Missing in Action

Missing in Action

Hello there!

I know Monday's we usually post something financial but since we've been missing in action for the last week or so, I thought we should just fill you in on what is happening in our life.

Lasik

I (Jackie) went under the laser a couple of weeks ago to correct my horrible vision. It was so bad that I had to get a different kind of Lasik to insure success. I was a big baby throughout the surgery but the recovery was not as bad as I imagined or how Vinnie pictured it. I am so happy I got the surgery and can now see when I wake up in the morning!

Netflix/Arrow

We just got Netflix (I know, we're slow) and we are using it to get caught up on our new favorite show, Arrow. It originally airs on the CW and it is a retelling of the comic the Green Arrow. It is really good and is designed for a mature audience. It isn't too gimmicky and it really is a fun show to watch. It doesn't hurt that everyone cast in the show is beautiful! 

Engagements

My best friend from pre-school just got engaged to her boyfriend after more than 10.5 years together! It is so exciting and Vinnie and I are so incredibly happy for them. They are the poster couple for high school sweethearts! Wedding planning is going to be so much fun and she is going to make the most beautiful bride. 

Promotions

Vinnie and I both got promoted at work in the last few weeks which is very exciting. I'm very proud of Vinnie. We've both worked hard to get where we are and it is nice to see that hard work recognized. But as they say, good work is rewarded with more work so that has kept us pretty busy. We've had to adjust our schedules so we are still getting used to the later hours and how to fit in the maintenance of life outside of work.

Looking Forward

In the next couple weeks we will try to keep a normal blogging schedule but if we fail to do so, still stay with us! We have a bridal shower, bachelor/bachelorette parties, trips to Boston & NYC, and the good ol' NYS fair to attend! 

Hope everyone has had a great summer so far! 

Jackie & Vinnie

Dear Mr. Goodell,

Let me begin by saying that this letter is being written by a Patriots fan. I will also admit to not being an expert in the area of the NFL by-laws and collective bargaining agreement. However, I do try to keep myself well informed of what is happening in the NFL throughout the year and the conduct you have displayed in the last three years (at least) has me shaking my head in disbelief. I had such great faith in you when you came into office. I was excited about the changes you wanted to see in the NFL and curious to see where your new direction would take the league. I'm disappointed at the Roger Goodell I now see in charge of the NFL.

I truly thought that you were going to do what was best for the league, its players, and its fans. However, I now see that you are most concerned with what actions and decisions will keep lining the pocket of the league. You are driven by greed for more money and more power. I don't think you hold the integrity of the league in high esteem and it pains me to see you play to the court of public opinion so easily. I really don't think the decisions you make are fair or reasonable because how can you dish out punishment and then be the only one to hear the appeal? Are you really going to sit there and change your mind admitting you were wrong? I don't think so. I think the only people who win their appeals, resulting in lessor penalties, are the ones who kiss your ass.

The Patriots wouldn't do that so you punished them by taking out their star quarterback. The team can win without Tom Brady. He is a masterful player but we have many skilled players and excellent coaches that will prepare the team to play their best without Brady if we have to. Now, I'm not denying that there needs to be a punishment of some kind. And there was, you fined the organization and took draft picks. I think that meets the crime. If you really want to take a stance against the team, suspend Brady for 1 game, but it is not necessary.

The team cooperated fully with everything you asked from them but when it came time for them to suck up to you, all powerful commissioner, they refused and out of spite and pride, you upheld the unreasonable punishment. Why is it unreasonable? Look at players who routinely break the rules regarding banned substances, accumulate multiple DUI's, assault charges, and domestic violence issues. If they go away without a fight, their sentences get reduced. A player beats his girlfriend and your initial punishment is 10 games but after an appeal gets it reduced to 4 games. The same as Brady. Are you really insinuating domestic violence is as bad as deflating a football, that may or may not have given the Patriots an advantage? (Honestly, I don't think it did as they continued to dominate when the issue was corrected).

With the issues of increasing domestic violence, drug use, and concussion problems plaguing the NFL, do you really want to focus your energy towards a team and individual who refused to negotiate your way? I think you have more important things to focus on such as the message you are sending to future players and taking care of the players who break their bodies to line your pockets.

