Home prices are skyrocketing, while the properties themselves are being swallowed by big corporations and investors instead of families. Gas prices have catapulted, in some California locations to more than $6 a gallon. Restaurants are seeing their highest price increases in the last 40 years.
It’s no economic secret that we’re in a gigantic recession; if you’re a Millennial or part of Gen-Z, you could make an strong argument that for most, if not all, of our adult lives we’ve been in a recession – but let’s not scare ourselves existentially shitless. Instead, let’s flip the script from a scarcity mindset and focus on how we can all ball out – on a budget. Here are five tried and true tips, sure to increase your bank account and decrease your levels of concern.
Say Farewell to Fast Fashion and Hello to Savings
We all have that one friend who stays up on the trends – buys the latest kicks, sports the hottest new fashion. I am not that girl. I love a good thrift shop, I enjoy diving into those enormous bins at Goodwill where you can purchase fabric by the pound, and I absolutely abhor having to be ‘up’ on what’s hip. Considering I’m already late for almost any fashion trend, now I feel infinitely better about it knowing that my apprehension to fast fashion is helpful for my bank account, as well as the environment.
ThreadUp, Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill, Nordstrom Rack, and local boutique thrift stores will have the bang for your buck that you’re craving.
See Clearly with Inexpensive Distance Glasses
Sure, reading glasses come a dime a dozen – you can snag those anywhere at an incredibly low price tag. But what about the rest of us who suffer from nearsightedness, also known as myopia? We can now find glasses from $20 or less on Amazon and ETSY; which makes me feel infinitely better when I sit on them and break a pair. If you’re a bit skeptical about Amazon or ETSY to source them first slash third hand, use a vetted resource like Warby Parker which starts at $95 for the whole kit and caboodle.
The Early Bird Gets Better Concert Tickets
Planning goes a long way, and when it comes to concert tickets – sometimes, triply so. A general admission ticket can go up quick if you you don’t get them early, so word to the wise – keep your finger on the pulse of your city. But, if that doesn’t strike your fancy, know that most large festivals have ways that you can get involved from the ground up to make their event a success – any they all come with tickets. Whether you’re on the Green Team, or working the Lost and Found booth – there are many avenues to pursue.
Imperfect Foods is the Perfect Shopping Buddy
You want a friend that doesn’t let you put just anything off your list in your cart? Imperfect Foods has your back. Now, you’ll have to find a way to supplement strolling longingly down every aisle, but Imperfect Foods does your shopping for you, and delivers it to your door- all while helping save the environment, and the grocery supply chain. By taking the dented, bruised and otherwise unwanted foods and giving them new homes – they’ve become a sustainable haven of substance.
Don’t (Uber) Eats
I know it’s hard, but next time you’re tempted to Uber Eats – but have you really taken stock in all of their upcharges and fees? Sometimes it can be more than 20% of your original order – damn! Next time you want to order out, take a deep breath, call the restaurant, jump in your car and get it yourself. Same great food, less carbon footprint and smaller price tag.
What are some tips and tricks that you have for keeping your bank account full without sacrificing the things you love? Let me know in the comments below!
Rewind to two New Years Eves ago as I was dreaming up resolutions for 2020; I was getting into my groove of living in Seattle and was aiming pretty high. I wanted to go back to school to further my education, I was eager to make new friends in this new neighborhood in a new city, and get a gym membership and get back into some kind of athletic shape. Going back to school was easy, or at least on the easier side; sign up, show up to a digital learning environment, digest, regurgitate knowledge, repeat. Making friends was a bit more difficult, but I made do – forming closer bonds with the few friends I had that were local, and making friends with my new neighbors. So, last but not least – it was time to tackle my workout routine. Well, wouldn’t you know it but by the time I was ready to right my workout wrongs – COVID hit. Well, life hack: if you didn’t have a gym membership, you didn’t have to spend time cancelling it!
