1-We did our taxes. And Son1's taxes. And they're all done! lol I hate tax time, but I do it because #American.
2-We ordered a new mattress. As we have a King, that's a splurge, but in this case a necessary one.
3-Our new mattress is deeper than our old one. Which means I now have to buy not just $$ King sized sheets, but $$$ 'deep pocket' King sized sheets. sigh A splurge I'm not super happy about, so off to find a sale, I am!
4-Husband DID go through ebates on the mattress purchase, scoring us $9 back, which is going towards those $$$ new sheets.
5-I sold one of Diva's dresses on Offer Up. I also had several 'I want it, when I come pick up' messages on other items, then they didn't set a time or grrr set a time and didn't show. Why are people so flaky?
Monday, February 27, 2017
Cents of Style Grab Bags
Feel like playing a little Style Roulette? Cents of Style has grab bags available. Each bag will have 2 pieces of clothing and 1 accessory. You do select your size for the clothing, but that's the only 'option' available to you. Grab bags are normally $35, but 2/27 only, you can score one for $16.95 shipped! Use code GRAB17.
Normally I would not purchase a fashion grab bag since there's a good chance I won't like what's in it. However, two of my fave graphic Ts are from Cents of Style and they have several others I like as well. If I get one of those, I'll consider this a win. lol And if I don't, there's always Offer Up to get my money back. I strongly suspect these bags are clearing warehouse space, so I did take a quick spin around the 'Last Chance' page. I liked a lot of what I saw there, so I'm kind of excited to see what mystery items I'll get. I will do a serious happy dance if I get that cute Coach Taylor Forever or Team Luke T.
Stay tuned....
Normally I would not purchase a fashion grab bag since there's a good chance I won't like what's in it. However, two of my fave graphic Ts are from Cents of Style and they have several others I like as well. If I get one of those, I'll consider this a win. lol And if I don't, there's always Offer Up to get my money back. I strongly suspect these bags are clearing warehouse space, so I did take a quick spin around the 'Last Chance' page. I liked a lot of what I saw there, so I'm kind of excited to see what mystery items I'll get. I will do a serious happy dance if I get that cute Coach Taylor Forever or Team Luke T.
Stay tuned....
Friday, February 24, 2017
2/24 Firsts and Finals
Firsts
*Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream This smelled amazing, but seemed very thin to me. I passed it to my daughter, who loves it. The scent though! There is a body lotion, so I may purchase that in the future.
*Beauty Brands Smile! Juicy Mango shower gel Smells fantastic in the shower, but sadly doesn't linger on the skin.
*Davines Authentic Replenishing Butter Oh I love this! The scent is heavenly. It rubs into skin immediately and my legs felt soft all day. This will be a splurge, but well worth it. I have tried and love their Cleansing Nectar, also. Together would make a great gift! ;)
*DevaCurl Wave Maker Touchable Texture Whip I have a love/hate with this product. My hair naturally has a bit of wave in it. I apply a nickel-sized amount of product to damp hair, then let it air dry, scrunching now and then. My hair's natural wave is more pronounced, my hair is fuller and looks great in that totally fake 'I woke up like this' cute way. I like that. I don't like that it makes my hair so greasy the next morning that I *have* to wash it since I try not to wash my hair every day. So I love it Day 1, but hate it on Day 2.
*Olay Ultra Moisture with Shea Butter Body Wash LOVE! So moisturizing. It smells amazing, too. The scent reminds me of the tanning oil we used to cook ourselves in the 80's. ;)
*philosopy Take a Deep Breath Oil-free Oxygenating Gel Cream Very nice, absorbs quickly, left my face soft and glowy.
*W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara This is apparently for people who like a VERY natural look, as I could barely tell it was on after three coats. For $20+, I should see some results! I'm glad this was a sample and I didn't waste any money on it.
Finals
*Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion It's not awful, but it's not my favorite Aveda product. The lotion is very thin, but doesn't seem to absorb well. Of course, it smells amazing!
*LilaGrace Fresh Lavender Bath Salts We found these on clearance, so they were fortunately cheap. They smelled great in the jar, but nothing in the bath itself. I'll stick to Dr. Teal's.
*TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint I finished up this lip tint sample, but I'm not sad because I already have a back up. I first tried this about a year ago in a BirchBox, loved it, and immediately bought the full-size version. You use so little that I just finished the sample, so that full tube is going to last a decade! It is build-able. You can go sheer, like you just ate a popsicle, or full on vamp. It really does last all day.
