Monique's Life #6 - Baseball Game

One of my dad's clients gave him tickets to yesterday's Yankees game against the Toronto Bluejays. So my parents and I made the trek to the Bronx to watch the game. If anyone has been to Yankee Stadium, you know the prices of everything are crazy over-priced. From food to souvenirs, it can really add up. So here are some things I learned yesterday that I hope you can learn from or find entertaining:

• Public transportation: From where I live, we have to cross the GWB ($13.00 toll) and then parking is around $30.00 or $40.00. So we took the bus into Manhattan and then the subway into the Bronx, which for three people in total was about $25.00. (My mom works in the city so she had cheaper bus passes!)
• Even though public transportation takes longer, it is DEFINITELY cheaper and you won't get stuck in car traffic over the bridge (if you're from the area, you know how bad it is).
• You can only bring in unopened bottles of non-alcoholic drinks. So repeat after me: DO NOT BUY BOTTLES OF WATER FOR $5.00. Such a waste!
• I'm not sure if there's any way to avoid the majorly over-priced food because A.) I love the food at baseball games and B.) ya gotta eat! But at least you'll have water! ^^^ (:

Enjoy the game!!

xx,

Monique

Tiny Tip #5 - Coupons Fa' Days

The hype surrounding coupons has definitely grown over the past few years. With blogs and reality TV shows, coupons have become quite the hype. I do think that with all this buzz, coupons can seem intimidating and overwhelming. But for me, I'm not aiming do save thousands or pay $6.00 for a week's worth of groceries. I just wanna shave off a few bucks wherever I can. As college kids or post-college "adults", couponing can seem way too time consuming to even attempt.

Here are a few tips that I find are quick and easy ways to save $$$:

• Sign up for your local supermarket or convenient store rewards program. - They give points that add up, discounts for just being a member, and special coupons.
• Just don't sign up for too many or it could get out of hand!
• Create an account on P&G Everyday's website; they offer so many new coupons you can print out each week for major brands like Tide, Old Spice, Scope, Crest, Olay, etc.
• Stack coupons: this means you can use store coupons and brand/manufacturers coupons at the same time!
• Bed, Bath, & Beyond will accept their store coupons no matter how expired they are so you can save them for more expensive purchases.
• If you have a CVS Extra Care card, you can send coupons to your card so you don't have to worry about printing them out.

Comment below if you have any couponing tips!

xx,

Monique

Monique's Life #5 - Atlantic City

My boyfriend and I were lucky enough to go to Atlantic City for his 21st birthday. It was so much fun. But let me warn you.. NOTHING is cheap down there. Every restaurant and bar jacks up prices because they know people will still dish out the cash to have a fun experience. This can be detrimental to your wallet as a young adult from the temptation of drinking the night away to going on a shopping spree at the outlets the next day.

Thankfully, his mom found a deal on LivingSocial.com, which included the incredible room (with a view of the water), a dinner at Bobby Flay Steak House, and a comedy show.

I've been to AC twice: this occasion and my friend's 21st celebration, and seriously guys.. use sites like Living Social or Groupon.com because my money disappeared the other time I went.

Another tip is bring your own alcohol to have before you go out because there is no drink below $8.00.

xx,

Monique

P.S. Don't let the gambling suck you down the rabbit hole! Quit while you're ahead.

Tiny Tip #4 - Everyone Loves Free Stuff

I recently found this awesome website FreebieFrenzy.com. It posts daily on current free samples and giveaways.This is a cool way to try out product or win amazing (expensive) products.

I know there's a lot of sites like this one out there, but this is one that I've found to be legit. It just has links to the actual sites of the samples and giveaways.

I've already ordered a ton of free samples, and now I'm just waiting for them to arrive since sending out free products isn't most companies' first priority. 

This is an amazing way to pinch a few pennies while trying out products before you waste money on some that you may not like.

Will do an update once I get my first sample!

xx,

Monique

Monique's Life #4 - Wedding Style

This past weekend, I attended a wedding with my boyfriend and his family. Now, when I was planning for this event, I basically made a checklist that definitely could have put me into a serious $$$ hole.

