How to Afford More than Ramen When Going Back to Grad School

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with College Ave Student Loans and Her Campus Media. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm keeping it real and talking money today. In 2 months I'll be going back to graduate school for my Master's in Occupational Therapy.  Yes, I made the cut!, woop woop. I'm really excited about it all, but lately I've just been a bit stressed filling out tons and tons of paperwork.  

Going back to school while I'm still paying off undergraduate student loans is pretty daunting. 81% of students entering college understand the cost of education but still 80% of students don't have a plan to pay off student loan debt after graduation, which I understand. When I was an undergrad my dad cosigned my loans and helped me out with the paperwork.  Now the day of the month when both my rent and student loans come out of my paycheck is so sad, haha. 

Being on my own financially now has involved lots of time spent learning about loans. I  because amassing debt is scary. I wasn't completely sure how financial aid worked for graduate school, and the different types of loans and interest rates can be really confusing. 

Luckily my school has been really helpful and federal financial aid was enough. If not I was going to have to look for private loans, which can be really intimidating. One option to simplify loans is College Ave, an online marketplace with competitive rates, repayment options, and a mobile-friendly application that can give you a loan decision in less than three minutes.  You can use their tools to see if you pre-qualify and what your rates would be before you even apply for a loan. They have coverage for up to 100% of school-certified expenses with only a minimum loan amount of $2,000. 

Even though I didn't need their services, I really liked playing around on their loan calculator to clarify the total cost over the life of a loan and ways to save money by making payments during school or in fewer years afterwards.  

I need to be really conscious about my spending and managing my debt. It's amazing how in a blink of an eye you go from graduating college to being close to 30 and realizing you need to start creating actual savings accounts and retirement plans.  Yikes. 

Here's what I have been doing right now to try to save a few dollars. 

Because honestly I'm not 18 anymore and living off of pizza, mac and cheese, and ramen doesn't cut it! 

1. Budget 

It's really obvious, yet it's so easy to spend money when you are just swiping a credit card or online shopping.  I've used sites like Mint.com in the past, but now just make a rough pen and paper estimate for amounts to spend on specific categories each month.  I've got more responsibility now that I'm 27 and not 18, so I make sure my bills & school expenses are taken care of before anything else. 

2. Use Cash 

Recently, I've started taking out cash for the week for minor purchases like coffees or lunches because it's easier for me to stick to my budget. Also something about purchasing with physical cash makes me think twice about my spending. 

3. Discounts

Besides always asking if there are student discounts with my student ID,  I am always am on the lookout for coupons & discounts. Yep, I'm that girl in the grocery store flipping through her coupon folder as she shops. I always check for coupons on RetailMeNot and use Ebates for online shopping .  

Also my favorite place to buy textbooks online is BigWords. I found it halfway through my college and have used it ever since. You can see prices from online sellers and book rentals all in one place.  

4. Buy Only What You Need 

This one can be hard sometimes! I definitely need to prioritize my purchases, which means not being able to do each and every thing that sounds fun.  With more limited work hours and less income this becomes especially important. That means being conscious with my spending habits like only buying food I'll eat. More sticking to my shopping lists and less Whole Foods yolo purchases. 

5. Reused & Recycled

Besides always trying to be used textbooks and supplies I need for school, it's amazing what you can buy used.  People have so many things that there is always bound to be someone getting rid of just you need on Craiglist, eBay or at Goodwill.  I buy & sell clothes on consignment from apps like Poshmark (see my closet here) or places like Plato's Closet.  

If you are going back to school or are in school too, check out the #CollegeGoals Instagram scholarship challenge. Now through June 30, share your college goals for a chance to win prizes including a $5,000 scholarship and $50 Chegg textbook credits.  

Because who couldn't use a little extra money for school? 

What's your favorite tip for saving money? How did you save money in school? 

This was linked up with Weekend Snapshots.

