May22

How To Stay In Control Of Your Cash

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How To Stay In Control Of Your Cash

When you’re just starting out in the world of work and education, you’ve got a big shot at life. No matter your circumstances, your relationship with money will define your future, your level of stability and security, and, of course – the rest of your life. We’re sorry to say, but money really does make the world go round, and you could lock yourself out of a future and enter a world of financial insecurity if you are not careful with your cash. If money makes the world go round, you can easily find yourself lost in that same cycle.

cash

Say “money”!

The good news, though? You’re young, you’re just starting out, and you have the internet. This means that you’ve got time, opportunities, and knowledge on your side (if you choose to read up and learn, that is!). With some valuable tools, you can avoid making financial mistakes and you can – for the most part – develop a healthy relationship with money quite easily. The key? It’s to never let your spending outweigh your earnings. Major shopping sprees, vacations, and spending with reckless abandon? It’s an easy path into pointless debt. It’s an easy path to financial misery.

People will get into debt. When you take out a loan to fund a car purchase after passing your test, you’ll be in debt to the provider of the finance. When you get your mortgage, you’re in debt with the lender. When you take out a loan to fund a business venture, you’ll be in debt. This, for the most part, can be seen as “good debt”. It’s debt that is acquired for a purpose. What’s bad debt? Well it has a different definition in business, but to us, it’s the debt that you acquire with high-interest values because you can’t hold yourself back from spending. It’s payday loans; it is credit cards.

Debt is a real danger and for a number of reasons. Debt, of any size, will affect our credit rating. This can affect the future of a young person quite drastically. It can mean that you are rejected from having a mobile phone contract. It can mean that your mortgage is turned down. It can seriously affect any future decisions that you choose to make.

Debt also creates emotional stress and worry. Debt isn’t the end of the world, we all get into debt – it’s how we pay it off that matters. Getting out of debt might include asking for a few extra hours a week at work or asking family or friends for some help. It may be awkward – a lot of us don’t know how to ask a friend for money but it will definitely help give you some peace of mind about your overdue payments.

Being in debt isn’t a bad thing – it is when we choose to live in debt that things turn nasty. There are always methods to paying off debt and anyone that you owe will prefer that some attempt at paying can be made. When you are in debt, you will always have options like student loan forgiveness. Getting stressed about being in debt can quickly lead to one avoiding paying for their way out of it.

To stay in control of your cash, you need to manage debt and your spending. This can be hard for youngsters – because they are explicitly targeted by those who seek to profit from debt. However, control of cash is an invaluable skill for anyone and your bank account will be thanking you! Not today, debt. Not today.

Featured Image By: Wikimedia

May20

Mystery Blogger Award #3

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Mystery Blogger Award #3

Hello everyone and happy weekend!! I hope that all of you are up to lots of fun and are enjoying some R&R time! Lifewithlilred just got nominated for its third Mystery Blogger Award by my friend over at Glam With Platinumm and I am so thankful and excited! Definitely go check out this wonderful blog, which is filled with the most amazing beauty and makeup tips! Many many thanks. I love doing these award posts so much. I know that they are easy to shy away from, but I figure that it’s the least that I can do if one of my friends has gone out of their way to nominate me! So take a look at the rules and then let’s discuss:

The Rules:

  • Thank whoever nominated you and provide the link to their blog.
  • Mention the creator of the award and provide the link, as well.
  • Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  • Answer Questions from the nominee.
  • Nominate 10-20 people.
  • Share the link of your best post(s).
  • Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
  • Ask your nominees any questions of your choice.

Fun Facts:

  1. I am a bottomless pit of movie quotes and have an insatiable appetite for Taco Bell.
  2. Peach margaritas and sangria are my summer drink weaknesses! Peach flavored anything is my favorite.
  3. My 23rd birthday is on June 7th and I take to celebrating for most of June, birth-month style.

Q & A:

What do you love about blogging? I love all of the new friends that I’ve made through lifewithlilred. I am lucky enough to be able to Skype and FaceTime with quite a few of them and that is so special to me.

What is your holy grail beauty product? Mmm…Probably The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Skin Boost. I’ve been using that product for years and my skin has thanked me kindly for it.

