Hairstyling Hacks All Women Should Know

2016, Special

Jan 282016

Hairstyling Hacks All Women Should Know

Many women struggle with getting their hair to cooperate each and every day. Regardless of your hair’s length, cut, or texture, getting it to behave the way you want it to can be difficult, especially if your hair is particularly sensitive to its environment.

Even for those who feel like they understand their hair and know how to style it properly, there are still some hairstyling hacks that can make your morning routine easier. With these hairstyling tips, you can feel confident in your hair care treatment and confident in getting it to look beautiful each and every day.

Hair Accessories

Finding the right hair accessories can help you find simple hairstyles you can perfect each and every day. Depending upon your hair cut or style, there are certain accessories that will help you achieve the look you are hoping for, including hair clips, hair bands, bandanas, flower accessories, and even hair extensions from AiryHair. Knowing what accessories your hair will respond to can help you easily do your hair each morning.

Hair Type

In order to learn how to properly style your hair, it is important to understand the type of hair you have. While you might think you know what type of hair you have, sometimes diagnosing it is a little more complicated than you might think, because all hair types and textures respond differently to hair cuts, hair tools, and hairstyles.

While many stylists can help you figure out what type of hair you have, there are some easy tests you can do to help yourself figure it out. Most women have one of these three types of hair: thick, medium, or fine. However, some have a combination of the three, which can make styling more difficult. The type of hair you have is genetic, and the follicles of your hair determine your type of hair.

To determine your type of hair, gather your hair into a pony tail with an elastic band. For those who can wrap the band only once, you most likely have thick hair. For those who can wrap a couple of times, you generally have medium hair. For those who can wrap more than that, your hair is most likely fine. On top of that, different textures of hair can also add to your hair’s type. Most people have straight, wavy, kinky, or curly hair. For most, it is fairly obvious when you look at your hair in its natural state.

The Right Blow Dryer

Knowing how to blow dry your hair the correct way is essential to not only styling your hair properly, but also in keeping it healthy. Blow drying your hair incorrectly can lead to frizzy hair, hair that breaks, or hair that splits.

Depending upon your hair’s texture, there are different techniques to blow drying your hair the right way. For those who have straight or wavy hair, the best way to achieve a good blowout is to begin by patting your hair dry. It is best to allow your hair time to dry naturally until it is only slightly damp before blow drying it, as it will help to prevent your hair from looking frizzy. Experts suggest drying your hair in sections, using a spiral brush to life the hair at the roots.

For those with curly or kinky hair, the best way to blow dry is with a diffuser or with a nozzle, as the heat is more centralized and will focus on drying the roots instead of frizzing the curls. Try to dry the hair at the roots in sections.

Curling Your Hair

When it comes to curling your hair, for those with straight or wavy hair, use a ceramic curling iron. It disperses the heat better and can help your hair curl without frying the strands. Using the right products will also enhance the curls, helping them stay curled all day long without falling out.

Hair Straightening

For those with curly, wavy, or kinky hair, straightening your hair can give you a sleek look. Hair straightening, though, can easily damage the hair if the flat iron is not made with ceramic plates. Similarly to a ceramic curling iron, ceramic flat irons disperse the heat evenly.

These hair tips can help anyone have gorgeous hair every day.

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/woman-hair-drying-girl-female-586185/

Are Identity Thieves Targeting You Next?

2016, Special

Jan 282016

Are Identity Thieves Targeting You Next?

identity thieves

When it comes to running a household, moms know how important it is for the finances to be in place.

Whether it is a mom and dad working together to keep the family financially afloat, a mom staying home and raising the kids or a mom on her own both working and raising a family, life is a real financial challenge for millions and millions of families.

Making matters worse is when one’s financial dealings are targeted by identity thieves.

In some cases, the targeting is minimal and can be corrected with the proper action. In other cases, however, the financial damage can be significant, leaving the individual and/or family financially devastated.

So, what can you do as a mother to make sure you and your family does not become the next identity theft victims?

Be Prudent About Your Finances

For starters, make sure you are not leaving any loose ends not tied up when it comes to your finances.

Do you tend to leave financial receipts sitting around in the open? Have you shared financial information with co-workers or friends? Are you always quick to shred financial account information when you no longer need it? These are just some of the things that you need to have control over in order to lessen the chances of being an identity theft victim.

Begin by looking at identity theft protection reviews to see what set-up is best suited for you and your family.

By using such reviews, you can discover which theft protection provider is the one to go with, who offers the most coverage at the best price, and who will provide you top-notch customer service.

Once you have a theft protection provider in place, make sure you stick to sound financial practices as they relate to protecting your information.