Sincerely,

A disappointed fan.

Book Review: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Book One)

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Book 1)

Synopsis (From GoodReads)

Tolstoy's epic masterpiece intertwines the lives of private and public individuals during the time of the Napoleonic wars and the French invasion of Russia. The fortunes of the Rostovs and Bolkonskys, of Pierre, Natasha, and Andrei, are intimately connected with the national history that is played out in parallel with their lives. Balls and soirees alternate with councils of war and the machinations of statesmen and generals, scenes of violent battles with everyday human passions in a work whose extraordinary imaginative power has never been surpassed.

Rating

4/5 stars

Review

This book review will be written in multiple parts as I wanted to keep up with a weekly book review but War and Peace is 1,844 pages long and not going to be read in a week but since the book itself is broken up into multiple books, I figured I would post a review of each mini-book. 

War and Peace offers a glimpse into a society I know little about and book 1 seems to be building to something. There are a lot of characters introduced in book 1, so it is a little difficult to keep everything straight. Thankfully, Tolstoy offers a family guide in the beginning of the book. He also discusses the cunning of people to get what they wanted in the nineteenth century Russian society. I was surprised at how cunning the women were, even though I shouldn't be. 

I don't really have a favorite character but I was impressed with the character of the Princess Mary. She is interesting with her blind devotion to her father and strong faith in religion. It's not anything you see in any other character. I'm also interested in the character of Pierre. He doesn't seem to fit in to Russian aristocracy but he's forced to play a role. It will be interesting to see how he adapts in the following books. 

On to book 2...

Happy Reading!

Money Monday: It's Not Lame to Use Coupons at the Grocery Store

Money Monday: Couponing

So I'm sure you've heard it all before, people who coupon are crazy. They are the people who hoard groceries like prized treasures and think obsessively over nothing else but how much money they'll save on their purchases. That does not have to be the case. You do not need to spend 40 hours a week, planning an 8 hour grocery trip, where you'll amass hundreds of ketchup bottles. However, it is worth noting that the more time you put into couponing, the more you'll get out of couponing. Despite that caveat, as a young adult trying to navigate working more than 40 hours a week, getting all the household chores done, spending quality time with my husband, and trying to maintain somewhat of a normal social life, I really don't have a lot of extra time to dedicate to couponing.

I would call my approach to couponing pretty casual. Vinnie and I subscribe to our local paper, but only for Sunday delivery and it has become a Sunday morning tradition to go through the coupons. Vinnie is the designated deal searcher and I am the designated coupon cutter. All the coupons I cut I keep in a little expanding folder that I can keep in my purse. It is separated into sections for toiletries, cold food, dry food, etc. It's easier to find what I need by having it organized. I don't base the coupons I cut based on my grocery list, instead I choose them based on what we typically buy throughout the year. I don't usually cut coupons for food or toiletry items that are new or that we've never used unless we want to change things up. I also don't cut the coupon if it requires us to buy more than 3 items, especially cereal, because chances are we don't eat that much of it or won't use it in time (if it is a perishable item). 

You can also strengthen the impact of your coupons through store loyalty or other store coupon programs. Target has the Cartwheel app that assembles all the savings available at the store which can be combined with manufacturer's coupons. Store loyalty programs also give you additional savings and also sends coupons in the mail. Using our Shoppers Club Card at Wegmans saves us at least 10% on our groceries every month. 

Buying the Sunday newspaper isn't the only way to get your hands on coupons. You can print them out from online as well, and probably get more than were in the paper anyways. I don't use any of those sites but I'm sure it's worth it. Maybe when/if our family expands it will be worth my time to use online coupons. Also, check your local library for coupon inserts that have been donated. Sure, some of the coupons you want may be taken but you could also find some for items you use on a regular basis. I donate my uncut coupons to my library every week and try to be conscious of the coupons I am cutting. If it is for something I use but don't need to buy before the coupon expires, I will leave it uncut. 

