Friday Favorites - Links I Love

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  1. Like I think most women, I'm always trying to manage it all and be successful.  These are good tips on how successful women make the most of their time (everyone only gets 24 hours in a day) (businessinsider.com)
  2. Beautiful artwork and super cool speed painting videos (lovemaegan.com)
  3. Took some of these photos to my last hair dresser appointment, love the results. Great cut with movement but not in need of a lot of styling. (popsugar.com)
  4. White is so in as summer is upon us. But ever wonder what to wear underneath so you're not sharing too much?  Answers here (and usually you can't wear white under white.) (yahoo.com)
  5. For us very pale-faced people, an easy add to your morning face routine that will gradually give you a summer glow. (Sephora.com)
  6. Its 2015.  Its about time Barbie got with the program and diversified.  (cnn.com)
  7. Ok, this may seem like the weirdest, but after reading the article, I'm considering the face shaving. (Note, the image is deceptive. There is no shaving cream involved.)(popsugar.com)
  8. Always looking for décor tricks to take things up a notch.  14 tips for that here. (yahoo.com)
  9. In honor of Father's Day, a cute compilation video of dads who dominate at parenting. (youtube.com)
     

Spring Clean Your Money

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I confess up front: upon first glance this will not appear to be a sexy or entertaining post.  But it is something that will absolutely help everyone, I couldn't not share.  Sometimes we have to spend a little time dealing with the not fun things to get them in order so we can really enjoy the fun things.

Make the Most of Your Money

Finances.  Something we all have to deal with on a daily basis, but if you think about it, really something we never get formal training or guidance on.  Its the cause of many debates and issues in relationships, and can cause such stress and drama in life if not managed properly.  For something that basically dictates our lives, it doesn't seem the most sensible that we all pretty much wing it.  There are people out there that are educated in money management and financial planning, but those services themselves tend to cost and arm and a leg, and its the people who can't afford those services that really need them.  Enter LearnVest.

This is not a paid or sponsored post.  I have personally used this service and think it's great.  When I hear my friends stress or complain about being able to save and budget and get their finances in order,  I cannot stress enough that they should use this service.

LearnVest is quality financial planning for the 99%.  They say their primary clients are those that make between $30,000 and $250,000 annually.  Married or single, young or old.

Here's how it works:

Sign up on their website and create an account, and then complete your profile.  The more extensive and specific your profile, the better for you.  You want to list ALL your bank accounts, retirement accounts, credit cards, loans, rent, utilities, annual reoccurring expenses (memberships, subscriptions),  etc.  Think about what your financial goals are: retirement savings, buying a house, college savings, pay of debts, etc.  Be honest, and don't be embarrassed by your current financial state. (Odds are they've seen worse than you.)

After you've completed your profile, it gets submitted to one of their certified Financial Planners, and they will review on their end to get an overview of you and your situation, then a Strategy call is scheduled.  They are available 24/7 to work with the busiest schedules.  During this call your Planner will ask questions for clarity, and talk to you about your goals and money life, to find out exactly what it is you want to achieve.

A plan for your money is just a plan. A program is about putting that plan into action.

After this call, your Planner will take all the info and develop a course of action for you to achieve your financial goals. You will schedule another call, and they will show you the numbers (i.e., how much you will need to have in retirement by the time you retire, and how to save that much between now and then.) They will help you set a daily budget, and help guide you to the proper allocation of your money.  They will also tell you what kinds of legal documents (wills, power of attorney, health care directive, etc.) you should have, and what kind and how much insurances you should have (life, renters, etc.)

Additionally, their website contains resources and recommendations for providers.  And if you're the kind of person who benefits from being accountable to someone, then your Planner can regularly send you reminders and information to keep you on track.

