help me out with this?  I was so saddened.  I asked for him to check with his supervisor, which he happily did.  The answer still, "no".  That survey they asked me to take at the end of call, they won't like my answers!  Maybe I should have shared with them that I promote them on my blog!

My friend was here visiting with me yesterday.  We talked about dieting and eating habits over our salad and I told her my WW story.  She suggested I just give it a try on my own for two weeks and if no results then go ahead and bite the bullet.  So that's my plan.  I made a list last night and did my shopping this morning.  As we talked about, one of the secrets to a successful diet is to be prepared.  Have the food you need on hand and the food you CAN"T do NOT have available.  I went to three different stores sale and coupon shopping.  So here I am taking a break before I even put everything away!  More than likely I'll stop and come back to finish this post later this evening.  Can't stand looking at the bags on the table.  I also want to get some pool time in this afternoon.  

If you are a coupon shopper you may not be aware some stores allow you to use a manufacture coupon along with their store coupon.  It requires a little work to look everything up and print out but in the end you really save.  Target and Walgreens are two that I frequently catch some really good deals.  Sometime free.

Target had their Smart One's frozen entrees on sale for $1.89/$2.50.  They also had a special with a purchase of 10 you get one free.  I had a manufacture coupon for $4.00 off of 10 and Target had a store coupon for $3.00 off of 10.  Between my coupons and the sale I really got a good deal.  Their Reach floss was on sale for .97 and I had a $1 coupon so I got that for free.  Coppertone sunscreen was $7.99 (same price as Wal Mart) and I had a Target coupon and manufacture coupon that totaled $3 together.  My total ticket without coupons was $40.00 and I paid $23.00.  I love getting deals!

At Walgreens they had Reach toothbrush on sale for $2.99.  With this purchase you get a $3 rewards coupon for your next purchase so its just like getting for free.  I also had a $2 coupon on a reach toothbrush so I ended up making money on this deal :-)
I won't bore you with the other deals but I'll mention my total should have been $12 and I paid $5.39.  If your interested in trying to save money sign up @ couponing 101 and they do all the work for you.  Two to three times a week you get emails about deals at different stores.  They do everything but cut out the coupons for you!

averages less than a $1 per item!

My last stop was Sam's and unfortunately they do not except coupons but your always saving there.  I've recently discovered that Wal Mart has store coupons like Target so someday soon I will spend sometime looking through them to see if I have any that I also have a manufacture coupon on.  The secret of really saving is not buying anything just because it's "cheap or free".  (Unless you plan to donate to charity or shelter)  That is definitely a good reason to go ahead and buy.  I do on occasion pick up something that is really cheap or free that I don't use, but have my kids in mind.  

It was a long week end but we really enjoyed our friends that spent the week end with us.  They live in Vicksburg, MS.  They came Friday afternoon and left Sunday @ noon.  Then around 2pm my brother, sister n law, 2 of their children, my mom, my daughter with her family and my son came.  We had a fun time outside enjoying the patio.  The kids...this includes my son in law, brother, nephew and son had fun in the pool.   It was so good to see my nephew.  He lives in FL and we rarely see him.  It was so worth how tired I was to entertain them for the afternoon.  

Upper left-D with his Ol Miss buddy

Mom, brother & nephew

The "kids" at play

I really took it easy yesterday.  I did a little laundry, cleaned the pool and passed the swiffer on my floors in the am.  As I mentioned earlier a good friend came to visit for lunch and we spent the afternoon just relaxing and chatting.  Just what I needed yesterday.  My husband asked later when we were in pool together what we did all afternoon.  Besides eating lunch, nothing I told him.  We just talked!  He just couldn't comprehend what in the world we talked about for 4.5 hours.  He just don't understand "girlfriends".   This particular friend and I sometime don't see each other for over a year sometime.  Only communicating my email and texts.  She only lives 25 minutes from me but life keeps us busy.   This summer however we made a point to get together.  She came here twice and I spent a day at her house visiting.  

We added a patio cover to the back of our house.  It's been so nice to sit outside early morning with my coffee and late evening as I am now and enjoy the sounds of the birds and fountains.  If you have back trouble.....listen up.  You need an anti gravity chair.  It makes sitting outside in a chair so much easier.  It takes all the pressure off of my lower back.  It's so worth the investment!  I'm watching a cardinal eat dinner.  The female, the male comes around with her at times.   I love outdoors <3.

Female cardinal

Mom, sister n law and D in "my" chair!

the patio at night

I hope to be back before then but if not I'll definitely be checking in next Tuesday to weight in.  Hopefully knowing I have to do that will help me along on my own without the online help. 

Filled with H.O.P.E.
Theresa



Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.  Donald Gray Barnhouse