25 Days of Gratitude

Hello Friends,

You probably see that I have been neglecting my virtual space again. As I predicted, my "employed" activities have taken up much more of my free time. While I have a few days off, I'd like to write about a project that I [attempted to do] for the holidays.

You know that Kanye West song All Falls Down? The part where he says "Single black female, addicted to retail". That couldn't be more accurate. I don't know if its the various Housewives, Instagram, Pinterest, TMZ or any other media source that makes us just WANT things. I am embarrassed to admit how much money I spent on make-up in 2013 and I hardly even wear it. Frankly, this is the first time I have had a real job, with a real salary. Personally, it's really hard to convince myself that I shouldn't buy something if I want it. I go to work every day and I should have what I want. Don't get me wrong here-I have a very strict savings plan. But my free cash definitely gets spent on non-essentials.

What's my point? This has to stop somewhere. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't buy anything during these massive "After-Christmas" sales (what didn't I buy?!) but I am definitely curbing the compulsive spending. So one day, I was sitting around in my room and I thought 'Self-I wonder if I write down something I am grateful for everyday, if I will feel less compelled to want things'. Guess what? It worked.

Let's be honest here, I am not a sorceress. A fairy god parent did not appear after 4 days, wave her wand and alleviate me from wanting new clothes and shoes. Seriously, I am a woman in my early 20s. I will never stop wanting these things. I only made it consecutively for 10 of the 25 days. BUT it did allow me to regain my perspective. This project, coupled with some volunteering did remind me that I do have many more things than some other people my age. That I have everything that I need. It is ok to get new things if you have the money. But you do have to stop somewhere. So hopefully I'm getting there?

Speaking of change, why not share my resolutions with the world? I'm not quite sure who out there actually reads my blog, but maybe publishing my goals will push me to accomplish them. Here they are:

• Finish my MS
• Decide where I would like to live 
• Run a 10 minute mile
• Work out 3x/ week
• Pay all my bills on time
• Earn at least a 3.8
• Earn my Zumba certification

Well that's all for today folks. Hope you all have a very happy and safe New Years!

Fun Nail Care Items

Hi Friends!

As you have probably noticed I took a short break from by blog. But no fear! I am back with a vengeance. I'm no longer engaging in unemployed activities, but I will still try to post useful beauty and money saving tips!

So to reference back to my Pinterest post, today I'm writing about a cool tip I learned via Pinterest. If you like to have shiny or even matte nails, I found some great polishes and wraps to do it at home! The wrap provides a gel or shellac-like effect. Since it does not use a UV light, it is not quite the same as gel polish. But, it provides great shine if you do not wish to use the matte effect. The great part is, all of these items can be purchased at your local drug store.

1) The base coat I used here is Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hard as Wraps nail hardener. I picked this up for about $4 from Target. This step is essential as the base coat to ensure a flat base for the polish and allows the shine to come through the polish. Make sure you only apply 1 coat of the polish, or it might form bubbles. Assure that the wrap has fully dried before applying the polish.

2) Apply 2 coats of your desired polish. For the best look, I would recommend using an OPI or Essie polish as they dry very smoothly. The polish I used here is called "Break a Leg Warmer" which I scored from Sephora in a 3 for $10 deal. Be sure to let the polish dry in between coats, as well as before proceeding to step 3.

3) Apply a quality top coat. Here, I used the regular OPI top coat which runs for $7-8. If you want shiny nails, just allow the top coat to dry and you are finished. If you would like to have a matte finish, go on to step 4.

4) Apply 1 coat of the matte polish. The polish I used is called Matte FX from Salon Perfect, I got it from Wal-Mart for only 3 bucks! Note that you must apply this coat after the top coat. If you apply the top coat after the matte, it will be shiny again. Allow the matte polish to dry and you are finished! An easy DIY manicure!

This tip from Pinterest was great for me because I have the patience (and limited skill) to do my own manis and pedis. Since I just graduated I am on a limited budget, so it's important that I look and feel good without breaking the bank :). Until next time!

Why you should use Pinterest...

Hello everyone!

I hope all of you had an excellent weekend and are enjoying the Summer. As I mentioned in my first post, I've finally had time to participate in unemployed activities. So, I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest. I've learned a lot of cool stuff, and I figured I'd share some things with you.

