Wild times here at the Wieck house! So, the big news here is that we are DEBT free. We worked our tails off these last months in order to make it by the end of the year, and after counting every nickel, dime and quarter in the house, along with some serious pantry consumption, we don't owe anyone, anything! Now we can continue to give back to all of you with a clean conscious! How may I be of service? Need someone to look at your running form, or to acompany you to a swim workout?? You found your girl!!

Triathlon, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Running, Ultras...they are expensive, especially when you are have some great success with them. I could break any households budget just attending "National Championships" in the sports I frequent. Troy and I knew that in order for me to continue to live my dreams in this sport we had to be debt free. We had to learn to budget, we had to be frugal with all other aspects of our lives. 2008 was the year we set out to learn how to do just that. The frugal living will continue for life, but because of that I will have the luxury of chasing my dreams outdoors, training and racing with you all, and (my favorite) staying home with Annie!

Being that it's NEGATIVE degrees out today, and in celebration of our debt free-ness, here are my top 5 ways to stay warm for CHEEP! Don't turn up the thermostat, heat the person, not the room:

Number 5 - Take a Bath: Better yet, take a bath with someone you love. I always hop in Annie's bath when the water is filling the tub for a quick warm-up.

Number 4 - Do the Dishes: By hand! At least do the big pots and pans. You have no idea how warm you get by putting your hands in warm water for 10 minutes.

Number 3 - Wheat Bags: I spoke of these earlier in my blog. Take some wheat berries from Whole Foods (bulk section) or rice and make a heavy pillow with them using an old piece of clothing. Put it in the microwave 3-5 minutes at a time. Put it in your bed a couple minutes before you crawl in or stash it in your lap while hanging out. If you need more detailed instructions email me.

Number 2 - Sit Ups: Okay, this is an age-old mountaineering trick. It's the "cheep mountaineers sleeping bag heater". When you are laying awake and cold in your tent at 16,000 feet, you do sit ups. Try them at home when you are cold, 20-30 should suffice and the side effects are quite desirable. Usually, this will also wake you up out of your groggy state. Then you can enjoy a hot beverage outside with your trusty patio heater.

Number 1 - Dancing: Yup, when you get desperate, close the blinds, turn up the tunes, and dance like it's your freshman year of college. Dance with a kid, dance with your "other", dance with your dog, doesn't matter, just shake it like a Polaroid picture!