photo by Pensiero	via PhotoRee

My Happiness Project for the month of June was to Make Time for Friends.

Here were my goals and here's what I did with achieving them. 

My ways to do this were:  

1. Spend more time with my close friends

2.  Keep in touch better
3.  Remember special occassions

1. Spend More Time with My Close Friends.
This was easily accomplished by spending a few more nights each month with my best friend Daniela when she needed me most!  

2.  Keep in touch better.
I have made sure to talk with each of my close friends multiple times a week, and with my best friend, we speak every day! Texting worked when our schedules clashed, and phone calls worked when they didn't.

3. Remember Special Occassions.
I made sure to mark my best friend's sons birthday on my calendar and I'm attending his birthday party in July!

These all made me feel better about myself because I am being a much better friend and I do feel more loved in general!

Check back tomorrow for July's Happiness Project which is to Buy Some Happiness!

My Fancy Desk Supplies, Budget Plan, & [Week in Review]

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

In case you were busy this week, here's what you missed on Ask Away!

• I organized the foyer/entryway closet!
• I updated the floormats in my car to safari themed floormats from CarDecor!
• My easy to understand Guide to Being on A Budget and the way I make extra income from surveys!
• I featured a new purse from LDuncan Apparel!
• On Instagram, I showcased my fancy new office supplies!!!!  

Read more »

What I Give A Cup About! #GiveACup

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Image and value provided by our partner, Peet's

A lot of people make comments about how much work 4 Chihuahuas must be.   And you know what, they are right, especially in the morning. There are two things I do in the morning EVERY MORNING!
I hit start, on my coffee maker and I feed my dogs and let them outside.  Every morning, like clockwork I do these two things, even if I am exhausted.   Why? Because I Give A Cup!!!

And actually, you can let everyone konw what you Give A Cup about too, in the Internet's very first social sampling experiment.  Peet's Coffee actually spent 5 years coming up with the perfect dose for each coffee blend and they use a different kind of filter that allows more flavor to pass through the cup.  So I can enjoy my coffee and enjoy my life of animals.   And even though this week I said I Give A Cup about hot dog eating contests, I'm waiting for the week where they ask if I care about animal shelters and other animal-related subjects.   Because if I vote that I Give A Cup about that, I might end up helping send Peet's Coffee down to an animal shelter!!  

 

It's up to us to decide where Peet's Coffee goes, so you have to vote and share and participate!   If you give a cup about locally grown food, maybe they'll show up at your local farmer's market!  

The topics are funny, entertaining, and current and your vote will determine where they show up!! Each week a new sampling is hosted so make this a regular part of your web browsing routine!!





 

3 Rules of Men's Grooming -- Man-friendly Product Alert!

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

That's right...men need to special products to, especially for their faces.  Think of how hard their skin takes a beating with the dirt, sun, sweat, etc. from a long day at work, or a day at home working on the house and doing repairs.   So ladies... if your man is always asking what he should do for his skin problems, look no further!   Here are three important grooming tips brought to you by ME and GO 24-7,  product line that can help your man follow these rules!

Rule Number 1:   Use a hot towel to open the pores before shaving and use a cold towel after.   This will help prevent redness and nicks.  

Rule Number 2: Even if your guy doesn't have hair, he still needs to wash that area of his face/head.  

Rule Number 3: Exfoliate once a week to prevent ingrown facial hairs!    

And GO 24-7 has an amazingly luxurious cleanser for his face and a moisturizer to keep his skin soft and smooth.  Nobody wants to be kissed by a grizzly bear now do they? 

My Guide to Being on a Budget

This post was originally published in 2013 but gets updated yearly.

 

The feeling of having debt is overwhelming and when you're trying to work on paying it off as one of your financial goals, it can be chaotic if you don't have the other aspects of your finances in order. A major aspect is creating and living by a budget, not to restrict your spending in an unreasonable way but to assign every dollar of your money a job whether it's to be spent, saved, or put towards debt.

Read more »

The LEGIT Way I Make Fast, Easy, Extra Cash Every Week - Surveys!!!!

I posted this a while back when iI started this blog but I am posting it again.... I know it sounds to good to be true because everyone always says "Take surveys and earn cash NOW!" and then you  start to register and it asks you to subscribe to mailing lists, etc.  So how do I have the legit sites that don't spam at all?  Well, I started back in 2005....  before everyone and their mother started doing surveys and before everyone and their father started scamming you into thinking you could do surveys for money.   The small number of sites I use, I have used ALL these years with no problem.  From them, I get 1 of 3 things - either points that I cash out at to get a cash voucher or a prize (free movie tix or free magazine subscriptions or gift cards to restaurants ), Paypal or check that I now cash out monthly,  or samples that I get to keep (perfume, foods, beauty products, etc.)