Why wouldn't you want to use it? Well the concept does seem pretty lame. When I first heard about it I had similar thoughts. But, since I have actually learned how to use it, re-pin it, I know find it extremely useful.

1. Recipes

Oven "Fries"

Food and drink is definitely my largest board. I love to cook but I do not know how to make a lot of things so I tend to pin a ton of recipes and tips. I also like to blend different kinds of fruit or green drinks so there are lots of tips as far as what you should add and how to properly use a magic bullet (it's not as effortless as it looks on tv).

2. Boards

 Pinterest is the digital version of a bulletin board (obviously). Again, when I first saw it I thought 'this is stupid'. But, the concept of repinning to your own boards is actually useful. Say you find a good article or recipe and you bookmark it in your web browser. I don't know about you, but that just creates more files for me to organize and I forget where they are or whats on there anyway. With the option to create and label your own boards, it keeps things organized for you!

3. Organization

Jewelry Wall

I live in a really small space so I am trying to make the best out of it. There are so many great pins on how to keep your entire home organized as well as office space and paper documents. I created this jewelry wall from instructions that I saw on Pinterest. Granted this is the "beta" version, I have since painted the rods and I am looking to line the board with fabric or something more fun. But this was extremely easy, quick, and cost me $0.00 because I had all of these items around the house already.

So, these 3 points were quick since I didn't want to bore anyone to death. But, Pinterest is an excellent resource that is easy to use and teaches you how to do a lot of things inexpensively. So, I hope you will give it a shot.

Happy Pinning!

How to be a Couponista

Hi friends!

I hope that you are all having a great summer, getting lots of water and all that good stuff! Some of my friends have been asking me about coupons so I thought that it would be a fun topic for my next post. If you've ever seen 'Extreme Couponing' or any similar show you may be overwhelmed or intimidated. But I promise that it's definitely do-able.

Excellent Book on Couponing!

• Visit Krazy Coupon Lady. This website has excellent resources for beginners or even advanced shoppers! You can filter out by item or by store. Basically, part of the site presents items that are on sale and what coupons you should use with them. Most of the time it will reference SS, RP or websites. I will explain what these are a little later in the post. If you don't have the time, or expertise to match the circulars with the coupons you already have these lovely ladies do it for you! The blog is updated every weekend. 
• Determine what sources you would like to use to obtain coupons. If you get a Sunday paper, that is the best place to start. Most of the time, I like to browse the paper every Saturday, pull the coupons that I want and store them in my binder (Pic below). Then, I either go to the dollar store to buy 1-2 more papers or get duplicates from a family member.



My Trusty Coupon Binder

• Another option is online coupons. Coupons.com, Proctor & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson offer manufacturers coupons online. 
• Some stores offer "store" coupons. These are typically available online. A good example is Target, as they use Sunday papers and their website to present store coupons. A store coupon can only be used at the store that sends it out so make sure you read them carefully. 
• Set up a binder. KCL has a PDF file with a cute format and a table of contents. You can use the pages as dividers to keep your binder organized. Or you can make separate sections on your own. The sections in my binder simply include: food, personal care brands a-m, personal care brands n-z, home/cleaning, and other. It's really important to keep your coupons organized so that you don't lose them! It also may be helpful to keep the coupons that will expire first near the top.
• If you want extra credit, go read a couponing book. For a while I refused to read them because I thought that I knew everything that I need to know. Wrong! Who knew there were so many strategies! There are many resources for couponing and finance texts in the Kindle online store, for free. I recommend Confessions of a Coupon Fashionista by Charmaine Gerber. (Note: I guess there was a promotion when I got it, it's currently $2.99)

Those are the main points! But here's a little bit more information. The main inserts you want to look for in the paper are called Smart Source and Red Plum. These will be booklets which contain many coupons. Proctor & Gamble releases a coupon book once a month, but they also post 4-6 coupons online. 

For restaurants and services, you should check mailers that come during the week such as "Valupak". Yes there is a lot of junk in there but, the coupons are typically valuable (BOGO free entree at a restaurant, etc). 

