Good Ole' Coupon Clippin' Katy

Now that I am unemployed I have decided to try out the whole coupon thing. I have always refered to myself as coupon clippin' Katy because I am known to love a deal. And yet, I'm also known for having very expensive taste in handbags. "They" say frivelous. I say fashion investment. Let's just say I have had the same Louis Vuitton for 4.5 years (and probably will for quite a while). But I digress as this has nothing to do with coupons! OK back on subject. So in an effort to save money I have decided to try the whole coupon thing.

Now for the kids at home, it is not possible to get the values and savings seen on A&E's Extreme Coupons. We have essentially one major grocery store chain, HEB, and Super Walmart and Super Target. HEB does not have member cards and do not double or triple coupon values. So my dreams of getting $500 of groceries for $50 is unattainable. So what I have decided to do is try to stick to shopping list and use coupons when I can.

Today I ventured into CVS and used their Extra Care card. I also got some Extra Care bucks. Still unsure if results in true savings because the Extra Care bucks pretty much ensures that you will come back into CVS. Still undecided.

I'm Sooo Realities Bitch!

Being unemployed has its own challenges. I'm trying to be positive here. In terms of timing it really sucked. And yes I know that there isn't ever a wonderful time to get fired, I'm mean laid off. (I put this in because everyone tells me it is sooo much better to have been laid off than fired. Ummm not to my ego. I do get unemployment a wopping $415 a week with a max of $10K. and of course I can tell everyone I interview with that I wasn't fired, I was downsized, but I digress). We had literally just sold our house and had passed the opt out period. Originally we were going to sell our house, rent an apartment, and build our dream house. We are still proceeding with the plan. However, much more frugally. And apartment searching in San Antonio Texas is sooo not fun. First off every single apartment complex we have looked at are 99% occupied. For the kids at home this means that if you don't sign while you are there and come back a few hours later the one apartment in the worst location in the whole entire complex is gone. And no I'm not exaggerating. Trust me, I wish I was. Add to this the 106 degree Texas heat, again no malarkey here, and a 2 1/2 year old who is hot, tired, and constantly hungry. Not to mention long waits to even get to see the model. Basically we still don't have an apartment and a closing date of July 14th (we think). WTF? I'm trying to think that everything will work out and they by Christmas we will so be laughing at all of our "adventures" (read tantrums, crying, fights, panic attacks, and bad language (from me of course)). Let's hope it does. We went to church today to get some inspiration that God takes care of us. Right now I really need to believe this because I feel like my world is coming apart at the seems.

So My Company Decided I Should Stay at Home and Become a Trophy Wife

Yep it's true. I have now officially joined the numbers of those who are currently unemployed. Technically I was laid-off and not fired. I assure that this is little comfort. Ultimately it means that I may get a reference, probably not, because I pointed out the inequality of who they chose to keep, and unemployment. I have hated this job for the last two years. What is super entertaining is that I actually quit this job two and half months ago and they refused to take my resignation. All things considered I guess I brought this on myself. But what I can't wrap my head around is that I'm actually hurt. When I quit I almost euphoric. Probably because I was in control of the siutation. Now my ego has taken a hit. So I have given myself until next Wednsday to mope around and grieve. After that I will have to start figuring out what I want to do when I grow up and start getting in shape. My last excuse, too much work, has been taken away from me. What is really weird is that I haven't not worked a day in my life since I was 17 years old. I am truly out of my element. Obviously this is supposed to be a learning experience I just pray that I don't have to hit bottom before I learn what it is.

Staying on track with weight watchers and exercise

So far I have able to follow my diet and exercise routine. I'm using the "one day at a time" approach. This werks weight loss was 0.8 lbs. I
One of my main goals is to get back my lost muscle tone. I have lost tone and have gained some chub which I will be happy to lose. Unfortunately at 34 getting toned and in shape takes much longer and requires more work. Tomorrow is zumba so I'm excited about that. Its really a fun way to burn some fat cells.

Zumba and Krav Maga

In order to further motivate my fitness and weight loss efforts (I'm talking about you 7 lbs gained during Christmas) I have signed up for 6 weeks of zumba and krav maga. Zumba, which I go to once a weak with my sister Kassy, is crazy fun and high energy. I definitely sweated more than I had in awhile. For those unfamiliar with zumba it's a dance based exercise class that combines several different dance types like samba and belly dancing. It's crazy fun. I'm actually looking forward to the next class. Krav maga, which I take with the hubs, is israeli self-defense. This class was also fun and you learn practical self defense skills. What really impressed me about krav maga is that you actually get to punch bags that your partner/opponent holds. This way one can get the feel for throwing a punch or a kick. Taking these classes is definitely a great motivation for me to consistently work out and will hopefully help me reach weight loss and fitness goals.