I promise that you have MY WORD that these will not spam your email.   These are legitimate ways to make cash from online surveys.

So why doesn't everyone do it?  Because some people don't think it's worth it to:

1. Register and  fill in profiles (something that takes a couple hours to complete all the screening profiles but you do it once and you're done)

2. People don't like waiting a couple weeks for rewards to process.

3. People don't like doing this in their extra time.  

I've done it for so many years it's routine.  I do some at breakfast, and some at night.   

The sites I use are:

Mindfield Online

Survey Frequency: I usually get 3-5 surveys a week from them. 

Survey Rewards: $1-$3 sometimes more for product tests (lots of opportunities for that) and you can cash out once your account hits $5

Reward: I cashout via Paypal and I generally get $10-$15 a month from them. 

Opinion Outpost 

Survey Frequency: 3-5 per day.

Survey Rewards: $1-$3 sometimes more.

Reward: Cashout via Paypal once your account hits 100 points ($10) and I generally get $20-30 a month from them.

Valued Opinions

Survey Frequency: I usually get 1-3 surveys a day from them.

Survey Rewards: $1-$4 sometimes more for product tests.

Reward: You can get an amazon gift card, visa e-card, or some other gift cards.   

Global Test Market

Survey Frequency: I usually get 3-5 surveys a day from them. 

Survey Rewards: Using the point system surveys are anywhere from 35-100 points.  They also offer opportunities for product tests.  

RewardL You can cash out once you get 1010 (I think) points and that equals about $50-$53 in cash which they send via check.  They are also adding a PayPal option! I generally get $50 every 1-2 months  from them. 

Survey Savvy

Survey Frequency: I usually get 3-5 surveys a week from them. 

Survey Rewards: $1-$3 sometimes more for product tests and you can cash out once your account hits $5

Reward: I cashout via Paypal and I generally get $10-$15 a month from them. 

Paid View Point
Survey Frequency: Daily
Survey Rewards: 50 cents until you get to 10000 points then they cash rolls in. I can cash out each month at about $25-40.
Reward: Paypal Cash.

My advice to any of you is to be patient. It took me a few months to get the hang of everything but it is worth it. the amounts I get I look at as gas money or grocery money for the week. And if instead, you would spend time watching TV, then why not watch while you fill out surveys on yourlaptop. DUH! All of my friends that tried it after me and stuck with it are so glad they did!

Also - The amount I make would be way more if I didn't work full time and do my blog part time.  So if you are unemployed, JUST THINK about how much money you can make!

And of course, I am always here to help!

Be sure to join my Facebook group, Fixing Your Finances, to help you with your finance journey along the way.  

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.



Organized Hallway Closet

What's the first part of your home that you can possibly get to that can either be organized or disorganized?   The entryway closet in the hall in our foyer!  And although I didn't get a before photo...just trust me when I say there was NO ROOM for anything.  

I took each jacket out to make sure that they fit, if they didn't they were donated.   Then, boots and seasonal shoes whent in the plastic bin on the bottom.   And winter things like gloves, hats, and scarves all got split into separate bins and placed up top.   

Simple as that!

Pink Blush Maternity Review & *Giveaway* Ends 7/1

Pink Blush Maternity has a wonderful selection of fashionable and trendy maternity tops, bottoms, and dresses to keep you looking and feeling great, before, during, and after your pregnancy.  The prices are so affordable and fair and the selection is just amazing!

I received this gorgeous White Floral Maternity Tank and the beautiful thing about it is that whether you just had a baby or you still are working on your post baby body, it will look great on you, and I am proof of how it won't even look like a maternity top!!  In fact, I decided to wear it as a dress in this outfit!

I love how it fits and the gorgeous printed design on it is so elegant and classy.  I also love how soft this is and it stretches so well that you never feel it squeeze you!   Throw on a pair of strappy sandals and you are good to go!

One winner will get a $25 gift certificate!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you follow my blog on Google Friend Connect ((VERY IMPORTANT))

If you follow me on GFC you have to make sure you click here and then hit FOLLOW.    Bloglovin is going to be what everyone uses instead of GFC since it's going away SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW ME ! :) Thanks

Also - If you want to move all the blogs you follow on GFC and google reader, over to blog lovin, just create an account with your email address OR with your facebook account... Go to settings, scroll down  and then click on the IMPORT BLOGS button and all of us will magically be imported to Bloglovin and you can enjoy us in your feed.   

