Hi all! Here is a wonderfully insightful guest post by Michael Oghia (bio and links below).
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Discount Beauty Queen
I had a flash of inspiration to write this post, as I was in the shower. I felt I had to share some things I've learned this year about saving money on beauty and personal hygiene products.
So today I went shopping for some items I needed. One of the things I needed was a shower gel (body wash). A lot of women use three main products in the shower; a body wash (or soap), a shaving cream, and a "feminine hygiene wash". My personal stance on beauty and personal care items is to purchase items which can multitask; one item to use for multiple purposes. So let's say the three items mentioned cost you $5 each. You'd be spending $15 for three items when you can use one for all three. My secret? Baby Wash.
A baby wash is an ultra gentle cleanser for babies. But why should babies have all the good stuff? My skin is sensitive and should be treated with TLC. And as for your hoo-haa, duh that's something you need to treat with special care. You gotta treat her like the queen she is. In case you didn't know, you shouldn't be using regular soap down there. Baby Wash is perfect because it has the keywords to look for: soap-free, gentle, sensitive, pH-balanced. If you check the label of a Summer's Eve feminine wash, those are the same words used on the bottle. Baby wash/baby soap is just as gentle AND yes it does lather so you can use it to shave too. I just got two of the Rite-Aid brand because it was two for only $5! So instead of spending $15 on three different items, I saved $10 AND got two items! SCORE!
Next up, lotion. I have sensitive skin so I don't like using creams and lotions with heavy fragrances (I get fragrance free). If you really like perfumed creams and lotions you can add fragrance to them yourself and save money. Just buy a fragrance-free lotion and add some scented oil to it, in whatever scent you like. Now in terms of multitasking...the reason I buy fragrance free lotions and creams specifically for sensitive skin is because you can use them on both your body AND face. Sure you can spend money on special serums, night creams, yada yada. But I find that the less junk is on my face the less likely it'll react negatively on me. Again I have sensitive skin so I like using products which are gentle and don't have a lot of extras in them. But even if you don't have sensitive skin, if you just want to moisturize your face, why spend money on an extra bottle just for your face? One bottle can go for both. Or even if you just want one separate lotion for your face, you still save money with this method because if you haven't noticed those face creams come in teeny tiny bottles which don't last at all. Let's do the math. A bottle of a generic brand, fragrance-free lotion is about $5 and can last you about 3 months, whereas a tiny bottle of face lotion will be about $10 and last one month.
Finally, hair. I spend more money on my hair than anything else. I don't splurge on an item that's not staying in my hair. Shampoos and Conditioners and meant to be washed out, so why spend $10 on a bottle? It doesn't matter what kind of miracle it promises to do to your hair, it's gonna be WASHED OUT! It's like throwing money down the drain. I can understand if you want to spend a little more on conditioners, but if your hair needs moisture better to invest in a leave-in conditioner which will go a longer way than a regular conditioner to wash out.
I'm sure there are a million plus ways to save money on your beauty routine, just do a little research before you go shopping next time.
What kind of beauty secrets do you have to share?
So today I went shopping for some items I needed. One of the things I needed was a shower gel (body wash). A lot of women use three main products in the shower; a body wash (or soap), a shaving cream, and a "feminine hygiene wash". My personal stance on beauty and personal care items is to purchase items which can multitask; one item to use for multiple purposes. So let's say the three items mentioned cost you $5 each. You'd be spending $15 for three items when you can use one for all three. My secret? Baby Wash.
A baby wash is an ultra gentle cleanser for babies. But why should babies have all the good stuff? My skin is sensitive and should be treated with TLC. And as for your hoo-haa, duh that's something you need to treat with special care. You gotta treat her like the queen she is. In case you didn't know, you shouldn't be using regular soap down there. Baby Wash is perfect because it has the keywords to look for: soap-free, gentle, sensitive, pH-balanced. If you check the label of a Summer's Eve feminine wash, those are the same words used on the bottle. Baby wash/baby soap is just as gentle AND yes it does lather so you can use it to shave too. I just got two of the Rite-Aid brand because it was two for only $5! So instead of spending $15 on three different items, I saved $10 AND got two items! SCORE!
