These are a Few of My Favorite Sites!
Of course the Internet is great for Google, surfing for endless information, social networking. But, what about saving?
That’s right, saving!
Not only can you find the best steals with online shopping, there are also sites specifically dedicated to helping you save some dough. If you are lucky you might find yourself in a world full of freebies, finds and frugalista bloggers.
Here are some of my favorite sites for all of the freebies, deals and discounts right at the click of a mouse.
Coupon Geek: Not only does this site have a cute name, but it’s where saving and spending meet! Now those are two words I can live with, I certainly love to save and love spending more! Coupon Geek helps everyone save money with great deals, freebies and even helps readers transform their current shopping and spending habits. Check out this great freebie for a copy of the electronic version of The Full Plate Diet, loaded with healthy eating tips!
Freesnatcher.com: Who says nothing is free? Certainly not Freesnatcher.com. Find a wide range of free samples, coupons, deals and sweepstakes here. No extra fees. No special sign ups. No gimmicks. No kidding. Trust me, this is from the girl who got a subscription to Self magazine for free!!!
The Recessionista Blog: Fashion. Saving. Does it get any better than that? I think not. This blog is great for fashion/trendsetting savings in a down economy. Seems as though everyone is mad for plaid this season and Walmart is now featuring a collection from Miley Cyrus and Max Azria. Miley and Max at Walmart?!? Good to know, thank you Recessionista Blog!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
I like my money right where I can see it - hanging in my closet. ~Carrie, Sex and the City
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Nail It: Do It Yourself Pampering
Believe it or not you don’t have to dig deep in your pockets to get spa approved nails (and that’s a good thing in order to avoid those smudges!)
Here are some tricks and tips for recessionista divas and frugalista beauties to make your nails and your money last longer…
A La Natural: It’s inevitable all polish chips eventually. Try skipping the polish and use a nail buffer instead. The high shine will help keep your nails looking fabulously natural for weeks! Find a great nail buffer at Target, this great kit has all of the essentials.
Color Queen: Want to keep up with all the newest colors this season? Hate spending the dough? Don’t fear Revlon Runway Collection is here. Not only does Revlon carry the hottest colors this season, like Raspberry Rapture and Not So Blue-Berry, they also have a great line of artificial nails that look and feel like the real “$50 plus spa” deal. But, guess what? These beauties are affordable for less than $10 smackaroos! I am a big fan of the Stella style, a classic and chic version of the French manicure. For all of you catwalk Urban Girl’s out there I know you’ll love the Minx style. If a name says it all, then MEOW!
Palette Proof: We all know the number one rule to keeping the life of your freshly painted Raspberry Rapture manicure is to apply a top coat. Sure that might work for day one of manicure but what about day two, four, six? Make sure to apply top coat on the third or fourth day to make the color stick.
Think Thin: We are always in the think thin mindset anyways (or try to be!), why not apply that frame of mind to your nails. When applying nail polish try not to get all goopy, it’s bound to take longer to dry and get smudged. Wipe one side of the brush on the side of the bottle before applying it to your nails. Lightly and thinly coat your nails and bingo!
Cuticle Cutbacks: Dryness is often the number one factor in rough looking cuticles. Pamper yourself and make sure to apply hand cream, oil or lotion. My favorites for this is Soap & Glory Endless Glove Hand Cream from Target. Quench your cuticles thirst, they will thank you for it!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
I am a woman above everything else. ~Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Stars Sound Off: Celebrity Playlists
Between obnoxious paparazzi, lunch dates at the Ivy, stylist sessions and rigorous schedules, there’s no doubt celebrities have jam packed schedules. Just because their schedules are jam packed doesn’t mean their iPods aren’t.
So what is Rihanna running to on the treadmill? What songs get Jennifer Garner going on the stationary bike? What pumps Reese up while posing on her yoga mat?
Check out these favorite workout playlists of the stars:
Rockin’ with Rihanna
Party Like A Rock Star -Shop Boyz
Beautiful Girls (Suicidal) -Sean Kingston
Do It -TI
Wall to Wall -Chris Brown (not so sure if this is her favorite anymore!)
Glamorous -Fergie
Jammin’ with Jennifer Garner
The Way You Move -Outkast
This Love -Maroon 5
What You Waiting For? -Gwen Stefani
Rock Your Body -Justin Timberlake
Get The Party Started -Pink
Workin’ Out with Reese Witherspoon
Soak Up The Sun -Sheryl Crow
Buttons -The Pussycat Dolls
Walk On -U2
Sweet Home Alabama -BAMA
Stop This Train -John Mayer
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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Scrub-A-Dub-Dub: Body Scrubs
Mmm sugar, chocolate and honey.
Don’t worry about the calories. This time around your body will thank you from head to toe.