XOXO

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My New Handbag - The Guess Roselle Satchel

So I caved and got a new handbag.  I got a good deal on it from the Guess website though and I am selling one of my older bags I have in order to make up for buying a new one.  So here she is... the Guess Roselle Satchel!  I love the floral.  Even inside there are flowers in the lining!!

I especially love the handles they are very sturdy and the whole bag is so so soft as it's made of faux croc skin.  It is the perfect height and my purse organizer even fits inside.  This bag is so gorgeou!!!  

Easy Canvas Prints *Giveaway*

photo prints

Have you heard of Easy Canvas Prints, where you can get your favorite photo printed on canvas so it can easily be hung and displayed in your home?   What a great idea and a fantastic website!


It's great for getting a canvas print of your  friends, family, loved one, or even just showing off a beautiful photograph you took by displaying it on your wall.  It's also a great gift idea for newlyweds, new homeowners, new parents, and even at the holidays.  

I would totally use this to decorate my home with photos of the things that mean the most to me so I can see them on a daily basis and remind myself.  And we all know that with me, the photo prints would be of my dogs!   So if you are a pet owner like I am and you are as obsessed with your dogs as me, then you probably

I learned a lot from Easy Canvas Prints and how great it can be even for a business, for instance... Easy Canvas Prints highly recommends:

banner maker

You can make a banner to show off your business or to get creative for a welcome home party, or a congratulations on a new family member!

Now you can win a 16 x 20 print from Easy Canvas Prints in their giveaway!

 Enter the giveaway here: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Choies Clothing Review

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

I love trendy clothing but I don't like spending half my paycheck on it, which is why I was pleased with the selection and prices at Choies! They have so many different outfit options and they are up to date with every single trend I know about!   So many gorgeous prints and styles and I love how perfectly every item is modeled! It really helped make it easier to pick out my items! 

There's also free shipping worldwide and they even have flash sales you can take advantage of!

I received a grey and black heart top and a beautiful tiger blouse.  The thing about the blouse is that I normally wouldn't think I'd wear something like it but I actually loved it and I thought it looked just fine on me! The fit was great and the fabric was light, airy, and comfortable!

I really do love the heart top for a more casual look. It is SO SOFT and comfortable and I love how it fit!  These are now 2 of my most favorite shirts from my closet and I plan to add some more items to it from Choies!

Just Fab Cambria Sandal - The Perfect Summer Sandal

I am in love with the white summery look and feel of the Cambria Sandal from Just Fab!

Although the long legs that they accentuate may make it seem that they would be uncomfortable to wear, these wedge heels are so comfortable and cushiony and I had no problems getting around in them. 

I absolutely love the way the straps wrap around my ankles and I love that these are easy to buckle on and off and adjust.  They don't slip off my feet at all (you know, when you are walking and you all of a sudden wobble!) because they have a back piece that holds my foot in them securely!! 
I can't wait to show off more good shoe options from Just Fab!

Check out the new Blog Design

The background is now lighter (grey instead of black and grey) and I changed the background of my posts to a light blue instead of a light pink.  I figure it's easier on the eyes.

I also got some stylish new buttons on the top. 

But I SERIOUSLY NEED YOUR FEEDBACK!??!?!?   What do you think? Do you like it? Any other suggestions?

Rocky's 9th Birthday (with Petsmart and Spoiled Pup Boutique)

Well my little man turned 9 years old yesterday and even though I haven't even had him for 2 years yet, I still feel like I've known him his whole life. I'm pretty sure that in his last home they probably didn't celebrate dog birthdays the way I do so I made sure to spoil him!!

These were some of his gifts thanks to Petsmart and Spoiled Pup Boutique!

Petsmart has a fashionable selection of dog clothing from Tommy Bahama that they feature in stores and online! I love the casual look and styles of the Tommy Bahama line and I adore their tropical-themed toys.

And Spoiled Pup Boutique sent Rocky a stylish vest!  If you need some designer doggy clothes especially for a fancy occassion, I suggest you look at the tuxes, wedding apparel, vests, and dresses at Spoiled Pup Boutique. 

Here is Rocky in his Hawaiin shirt,   which is a light and airy shirt that gives him that relaxed summer look.   It has velcro on the front so it was easy to get on and off of him and the fit was true to size! And 5% of your purchase from Petsmart goes to Petsmart Charities!!!  And his little turtle toy had

Spoiled Pup Boutique gave Rocky a polished look with this vest.  I love the little harness ring on it so I can hook him up to his leash and walk him in style.   And this velcros around the stomach and chest so it was not hard to get on and off of him.   It wasn't bulky and obnoxious (he didn't try to take it off so that says a lot)

Rocky had a great birthday with his sisters and brothers!!   I hope he gets used to the celebration, because it's going to be like this every year as long as I'm his momma!!

