WAYS YOU SHOULD BE SAVING MONEY AT TARGET

This is not a sponsored post. I am just a Target junky, and college student on a budget. So, I love to save a buck whenever possible, and I wanted to share some ways that I have been saving.

1. Target REDcard

I don't know why I didn't get this sooner. I got the debit card, so whenever I use my REDcard, it comes right out of my checking account, and I automatically save 5% by using this card. I got it a couple of months ago, and I have already saved more than $25.

2. The cartwheel app

This is one that I occasionally forget about, especially if I am in a rush. But it is definitely worth it to take the time to use it. Even though the deals might seem small, it adds up, and it is so easy! If you already have an idea of what you will be buying before you go to the store, take a few minutes and look through the deals. While you are in the store, you can also scan products, and it will show you if there is a deal and recommend similar products with deals if there isn't.

3. Personalized Coupons

You know those coupons that they usually hand you with your receipt? How often do you actually use them? I can't tell you how many times I have set them on my counter with the intention to stick them in my purse by the next time I go back, and then they sit there until after they are expired. One solution is to pull them out, and find a place that you would have a better chance of remembering them. For example, you could keep them in your car so that they will always be with you on your trip to the store.

4. Pay attention to deals and how long they run

Sometimes I will go to the store with the intention of buying one thing, but I will decide on something else because it is on sale or they are running a promotion on it. Other times I will take a closer look at the sale tag to see how long the deal is running. If the deal will still be available next week, I might hold off and plan to take advantage of it later.

On my last trip to Target I saved $7.94 between taking advantage of sales, using the Cartwheel app and paying with my REDcard. That is almost $8 that can go to other expenses--or justifying the money I spent going out to dinner with a friend the other night. Saving money can take a little extra time, but think about how much time it takes to earn the money that you could be saving! It is definitely worth taking a few extra steps to save your cash. I promise your checking account will thank you.

How do you save money while shopping?

FRIDAY FASHION FAVORITES

Confession: I love dresses. All kinds. One of my favorite parts of summer is being able to wear dresses pretty much whenever I feel like it. On the crazy hot days that I still have to dress nice for work, I feel bad for the guys in slacks and button ups, because wearing a dress makes it much more bearable. 

Unfortunately, it's hard to find an occasion to wear a fancier dress sometimes. I haven't been to many weddings or anything. I never did go to prom. And usually it's more appropriate to wear jeans and cute top than a classy dress when hanging out with my friends. 

For now, I'll just keep browsing Aisle Style's website, waiting for the perfect event to wear a fancy dress to come along. 

Here are some of my favorites this week: 

Wedding Dresses

I think it's pretty much protocol to have a Wedding Pinterest board these days, isn't it? Even though a wedding is something I won't be planning for a long, long time, I still like browsing dresses and decorations. This dress is absolutely gorgeous. I've known for a while that I don't want anything to lavish. This one is simple and elegant, and I love the part over her shoulders. Aisle Style has so many beautiful wedding dresses. 

Cocktail Dresses

Can one ever own enough cocktail dresses? I like this one, because it adds a little flavor to the classic LBD. The lace and one shoulder definitely spice it up. 

Prom Dresses

Like I said, I never actually went to prom, but I always loved looking at prom dresses! Every once in a while, I will regret turning down my offer to prom Senior year, but mostly because I just wanted an excuse to wear a pretty dress. If I had gone, I would have been really tempted by a red dress like this one. I think there is something so fierce about red dresses, so this one definitely caught my eye. 

What are some of your Friday favorites?

*This post has been sponsored by Aisle Style, but all of the opinions within it are my own.

12 STAGES OF POSTING ON INSTAGRAM

Is an Instagram really ever instant anymore? You know that whatever you are seeing was carefully chosen and selected from a larger body of pictures taken trying to get the perfect angle. So why do you go through all of this? 

Since I have been taking part in Helene In Between's July Instagram challenge, I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about my Instagram strategy this month. It has been so much fun finding new bloggers through Instagram and seeing how creative everyone can get! But boy is it a lot of work to get a good Insta. And then once you post it, you get all self-conscious. Will this one be popular? Why did I get so many likes on this one and barely any on this one? 

Here's what we do when we "do it for the Insta": 

Stage 1. Take anywhere between 5 and 50 shots until you get it right.

Stage 2. Crop appropriately to leave out any imperfections. 

Stage 3. Likely adjust in some other app first (VSCOcam, Afterlight, etc.)

Stage 4. Alter until it is just how you want it, and then scroll through the filters to see if it could look any better. Is the vignette too much? 