No it’s not a dream. It’s the relaxing, magical power of homemade body scrubs. The following recipes are made out of sugar, spice and certainly everything nice.
Oh sugar! Brown Sugar Body Scrub
You’ll need:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground oats
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond oil
What to do:
Grind the oatmeal using a coffee grinder or food processor. It must have sandy consistency, flaky and light otherwise it will scratch your skin. Then mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until it resembles a paste and enjoy.
Benefits:
Oatmeal helps with oily skin since it’s absorbs excess oil. It’s also highly recommended for sensitive skin. Aloe vera gel is gentle and soothing on skin. Brown sugar is a perfect exfoliant, it’s not too harsh on the skin, gentle and easily sloughs off dead skin cells. It smells great, warms the skin and leaves it smooth.
Helpful Tip:
Feel free to add coffee to this scrub, it’s true java helps treat and prevent cellulite. Coffee increases the circulation of underlying skin layers and distributes clusters of fat.
Ooo honey, honey! Body Scrub
You’ll need
3/4 cup honey
1 cup sugar (feel free to use brown or regular)
1 cup sea salt or Kosher salt
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
1 tablespoon oil of your choice (vanilla, orange, etc.)
What to do:
Mix the dry ingredients first. Add oil and mix until you get a paste-like texture. Easy enough!
Benefits:
Honey works excellent as a strong antibacterial agent.
Coo coo for Cocoa! Body Scrub
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla oil
Olive oil as needed
What to do:
Mix all of the ingredients, except for olive oil. Start gradually adding olive oil until you get a paste-like mixture.
Benefits:
Chocolate is very rejuvenating for the skin. It naturally moisturizes and great for cell renewal.
So sit back, relax and get scrubbing!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them. ~Sylvia Plath
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Fore!: Newbie Golfing Lingo
Birdie. Eagle. Bogey. Tee Box. Par. Whaaaaaa!?!
When it comes to golf I am clueless, but when I got an early birthday gift of the cutest pink polka dot and gray golf clubs I knew I had to tee off.
But, where to start? The closest I ever got to a golf course was one with neon balls, gaudy statues, waterfalls, astroturf and a trusty putt putt!
After my very first visit to a real-live golf course, I’ve decided it’s time to brush up on not only my golf techniques but golf lingo.
Here goes…
Divot: Grass turf displaced by the head of your club during a swing. This is a term I got to know quite well!
Eagle: Score of two under par for a hole. For example, if you are on a Par 5 hole and get the ball in the hole after only three tries you rock and just got an eagle!
Fairway: The short grass surface running from tee to green.
Fore!: Be sure to shout this when your ball is headed toward another player.
Triple bogey: Three over par on one hole. Not good.
Birdie: A score of one less than par for any hole.
Par: The number of strokes in which a golfer is expected to complete a hole on a golf course. Each hole on every golf course has a par (between 3-5).
Tee Markers: The indicators placed on every hole to designate the area from which the first shot on that hole must be taken. Usually found in pairs of matching colours–for example red for women, white for advanced, blue for seniors, etc.
FYI Golfing typically burns 350 calories if you skip the golf cart, carry your clubs and walk the course. So hit the fairway and brush up on your lingo!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Golf is so popular simply because it is the best game in the world at which to be bad. ~A.A. Milne
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Beauty Buff: After Workout Glow
It’s no secret that when you feel good about yourself, you will have a great workout and vice versa. Even experts theorize that wearing makeup improves your overall confidence, which ultimately leads to better posture and balance. According to Self Magazine, a report by L’Oreal Research in Paris revealed that women over 60 who use various types of cosmetics every day have better stability than those who pass on primping.
Now ladies that doesn’t mean cake your face with makeup before a long run, or hop in the pool with mascara loaded eyelashes. That is unless you prefer the clown or raccoon look.
Here are some simple primping tips that will leave you with a simple, classic and chic after workout glow.
Quality Face Time:
Make sure before you apply any makeup you always wash your face, try a pore cleansing face wash like Bliss Pore Perfecting Facial Polish. This comes in handy after a long, hard, grueling workout.
Moisturizer is key to helping you keep a perfect natural glow without too much makeup. My everyday favorite is Clinique’s Moisture Sheer Tint. Not only does it provide SPF 15, it has great coverage for that desired natural look.
Bronzer is essential in creating the no make-up look, but it must be done effectively. Or if you prefer, apply a blush that is a rose color, or mauves. All of these colors are guaranteed to help your complexion pop with freshness! Apply the blush or bronzer on the apples of your cheeks, the bottom of your chin, a little dab on your nose and a swipe on your forehead. This will give your face the look of natural color that isn’t overdone. Remember, less is more. I love Benefit Cosmetic’s bronzer and benetint! Both are easy to find at your nearest Ulta Beauty.