5 Friday Favorites 6/19/15 feat. Magazines & Ice Cream

I'm so happy it's Friday as always. I know we're supposed to get some thunderstorms this weekend (boo), but I'll have my first official marathon training run tomorrow. I still am working on what exact plan I'm going to follow so I'll talk more about that once I've got it all figured out.  Other than that I've planned to spend time outside, hit up the FIT+ festival in Harbor East on Saturday, and go to the farmer's market.  

5 Friday Favorites

1. Women's Running Magazine Insta-Runners

In December I think I grabbed a subscription to Women's Running Magazine and have been a big fan ever since. Lots of really informative articles and a nice mix of information & fun. You can imagine my surprise when I opened up July's issue and saw MY Instagram photo sitting right there on the page. I literally screamed and my boyfriend thought something was seriously wrong. Nope, just run-nerding it out. 

I had gotten a comment on the photo to email it to the WR team but never heard anything after that. Even though they mis-spelled my username wrong, it's still awesome to see my face in the Insta-Runners section. 

2. Ice Cream Dates

So far I've had ice cream three times in a row this week, whoops. It's not my fault it's delicious. I started off Monday finally catching up with Sarah outside of working out and grabbing some Kilwin's ice cream for the first time in forever. I had a delicious caramel ripple cone and of course my staple, rainbow jimmies. 

3. Free Race Photos

Only smiling because I'm finished and can go grab some free wine

I really like the two free race photos I found from the ZOOMA Women's Race in Annapolis a few weeks ago.  I look happy and pretty great in both, minus the claw hand in my finish line photo above. 

 Last weekend's ODDyssey Half Marathon also had free race photos which I haven't looked at yet. I hope I don't look as awful as I feel-I remember trying to look happy when I saw cameras! For the price of registration, more races need to offer free photos! 

4. Brandon Flowers The Desired Effect album

I'm a Brandon Flowers fanatic-I just love him. My love started way back in high school when I first heard The Killers single Somebody Told Me for the first time. The Killers are probably the band I've seen live the most! Brandon Flowers's voice has only gotten better and his new album is fabulous. Great songwriting and story-telling with a touch of an 80s vibe. 

The song Lonely Town in particular has been on repeat ALL week. 

5. Ultimate Foam Rolling Guide for Runners from Run to the Finish

One of my favorite recent pins and blogs posts I've read is Amanda's Foam Rolling Guide. I love my foam roller, although I haven't been giving it much love at all lately. When I first started hearing about foam rolling and bought one I didn't really know what to do or how long to use it for. This article talks about what areas to roll, what types of foam rollers there are, and how to avoid over rolling. You only need 20-30 seconds per area! 

I'm also linking up with Clare, Jill,Katie,DC Trifecta and Heather. 

What song are you playing on repeat this week? Do you foam roll? 

Get Rid of the Workout Gear Stink {HEX Performance Detergent Review & Giveaway}

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by HEX Performance Products. I was provided complimentary product for review as well as compensation. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

This time of the year when the weather starts to get hot, humid, and sticky is when I particularly lament the fact that I do not have a washer/dryer right in my apartment building. My workout clothes get drenched with sweat so everything is usually worn once and tossed in the hamper. I can fill a hamper of stinky, sweaty clothes in my bedroom in record time. 
Oh yes, it smells fabulous if I let it sit any longer than week. 

While I have lots of workout clothes all in wicking & performance materials, I'm honestly bad about taking care of them. For the price tag of some of the performance clothes and gear I really should be taking better care of them. Everything gets thrown in the washer with my other wash and treated the same with my usual detergents and spin cycles. 

 I've been consciously trying to take better care of things and get rid of older items. I've realized that yes, things do lose some of the wicking and odor control after a while and that product care from brands such as Under Armour and Lululemon should maybe be followed.  

When I was asked to try out HEX Performance products, it seemed to be perfect timing. With marathon training starting next week I'll be constantly washing running shorts, tops,headbands and socks.

