Helpful Tips for College Students to Save Money!!

As many of my fellow college students all know, we are BROKE and whatever money we DO get is usually spent on fast food, Starbucks...and the club. Lol Granted, saving money is definitely not a DIFFICULT task, sometimes when you have it at your disposal, you're inclined to spend it. I've found myself in so many predicaments where I would actually NEED to get something, but not have the money because I spent it on Chinese the night before [WOMP] 

That feeling genuinely SUCKS.

Consequently, I've found a few good ways to help myself save a little bit of money when it comes to my  expenses and I live by these 3 rules:

• DON'T buy it if you don't NEED it. (especially if it's not on sale)
• See what's on sale in weekly circulars
• ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS take advantage of printable coupons!
• If something you buy is not to par, NEVER hesitate to write the company an e-mail.

DON'T buy it if you don't NEED it!

Common freakin sense, right?? But you know, sometimes you're in the store and you're like, "I waaaant..." NO! Don't give in!! If it's not on sale, it's just not worth it until it is. It helps to make a list of everything you need before you go shopping to have a general idea of where you need to go in the store. The list helps you to remain focused and to avoid wasting money on things that you don't even need. Keep yourself focused on the necessities, everything else can definitely wait.

See what's on sale in the weekly circulars

I never go into the store without checking their website for their weekly circular first. I like to see if what I need is on sale yet, but if not and they aren't showing anything I'm generally interested in, then I just don't go to the store...I try to keep myself away from the temptation of grocery shopping. lol. Now, I'm pretty sure every grocery, pharmacy and variety store (Walmart, Target, etc..) has their circular on their website and if not, then suggest that they do! They love customer feedback!

-------> ALWAYS take advantage of printable coupons!!! <-------

I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOVE coupons!!! SO  what I did was set a separate email account just for my coupons and manufacturer ads to be sent to (ex: yourname_coupons@yahoo.com). I went to manufacturer websites ( ex: Kellogg's, Dove, etc...) and signed up for their emails. They usually have monthly coupons that they send to their subscribers. In addition to that, I signed up for Coupons.com, CouponNetwork.com, and RedPlum.com which are all LEGIT printable coupon websites. I advise that you pay attention to the quantities of what the coupon is for. For example, you see a coupon that say SAVE $1.50- Poptarts! And then underneath it, it'll say when you purchase 3 or more boxes -__-. Yeah. Look out for those. Also, some additional couponing websites that are really good are:

• iHeartTheMart - focuses on what sales and coupons are going on Walmart, exclusively.

• TotallyTarget.com- focuses on what sales and coupons are going on in Target, exclusively. Also features other great online deals!!

(I suggest yall give these two^ a- go if nothing else!) 

 

NEVER hesitate to email the company [and complain]

Say something you brought was stale, broken or just wasn't as good as you expected it to be..DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT hesitate to go to that company's website and tell them about it! Like I've said before, they love customer feedback! One thing NO company wants to do is lose customers under any circumstance, so you know what they'll do? Compensate you, USUALLY with vouchers for free products or coupons! I just had an unfortunate run-in w/ some mold in some frozen vegetables (eww, right?) so I took a picture of it and the UPC code on the back of it and sent the company a nice little email about my disgust and I just got my vouchers today..3 of them for free products. I once had another unfortunate issue with some deodorant that I had purchased,  and I did the same exact thing and got 2 free deodorant vouchers. I'm not makin this stuff up!! Now, I'm NOT telling you to go lie to the company about your experiences with their products, but I AM advising that if you DO, that you tell them about it. They love to make their customers happy!

 

Just by following those 4 little rules I've set for myself, I find myself saving more and more money while also being able to realize that I really don't NEED all the things I want- I can definitely live without them, in fact. 

 

But the main point of this post is to just help you guys make yourselves conscious of the fact that there are savings right at your fingertips, you just have to learn how to sort through them and decide if it's actually needed! Self discipline also plays an important role in all of this. 

Remember: if you don't NEED it, DON'T buy it.

STAY BLESSED!

=)

College Move-In/ DNC Rambling

I have OFFICIALLY moved back to Charlotte for school! Am I excited?? Ehhhhhh...

I love the layout of my new dorm though! 

Everyone has their OWN bedroom, Praise GOD.

There are 2 bathrooms! (2 ppl per bathroom) Thank you Jesus.

Kitchen, living room, AND we have a washer and dryer.

Amen.

The DNC has Charlotte on LOCK though. The day that I moved in (Saturday) there were police EVERYWHERE. They have them walking the streets in groups, the police were escorting buses past the stadium checking them to make sure there are no bombs on them, they aren't playing ANY GAMES. Consequently, I'm not in Charlotte at the moment; I'm currently visiting the boyfriend and the in-laws. I know yall are thinking, "WHAT IS WRONG WIT YOU?! WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANNA BE DOWN THERE DURING THIS TIME?!" I do.

 But in all honesty, I'm not in to politics. I WILL vote [for Obama] but as for all the rallies and parades and stuff? *shakes head* 

*bows down to her arms*

I watched our first lady's speech last night and damn near CRIED. Hahaha! Everything she said about living the "American Dream" and knowing what it's like to be in a position that many of us are in at this moment is true. And it's comforting to know that we have people in office that actually KNOW what it's like to grow up middle-lower middle class because they know what we're dealing with. 
What blew my mind was her hair though, cause it was killing me softly, on some real stuff. Her hair was ON. POINT. She is so elegant; it makes me wonder why girls/women don't look up to her more. 
 Can we get a round of applause for her arms & body though?? *standing ovation*
Baddest first lady in the game!

Anywhooz...