What is your biggest pet peeve? EVERYTHING. Uhhh, but probably people who take forever to text back and I really hate those who walk around talking on their Bluetooth, which just looks like a big cockroach attached to their ear.

My Best Post:

Idk, I like them all!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What is your favorite warm weather activity?
  2. What are your vacation essentials?
  3. How did you celebrate your last birthday?
  4. Celebrity crush?
  5. Are you an early bird or night owl?

Thank you so much again to Glam With Platinumm for my third Mystery Blogger Award! What are your weekend plans? How would you answer some of my questions for my nominees? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May19

Bath & Body Works May Freebie

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Bath & Body Works May Freebie

Hi everyone and TGIF! This past Wednesday, I went to the mall so that I could pick up a birthday gift for my brother and while I was there, I figured that I would grab my freebie from Bath & Body Works, too. I also thought that it would be a nice break for the people who work at the one that I usually go to, considering I always just get my free item and leave (smh!). For this freebie, I restocked a shower gel that I had just given to a friend as part of her birthday gift in one of my favorite scents. Check it out:

bbww

My best friend gifted me with the lotion of French Lavender & Honey a while back and ever since then, I’ve been hooked. It seriously smells SO. GOOD. I legit can’t get enough of this scent, which is glaringly obvious because I feel like I write about it constantly! These past few months of freebies, I have taken to getting shower gels instead of lotions. I honest to god have a lotion hoard that could keep a family of ten moisturized for the year, so it didn’t make much sense to continue adding to this stockpile just for me!

I think the mini shower gels are great and I can’t wait to use them for travel purposes this summer. The shower gels also make a wonderful addition to a gift that you’re giving, especially if you match the scent of the gel and lotion together. That’s what I did for my friend’s birthday this past week and it added ten extra dollars value to the gift that I didn’t pay a dime for. Sounds like a sweet deal to me!

So there you have it, my May Bath & Body Works Freebie! Who else is guilty of gifting bath and body care items for your girlfriends? What is your favorite B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May19

Take A Study Break: This Is How You Do It!

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Take A Study Break: This Is How You Do It!

I’m sure that many of us remember the pressure of studying for exams and I know that many of you will be doing just that right now. No matter if it’s university, college, or high school exams, they all bring with them the same pressure and tension.

It is so important to keep things in perspective at this time and to recognize signs of extreme stress in ourselves and in others. If things are really getting you down, then it is time to reach out and get the professional help that you need. If you just need some well-deserved rest and relaxation, turn-off the laptop, close up the books, and put the lids back on the highlighter pens for an afternoon or an evening. Here are some ideas on how you can relax after a major cram session:

Feed Your Body And Your Spirit:

When we are revising, we are all guilty of grabbing a snack here or there and all of our meals tend to be rushed because we feel under pressure to get back to our books. If we are sensible, those snacks will be something healthy such as fruit or nuts or we may crave the sugar rush of a candy bar (yum!). Taking some time to plan and prepare a lovely meal is good for your body and for your spirit. The process of focusing on a recipe and creating a meal calms our frazzled nerves and stress levels will fall.

Choose a meal that is quite complex and has several courses so that it requires your undivided attention. This is very therapeutic, as it stops your brain from jumping around from one thought to another. Make sure that it is packed with nutrients that your brain needs. Oily fish and dark green vegetables are perfect for a post study meal.

Lose Yourself In A Movie Night:

For the best movie night, you need to set the scene. Make yourself comfortable on the sofa, surrounded by all of the drinks and snacks that you could ever want (the more the merrier, I always say). If you have a cat or dog that you can plonk on your lap, it is even better – but they don’t always cooperate, do they? Now, pull up http://www.netflixupdate.com/4k-movies-on-netflix-list/ and put together a list of movies that will grab your attention and hold it for a few hours. You want all of the thoughts of exams, papers, and studying to be banished from your mind as you get lost in the plot. This will act like a spring-clean for your brain and give it time for all of your studies to settle into your long term memory. By the next day, you will be refreshed and ready for more.

Look After Your Body:

It is so easy to forget about our bodies when our brains are doing all of the work. You have to remember that if your body goes downhill, then your brain will too. Get outside, whatever the weather. Your body needs some sunlight to produce Vitamin D. When you get back in, do some gentle yoga or Pilates and then treat yourself to a long hot bath. Light some candles or incense, play some music, and take a little breather to clear your mind and relax.