The checklist went something like this:

1. Dress(es) = $60 (each)
2. Jewelry = $40
3. Shoes = $100
4. Hair = $25
5. Makeup = $20
6. Nails = $30

This rough estimate is $275 that I'd be spending on one, yes, ONE DAY. Outrageous if you ask me, and that's saying something because I am an ultimate girly girl who loves this kind of stuff.

Here's what I did to save some major cash. I borrowed a dress for the church ceremony from my friend Catherine and wore a dress I ordered on sale (50% off!!) from tobi.com for sorority recruitment to the reception! I borrow my favorite diamond ring of my mom's and my necklace and bracelet I already had. I wore my favorite nude heels, which went with both dresses. I did my own hair and makeup with everything I already had being the girly girl I am. I was planning on doing my nails, but my boyfriend's mom treated me to a mani/pedi! (:

So there is proof that you don't need to spend a lot of money when you're going to a wedding. My number own tip is ask around for outfits that friends already have, it's easy and simple and hassle-free!

xx,

Monique

Sale Alert!

So just like my last post, Urban Outfitters is having a huge sale! They are offering an extra 50% off ALL sale items in store. Now, I'm a person who basically only shops in the sale section at Urban due to the store over-pricing everything, so I fully encourage visiting an Urban Outfitters near you to take advantage of this deal while it last. It ends on July 9th so you have exactly one week!

Happy shopping!

xx,

Monique

Sale Alert!

Kate Spade is offering an extra 25% off of ALL sale items. The code to use at checkout is MORESALE. This deal ends on July 7th so while it may seem like to have some time to debate a purchase, I suggest doing it fast before all the good stuff is gone. A splurge like Kate Spade will feel much better knowing you got an awesome deal.

I'm going to Aruba in August and have a long list of travel essentials I need to buy. One of the most important is a big makeup/skin care bag to put in my suitcase. So this baby might just end up in my possession soon..

Happy shopping!!

xx, 

Monique

Internet Gold #2 - Financial Empowerment

That's a pretty intimidating phrase.. or at least it is to me. This Refinery29 article gives A LOT of great tips to become more aware of what's happening to your money and ways to increase your income.

Now with everything else I put on this blog, definitely edit advice and tips to your own life. Never feel like you have to follow them down to a T.. that will most likely end up in disaster or at least a bit of failure attitude.

My favorite tip from this article is "Look Where You Want to Go" aka SET GOALS!! For me, that's not having to rely on my parents to support me after college or being able to rent an apartment soon after college (I have a lot of goals, call me an optimist).

xx,

Monique

Internet Gold #1 - New Place?

As a Marketing major and PR minor, I spend A LOT of time online, whether it be for school, work, or relaxing at home. So naturally, I come across some pretty cool stuff.

During college and right after college can involve a lot of moving. This article I found shows ways to optimize your smaller space since at this point, many of us can't afford a mansion. It shows furniture that you can buy now. Whether the exact item is in your price range, now you have an example of what kind of furniture and pieces will make your new place look its best. If these pieces are too expensive, you can look for dupes at Ikea or Bob's Discount Furniture (which is one of my favorites!).

Click the picture for the full article!

xx,

Monique

Monique's Life #3 - Swap!

My friends and I are currently in the process of organizing a swap! Personally, I'm really excited. We've decided that this swap can include almost anything that anyone doesn't want to keep.

• Clothes
• Accessories
• Makeup
• Skincare
• Perfume
• .. Literally anything

Here's the thing though.. There has to be rules for this to work efficiently. (And to prevent arguments, haha.)

These are the ones we came up with:

1. Everyone has to bring stuff! (aka no mooching)
2. No single person can "claim" or "put dibs on" items. (fair trading)
3. Items have to be in good condition! (no 95% empty bottles of lotion or your oldest, most worn out pair of jeans)

Comment below with any rules you'd add! I'll most likely do a follow-up post after we do the swap!!

xx,
Monique

Tiny Tip #3 - Online Shopping

Online shopping can be addicting. I mean who doesn't want to get new, exciting stuff delivered to your door without spending hours aimlessly walking around the mall? Or you're in a pinch and need something right away but don't have any time to run to the store? I get it. I completely understand having a serious shopping problem myself.

But I cannot stand paying for shipping. That's why if I order online, I will buy enough to meet the minimum dollar amount for free shipping (if it's within reason). Or I will look for what I want on another website that offers free shipping year round.