Arooga's Wing Night Cruise *Giveaway* on the Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat - Ends 6/28

This Summer, enjoy the local scenery of the Harrisburg area even at night, by taking a Arooga's Wing Night Cruise on The Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat!    You can enjoy the sunset on the river while you devour wings from Arooga's! It doesn't get much better than that! There is an Arooga's Wing Night Cruise each month.

The cruises run from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. 

The Pride is handicapped and wheelchair accessible. This cruise is for ages 13 and older. Restrooms are available onboard.

The wing options are as follows :

• All-inclusive of 10 BONELESS wings, veggies, sauce, FREE Yuengling frisbee plate, and a 2 hour cruise ($20.00)
• All-inclusive of 5 BONELESS wings, veggies, sauce, FREE Yuengling frisbee plate, and a 2 hour cruise ($15.00)
• All-inclusive of 10 REGULAR wings, veggies, sauce, FREE Yuengling frisbee plate, and a 2 hour cruise ($22.00)
• All-inclusive of 5 REGULAR wings, veggies, sauce, FREE Yuengling frisbee plate, and a 2 hour cruise ($17.00)
• Just the cruise. Wings not your thing? Take just the cruise. Enjoy the cash bar and the sights ($10.00)

Wing Sauce Options:
Choose from either 5 or 10 wings (or none at all if you just want to enjoy the cruise!), Bleu Cheese or Ranch, and your choice of Aroogas’ legendary sauces:
Hot: Almost Everything - a blend of hot, Cajun, hickory smoked honey BBQ & garlic herb (This sauce was winner at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in 2009!).
Sweet:  Hickory Smoked Honey BBQ - a rich smoked honey BBQ & bees’ honey.
Mild: Mildly Hot sauce - a traditional high flavor, low heat sauce.
Unique: Red Thai - a sweet chili sauce with a mild/medium heat.

Tickets are $10 per person, and then $15-$22 depending on wing choice.  You must be 13 or older to attend. 

To purchase tickets visit: http://shop.harrisburgriverboat.com/Aroogas-Wing-Night_c19.htm
OR
Enter to win 1 free ticket to the July 17th cruise below! (It's super easy!!!)

Oh..and I'll be on that cruise! :)

Here's How to Enter:

1. Like The Harrisburg Riverboat on Facebook here.
2. Leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.


Bonus Entry: (must complete the main entry first)

 **LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH BONUS ENTRY YOU COMPLETE**
1. Follow The Harrisburg Riverboat on Twitter here.
2. Sign up for The Harrisburg Riverboat email blast here.(You Get A $2 coupon!)  
3. Tweet the following:  
I entered to win a free ticket to the Arooga's WIng Night Cruise from @Pride_Riverboat and @Ellen_ross1!  http://ow.ly/lSgCX
4.  Share this giveaway on Facebook.

The giveaway will end on Friday, June 28th at 11:59 PM EST and a winner will be chosen via Random.org. 

Akro-Mils Hardware Storage Cabinet Review

Akro-Mils is a must stop shopping website for organized people like me!  Their products make storage and organizing easy and fun!  No need to worry about where to store things, when Akro-Mils makes it easy for you.  All you have to do is put away your items, because, their products are made with the shortest assembly time in mind! 

I received a Hardware Storage Cabinet from Akro-Mils and I love it!! It's huge yet lightweight and I can't believe how many compartments it has!!! It has unbreakable drawers and a sturdy frame.   And it is now offered in 100% recycled black material.  It's perfect for a craft area or a work bench because you could easily store nuts and bolts in it OR store paper clips, batteries, etc.   These cabinets come in different sizes too so you don't HAVE to have a big one like I got but if you do, just know that you can store ANYTHING and everything in it! I love this thing and it's wall mountable too! I just love how durable it is because I hate flimsy things that fall apart, especially when they are meant to hold your stuff and keep it organized and safe!

Check out Akro-Mils for all your home storage and organization needs! Akro-Mils plastic cabinets can be purchased via Amazon.com, True Value Hardware Stores and other retailers. 

Organized Kitchen Pantries

Okay, I forgot to take before pics for some of these but the most epic one I have pics of so that is all that matters.

