Tag Archives: money

Connective Collective

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Welcome to the Connective Collective a collection of my favorite links from the week.

Emmylou Harris. Great voice. Amazing songwriter.

A very sore body and money saving tip #5

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I have officially gone to CrossFit for only two days and my body is hurting. A good hurt feeling, but even the everyday activities like getting in and out of my car are a challenge. The positive, I can feel the results already. In just two days! If you want to get in shape for the summer or just to better yourself, this is the way to do it.

The CrossFit community is a great motivation tool, so use them. Lucky for me, I recruited not only my co-worker, but my boyfriend too. They definitely keep me motivated for the days that I am too tired or sore to get out of bed in the morning to go work out. During the days when I don’t do CrossFit, like today I simply worked out to a Jillian Michaels DVD I bought a long time ago. It doesn’t even compare in intensity to the CrossFit workouts, but at least I’ve done something.

If you’re interested in going to a CrossFit gym and live in the Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar and surrounding areas, be sure to check out CrossFit Inland Valley. They have classes and open gym all throughout the day (mornings and evenings) and give student, military, fire and law enforcement discounts. Gyms are popping up all over, so you can check them out in your area, but this is the one I know of best.

Now on to tip #5, optimize your cellphone bill. I did this last year. I used to pay about $110 for 900 minutes and unlimited everything else on my iPhone through AT&T. Last year, I went online and checked how many minutes, messages, and data I actually use. I had about 1,800 rollover minutes because I didn’t use them very often. AT&T offers free mobile to mobile, and everyone I know and talk to nowadays has a cellphone. The only time I use my minutes is to call offices or my parent’s house. So I reduced my minutes to 450, the lowest they go. My bill went from $110 to $90. That saved me $20/month. Doesn’t seem like much, but over the course of a year, it saves me $240 that I was just wasting. As for my data and messaging, I left my features plan alone because I have unlimited data and messaging, which costs me $50 every month. If I were to switch to a lower data plan, 2GB/month (which I cold do), it would save me only $5 and I would never be able to switch back to unlimited. So I decided to leave it alone. For now.

I guess this tip doesn’t really save me any money now, since I did this a year ago.

Total savings from tip #4: $120 to $180
Total savings from tip #5: $0
Running total savings: $200

Carina Jaynes

Bring on the pain

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Today marks the day that I officially begin Crossfit. I’m not going to lie, I am a tad apprehensive. It is a very strenuous workout regimen, but delivers amazing results. My mom is a trainer at Inland Valley Crossfit quite literally across the street from my apartment complex. Why I haven’t taken advantage of this opportunity in the past is beyond me. I always blamed it on never having time with school and work, but I know I probably could have fit it into my schedule if I had tried. But who cares about that? I am starting now. It is part of my new year’s resolution to get fit and healthy, and it is going to kick my ass into shape.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning system built on constantly varied, if not randomized, functional movements executed at high intensity.
- The CrossFit Journal: Issue Nineteen

My mom at one of her CrossFit competitions.

I have seen firsthand from my mom and her friends the kind of results this workout delivers, and it is pretty amazing. It isn’t easy though. It’s tough and really requires a commitment. I have recruited one of my girlfriends from work, so hopefully we can keep each other motivated. If not, I know my mom will.

Not only am I beginning this new workout routine, I have also been trying to eat healthier lately. I have been doing my grocery shopping at Sprouts Natural Market buying grass-fed meats and organic fruits and vegetables. Everything that I have been packing in my lunch to work has been something healthy and not the extremely greasy fried food from work.

So far, I feel like I am starting the new year off on the right foot.

Now, as for my saving $1,000 in 30 days challenge, tip #4, says to involve your friends in your savings challenge. I have tried to recruit my loveable boyfriend in this challenge, but he fell off the bandwagon pretty early. However, he decided to get back into it with me beginning Sunday. He is the only person I ever really hang out with outside of work other than my family, so he is going to have to be my biggest supporter through this. Strength in numbers.

Think about it: When was the last time you spent money because of friends? For me, it was this weekend, when I ate out. It was fun, it was social — but it was also financial.
-Ramit Sethi from iwillteachyoutoberich.com

If I can have friends helping me out, we probably won’t go out as much. One of my biggest expenses is going out to eat at restaurants. My boyfriend and I have decided that when we are together, we’re going to make dinner at home instead. It’s not only a money saver, but I feel like it’s a little more romantic because it is something we are doing together.

Let me know what you’re doing to implement your new year’s resolutions and how they are coming along. If you’re taking the “Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge,” leave a comment with how it is going and how much you’re saving.

Carina Jaynes