Faves Olay body wash, Davines butter
Flops W3LL PEOPLE mascara was a complete flop
*Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream This smelled amazing, but seemed very thin to me. I passed it to my daughter, who loves it. The scent though! There is a body lotion, so I may purchase that in the future.
*Beauty Brands Smile! Juicy Mango shower gel Smells fantastic in the shower, but sadly doesn't linger on the skin.
*Davines Authentic Replenishing Butter Oh I love this! The scent is heavenly. It rubs into skin immediately and my legs felt soft all day. This will be a splurge, but well worth it. I have tried and love their Cleansing Nectar, also. Together would make a great gift! ;)
*DevaCurl Wave Maker Touchable Texture Whip I have a love/hate with this product. My hair naturally has a bit of wave in it. I apply a nickel-sized amount of product to damp hair, then let it air dry, scrunching now and then. My hair's natural wave is more pronounced, my hair is fuller and looks great in that totally fake 'I woke up like this' cute way. I like that. I don't like that it makes my hair so greasy the next morning that I *have* to wash it since I try not to wash my hair every day. So I love it Day 1, but hate it on Day 2.
*Olay Ultra Moisture with Shea Butter Body Wash LOVE! So moisturizing. It smells amazing, too. The scent reminds me of the tanning oil we used to cook ourselves in the 80's. ;)
*philosopy Take a Deep Breath Oil-free Oxygenating Gel Cream Very nice, absorbs quickly, left my face soft and glowy.
*W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara This is apparently for people who like a VERY natural look, as I could barely tell it was on after three coats. For $20+, I should see some results! I'm glad this was a sample and I didn't waste any money on it.
Finals
*Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion It's not awful, but it's not my favorite Aveda product. The lotion is very thin, but doesn't seem to absorb well. Of course, it smells amazing!
*LilaGrace Fresh Lavender Bath Salts We found these on clearance, so they were fortunately cheap. They smelled great in the jar, but nothing in the bath itself. I'll stick to Dr. Teal's.
*TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint I finished up this lip tint sample, but I'm not sad because I already have a back up. I first tried this about a year ago in a BirchBox, loved it, and immediately bought the full-size version. You use so little that I just finished the sample, so that full tube is going to last a decade! It is build-able. You can go sheer, like you just ate a popsicle, or full on vamp. It really does last all day.
Faves Olay body wash, Davines butter
Flops W3LL PEOPLE mascara was a complete flop
Monday, February 20, 2017
2/20 Money Monday
Last week I sold some outgrown clothes at Once Upon a Child. As always, they were picky, but they did take some and gave me $21 for them. Then Diva found a pair of brand new sandals in her size, so I gave OUAC $5 back. We left with $16 and a new pair of sparkly sandals, so it was a pretty good outing.
After our trip to the resale shop, we stopped at Chipotle so Diva could cash in her 'free kids meal' coupon she earned at the library. We got her meal to go because 1) that place is loud, and 2) I wasn't eating there, I had leftovers at home.
New sandals and Chipotle made Diva happy. Free lunch for the kid, sandals on the cheap, and a few extra bucks in my pocket made me happy. Since we left with $16, that $5 bill went in the $5 Tin, too.
I came home, pulled some of the clothes to pass down to my niece, some that won't fit her for Goodwill, and posted the church dresses on Offer Up.
After our trip to the resale shop, we stopped at Chipotle so Diva could cash in her 'free kids meal' coupon she earned at the library. We got her meal to go because 1) that place is loud, and 2) I wasn't eating there, I had leftovers at home.
New sandals and Chipotle made Diva happy. Free lunch for the kid, sandals on the cheap, and a few extra bucks in my pocket made me happy. Since we left with $16, that $5 bill went in the $5 Tin, too.
I came home, pulled some of the clothes to pass down to my niece, some that won't fit her for Goodwill, and posted the church dresses on Offer Up.
Friday, February 17, 2017
2/17 Firsts and Finals
Firsts
*Olay makeup remover wipes Label says it removes waterproof mascara. I would say it doesn't, since it doesn't completely remove regular mascara. It's good on other makeup, though, and is moisturizing.
*Pixi Glow Tonic Why did I wait so long to get this? I love this tonic so much. My skin feels so refreshed after using it. Definitely HGS for me. The bottle is even cute, with a retro feel to it.