Studying can be a total pain, but straight A’s for days will make your efforts totes worth it and your summer break well deserved!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

May19

What To Expect On Your Graduation Day – A Plan Of Action

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What To Expect On Your Graduation Day – A Plan Of Action

Graduation day is a monumental moment day of your life; it’s the first true time you step out of a sheltered existence and become an adult. It’s an incredibly hectic, but exciting time. Friends and family are all gathered around you to tell you that they’re proud and making jokes about your gown. Some of them are no doubt holding back the tears. The administration and staff of the University are also there and energetically shaking hands on a job well done. But, all the buzz can produce stressful moments, so here is a guide to take you step by step, of what you can expect on the big day:

Organizing Your Gang: Graduation days can be like rock concerts. There’s a huge glob of people in the center and almost immediately when you turn up, you’re fighting not to get lost. You can get separated from your group if you haven’t planned in detail beforehand about where you’ll meet and where you guys will stay during the whole ceremony. So communicate effectively with your college friends and family. Make sure that everyone is together and in one place, so that it’s easy to find each other. Use landmarks such as a large tree, a building entrance, or lots of you could wear the same color hat or clothing.

During The Ceremony: When you’re on stage, be respectful that you’re sharing this moment with thousands of other students. You’ve probably seen videos of people acting silly at their graduation on social media. Don’t be that guy or gal; this is a moment of prestige. You worked hard. Remember the long nights of frantic studying, the upset stomach before an exam or deadline, remember how you worked part time to pay for your tuition? Exactly. Use this time to hang your head high and accept your rightful praise, but you’re in a hat and gown – not the court jester’s attire.

Take A Break: The graduation ceremony is going to be long, very long. Be sure that you and your group have something to eat and drink, like some high-carb snacks and natural sugars like fruit or a smoothie. Refrain from eating large amounts until after the ceremony, as you’ll be standing a lot and you don’t want to be the one who throws up from being too nervous or has to go to the bathroom just as your name is being called up. #embarrassing

The after party is where you can eat to your heart’s content. Graduation cakes are a fantastic way to buy a large food item that everyone can share and celebrate your success with. Although the cake will be large, thousands save at Kroger’s bakery, so it won’t put you out of pocket.

graddd1

Ayyyyy!

Take Pictures In Advance: Taking the perfect picture can be stressful when there’s so much going on around you. You want to look back at this time and be proud of that moment and subconsciously frowning or not looking into the lens can ruin the special day only all too late. Take pictures before the ceremony starts. Fix your gown and your frown at the same time, while there’s no pressure to imitate a ‘still-life’ painting. Then, you’ll have plenty of time to evaluate the pictures and retake some as necessary.

Graduation day is the best, but it can be incredibly stressful! Make a game plan beforehand, though, and you’ll be good to go!

Featured Image By: AKS

May19

Stop Fear From Standing In The Way Of Terrific Teeth

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Stop Fear From Standing In The Way Of Terrific Teeth

The dentist is a scary place for a lot of us (me included). In fact, a study by Colgate showed that between 9-15% of Americans have avoided going to the dentist because of fear. That’s about 40 million people! So, if the idea of sitting in that plastic chair makes your heart flutter, then you aren’t alone. Dental phobia has many different sources. Like many phobias, it can come from our parents. Or, it may be that you’ve been unlucky enough to have a bad experience. In some cases, fear comes from something as simple as the idea of needles going near your mouth!

As much as causes vary, the extent of our fears is also different. Some of us get nervous but are fine once we get there. Some get extremely scared but understand that it has to be done. And, as stated above, some of us are so afraid that we don’t go at all. This post is for people in the latter group. We’re going to look at how you can keep your teeth healthy, even when you don’t visit the dentist. Of course, nothing beats a professional. If at all possible, you should book an appointment. But, if it’s not in your cards anytime soon, then you should at least do what you can to keep your pearly whites…well, pearly white.

