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I have had to really cut down on me spending this year, so I have been looking for every way to save money. I had to see where I was willing to cut cost and where I wasn’t. I didn’t realize how much money I was spending on my exercise/health programs until a few months ago and the bad part is that I don’t even use some of them. For example, there is not need to be a part of a yoga gym if my main gym offers yoga for free. So, I really went through my workout spending to see what I need and don’t need. I used handy list I found on MSN to help me figure out what fitness investments are worth my money. Below is my list of items:

• Exercise coach/trainer - When I go to the gym I don’t like to think. It’s a form of relaxation for me, so I like having someone tell me what to do.
• Fitness watch - This helps you track your caloric burn and heart rate. This leads to a more efficient workout.
• Exercise clothes - You don’t want to be uncomfortable or getting skin rashes from clothes not fitting correctly.

What else would you add to my list?

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I am on a really tight budget so I have been searching for the best priced gifts for my friends. I do not want to give anything cheap. I hate getting gifts that I end up giving away to someone else or throwing away. The good news is that I have found some really good ideas this year. Below are some of the best ideas that I have found:

• Bliss Take-Away Spa Day - It cost $45
• Fresh Sugar Plum Let It Glow - It cost $28
• Voluspa Maison Blanc Candle Set - It cost $50

You can get all of these items online at Sephora. I always think about buying things for people that they wouldn’t buy for themselves, but would enjoy. Another thing I like to do is make my own goodie bags for my friends. I will put together different things from around the store. This way the gift is a little more personalized for each person. Do you have any other gift ideas?

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I will admit that winter is not my favorite season of the year. When it’s cold outside my body does not function and I don’t want to do anything. As people like to say I get the “Winter Blues.” Some of the symptoms are gaining weight, decreased energy, being more irritable and skipping social situations. I will admit that all of these have occurred in the past.

This year I am determined to snap out of it. I am not going to let the cold weather let me down. My biggest thing is that I am not going to gain weight. I worked very hard to get into shape and I am not letting it go. My friend sent me this article on Shine! with some great tips for fighting the blues. Below are my top picks:

• Get outside - Stonegate Villas has very nice areas to walk, so bundle up and get out there.
• Exercise regularly - Try not to divert from your regular routine.
• Take your Vitamins - This will keep your overall health better.

What other tips do you have for overcoming the winter blues?

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Eating out doesn’t have to be unhealthy. I went through this crazy phase where I would never eat out because I thought it was so unhealthy. The biggest part is not to fall for the menu tricks. Once you are aware of a few of the obstacles it will be easy to eat out and no ruin your diet. Below are the top tips that I found in this helpful article on Yahoo!

• Beware of the pictures. These are usually the most expensive and highest caloric items on the menu.
• They always put healthy options next to fat ones. Be aware and be prepared. You know which section you should be eating from so don’t tempt yourself by reading everything else.
• Watch out for the veggies. If they are deep fried or covered with cheese they can be worse than just having a pizza.

Another tip that the article didn’t mention, but I use all the time is planning ahead. Check out the menu before you go to the restaurant and know what you are going to order. This will keep you from getting tempted and getting an unhealthy option.

Did you find these tips helpful?

Photo courtesy of flickr

Holiday season is here which means it is time to start buying gifts as well. This year my budget is tighter than it was last year. That means I am looking to save in every way that I can. I was researching coupons and tips online the other night and found these great little tips to help save money. Below are the top suggestions for saving for the holidays that I think everyone should keep in mind while shopping.

• Figure out how much money you have to spend this year. Make a list of all the people you need to buy gifts for and then estimate how much you want to spend on each gift.
• Leave your credit cards at home. Only take the money that you will be spending on the gifts. This will keep you from getting off track or stuck with huge credit card bills post holiday season.
• Set a solid deadline for gifts that must be shipped. This will save you tons of money on over night and 2-day deliveries.

I hope these tips help you! Do you have any other saving tips that you would like to share?

Photo courtesy of flickr

I never knew that lemon could be used for so many things regarding the skin. My friend sent me this awesome article on Shine! about how to use lemon for various skin treatments. Below is a list of ways to use lemon:

• Exfoliate Dead Skin
• Smooth Wrinkles
• Lighten Dark Spots
• Exfoliating and moisturizing facial
• Fights dandruff
• Whitens and cleans nails

I have used lemon to exfoliate dead skin before, but none of the other options listed. What I did was mix lemon juice with sugar. It worked like a charm. There is no need to buy an exfoliating wash from the store. I can’t wait to try them out. I am going to try the one that removes dark spots first. All you have to do is put lemon juice on them and rinse it off after 15 minutes. Repeat twice a day. Have you ever tried any of these home remedies before?

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One of my favorite parts about Halloween is the pumpkin carving. My friends and I are getting together tomorrow night to carve all of our pumpkins. I always have the hardest time deciding what I want to do or if I pick something it never turns out like I want it to. This year to avoid that I did some research in advance.

I found these great sites that have printout templates you can use. All you have to do it take the paper to the front of the pumpkin and then poke holes with a little pick along the outline. Once you have poked all the holes, remove the paper, and then use the carver to cut out the design. I used to do this when I was younger and it worked like a charm. Below are a list of the sites that I liked the best:

• DLTK Holidays
• Show Biz Gossips
• Pumpkin Lady

Where do you like to get pumpkin carving ideas from?

Photo courtesy of flickr

How many people guess your age right? I always have people tell me that I am way younger than my age or way older. To all of you out there who are always worrying and trying to look younger, I have found some awesome tips on Shine that everyone should know about. Below are the top 3 tips I picked for looking younger:

• Keep your eye cream in the fridge. The cold helps the swelling go down. Even though I am young, I struggle with bags and puffiness. This trick really works like a charm.
• Get some layers. Having layers around your face will make you look more fun and hip.
• Apply firming body lotion. Tight and shiny skin always looks younger.

My favorite tip out of all of these is putting the eye cream in the fridge. I will do this before I get in the shower so it’s not too cold and then when I get out the shower I will take the cream out the fridge to put on my eyes. You can get some more tips like the ones above off Shine!

Did you find these tips useful?

Photo courtesy of flickr

This Friday, October 22nd is the 11th anniversary of Wacoal FI(GH)T for the Cure event at the Dillard’s in the Willowbrook Mall. Last year Wacoal with the help of Dillard’s customers donated $51,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.This will be a fun event for all you lovely ladies out there. I know my friends and I are all going. We are making a girls night out of it.

The 3 main goals for this event are

1. Fund raising for the battle against breast cancer.
2. Educating women about the importance of early detection.
3. Providing women with the proper fitting high quality undergarments.

For every woman fitted at a Warcoal Fit For the Cure Event, Warcoal will donate $2.00 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and an additional $2.00 for every Warcoal purchased made. Also, of you if you are looking for a gift or some jewelry Swarovski has a section dedicated to Breast Cancer where 10% of proceeds go to the The Libby Ross Breast Cancer Foundation.

Are you planning on going to this event?

Photo courtesy of flickr

I went and saw The Social Network the other day at the Cinemark. It was a very interesting movie. The story line was told from 3 different parties that were directly involved with facebook when it was developed and as it gained its fame. You will get to see the personal and professional struggles Mark Zuckerberg went through for being the youngest billionaire in history. This is a must see movie for anyone who is on facebook and interested in social media.

If you haven’t seen the trailer click on the play button below:

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