Creative Thinking & Free Therapy

One year ago I bought a townhouse to live in with my two children.  Ending a ten year relationship was incredibly difficult, but I have been blessed with a wonderful man who made sure that I was best prepared to start this next chapter of my life. Being a single parent again has taken some adjusting, and sometimes we need to be a little more creative when it comes to unexpected costs.  Here is the baseline for this post.  The washer and dryer in my townhouse work....but they don't work great.  To dry one load of laundry takes approximately 90-120 minutes.  Sometimes that doesn't even work! Strata rules keep me from hanging laundry outside and I can see my hydro bills climbing from the extended periods (non-energy star) of running. Often my stairwell looks like a mini laundromat, but it has worked for the temporary time being.

I have made the decision to replace the machines which not only increases the value of my home, but should reduce my monthly utility bills by installing energy efficient appliances.  The only downside is finding the money to replace them.  Insert creative thinking!!

First Idea
I have been labelled in the past as a "mini hoarder".  I'm not terrible, but I do hold onto some things a little longer than necessary.  Clothes that I hope will one day fit again, clothes that I may end up gaining weight and need again, shoes I may need even though I am physically unable to wear high heels (doctor orders).  You know the drill.  I cleared out my clothes and posted them all on a local buy and sell site.  The response was fantastic!  I had priced it all inexpensive as I kept the thought in mind that I wanted it out of my house.  I started a jar and put any money earned into the jar.
Second Idea
I love baking.  I find it theraputic and relaxing.  It's a great way to relieve stress.  I like thinking up new concoctions and what the end result will be.  With a lot of prompting from my family, I offered my gingersnap cookies for sale at $5/dozen.  Word got out and within two weeks I had made and sold 42 dozen cookies!
Third Idea
This one is a continuation of the second idea.  The cookies were such a hit that I was approached by a few people for cakes and cupcakes.  It's been a lot of fun trying out new tastes and techniques, especially at a time when so many people have a wide range of dietary restrictions.  I've baked sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, and sometimes at midnight.....sanity free!

As of last count, I have saved $1500.00.  I can't wait until the day I walk in and pay cash for my new appliances.  I don't care that I have to count out all of those $5 and $10 bills, I get to walk out of there with no more debt than when I walked in.  The plan is to paint the walls as well as replace shelving above the appliances.  I found a shelving unit that I felt would be perfect, and my extremely talented father has already completed building it.  As soon as a good sale is on for the appliances, the renovation will commence. Stay tuned for the before and after pictures!

This post was simply to tell you to think "outside of the box".  We all have different talents...the trick is to find out what yours is and sharing it with someone whose talents differ from yours.  Need some electrical work done?  Perhaps you know of a guy who is one but you can't really afford to hire him.  Maybe he likes home baking?  Maybe he needs his house cleaned?  Maybe he would like family photos taken?  In older times, people traded for time and products.  Find something you love and use it to get the things you need.  Little by little you will achieve your goals.  Just be patient and keep the faith.

Until next time....

BzzAgent Product Review - Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara

I don't wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis.  Actually, all that I do wear is eyeliner and mascara.  I think is is mainly because I am a slug in the morning and don't have enough time or energy for anything more!  In addition, I have very sensitive skin and tend to react to a lot of different products. That being said, as I only purchase two different items, I tend to choose higher end "better quality" products.  When I was notified that I had been selected to review Covergirl's new LashBlast line of mascara, I was intrigued but not very optimistic that it would meet or exceed my current brand of mascara.
There are four different types of mascara in the new LashBlast line.  This means "a blast for every lash!"  I chose Covergirl's LashBlast Fusion mascara to review.  This mascara claims to make your eyelashes look fuller and longer, maximizing the lashes you were born with.  I was happily surprised when I received my package and the handy $2 off coupons for me to share with others.

The next morning I carefully set aside my current mascara and opened up my Covergirl LashBlast Fusion mascara.  The container fits comfortably in the hand and opens with ease.  The bristles on the wand were different from other mascaras I have tried in the past.  These bristles were quite short but there were way more bristles than others.  With just a few strokes I had ample mascara on my lashes, making it economical and fast.  I reviewed my results in the mirror and saw this....

I was born with fairly dark lashes but I have never had such great results!  It felt like each and every lash was successfully covered and lengthened to it's maximum.  With just one application I had achieved better results than my other, more expensive, boutique mascara.  I figured that there would be no way this mascara would last all day.

I was wrong!  This mascara provided all day coverage with zero flaking, running or other messes. There was no need for touch ups or re-applying.  I have continued using this product and can open and honestly tell you that I have had steady, continued success.  This mascara also easily transforms your look from day to night with an additional swipe of the wand.

This mascara has now taken the place of my boutique mascara.  It delivers the same or better results at a fraction of the cost.  I have yet to try the other three types in the Covergirl LashBlast line (Volume, Clump Crusher, Full Lash Bloom) but intend to try them all in the future.  Easily available at many retailers (I personally found them in Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Walmart, and Save On Foods), this product retails for approximately $9.99.  I also appreciate that the Covergirl brand regularly goes on sale or offers coupons to their consumers.  This makes it an economical choice for a wide range of consumers.

I highly recommend going out and trying this product. I was one of those "high end" makeup consumers and I can honestly say that I prefer this mascara over the others.  Thank you BzzAgent for choosing me to review the Covergirl LashBlast Fusion mascara and discovering this hidden gem!

I received this product and coupons from BzzAgent and Covergirl for purpose of review #GotitFree