Good morning! I hope your Wednesday is off to a good start.
My day began as all Wednesdays seem to around here. By 5:30 a.m. Ryan and I were peddling away on side-by-side ellipticals, pounding out a quick 20-minute light cardio session before it was time for some strength training.
Today’s workout focused on leg and abdominal exercises.
| Exercise | Reps | Sets |
| Stability ball split squats | 15 each leg – slowly! | 3 |
| One legged leg press | 15 each leg | 3 |
| Step ups | 15 each leg | 3 |
| Deadlifts | 15 | 3 |
| Lunges | 15 each leg | 3 |
| Various crunches on stability ball | 50 | 2 |
| Plank hold | 60 seconds | 1 |
In and out and on with my life!
Breakfast
It was an egg sandwich kind of day around here.
On my plate: Two fried eggs plus a whole wheat English muffin topped with muenster cheese and raspberry preserves.
Time to discuss something fun!
New Girl Scout Badges
Have you guys heard about the new Girl Scout badges?
According to Girl Scouts of the USA spokeswoman Alisha Niehaus, the organization added new badges "that will help girls build the leadership skills they’ll need for success in the 21st century."
Some of the new badges include:
- Public Policy
- Website Design
- Financial Literacy
- Entertainment Technology
I was a brownie and a junior in Girl Scouts and I remember wanting my sash to be filled with badges! I think it’s great that Girl Scouts is expanding their badges to include skills that are applicable in today’s world. Hopefully the new badges will help equip the girls with valuable tools for the future.
I know my dad would be all over the Financial Literacy badge. When I was in college he made me take Personal Finance even though the class was not required for my major because he thought it would teach me skills I would need in the real world.
I remember my Personal Finance teacher saying, "I know you’ll likely leave this class and forget the formulas we discuss, but it is my goal to help you acquire knowledge that will make you question fishy situations and help you know when you should research something further to make educated decisions."
I also remember him saying that money is one of the leading causes of divorce because spenders and savers are often attracted to each other.
Questions of the Morning
- Are you a spender or a saver? Do you find yourself attracted to people who are financially the same as you or your financial opposite?
- If you could add a new Girl Scout badge to the program, what badge would you add?
My answers:
- I am a saver and am attracted to savers. Frivolous spenders make me nervous and antsy!
- If I could add a new badge, I would add an animal rescue badge where Girl Scouts would learn about animal rescue organizations and pet adoption.
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I can be a spender and a saver depending on my mood (and what I see on the racks at the mall!) but I’d say I tend more toward the saving side. As for Girl Scouts, sadly I never was one, but I think the animal rescue one is a great idea! Maybe they need a blogger one too…. 😉
I’m kind of 50/50…I like to save half and use the other half for expenses, plus extras. My boyfriend is practical about money (a good thing, I think)…he’s already paid off a huge chunk of his student loan debt- something we decided would be best before we take our relationship further (aka engagement/marriage)!
Sometimes I wish I was still a Girl Scout, haha. I think I’d add a badge for the Itty Bitty Titty Committee. AKA ICTC, of course 😉 I’d wear it loud and proud fo’ sho.
I’m so anal about my money, I’m definitely a saver, but if there’s something I really need or want I’ll splurge every now and then. I’m just like my Dad 😛
Enjoy your day!
Oh wow – I CLEARLY meant IBTC – it’s obviously too early for my brain to function.
I love this post because I used to be a girl scout! I think we’d be great friends given our financial preferences! As much as I joke that I spend too much money, I am a saver at heart–> the idea of being in debt scares the crap outta me and my parents always raised us to allocate some of our income to future savings! As I get older, I really appreciate that as I’ve seen how life can throw some unexpected curve-balls. Like any girl scout will vouch, “ALWAYS BE PREPARED”!
I’m very careful about money and am so glad I’m married to someone who likes to save, too! Our financial views are identical and I definitely believe it’s an important strength to our marriage! No money fights=good 🙂
Good morning Julie!! Been awhile since I visited you!! I was just talking about the GS badges on Twitter yesterday. Yes, I was a Girl Scout all the way up to my teens (a long time ago LOL) and I loved it. Your dad was a very smart man too to insist on that course I say!