Stage 5. To add a photo map or not? Real location or spice it up? 

Stage 6. Does anyone need to be tagged? Should I post it to other social media? 

Stage 7. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO CAPTION THIS? *Think about caption for a ridiculous amount of time.* Maybe I should text someone to get their opinion on this...

Stage 8. I don't think I'm going to post it.

Stage 9. It probably wouldn't even get that many likes anyway.

Stage 10. Should I have chosen a different shot?

Stage 11. Oh what the heck, I'm just going to post it. I have already spent an embarrassing amount of time on this.

Stage 12. Wait for the likes to roll in.

What do you do for the Insta? Did I miss aything?

P.S. You can find the July Instagram challenge with the #31PhotosInBetween! Come join the madness before it's too late!

HOW ALMOST FAINTING TURNED INTO MEETING MAT KEARNEY

So, I know what you're thinking. The fainting is supposed to come after an encounter with one of the coolest people on the planet, isn't it? However, almost passing out had nothing to do with being starstruck.

Here, I'll set the scene:

It's our fourth year of going to Basilica Block Party hosted by Cities 97, and we are beyond pumped. Per usual, the July heat leads us straight to the food ticket booth so that we can stay hydrated. We get a piece of pizza and some drinks, run into some old high school friends, and walk around to check out the different stages. We're looking at the schedule deciding who we want to see most and when. Ultimately, we decide on first seeing Mat Kearney, staying a bit for O.A.R., and then heading to catch the tail end of Weezer.

Lauren, Shelby, and Me

So we end up getting pretty decent spots for Mat Kearney. We get there a little bit early and listen to whoever was on before him, while more and more people pile in around us. Before we know it, we are belting out songs like "She's Got the Honey" and "Ships in the Night." Mat is absolutely killing it. And it has already made the books as one of the best nights as Basilica.  

Eventually, Mat sings his final song and crowd shows their approval with an appropriate amount of whoops and hollers. And then it's over. The temperature is hovering somewhere around uncomfortably hot, and being in a massive crowd of people is not making it any better. We gaze longingly at blue guitar shaped fans that the people next to us were using to cool themselves off. Meanwhile, the people on the other side of us decided it would be a good idea to start elbowing people around them to box them out and have plenty of space (this is a game plan they decided to make out loud as we gave them dirty side glances for being rude concert go-ers*). But you have to make sacrifices. As people ran off in sight of food and hydration after Mat Kearney, we moved even closer, so that there was only a few people between us and the stage. 

Finally, O.A.R. takes the stage with "Love and Memories" and a few other opening songs that I don't really recognize. My friends decide that they want to hear "Peace" and "Heaven." Everything is going great. Again, we are singing and dancing, enjoying a view we rarely get close enough for. A few songs in "Heaven" came on, and we were all excited to hear it. Then out of nowhere, I feel like I am going to see my pizza again. I turned to my friend Shelby, and I was like "I have to get of here, but you guys stay. I'll be just fine." Clearly, they could see on my face that I was not going to be fine, and they followed my out of the crowd like the awesome friends they are. 

As I am pushing through this massive hoard of people, I can barely see where I am going. I'm seeing spots, and I can't figure out how I am actually still standing. Just when I think I am at the edge of the crowd, I feel a fence, and I look up to see I had reached a fenced in grass area surrounded my people. At this point, standing is barely an option, and I drop to the ground gripping the poles of the fence. I vaguely recall some women standing above me saying (read in snotty voice), "If she's going to throw up, will you please move her?" to my friends. 

I know that I have to make it out of the crowd, and continue to push to edge of the crowd. I sat with my head in my knees right next to the fence that marks the boundaries of the concert area, as one of my friends went to get my water. And this is when it happened: I don't remember exactly what Lauren said, but it was something like "Is that Mat Kearney? Yeah, that's totally him right there." So we all look over, and sure enough he's standing only yards away from us on the other side of the fence. We watched as he talked to Cities 97 people, until some girl manages to get his attention and was taking a picture with him. I quickly assure my friends that I am good enough to get up and that we have to get a picture. 

First Lauren managed to get a quick selfie with him, and when Shelby and I caught up, I asked him if it would be okay if we got one with him, too. I SAID WORDS TO MAT KEARNEY (I know that is the least eloquent way to put that, but that describes my mental state at this point). And then we snapped this awesome picture, which I am still a little disappointed isn't the best quality, but still. I have a picture with Mat Kearney now. Shelby kept saying that she was really sorry I had to get sick, but she was really glad that I did, because otherwise we would have never met him. And I agreed. 

