CONFESSIONS OF A FAT GIRL

The Smart Way To Maintain Property

Getting The Right Perspective

With any property, one of the most important things you want to do is maintain property value. Your property is essentially an investment, and if you don’t get the most out of that investment, it represents a loss. However, if you’re careful to steward your resources, you’ll find that it results in a gain.

One thing you want to do is be continuously renovating. Renovation is necessary for several reasons. Firstly, it maintains the value of your property at a baseline level. Secondly, it increases that value incrementally. With renovation, you can add new rooms, change existing space, and update your home into modernity.

A great renovation choice revolves around green energy options. It is becoming more and more possible to live off-grid these days, and as a residential owner, there are three ways you can go about it. Solar energy, wind energy, and water energy can all be applied to your property. If you’re in the right spot, you can add all three for around $15k.

Solar is likely to be the most manageable. With solar power, you’re able to decrease your monthly costs in terms of utilities while increasing property value between $10k and $20k depending on your state, and also receiving a tax break (again depending on your state). Such a 3.1 kWh system, if you install it and purchase the components yourself, can be had for $5k or under.

The Other Energy Solutions

The same is true with wind and water energy, but these are a lot more difficult to come by. You need running water, and you need as neighborhood ordinance which will allow you to use wind energy; it’s often restricted. Still, in the right setting, you can install all three for around $15k and see twice that number in property value increase, meaning you make money all around, while retaining redundant off-grid energy independence.

Something else you want to consider in terms of property maintenance is solutions to help fix your issues as they arise. This is especially true when it comes to water damage, which can be hard to identify and easy to overlook, costing tens of thousands of dollars before you even realize there’s an issue.

When it comes to water damage, Restoration Elite can prove an essential tool in helping you recoup your property with peace-of-mind; according to the site: “Having to call a water damage expert can be nerve-wracking…Restoration Elite will make the process of servicing your damages easy as possible. Our team is committed to amazing customer service…”

Sometimes problems that damage your property “water” wise come from HVAC solutions. Maybe your AC unit is leaking down a wall and growing mold, or something of the kind. This can be a costly fix that requires an HVAC professional and a water damage expert.

With that in mind, you’re looking for the same kind of operational ethic when it comes to hiring an HVAC Contractor; according to the 
nked site: “Trust and courtesy may not be the first thing that comes to most people’s mind when it comes to HVAC repairs, but with HVAC contractors, we make sure you get the best treatment along with your service.”

Ensuring You Property Retains Value

If you’ve got a property maintenance program in place which renovates and fixes property as necessary, if you upgrade your property as you become able to do so, and if you fix issues when they arrive using trusted professionals who have the means and resources to take care of you, you’ll be much more likely to retain and expand property value cost-effectively over time.

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Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored content. The author was provided with compensation in exchange for content. All opinions are my own.

Five Life-Changing Smart Living Tips

If you’ve reached a point in your life when you recognize the benefits of apartment living, you may need to cut down on your spending in other areas in order to afford an amazing apartment in a great neighborhood.

As an example, if you’re looking for apartments for rent in Alexandria, you may decide to go the luxury route and rent a high-end apartment. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this as long as you can afford it. If you’re going to struggle, you’ll benefit by cutting down on your spending in other areas.

How can you cut back on your spending? Here are some tips.

1. Always Live within Your Means

By living within your means, we ultimately mean you have to control your expenditures. How so? Well, if you make $5000 a month after taxes, make sure your expenses are $5000 a month at a maximum.

In fact, you’ll be much better off spending $3000 a month and saving the other $2000 for your retirement or a rainy day.

2. Plan Purchases Ahead of Time

Instead of spending money willy-nilly whenever something you like comes across your path, you need to start planning your purchases by spending money methodically instead of doing so whenever the mood strikes. By approaching spending this way, you’ll know exactly what you need and you’ll know exactly when to buy it. This will plug any financial leaks that you have even if you don’t realize they are there.

3. Pay Less for Local Service Providers

This tip mostly pertains to apartment owners that have to pay for their own repairs. Instead of hiring the first plumber you find online, do some research and find as many choices as you can in your community.

Why? By hiring local service providers this way, you’ll meet with multiple companies, get multiple quotes, and ultimately you can choose the best company offering the lowest price. Plumbingfix.com is a great site to find top-notch plumbers providing services right in your community, so use this website whenever you need to hire a plumbing company to fix broken pipes, faucets, etc. in your home.

4. Eat a Whole Food Plant-based Diet

You’ll be hard-pressed to find this tip in a typical frugal/smart living article, but we’re adding it because it’s such a valuable way to save money and protect your health. By eating a whole food plant-based diet, you’ll save lots of money because processed, packaged food is very expensive, and when you prepare your meals from scratch you’ll be able to save over the long run.

Some people may not have enough time to prepare many or all of their meals from scratch, and if this is the case, you may not want to eat this way.