It did pose a new problem; when the gyms closed, I was left to my own devices. Good news – those devices included healthy limbs, running shoes, a yoga mat, and a few dumbbells. Fast forward to now, and my house has a punching bag, resistance straps, fitness bands, a balance board and so much more. For whatever I would have spent on a fitness membership, I transferred into having equipment of my own – and now I have a ‘no excuses’ gym in my own living room; and I’m here to tell you, you canhave one, too!
As we inch towards vacations and social activity amongst the vaccinated, we’re all craving a Hot Girl Summer a la Megan Thee Stallion, and what better way than by leveling up your home gym game. For a full list of my favorite home gym products to level up your work out, check out my personal shopping list on Amazon. But for now, I’ve got five on it and have a good feeling these little home gym additives will get you to your six pack Summer without breaking the bank.
Living in Los Angeles, it was only time before I fell in love with a local yoga studio. But once I moved to the Pacific North West, I stopped looking for one. Why? I found a great amount of resolve with Gaia and their vast array of yoga instructors, each with their own twists on poses and positioning.
Regardless of what style of yoga, how long you commit to your practice or what level you’ve reached – having a good yoga mat makes all the difference, especially on your joints. From headstands to meditation, and all the nuanced poses in between – having a good mat is the difference from a dedicated practice and not practicing at all.
The Ewedoos Eco Friendly Yoga mat is waterproof and easy to clean. Featuring sturdy gri and multiple guide lines for better posture as well as balance, Ewedoos mats are crafted from flexible Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE for short) which makes for durable, long lasting equipment.
Once you’ve got a good yoga mat, it’s only right that you get a few goodies to go with it to elevate your practice! Whether you’re a novice or dedicated to your practice, you’ll benefit so much from using blocks and straps for healthy stretching – and this set from Heathyoga is perfection.
Crafted with EVA foam, the pair of yoga blocks is moisture proof and non slip in addition to providing a bit of a cushion, even under heavy weight.
Coming in a bevvy of different colors, the yoga blocks are durable and flexible while providing the utmost support for perfect posture and your range of flexibility. Not to mention, having a strap in your arsenal makes even the most difficult poses feel doable!
After the last year, I doubt I’m the only person who just wishes they could hit something.
From the anti-vaxxers and the anti-maskers to the racists and the internet trolls, from fake news to terrible presidents and politicians spewing contemptuous levels of false vitriol, I can count on so many fingers the times I just wanted to punch a wall; I wanted to get my energy out in a fit of rage.
Now, thanks to having a punching bag in the house – I can get those feelings out whenever I want to in an incredibly constructive fashion.
This punching bag from the team at Mdikawe is adjustable, making it perfect for any age and any body height, featuring a durable speed bag that moves at lightning speeds.
The unit is highly responsive and quick as hell to install – perfect for improving overall fitness, in addition to your hand eye coordination.
If I close my eyes and think about balance, I’m immediately transported back to my favorite yoga studio in Los Angeles, One Down Dog.
One morning as I was struggling through a practice, the instructor offered this bit of wisdom and it hits me all the time: our yoga practices mirror our relationship with the outside world; a flexible practice means exceptional your life – conversely, someone that finds balance easier in practice engages in better balance in their life as well. I am flexible, in my modes of communication and ways I choose to engage with the world. Unfortunately, I have terrible balance even standing on two feet! So, meet my newest best friend – the wobble balance board from EveryMile.
With a nearly 16″ no-skid surface, this portable balance board has a full 360° of rotation and a 15° tilting incline – paving the way for skillful stretches and improved dexterity. Target your core strength by playing around with one legged balance, or rehabilitate and recover from injury with improved muscle strength.
For your well rounded workout needs, snag this diverse set of equipment from Kootek and instantly step up your home gym with just one click. Whether you’re gunning for strength training, or want something to keep you on your toes during the work day – this package has you covered.
Last, but most certainly not least – this has been one of my favorite fitness purchases in the last year. Featuring ten different levels of strength training between the tube resistance bands and loop bands, you’ll also get ankle straps, handles, core sliders and a door anchor to ensure wherever you are, you can dive right into the workout your body needs.