Couponing may seem like a waste of time but it really does save money in the long run. Over the past two months, it has saved Vinnie and I approximately $50, which is a meal out or extra money to put in our vacation savings account. And that's just with a minimum amount of effort put into it. If thirty minutes a week can save enough money to buy a nice meal out, isn't it worth it to try?

Anyone have any couponing tips they'd like to share?

Happy Monday!

Flashback Friday: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Flashback Friday: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Today I am undergoing Lasik eye surgery to correct my atrocious vision, which will be discussed next week. Vinnie and I were trying to think of a flashback Friday that related to all the bad decisions I made while wearing glasses and the one thing I kept coming back to was when I first read the Harry Potter books and they described his glasses as large and round and often broken. 

The first pair of glasses I picked out were large and in charge. I don't know why my parents thought it was a good idea for a six year old to have the executive decision making power when it came to glasses that were going to be on my face for the rest of my life. They definitely allowed me to stand out when I started second grade and it didn't get better when I moved into the third grade. 

It was in third grade when I finally was introduced to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling. Reading about a scrawny kid with large glasses who escapes into a magical world and grows into a hero was really helpful!It was my escape from the awkward phases or taunts from school. As I grew older, I still picked out awful glasses (I think I'm allergic to good eye style), but I always went back to Harry Potter. The story helped me to embrace the things that made me different. Even today, when life gets stressful and overwhelming I pull out my well-loved copy of Harry Potter. 

Happy Friday!!

Book Review: The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Oscar Wilde's only novel, first published in 1890, is a brilliant puzzle, intended to tease convention minds with its exploration of the myriad interrelationships between art, life, and consequence. From its provocative preface, challenging the reader to believe in "art for art's sake," to its sensational conclusion, the book explores the nature of sin through the tale of a young man who sells his soul for a lifetime of beauty.

Rating

2/5 Stars

Review (contains some spoilers)

The Picture of Dorian Grey was the first book I chose to read on my new Nook, and I don't know if it was the right choice. Oscar Wilde uses a lot of flowing language that can get tedious in my opinion. Following it on my Nook was not easy to do and I couldn't follow the story as clearly as I would of liked. It did get better by the end, and it seemed easier to understand. I don't know if that is because I had gotten used to Oscar Wilde's prose after 150 pages. 

Dorian Grey is portrayed as a sympathetic character even after he continues to indulge his pleasures which slowly destroys his soul, which is captured in his painting. It seems as though Lord Henry's (otherwise referred to as Harry) purpose was to be Dorian's devil or temptation and Basil Hallward, the artist who painted the famed picture, served as Dorian's moral compass. It was an interesting dynamic that we didn't get enough of throughout the story. Dorian just seems to be a lone flag that bends to whichever wind is blowing the strongest.

As a classic, The Picture of Dorian Grey did not blow me away. I was not thoroughly impressed with the story but I'm glad I read it. I'm hoping my next attempt to read a classic goes more smoothly. 

Happy Reading!

Money Monday: Making the Most of Your Entertainment Budget

Money Monday

This week on Money Monday, we are going to talk about making the most of your entertainment budget. The entertainment portion of your budget is the easiest place to make cuts if you need to but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy the same amount of entertainment for a lower price. Listed below are some ways that Vinnie and I have cut down our entertainment budget without losing out on fun. 

1. Utilize Groupon, LivingSocial, and Amazon Local for deals. A lot of what you can find on there is for local restaurants, events, and other fun things to do around town. A lot of the time you can find deals for up to 50% off dinners or even concert tickets. By buying the deal you can still enjoy a nice time out but for less money. Have your friends use it as well, and you can get your coupon for free. 
2. Shamelessly plug for gift cards for holidays and birthdays. There is a common saying that memories are worth more than things. By receiving gift cards to your favorite restaurants or places to visit, you aren't spending anything out of your own pocket but you can still enjoy a night out. 
3. Utilize free opportunities. Check out your local library or parks for opportunities for enjoyment. You can rent movies from the library and make your own "movie theater" at home. There may be events at the park from sporting tournaments, outside movies, and live music. 

These are only a few things to do that can cut your entertainment budget down and not be stuck at home bored. Let us know what other things you do to keep your entertainment budget from skyrocketing.

Happy Monday!