 Sometimes I'll wash apparel, especially shirts and armbands, that I've had for a while and notice that kind of funky smell just lingers no matter how well I wash it (spoiler: these products get rid of it, while saying gentle on the fabric and skin!) 

HEX Performance products are the first and only system specifically designed to clean and protect today's performance gear and apparel and was created by major league lacrosse player, Drew Westervelt.  I was sent the Power+ Laundry Detergent (48 oz. for $15.99 retail) and the Enhance+ Performance Booster (48 oz. for $13.99 retail).  

HEX Performance created this new formula of detergent to get rid of that sweaty odor that lingers in gear, no matter how many times you wash it.  Besides just cleaning, their system ensures performance apparel is protected with odor-fighting technology to protect against odors typically associated with bacteria (from all that sweat!) and restore fabric wickability. 

I like that they are free of dyes, perfumes, and optical brighteners. The Power+ Laundry Detergent is fragrance free so they created the Enhance+ Performance Booster in two scents to use with the detergent. It adds a fresh fragrance without compromising the fabric's performance. The smell of fresh laundry makes me happy! 

Drenched, smelly race clothes went immediately into the washer

This past weekend I even did a post-race load of sweaty, smelly running clothes and gear at my parents' house, and it took care of the odor and dirt no problem. It even made my tank top that was drenched in sweat from running for almost two hours in 81 degrees at 60% humidity smell fresh!

Overall: 

I was skeptical about having a separate detergent for my performance gear, but I really like the product and the idea behind it.

Getting more life out of my gear and not dealing with the smelly funk makes the price tag and extra care worth it. 

I hope with continued use on my gear and clothes, I'll get rid of that funkiness that sticks around for good and increase the lifespan of my gear! I'm happy to have found out about this product just in time to combat all that summer sweat. 

You can find HEX products in all Wegmans stores, other retailers near you , and online.  

Grab a coupon for their products here or enter below to win a coupon for a free HEX Performance product.
*Update: The giveaway intially was for coupons but due to some concerns, the 10 winners will now directly be sent a HEX product.

See Rafflecopter below to enter and see details-giveaway ends 6/24/15 at 12:00 AM. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Weekend-The Good, The Bad, The Ugly {MIMM}

This weekend was a mixed bag. I was kind of feeling in a funk from being in a weird mood, having a to-do list where 2 things are added every time I cross one thing off, and the weather. Today I'm ready to get things organized and have a fabulous week. 

Here's the good, the bad, and the ugly recap from the weekend.  I'm one of those people who likes to hear the good news last so we'll follow that pattern-luckily there were many marvelous parts!

The ugly: 

My race on Sunday was maybe my worst ever and some of the worst I've ever felt. More on that when my recap goes up. 

The humidity was also really ugly this weekend. 

The bad: 

Working late on a Friday. Seriously should be illegal!
That it's already Monday. 

Signing up to take out more student loans. (::sad trombone sound plays::)

That my stomach has been feeling crappy from all the food I gorged on this weekend. #carbcity

That I didn't get to spend more time with my family this weekend. 

Going to bed super late on Friday after one or four glasses of wine which lead to a lazy, foggy Saturday morning.

That I haven't decided on a marathon training plan yet and my training starts this weekend. Oops. 

The good: 

Wine with neighbors on a Friday night. 

Iced coffee in the summer. 

Philly soft pretzels and a cold beer in the shade after aforementioned crappy race. 



Homemade blueberry waffles and sausage for breakfast on Sunday.

Naps on the weekend. 

Cuddling with my cats at my parents' house. 

Finally getting to use my groupon for a gel manicure that I meant to use right before my birthday. Getting my nails done is so relaxing. My bubblegum pink nails make me really happy. 



Getting a gelati with my family in New Jersey. It's been forever and this one was amazing. Vanilla soft serve with honeydew water ice (that's what people from the Philly area call italian ice FYI.) The photo doesn't do it any justice. 