Are you keen on heading back to the gym, or have you started to get your home gym into gear? Am I missing something you love?
Raise your hand if you’ve tried at least one new craft or hobby during the last year in quarantine? It’s not like it was a prerequisite for lockdown, but on a personal level – my creative edge was one of the few things that kept me sane during those weeks, then months, that we were barely leaving our homes. Thanks to a supportive family and parents that were always cultivating my curiosity – crafts have been a large part of my life for as long as I can remember. Whether it was making glycerin soaps and essential oil blends when I was in Elementary School, or having my birthday parties at the local Bead Shop – I’ve been able to dip, dabble and discover innovative ways to explore both the world, all the while embracing and enhancing my mental health.
What does creativity have to do with mental dexterity? Well, in my humble opinion – everything! The more creative we can be with the tools in front of us, the more inventive and original we become when discovering and dealing with the tools inside of us. As it turns out – the art and act of creativity is good for the mind, body and soul: enhancing our mental health, invigorating our immune system and boosting our mood by lowering our heart rates, reducing our anxiety and adding dopamine. I can’t think of a single person who hasn’t felt the pull and push of the new “normal” this past year, and it’s done a number on us internally with our mental health – and externally with our social circles and support systems.
Everyone has their preferred methods of communication, and most likely a few they avoid like the plague. I thrive on in person communication, and by in large it’s the one thing none of us have gotten enough of; I miss smiling eyes and eruptions of organic laughter, I miss hugging my friends and being lost in the middle of dance floors. I would be lying if I were to tell you I liked FaceTime; I don’t hate a lot of things – but FaceTime was up there, at least until quarantine. Same with Zoom “parties” – they’re just, a bit overwhelming for me. As a writer, I haven’t minded much that my conversations have been reduced to texting or chats, but at the end of the day I still was seeking a non-digital way to be present with people. Enter: letter writing.
I’ve never been much of a fan of my own handwriting, but realized I don’t see it that often these days thanks to computers, cell phones, and the like. Last Summer, I started playing around with different types of pens, and realized that even though I spend a good amount of time blogging I was really missing that pen-to-paper action. It started as a quest to draw something more than stick figures and evolved into an excursion to find the best doodling tools. Over time, my drawing elevated – but I realized my handwriting could use a bit more manicuring; I mean, when’s the last time you tried to write out the cursive alphabet?! That’s when I put two and two together into a proverbial four, and found a new resource for my writing in handwritten notes, letters and calligraphy. Letter writing itself feels like a lost art form, and it’s helped me connect the dots of my thoughts succinctly and sweetly. Not to mention, there’s nothing quite as sweet as a handwritten love note – especially when it comes from friends and family.
Are you looking to elevate your writing game to the next level, or simply looking for a new hobby? I’ve got you covered with my five must-haves for perfecting your penmanship.
Want to start stepping up your writing game but not sure where to start? I’ve amassed a small but mighty collection of books that have been beneficial in my lettering journey and here’s a few I couldn’t recommend more:
From the fantastic folks at Paper Peony Press comes my favorite tool of the trade for lettering hands down. This book for perfecting your writing style touches a variety of different styles of modern calligraphy, has great summary pages and provides a pretty little introduction to all things hand lettering.
Pro tip – make photo copies of pages, or lay another page on top to preserve the book as you go; that way you can re-use and retrace the lettering exercises over and over again until you’ve got things down pat!
Honorable Mentions:
I’ve tried my hands at a few lettering books; there are lots out there for every type of skill set. Being such a novice at thhis point in my life, I also found an affinity for Hand Lettering 101 ($18.99 on Amazon)
Want to get your hand writing form down but not sure where to start? The fantastic folks at Prismacolor have you covered! They have tons of variety packs to choose from when it comes to learning to letter – but for all it’s worth, this one takes the cake for me.
Coming in hot with two graphite pencils of differing weights, one at a 2H the other at a 2B, for easy and smooth outlining, and a kneaded eraser – you’ll be able to get your shapes and sizing right before you lay it down with one of three illustration markers, or the double ended art pen with a chisel on one end and a fine tip to dive into your details. Plus, now you’re already set up for future sketching success!
