Money Hacks for Millennials: Have You Saved for a Rainy Day?

Coincidently I am writing this post on a rainy day, and despite always hearing this expression, I didn’t know exactly what it meant. “Save for a rainy day?” more like “save for a rainy three to six months” in case you lose your job, break a limb, or god forbid some other unexpected life moment goes down. Over the past two years I’ve written a few posts with money tips for millennials. If you missed those, let me give you a little background on my situation, in 2005 I returned from Australia, tiny, tanned, and educated. I brought something else home with me tho, a HUGE debt. I owed over $30k in student loans and credit cards!? It was a tragic look at reality when all the bills started rolling in and I’d barely started my first full-time job in Toronto making under $30k/year. It seemed literally impossible to dig out of the hole I was in. I found myself saying “I need cash now ” more often than I wanted too. Having to find quick ways to get cash is difficult and I did struggle. Payday loans such as Fresh Loan were constantly recommended to me for a short term solution. Soon enough, I’d had enough and decided I needed to gey myself in gear. There is no way I was going to live in this debt forever. For many others it’s the same circumstance, they find themselves in a vicious circle, having to take out loans, ending in debt and hardly seeing a way to get out. Small loan lenders like this Norwegian based company, små-lån, can help people finding themselves in the same situation. Before taking out a small loan, you should read every detail carefully and fully understand your repayment methods. Not long after that I…

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Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag

Summer, yay! ?? Hard to believe it’s almost the of July! ?? Have no fear, there’s still plenty of time to soak up the sunshine, read books in the hammock, and have delicious snacks on the dock. As you know I spend most weekends at the cottage over the summer, this list of skincare stuff isn’t super fancy but it’s a combo of things I was sent to try out (then replaced with my own money) or products I stock up on so there’s one at home and the cottage. I love all things skincare and there are so many other products I want to try. If you’re as passionate about skincare as me, you could become a social marketer. If you don’t know what this is or you’d like to learn more, click here. This post is sponsored by Boxed Water, is a socially conscious packaged-water company re-thinking the way water is sold, shipped and consumed. For every photo posted of Boxed Water with#ReTree on social, they’ll plant two trees. ?? I love the little box, so cute. Ok, here we go! Summer Skincare Stuff I Love 1. WATER – Drink heaps of it. Your skin will thank you. ? Drinking water has some fantastic benefits, it can make your skin look really bright. The Neostrata Enlighten Ultra Brightening Cleanser is a creamy foaming cleanser that also brightens the skin if your skin often looks a little dull. Boxed Water is triple filtered for purity using reverse osmosis, carbon filtration and UV systems and filled in both Michigan & Utah. The entire carton is recyclable and 100% BPA free with 1% of all sales going to reforestation. ? ? ? You can find it at Loblaws or Sobeys in Canada. ?? Keep your skin and immune system healthy by…

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Putting Your Best Face Forward w/ Dr. Lisa Kellett

This year I turned 34, I know, hard to believe! I’ve always had a young youthful spirit and boundless energy, think back to the other weekend when I drew all over my bag for the Ford adventure. Mum had a chuckle when I showed her this photo, sometimes I’m still 8 years old. I have been noticing a few flaws in my skin as I’ve aged and while it’s normal, I wanted to take measures to prevent it from getting worse. A few of my friends suggested an austin cosmetic surgeon but a few months ago I was given the opportunity to learn about Emervel, a soft dermal filler for dealing with fine lines and wrinkles. It’s used most for enhancing lips and minimizing the signs of ageing. For a professional procedure, Nurse Bec, at Injectable Effects, can perform dermal filler treatments on clients looking to regain youthful looking skin. It was good timing because I’ve had more chats about ‘enhancing’ beauty at events over the last year than ever. Earlier this year I shared the Emervel Kissability report with info on plumping up your pout. YouTube Canada gave me some stats about beauty & fashion trends on the rise, three of the top beauty trends are eyelash extensions, eyebrow filler, and lipstick. Canada also ranks 3rd worldwide for ‘lip filler’ which had a big spike last year and continues to grow. According to dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett, “Emervel Lips helps achieve a balanced and harmonious look, and, combined with other products in the Emervel line, can give the face a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance. Patients are very satisfied with the natural-looking and long-lasting results.” I made an appt with Dr. Lisa Kellett for a consultation without knowing too much but I was interested in seeing about minimizing smile…