This includes:

Don’t leave a paper trail – It is all too common for consumers to leave behind financial receipts, receipts that are like a gold mine for identity theft criminals. Once you no longer need the receipt, be sure to properly discard it (shred) so that the information is not available to others, be it in your home life or the outside world. The best way to do this is keep the receipts in a safe and secure place where only you (and/or your spouse have access to them). Once you take the time to go over your bank statement each month and make sure everything adds up, then destroy the receipts promptly
Don’t fall for scams – One of the tricks identity thieves use is posing as legitimate businesses. You may get a call or email from someone requesting personal financial information in order to process a request. Never give out such details unless you are 100 percent sure you are dealing with a reputable person and business. Once your credit card or Social Security numbers are out there, they can be used to cause you significant financial damage
Don’t pass your personal info on to others without important instructions – It is not unheard of for a parent to give their teen one of their credit cards to use at a store or restaurant. While that is fine when done correctly, the problem occurs if the teen leaves the card behind, misplaces the receipt etc. Make sure your children do not leave such important financial details sitting around, details that someone with bad intentions could easily take into their possession
Don’t leave online footprints – Given that more consumers use their computers to do handle their financial transactions, it should not come as a surprise that more identity theft thieves are going online to get the information they need to commit a crime. Once they have that information (credit card numbers, PINS, Social Security number etc.), they can do endless damage not only to your bank account, but also your credit score. If you use a computer in a public setting (at a library, your laptop at Starbucks etc.), make sure you don’t walk away from it even for a minute and leave personal financial details on the screen. It just takes seconds for a well-trained thief to gather the personal data and begin to create havoc in your life.

With identity theft thieves looking to strike at any moment, don’t allow yourself and/or your family to become the next victims.

Have you been a victim of identity theft? Please share your story.

What’s Your Fashion Style? Take The Bella Ella Fashion Quiz to Find Out

Special

Jan 242016

What’s Your Fashion Style?

Take The Bella Ella Fashion Quiz to Find Out

This was my result:

bella ella regional fashion quiz

Have you ever wondered what your style is? Bella Ella Boutique has devised a Regional Fashion Quiz. When I took the quiz – the end result said mine was “Midwestern Grace.” I can’t quite say that is the true meaning of my style though.

Seriously, I don’t wear A-line skirts like that. I never wear a scarf. I may wear the short jacket, and shirt with pants in picture one – but the other shirt – oh NO. I also don’t so straight hair. The colors you would see me most in are the blue and blacks. Those brighter colors – those aren’t for dress – those are for shorts or summer shirts.

That said, have you ever noticed that all the different styles of fashion aren’t worn everywhere across the U.S? It’s actually endearing to see all the different styles from one US region to another. Then there are regions where one can cross the border of one state to find that they style they wear are not on the plate of the styles worn in the border state within the same region.

If one heads up towards Boston – their clothing style is so different from Maine or New York. Many places you’ll find women wearing more heels than clogs. Sandals styles vary from one coast to the other. High heeled boots are worn a lot in areas of New York and in other places, one will find that flat boots are the in-style.

Personally, all I care about is being comfortable. I would never make a model. I could care less about being all gussied up with jewelry, make-up, fashion jeans or anything of the like. In the work force, my style is conservative and it would be something of comfort.

Though I like leggings (they are comfortable), I don’t think that leggings are appropriate for every day attire if one can’t control themselves to wear them stylishly with a long sweater or shirt. And they certainly aren’t meant for most jobs.

What is your style? Go take the Bella Ella Fashion Quiz – I would love to know if your results reflect how you feel about your fashion style. Please come back and share.

Fundraising for a Great Cause – New Platform Donasity

2016, Make Money Online, Special

Jan 042016

Fundraising for a Great Cause

fundraising

There are so many reasons as to why fundraising is either needed or necessary. Schools fund raise to help offset the costs of field trips, class trips, etc. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have fund raised long before many of us were thought of.

Though, back in the day, fundraising was a lot harder for one to achieve their monetary goals. Students went from door-to-door selling chocolates, candles, seeds, and more. Girl Scouts sold cookies – they still do. Schools held bake sales. Churches raised funds through bake sales and dinners. Individuals would raise funds by teaming up with a non-profit organization. Even children would set up a lemonade stand at the end of their drive’s to raise funds for something they wanted.

Today fundraising for a great cause has become much easier to do. This isn’t to say it doesn’t take work – it still does, but having the WWW at one’s fingertips makes the fundraising so much easier. One simply chooses a fundraising site like the new website Donasity for online fundraising. From there, the word of the fundraiser gets spread through friends and family – mainly via social media these days and the chosen fundraising site. Word of mouth still happens; though with social media – the word gets around much faster.