Growing up, I didn’t realize how spoiled I was when it came to creative habits. My mom and my step-mother both loved gardening, movement and music; my mom is where I get my writing habits from – but my step-mother is where I first discovered my love for the act of writing.
Where my writing looks more akin to my mother and fathers, and we all might as well have become doctors based on how illegible our writing can become – Jane’s writing may very well become it’s own font one day. Perfectly spaced and exquisite down to the last detail, her love of letter writing, cursive and calligraphy was nurtured onto me from a young age and I’m so happy to carry that tradition forward.
After toying around with hand lettering and calligraphy pens over the Summer, I quickly turned my attention to using glass pens – and let me tell you, writing with intention got real, and it got really colorful. Handcrafted and unique, each glass pen from ESSSHOP shines with technicolor shimmer throughout the body and is riddled with spiral grooves to extend your writing time.
It’s almost a meditative form of writing – you have to pay keen attention to your form, how much ink you swooped up and what thoughts you can get from brain, to finger, to ink, before you have to reload. Plus, the ink comes in a variety of colors – these from ESSHOP have a wonderful gold foiling effect – and are the perfect present for anyone looking to level up their writing, or evolve their style.
If you love the idea of glass pens, you’ll be tickled pink by my next pick. After a few months getting into the groove of my glass pen, I thought it would be cute to throw it back a few centuries and see how I liked writing with a Quill. Oh, yes – feather pens!
They’re a fun gift, and if you’ve been able to master glass pens this is almost a no-brainer. Word to the wise, if you loved the length you could write with a dip of the glass pen you’ll find out very quickly that the quill tip doesn’t hold ink for very long. This set includes several different writing nibs, a bottle of ink and a wax set so you can seal your letters up just like the olden days!
Last, but not least – if you’re going to be working on your writing skills – you may as well have a lovely place to journal. I’ve fallen head over heels for this one from Siixu.
They come in four festive flavors; one for each season. I fell in love with all of them, but Summer might take the cake for the gradients of color interspersed throughout the journal. Great for a diary, a poetry or tarot journal, or simply to practice lettering – the journals from Siixu are elegant pieces of work all to themselves.
If you happen to prefer blank journals, Paperage has a wonderful assortment of hardcover journals in both lined and unlined varieties.
For more personal favorites, head over to my curated list on Amazon where I’ve compiled a few of tools, resources and fun accessories to make writing your current favorite creative outlet, and perfect the personal art of penmanship.
Am I missing one of your favorite writing tools? Have a fantastic book or style you’d like to add to the mix? Let me know in the comments below and happy lettering!
If there’s one thing I’ve had a lot of recently – it’s downtime; me time; well, every now and again, the downtime comes with moments of anxiety – others, it turns into a few moments of existential freakout time, but for the most part – these last few months have been exceptional for my mental health, for grounding myself, and for my hobbies.
When I was a wee little one, which at 6’0″ might be hard now for some to imagine, my absolute favorite store trips weren’t to Toys’R’Us or the Disney Store, they weren’t to FAO Schwartz or Macy’s; they were to a little homegrown shops in the Bay Area, Kepler’s Books and McWhorter’s Stationary, both of which I lament are now closed, but both were full of whimsical worlds of wonder to me.
When it comes to writing and sketching notebook’s, admittedly I’m a little picky. When you’re obsessed with using bright, vivid colors – you also end up suffering from color bleeding from page to page, often times ruining a piece of work that you would have preferred to preserve. Enter the fantastic hard cover journal from the esteemed company Paperage. Whether you want a lined, blank or dotted journal – they come in oodles of sizes and colors, each with the same high quality paper. I got one to turn into a ‘bread making journal’, and I love the size and feel of the notebook, and how the paper is silky smooth to the touch.
Raise your hand if you felt a bit dumb for getting a planner in 2020! Okay, let me amend that statement – because I actually got two planners. I wanted to dabble around and see what was good and new with planners, and deviated from my norm to the Law of Attraction planner but soon remembered why I had stuck with the Passion Planner as long as I have.