Next up, lotion. I have sensitive skin so I don't like using creams and lotions with heavy fragrances (I get fragrance free). If you really like perfumed creams and lotions you can add fragrance to them yourself and save money. Just buy a fragrance-free lotion and add some scented oil to it, in whatever scent you like. Now in terms of multitasking...the reason I buy fragrance free lotions and creams specifically for sensitive skin is because you can use them on both your body AND face. Sure you can spend money on special serums, night creams, yada yada. But I find that the less junk is on my face the less likely it'll react negatively on me. Again I have sensitive skin so I like using products which are gentle and don't have a lot of extras in them. But even if you don't have sensitive skin, if you just want to moisturize your face, why spend money on an extra bottle just for your face? One bottle can go for both. Or even if you just want one separate lotion for your face, you still save money with this method because if you haven't noticed those face creams come in teeny tiny bottles which don't last at all. Let's do the math. A bottle of a generic brand, fragrance-free lotion is about $5 and can last you about 3 months, whereas a tiny bottle of face lotion will be about $10 and last one month.
Finally, hair. I spend more money on my hair than anything else. I don't splurge on an item that's not staying in my hair. Shampoos and Conditioners and meant to be washed out, so why spend $10 on a bottle? It doesn't matter what kind of miracle it promises to do to your hair, it's gonna be WASHED OUT! It's like throwing money down the drain. I can understand if you want to spend a little more on conditioners, but if your hair needs moisture better to invest in a leave-in conditioner which will go a longer way than a regular conditioner to wash out.
I'm sure there are a million plus ways to save money on your beauty routine, just do a little research before you go shopping next time.
What kind of beauty secrets do you have to share?
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Make Money Online
There are tons of legitimate ways to make money online. And I'm not talking about schemes or MLM business opportunities. You can make a good amount of money working online by freelancing.
Market your skills and put them to use! You can freelance full-time or part-time; it's up to you! When you freelance by working online (also known as working remotely, virtual jobs, and telecommuting) you can make your own schedule and be your own boss!
I am gonna list the websites I found to be the most helpful:
oDesk - you create a free profile, take some free skills tests (proof for employers), and then apply for gigs. You set how much you want to get paid and they have a variety of jobs. I'm currently working on a writing assignment through this website. Again it's completely free to join and search for jobs.
Fiverr is one of my favorites. You pretty much promote different skill sets you have in the form of jobs you'd be wiling to do for a minimum of $5. For example you can offer to write a blog post for someone, for $5. You can also offer extra services for more money. I've used this site to hire freelancers. If you're looking to hire someone for a gig, this is one of the best websites to do it from. It's free to join and post for freelancers.
Flexjobs - they post all kinds of telecommuting and work from home jobs here. The only thing is that you have to pay a fee to join the site, in order to search and apply for jobs. I paid the fee last year, for 6 months, and while they had plenty of work from home job opportunities which were hard to find elsewhere, I was not able to successfully obtain work from this site. So I personally do not feel it's worth it to spend money to look for work, especially if you're unemployed and can't afford it. It's not super expensive but I'd rather spend my funds on necessary things. If you have the money however, go for it.
Elance - you can also create a free profile to search for freelance opportunities. I just started using this site so I don't have other feedback to provide other than it's free to use.
Which websites have you used to find work online?
I Heart FREELANCERS Tee Shirts by IHeartAnything
Make unique customizable tee shirts online at Zazzle.
Market your skills and put them to use! You can freelance full-time or part-time; it's up to you! When you freelance by working online (also known as working remotely, virtual jobs, and telecommuting) you can make your own schedule and be your own boss!
I am gonna list the websites I found to be the most helpful:
oDesk - you create a free profile, take some free skills tests (proof for employers), and then apply for gigs. You set how much you want to get paid and they have a variety of jobs. I'm currently working on a writing assignment through this website. Again it's completely free to join and search for jobs.