As I mentioned before, make sure you read the coupon thoroughly. Be sure you understand the quantity you must purchase to receive a discount, how many like coupons may be used in one transaction, what stores it is valid in, as well as the expiration date. You can get the best discount when you combine an in-store promotion, a manufacturers coupon and an in-store coupon. Also, be aware that some stores will send coupons via text message (Target) and some have mobile applications that send discounts to a loyalty card based on your previous purchases (Safeway). 

Additionally, Target offers a service called cartwheel. I don't quite understand the logistics yet, but apparently you get a virtual "cart" which allows you to claim so many discounts at one time. I believe that you will get more "spots" for the discounts when you connect to friends via social networks who also use the service. Target is really beginning to grow on me because they accept manufacturers coupons, store coupons, small discounts through cartwheel, and you can save an additional 5% off by using their debit or credit Red Card. 5% is small but when combined with those other discounts, it can save you a lot of money in the long run. 

As far as items that you can not buy in big box retailers or grocery stores, your best bet is to join their loyalty programs. It can get really annoying to keep receiving emails, but some companies send awesome coupons that are available only online such as The Limited, New York & Company and Jos A. Banks. Something I have found useful is to dedicate one email address to your loyalty programs and promotional offers which is separate from your professional email address. 

Also, many credit cards offer enticing cash back offers. My card of choice is Discover because they offer between 5%-15% cash back at nearly every store I like to buy from! But this only applies to online purchases, so don't expect such rewards in store. Stay away from store cards offering 15-20% off unless you have excellent self-control (but I would recommend not getting them at all). While you can only use them at one store, I believe many of us forget that they are real credit cards and too many open accounts will adversely affect your credit score! Some stores such as Target and Nordstrom are offering debit options which provide you the same loyalty benefits as their credit cards without affecting your credit score, although I believe Target runs a credit check for approval first. 

Personally, I use my credit cards like debit cards and I make sure to pay off the full balance every month. Similarly to combining store and manufacturer's coupons, using a cash back credit card with a loyalty coupon will help you save some extra money. But you should only pursue this strategy if you are in a position to keep the card balance paid, otherwise you are just getting yourself into debt. 

I know that there is a lotttttt of reading in this post, but there was a lot of ground to cover. Maybe when I get a little more advanced I will write another post. Also, all this talk of credit is inspiring me to write a post about personal finance soon. 

Well I hope this post helped you beginner couponistas out there! Have a great weekend and happy shopping :)

Let the Unemployed Activities Commence..

How would you spend the Summer after you graduate from college? My undergrad experience is over..which is a pretty hard pill to swallow. From time to time I still think "wait..what??" when I realized I'm not going to haul all my stuff back to school and drag myself across campus once again. My senior year was extremely intense. I'll give you a brief timeline:
Summer 2012: Full-time internship and 1 week trip to San Francisco for the Alpha Kappa Alpha 2012 National Conference
September 2012-Began my internship, traveled to NJ for AKA Undergraduate Conference
November 2012-Start applying/interviewing for jobs
December 2012-Accept a full time position to begin in August, worked full-time over Winter Break
March 2013-Spent Spring Break in Florence, Italy
April 2013-Traveled to Philadelphia for AKA Regional Conference, inducted to Sigma Beta Delta
May 2013-Graduation, trip to Vegas, Grad Party.

Mind you, I worked two part time jobs, held several positions in my chapter, participated in other extracurriculars, and...oh yeah. Managed to graduate.

So..what now? Well, first I did the typical post-graduation thing...
Then I came home and my parents threw me an awesome grad party...

But besides that, I stayed part-time at my internship until yesterday and took a summer course for Grad School. If you're wondering why I'm babbling on about this, it's because I'm doing something really new. I will be taking FOUR WEEKS off before I enter the full-time job force/real world/doom and gloom for the rest of my adult life. If you read the beginning of this article you can understand why this is frightening for someone with an over-planned, hyper-organized, type A personality such as myself. 

I know your next question. What am I going to do? Well something that I always wanted to do, but never really had the time, is to write a blog. So even if I am babbling, or no one reads it, I'm finally getting to do something I have thought about for a very long time. Which is good enough for me!