How was your weekend?  What was your favorite part? 

This post was linked up with Weekend Snapshots. 

Get Started with Juicing {LaurenLivesHealthy E-book Review}

Disclosure:  I received  a complimentary copy of the Juicing E-Book in exchange for sharing my thoughts on my blog to help spread the word for Lauren. As always, all thoughts & opinions are my own. 

I see a new smoothie or juice recipe somewhere everyday whether that be on a blog, on Facebook, in a magazine, or on TV.  People are all about fitting those vegetables and fruits in anyway they can! I am a big fan of smoothies and juices, especially now as the weather is warmer. 

In my own kitchen I usually whip up big smoothies in my NutriNinja. It's easy to throw in some protein powder, almond milk,frozen fruit, top it all off with greens and veggies and blend away (for example my Aloha Smoothie.) 

I messed around with a juicer once or twice, and the headache of trying to work then thing and then clean it afterwards was too much for me. These days I'm usually just grabbing a bottle of Gundalow Juice on-the-go or after a work-out because it's delicious and easy. Or just a great way to get in some greens if I've been subsisting on carbs and nut butter (which happens way too often.) 

I've been following this awesome west coast lady and blogger, Lauren of LaurenLivesHealthy, not only because of her name (which clearly means she is awesome) but because she is always working really hard and kicking ass. She has a beautiful and info-packed blog (and great Instagram) where she shares her adventures in triathlons, getting healthy, and being a Tone it Up girl.  

I was really excited to check out her Get Started wth Juicing E-Book when I read about it . If it was anything like her blog posts, I'm sure it would be organized and informative with a clean design. I was right! 

I offered to review the Get Started with Juicing E-book for Lauren because I really liked the sneak peaks she shared on her blog-I can say it's definitely a nice,concise read about juicing.  

It's a great place to start if you are a beginner juicer like myself or if you are an experienced juicer looking for new ideas.  The e-book is a printable,downloadable 45-page pdf filled with 45 recipes, lovely photos, and useful things like a grocery list, juicing guide, kitchen prep, and the benefits of juicing. 

She has a list of ingredients with suggested measurements for each recipe, which is nice so you can tweak the recipes yourself based on how much you are making. 

While I'm still not convinced that cleaning a juicer is worth my time, I was excited to see there were other recipes for things like juice shots, blended juices, and waters. 

I especially loved this recipe for Cucumber Mint Water. I spruce up my water all the time with lemons and sometimes get crazy by adding some fruit. I've added cucumber before but haven't actually tried any herb-y combinations. 

You are in luck because Lauren is allowing me to exclusively share this simple recipe below with you all. 

It's super refreshing and hydrating. I also think it looks really pretty in a cute glass. I think of it as a fancy spa water, when I need a moment to pretend I'm actually at a spa.  

I encourage you to support Lauren by grabbing a copy of her Get Started with Juicing E-Book here. I even snagged my readers an exclusive coupon code "breathedeeply10" to save 10% off the $15 price tag. 

What are your favorite juice ingredients? Do you add anything to spice up your water?

The Ways Gilmore Girls Just Gets Me {Now and Always}

If you are unaware, Gilmore Girls is an amazing TV show that aired from 2000-2007 on the WB/the CW following a single mother and her daughter in the fictional town of Stars Hollow Connecticut. It involves family, tension over money, take-out food, pop culture references, and lots and lots of coffee.  

Yes the dialogue is so fast-paced that the closed captioning on my Netflix can't keep up.  Yes, it's on Netflix so go ahead and binge away if your life is deprived of this show.  

I'm Team Jess, btw 

Also if you didn't hear, there was recently a reunion panel (see here and here).  Reunion movie, please?!

I'm re-watching the series right now on Netflix because getting to re-watch old shows you love/loved is amazing. This show just gets me sometimes.  It reminds me how silly high school was and how much of a baby I still was when I went away to college at 18 and thought I was so old.  Or how baller it would have been to have rich grandparents, haha. 