Finals
*FlowerByKenzoL'Elixir SAD face! I finished off this perfume. It's floral, but not precious, has a sexy edge to it. I get compliments every time I wear it. It's pricey, but I love it and will definitely repurchase at some point.
*Laneige Water Sleeping Mask This is an overnight mask. It goes on like a gel, then quickly dries. I can't feel it 'with' my face, but I can feel it with my fingers 'on' my face, if that makes sense. The next morning you rinse it off. It does make my skin feel soft and look like I got more sleep than I did.
Faves
Flower L'Elixir, Pixi Glow Tonic
*Olay makeup remover wipes Label says it removes waterproof mascara. I would say it doesn't, since it doesn't completely remove regular mascara. It's good on other makeup, though, and is moisturizing.
*Pixi Glow Tonic Why did I wait so long to get this? I love this tonic so much. My skin feels so refreshed after using it. Definitely HGS for me. The bottle is even cute, with a retro feel to it.
Finals
*FlowerByKenzoL'Elixir SAD face! I finished off this perfume. It's floral, but not precious, has a sexy edge to it. I get compliments every time I wear it. It's pricey, but I love it and will definitely repurchase at some point.
*Laneige Water Sleeping Mask This is an overnight mask. It goes on like a gel, then quickly dries. I can't feel it 'with' my face, but I can feel it with my fingers 'on' my face, if that makes sense. The next morning you rinse it off. It does make my skin feel soft and look like I got more sleep than I did.
Faves
Flower L'Elixir, Pixi Glow Tonic
Monday, February 13, 2017
2/13 Monday Money
Over the weekend, I sold a box of hair oil for $5 on Offer Up. Yay, me, raking it in. lol But that $5 is more than I had on Friday, right? Because it was a $5 bill, it went into the $5 Tin.
Today I also deposited my recent Ebates check*. $40+ back for online shopping I did over the past couple of months? I'll take it! Most of that was Christmas shopping. My husband rolled his eyes at me when I first started reminding him 'Ebates or Shopathome' when he was shopping online. All those little percentages add up, though. He just made a $400 purchase at an outdoor store and we got $6+ back in our account. Save the bits!
*Referral Link If you sign up through my link, you and I both get a bonus. Thank you!
Friday, February 10, 2017
2/10 Firsts and Finals
Firsts
*Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub This felt gritty, but wasn't too harsh. It smells lemony, very nice first thing in the morning. My skin feels so soft after using it. It's pricey, but I will watch for a sale.
*it Cosmetics CC+ Cream This smells terrific, which is odd to say about a CC cream. It's quite fresh and lemony. But the coverage was mask-like on me. They say a little goes a long way, so I used a little and blended like a demon. It was still too much. It did last all day without fading. I didn't like that I could feel it on my skin and it looked flat and unnatural. The line was designed to cover redness and rosacea. I think if you have those issues, it would work well for you.
*it Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye This concealer is so thick! I have heard to use a dot, warm it with your fingers, and blend well. I tried. By the time it was 'blended', my foundation was rubbed off. It is definitely full coverage and lasted all day.
*MAC Zoom Lash Mascara It's lengthening, but not volumizing. The mascara formula gives a very natural lash look. I got it in the color plum. The color is very subtle on my dark lashes. It's fun and cute, but it's not for me. It's actually for my daughter and it looks fantastic on her light lashes and blue eyes.
Finals
*Dove Dry Oil Moisture body wash Isn't 'dry oil moisture' an odd name for a body wash you use in the shower? I normally like Dove body wash and was an early adopter of Moroccan oil, so I was looking forward to this. It's a miss, though. It is moisturizing, but it doesn't have that great Moroccan oil smell and it has tiny moisture beads which I do not like. I will not be rebuying this.
*Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment I think there's unicorn tears in here. I used it only on my ends, but my hair had more volume and was softer all over. I truly don't know how that happened. It is rather pricey per ounce, but I will buy on sale.
*Origins High-Potency Night-a-Mins skin refining oil I love the cream and was excited to try the oil. After using it for several nights, I don't see any reason to buy the oil in the future. It's very thin, almost watery in consistency, and I notice zero difference after using it. I don't hate it, but for $43 I think I should be able to tell I used it.