Ultimately though, if you do follow this diet and eat fresh or frozen vegetables, rice, potatoes, corn, beans, greens, and more, you will save a bundle at the grocery store and leave plenty of extra money in your wallet at the same time.

5. Downsizing Your Home

Some of us live in homes completely filled with clutter. We have too many items and we’re addicted to spending money on things we rarely use or need. It’s time to put an end to the madness. Declutter your home and get rid of all the excess stuff you no longer use and never buy anything you’ll never use again.

Conclusion

Smart living doesn’t mean being cheap. It means your conscious of your money, you spend it on things you need and you no longer buy things in excess. Follow these guidelines in your financial life will certainly change for the better.

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Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored content. The author was provided with compensation in exchange for content. All opinions are my own.

 

Ways to make your eyes look bigger with makeup

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

Ask a man which facial features he finds attractive in a woman and he is likely to mention defined cheekbones, full lips, and large, defined eyes. Most often, it's the eyes that attract attention first. But, why are larger eyes so attractive to the opposite sex? One answer is that they are regarded as a sign of high estrogen levels, which indicates high fertility. Another reason for the attraction of large eyes is that wide eyes are often associated with innocence and youth. Youth is also regarded as an indicator of fertility. This is the basis of the appeal of larger eyes.

If you are not blessed with larger eyes, you can feel as though you are losing out in the attractiveness stakes. The good news is that the problem is easily remedied, by simply using make-up in the right way. You have access to everything you need, at your fingertips, from retailers such as Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio. But, there are so many products to choose from, which ones can help give your eyes the width and definition you are looking for? Let's take a look.

How to make nude shadow work

The first thing you need, if you want to make your eyes stand out, is a good base. Nude shadow is the perfect choice for this job.

Make sure you are using eyeliner correctly

The best choice of eyeliner color, if you want to make your eyes appear bigger, is light brown. You should use this color on both lids. If you would like your eyes to appear longer as well as wider then ensure that you use the eyeliner more heavily on the outside corners.

Alternatives to brown

If you would rather not use brown eyeliner on your lower lid, you do have options. You can choose to use a neutral or white pencil. Either of these shades makes the area brighter and can give a sense of your eyes being larger.

Using a darker tone of shadow

You should already have a nude shadow in place on your eyes. Now, you should choose another shadow that is slightly darker. Applying this shadow adds depth to the effect and gives a sense of increased eye size.

Using mascara to your advantage

Mascara is one of the most important products when it comes to eye make-up. Curling your lashes before you apply mascara helps to make your eyes look bigger. Once you have done this you should apply several coats of black mascara to the lashes. If you want an even more dramatic effect, you may want to think about applying false lashes.

If your eyes are not large, you should find that these tips help you make them look bigger. As you can see, if you make the best use of makeup you can create an impressive effect. You can have the big and beautiful eyes that you want. Eyes are a part of the face that many people notice first, so you want to ensure that you make the most of yours. Doing so can make you feel better about yourself, and help improve your confidence.

 

Etiquette Rules To Follow When Buying Wedding Gifts

Disclosure: The following is a sponsored post.

At every wedding you attend, you will have to answer the question: which gift should I give? To find the answer to this question, you should follow these tips:

Buy From The Wedding Registry

You should not get too creative. Most brides prefer the gifts that come from their registry list. To see whether the couple is registered, you should look online. You might find that the couple has a website that leads to their wedding registry.

Retailers make shopping easier by allowing the guests to have access to registries online. Because the couple chooses a registry for a reason, you cannot go wrong when you pick an item from it. You don’t need to feel bad about making an online purchase as many brides buy their  dress online; retailers will efficiently gift wrap and  ship your gift to the address on the registry.

Entertaining, Bed and Bath Gifts are Necessary

Unlike in previous years, modern couples prefer to have a modern twist on traditional gifts. However, the best gifts still hail from the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and dining departments. If you are looking for deluxe bed and bath gifts, you should opt for gifts that give the couple a hotel-like environment every time they wake up.

For instance, you can buy a trio of gifts that will provide your desired theme: a thick down blanket, a set of very soft pillows, and high thread-count towels. In terms of entertainment, items for everyday use are interesting to most brides, so you should gift stainless flatware and dish sets that can be used on multiple occasions.

Even if they have been living together, most couples use their wedding as an excuse to upgrade their kitchen with top-quality appliances. For this reason, you cannot go wrong with cookware and gadgets that not only improve the aesthetic appeal of a kitchen but also make working in it easier.

Do Not Spend Less Than Fifty Dollars

Whatever you do, do not use the price-per-plate to determine how much you should spend on your wedding gift. Just as you would not spend less money on your best friend’s gift because she was having a casual wedding, you should not be a miser when buying wedding gifts. You should let your relation to the person who is getting married guide the amount. Ss a guest, you should keep your budget in mind when buying a gift, but fifty dollars is the going minimum amount for gifts these days.