For starters: the ease of kicking it off, the sleek and sexy design, ways to build out goals, whether you want it dated or undated, Sunday or Monday start; the Passion Planner is simply the best planner around and I can’t imagine straying from it again.
Now that we have your journals all lined up and ready to go, it’s time to discuss something a little closer to my heart – PENS. You might think I’m a bit nuts, and you might be right – but there’s something so soothing, so relaxing, about finding pens that glide like an ice skater over your pages, without leaking through or smudging as you go.
I stumbled across these Paper Mate Ink Joy pens when I was back in school at the beginning of the year, and was beyond thrilled at the rainbow array of colors; it made taking notes not only easy – but incredibly fun!
When it comes to highlighters, there are some colors that always feel more bold than necessary – in a sense, almost drowning out the monochrome text behind it with a dazzling, technicolor display dripping in neon ink. Vibrant and beautiful, yes; but often becoming hard to re-read, as well. Enter Zebra’s line of Mildliners – a one two punch, with either a fine end and a bold end, or super fine on one side with a brush tip on the other.
Be warned, these mildliners are highly addictive; you can ask my husband, and he’ll agree – getting one set of Zebra Mildliners is a gateway drug to more.
Last, but not least – my favorite drawing supplies to just doodle with. I’ve gone back and forth on this, and finally have concluded that sometimes, you can’t pick just one – like me right now, deciding which pens I would take to a desert island if I could only take one brand. So, for the win we have Pentel’s line of fantastic sparkly pens.
Whether they’re the RSVP Krazy Pop, Sparkle Pop or Solar Pop pens, or their incredibly vivid Dual Metallic Hybrid stylings, I’ve always been a fan of the ergonomics of the RSVP pens and the boldness of their colors. Add to it some technicolor sparkle that shimmers in the sun, or on black paper, or acts chameleon-like and I’m SO DOWN.
When it comes to drawing and doodling, what are some of your go to supplies that are in your bag? Share your favorites in the comments below!
Summer is coming, and I couldn’t be more excited – endless sunshine, late nights, and tanlines; but what I’m not ready for – the amount of hydration that I actually need to quench my skin’s thirst.
Let’s be real though – there’s Summer skin care to treat the heat and UVA / UVB rays, and there’s Winter skin care to treat cold temperatures and dry skin; but there’s also just those simple products that are damn good no matter what type of year you’re in.
Last time, I brought you some of my favorite beauty products – but what I forgot to mention, is that the first step to beauty is skin; and the first thing about skin, is that you need to hydrate it. From this meaning well, mistress of moderate melanin: please believe me when I say that your skin is the one thing you wear for the rest of your life, so you should treat it right!
Here’s my top five picks to help your skin maintain its glow from hips to lips and head to toe all year long.
I’ve always heard that a good defense starts with a good offense, to have great skin – sometimes it just helps to take it all off and start the day with a fresh face. I recently tried using Micellar Water recently, but discovered too many articles about the potentially harmful effects of PHMB, including toxicity, carcinogenic and mutagenic qualities. My mom always told me, not to mess with a good thing, and that’s why I’m now back to using the same makeup remover that I did in high school.
Back to the last point above: don’t mess with a good thing. This lotion from Curél is literally just what the doctor ordered for dry skin; and I’m not kidding, my doctors have actually prescribed this lotion in the past for clinically dry skin. My husband swears up and down that it’s the only thing that takes the Winter sting out of his hands, and in the Summer it keeps my entire body feeling silky, smooth and fantastic. It’s lightweight, not greasy and long-lasting – might I say, basically the perfect product at a prime price.
My skin has been notoriously bumpy and dry for oh, let’s go with my whole life. Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall; it doesn’t matter, my skin just doesn’t want to hold moisture – so I go out of my way to soak it in.
I specifically use this on my elbows, hips and thighs, in addition to using the Curel Healing Lotion on the rest of my body – but really, it’s great to use anywhere!