And sometimes it just behooves one to do additional fundraising like holding dinners, auctions, dances, etc. and to not rely completely on the chosen fundraising site for raising the funds needed.

Recently a woman we know needed to find a way to obtain an wheelchair accessible van for her 15 year-old daughter. Mom’s back just couldn’t handle lifting her daughter into her vehicle and then the wheelchair into the back end of the vehicle – only to have to do this all over again when they landed at their destination and then again to get back home.

Mom set up an online fundraising campaign as well as getting friends of hers together to put on a Spaghetti Dinner with a Silent Auction. They sold t-shirts and wristbands. A local musician met with the family and set up a fundraising even on behalf of the cause. It truly was beautiful to see everyone pull together to get this family the much needed wheelchair accessible van. They needed to raise nearly $50,000 (for a used vehicle) to make this happen and in less than 4 months – the goal was achieved just before Christmas. The whole story was heartwarming.

Many start fundraisers for the death of a loved one’s funeral expenses – usually a child. Some want their beloved to have a headstone. Other fundraisers are to help animals. The reasons to hold a fundraising event are endless. With access to the WWW and social media – fundraising can be done in a flash compared to yester-years.

Saving Money and Eating Healthy on Vacation

Special

Dec 152015

Saving Money and Eating Healthy on Vacation

eating healthy vacation

Planning a vacation can be exciting, yet a little stressful when you begin to take into consideration the costs. One of the biggest expenses, apart from travel costs like airline tickets, is food. No matter if you’re just spending the weekend camping or at a Disney Resort, food costs can skyrocket if you don’t prepare ahead of time.

Another thing to consider when traveling is the foods that you are eating. It’s easy to think “I’m on vacation!” and enjoy all the foods that you love, but it’s important to realize that going from apples to apple pie as a snack can lead to a sugar crash, bloating and even stomach cramps. Food preparation for a vacation can help you save money and eat better.

On Road Trips

As gas prices have been staying at rather low levels, many people have opted to travel the nation’s highways. Road trips can be tricky when it comes to food as fast food can be cheaper than restaurants, but are also not-so-healthy. Healthy foods can be found at fast food places, but expect to pay $6 for a mediocre salad. Consider packing a good cooler with some easy essentials:

Healthy chips
Fruits and veggies
Drinks
Granola
Greek yogurt

If you don’t mind eating pre-packaged foods, buy some low-sodium deli meat and 2% cheese slices along with some wheat bread. The amount of food you bring will vary based on the length of your road trip. Consider getting refillable water bottles or a good tumbler for those drinks you want to keep cold or hot.

While at a Hotel

As you plan your trip, take into consideration the amenities your hotel has to offer. Does it include free breakfast? If so, choose your breakfast wisely and grab some of those apples, bananas and cereal boxes for snacks throughout the day. Does your hotel room have a refrigerator? Buy some water at a local grocery or convenience store instead of splurging on $3 hotel water. You can also buy snacks to munch on while lounging in your hotel room, like fruits, veggies, deli meat, nuts, crackers, cereal and milk.

If you are traveling with kids, consider finding a hotel that has rooms with a kitchenette. A microwave and refrigerator can go a long way. You might also consider renting a condo or home through AirBnB, that way you can have home cooked meals instead of spending hundreds on your trip eating out every single meal.

At the Theme Park

Did you know that most theme parks allow you to bring one bottled water per person and unopened snacks? Some places, like Disney World, have stations where a microwave can be used to heat up bottles for babies. However, this doesn’t mean you can bring in a lean cuisine to heat up and eat. That being said, if you’re staying at a hotel on the theme park grounds, some will have microwaves available where you can heat up your food. Make sure to check the theme park’s rules before packing.

Finally, if you’re looking to splurge a little on lunch or dinner, consider using apps like LivingSocial or Groupon to get the most bang for your buck! The ‘nearby’ section on the apps can help you find great deals wherever you are vacationing. Some of these deals can be up to 40% off as well, so take the time to compare when able.

Bio –

This guest post contribution is courtesy of MightySkins, and American owned, operated and manufactured company located in Florida. MightySkins produces high quality vinyl wraps and skins such as yeti tumbler wraps, yeti cooler wraps and self balancing board wraps.

5 Must-Haves for a Great Home Office

2015, Special

Dec 032015

5 Must-Haves for a Great Home Office

home office supplies
With so many of us working from home, it’s important to have an office space that inspires us to be productive. We need the right furniture and the right technological equipment. But thanks to Groupon Coupons, we don’t have to pay full prices to get the essentials. And at Sam’s Club, there are a wide range of products to make our home offices flourish. Here are a few basics for every home office.

1. A Computer
The pride of every home office is the computer. And in this world of high technology you need it to have quick speed internet access and e-mail. And if you have to travel, consider adding a laptop or similar device to the mix.

2. Furniture
Get a desk that’s the right height for your eyes, neck and head, and a chair that provides good support for your back. Sam’s Club has a lot of different options. You can access these with your coupons. Get a feel of what’s on offer before making your final choice. If your desk and chair are not welcoming, you won’t spend much time in your fancy workstation. Invest in file cabinets for neatly storing your documents and a series of shelves for holding your books and other reference material.

3. Surge Protectors and Backup
The surge protectors safeguard your computer and its support equipment from damage when there’s a sudden power surge following a power failure. Backup equipment will also automatically save your work and close down your equipment when the power suddenly goes off.

4. Multipurpose Printer
A multi-task printer allows you to print, fax, photocopy and scan all at once. The less standalone units, the better. You don’t want an office that’s cluttered. Plus an all-in-one reduces the number of cables you can trip over.

5. Fireproof Box
You need a fireproof box for storing and protecting your most important business work and also your backup copies. Working at home can be great when you have all the essentials for optimal performance. But treat it like you would, an away-from-home office. Keep information confidential and keep the kids out.

Are there other items you find essential for your home office?

Shaw’s & ACME Gift Card Savings + Enter to Win Amazon GC (US)

2015, Giveaway, Special

Nov 212015

shaw's & acme gift card savings

Shaw’s & ACME Grocery Stores want you to make your money work for you this holiday season. With their offer, you’ll end up with more money in your pocket to spend on groceries and/or put back in your pocket.

The key to putting more money in your pocket is to buy the gift cards before you go shopping, out to dinner or shopping for the holidays, but especially before you shop for groceries. You can end up saving up to 18%!

Shaw’s & ACME Grocery Stores Offer

Offer Dates: 11/20 to 12/03/15

Earn a Coupon: Buy $125 or more in select gift cards, and receive a $15 coupon for your next purchase of $25 or more at Shaw’s and ACME grocery stores.

Choose from these gift cards:

iTunes
Outback Steakhouse
Toys R Us
Amazon.com
Google
Sears
Xbox
GameStop
Brinker Restaurants
Domino’s Pizza
Fandango
Regal Entertainment
Bass Pro Shops
Aeropostale
Petco
JCPenney
Hot Topic
Sports Authority
PetSmart
Nike
Kohl’s
Lowes
eBay

Stack the Savings – Earn Credit Card Rewards

Use your favorite rewards credit card to purchase the gift cards, you can earn points, miles or a percentage back on your purchase – depending on what your rewards credit card offers.

There are some credit cards even offer increased rewards for purchases made at grocery. For example, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers 3% cash back on groceries, and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card offers a whopping 6% cash back! Capital One QuicksilverOne®, AMEX EveryDay® and Citi® Hilton HHonors credit cards also offer increased rewards for grocery purchases.

The Math

$15 off coupon +
$7.50 back if you earn 6% cash back on credit card grocery purchases =
$22.50 in savings on a $125 gift card purchase!

The Intricates:

Coupon presented at checkout
See store for more details
Some credit cards may have limits on the rewards you can earn at grocery.

Think of all the people you can cross off your Christmas List that you need to buy for. Gift Cards are practical gifts for students, teachers, neighbors, stocking stuffers, friends – just about anyone! Have a birthday coming up right after the holiday – now would be a great time to buy for that!

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. Open to the US only. Entry is simple – Rafflecopter powered.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post/giveaway is Sponsored by Tatu Digital Media. FCS is not responsible for prize shipment.

How to Save Money on Ebay

2015, Special

Nov 192015

how to save money on ebay

Ebay has been around for years and provided people all over the world a way to sell their old items. Basically, it’s a virtual garage sale, and many people have found success in selling items or locating something that they truly want/need.

While Ebay is a garage sale of sorts, it doesn’t always mean you’ll automatically find the best price. Sometimes, you have to work for it. Check out the following tips that can help you save money on your next Ebay purchase.

Shop around

Like you would do in a normal purchasing opportunity, it’s important that you shop around. It’s possible that there are multiple people on Ebay selling the exact same thing, and chances are, one of them will have a lower price than the others. This is why it’s very important that you shop around on Ebay. Look up the item you want and scan through all the offerings that are available. You should also consider changing the name or phrasing that you search for, as this could help you get more results. For example, if you’re looking for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle spoon, you can type in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Spoon”, “Ninja Turtle Spoon”, “TMNT Spoon”, and you can even replace “spoon” with “silverware” too. Doing this will allow you to see everything you may want and then compare prices.