In reality, this probably occurred from being super dehydrated since it was so hot out, and I had barely had anything to eat or drink that day, since I took a 5 hour bus ride back into town that day. However, I would still like to think that it was meant to be so we could meet Mat. 

Cheers to more years of Basilica Block Party ahead!

Have you had any unexpectedly amazing concert experiences?

*It was at this time that I decided my blog post about Basilica would be on concert etiquette. But meeting Mat Kearney was way cooler. So the date on that blog post is TBD.
(Also, shout out to Becky. We wish you could have been there to experience this one with with us. But I still plan on photoshopping you in on this pictures.)

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A BIG AGE GAP BETWEEN SIBLINGS

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore my little sister. Of course I love my other siblings and the rest of my family. But not much compares to the special bond that I have formed with this sweet little girl, and I think our 15-year age difference has made us even closer. 

We are less likely to fight. 

First of all there are a lot of things that we don't have to worry about fighting over. We can't steal each other's clothes, friends, or boyfriends. She has pretended to steal one of my shirts before, though. I almost let her keep it, because it was so adorable for her to even try to pull that. Every once in a while she will try to pick a fight, but it usually just consists of her telling Mom that I am a "meanie" because I would do something like get her ice cream at that very second. 

I get a mini-me. 

Today I pulled out my computer to work on blog stuff while we were watching TV. Before I knew it, she was plopped down next to me with her toy computer. She put her tiny hand on my knee, and even said, "I'm copying you." They say mimicry is the highest form of flattery, don't they? She kept stealing glances at me to see how I had changed my posture, and she would laugh every time I did--even if what I was laughing about when right over her head. It's a pretty incredible thing influencing a kid this way. It makes you feel pretty special. 

Childhood basically never ends.

So maybe playing toys isn't exactly my idea of a good time. But seeing the light in her eyes when we do play is definitely worth it. My favorite is when she starts to imitate things that she has obviously heard an adult say before. Even when she was two-years-old she would say things playing with dolls that I had heard my mom say to her before. It's so cute to see what really sticks with them and how they re-use it in their own way. Plus, having a little sister means I have an excuse to watch the movies and TV shows that I grew up on again. Someone at work once pointed out that every time we were talking about Spongebob I would always say, "I was watching this one with my little sister, and ..." So what if that little yellow sponge still cracks me up? It's great bonding time with sister. 

It makes me realize I don't want my own children for a very long time. 

I don't understand how people my age have babies--I mean I get how it happens. Obviously the stork got lost on his way to a nice older married couples house. But really, I am so far from being ready to take care of a baby, and having a little sister at this age has been so eye-opening to really how much of a responsibility a child is. As much fun as my little sister is, she whines, cries, and pleads for constant attention--and toys! I could not handle a child right now. I have a hard enough time stressing over things like study abroad and what color I should paint my nails next. Thank God for my little sister. 

She made my dreams come true. 

B.S. (Before Sydney), I prayed for a little sister for years. I cried both times my parents told me that I was going to have a brother. I spent countless hours trying to persuade them to try again or adopt me a sister. Once I even asked my mom if she was lying to me all these years, hoping that I had a twin that they had to give away for mysterious reasons. I would dream about what my little sister would be like, resenting my brothers for their gender, because I so hopelessly wanted a little sister.  I even tried to dress them up as a girls a few times. When my mom first found out she was having another baby, I was furious. I was fourteen, and I knew our lives would change forever. I told her that if it was another boy, I was moving out*. But finding out she was a girl was one of the best days of my life. Since then, some of my best memories of her include the first time she told me that she loved me, and the time she told me that I was her best friend. 

1 year ago!

I love this little girl more than words can express. It has been such a privilege to watch her grow up, and change so much. I can't believe she is already 5-years-old--or that I have a sister that is 5-years-old. Happy birthday, little sis! (Even though she won't be able to read this for a few more years...) 

*Admittedly, that was a bit melodramatic. 

**The two in the picture above are not my only siblings! But that was one of the best recent pictures I could find demonstrating the age gaps. 

What kind of relationship do you have with your siblings? 

11 THOUGHTS WE ALL HAVE WHILE ON PINTEREST

Anyone else lose time on Pinterest? I know I can't be the only one. It is so easy to hop on there and just keep scrolling.

1. DIY? I could do that. Easy.

2. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to look like that. Maybe I should try again.

3. How does anyone's home look like that?


4. I want to eat that.

>
5. And that. Who has time to make all of these recipe posts?