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Travel | Treehouse Glamping in Ontario w/ Glamping Hub

My first trip of the year wasn’t to a sunny destination, it was up north to a tiny little solar-powered treehouse north of Toronto. Glamping Hub invited me to stay at a destination of my choice, so naturally I picked a cool one. Glamping Hub is home to some of the coolest non-traditional camping spots around the world. They’ve got luxury camping available in tree houses, yurts, tipis, camper vans, safari and fancy tents. I’m hoping to explore a few more of their destinations in South/Central Ontario. Here’s my first Glamping Hub experience!  [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”5″ margin_bottom=”5″]

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Beauty | Touched For the Very First Time – I Got a Brazilian!

Yesterday I got my first Brazilian Wax. Yes it hurt, but only for a second. No, it didn’t take long. Yes, I would do it again. As there are many options out there when it comes to caring for down there, doing some research into something as simple as Brazilian bikini could help you make a decision as to what might be best for you. Click here if you’re interested in getting a wax yourseld and you can scroll for details, don’t worry, this post is SFW and not TMI. [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”5″ margin_bottom=”5″] Ok, so I was pretty nervous and didn’t really know what I was getting into here. I’ve never had anything waxed because my hair is quite fair and I’ve never needed to. I parked and got one hour parking not knowing just how quick a wax job is. I arrived at Allure Body bar in the East end (Pape/Danforth) and was greeted by a lovely lady who ready to roll. They were voted Toronto’s BEST waxing spot and have been featured in countless magazines including Elle, Flare, etc. This is my before face. I hopped on the table with bottoms removed and she consulted me about a design. The wax was warm and she asked me to take a deep breath before ripping it off. I screamed. It hurt. The pain was temporary and the whole thing and the entire thing took <10 minutes.

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I’m Going to a Treehouse!

2016 is almost here and I’m feeling excited, finally. The last couple of months my energy has been low and I’ve been spending more time at home recharging. Well, it worked!  I’ve got three trips planned for January and this year will be full of adventure. [symple_divider style=”solid” margin_top=”10″ margin_bottom=”10″] The first on my travels is a short stay at a treehouse North of Toronto via glampinghhub.com. I’ve been working with them to plan a stay at one of their many glamping (glamourous camping) locations in Ontario. I’ve never been one for camping but glamping or a quaint cabin in the woods is right up my alley. This is a new take on the winter cottage, cottage life! We’ve chatted about building a tree house at the cottage in Muskoka and something like would be a DREAM. I can’t wait to take you on my adventures! The Glamping Hub location I’m staying at with April next week is a solar-powered treehouse hidden between trees, located on 6,000 acres of forest and trails. It’s the peaceful escape I’m looking for without being TOO far from the city. I hope that it’s snowy and we spend our days reading by the fire and cooking up hearty, healthy meals. If winter has left by then (you never know these days!), we’ll take advantage of the trails. If you’re keen to book a weekend in a fancy tent, cabin, treehouse, cozy cottage, or some other unique space, check out Canadian Weekend Getaway or other glamping spots around the world at glampinghub.com.

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Travel | Got Wanderlust? Take That Trip!

