How has everyone’s weekend been?
[IF YOU HAVE YET TO SEE THE LOST FINALE, SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH!] I took advantage of the fact that I’m done with exams to catch up on LOST, just in time for the simulcast of the finale this morning! A lot of loose ends regarding what the island, but very fitting emotionally. I’m not gonna lie, I cried; when Kate and Jack finally kiss, I shed a few tears. When Ben apologizes to Locke, I shed a few more. When Hurley offers Ben a chance, more crying happened. By the time Jack was laying down to die with Vincent beside him (‘nobody dies alone’), I was a complete wreck! But besides this amazing storyline that I have been following for so long, I’m going to miss the characters. It’s strange seeing them on Jimmy Kimmel all dressed up, no longer sweaty and ‘lost’. For those of you that are still looking for some sort of closure, I recommend this guy’s take on it: I think it’s bang on.
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Decisions, decisions. I’d been thinking about writing this post for a while, and ironically it could all be tied into the whole LOST philosophy of choice, fulfilling destinies and moving on.
As I mentioned a few days earlier, I’ve been thinking of where I want to go in life and the things I want to accomplish. I am in university and still living off of my parents, but I think it’s time to branch out and start carving my own way. I feel like being more financially independent will allow me to value things more, and it will give me more control over what I decide to do with my earnings. On the Third Step I talked about spending wisely and saving up; but of course that money will have come from somewhere.
So I am here to ask for your advice today.
I’ve been thinking of opening sponsoring spots at Lemon Soda, as well as affiliating with some amazing people that I feel have a lot to offer to both you guys and myself. But before I take this huge step, I would like to know your opinion. Of course I would only put relevant ads that I feel can only add to your experience as readers. It would mean the world to me if you could tell me your thoughts on this! I think that if I find the right balance, everyone can benefit.
So, lovelies, what do you think?
**Thanks everyone for your input! I really appreciate it!
I first came across Cinnayum back in 2005, when she was still 035 on Livejournal. Her layout was so aesthetically pleasing, simple and light; her dreamy polaroids took center stage in all her posts. She posted about ‘sleepy mornings’, Japanese folktronica and all these books she’d been reading. Mari seemed incredibly genuine; she has this tiger lilyness about her and her journal reminds me of summer.
At the risk of being a creeper I added her to my Livejournal friend’s list so I could keep up with all her updates. She inspired me to start the 50 Books Challenge, introduced me to Shelfari and Robo.to. It was because of her beautiful polaroids that I dragged a friend with me in the heat of the Hong Kong summer on my quest for the perfect vintage polaroid. And I found it!
Five years later she’s opened up a blogspot account, though she still updates her Livejournal as well. So if you want some beautiful inspiration this Sunday, find her here:
What bloggers have you been following the longest? How have they inspired you?
So money doesn’t equal happiness, but it definitely helps! Whether you are a student, or the economy has got you by the throat, or you’d just like to have more freedom to splurge on certain things (like shoes), you must learn the art of budgeting. Of course this varies from person to person, so you’ll have to develop your own plan. Some tips to get you started:
Shopping for clothes
- Always, ALWAYS try it on. It may not fit you like it does the mannequin. If after trying it on you’re still not sure, drop it. If there is ever any doubt, don’t buy it!
- Try shopping by outfit. If I see an outfit online that I like, I have no shame in printing it out and taking it in my bag to recreate it. Same goes with magazines! Using something like Polyvore can help you visualize how many outfits can be created around a single piece — use it to your advantage. You can also look for pieces you already own to see how you could spice them up and breathe new life into them.
- Don’t buy incredibly trendy things. One or two are fine, but if your entire wardrobe consists of a trend, you might find yourself needing an entire new one come next season. Have a variety of classic pieces, basics, and trendy.
- Know when sales begin and show up bright and early to get the goods! It is terryfying how a €10 dress was €50 just two weeks earlier! Be savvy and quick, and you’ll get all those beautiful clothes for half the price.
- That said, just because something is €3 doesn’t mean you should buy it. For me, when it comes to shoes, coats and makeup, spending more goes a long way. It’s the same with clothes, but sometimes the price/quality ratio doesn’t match and so you’ll have a cheap looking dress with a €60 pricetag. It’s a lot of shopping around and trying things out!
Out and about
- When buying groceries make sure you are neither stuffed nor hungry. Otherwise you will either miss out things you need or buy the entire cookie aisle. Stick to a list and everything will be under control. Also don’t shun the generic brands! Try them out once or twice and you’ll find that sometimes they’re as good, if not better, than popular brands. One of my favorite things in the world is yoghurt; my supermarket has a nice selection so I always try different ones. I used to stick to Danone, but decided to try a more generic brand that costs half the price…turns out they are creamier and more true to the fruit they’re supposed to taste like.
- If you are a student, take advantage of student discounts. Always have your student card ready and don’t be afraid to ask if you can use it!
- Try to cut back on dining out, but if you MUST (like me), then explore your city and find small restaurants. Often the coziest places are hidden away in a little corner and aren’t as expensive. Though sometimes they can turn out to be even more expensive, so just make sure you take a look at the menu before you sit down!