Faves
*Nudestix Intense Matte Lip+Cheek in Belle Husband got me this for Christmas. I love the color, it's a perfect MLBB shade. I love how easy it is to put on, even on the go without a mirror. I've worn it every day this week. I'm going to have to rebuy this one. It will be great in the summer because it won't melt, but I'm loving it so much this one won't make it that far.
Flops
Both it Cosmetics products I tried this week were a total miss for me. I'm glad they were both samples, not retail. ;)
*Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub This felt gritty, but wasn't too harsh. It smells lemony, very nice first thing in the morning. My skin feels so soft after using it. It's pricey, but I will watch for a sale.
*it Cosmetics CC+ Cream This smells terrific, which is odd to say about a CC cream. It's quite fresh and lemony. But the coverage was mask-like on me. They say a little goes a long way, so I used a little and blended like a demon. It was still too much. It did last all day without fading. I didn't like that I could feel it on my skin and it looked flat and unnatural. The line was designed to cover redness and rosacea. I think if you have those issues, it would work well for you.
*it Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye This concealer is so thick! I have heard to use a dot, warm it with your fingers, and blend well. I tried. By the time it was 'blended', my foundation was rubbed off. It is definitely full coverage and lasted all day.
*MAC Zoom Lash Mascara It's lengthening, but not volumizing. The mascara formula gives a very natural lash look. I got it in the color plum. The color is very subtle on my dark lashes. It's fun and cute, but it's not for me. It's actually for my daughter and it looks fantastic on her light lashes and blue eyes.
Finals
*Dove Dry Oil Moisture body wash Isn't 'dry oil moisture' an odd name for a body wash you use in the shower? I normally like Dove body wash and was an early adopter of Moroccan oil, so I was looking forward to this. It's a miss, though. It is moisturizing, but it doesn't have that great Moroccan oil smell and it has tiny moisture beads which I do not like. I will not be rebuying this.
*Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment I think there's unicorn tears in here. I used it only on my ends, but my hair had more volume and was softer all over. I truly don't know how that happened. It is rather pricey per ounce, but I will buy on sale.
*Origins High-Potency Night-a-Mins skin refining oil I love the cream and was excited to try the oil. After using it for several nights, I don't see any reason to buy the oil in the future. It's very thin, almost watery in consistency, and I notice zero difference after using it. I don't hate it, but for $43 I think I should be able to tell I used it.
Faves
*Nudestix Intense Matte Lip+Cheek in Belle Husband got me this for Christmas. I love the color, it's a perfect MLBB shade. I love how easy it is to put on, even on the go without a mirror. I've worn it every day this week. I'm going to have to rebuy this one. It will be great in the summer because it won't melt, but I'm loving it so much this one won't make it that far.
Flops
Both it Cosmetics products I tried this week were a total miss for me. I'm glad they were both samples, not retail. ;)
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Subway $6 Footlongs
For the month of February, Subway is running a promo for $6 footlongs, any sandwich of your choice. My kids love this promo! Son1 is having friends over tonight for a study sess and this is a reasonable way to feed a few hungry college men. A few subs will be perfect for the 10:30 pm study break munchies.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Cash in the coins
We have a bin in the kitchen that all loose change goes into. Every couple of months I take it to the bank and cash it in. I deposited $25.68 this time. All those coins add up! This money goes into our savings account and usually is right around $100 each year. Better in the bank than in a drawer, I think.
Friday, February 3, 2017
Firsts, Finals, Faves
I just got a sizable order from Ulta. As I started to put away my new goodies, I realized I have a LOT of sample products. Because Ulta. and Sephora. and Target beauty boxes. I'm not admitting I have a problem, just that I'm running out of space. I'm going to start listing out products I use in an effort to force myself to not hoard.
Firsts
*Dr. Brandt Pores No More Cleanser I noticed smaller pores the very first time I used it. After a week, my pores are almost invisible. So it works and it works well.
*Nip+Fab Dragon's Blood Fix Pads I got these in my last Ulta haul and they're still on sale, buy 1 get 1 40% off. I have used Nip+Fab's glycolic pads in the past and liked them so I took a leap and ordered the Dragon's Blood version. I'm so glad I did. They make my skin feel and look refreshed. Plus I admit that it feels pretty bad-ass to use 'dragon's blood' on my face.