Everything was a jumbled mess that was not very easy to get to so I redid the pantries with the things that are used most at eye level or on the level that is easiest to reach. 
So how exactly did I do it... well:

The EVERYTHING Pantry:
-I had to take all the contents out, sort it, purge it (and sold it via Craigslist - you would be surprised how much you can get for unused appliances, etc.)
- I placed stuff in the pantry neatly, making sure it all fit perfectly.

The Can/Food Pantry:
-I placed like stuff together and made sure everything fit on the shelves.
-It still looks disheveled because there was SO MUCH but now that duplicates won't be unneccarisly purchased, it will thin out eventually.

The "not often used" Cupboards:
- All the fine dining dinnerware is organized with the most used more at eye level (this pantry is high up) and the hardly used at the very top.
-The crock pots are next to the stove in the cupboards underneath the counter so they won't take up room elsewhere. These are heavy and bulky so it was best that they are lower down so they can never fall on top of someone as they are being pulled out. 

It feels so much better seeing everything and knowing where everything is..... but.... there's still a few more places in the kitchen that need organized, you'll see!

Bags of Love Review

Bags of Love is a website where you can get customized items for everyday life and around the house, but you can get them printed with a photograph on it.  That's right, edge to edge printing that comes out looking great and so professional.  The website is easy to browse and the whole process is very simple.   I tend to get frustrated with stuff like this if it doesn't work the first time but this certainly did!

I received a custom cushion pillow from Bags of Love.  I had a photograph of my boyfriend in his car printed on it and I am SO pleased with how stunning it looks.   My boyfriend loves it and was so surprised when I gave it to him as a gift.  He couldn't even believe I thought to make something like that.  He loves it so much that he's not even ready to take it out of it's plastic protective covering yet! He took it out for a bit to check it out and he was very impressed by the high quality and craftsmanship.  I also love the fact that it's machine washable and that if I didn't want it printed on double sides, I could have chosen to just have a solid color on one size.  I really am so impressed with how soft this pillow is, even just for a decorative throw pillow!!!  

If you are looking for a very unique gift idea for someone, look no further!

California Footwear Company Review

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

The California Footwear Company has a fantastic line of footwear that is perfect for the summer! Obviously they are from California, but they also represent a line of footwear made for people who care about the health of their feet.  They are super light with a compression-molded EVA footbed.  The ergonomic footbed is shaped like your foot instead of an arrow, so it allow your feet and your toes to function as they should.  The heel cup is deep and helps absorb the shock of your footsteps so it's very kind to your heels!  And the elebated heels that are bad for you are not found in this line of footwear, so instead their sandals have a neautral plane which is great for your posture and has great arch support!

I received a pair of Newport White Floral sandals and they are so beautiful, light, and comfortable.  They are absolutely perfect for summer, as the floral design is a great accent accessory design!  I love how comfortable they are not just for standing and lounging, but for actually being on my feet and being active.  They fit perfect and they actually cushion my feet better than any sandal I've worn over the past few years!


And check this out:

VIP Summer Sale
Biggest Savings EVER!
Up to 60% off!
Buy one pair of our Beach/Spa sandals and save 30%, two pairs 45% and three or more pairs are 60% off!!
Just be sure to use this link to get the savings: VIP SUMMER SALE
**Savings will be reflected in your shopping cart.

Outfit of the Day: Bleeding Heart from Maykool

Another rainy day it seems and I found myself not wanting to wear something that would get me cold in the damp weather, but not something too bulky that would make me hot.  And I am lucky I found this Heart Print Seven Sleeve Cherry Red Tshirt from Maykool!   


Boots - Buckle; Shirt - Maykool


I absolutely love that Maykool
 has a huge selection of trendy clothing and everything is so stylish.  There is a great selection of colors, and I like that I found plenty of 3/4 length sleeve tops.   That's why I love this one so much because it's perfect for a day that's not too hot during the summer or late spring. 

I also love the stretch of this shirt and how it falls on my body.   It actually accentuates my new, thinner figure :)

An Organized Kitchen Sink Cleaning Cupboard

Being clean and organized is important, but being organized with your cleaning stuff is even MORE important, which is why I found the need to organize BIG TIME underneath the kitchen sink, which is the catch-all for cleaning supplies.

I used dollar tree bins and baskets to keep like items such as carpet cleaners, gloves, dish detergents, and sponges together, and then everything else was lined up in rows.  There's a white bin in the backright corner that contains all the steel/ceramic/stove cleaning solutions and products which aren't used as often . It is so much easier to reach in and grab stuff now and it also will save money because it will stop me from thinking I need to buy a cleaning product that I already have!!  

Have you organized your cleaning supplies yet? Were you shocked at how many of the same item you had?!