6. I need to stop pinning so many desserts.


7. That dress is so cute. Could I pull that off?

8. I want to pin everything! Will my followers be annoyed at me if I pin just one more thing?


9. Are people going to think I wrote that caption? Really, I'm just too lazy to change it.


10. Maybe I should get off Pinterest and do something productive.


11. Or maybe I could pin just one more thing...

Pinterest is pretty great though, right?

What else do you think about on Pinterest? 

TREATS TO STAY COOL IN THE SUMMER

It's like one day it was fine, and the next day it was unbearably hot. Welcome to July. Now is the time to keep the ovens off and crank the AC. But that doesn't mean your only option for a little treat has to be ice cream.

One of my favorite summer treats is popsicles. So today, I decided to make my own!

I always see Pinterest posts on making homemade popsicles, which I love, because you have so many options! It gives your more flexibility, especially if you are looking for a healthier treat. Today I made mine out of SLIMQUICK Pure Extra Strength Drink Mix. Unlike using something like Crystal Light, it is designed to address reasons we might have losing weight:

• It increases metabolism
• It reduces appetite
• It boosts energy
• It reduces excess water
• It supports hormones
• It reduces stress

The great thing is that it is made with natural ingredients, such antioxidants and BioPure Green Tea, and it is designed to help women lose weight three times faster than dieting alone.

Since this was my first time using the popsicle molds, some of the popsicle flooded out, as you might be able to tell in the picture. It also didn't help that our freezer is stuffed to the max. But it was such an easy to treat to make. 

It took about five minutes of preparation. The hard part can be waiting for it to freeze, so I did it the night before, and now they are ready to enjoy whenever I feel like it today. 

This is a great snack if you want something that tastes great and has health benefits, like boosting your metabolism. I think I might go eat one right now!

What are your favorite cold treats to make in the summer?

Use this coupon to save $5 off your own drink mix!

*This is a sponsored post, powered by BrandBacker, but all of the opinions in this post are my own.

A BAD CASE OF WANDERLUST

I love traveling. In an ideal world I would be able to spend a year just exploring. There are so many places I want to see and things that I want to do abroad. 

My freshman year the first project we had in my production class was making a TV poster with an idea of what your show would be about. I decided mine would be an ABC Family show about friends that went on a summer road trip before college that turned into so much more than they ever expected.

As someone who has a passion for television and telling stories, this was the perfect project for me. I won't go into specifics about the show--who knows, maybe one day I could be in a position to pitch this idea. It could happen!

Sometimes I wish it was more common to take a gap year between high school and college. One of my good friends visited Australia last winter break, and she said that a ton of people did that there. I think it would be such an amazing opportunity to learn more about the world. Perhaps, you might even learn something about yourself along the way. 

Now, the idea of traveling for an extended period of time in my life seems impossible, other than through study abroad, because right after college I'll have to find a job and start paying off student loans. But if you did it before college, you wouldn't have to worry about paying anything off. 

That list that I am holding in the top left corner is an actual list that I have been working on for years of all of the places that I want to visit in the world. I started it a couple of years ago with the hopes that one day I would find the time/resources to be able to visit these places. Since then, I have already been able to cross a couple of places off the list.

But it's not enough! Next spring I intend to study abroad in Europe, which may be just the cure I need for my wanderlust. I know it will never truly go away, but a girl needs to try to ease it, doesn't she?

Where do you want to travel?

Related: Why Spring Break in DC is Better than in PCB

14 THINGS TO THANK YOUR ROOMMATES FOR

One of the fun things about getting out of the dorms is that you have the opportunity to live with more of your friends. At first it seems like one big sleepover. Then, slowly you realize that having roommates is so much more than that. And there are so many things to thank your college roommates for.

Thank them for:

1. Listening to you vent.

2. Putting up with your weird habits.

3. Watching trashy reality shows with you.



4. Helping you decode/craft texts.

5. Staying up with you when you need some girl time.

6. Looking for your stuff when you are positive it is gone forever.


7. Telling you the truth whether or not something looks good.


8. Being genuinely excited for you when something good happens.



9. Ordering pizza with you, because sometimes you just need pizza.


10. Taking care of you when you've had a long night. 

11. Helping you move on from a relationship.

12. Understanding you when you have been at the library for 10 hours straight and can't think like a normal person.


13. Reminiscing on all the great times you have had together at any given time.


14. Not judging you when you make questionable decisions.

What would we do with out our roomies?

Why are you thankful for your roommates?