 I thought I'd share some snippets of times this show expressed exactly how I feel right now (and pretty much always). 

The Ways that Gilmore Girls Just Gets Me in Gifs {Now & Always}

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Me, everyday, any time of day. Especially on Mondays. I just love coffee!

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This is how I feel when I scroll through Instagram & Facebook and see beautiful selfies and girls with perfect hair and makeup. Even after a workout sometimes. I don't really have those girl skills. Or there's ladies kicking ass at workouts and runs and races. Motivation for sure, but sometimes it feels like I can't win, haha. I just am friends with and follow too many kick-ass women, as I've said before.  

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 THIS. How I feel every time I look at my to-do list and planner. Correction: multiple to-do lists.  There are never enough hours in the day, no matter how late I stay up. This is also going to ring true when I start classes in the Fall. Just gotta keep hustlin'. 

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Despite my affinity for November Project workouts and some other early day activities, I am not a morning person. I'm a big ol' night owl and need to break my rut of staying up really late because I've noticed I need more sleep in the past couple of years. This gif is ringing too true for me right now as I get ready to start marathon training again in a couple of weeks. 

Hello weekend morning long runs and waking up before the sun rises. 

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This is how my boyfriend and I react anytime we see cute little dogs on the street. Or on Instagram. Actually anytime I see any cute little animals pretty much. #obsessed

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I've always been a romantic. While I adore old school romance and grand gestures, the older I get the more I realize that we all just actually want someone to come home to and hang out with after working all day. Someone who has to listen to you talk, do boring errands with you, and ends up being the person you spend the most time with. Love is more often being together through the mundane days rather than the really fun ones. And no one wants to die alone. 

Have you ever watched Gilmore Girls? What TV show do you love from the past that's now on Netflix or reruns?

Five Friday Favorites: Donuts in my Travels {National Donut Day 2015}

So it's National Donut Day. I thought it was one of those really made up holidays you hear about every week, but apparently it's not just a commercial invention. The holiday is a real thing that was created in 1938 as a tribute to a World War I tradition. I know for sure today you can grab a free Krispy Kreme donut at their locations and get a free donut from Dunkin' Donuts with the purchase of a beverage. 

I always talk about how I've got a big sweet tooth so it's no surprise that I find donuts (or doughnuts) delicious.  I was always more a cookie or cake person though.  My boyfriend really loves donuts so since we've been dating I've tried more donuts than I can count on two hands! Lately fancy donuts has become a bit of specialty in some cities, we always are on the look out for great donut shops to try when we travel. A big donut is a great pairing to my cup of coffee in the morning!  

I know there a bunch of famous places like Voodoo and other top-rated doughnut shops that we have yet to try, but here is a sampling of some of my favorite donuts from the past 5 years.  

5 Friday Favorites: Donuts (from my travels so far!)

1. Federal Donuts: Philadelphia, PA 

Federal Donuts was a long-awaited trip that finally happened in March. They have a couple locations in Philadelphia and serve a perfect combination of donuts and fried chicken. The location is small and a had a huge line on a Saturday afternoon. Besides their awesome crispy, not greasy fried chicken, we enjoyed a sampling of their donuts including the fancy Grapefruit Brulee, the hot vanilla spice, and my personal favorite-the hot strawberry lavender.  The donuts had unique flavors that were creative but thoughtful and the perfect burst of flavor to complement the soft, fluffy donuts.  I'll definitely be back since I'm in the area often!