I am both a spender & a saver LOL! Seriously, I have been on both sides of the pendulum and I have learned that the extreme side of neither is a good place to be. You have to find a balance in the middle of the two. It helps to not have debt.
I honestly don’t know what all the badges are anymore, but I think there needs to be a badge that teaches girls compassion for others and respect for themselves and for others. The early sexualization of young girls today is troublesome to me, and leads to nothing but issues with ego and self esteem in the long run. Course the ones who need that aren’t likely the ones in Girl Scouts anyway I suppose!
Hope you have a great rest of the week!
mary!!! thanks so much for visiting! i wish we could have a POM reunion. 🙂 and i agree w/ your badge idea. sounds like a good one to me!
I’m attracted to somewhere in between. If someone wanted to save all their money and never do anything fun, I would have a problem. At the same time, someone who sends frivolously would make me nervous too.
I think its great the the girl scouts added new badges. I was a girl scout for years and still have all my badges and vest saved.
totally agree! saving OR spending the the extreme is intense!
I am definitely a saver! And it’s probably a good thing since I’m back at school full-time and only working part-time.
I want to tell you Julie that I recently started a blog and was/is definitely inspired by you! I’ve been reading your blog and a few others for the past 1-2 years and just recently got the guts to do my own. It’s still in the (extremely) rough stages but I figure you have to start somewhere! Thanks for everything you do in regards to posting and sharing. Have a happy Wednesday!
oh i’m so excited for you, kathleen! i hope you fall in love with blogging!
I was a brownie 😀 The uniforms were so dorky LOL
I am a spender and my boyfriend is a saver and it’s not a good combo.
If I could add a badge, I would add a media literacy badge. Young girls need to learn the difference between women in the media and real women. I feel like that might help them later on in life when they are pressured to look like celebrities.
love that idea for a badge!
Girl Scouts have many media literacy programs. In the journeys program which emphasizes buidling leadership skills, there is a program called MEdia for middle school girls. Great information regarding how girls and women are portrayed and influenced by media. Also a new GSUSA program called Reality Check.
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana made page 3 of the Chicago Tribune yesterday with a story about today’s Reality Check campaign launch that immediately follows the release of Girl Scouts of the USA’s newest pulse survey called “REAL TO ME: Girls and Reality TV.”
To view the story online, click here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-talk-girl-scouts-reality-tv-1013-20111013,0,7783747.story
You would totally get the website design badge! 🙂
Aww, I totally agree with you about an animal rescue badge! I volunteer at my local shelter, and they have 2 youth programs, one for middle schoolers and one for high schoolers. I saw the middle school group a few weeks ago and it made me so happy to see the kids excited about helping the animals!
I really like split squats – such an effective move! As for spender v saver, I’m a saver. Luckily my hubby is too!
I’m a saver and I married one too! 🙂
savers unite! 😀
I am DEFINITELY a saver and my boyfriend is a SPENDER! I am working on him slowly though. I agree with you…careless spending makes me nervous and seems like such a waste. We balance each other out…he makes me “lighten up” a little and I make him realize that some things you just DONT need.
I’m most definitely a saver as is my husband, so that is good 🙂
Looks like you had a great workout—I love doing a leg day, because it makes me feel so strong!
If I could add another badge I’d add self confidence and fitness (as they go together) and self-esteem (with understanding that they don’t want to look like celebrities/models). These young ladies need to feel comfortable in their own skin!!
totally unrelated to your post, but when I saw the following article about the poor harvesting of peanuts this summer = sky rocketing prices for peanut butter, I thought of you and cried! nooooo!! let’s mourn together:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/10/peanut-butter-prices-spike-amid-difficult-us-peanut-harvest.html
I am definitely a saver – my idea of a splurge is to buy a fitness magazine or a chai latte! 🙂
i think a chai latte is a splurge, too! i mean they’re like $4!!
