Coupon post!

It's been a while since I wrote a good coupon post! But I picked up a few things today and needed some blog material, so here goes.

It was Super Doubles week at Harris Teeter - all coupons double in value up to $2. So a $1 coupon takes $2  off the price, a $2 coupon takes $4 off the price. There are some great deals to be found during Super Double week!

This type of trip really only works under a few conditions:

1. If the deals are amazing
2. If it's economically feasible to make a whole trip for five items
3. If you're sure you can get in and out of the store with no impulse buys

For me, having the store only about a mile away and spending hardly anything in gas (love my scooter!) makes these trips worthwhile. Accumulating three or four things on the VERY cheap for my stockpile works better for me than making massive trips where I'm purchasing bags and bags of items.

But yeah, you have to be willing to make a trip to the store to get those couple things on rock-bottom prices. For me, today, two things made this trip worthwhile: the low price on the multi-vitamin (they work best when you take them continually so I snap them up on sale whenever I can) and the low price on the Wisk (I'm low on laundry detergent and refuse to pay $11.99 and up for full price!)

Here's the breakdown (all coupons double):

Wisk: $6.99 reg/$3.99 sale - $1 coupon = $1.99
Satin Care shave gel: $3.29 reg/$2.79 sale - $1 coupon = $0.79
Natural Instinct hair color: $8.49 reg/$6.99 sale - $2 coupon = $2.99
Advil LiquiGels: $5.19 reg/$2.99 sale - $1 coupon = $0.99
One-A-Day Women's: $7.29 reg - $2 coupon - $3.29
TOTAL (full price) = $31.25
TOTAL (sale prices) = $24.05
TOTAL (after coupons) = $10.05

That's a great savings and all things that I really needed (but will NEVER pay full - or even sale - price for!)

Acclimatizing

Having grown up in the frozen north I have had a difficult time adjusting to the hot, humid summers here in the (technical) south. Every year I vow to do a better job - not to wimp out running, to get over my insecurity and wear sleveless singlets, to embrace tank tops. Last year I had no choice but to run through the worst of the 100+ degree days because I was training for the 200-mile Ragnar Relay.

This year I'm not training for an event but I do intent to keep up my mileage. I'm taking a new approach to acclimatization - less air conditioning! I think sometimes I have a hard time adjusting to the heat because I'm constantly going from a freezer to an oven. So far, I've only used my air conditioning at night. During the day it's open windows and a fan, and it's been nice. Sure, it's warm, but it's summer! It's supposed to be warm! (This is my attempt at having a good attitude about sweating where I sit).

I'm hoping that the lack of contrast will help my body adjust and thus I'll perform better and feel better. I will keep you posted on the success (or not) of m strategy.

Pushover

Ever since the perfect storm of blisters, over-training, and a massive loss of confidence several years ago that culminated on the eve of the Cherry Blossom 10-miler and caused me to drop down to the 5k (and eventually skip the race altogether) my mantra has been "I don't do events."

I love running, yoga, and lifting weights. I feel like a rockstar when I can just lace up my shoes and go. "Training", however, puts me into a bad space. I get obsessive. I track weather, miles, meals, morsels, feelings, failures. Instead of releasing anxiety, training adds to it. So, I forewent formal events several years ago and just run for the fun of it.

Lately I've been dipping my toe back in. I started with the 200-mile, 12-person Ragnar Relay last September (which was more fun than I'll admit!). And now I have two consecutive weekends of races coming up in May.

So far I've been able to train without obsessing but I might have to cut my losses and go back on an event-diet once these two are past!