To start with, you need to develop an extensive dental hygiene routine. It may be obvious to say, but a lot of teeth related issues are caused by plaque build up. So if you work hard to stop this from happening, then your teeth will definitely benefit from it. Make sure to get yourself a top quality toothbrush. The many electrical options on the market are your best bet for getting to those hard to reach places. Take the time, too, to develop a flossing routine (even though it’s super annoying, let’s be honest.). You can buy a lot of different flossing products, so make sure that you pick the one that suits you. And, make sure you’re brushing for a long enough time! Dentists recommend two minutes, twice a day. Time yourself to ensure that you’re spending long enough brushing.

dentist2

#bestfriends

If you do start having problems or begin to worry about the appearance of your teeth, then consider some alternatives. There are natural remedies for most things, and your teeth are no different. If you have a toothache or abscess, there are steps that you can take. Clove oil, ginger root, and simple salt water could help you. If the problem is an aesthetic one, such as wanting straighter teeth, you can also take action. Here’s how to straighten teeth without braces. Give it a try and see if you spot a difference. You can even whiten your teeth at home using products like baking soda or apple cider vinegar.

And, if you continue to have problems, it may be time to face your fear. Depending on how severe it is, it might help to receive a little therapy. Or, you could take the plunge and visit your dentist. You never know; it might not be as bad as you’re expecting!

dentist3

au natural remedies!

Featured Image By: Flickr

May18

Summer Fun Checklist

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Summer Fun Checklist

It may not always seem like it, but the time of year that it is can make a huge difference in a person’s life. Winter and autumn can be difficult sometimes because of things like seasonal effective disorder. How early the sun rises and sets is enough to have an effect on people’s moods (I know it does for me!). As another example, people look at the New Year as something of a new start, and it is a time when they try to grasp that opportunity.

Summer is no different. If you are in college, especially, the break from the academic year represents an opportunity to improve yourself (or simply to bask in laziness for a few weeks). That may mean that you go traveling and experience the wonders of another culture or you may decide, instead, to stay closer to home and participate in some volunteering or work experience to better prepare you for your post-graduation job search. For people who work, it is a chance to go on holiday. However, you may just want to stay at home and relax. For some people, the perfect summer day is taking a book to a local park and sitting under a tree until it gets too dark to read.

If you are thinking of making the most of the summer this year, you will need to start preparing now since it is so nearly upon us. Here are five things that you need to make sure of before you set off on whatever plans that you’ve made:

  1. If you are hoping to leave the country, you should book your flights exactly eighteen weeks before you intend to travel. Research has shown that airline websites offer the cheapest prices at those times. Otherwise, you need to check that your passport is still valid. And do not forget your visa! There is nothing worse than getting somewhere only to be sent back again right away.
  2. Depending on where you’re going, you will need to make sure that your wardrobe matches. If you are heading to some tropical paradise, you’ll need a bikini or swimming trunks. Do not forget your sunglasses and the most important thing of all: sun tan lotion. Nothing ruins a vacation quite like a nasty sunburn.
  3. Personal grooming is crucial, too. If you are looking for the best razor for the bikini area, you need to make sure that you get one with which you are comfortable. Otherwise, you should remember that in different climates you will need to have products for your hair and skin. If you are not used to hot weather all year round, you may quickly find that your lips crack or your skin becomes a little dry. Thinking ahead and packing precautionary lotions or ointments is the smartest thing to do when you’re jetsetting to a new place.
  4. You should always take a book with you just in case for surprise waits before appointments or lunch dates, but it is never more important than when you are on holiday. They are not called ‘beach reads’ for nothing!
  5. No one forgets a camera anymore since they do not forget their phone but to get the best pictures, you should think about a camera with film. It costs more but the photos are better. Also, why not take a notebook along so that you can better remember the holiday when you get back?

Nothing makes pre-vacation planning easier than a good old fashioned checklist. Make yours, check it twice, and you’re off!

Featured Image By: Pexels

May18

One Lovely Blog Award #5

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One Lovely Blog Award #5

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! This post is compliments of my darling friend, Kimmiee, at The Typical Beauty Blog. This lovely lady nominated yours truly for my fifth One Lovely Blog Award so many thanks to her for that! Please be sure to check out her page and give it some love! I feel like I’ve been doing so many of these posts lately that I’m running out of fun facts about myself so check out the rules and let’s see what I can come up with:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you.
  • Share seven facts about yourself.
  • Nominate five bloggers.
  • Let them know that they’ve been nominated.