I am both a saver and a spender…if that makes any sense. I like to save my money, but I also don’t not let myself get something every now and then. And I definitely think that money plays a huge role in relationships! My parents were not at all on the same page and I think that played a small role in why they got divorced. Btw, I took a cue from you and I’ve been doing upper and lower body workouts on different days- I love it!
I try to be a saver, but on a limited income with high student loan payments (about $500 a month), it gets tough sometimes!
When I graduated from college, I went into hardcore saver mode. We’re talking don’t turn on the heat, eat rice and beans and hot sauce, coupon cut, and avoid outings. It was the anti-fun.
Now that I’ve sort of learned to embrace life more, I’ve adapted a “rich girl” living on a cheap girl’s budget. It’s been working out pretty well, and the beau loves it because I’m all over the Groupon/Living social date nights and the coups that save us $$ on important purchases!
I’m a bit of both, and so is my boyfriend: we usually find ourselves agreeing whether or not something is worth the money or not!
Neat badges!!!
I was a saver as a kid. I worked 40 hours/week during the school year and 60-80 on breaks, and I put all my money in the stock market. Now that I have a kid and am into running, I’m more of a spender (a very smart spender!).
Oh, and I’m also attracted to savers. 🙂
My husband and I are both savers (thank goodness!), but we’re also both not super uptight about treating ourselves to the small things sometimes. I definitely desire sometimes to be more of a spender, but my practical side usually rules out. I am pretty good about limiting myself to window shopping unless I’m already planning to make a purchase that day.
I’m a spender, but I learned at a young age that it’s important to only spend what you have. I don’t spend money frivolously, but when I want to buy something, I’ll work longer hours or cut back on something else so that it sort of evens out.
I’ve always wanted to be a Girl Scout. Sadly, I never got the chance. I would love if I had a daughter for her to be a part of the organization, one day. 🙂
I’m definitely a saver. My fiance used to be somewhat of a spender but he is definitely learning to become a saver.
Your dad is a smart man! When I was in college I was on a panel to revamp our general education requirements and I fought HARD for a financial literacy course to be required for graduation. I can see how well prepared I was (as a finance major) over some of my friends.
I would love to see a badge dedicated to self-love and positive body image. A great lesson for young girls to learn.
I’m a born-again saver! I used to spend my whole paycheck at the mall every weekend when I was living at home, but after I moved in with my hubby that changed. It’s a lot harder to justify willy-nilly spending when you have bills!
hmmm…I would say that I use to be a spender, but I am now more of a saver. When I was bartending on weekends (in addition to my full-time office job), I spent money like water. I’ve had to curtail that since I now only have 1 job!
I wanted to ask if you’ve seen a difference in your strength/body since you’ve switched from BP to lifting on your own.
Well I am a spender more for sure but I do save for my long term future before I spend, but I am not so good at saving for a rainy day. I am attracted to savers, my husband has always been one and he is a banker too so that has made him even more into saving!
Woo way to promote the Girl Scouts!! AOT 🙂
woop, woop!
I’m a saver!
And can you really be attracted to a spender or a saver? My husband is really good at paying bills on time and alloting his money where it needs to go but he does buy a lot of “fun” stuff for himself like video games.
My ex-boyfriend spent money as soon as he got it. Usually on drugs because he sucked. And I swear to you…he had to use his MOM as his bank. He would go to her house to make “withdrawls” and she would decide if he needed it or not. *so embarrasing*
Stupid question: what exactly is entertainment technology??
I am DEFINITELY a saver and I’m attracted to savers for the same reasons you are. It’s not that I don’t spend money, but I am uber-aware of my spending habits and the financial goals I’ve set for my future. Frivolous spending confuses me and makes me nervous!
ha! no idea. that’s why i didn’t make any kind of comment on that one. 🙂
I’ve noticed that a lot of health bloggers eat muenster cheese. I’m just wondering if there’s health benefits about this kind of cheese? Or is it just the taste? 🙂
the taste, baby!
I think that is great that they are adding new badges! I am a saver, I started saving more when I worked for AmeriCorps. I get really nervous when my savings account dips below a certain number!
I am a big spender, but my BF is a major saver. So we definitely balance each other out. 🙂
I would add a badge for time management skills! Seriously, women today are SO busy and that seems so simple, but it is really important!