Here are a few with free shipping/returns all year round:

Nordstrom
Tobi
MAC Cosmetics
Zappos

** Will update this list if I come across anymore.

xx,
Monique

Monique's Life #2 - Lunch Time in the Real World

I am currently doing my second internship (unpaid), and during both of my internships, I found that bringing lunch is way more affordable (and healthy). At my last internship, I worked 5 days a week, but at my current one, I only work 2 days a week (because it's unpaid). That's a lot of meals to plan. I usually make mine the Sunday before or the night before work, which lets me sleep in. I've found that buying groceries is so much cheaper than going out on my lunch break to pick up something. Going out to lunch averages around $10.00 each time, while packing lunch averages around $5.00 for me. You can buy from any supermarket or in bulk from CostCo or BJ's. Dinner leftovers are excellent to bring to work as well.

Here are a few of my favorite packed lunches!

• Turkey burger with avocado & lettuce on whole wheat bread
• Quinoa (which is sort of like rice but healthier) with cherry tomatoes, spinach, avocado & a pinch of salt
• Mixed greens salad with walnuts, apple chunks, dried cranberries, goat cheese or feta and balsamic vinaigrette on the side
• Grilled chicken can be added to any kind of salad to make it more filling

And can't forget about the snacks!

• Cashews
• Grapes
• Blackberries
• Cheezits (my personal favorite)
• Pretzel Goldfish

In need of different and easy food to make? I love YouTube for finding anything, and I love this channel, Sorted Food. They provide funny videos where they create an endless amount of recipes that anyone can make. I highly suggest browsing through their videos for some inspiration if you think making your lunches might be to hard or boring. And you can always tailor the recipe to satisfy your taste buds, wallet, or time crunch.

P.S. Always pack a super large bottle of water to keep hydrated!!

xx,

Monique

Tiny Tip #2 - Selling Textbooks

Colleges everywhere will hate me for saying this, but under no circumstances should you sell your textbooks back to the school bookstore! From my experience, you can ALWAYS make more by selling to websites. They'll pay for shipping and you can use the box it came in or find packaging around your house. If you don't have anything, I usually get a package from the UPS store for around 2 dollars.

Personally, I prefer to sell to people I know who need textbooks I already used. It's easier and faster. For example, My friend Maura and I just so happened to both have books that the other needed for the semester. They didn't cost the same exact amount, but they were close enough, so we just traded! No bargaining, no hassle. Always ask around for textbooks or if you have a class Facebook group, scroll and check in there. It'll definitely be worth doing some extra research!

Summer is the perfect time to ask around and see what websites will give you the most money back.

My favorite sites:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Chegg

xx,
Monique

Monique's Life #1 - Out With Friends

Some of my friends have more money to spend than I do or they spend the money they have more freely. I know that I can't spend my money however I want. For me, I used to think I had to spend money to hang out, you know, go out to eat, get ice cream, go to the movies, etc. But I guess growing up taught me that this is definitely not the case.

There's this thing called FOMO. If some of you haven't heard of it, here's a definition from the always educating, UrbanDictionary.com:

Don't stress and definitely don't feel like you have to give into FOMO! There will always be other times to hang out. Or you could suggest doing something that's free. A movie night at someone's house (everyone can bring a snack from their house). Going hiking. Play board games or video games. Go outside and play a fun game of any sport or make one up. Seriously, there's an endless list. Be creative!

xx,
Monique

Tiny Tip (That Adds Up) #1 - Coffee Addiction

Think about how much money you're spending on a drink. 2 bucks? 4 bucks? Not a lot right? Think again.

Here's a little story:

I have a friend who is a nursing student. Very serious (and long) days. Every single day of the week, she would buy 2 medium iced coffees from Dunkin Donuts.

Let's do some math:

$2.49 per coffee x 2 = $4.98

4.98 x 7 days = $34.86

For just the school year:

approx. 30 weeks x $34.86 = $1045.80

Imagine doing this for the whole year:

52 weeks x $34.86 = $1812.72

Now obviously, not everyone buys two coffees a day, but just look at how $2.49 can really add up. My tip is just to cut back on the coffee, or whatever your favorite drink may be, whenever you can. I don't even want to think about how much money people' could spend at Starbucks!

You can apply this to buying anything really, it all adds up!

xx,
Monique