Weekend Recap

Whew! What a weekend. Like all the others, it went by ridiculously fast. 

When are we as a country going to go to 3 day weekends? 

This needs to happen asap! 

Anyways, this weekend was full of sports: football, baseball, and volleyball.

Whenever anyone asks me what I did this weekend, my response is always sports related. It's just what we do. 

CT had a game on Saturday where they lost by two missed p.a.t's. 

Along with their physical loss, they also lost their quarterback to a torn ACL and their best defensive player to a broken fibula. 

Not a good day for the Friends Falcons. =(

But on a more positive note, the CARDINALS won and they are headed to the world series!! 

We are trying to find a way to make it to Sunday's game. 

Wish us luck . . .because we are only going if we can find tickets for under $200 a piece.

 "It's hard out here for a pimp." 

We are on a budget ya'll! 

 If it's meant to be it will be. 

Also, this weekend was homecoming at Friends and with that comes the alumni volleyball game. 

Bruised thumb and floor burns = old and broken.

 Need I say more? 

It was pretty brutal! 

Are any of you as sports consumed as we are?

Linking up with Monday Mingling and Sami's Shenanigans.

Football Fashion

TGIF! 

Well, for me I've had about a week of Fridays and I'm really enjoying this week off between jobs. It's super refreshing and nice to get caught up on everything. 

Anyways, today I am collaborating with Katie over at Studious Style over all things Fall Fashion related. She is doing a series on Fridays about all things fall fashion related. Check her out! She started blogging at the beginning of August and talks about all things fashion related, beauty related, and has the best sense of style! I wish I could raid that girls dresses. 

Since we here in the Trotter household are sports fanatics, I'm going to be talking about Football Fashion. Since tonight is the first SE Buffs football game {CT teaches at this school}, tomorrow is the first Friends University football game {CT coaches at this school}, and next week we are going to our first NFL game of the year {Cowboys vs Chiefs} I thought it was only appropriate to talk about football fashion. 

But first, let me start out by saying I am a simple girl.

 I like plain shirts that I can dress up with a scarf or a fun necklace, and in my closet you will find most things in black, white, or grey. With that being said, I have realized I need to spend a little less money at Hobby Lobby and a focus some of those dollars to help out my wardrobe!! 

In preparation for next weeks Cowboys game, I have already started thinking about what I am going to wear. It's a noon game in the middle of September, so unfortunately it's a no go on boots and jackets. 

Outfit choice #1:

Navy Sperry's // Nordstrom Rack 

Navy Shirt // Gordmans

Corduroy Shorts // American Eagle

Multi Colored Scarf // America Eagle

This look would be a little more comfy casual. 

Outfit Choice #2:

Gold Shirt // Gifted

Navy Shorts // American Eagle

 Gianni Bini Sandals // Dillard's 

This outfit is a little more fun and festive and will probably be the route I go. 

I can't forget the new NFL purse rule. 

Hopefully this one passes inspection! 

Just enough room for my phone, chapstick, id, and debit card. 

I also got my bi-weekly manicure to coordinate with the upcoming events. 

Navy + Glitter screams Cowboys & Fall

Linking up with Well Shut the Front Door, Venus Trapped, and Style Elixir.

FML. Student Loans

A few weeks ago I got mail stating that it was time for us to send in our last years proof on income so they could decide how much they were going to charge us monthly for our student loans.

Man, did that get me super depressed and in a slump.

Student loans SUCK! 

CT and I could afford a nice house for the amount we have in student loans. 

 It really is so depressing.

CT and I went to a private school, where we were both student-athletes and paying 24 thousand dollars a year.

 

CT went 4.5 years and I went 4 years. 

We had a few scholarships but not near enough to cover full tuition. 

You can do the math. It's not pretty.

 

Good ole Friends University. 

It really was a great school: nice facilities, small class sizes, attention needed from teachers. Looking back I did love it, but if hind sight was 20/20 I definitely should have went to Juco for two years getting all my prerequisites out of the way before going to Friends. 

After really looking into what all we owed, and seeing what our monthly payments were going to be, I came to the conclusion that we really need to start budgeting.

And adding to it, I figured out how much we spend on eating out each month. For the past 5 months - anywhere from $300-$600. 

How awful and eye opening that was.

It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about all that money we wasted. 

I have heard good things about the Dave Ramsey debt reduction program. 

Anyone had an experience using it? 

I don't know much about it other then it's kind of like a cash envelope system. When the money is gone you don't get any more until next month. 

We are going to start doing that for entertainment, eating out, and lunch money for work. 

Other things we are going to start doing to help us save some money:

1. Start shopping for Christmas and Birthday in the off months and start doing DIY gifts.

 I have a gift section started hidden in my new buffet table. I recently hit up the semi-annual bath and body works sale. 

Most everything was 75% off. 

You can't beat that! 

I got a bunch of goodies and saved lots of money. 

2. Use coupons.

 For any and everything.

3. Meal plan so I don't make frequent stops at the grocery store. 

 I have gotten a lot better at this but there is still room for improvement.

4. Plan better/cheaper date nights 

 Picnics, farmers market/flee market trips, batting cages.

Those a just a few ideas of mine. 

What do you do to save money? 

I haven't quite been able to talk the husband into down grading our cable package . =/ 

I doubt that will ever happen.