Eye Caramba!
Always try to go light and try to choose neutral colors such as browns and sand colors, olive colors work great too! Use the darkest colors in the crease of your eyelid and blend upwards towards your brow. Apply a hint of Vaseline to your eyelids and rub it in to make your eye make-up look very natural. Covergirl always has great, cheap options and can be conveniently found at any drugstore, superstore or grocery store.
Skip the eyeliner and stick with an eyelash curler. Then apply mascara (preferably waterproof), like Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Waterproof Mascara.
Pucker Up!
Last but not least, your lips! I prefer the no-lipstick look and apply everyday ChapStick, it’s simple and safe with SPF 15. If I am going out for a night on the town I step it up to lip gloss. Just because you aren’t in junior high anymore doesn’t mean you have outgrown Lip Smackers amazing scents and flavors.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Kiss and make up–but too much makeup has ruined many a kiss. ~Mae West
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Newbie News: Triathlon Tips
The ultimate test for an athlete, the triathlon. An intense combination of swimming, biking and running lead to the ultimate accomplishment.
It’s an accomplishment that someday I would like to tackle and conquer. It’s this reason why I recently attended a triathlon training seminar at Fleet Feet Sports in Chicago.
It was a very informative seminar and as I looked around the room I saw several others with curiosity, nerves and sheer determination on their faces. We covered everything from do I apply sunscreen before or after I put on my wetsuit? Do I need a wetsuit? What should I wear–tri-racesuit or swimsuit or sports bra? Can I run with an iPod? How do I attach my time chip? How long do I have to tread water before we actually take off? How do I remember where my bike is in transition?
Here’s what I learned:
#1: It’s very important to be prepared. If you rush to the race and aren’t prepared, chances are it will be evident in your overall performance.
#2: Pack a backpack the night before the triathlon. Here’s a checklist we were provided at the seminar..
RACE:
- tri-short/jersey or tri-racesuit
- race belt/number (you can purchase a race belt that securely holds your race number, so you won’t end up wasting valuable time with safety pins, etc.)
- chip strap (you can purchase this at any athletic store, it simply and comfortably goes around your ankle–most races provide zip ties that can be very uncomfortable)
SWIM:
- Wetsuit
- Goggles (always make sure to have an extra pair on hand, sometimes your nerves will have you adjusting and readjusting your goggles causing a snap–better to have backup just in case)
- Swimcap
BIKE:
- Bike (duh!–make sure to pump your tires that morning)
- Bike Shoes
- Bike Gloves
- Helmet (most triathlons with provide labels to attach to your helmet so you can match your race number to your gear)
- Sunglasses
- Water bottles (Professional triathletes like to run with water bottles in hand, it helps them pay attention to their swing and the rhythm of the water swooshing helps with keeping pace)
- Nutrition Bars and Gels (Clif Shot Bloks apparently taste like gummy bears and provide that extra yummy factor to help you go the distance)
- Spare Inner Tube or Tubular Tire (if you have a flat you might end up waiting forever to get it fixed, to save time do it yourself!)
- Spare CO2 Cartridges
RUN:
- Running Shoes
- Hat or Visor (keep the sweat out of your eyes)
- Nutrition Gels
TRANSITION:
- Towel (to stand on)
- Water Bottle (to wash off sand)
- Body Glide (sounds funny I know, but it helps slip that wetsuit on and off which helps if you are in a time crunch)
- Lip Balm
- Sunscreen
- Floor Pump
- Backpack with Wet Storage
- Post Race Clothes and Sandals (sometimes you won’t be able to get your gear immediately after the race–keep that in mind to make sure you have everything you need to hold you over in the meantime)
#3: If you are concerned you can’t buy a pricey wetsuit of your own, don’t worry most races allow you to rent a wetsuit for the race.
#4: Make sure to set up your transition area to be as organized as possible, think office cubicle!
#5: Try not to run with an iPod, it can be very dangerous. Try the water bottle trick I mentioned above to help your run.
#6: Always, always wear sunscreen. Get a very strong athletic brand, we’re not talking Banana Boat here.
#7: There will be many bikes in transition and you don’t want to wander around endlessly during transition, try to mark your bike and transition area. Tie a bright t-shirt around your rack, some people even mark their trail with baby powder and balloons!
#8: Don’t bring expensive bike computers, it may help your ride but is so easy to lose and has a high risk of getting stolen.
#9: Don’t be the last person to grab your bike, otherwise somebody else might grab your nice ride!
#10: Smile and have fun! You can do this!!!
Here is a great site I found that has some helpful stories from newbie triathletes.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
The only one who can tell you “you can’t” is you. And you don’t have to listen. ~Nike
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