2. {tie} Glazed & Infused + Do-Rite Donuts: Chicago, IL

My boyfriend got a little out of hand in Chicago because we hit most of the donut places in the city except for a few we're saving for next time (like Doughnut Vault).   I'm making this one a tie since both shops had unique donuts.  First we hit Glazed & Infused  which makes massive gourmet doughnuts. We got there in the afternoon and only had three flavors left to choose from, so naturally we got one of each.  The massive apple fritter (top right of photo below) had yummy pieces of apple and ample amounts of glaze. There was a coconut donut with shredded coconut and glaze on it. I know the third one (bottom right of photo) was a savory flavor that I'm pretty sure involved cheese or bacon in it.  All of them were massive and really fluffy. 

A couple days later before we headed out to hit some museums, we stopped by Do-Rite Donuts for some coffee and donuts. I got that large chocolate-glazed one and my boyfriend got a pistachio-meyer lemon donut. he also grabbed a regular glazed donut because you need a standard flavor to compare donut shops upon, naturally. Do-Rite also had vegan and gluten-free options which was awesome to see. These were slightly more doughy in texture and really yummy. 

3. Top Pot Donuts:Seattle, Washington 

A day before we left for the Hood to Coast relay race, all of us Team Nuun Energy Lemon-Lime + Berry members went on a shake-out run in downtown Seattle. It was super fun!

What's even more awesome is that waiting for us at the hotel when we got back from the run was a big box of Seattle's Top Pot Doughnuts which was the most delicious way to refuel and carbo-load for the next day.  I'm pretty sure I grabbed one with chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles-my fave! These doughnuts were old-fashioned and came in usual assortment of flavors. They had a delicious glaze and were super tasty!

4. Bonnaroo-The Amish Baking Company: Chattanooga, TN

I've got a little bit of hippie in me. My dad always says I would have been a flower child if I grew up in the 60s. That's why I fit right in when I went to Bonnaroo in 2013. One of the treats we indulged in multiple times was the $4, size of your face, AMAZING glazed doughnuts from Florida-based The Amish Baking Company.  I'd say it was the best food offering from the whole festival,and Rolling Stone agrees. They made yummy soft pretzels as well!

Living that festival life.

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5. Dynamo Donuts: San Francisco, CA

On my boyfriend and I's first anniversary, we took a trip to San Francisco. As the foodies we are, read up on lots of food spots to hit, and I'm pretty sure we saw Dynamo Donuts on the Food Network somewhere. This was the first doughnut pilgrimage of many to come that my boyfriend took me on.  We trekked from where we were staying by bus in the rain all the way to the Mission neighborhood to get there right at 7 AM when they opened. A bit of an early morning for me on vacation but a mug of coffee and really hot donuts with warm glaze dripping off of them was worth it! 

I really enjoyed the maple bacon donut! 

What's your favorite kind of donut? Is there a treat or special food you always try when travelling? 

Today I'm linking up with Clare, Jill,Katie, and Heather. This was also linked up with Tasty Tuesday. 

National Running Day 2015: 10 Ways to Celebrate

Happy 7th Annual National Running Day! Yes, this is a thing. It is a holiday held since 2009 and sponsored by the New York Road Runners and other associations including Running USA and B.A.A as a way to celebrate the sport and share the running love.  Look for the hashtag #NationalRunningDay on social media to see how others are celebrating. 

 Since I've been a runner I've celebrated in  2013 and 2014  and love seeing this sport getting some attention. You can read about how I first got into running in 2011-2012 here.  It's inspiring to see so many runners out there share their stories. 

I always feel so grateful for all that running has brought to my life. Amazing experiences, happiness, challenges, and awesome people. 

You can customize your own "I run..." logo to share here!

10 Ways to Celebrate National Running Day

1. Go for a run of course! You search the event Facebook group to find a run, your local running store for runs, or even grab a friend to go for a run! 

2. Virtual run with Nuun: Nuun has teamed up with Motigo to sponsor a virtual run. You can download the iPhone app or follow other instructions if you've got Android like me to get personalized audio messages from your biggest fans to motivate your run and maybe win a prize! Check out all the details on the website. 

3. Run for Others: Download CharityMiles app on your phone to donate the miles you walk or run to your selected charity.