Use daily deals

Ebay allows you to sign up for a Daily Deals newsletter that will send you information on all the best priced items for that day. This is a great way to find all the best savings without having to do too much research on your own. Plus, most Daily Deal specials come with free shipping, which means you get even more bang for your buck. You can always sign up and check it out, and if you don’t like it, simply remove yourself from the list.

Look for coupon codes

Most people don’t realize that Ebay coupons exist, but they do. Finding and using these, as well as Ebay discount coupon codes, are great ways to buy the item you truly want for an even lower cost. These coupons and discounts will vary all the time, but saving anything from 10% to free shipping is a great way to save some dough. Make sure that you always do a little digging before buying to ensure you have the best possible savings.

Talk to the seller

Ebay allows you to communicate with a person selling an item. This can be extremely helpful when looking to save money. Pay close attention to the amount of time that an item has been on Ebay, and also do some research to see what the item typically goes for. Then, use this information to reach out to someone and ask if they’d be willing to sell you the item for a lower price. If a seller hasn’t had any luck getting rid of an item, they may be willing to let it go for less just to get rid of it. Not every seller will always agree to the lower price, but it’s always worth asking.

Make connections

You can think of Ebay as a giant shopping network. Sometimes sellers have a theme to the items they sell. If you notice that one person sells items you love, build a relationship with them. This way, when they have something new you may be interested in, they’ll reach out to you. Also, if you have a history of buying from the same person, they may be more inclined to give you a discount on the item for your repeat business.

Whether you shop on Ebay often or barely use it, having these tips in your back pocket will allow you to get the most out of Ebay without spending a fortune.

Do you have any tips on how to save money on Ebay?

Vaping Gifts for the Holidays

2015, Special

Nov 192015

Vapes seem to be on everyone’s Christmas list. The hottest item since cell phones, new models and natural flavors are always being talked about. The requests seem simple enough. Find out the type and the flavor, then visit a Vape Shop. Wrong. Vapes have become an industry all their own. There are literally hundreds of choices, with or without temperature options, dry herb or liquid, and on and on. Where do you start?

Then there is Charlie. He doesn’t smoke at all! What’s up with him wanting a Vape? To vape his coffee, he says. Are you kidding me? I think it’s time to read up on this latest fad or everyone is going to end up with a pair of house slippers.

Vapes Versus e-Cigs

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, were created as an alternative to cigarettes. When exposure to second-hand smoke became an issue in public places, ingenious companies went to work to side-step the issue. The e-cigarette was born. As with all new discoveries, bigger and better was now the focus and vaping evolved.

The Government argues that while e-cigs do not deliver second-hand smoke to people around you, they still have similar ingredients of cigarettes. Carcinogens and toxic chemicals (such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde)have been found in most e-cigs, in addition to addictive tobacco.

In Advanced Personal Vaporizers, or vapes, one has the ability to control the percentage of nicotine from very high to none at all. The most prevalent ingredients consist of Propylene glycol (an ingredient found in asthma inhalers), vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and the yummy flavorings. This news is quite different than what most people are led to believe, but always ask for a list of ingredients. Some manufacturers are not as ‘clean’ with their products as others.

This should make anyone feel better about buying a holiday gift that is questioned as harmful. Now, the next problem is how do you select a good and trusted vape? There are over 250 styles of vapes on the market. The look seems to be by personal preference and a trip to a local Vape store may be warranted. The salespeople can offer assistance in the age group and best sellers for vapes in your area.

Next, the important part. The e-liquid comes in many different flavors and different percentages of nicotine included. The lower the nicotine contained, the better the flavor, say many savvy vapors. Everything from vanilla to pumpkin pie can be purchased as a flavor. Believe it or not, the flavor and the vapor seem to win hands down over the amount of nicotine contained.

If you do not feel comfortable in purchasing this new contraption and selecting flavors, go for a pair of PJs, a T-shirt, or coffee cup that advertises the fact that your gift recipient is a vapor. Or play it safe and hand out gift certificates. Maybe a combination of a gift certificate and a designer vape water bottle would be a pleasant surprise.

Whatever your decision, now you know what vaping is all about and you can rest easy that vaping is not a bad thing. In fact, those tantalizing flavors sound so good that you may end up buying one for yourself.

Bio –

This guest post is courtesy of MightySkins, an American owned, operated and manufactured custom skin company that features ipv4 wraps and ipv3 wraps for vaping products as well as many other electronics including phones, tablets, laptops and game consoles.

Older Entries Newer Entries