Buy Gifts Within Two Months

Two out of three couples that have tied the knot are yet to receive all their wedding gifts. Thanks to the convenience that online shopping affords us, such a delay is not acceptable. You should try to send your gifts within 2 months of the wedding.

No matter how excited you are to show your gift to the bride and groom, you should not bring it to their wedding. Nobody wants to lug a gift around on the happiest day of their lives: you should consider shipping the gift directly to their house.

Give a Big Group Gift

Most couples prefer to receive big group gifts that make sense and have been purchased by a group of friends. In most cases, the couple would not be able to afford such gifts on their own.

Has the couple registered an item that is too expensive for one person to afford?

You should reach out to a few guests and chip in to buy this gift. Moreover, the members of the bridal party can pool their resources together and buy the present of the couple’s dreams.

Cancelled Weddings

When you give a wedding gift, for instance, a wedding portrait painting, you should not expect to get it back. According to the owner of Instapainting, the bride and groom should be courteous enough to give it back if they cancel their wedding but you should not hold your breath.

10 Fundraising Tips to Make or Break Your Campaign

Please note this is sponsored content.

If you are interested in fundraising for just about any reason, you’ll need to find a way to reach as many potential donors as possible. Starting a fundraising campaign is usually a most difficult process -- it’s a daunting task that people often have a difficult time with. It's a huge challenge to get others on board to spread the message far and wide on the web.

In an effort to help you achieve your fundraising dreams via crowdfunding and other means, here are 10 fundraising tips that could easily make or break your campaign:

10 Effective Fundraising Tips

1. Share your story – the easiest way to get people to open up their hearts and wallets for your cause is to share your story. Make it compelling, vulnerable, and something that everybody can relate to in one way or another. The more open, honest, and passionate you are while telling your story, the easier it will be to find financial supporters.
2. Keep your employer in the loop – people have a tendency to forget about their employer when they begin fundraising and this is a huge mistake. Many companies are actually willing to offer paid time off of work to help with the fundraising process, and some may even match charitable donations in many instances.
3. Walk your talk – or another way to say it is to put your money where your mouth is. When you start an online crowdfunding page, make sure the world can see that you are the first person to donate to your new campaign.
4. Get by with a little help from your friends – never attempt to take on a massive fundraising project by yourself. Your friends and family members will be happy to help. This will make it easy for you to delegate responsibility and keep motivation levels high amongst multiple people.
5. Let the cause know about your fundraising efforts – every good cause wants to know all about the people working hard to help raise funds on their behalf. Let them know about your philanthropic efforts because they want to hear from you and listen to your passionate story about their cause. Plus, you may gain access to better promotional materials that will help make it easier to spread the word.
6. Ask for a donation more than once – sometimes people need a swift kick in the butt in the form of a reminder when it comes time to making a donation. These people are generous and happy to donate to your favorite charity or cause. They are often just busy and forgetful, so it makes sense to give them a friendly reminder until they finally make a financial contribution.
7. Tell others how much to donate – people want to know how much they are expected to give upfront. So let them know in advance and you’ll find that people are more generous than you’ve ever expected.
8. Remember to say thank you to your donors – so important!!! We often get busy and have a tendency to forget to thank our donors. This is a huge mistake and one that needs to be rectified immediately. People want to feel appreciated for their financial contributions, so send your donors a quick thank you email or drop thank you notes in the mail to let them know how much you appreciate them and their generous contribution.
9. Share your fundraising page – the easiest way to do this is to share it via social media. Get friends, family members, and coworkers to share your page on their social media accounts as well.
10. Drop the one-size-fits-all attitude to fundraising – make your fundraising efforts personal when soliciting donations. Do not send a mass, pre-written letter or email to all of your contacts. This is a major turnoff to potential donors.

 

Hopefully these tips are helpful and your fundraising campaign can flourish! Come back and share in the comments how it's going! 

More From The Bargain Hunting Lodge

Disclosure: This post is sponsored, but the brilliantly crafted writing and opinions within are all mine, guys. 

My recent bargain hunting expedition has rendered even more good news for us all! 

I had NO IDEA Groupon Coupons was a thing! Did you know? So not only is Groupon a go-to source for discounted experiences, they also host a wide array of coupons for mainstream retailers you are probably already shopping with -- sites like Bed Bath & Beyond, Bloomingdales and even eBay.

It's an especially fortuitous find for me as I'm considering my next cell phone option. Do I go iPhone 7? 7S? Do I switch back to Android? I'm not sure how to feel about the new iPhones lack of headphone jack. On top of which, I think after many years I may give up my Verzion service and switch to T-Mobile. All my unlimited calls, text and data adds up with Verizon and I'm just paying far too much per month with them. I'm not sure it's worth the stellar coverage anymore. At only a notch down on the coverage quality grid, T-Mobile not only saves me a ton of money per month on my bill, I found an entire page of Groupon Coupons for them! It's so current it already has iPhone 7 deals. It's really tempting me.... WIN WIN, right???