Fiverr is one of my favorites. You pretty much promote different skill sets you have in the form of jobs you'd be wiling to do for a minimum of $5. For example you can offer to write a blog post for someone, for $5. You can also offer extra services for more money. I've used this site to hire freelancers. If you're looking to hire someone for a gig, this is one of the best websites to do it from. It's free to join and post for freelancers.
Flexjobs - they post all kinds of telecommuting and work from home jobs here. The only thing is that you have to pay a fee to join the site, in order to search and apply for jobs. I paid the fee last year, for 6 months, and while they had plenty of work from home job opportunities which were hard to find elsewhere, I was not able to successfully obtain work from this site. So I personally do not feel it's worth it to spend money to look for work, especially if you're unemployed and can't afford it. It's not super expensive but I'd rather spend my funds on necessary things. If you have the money however, go for it.
Elance - you can also create a free profile to search for freelance opportunities. I just started using this site so I don't have other feedback to provide other than it's free to use.
Which websites have you used to find work online?
I Heart FREELANCERS Tee Shirts by IHeartAnything
Make unique customizable tee shirts online at Zazzle.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
How to find a Job in a “Jobless” Market
A lot of people are unemployed and feeling down on their
luck. Many believe the situation with
the economy and the job market is hopeless. I've been there; I was unemployed and underemployed for about a
year. I got by on gigs on Craigslist and
other side jobs, all the while going to job fairs and applying to jobs like a
maniac.
First thing you have to do is change your attitude and
outlook. If you believe the situation is
hopeless, then it will be. Plus no one
will want to hire you if you’re in “Debbie Downer” mode.
First thing you have to do is change your attitude and
outlook. If you believe the situation is
hopeless, then it will be. Plus no one
will want to hire you if you’re in “Debbie Downer” mode.
Use your resources: ask your friends, family, ex-coworkers
and previous supervisors to help you with your job search; they may know
someone who is hiring. Also try buddying
up with one of your unemployed friends and take turns helping each other apply
for jobs, check each other’s resumes, etc…
Put yourself out there!
Emailing your resume a million times isn't enough. Go to networking events, join Yahoo Groups,
Meetup, LinkedIn, and join different groups of professionals in your area
and/or your field. Many times job
postings are listed there (especially LinkedIn). Also try reaching out to your school’s alumni
network and get in contact with some alumni in your field.
Post your resume and make it visible on websites like
Monster, so that recruiters are able to get in contact with you. Also join different temp and employment
agencies. Headhunters can provide a great
deal of help with your job search. Don’t
sleep on temp jobs! Many positions start
out as temporary and may become permanent.
Plus the advantage of having a temp job is that if you don’t like it,
the end will be near.
If you still can’t find a job, how about creating one? Why not start your own business? Don’t be scared; it’s very easy to start a
business, especially a home business. There
are tons of resources at your disposal to get your business started.
Lastly, don’t forget to take it easy once in a while. Looking for a job is a job in itself. You deserve a mental health break every so often,
especially if you find yourself exhausted and overly stressed from the job
search. It’s OK to take a break! Sometimes you need to replenish your energy
to get back in the game.
Good luck with your job search and by the way, check out my
post on Government Benefits for the Unemployed, to help you out during this
time.
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Sunday, December 9, 2012
Short-term Housing in Downtown San Diego
This is a follow-up to my review on Old Town Place. I'm currently staying at Newport Place, managed by the same company, which is located in the downtown section of San Diego.
I am staying in a huge room, which is almost like a studio except I share the bathroom and kitchen with someone else. The room has a private entrance, is fully furnished, and even has a refrigerator and microwave. Just like with Old Town Place, all utilities are included; there is a laundry facility and computer station on site, and it is in a central location. Newport Place is perfect for anyone needing short-term housing in downtown San Diego, especially students of San Diego City College since it is about a block away.
Everything is pretty much within walking distance; supermarkets, shopping, post office, and more. I highly recommend this place to anyone in need of housing in San Diego.
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