This is an age where women can sit down and give you a play by play on Love and Hip-Hop and Honey Boo Boo, but don't even know that the DNC is happening, or even WHAT the DNC is! It's sad to think that girls would more quickly look up to Nicki Minaj than to Gabrielle Douglass...it's disgusting, actually.

One day, I was in Walmart checking out and my niece (she's 12) saw a magazine with one of the chicks from 16 and Pregnant on it and was like, "Ooo!" And you know I picked up the one with my girl Gabby Douglass on the cover and I was like, "Yo, this girl is my idol!" and my niece was like, 

*sucks teeth* "Ain't nobody worried about her"

I said, "What the hell did you just say??" LMAO. I was mad offended, but anyway...

As a people, we REALLY need to get it together. There are people setting these ridiculous examples of what women and girls should be/act like and they're actually feeding into it! Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, the chicks on 16 & Pregnant, Bad Girls Club, Love & Hip-Hop to name a few...they're portraying images that makes me worry about what these girls midsets are. All this fighting, being slutty, getting pregnant...NONE of these are mistakes anymore! Girls are losing their virginity younger and younger..and it's NOT because they aren't being given "the talk" because, "the talk" is basically everywhere you LOOK. Every Trey Songz music video is the damn "talk!" What girls nowadays need are positive role models to look up to, and if you're allowing your kid to look up to Nicki Minaj and the chicks on the Bad Girls Club..then maybe you need to evaluate yourself as well.

*shrugs*

HAPPY LIVING!

Wash day rambling: I'm goin to Canada this weekend!!

A two-week twist out so that I'm tired of reviving

 Today's wash day!!

 I haven't washed my hair since July 2nd in preparation for my mini-twists that weren't meant to be. See,what had happened was...I originally wanted to do some regular sized two strand twists, but as I continued to twist, the twists continued to become smaller and smaller. I eventually had split the regular sized ones into two mini ones which created even MORE work for me to do (which I wasn't feelin). 

It took me a whopping 4hrs to finish the twists-that-weren't-suppposed-to-be-mini-twists-but-became-mini-twists-anyway...but that won't happen to me today cause I need these puppies to be done before tomorrow.

I'm currently sitting here already washed, but deep conditioning w/ mayo and olive oil and I didn't have any plastic caps left so i had to get "innovative" and use a plastic bag (times get hard, don't judge me). Yall know when it's raining outside and you don't have an umbrella you'll be quick to throw on that plastic bag, don't get all bougie on me now...this is what my blog's all about: making something outta what you have!

Pretty Masquerader

 So I am OFFICIALLY headed to Canada this weekend for Caribana!! YAY!! =D

I haven't been to Caribana since I was 7 and, no. I do not remember it. I'm really excited to go! If some of you may not know, I'm Trinidadian (well, my mom is) and I've been in Carnivals since I was 3 months old (yeah, I said 3 months; don't call CPS on my parents..) so this is nothing new to me. Growing up in Brooklyn, you KNOW I was right there on Eastern Parkway every Labor Day for the West Indian Day Parade. I miss those days =/

...but i digress.

While I'm up in Canada, I'll be meeting family I've never met past Facebook, so this should be interesting! I can't wait to meet everybody though , cause they make it seem like living up in Canada is easy life! It looks like fun up there, minus the cold. So pics and stories will be coming your way once I get back; stay tuned for that...

 ...in other news...

 I bought this dress for freakin $16!! I got it from this store called Easy Pickins and they have ALOT of cute clothes for $30 and under. I saw this dress and was like, "Hmm, this could be cute," and when I tried it on in the dressing room I said "DAMN! &This is only $16??" You know I had to scoop it up right then and there cause I wasn't about to leave it just to come back and find that they're only sold out in my size -__- (you know how it goes). Now I just need for the boyfriend to take me somewhere so I can wear it!

After the Couples' Dinner at church

Oh yeah, this handsome fellow over here in this picture right here is boyfriend =)

 I won't get into details about our story or anything, but the most simple way to put it is...

I LOVE this man!! And I DO mean "man," even though he's younger (say whaaat?? Yeah.) <3

 In cooking news...

 I've been home cooking up a storm, so much so that I haven't been able to keep up with myself. I do have some simple recipes for you guys coming up, just give me the chance to write them. LOL

I have this DELICIOUS behind Carrot Soup that I made cause we had so many carrots that had been sitting in the fridge like, "Eat mee," so I was like, "Okay!" Plus, I wanted to try out the emersion blender that my parents got me for my birthday!

I was trying to get all fancy with my plating here & it looked so good until the whipped cream would start melting, *sighs* I need a photographer. Anyway, it tastes good both cold and hot so feel free to serve it as you please. I'm gonna try to have this recipe to you guys by next Monday...

My GINORMOUS ravioli

Alright, don't make fun of my ravioli 

(that's ravioli?? Yeah.) 

They're freakin HUMUNGO! LOL

See, what had happened was...

..I was in the grocery store, right? And i was walking down the produce aisle, and you know how they have all the "organic" stuff and tofu on the refrigerated side, right? So yeah. I saw these wonton wrappers...

(those are wonton wrappers?? Yeah.)

...and I was like, "OOO! I'm gonna make wontons!" And when I was reading the pack it says, 

"Can be used for wontons, ravioli, etc.." so when I saw that it was like,

 "Challenge Accepted!" *Meme face*

So, yeah. That's how that came about. I haven't cooked them yet, so I don't know how the dough holds up or tastes, but once I DO cook them, I will let you guys know ;)

 It took me about 2hrs to finish this post...so I'm pretty sure my hair is deep conditioned by now. ;)

 TIME TO RINSE!