Fun Facts:

  1. I’m getting a new tattoo on Saturday and I’m very excited!
  2. I love to read and am currently working on We Need To Talk About Kevin. I loved the movie and the book is even better.
  3. The last food that I ate was strawberry shortcake! 😀
  4. My life basically revolves around quoting Seinfeld. When I grow up I want to be Elaine.
  5. I have many a celebrity crush but my number one fantasy man is Jack White with Marilyn Manson coming in at a close second.
  6. It was my brother’s 28th birthday yesterday! ❤ ❤ ❤
  7. Skin care is a passion of mine and I love using face masks a few times per week.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

Thank you so much to Kimmiee again for my nomination for lifewithlilred’s fifth One Lovely Blog Award! You’re a doll! Who is your celebrity crush? What are some fun facts about yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May17

Silver Linings PantyBook

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Silver Linings PantyBook

Helloooo everyone and happy Hump Day! So as you guys know, I have had some major Panty Problems this past weekend. You can read all about my tale of woe in the link but just know that it was a really hard time for me, okay?!?! BUT, with every hurricane comes a rainbow and the Silver Linings PantyBook happened on Monday night when I decided to give Aerie’s online store a go.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of the online site considering I had such abysmal luck in store but I took a deep breath and checked out the panty section, anyways. My thought process behind this one final attempt at panty redemption was the fact that I had a gift card so generously given to me by my mother and if you haven’t figured it out yet, I really need new panties. As I scrolled through the online store of panties galore I….

Wasn’t impressed. BUT that didn’t mean that I was at a complete loss! Aerie, the sneaky devils, decided to hoard all of their cute stuff as online exclusives and sent the rest of the not so stellar shipment to the stores (or so it seems!). So amidst the losing pairs of panties that I had already seen in the store, there were little gems peppered into the page in their online exclusives. Aerie’s usual deal is seven pairs of panties for $27.50, which I think is such a steal so I hunted down seven WINNING pairs to add to my shopping cart.

I ended up with some thongs, cheekies, boyshorts, and a good ol’ pair of period panties for when the time comes. With shipping and tax, I ended up paying a little less than the amount that I paid at Victoria’s Secret for only THREE panties, which I’ve since returned. Aerie has slightly redeemed themselves in my mind after the Silver Linings PantyBook occurred in my online order. BUT, that doesn’t mean that I’m not still disappointed in their lack of cute underthings!!

Will I be satisfied with my order once it arrives? Will I ever stop using the word PANTY? Find out next time when the Panty Problems series concludes with Panty Palooza! Where is your favorite place to shop lingerie? Which store has the cutest panties on the block? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May16

New Alien Green & Black Nails

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New Alien Green & Black Nails

Hiii everyone and happy Tuesday! Yesterday, I participated in Mani Monday and got my beloved talons filled. I prolonged my length between fills from three to three and a half weeks and was actually quite surprised at how un-janky they looked. In fact, I probably could have waited a little bit longer but I had nothing to do yesterday so I figured that I would get them done. So, this time I will probably see if I can stand going four weeks until my next fill because ballin on a budget. But, enough about that, let’s see these bad boys!

claws

^^^ Pretty! :*)

When my dad asked me what I was doing yesterday and I told him that I was going to get my nails done, he asked if I was going to get them taken off. LOL, I don’t think that that’s ever going to happen. My claws make me so unbelievably happy and it’s really the one “treat yoself” thing that I do, considering I dye my hair at home now. I can’t picture myself without them and, damnit, I don’t want to!

Unfortunately for this fill, I ended up picking the worst shade of green because in the bottle it looked super neon but on the nail it just looks kind of thin and dull. But that’s okay, because the overall effect is still really nice! I got the sparkle hearts top coat on my accent nails last time and I loved it so much that I had to get it again. Without them, I would have been super disappointed in the green and asked to pick out a different color but I’m not that picky and still like the finished product well enough just the same.

Regardless of how I feel about the blah green, I have already gotten a ton of compliments on them in just one day thanks to my nail tech, Steve’s, nail wizardry. So, I guess the wait out for my next fill won’t be all that bad! What color of nail polish do you have on right now? How about on your toes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah