29 for 29…

I’ve got a red, white & blue hangover today!  I’m still wanting to watch fireworks, grill out, play lawn games and run around with sparklers…but alas real life and work is back in full force today!

In an effort to delay actually working today I’ve been trying to come up with a bucket-list for the last year of my twenties…29 things to do while I’m 29.

I haven’t gotten too far…can you help?  Any fun ideas of things I should do/try?

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Goal Four: $ave Money

This is going to be the hardest, but also most necessary goal of 2012 for me…$ave Money!!!!  In the last couple of years I’ve done a bit of an overhaul on my personal finances.  Things are much better in that department…with the exception of my savings!  It still continues to get depleted rather than grow.

I need to fix this problem because I’d love to move into my own place by next fall…with no roommates to help lighten the cost of living!  And so I need a cushion…a nice, big, fluffy savings cushion to help as I adjust to living by myself.

Here are 18 Ways to Save (at Least) $1 a Day from SavvySugar:

1. Hold the milk. In your coffee, that is. If you regularly stop at the coffee shop on your way to work, order it black to avoid any extra costs.
2. Go generic. At the grocery store, pick the generic variety of different foods to save big on pantry staples.
3. Keep the change. Sure, sometimes it’s annoying to have change littering your purse or jangling in your pocket, but you’d be surprised by how quickly those nickels add up.
4. Swap soda for water. If you can’t give it up altogether, vow to sip water instead of soda during at least one meal each day.
5. Trade CDs with a friend. Hoping to add the latest Rihanna song to your workout playlist? Reach out to a friend and burn CDs for each other to gather new music for free.
6. Fuel up for less. Unless it’s required for your specific car model, nix the premium gas habit and use gasbuddy.com to find the cheapest gas in the area.
7. Find free WiFi. Work in cafés or libraries with free WiFi. Not sure which spots offer Internet? Use the Free Wi-Fi app to scope out local places with wireless access.
8. Practice your sewing skills. Skip a trip to the tailor and learn to do the simple adjustments yourself, like shortening a hem or taking in a blouse.
9. Video chat to save minutes. Rather than spending an hour on your cell phone, use free services like Skype or Google Chat to catch up with your friends.
10. Choose free apps. Are the premium features really that great? If not, pick the free version of your favorite smartphone apps to avoid unnecessary costs. Check out Free App a Day for daily app offers to help you save.
11. Use a rewards card. Get major price cuts at the grocery store by using a rewards card. Even better? Look online before shopping to see if there are any coupons available for your must-have items.
12. Check out free ebooks. Search Amazon for free titles to save big on your reading habit. You’ll be able to explore new authors and genres without spending a dime.
13. Pick takeout over delivery. Too busy — or, OK, lazy — to cook? Dodge extra delivery fees and tip dollars by ordering takeout instead.
14. Turn off lights. Leaving multiple lights on throughout the day can cost you, so lower your electricity bill by making sure to turn off every light before you head to work.
15. Skip the condiment extras. Sandwich add-ons like avocado and cheese quickly add up. If you need more flavor, ask your server to pile on a little more of the free stuff.
16. Choose app over print. Save on your New York Times subscription by switching to digital access. For $3.75 a week, you’ll have unlimited access to the publication’s website as well as their smartphone app.
17. Use a thermostat. Automatically adjust the temperature of your home by using a thermostat. To save energy, remember to leave it on rather than turning it on and off when you start to feel hot or cold.
18. Dry your clothes on a rack. Instead of putting a dollar into the dryer — and possibly another dollar if your items are still damp — hang your clothes on a drying rack.

What do you think…are these good tips?  Do you have any ideas for how to make saving money easier?  I find SavvySugar continually has good money & personal finance tips as well as these two sites:

• Daily Worth
• LearnVest

Sometimes just by browsing these sites and keeping money on my mind, I tend to avoid mindless spending.  This doesn’t always work though…since I stopped at Starbucks to get a coffee this morning, I’d say I’m already off to a rocky start!  But I’m determined to keep saving and achieve this goal!!  Here is some inspiration to keep striving…

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Lessons I Wish I Had Learned Earlier…

I already posted earlier today that this has been a challenging week for me…but today is a new day and I’m determined to change my attitude!  I started by browsing the uplifting site Positively Positive and found a little something worth passing along…