Saving & making extra money
- Alright, here’s a very washed out and typical one: money jars. You know how there are always those annoying little coins rolling around the house? Drop them into a jar. Group them according to amount, and once you have round quantities off to the bank you go to have them exchanged! You’ll be amazed at how much money comes out of those little ones.
- Seriously consider whether there are any expensive habits you could cut down on, like eating out, smoking, dying your hair…
- Don’t use credit cards. Just don’t. Stick to cash or for bigger purchases use your debit card. That way you’ll never be worrying about anything you have to pay off later.
- Sell your things. If you don’t use it, didn’t even remember you had it, don’t like it — sell it!
- If you don’t work a 9-5 job/are a student, see how you can use your skills for some freelance work. Maybe you can tutor, babysit, sell art prints, design posters for local businesses…who knows!
I’ve already made a plan for myself, taking all of these into account. It’ll be hard to give up some things but it really helps you figure out where it’s best to put your money! I hope you guys give it a try, and let me know how it goes?
That said, what other tips do you guys have for saving up, making some extra money and just generally spending wisely?
There’s always the question: is it fate or is it choice? I think it’s a big of both. Fate takes you in the direction, the choices are up to you in the end. And it always comes down to those choices, sometimes little, sometimes gigantic. For some reason unbeknownst to me (okay I have a small idea what this might be about. Perhaps a pre-cuarter life crisis?) I have been thinking of all the choices I have made up until know. Do I regret any? No, regret isn’t the word. It is equally uncomfortable, but it is not regret; it’s the ‘what ifs’ that pop up randomly here and there.
- What if I hadn’t dropped Art in highschool in favor of Data Management?
- What if I’d only done one gap year in Beijing instead of two? What if I hadn’t done one at all?
- What if last summer I’d gone somewhere different and had a change of heart about where I want to live?
All this going back and forth isn’t very nice, because I can’t change any of it. I don’t regret my choices, but sometimes I do wonder where a different alternative might have taken me. Which is why I have decided to get ahead of the game! No more what if’s. I am going to try to do everything my little heart desires, with hard work and determination. I will find what works for me and what doesn’t, and when it comes down to evaluating my choice it won’t be a matter of ‘what if’, but rather, ‘that didn’t work for me’ or ‘I’m glad it worked for me!’.
The big What If in my life right now is: what if I study something besides Psychology? Not instead of, but at the same time. There are so many things I love, why do I have to stick to just one? I’ve narrowed it down to two main things I’d like to try: Illustration, Makeup Art and Dancing. Completely unrelated? Maybe! But these things would make me the happiest in the world, so it only makes sense to go for them. If you want something bad enough, you’ll find all the time and money required to get to it (with a LOT of hard work, unless you are incredibly lucky and know of someone that can lend a hand!).
So what about you, lovely? What’s your big What If?
Happy weekend everyone! It’s been a week since our first resolution to incorporate more water into our daily routine; how have you done? I’ve loved it, personally. I found the perfect bottle to take with me so I can keep hydrated on the go, and my skin just feels overall softer. It isn’t a huge difference, but I can tell from the way my face and legs look/feel that something’s going right! So this is a habit that has to stick.
Today’s resolution/step is all about taking care of the ‘self”**. Life just seems to go by faster and faster; we expect fast results, we want shortcuts, and we have forgotten to savour little moments. I mean, everywhere I go I walk like I’m headed to this important meeting and I’m late, when mostly I’m just going for some groceries or to renew my bus pass. It seems like the only time I get to relax is on weekends when I have some downtime, and even then I feel like there must be something I’m forgetting.
Well lovelies, I think it’s time for us to stop all this madness! Stress doesn’t look or feel good. Take at least thirty minutes of every day to just sit and think, to relax in your garden or even to just sit on the couch and cuddle with your s.o without worrying about not having enough time for whatever it is you need to get done. Be selfish. Just leave your mind blank and enjoy it.
Easy? Even silly you might think, but trust me when I tell you it is more complicated than it seems! We always put ourlseves on hold for something else that needs our immediate attention, so really we end up working/stressing our life away instead of doing little things that relax us, inspire us and renew us.
Some ideas on taking a daily time-out:
- Do it at a time when you know you won’t be interrupted by anyone/anything else.
- Change it up every day, and you’ll find it will give you time to do all those things your little heart desires but seems too busy to get to usually (reading, watching that LOST episode, going on Oh No They Didn’t for your celeb gossip fix…)
- Lay down, have a rest. If you can spare another 30 minutes, take a power nap and wake up good as new.
- Do your nails. Make yourself feel pretty. Yesterday’s all-nighter might have drained you out, but you can still look fab!
- Sit still, preferrably outside (weather permitting), find the horizon and let your mind wander. Have some lemonade. Daydream.
Do you make time for yourself every day? What’s the best way to add a little extra downtime into every day?
* * Just a quick reminder: all Steps are organized into four main categories (Body, Self, Life & Living Space). Every week will follow that order, just because I think that alternating between them will make it more fun and motivating to see progress in the different areas :)
P.S Thanks for all the exam luck wishing! I’ve gotten 2 out of the way, have 2 more to go! Eeep.