As winter starts to creep up on us I find myself looking back through old blog posts of my travels. I’m keen to book a trip for Sean and I for a little R&R under the sun early 2016. I’m thinking Dominican Republic, Cuba, or Costa Rica. I’m dying to feel sand on my skin and salt water in my hair! ?? Over the last few years I’ve been to Thailand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and LA during the winter. I absolutely LOVE to travel but preparation is key if you want to have a good time for example, a travel shoe bag is a must for me and I don’t travel without them. Also, if you don’t manage your money right, it can be expensive. Up until a few years ago I didn’t even have a credit card because I was still paying off my student debt from school. This doesn’t mean to say that just because you’re at university, you can’t have a credit card; those studying away from their home country can still get a credit card for International Students. Having a card with travel rewards was really important to me now. I want to get something back from all the purchases I make on my trips. I’m also really interested in qantas credit cards which are another travel-based provider, as they offer rewards for frequent flyers which is certainly what I am! I would rather take a great trip in the winter to boost my inspiration and pay it off my credit card, than not go at all and let the winter blues get me down. You never know what’s going to happen, YOLO! I’ve partnered with a Capital One Canada one to tell you about their new and improved line of Capital One Aspire Travel MasterCards.…

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The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.

The last few days I’ve been really focussing on slowing things down, spending time at home. After a REALLY busy year, I feel December is a great time to recharge dem batteries.     Took a trip to Ikea yesterday and it’s really quite chill there on Monday afternoon. Walked around talking on the phone, taking my time to dilly dally through the maze of housewares. Got meatballs of course.  Been loving this warmer weather and still haven’t given up wearing my leather jacket. Today calls for a manicure.  Here’s to a great week ☀️   Title is a quote by H. Jackson Brown Jr. 

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Monday, Take the Sunshine Wherever You Go

This weekend was just what I needed. After a busy Friday night celebrating 2 of my best friends I spent most of Saturday & Sunday on the couch with my nose in a book. Simon Schuster sent over an advance  copy of Hidden Bodies by  Caroline Kepness. It’s got murder, suspense, sex, and modern lingo like Facebook, Instagram, Tinder, etc. There’s a book before this one with the same character I need to go back and read now! Highly recommend.  I didn’t realize there was a Second Cup at the Stockyards shops when I was there on Saturday, so I decided to try all the baked squares. The pecan was my fav followed by the lemon and Nanaimo. I love Nanaimo bars.  Really got me thinking about holiday baking and making some shortbread soon.    Sean made me the most lovely dinner of steak and scallops last night w/ sprouts, roast vegetables, and kale. Saturday night we stayed in watching Trainwreck w/ takeout. Something I love about the colder months is staying in the house with someone you love. Today I’ve been in Facebook ads reporting all day and will be heading to the Beaches later to see my sister.   I’m really looking forward to reading more of my book once I wrap up all my duties for the day. Sorry this is a boring update lol. Tomorrow I’m Sirius Xm at the Todd Shapiro Show and later this week I’m judging the finals for the travelcuts Travel Documentary Film Festival. Never a dull moment!    

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You’re A Pizza Work! … I Got A PIZZA Tattoo!

A couple weeks ago I randomly went to get a tattoo. No, not really! The design wasn’t random, we found ourselves with a free hour on a Friday afternoon so we made the most of the moment. We got in touch with a friend at Black Line Studio and scored last minute appointments for two. YOLO! I have heaps of tattoos and they all have a story. This one is kinda funny, but seriously, who doesn’t love PIZZA? ❤️?❓ I wrote about some of my favourite tattoos here. This was what our little pizza slices looked like when we first got them done. We opted in for getting creamy garlic sauce on the side, because pizza. Can’t go wrong there guys! Tattoo Aftercare If your tattoo is important, make sure it heals nicely by taking good care of it. You went through the pain and there’s nothing worse than not having it heal properly. Find some some tips for aftercare on the FY Ink website. Here’s my tattoo now: If you’re looking for a great tattoo place I recommend FY Ink on Queen Street near Portland or Black Line Studio, King West. I’ve had a bunch done at FY Ink the last few years. If you want to get a pizza tattoo too, be my guest! Here’s 30+ shared by Buzzfeed recently.  OK, who’s ready for LUNCH? ??? ?☀️? CASIE

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