My parting advice? Bookmark Groupon Coupons. Make sure you consult the site before shopping online moving forward! You will not be sorry and your piggy bank will thank you.

Current Obsession: Hunting For Bargain Treats

Disclosure: This post is sponsored, but the brilliantly crafted writing and opinions within are all mine, guys. 

Retail therapy, amiright? Sometimes you just gotta log on and buy yourself something. I know the saying is "money can't buy happiness," but let's be candid -- MONEY can buy THINGS that make me very, very happy. 

I'm just truth telling. Don't judge. 

One of my obsessions in the pursuit of retail therapy is actually buying experiences. I love to treat myself to a blow-out, a massage, a mani/pedi or some other fun activity I can engage in with friends. It just makes your feel so great! It's a small way to make an ordinary day feel like a special ocassion or make a special ocassion feel extra special.

With my make-up and hair done, I feel like a million bucks!

I find myself getting a ton of use out of  health, beauty and wellness Groupons section. In that space, I can find everything I need to feel like my happy, feeling-good, pampered self. Everything from the massages I love to the experiences I enjoy with friends. The thing I like the most about using Groupon as a resource is that with their pricing being lower than the normal purchase price, I always feel incentivized to try something I otherwise might not consider! 

Trying a baking class with friends.

Groupon's motto is "own the experience," to which I say: YES.

There Is A Plus-Size Swimsuit For Absolutely Everyone - Discover Yours Online

Disclosure: The following is a sponsored post.

The weather is still warm here in Southern California and while it's great for getting outside and being active, it's also a time for hitting the beach for some sun or chilling poolside to perfect your tan. But this prospect can be uncomfortable for some. If you're a bigger girl, the thought of having to try on plus-size swimsuits is enough to make you want to hibernate for another few months. For this reason and others, retail stores can be intimidating places — with smaller sizes, cramped change rooms, and of course, the needlessly chipper size 4 checkout girl. There is not much else worse than mall or big-box swimsuit shopping. The lights and mirrors can be unflattering; the staff often eyeball you with impatience or disdain. It doesn't have to be that way, though, and with the growing ease and convenience of shopping online, your best swimsuit may be just a few clicks away.

The first and most important step to swimsuit bliss is finding the right plus-size swimsuit for your body shape. Since so many factors contribute to a woman's physique, it's important to know which type of swimsuit will flatter your figure. For example, if you have bigger hips, you will want a swimsuit that draws attention upward away from where you're wider. If you have a smaller waist, pick a swimsuit that will accentuate it. Many women suffer from plus-size shopping anxiety, but luckily, there are many websites currently offering advice on what type of swimsuits are best for each body type plus tips of what kind of swimsuits to avoid. Imagine using a body type calculator from the comfort and privacy of your own home!

Once you know what kind of plus-size swimsuit you're looking for, the next question is where togo to get it? Going to a department store is an option, but the variety is limited and there is a seasonal time frame that limits when swimsuits are available. During the peak swimsuit season there are a ton of swimsuits available, but unfortunately, the variety for bigger girls is, well, terrible. Most stores seem to carry two types of plus-size swimsuits: either frumpy dresses that don't flatter your figure or really revealing swimsuits that make you feel even more uncomfortable. For most people, a good swimming experiencemeans not having to worry about having a wardrobe malfunction and flashing people, which I’m sure you’ll agree would be quite embarrassing! Want a two piece swimsuit? Good luck finding the two pieces that go together.

 

But this doesn’t have to be your reality. New plus size swimsuit designs are here, and they are more flattering than ever. Try a skirtini or a swimdress to cover problem areas, or simply buy a high-waisted swimsuit to accentuate your curvy physique. Your choices are no longer restricted to dark colors or boring one-pieces that would have even made your mother look out of style. If you aren’t sure where to find these kinds of trendy swimsuits, why not try a large online retailer whose large selection and easy-to-use website will give you a great place to start your search. Online shopping not only offers greater variety and style, but it eliminates all of the hassle — just check out an online retailer like swimsuitsforall to get a glimpse of the incredible options available for your swim-ready body.

Over the years, online shopping has become a great way to get the clothing or swimsuits you want without having to leave your home. If you have reservations about ordering clothes online because you can’t try them on, have no fear — swimsuitsforall has a sizing chart to help you find the right size based on your precise measurements. Still not convinced? Give it a try and see what happens. For amazing deals online for swimwear, start by looking at a large, web-based retailer who can help you find exactly what you’re looking for. You may be pleasantly surprised, and you will definitely smile as you hit the beach knowing you look amazing!