Honorable Mention to Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream for Extra Dry Skin as the best bang for your buck option, coming in at a favorable price of $16.49 and available pretty much at every department store and online retailer.
It was an old favorite until this one popped up in my IPSY bag last month, and now I’m hooked. The trial size isn’t shabby, either – it’s a fifth of the size (.34 oz), and about a third of the cost of the full size if you’d prefer to take it for a spin before you dive on in.
Last, but most definitely not least – my new best friend forever, this deliciously delectable peach lip mask from the beauty gurus over at BeauteHacks.
Yes, okay I admit – once again I am balling on a budget thanks to a Buzzfeed post, and I am not ashamed to admit it. My lips have gone from cracked and unhappy to feeling silky and smooth. Sure, it’s a ‘lip mask’ to use at night – but I definitely use it 24 hours a day and am not ashamed to admit it.
To snag any of these fantastic goodies immediately, head over to my Hydration Station item master over on Amazon!
How do you love the skin your in and keep it hydrated? Let me know in the comments below!
Lately, it’s felt just a bit like we’re on our own deserted islands – because basically, we kind of…are. And let me tell you, with everything going on in the world – my mind has been in overdrive, and I’ve admittedly had my wheels churning for a while. As we all go into overdrive to stock up on the necessities during the crisis, I’ve chosen to turn my attention to something a little more fun. Not that we’re wearing much makeup these days, but I’ve definitely been tossing some on every now and again for semblance of normalcy.
While I’m stuck on my metaphorical desert island until quarantine is over, I’m still going to do my damndest to feel my best; for many, when it comes to makeup, that means going all out – foundation, primer, eyelash curlers, etc, etc. Well, let me tell you that I’m a basic kind of bitch and no, not in that other basic way – when it comes to makeup, I’ve turned into a firm believer that less is more and that you should be accentuating your features, not trying to hide whatever you’ve perceived your flaws to be.
Trust me, I had a phase – and it lasted for over a decade; I was a makeup fanatic, I even had a short-lived career as a beauty blogger – but as time went on, I found that covering my face with powders and liquids galore made me feel a bit more like a high class clown and less like myself. So, I’ve bid a bittersweet farewell to my bold MAC and Makeup Forever eyeshadows and assorted lipsticks that I’m fairly sure I only wore once or twice each – and have accepted a new stock of beauty tools with welcome arms.
While I’m on my desert island, you best believe I’ll be enjoying the following…
Hands down one of my most fun impulse buys (thank you targeted Instagram ads), this Winky Lux lip balm looks translucent and sparkly, but instantly merges with your own pH levels to produce a unique hue of glittery pink. It’s sorcery, beautiful, beautiful sorcery.
When it comes to mascara, it’s all about the flick of the wrist, and that means the wand. Depending on the style of wand, you could get left with tarantula eyes – for lack of a better term. The Roller Lash from Benefit goes on smooth, doesn’t clump and is water resistant – I call that a mascara hat trick.
I don’t know why it took me until my late twenties to discover liquid eyeliner but believe you me – I’m so much better off for it. It goes on smoothly, you don’t have to consider sharpening it – and depending on the brand, it looks sleek and sexy. So, when I saw the this eyeliner from Tarte – with a cat on it of course – I knew I had to at least try it out. Well, good news for me – it works fantastically and rivals my other favorite — Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner.
This is another case of ‘IPSY Got Me Again’ – years ago, I had a trial version in this lovely shade of priming shadow stick.
Being me, I actually never used it as a primer and instead just used it as eyeshadow. It worked like a charm. Just a tad of sunkissed shimmer and a warm neutral tone – not invasive, but perfectly highlighting.
Finally, a little bit of shimmer for your cheeks in my favorite shade – Champagne; or as The Beauty Crop calls it – I Love You So Matcha. A light shimmer that needs very little liquid, the serum goes on smoothly and lasts all day. A great alternative to powder if you’re like me and have found that the powder blushes and bronzers tend to clog your skin.
The Bouncy Kitty 
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