*Grove Collaborative hand cream in Bergamot Orange I love the smell of this cream. Sadly, it's not very fast absorbing and my hands feel greasy for about an hour after I put it on. It would be good for a night-time hand cream except the orange smells so fresh that it's energizing. I will still use it, but not when I've got things to do. This will be a 'reading in the afternoon' hand cream until I finish it up and I will not be repurchasing.
Finals
*Juice Organics repairing shampoo and conditioner. I liked this okay, but did not love. The shampoo smelled amazing. If I skipped the conditioner, my normal-to-dry hair was happier. If I used the conditioner, my hair looked greasy the next day. I won't be buying, but would use more free samples if they came my way.
*it Confidence in a Cream This I liked a lot. I found that if I used it every day, it was too much and my skin would feel oily, but alternating it with Clinique every other day worked very well. This one will find itself back in my routine in the future.
Faves
I'm definitely loving the Dr. Brandt and Dragon's Blood combo. They're both going to stay around for a long time.
Firsts
*Dr. Brandt Pores No More Cleanser I noticed smaller pores the very first time I used it. After a week, my pores are almost invisible. So it works and it works well.
*Nip+Fab Dragon's Blood Fix Pads I got these in my last Ulta haul and they're still on sale, buy 1 get 1 40% off. I have used Nip+Fab's glycolic pads in the past and liked them so I took a leap and ordered the Dragon's Blood version. I'm so glad I did. They make my skin feel and look refreshed. Plus I admit that it feels pretty bad-ass to use 'dragon's blood' on my face.
*Grove Collaborative hand cream in Bergamot Orange I love the smell of this cream. Sadly, it's not very fast absorbing and my hands feel greasy for about an hour after I put it on. It would be good for a night-time hand cream except the orange smells so fresh that it's energizing. I will still use it, but not when I've got things to do. This will be a 'reading in the afternoon' hand cream until I finish it up and I will not be repurchasing.
Finals
*Juice Organics repairing shampoo and conditioner. I liked this okay, but did not love. The shampoo smelled amazing. If I skipped the conditioner, my normal-to-dry hair was happier. If I used the conditioner, my hair looked greasy the next day. I won't be buying, but would use more free samples if they came my way.
*it Confidence in a Cream This I liked a lot. I found that if I used it every day, it was too much and my skin would feel oily, but alternating it with Clinique every other day worked very well. This one will find itself back in my routine in the future.
Faves
I'm definitely loving the Dr. Brandt and Dragon's Blood combo. They're both going to stay around for a long time.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Check for unclaimed money
I just received a check from the MO Treasurer. There was a news story recently that the new treasurer wanted people to check into lost money so the state could get the money to the rightful owners. Honestly, this story goes around every few years, I always check my name, I'm never there. This time I checked and I had an unclaimed rebate check waiting for me. It only took me about 5 minutes to check and submit a claim for my money. Now, full disclosure it's only $3, but it's $3 more than I had before I started the process.
Google your state and 'unclaimed money' and see if you have a few bucks waiting.
Google your state and 'unclaimed money' and see if you have a few bucks waiting.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Ulta Haul
I spent a bit at Ulta. But I saved big. That's my economics, anyway. There was a skin event last month. And freebies with purchases abounded. Plus freebies if you reached certain order totals. It's been a while and those deals are over, so the details don't matter. What does matter is that I spent just over $75 (including tax) and bought this:
(not pictured, a 2nd Nip+Fab and a BodyShop Tea Tree overnight lotion that a kid took before the photo) The retail on what I purchased was $95. So I'm already up $20, right?
And I got this free:
Why, yes, there are some full-sized products in there. Including a full-size tarte blush that retails for $28 and a Smashbox liquid lipstick that retails for $24.
Since I went through ebates, I received $4.55 back. Then my order was delayed by over a week and I to contact CS to track it down. Ulta sent me a $20 GC to apologize.
My husband says 'your 'free' costs me money', but I'm calling this a solid win!
(not pictured, a 2nd Nip+Fab and a BodyShop Tea Tree overnight lotion that a kid took before the photo) The retail on what I purchased was $95. So I'm already up $20, right?
And I got this free:
Why, yes, there are some full-sized products in there. Including a full-size tarte blush that retails for $28 and a Smashbox liquid lipstick that retails for $24.
Since I went through ebates, I received $4.55 back. Then my order was delayed by over a week and I to contact CS to track it down. Ulta sent me a $20 GC to apologize.
My husband says 'your 'free' costs me money', but I'm calling this a solid win!
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