My hubby and I are a good mixture of both. We both spend but we both are good savers so we do what we need to do when we need to do it!
I used to LOVE working towards new badge in girl scouts!
I’m definitely a saver, and my husband is also a saver. I’m the same way, Julie – if I were married to a spender, I’d feel anxious and stressed. It does seem like in most situations, spenders are married to savers, but my husband and I beat the “norm” I guess.
I’d save if I had the money to save! 😉 Now that I’m making a bit more money, I’m using half to spend on things to make my house a home, and I’m putting the other half in savings.
Well I am a saver but it seems lately I am always saving because I want to buy something.
My badge would be that they would have to raise money in a fun and community engaging way for a non profit of their choice.
I think an animal rescue badge would be precious!
I’m a weird mix – I’m a compulsive saver, but also a bit of a shopaholic. Luckily I’m all about the sale racks, so I can do a bit of both. I think that budgets are like diets – if they’re too rigid, they aren’t effective because you’ll just break them, but when you approach them sanely and rationally, allowing yourself structure but also room for fun without beating yourself up over it, you’re golden!
You should try squats on a flipped Bosu sometime or wobble board.
I wish I had taken a personal finance course in university! I spend wayyy too much money on things that are overpriced like hair salons, make up, clothes, skin care lines…although I bet a lot of other girls do as well! haha
i like that idea a lot about the bosu! sounds intimidating!
I’m definitely a saver. I’d rather have money in my bank account than a closet bursting at the seams or an expensive car in the driveway.
I’m definitely attracted to savers. I’m a saver for a while and then I go crazy with spending. I need to get better!
I would add a nutrition badge or a physical activity badge for sure – definitely problems that need more focus in my opinion 🙂
Julie!
I couldn’t have written it any better. I am def a saver and I looooooooooooooove a bargain! My hubby is also awesome at budgeting and staying debt free! So we are both savers 🙂 Animal Rescue HANDS DOWN! Animals and Lil Creatures all the way 🙂
I am definitely a saver. I am pretty sure I have money from my 7th birthday in my savings account. The only problem is my long term bf is the opposite. he spends money the second he gets it. Needless to say it as a majority of our fights.
wow! that’s interesting that spenders and savers are attracted to each other. I have good friends who are newleyweds and are at complete opposite sides of the spectrum – one is craazy cheap (to a fault), and one is a crazy big spender.
I love seeing that so many people were former girl scouts! I think that crafts and the cookies were my favorite part. I think it would be interesting and useful to have a special diet cooking badge. With the number of kids with gluten and peanut allergies these days, I feel that would be very useful. It would teach young girls how to make delicious foods that they could eat without having to resort to bland prepackaged foods.
I would say that I fall in between being a spender and a saver. I always make sure I have enough money every month to;
– Pay my bills
– Put some $$ into savings
– Put some $$ into 401K
My savings and 401K allocations are automatically taken out of my paycheck every month so it makes it so much easier. Then I spend whatever is leftover after bills. Sometimes I think that I should try to pay off my student loan faster…but that is not as fun as buying new shoes!
My boyfriend on the other hand, is an EXTREME saver. I call him a money hoarder. He will do anything to find a good bargain or deal. One time he suggested having a “craigslist” christmas where we buy each other’s gifts off of craigslist! He said he was only joking but I’m not so sure…
I guess I don’t even have to post and say I’m a saver, when my response to this one is ‘I LOVE THE CRAIGSLIST IDEA!’ Seriously, I do. I’m a dork, I know.
I just bought my 3 year old a bike off Craigslist for $20, she loves it and with how small it is she’ll probably only use it a year or so before needing a bigger one. Our neighbors ordered their 3 year old a brand new one, they probably feel sorry for my cheapness while I feel sorry for them wasting money. LOL!
Oh gosh, my dad (who does finance for a living) was all over me as well to take a personal finance course in college… although I never actually did! Oops.. I was more interested in any classes that were NOT related to math. 😉 I am totally a saver though.. I feel the same way you do- big spenders make me nervous haha.