Life: Update

When I first wrote my list, several tasks in the "Life" section revolved around saving money and putting the hubby and I in a happy place, a place in which we'll be settled for the long haul. We wanted a house that we'll both be happy in, and where we can raise a family.

After having our condo on the market for a year with no bites, we've come to the tough realization that we probably won't be able to see the condo or house sold before getting our dream home. We've started renting the condo again, and settled upon a budget to increase our savings. Every little bit will help when we're looking at another down payment and another mortgage. To help us reach our goal, we've cut back on eating out, clipped more coupons and shopped more sales, tried to be less wasteful, carpooling more to save on gas... It's a bunch of little things but these things don't require a lot of extra effort or big sacrifices on our part. I've also tried to pick up a couple extra hours at work but as someone with an already busy life, this is tough to maintain.

The other thing we've done to bank a little extra is to sign up for Swagbucks, a google-powered search engine that allows us to earn "Swagbucks" that are redeemable for gift cards (i.e. Amazon, Paypal, Macys) and other goods (movies, t-shirts, etc.). We earn Swagbucks each day through searching, the daily-5 (poll, survey visit, toolbar usage, and NOSO/no obligation special offers), and occasionally watching Swagtv. Occasionally, I'll also find Swagcodes on the SwagBlog, complete surveys/tasks, and will play the games for a couple extra Swagbucks. I spend a couple minutes in the morning and evening, and then piddling in front of the tv, and I've been able to bank a $5 Amazon gift card almost every week. Not a ton, but this will be a nice relief come time to Christmas shop! If you're interested, sign up here. (Use this link and I'll get a referral bonus too!)
 
Is anyone else saving for something big? Any tips or tricks you use to save a little money without spending a ton of extra time?

101 Things in 1001 Days

Beginning: November 15, 2010

Not Yet Completed

In Progress

Completed

BOOKS

1. Read the Lord of the Rings series (0/3)

2. Read all of Jane Austen's works (0/9)

• Northanger Abbey
• Pride & Prejudice
• Emma
• Persuasion
• Mansfield Park
• Sense & Sensibility
• Lady Susan (short fiction)
• The Watsons (unifinished fiction)
• Sandition (unifinished fiction)

3. Read 200 books (0/200)

4. Complete a book challenge

5. Read Gone with the Wind

6. Read 10 books from 1001 books to read before you die

7. Read the Eragon series (0/4)

8. Read the Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) series (2/7)

9. Make bookmarks for my book club ladies

10. Read and donate those books on my bookshelf that I don’t want to keep

FRIENDS & FAMILY

11. Send/bring 5 family/friends flowers for no reason

12. Send 1 card/note/letter each month

13. Take a ladies vacation

14. Send 15 care packages to family or friends.

15. Start a library for our future children. Add at least 12 books to the library.

16. Start a wedding bag for BFF.
17. Go on a fancy date with hubby once a year.
18. Play hookey with BFF.
19. Have breakfast in bed with the hubby

LIFE
20. Finish Masters (Graduation expected Dec. 2010)
21. 2011: Read the newspaper every Sunday
22. Create a budget & savings plan
23. Stick to a savings plan!
24. Start tracking finances better

25. Find a church to attend
26. Sell condo
27. Sell house
28. Buy dream home

HEALTH & FITNESS
29. Walk or crew for the Susan G Komen 3-Day for the Cure
30. Walk 501 miles.
31. Lose 10-15lbs and maintain weight

32. Take a new class, join a different league, or learn a new sport
33. Run a 5k.
34. Get a pedometer and walk 10,000+ steps a day for a month.
35. Take a yoga class.
36. Start a food diary and stick with it.

POST-WEDDING STUFF
37. Consolidate insurances
38. Consolidate banking
39. Finish change of name

TRAVEL
40.
41. Visit a new country
42. Visit 3 new US cities
43. Go hiking
44. Go to 5 museums
45. Take a California wine tour

FOOD-RELATED
46. Buy a cute apron
47. Learn to grill
48. Take a cooking class
49. Try 20 new restaurants (0/20)

50. Try preparing & eating 3 new foods (0/3)
51. Start a garden
52. Learn how to can & do it

53. Redo spice cabinet

54. Take a cooking class

IN THE KITCHEN: Make and blog about making:

Drinks

55. A pomegranate martini

Baking
56. Macarons

57. Whoopie Pies

58. Baklava

58. Crepes

59. Petit Fours

60. Caramel (without burning it!)
61. Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

62. Yeast bread
COOKING/SAVORY

63. Stuffed cabbage

64. Perogies or pelmeni

65. Potato Pave (perfect the recipe)

66. Shiitake Cigars with Raspberry Hoisin Sauce

67. A roast chicken / turkey
68. Homemade pasta

69. Beef Wellington

70. French onion soup

CRAFTS
71. Finish SKG scrapbook
72. Finish cross-stitching Christmas bow
73. Finish knitting blanket
74. Make hubby a Christmas stocking
75. Start a stocking for first baby
76. Finish wedding scrapbook
77. Finish honeymoon scrapbook
78. Learn to use a sewing machine
79.

80. Create a memory board (preferably one as a room divider)

BLOG
81. Maintain Books n' Cooks blog
82. Get over 75,000 hits on above blog
83. Post at least twice a week on above blog, consistently

84. Revamp blog with updated index, new look

PERSONAL

85. Attend an opera
86. Splurge on a new dress
87. Donate $5 for each unfinished task
88. Put $1 in piggy bank for each completed task - to splurge, vacation, or save at the end.
89. Have fresh flowers in the house each month (0/33)
90. Keep track of favorite quotes
91. Start dressing up and putting on make up for work

PHOTOGRAPHY
92. Do project 365

93. Really learn to use my camera

ACTS OF KINDNESS.
94. Participate in Operation Baking Gals 3 times
95. Complete 10 items from We Are What We Do (0/10)
96. Volunteer an average of 1 hour a month (0/33)
97. Donate blood at least 5 times