{50 Lessons I wish I Had Learned Earlier}

1. You’re stronger than you think you are.
2. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal.
3. There is nothing to hold you back except you.
4. You can press forward long after you can’t. It’s a matter of wanting it bad enough.
5. No matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever you’re trying to do is impossible.
6. You are limited only by your own imagination. Let it fly.
7. Perception is reality.
8. Your instincts can be trusted.
9. There is only one question to ask yourself: “What would you do if you were not afraid?”
10. It’s often hard to tell just how close you are to success.
11. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
12. Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart.
13. You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.
14. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
15. Do what you love, not what you think you’re supposed to do.
16. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Laugh at yourself often.
17. If you want to feel rich, just count all the great things you have that money can’t buy.
18. Forgiving yourself is far more important than getting others to forgive you.
19. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, you’ll often find that you’re right.
20. Be nice to yourself.
21. For the most part, it doesn’t matter what people think. Follow your own truth.
22. No education is wasted. Drink in as many new experiences as you can.
23. Making one person smile can change the world.
24. Don’t forget to enjoy your journey!
25. You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.
26. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.
27. You cannot change what you refuse to confront.
28. Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. It doesn’t always solve your problems either.
29. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.
30. Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
31. You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.
32. Give up worrying about what others think of you.
33. When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
34. You have to accept that some things will never be yours, and learn to appreciate the things that are only yours.
35. As Henry Ford put it, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”
36. Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to lose.
37. Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go.
38. You’ll rarely be 100% sure it will work. But you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.
39. Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future for too long. Right now is life. Live it.
40. No matter how cautiously you choose your words, someone will always twist them around and misinterpret what you say. Just say what you need to say.
41. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of good luck.
42. If you are passionate about something, pursue it, no matter what anyone else thinks. That’s how dreams are achieved.
43. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
44. What lies before us and behind us are tiny matters when compared to what lies within us.
45. Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.
46. It’s not about getting a chance, it’s about taking a chance.
47. If it were easy everyone would do it.
48. Be vulnerable.
49. A problem is a chance for you to learn.
50. Regardless of the situation, life goes on.

What do you think?  I find all 50 to be good reminders even when you’re not having a tough day…but especially if you are in the midst of difficult one!

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Beauty Resolutions…

I got myself a nice little tan in Cozumel…but now that I’m back home, Minnesota’s dry winter air is wreaking havoc on my skin.   I tend to have pretty problematic skin and I’ve found that consistency tends to be key in keeping my face blemish-free (for the most part).

In the spirit of New Year’s here are some Beauty Resolutions for 2012:

I vow to:

• Find my signature scent.
• Exfoliate my face and body at least once a week.
• Wear SPF 30 every single day. And I will not forget to cover my ears, neck, décolleté and hands.
• Not pick at any pimples I should (hopefully not) get.
• Always wash off my makeup before bed.
• Find the perfect red lipstick because it will give me an extra dose of sassiness.
• Learn to apply my daytime makeup routine in 10 minutes or less.
• Throw out all of my expired makeup. If I can’t remember when I bought it, it’s too old.
• Clean my makeup brushes every week.
• Experiment with styles (in the privacy of your bathroom) that I never thought I could pull off.
• Stop over plucking my eyebrows.
• Sleep on a satin pillowcase to protect my hair.
• Not abuse my flat iron, curling iron, blow dryer or any other hot tool.
• Love my natural hair texture.
• Stop nibbling on my nails.
• Sleep 6-8 hours a night.
• Drink lots of water for a healthy body.
• Take a multivitamin every day.
• Have better posture.
• Smile.
• Tell myself that I am beautiful every. single. day.

…Do you have any tried & true methods for keeping your skin looking & feeling fresh?

 

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101 Creative Resolutions…

Have you decided upon your New Year’s Resolutions yet? 

Here are 101 Creative Resolutions from Rethink if you need some inspiration…

{Image via Here}

Dive into summer…

{Image via Old Sweet Song}

I tend to get a little panicked looking at the calendar in summer…days, weeks and months always seems to move three times faster than their frozen counterparts in winter.  It doesn’t help that I feel the need to cram every free second full with some random “summery” activity.  After all these precious, sunny, warm moments tend to be fleeting in the unpredictable Minnesota weather!

In an effort to take a deep breath and savor the season, here is a reminder of a few of the things I’d like to do this brief, but wonderful summer:

1. Enjoy the bounty of local, organic & freshly grown veggies & fruits found at one of many farmers’ markets.
2. Attempt a new recipe each week (preferably with that new fresh produce).
3. Drink gallons upon gallons of home-brewed iced tea.
4. Bike, hike, swim, run and just be active outdoors.
5. Catch an outdoor or rooftop movie.
6. Visit local wineries and have a sip, or two.
7. Kayak & sail in the chilly waters of Lake Superior.
8. Read outside as much as humanly possible.
9. Browse art fairs & find a unique piece of art or photography.

Sit still.

{Image via Old Sweet Song}

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