The planning process and obtaining your customize financial plan is $299. But right now there is a coupon for $50 off (LETSGO). $249 for a complete financial plan is a steal!  Then if you need/want to retain On-Going support, you can sign up for $19/mo (can be cancelled at any time.)  I know if you live paycheck to paycheck that even $249 sounds like a lot, but they have payment plans, and if you invest this in yourself now, and then follow the advice you receive, you will not be hurting from this expense.  Things will only get better.

In really just a few hours you can get your entire financial situation straightened out and on track to you won't need to worry about your money anymore.  How can you not do this?

Progress doesn't happen overnight. But it can start today.
 

Thankful Thursday - It Takes a Community to Share the Love...

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Disclaimer: Sponsored post. Click here.

While we made a conscious decision to start our family, nothing fully prepares you for the reality of when your baby is born.  You'd think 9+ months of growing a human inside you would do something to help you prepare for the change your world is about to take, but really it doesn't.  Every security you had in life now feels uncertain when you have a new, helpless human being you are completely responsible for.  Life is full of unknowns, and factors we have no control over. And when its only you, or you and another adult partner, if bad things happen, it sucks, but you'll deal.  Once there is a baby in the picture, your decisions and their consequences no longer are just about you.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

We are very lucky that we have family (relatively) close, and good friends that would help us out if something dire or tragic ever happened.  But not everyone has that support system.  And then life happens and families find themselves in circumstances they never dreamed of, and parents are faced with the horrible nightmare of not being able to put a roof over their child's head.  Fortunately there are programs out there that try to help.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

Huggies, the diaper brand, has launched a "Spread the Love" campaign, using social media and the ever-favorite selfie to encourage people to nominate a community program that could benefit from a $2,000 donation from them.  Just upload a selfie of you and your little one to Instagram or Twitter, tag it with #UltraHug, and nominate your project of choice.  It can be a fundraiser for a specific event or effort, a non-profit, a school, a community park, playground or rec center, etc.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

I'm nominating Family Promise of Orange County.  This is a program that is designed to help those families that life has seriously challenged, to get back on their feet. They believe that no child should have to sleep in a car or under a bridge (I couldn't agree more), and that every family deserves a chance to be whole and have a roof over their head. Sometimes it takes a community to provide for a child; Family Promise is the community doing just that.  I can't think of a better way to spread the love than helping families in need.  If my family found itself in hopeless circumstances, I would be eternally grateful for a program like this one.

 
#ultrahug

#ultrahug

 

I know there are so many worthy projects and causes out there that could benefit from a little extra cash - take a minute to capture a moment with your little one, and nominate a worthy cause. Don't forget the tag: #UltraHug.

 

Web Wonders

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Ok, they may not be complete wonders, but here are some fun finds from the web this past week:

 
 
  1. Sometimes I feel like I have never fully recovered from pregnancy brain.  I'm going to have to start implementing some of these daily habits to make me smarter. (Mydomaine.com)
  2. There is such beauty and diversity in the world, even in just one family. This mother shares images she captured of her daughters. (Yahoo.com)
  3. Pet peeve of mine: badly hung wall art. Here's how to do it right in your space. (yahoo.com)
  4. I'm always on the hunt for small space storage ideas. These built-ins are harder to implement in a rental, but still some good ideas.  (apartmenttherapy.com)
  5. "My strong body image was a direct result of feeling validated by society."  An honest look at body image I could relate to. (huffingtonpost.com)
  6. Since it costs an arm and a leg just to get in, its good to know you can get some free stuff at Disneyland. I'm definitely asking for the map next time we go. (buzzfeed.com)
  7. If you're going to spend on pricey skin care products, be sure you are investing properly. (birchbox.com)
  8. Another life-hack that I'm a fan of: DIY/green ways to organize your life. (buzzfeed.com)
  9. Anthro does it again, though out of my price range so I'll just drool from here: I don't think you could feel anything but pretty in this dress. (anthropologie.com)

 

Insta Replay

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Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day holiday - let the summer begin!

Here's what went on on Instagram last week: