Decorate Your Christmas Tree Under $100

The holidays are a good blizzard or two away and it's time to start decorating your wonderful Christmas tree. You want to be classy, but you're financially savvy and would rather not spend too much on the tree. Think $100 is too little to make an awe-inspiring statement? Think again. I'll show how you can make a great Christmas tree for under a $100 - tree and all.

Let's first start with the tree. Right now Target is having a great tree sale. I bought my 6' feet tall, clear lighted tree for $45. It was the Prelit Alberta Spruce. Online it is listed for $51. You can purchase the same type of tree with multicolored lights for $51 as well. This tree is easy to set-up. It took maybe a half hour to separate all the small branches, but it looks great! Put some Christmas music on to get you in the mood to decorate! That half hour will speed by. If you already have a tree, then you're set and can save more cash! So, let's move onto the decor. My color scheme for this year is gold and white.You can adjust to your own color choices. If you already have some pieces you can reuse for the tree, feel free to do so! I will be using all newly purchased decor, but that doesn't mean you have to! Save more, give more!

For the garland portion of the tree, I decided to use ribbon. Jo-Ann Fabrics has a sale of 50% off on ribbons. I bought gold ribbon (3.75 In wide and 50 ft in length) for $7.49. Normal price is $14.99. You can purchase another color of ribbon, pair the two together, and create a sophisticated look playing off the two colors instead of one. I wanted to keep it simple this year so I stuck with just the gold.

Now the fun part! Blubs and other ornaments!
I was originally going to purchase my blubs from the Dollar store, but after a bit of research, Target offers a much better price per blub. Since I needed a lot of them, I purchased a 50 piece set from Target for $15. That gets the price down to 30 cents per blub. Not bad eh? I also purchased ornament hooks for $1. I ended up not using all 50 blubs, but I used about 30. I recommend that if you are looking to get a couple of blubs, the Dollar store is the place to go.

In addition to the blubs, I did pick up some varied pieces from the Dollar Store. I selected a couple of gold and silver pieces shaped as glittering reindeer, angels, bows, flowers, crosses, and icicles. I spent $9 for about 20 extra pieces. These brought the whole project together, but I wasn't quite done yet.

For the top, I picked up a large gold star from the Dollar Store. If you have left over ribbon from the garland portion of decorating, you can choose to use that and make a bow for the top instead of buying one. It can create a neat affect, appearing as if the garland ribbon is flowing down from the top.

And finally, the tree skirt. I dabbled on the idea of making my own tie blanket version of a Christmas tree skirt, but decided against it. Instead I picked up a bag of stuffing from Jo-Ann Fabrics. It was only $6.99 and it graciously covers the surrounded area of my tree bottom. Plus it will look great when presents are arranged on top.

So, there you have it! With tax, we have a fully decorated Christmas tree for $90.21! Under budget bliss! Decorating your tree on a budget this year? Send a photo to me at lydialharrrer@gmail with a description or comment below! I'd love to hear your ideas on DIY decorating ideas or how you strategized for decorating on a budget.

New Challenges #3 and #4

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been adjusting to full time employment. It is wonderful, but I have not forgotten my challenges I proposed back in August - New Challenges For This Twenty-Two Year Old. My first two new challenges involved trying to drive manual and learning how to golf. This time my two, new things I learned how to do are: eat pomegranates and get my truck towed. Obviously, one was far more intended than the other, but it was a learning experience nonetheless!

I've never eaten pomegranates before and I recently tried it at a friend's house. She had frozen the seeds and used them as a great snack item! I love finding new ways to eat better, so I had to give it a try once I returned home. I was lucky that they happened to be on sale!

If you've never handled a pomegranate before their skin is pretty hard. I was unsure how to open it and I suggest you do it with caution. The Correct Way to Eat a Pomegranate is great video tutorial on how to open a pomegranate. Of all the ones I looked at, I found this to be the best way. 

The juices in this fruit can stain. I cut them open on a large, dark cutting board. You may want to wear an apron, just in case some juice squirts out. The seeds are surrounded by thin membranes and you need to peel these away to eat the seeds. I suppose you could eat the membrane, but I read that it is bitter. The seeds, however, are sweet and tart. They are surrounded by a soft shell which encases the juice around a seed. They may have little, hard seeds inside. I eat them, but spitting them out is acceptable.

While I did enjoy them fresh, I still loved the idea of keeping them frozen and ready for a quick snack. Two pomegranates filled these bowls so you do not need to buy many fruits to reap a great harvest. If you are looking for a better at-home snack in your life, I would suggest adding pomegranates to your grocery list. I wish I would have known about them sooner!

The other new challenge happened a couple days ago. I have been having truck trouble over the past week due to the cold temperatures now slipping down from Canada. I replaced my battery on Thursday and thankfully it lasted through work Friday, which happened to be the day of my first event. My event finished and as I tried to start my truck to go home for the weekend, it did not start. It was turning over, but it never caught. I had figured in addition to the old battery, there was something else wrong. I will not know till sometime Monday, but I am thinking I have a loose belt or the alternator needs to be fixed. I would be in love if it just happens to be a spark plug!

Anyways, my co-worker came to the rescue and she called AAA for me. Then we waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. She ended up calling four times over the course of almost two hours. Needless to say, she was quite unhappy with the quality of service from AAA and I felt awful that she was there waiting with me. The towing guy did not help the situation. He had no idea where we were and we had to direct him on how to find us. He even drove by once. When he did finally get to us, he seems to be a novice at the profession and I watched carefully as he loaded my giant Yukon XL onto a flat bed.

I asked him if he had the address information for where I requested to drop the truck off. His response was, "Yeah, it's somewhere on my phone." I don't know about you, but this was not a good response for me. I did not want him on his phone driving a flat bed with MY large vehicle on the back. When he had "finished" loading, my co-worker drove to the side of his truck and reconfirmed he knew where he was going. I noticed he still had chains hanging off the rear end. I told him he had chains hanging to which he replied, "Oh crap. Yeah, I got to get those."

As he jumped down from his tow truck, I looked at my co-worker in disbelief and was sincerely horrified at his lack of concern for my vehicle, doing his job correctly, and overall safety in escorting my vehicle.

Thankfully, my truck is now safely out of his hands and resting at a mechanic shop till Monday. I cannot wait to get my baby back!

Learning how to eat a pomegranate will not drastically change my life, and dealing with one bad towing experience won't make me cynical. However, I do believe it is these little moments that make up an individual. Sure, big things happen that can twist your course, but the smaller ones develop your mind, heart, and soul.

I have a couple larger challenges prepped for December and I can't wait to let you see what I'm planning! In the meantime, I want you to try something new today! If you do, be sure to leave a comment!

The First Week of a New Job

10 Nick Offerman Quotes That Will Change Your Life - LOVE HIM!

So I've entered the next chapter of my life and have started "Making it in the Real World" per se. I am excited. I am scared. I am not ready. There is no way to be ready until you are thrown in.

I dove in head first.

Last Monday was my first day of employment at the corporate headquarters of a credit union in Green Bay, WI. My official title is Event Specialist, but this encompasses so many different areas - marketing, event planning, public relations, social media, and writing to name a few. I work within a growing marketing department and I even get my own office! It's the bee's knees!

Need to fill it in a bit more and make it homey!

My first week was filled with HR paperwork, training details, and meeting many, many faces. For someone bad at names, it's a little terrifying! But I'm delving into my position. I'm working on two events within the next month and I am currently learning about ones coming in the future. I've already had a couple of meetings and I'm beginning to take control of the events side of this position.

 But I still have so much to learn. I'm developing a donation/sponsorship request evaluation system within the next three weeks. I'm taking the lead for our social media outlets. I'm learning financial and marketing lingo specific to this organization. And I am connecting with the voice and culture of this place.

But I really need to get better at internal meetings.

Seriously. I am still struck with a bit of fear when we hold department meetings. I shouldn't be! I am intimated by my lack of experience; however, my co-workers are doing their best to bring my voice out. Even though there are age differences between most of my co-workers and me, we are all on equal footing and I hope to shake off this newbie syndrome soon. I want to be better so this next week I am going to focus on speaking, (as my boss says), transparently.

So, wish me luck for the coming week. I have a couple of projects, but I want to continue growing and developing this position into my pride and joy! I want to take this organization to new heights with their engagement to the members and communities. I just need to remember to take it one step at a time and not over-whelm myself too quickly. As Ron Swanson would say, "Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing."



Remember your first week on the job or recently started yourself? What were/are your biggest fears and what did/do you want to get better at? Comments always welcome! :)

Updating My Fall & Work Wardrobe

The last week I reveled in the comfort and excitement of my future job. . . until I looked into my closet. I had one suit and a couple tops for interviews, most of them plain colors. I certainly did not have enough pieces for full time employment. Then I realized it wasn't just my work wardrobe that needed some serious updates, but my fall one as well. (Although I've known this for some time.) So the hunt began. . .

LOVE the blue baseball jacket! Only $10!

Now and then, I think we all struggle to find a balance between  keeping the bank and the desire to buy a new piece of clothing. I know I have been for years - I neglected myself of new things to penny pinch my way through college. So despite having a legitimate reason to shop and even setting a budget for myself, I had a hard time letting myself go and shop without questioning every purchase.

I started by creating a detailed list of several items I wanted in my new wardrobe. I tried to find pieces that will work on and off the job. Making a list directs you to look at what is useable in your closet and shows you where you need to expand. I really needed more tops!
Plus a list helps to keep you from going over budget.





My personal budget for this large update was $350. Almost every item was purchased with a coupon or at a clearance price, so I came in under budget! (One great way to get these coupons is to sign up your email at all of your favorite department stores. The best ones for me are from JCPenny, Kohls, Payless, and Gordmans. Especially Gordmans!)

I bought four accessories to add to a couple of the tops. I've never been one for accessories, but I thought now is a good time to give it a try! Plus, I just LOVE this necklace! It works wonderful with the striped sweater and a couple of the professional tops I bought.

Below is one of my new earrings. (I didn't take a picture of the other ones because they are plain pearls.) I apologize for the slightly blurry picture, but these are a wonderful pair of mint colored, leaf shaped earrings. The gold outlines make them pretty bold and classy. I bought these at Old Navy.

I'm planning to wear this top (right) with the tan pants for my first day! I still have to decide if I'll wear blue or red heels though...

But I'm done with shopping! Eighteen new items pleasantly fill and brighten up my decrepit closet. I'm ready to head out into my first job with confidence and a good look'n shirt on my back!

I Got The Job!

AH! I cannot write in words how excited I am!

Remember my interview posts - How To Get Pumped Before An Interview, Wear An Interview Outfit To Be Remembered, and The Unemployment Curse? I made it through! I finally did it and I am on my way to a great career and the next chapter in my life. I owe so many people for support. Also, I need a self-five for believing in myself when things looked bleak.

Picture of one of the events from my internship at DECI. Wouldn't be here without you!

This morning, I received and accepted a job offer from a credit union in my area. My position title for now is Event Specialist. What is an Event Specialist? It is someone who works with local organizations, non-profits, and companies to host events to give back to the community and organizations in need. I cannot believe I get to do this as it has been my dream, ever since I discovered someone can actually do this for a living. I thought I would end up working for one non-profit but now I get to help out many more! I feel so blessed right now and super pumped. I had to go for a run right after the call because I was too full of energy.

Now, I will relax, enjoy the last couple of free weeks, and get ready to rock this community!

Who said that an English Degree isn't practical? - 17 Things English Majors Are Tired of Hearing

“I just really wanted to have a practical major.”

"You’re right. Words are totally impractical, that’s why nobody uses them."

The Unemployment Curse: How To Live Through It

If you have ever been unemployed longer than reasonably comfortable, then you understand the financial weight, awkward conversations, and the stress of an empty day.  After the hours of searching, applying, and interviewing there are still several hours left in a day to fill. You know there is nothing quite like a week of empty afternoons that can drain your self-esteem.

Original image from All Free Download. Usually do my own, but this was perfect!

I am unemployed. A couple days ago this realization hit me. Not that I didn't understand this before, it's just that it really HIT me. And if my Economics courses taught me anything is that the longer I go without work, the less valuable I become...so there's that. I am trying - over forty applications within three months, two times a runner-up, and a couple other opportunities where I made it to the final rounds. I did every step in an interview process professionally and skillfully. (A great explanation of the proper steps of what I was taught in school is linked here in an article by Katy Bruce.) Unfortunately my fruits of labor have yet to be harvested. Hopefully my job search is like apples. Late in the season but the sweetest of sweet. (Not bitter or cursed.)

While some days are harder than others, I do strive to make every day valuable. There are things you can do to fill your time, which will give you feelings of purpose, strength, and overall boost your confidence. Here's how I make my unemployment work for me.

Keep learning/working in your field

Dedicate time to indulge in learning. I follow several bloggers who share my passions of marketing, event planning, fundraising, writing, and economics. I also listen in to some podcasts. These tools helps to keep me up-to-date on trends, stay ahead of new technology and ideas, and slow the process of decreasing employment value. In addition, try to find volunteer opportunities in your field or at least with a company who works in your industry. Volunteering is a great way to expand your network in a new community.

Learn new skills

Keep learning new things. Use Duolingo to study a new language, watch YouTube videos to learn basics of new computer software, or attend local conferences or seminars open to the public on a wide variety of professional topics. You can usually find these by looking at your local chamber of commerce's website. Not to mention that learning something new through these seminars or a class is another great networking opportunity!

Work Out 

Staying active helps draw your mind off of the job search, even if it is just for a little while. Plus, the released endorphins are an extra emotional bonus for the day. However, I think the best reason for working out during unemployment is that it shows your interviewer and yourself that you have the ability to keep pushing and working through a tough time toward something better. If you've been a cough potato for the past couple months, it will show. Instead, show those interviewers a glowing, positive you!

Keep your online image up-to-date

If you do not have a Linked-In page, go make one. This is a must-have online tool and I am still shocked when I hear a professional does not have one. I understand some industries don't necessarily need them, but it is a great way to connect with people with similar passions and industry interests. Almost every company I interviewed with checked my profile. All the things I could not fit on my resume were available for viewing and can help get you into the next step of the interview process.
In addition to your Linked-In, be sure your other social media outlets are not portraying you in an unsightly manner. That may mean you need delete some Facebook photos and ask friends not to tag you in new ones. Facebook can also be used to follow companies and events. (A.K.A., another great networking tool!) Here's some other online ideas you can utilize: use your Twitter account to follow companies you like, start a blog about your volunteer work/professional skills, or create a Pinterest board to store your favorite articles and ideas on certain areas of interest (social media marketing, etc.) You want your name to appear in a Google search in a positive light and at the top. 

Most of all, be sure to keep your information on these sites up-to-date. A profile will not help if you haven't updated it in several months. (Here's my Linked-In profile, if you would like to see an example.)


I have to say I've been blessed with recent opportunities to get out and show my stuff. I had a wonderful interview today, and someone already called to set up another one for tomorrow! I love being a busy little bee and hopefully one of these pull through for me!!
Good luck job hunting!

Quick Post: A Weird Day

Everyone has a weird day once in a while and one of mine happened to be today.

(Although it was delightful.)

I awoke before 5 a.m. this morning as my sweetie got ready and left for his early morning flight out of Green Bay, Wisconsin to Texas for a company conference. It was the first time this year I have been up before the sun. It was wonderful to watch it rise and yet strange because it is already SO cold outside. I left the patio door open for about twenty minutes to listen for my boyfriend's plane take off, and the inside temperature dropped to 62. Brrrrr. That's probably why I made a pot of coffee, which I haven't done in months!




He left five secret notes around the apartment for me and so far I have only found #2, 3, and 4. I'm not sure where #1 or 5 is yet. Most of them so far have been in food containers. Hopefully I don't eat one.







Then, I tried to go accomplish another one of my 22 challenges, but was led to disappointment when the place was closed for some reason. I was trying attend a committee meeting, (I'm still going to try this next month, so I won't give too much away), and they had not posted online any indication of the closure. So disappointed, I drove back home. I'll email them so I'm ready for next time!

I will be by myself for a couple of days. I do not think I've ever been completely alone for this long of a time period. Today was weird trying to get used to being surrounded by silence. Things may just get weirder...

Challenges #1 and #2

For the month of August, I tried two new things - Golf and Manual Driving.

While, I would not say I mastered either, I am determined to keep working on them. For the golf challenge, I went to Ledgeview Golf Course. I played mini golf before, but never tried the big boy version. My mentor and I went to the driving range so I could learn to swing and hit a ball. I knew it would be hard but man! I was glad not many people were practicing. I often hit the ground, swung up a ton of dirt, and had pitiful hits that sent the ball only a couple yards. Even worse were the moments I missed completely. I think one problem was the clubs were too big; however, as time went on I did hit farther. Several made it out to the first flag (about 93 yards) and a couple of them made it out to the second flag (about 117 yards). By the time we finished off a six dollar bucket of balls, my hands were sore! I definitely held on too hard. The next day my arms were sore along with a part of my waist from the twist/swing motion. I did not realize golf was so physical! 

The second new thing, Manual Driving or as I call it Stick Shift, was more emotionally trying. First of all, I was using another person's car. Second, I was terrified I would crash it into a pole or car. I did not. I did rev the engine a couple of times and killed it a plenty. For the first twenty minutes, I practiced in a large (empty) company parking lot on the weekend. I noticed a man watching by the building, and he later came over. He asked us to move somewhere else as it was technically private property, but I know he had a good laugh. He was nice and we moved on to find another space. By the end of my first attempt, I learned to start, stop, and shift into second gear. While I am not comfortable driving on the streets yet, I can at least begin to drive a manual car!

These two new activities challenged me both physically and emotionally, but it feels great to accomplish something new! I want to keep developing these skills, especially the stick shift driving. I'm excited to see what the month of September has to offer and I'll be sure to keep you guys posted! One thing I have already learned from this challenge is that I need to smash the word - "can't."

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!

New Challenges For This Twenty-Two Year Old

"Take your risks now, as you grow older you become more fearful and less flexible. And I mean that literally. I hurt my knee this week on a treadmill, and it wasn't even on."   - Amy Poehler

I turned twenty-two last Saturday in Michigan thanks to a wonderful vacation present from my boyfriend. We took off from Wisconsin on his motorcycle and proceeded through beautiful weather and roads around Lake Michigan for nearly six hours. Two sore butt cheeks later, we are settling into our teeny-tiny hotel room looking out at Mackinac Island. It was perfect.

Also a perfect escape. Now that I have graduated from college and am sending applications to a couple dozen companies, I do not have time to be a child much longer... or do I? I thought about how my parents grew up, how cousins grew up, and how frankly I want to grow up. I'm still young, and I did not want to fall into the age old cycle of work - TV - eat - sleep - repeat the daily grind.

So, I've issued a challenge for myself. This year I will try twenty-two new things. Key being it's new. This will push me into uncomfortable areas, maybe fears, and hopefully by the time I turn twenty-three I will have plenty of advice to give myself. haha. But I really do want to do this as a growing experience for myself and to extend my experiences, relationships, and over-all quality of life. One big motivation for me is a tragic event that happened to my ex-coworker/friend back in April. She is a great mentor and I look up to her in more than just professional ways. Her family life was the epitome of what I wanted and her husband was as equally a brilliant and caring man. My boyfriend and I both respected and saught to be as accomplished as they were by the time we reached their age. (We were about twelve years apart.) They were runners, healthy, incredibly accomplished in their fields, and brought a baby girl  into the world, to which my boyfriend and I have had the pleasure of babysitting. Not only had they achieved all these things, they were hilarious, kind, adventurous, and over-all the best human beings in the world.

View from Fort Mackinac.

Sadly, while out on a run, her husband collapsed due to an unknown heart defect. He died that night. The next morning, I received a text from my supervisor while in a Starbucks, accompanying my boyfriend to the interview that would later turn into his career. We were struck hard. My boyfriend had worked with him and I knew him through my co-worker and babysitting their child. One of the hardest things for me to grasp was that the girl (who had JUST turned one) would never know the awesomeness of her father.

Even though he is no longer around, my friend still takes their baby girl on adventures and continues to live life through experiences as I know she would do if her husband was still alive. This spirit encourages me to make the most of my time here. Twenty-two new things should be a piece a cake in a year. Seriously, that's only two a month. I cannot fear what life has in store for me, but simply trek on with family, friends, and kindness. So bring on twenty-two years of life!

The Weight Conversation: Let's Stop Talking

Besides the media overflow of beautiful, Photoshopped women and men, is the counter movement discussed in morning talk shows, documentaries and table talk throughout America. The conversation ranges from obesity in a third of Americans to dangerous teen "dieting" habits. The scale is so large. Thin, fat, skinny, obese, ribs, rolls. Much is being said and awareness should be increasing, but results are slowly produced, if any at all. Why does it seem that Americans are ignoring the warnings? Why are so many of us stuck on the extreme sides of the weight scale?

If you've ever watched one of those weight documentaries, either about obesity or eating disorders, it tends to show the drastic effects and stories about people, the government, and other organizations dealing with the issue. Turn on the TV to one of the multiple morning talk shows and there will be discussions about this issue with ranging opinions, (The View, for instance.) Even Good Morning America has a comment or two about looks and weight every day, some empowering, some not so much. These mixed messages aren't helping the issue. Especially the "healthy" wording now put onto many food products that truly are not healthy. Just because a cereal box has listed a couple of vitamins on the cover, doesn't mean that it is a "Gggggrrrreat" start to your day. Even Tony the Tiger's catch phrase is a tricky marketing ploy.

Well, this little twenty-one year old is sick of all the talking. Because that's all it is. Talk.

(I'm not saying words don't matter. As a English major and someone who has studied language, I know it is powerful and important. But watching this issue over the years has led me to some conclusions. TV talk is cheap. National reporting is not hitting people at home. Local movements are the key to a successful, cultural change.)

As a personal note, I have been studying nutrition and healthy habits since I was a young girl, even though I've never had a weight issue. For that though, I have my parents to thank. Almost all vegetables were grown at home, along with apples. No pesticides and no preservatives. They never bought beef as we only ate venison, which was extremely lean. We had local  fish once a week. Soda was not common along with candy, besides what we could gather around Halloween. Physical activity was a constant as my childhood home was in the country with daily chores and outside room to play. Even now I shop at Farmer's Markets, eat well, and regularly exercise. I'm physically strong and have a clean bill of health all around.

I'm not perfect, but continually working hard!

You would think I would love my healthy body and feel great about myself. No siree!
Why? Because there is not enough emphasis on being healthy. Let me say it again. Being healthy is not emphasized. Being a certain weight is. Looking a certain way is. (I still feel bad about myself though I'm 125. The battle will never end unless we start changing.) There is nothing out there for those who are striving for a healthy lifestyle without the double-edged sword of being too fat or too thin. So let's stop using "fat" or "thin." Just stick to healthy. A scale means nothing when it comes to pure health. Healthy comes in all shapes and sizes. If we keep fighting at the edges of the weight scale, we will never come together in the middle.

Turn off the TV.

Let's stop talking. Let's start supporting and change the way we view health, because it's our turn to be HEALTHY.

#itsmyturntobehealthy

Please share this post or Pin an image with someone who wants to stop talking and take action. I want to start a support group for anyone who feels like the media talk, corporate marketing, and all those weight-changing campaigns are counter-productive to being a healthy individual. If you want to be healthy, let's chat! Join the new Facebook Page! #itsmyturntobehealthy






Share a picture of yourself with the hashtag #itsmyturntobehealth. All our shapes and sizes are beautiful! 

Wear An Interview Outfit To Be Remembered

Here's a quick, bolder outfit idea for an interview. I used this one for my second interview, after wearing a suit to the first one. Since my second interview was slightly more relaxed, (as we went out to lunch), this business casual outfit did the trick! I wanted something that stood out - professional, but memorably classic.

This top was purchased at Kohls and was on clearance for $30. It is a Chaps Classics blouse. I rolled up the sleeves so it sat before the elbow. The fabric is 100% cotton and does not require ironing. It was comfortable yet thick enough so I did not have to wear an additional under shirt.

 I had a hard time finding a professional navy blue skirt but I finally found this adorable piece at White House / Black Market. This was a bit more expensive, ($70.20), but it really brought everything together. The buttons on here are silver and the solid navy blue helped blend and slim with the vertical stripes from the blouse.

And then, I bought red heels. When people ask me about heels, I praise this brand. Payless has a line of heels called Comfort Plus. They are the best heels I have ever worn. I purchased a black pair last summer for my internship and they were amazing. I could run in them, carry heavy things, walk long distances, and they simply never wore out on me. I now have four pairs of them in different colors - black, beige, red, and blue.While I did pay $27.99 for the red pair, it was a Bogo sale so I was able to purchase the blue heels for only $5.

To help bring out the red heels, I bought a small, red clutch from Discovery Clothing. It was $9.99. Discovery Clothing is a little clothing store in the Fox Valley area in Wisconsin that has great prices for clothes and accessories. The catch is that there are no dressing rooms, but they do allow item returns.
For the rest of my accessories, I just wore a pair of pearl earrings.



                        And here is a quick view of how it looks together. Sorry for the picture quality!

4 Tips To Have An Awesome First Apartment

All of my furniture has finally been delivered! No more sleeping on a air mattress, or sitting on the floor. My open loft apartment can finally take shape, but buying furniture won't make this place feel homey by itself. Simple planning and coordination can make your first apartment feel grown-up and classy. Here are my four apartment decorating tips.

One Room at a Time

Keep your mind focused on one room at a time. Thinking about the whole project can cause you to be indecisive and slow the process. Having a starting base room can help when you begin the next, so you do not have clashing colors or too similar of themes. I have three, "separated" rooms. The main floor, bathroom, and bedroom.

 

 

 

Color

Pick a main color for a room and perhaps one or two complimentary colors. For an example, I chose green as my bathroom's main decor color. My complimentary colors are a taupe brown and white. This helped me select decorative items, plus it differentiates this room from others in the apartment.

 

 

Keep it Simple

Cannot stress this enough. As a first time apartment leasee, this helps with decorating and not going broke. I only have a few items out in each room, but each enhances the space. A couple examples I have are the pillows on the sofa, the dinning place mats, flower vase (soon to be filled), and the orchid flower in the bathroom. Do not be afraid to hit up discount stores like Goodwill or Savers to find decorative pieces for your rooms.
Another tip to keeping it simple and looking good is cleaning. Cleaning helps keep the space fresh and inviting.

Highlight a Signature Item

I mentioned the orchid flower above and want to point out that this was my main item for the bathroom. It is where my eyes go every time I step inside the room. Having one or two bold items directs guests to the colors and maybe even the theme of your room. Try having at least one room with an item like this. A signature item can also be large. My sofa is the signature item for the living space and that is why I have pillows to accompany it. Hopefully soon I can purchase some art for the walls! 

How To Get Pumped Before An Interview

Yesterday I had an interview with a company for my dream job, and I have to say I kicked butt! Every question was answered smoothly and I walked out of there feeling like a champ. My only wish is that I had a microphone so I could have done this. . .

It feels good to walk out of a company confident and proud, but how can you feel this good walking in?

Part of it is your prep work. Did you research the company? Have you practiced answering common interview questions? Ones like, what is your greatest strength? Why do you want to work for this company? Etc. These will be in every interview you ever do. However, other questions will be asked that pertain to your industry. Look up questions in your field and go through them. For me, I looked up Event Planning Interview Questions and worked through all of these questions - Event Planning Interview Questions.This helped so much. I could tell my interviewer was actually on this site because she started asking all of these questions, word for word, with a few subtractions. It made me feel confident and my answers formed around that emotion.
Be sure to practice answering these questions out loud and maybe in front of a mirror. Doing this a couple of times will enhance your communication skills and help the interview to flow better, instead of stumbling for an answer.

Now, the day of your interview can be nerve racking. You do not want to lose confidence in yourself and all of the work you put into practicing those questions. While getting your suit on in the morning, here are a couple of things you can do to get pumped.
1. Listen to music. Not slow music. Maybe something like "The Pretender" by Foo-Fighters, or for other ladies out there, "Salute" by Little Mix. You could make an interview prep playlist.
2. Watch inspirational videos. I have a couple of them with encouraging messages. Yesterday, I chose to watch Amy Poehler at Harvard. (If you couldn't tell, I love everyone from Parks and Recreation.)

3. My final piece of advise is to change the way you view an interview. While a company is trying to see if you are a good match for them, you should see if they are compatible with you. These are people you will be working with, so you do not want to be somewhere you hate the culture. Plus,the interview is your first inside look at the company. Do you like how they treat clients? Is the work space organized? Are they acting appropriately? This mentality reverses a little power your way, plus you will start asking better questions. Your interest will be genuine.

In regards to my interview yesterday, it went extremely well. I loved the company and its leader. They have a great atmosphere and are expanding. Unfortunately, I will not know for about two more weeks if I made it to the next stage. I believe I have a good chance of making it. Please keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll be sure to keep you guys up-to-date on my job search!


Comment below if you have concerns about how to answer a question. What are your biggest worries before an interview?
Do you need help with interviewing? I would love to help set up mock interviews with anyone via Skype!  Just send me a message to set up a time!

How to Start Your First Budget

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Do you have no idea how to manage your money after graduation? It is unfortunate but many high school and even college graduates receive little instruction on how to properly budget their income to accommodate for rent, utilities, food, supplies, gas, loans, savings, and other payments. Many learn by trial and error, but when it comes to money and keeping a good credit score, having too many errors might be quite costly. So, what can you do to make sure you minimize and eliminate these errors? I'll try to navigate you through some simple steps you can take so you gain control and visualize your spending and saving habits.

1. Determine Income

Whether you are alone or living with other people, knowing how much income you have coming in is important and great starting point. Obviously, you cannot (or at least should not) exceed this number in spending. This step also assumes you have a job.Whatever that is, either hourly or salary, you should first determine what you make per year. For those of you who are hourly, $20/hr is about $40,000 a year. Calculate your yearly income as specifically as you can, but for the purpose of this demonstration, I will just use $40,000 per year.
$40,000 sounds great right? BUT - you forgot taxes.

What is left over is called disposable income. This is what you actually get to spend. To figure out your disposable income, I say a healthy estimate is to take about a quarter out of the "real income." Real income is the $40,000. So a quarter out of this is $10,000.
The disposable income left is $30,000. This amount may vary depending on your state taxes, if you put money away in a 401k, or other saving options available through your employer. Read through these materials provided by your employer carefully and determine what you truly have left. Often, someone in your HR department will be willing to sit down and talk you through options. #itneverhurtstoask

 

2. Divide Monthly Expenses 

 Take your disposable income and divide by 12. $30,000/12 = $2500. This is what you have each month to spend. This next step is huge. Here we will be determining monthly expenses and creating a visual for you to use each month.

Click to enlarge.

Open a spreadsheet. As I have said before, you have no excuse even if you do not have Microsoft Office. Open Office is free and available online. For each item create two columns - one to write the item and the second for cost. Let's start with rent. If you are living at home you may or may not have rent. If you have an apartment, you know exactly what you are paying per month. My rent is $660. Utilities will vary per month and based on what type of rent you have, but on average for me it should be about $150. We have water included, no charge on garbage or lawn care, but we are charged for electricity and heat. I am living with my long time boyfriend, so food is set at $300. This amount includes times you go out to eat. Be sure to watch your spending here because dining out tends to add up really quickly! Supplies $100. Supplies include things like cleaning products, bathroom supplies, paper toweling, etc. Gas $200. Adjust for your travel needs. However, do your best to try to find alternatives like walking, biking, and public transportation. Loans $200. Car Payments $300. I am currently looking for a car and will soon have these payments as well; however, this section also covers oil changes and other small maintenance. Adjust for your car's needs.

So, you should have a spreadsheet that looks like the example above. (Either keep your spreadsheet on your desktop or print it off. You can either type in items as you buy them or hand write them in. I leave mine on my refrigerator and leave all the month's receipts next to it with a magnet.) The number you have next to the category is the most you can pay per month. As you can see, I filled a couple of things in below some categories. One example is under Utilities. Internet is listed with it's price $48.51. Under Utilities you can also put electricity, laundry, and insurance payments. For Food, Supplies, and Gas write down the date of purchase along with amount. Having the date visual can help show you if you are spending too much too quickly.

I'd like to note that your first month might be a trial run. Be sure you over-estimate rather than under for this period. Adjust afterwards as you will have a better idea on what to expect.

 

3. Save, Save, Save! (But have a little fun)

First, let's do the math.
$2500
- 660 Rent
  150 Utilities
  300 Food
  100 Supplies
  200 Gas
  200 Loans
  300 Car Payments
$590 left over/month

Yeah! You have money left over! But here is where most people, especially Americans, fail. You need to save most of this. In addition to being your savings, also consider it your safety net. If your car has a serious problem, you're going to be really happy when months of savings can cover your costs. However. . . do not forget you need some fun in life. On my spreadsheet, $100 is allowed per month to use as I like - for clothes, carnivals, or for any extra fun event or object.

You might have noticed I have nothing about credit cards. It is because I do not use them. YET. Since I am new to the area, I am waiting to see where the best deals and places would be to use them.
Here are two of the best ways you can use your credit cards, which hopefully you only have two.
1) Use them with places you frequently visit. Certain gas stations have cards that give you a return at the pump if you use their card. Many places give a percentage off every purchase if you use their card, like Target, Kohls, etc. 2) Do not treat your cards like piles of extra cash. If you can't afford it under budget, leave it on the shelf. A credit card should only be used in emergencies and if you have the money to back it up. You can use it to make a purchase and then pay it on the next monthly bill. Doing it this way causes no extra amount added on due to interest, plus it also helps your credit score. Be sure when you are purchasing a credit card that this system stills applies, otherwise you might want to get a different card.

I hope this helps you to grasp your basic budgeting skills and helps to get your finances on track right from the get-go. For additional help, please seek a financial advisor. These people are really great and most of them do want to help you succeed now and in the future.


What do you worry about when it comes to money? Comments welcome!

Finding Your Perfect Motivation For Exercising

Have a hard time staying dedicated to working out? I think most of us do, and I'd like to share with you for a moment how I stay on track. I'm a person in love with lists and spreadsheets, so I use it to my advantage. While today I am going to explain my workout regiment, you have to develop your own strategy, your own motivation and style that will ultimately work best with your personality. Love yoga? Add more of it to your workout schedule. Love running, add a little more distance or increase speed. Hate everything to do with body movement? Create S.M.A.R.T. goals. (I'll explain this in a bit.) You have probably heard this fitness quote before - "Be stronger than your strongest excuse."

First, I'll go through what I've used in the past. These did not quite fit my style so I moved on, but these might work for you.
1. Keep a notebook. Seriously. This is a good one. Mark everything from what you ate, drank, and what types of exercising you did that day. Tracking your food intake will shock you, especially if you do it with an additional calorie record. Just how much food you eat is amazing. Unconscious eating is real. Ever wander into the kitchen just because and leave with a few cookies? This habit can be stopped by tracking yourself. Keep the notebook near or in the kitchen, so when you eat you have to write it down. I also liked this way for recording exercising, because it does not limit you to one routine over and over. You pick if you want to go for a walk, or just do abs and arms. One rule for exercising you can do is do something everyday, but feel free to change this rule as it works best for you! My rules for the notebook were 1) the exercises had to total up to an hour of time and 2) it had to fill one line of a small hand-held notebook.

2. Create a workout calendar. This one is for those of you who are competitive and possibly have roommates or friends who would like to join your fit endeavor. I did this with a couple of roommates in college. We put up a giant calendar on the wall and put an X on a day we did at least thirty minutes of exercising. If you did not do this at least three days a week, you had to do four the next. This holds you accountable and taps into those personalities who thrive on competition. It also helps to keep those in your household in the same mind-set as you. So people are not making cookies and brownies every day, although we did bake them before finals week.

3. Create S.M.A.R.T. goals. I still do this from time to time when I need a little motivational boost. I learned this acronym in a college fitness course. It stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time. I combine this set-up with an award. It might look something like this - If I do twenty pushups once a day for two weeks, I get to buy a pair of earrings. This is very specific, able to be measured, attainable and realistic for my body, and has a time limit. When making these goals, do not make the rewards food. Make it something physical like clothes, a spa day, or a new nail polish. Make the rewards in portion to the exercise achievement you accomplish. So do not give yourself a shopping spree just because you did ten push-ups in two days. You should WORK for it. It will make that reward so much more ... rewarding.

So what do I do now? I use a spreadsheet. I used Open Office, so if you do not have Microsoft Word you have no excuses! Open Office is free. I have done this one for years. Writing a check mark in a box feels so gratifying to me. Feel free to copy this workout schedule, but I want to push you to make one for yourself. Like I said before, if you love yoga, put yoga in this. I love this way of tracking because I still get some freedom to choose what I want to do, but I make sure I am still targeting multiple areas of my body. No skipping leg day! You can mix the schedule up by trying YouTube videos or follow a free workout group on Facebook. In addition, use social media to keep your mind in check for your overall goal through Pinterest, Twitter, or any other platform.
So, here is what the left words mean. Little Exer. = Little Exercises. Not surprising. For me this encompasses 20 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, 50 side crunches (each side), 50 Russian twists, 30 second planks each on left and right side, and one 45 second front plank. You can certainly change this.
Anything with a number in front of it, tells you how many times a week this area should be done. So 4 Arms means I need to do arm exercises four times a week. If a category does not have a number in front of it, it should be done daily like Abs, Stretches, and Butt/Squats. I do twenty squats a day unless I do a butt specific workout. 2 Thighs means I focus on the thigh area two times a week. 3 Cardio is three cardio exercises a week and could be running, biking, elliptical, etc.1 Extra means I have to do one new/different workout a week. This could be yoga, swimming, or anything you do not normally have in your routine. I have Eating and Water on there to keep a constant reminder of what I put into my body.

What if you miss a day? Well, I consider it a rest day as long as it is only once or twice a week and then I try to make it up the next workout day. Let rest days happen naturally. A friend might ask to spend a weekend out at a carnival or you make plans with family.

What do you do to stay in shape? Have any unique ways of tracking yourself? Comment below! I'd love to hear them.

(I am not a professional fitness guru or anything health related. Please check with your doctor before starting a new routine and to be sure you are fit enough before engaging in physical activities. I am just an individual sharing my different ways in which you can try to monitor your exercise routines. We have to encourage one another!)

Graduated and Moving On

I graduated.

Let me say that again.

Graduated.

I am a college graduate from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. I am a Creative Writing major with an Economic minor. I moved into a new area and have an almost empty apartment. (I'm still waiting for furniture to be delivered.) And I am currently unemployed.

The tale rings familiar for many college graduates at this time. Some, like my boyfriend, landed jobs before graduation and have started the next chapter of their lives - comfortable and excited to hold a good paycheck in their hands. I see others like me are doing one of three things. 1) Many of my colleagues deliberately took time off. They are traveling, enjoying family, or partying through what may be the last summer of freedom. 2) Others are doing one thing - Applications. More applications. Waiting for the phone. Applications. Applications. Or 3) Waiting for graduate school.

I fit under number 2 and I know many of you do too. The thought of not working with student debt so close behind is terrifying. For those who do not know, Financial Aid provides loans and have grace periods after graduation. Thank God! While some graduates may say, "Oh we have several months to find a job! Why stress," I think the young economist in me hates this situation. For the past couple weeks, I searched and have applied to many job opportunities. I want to clear my debt as fast as possible. I want to help my family and start my own. I want to enjoy some new pleasures, like affording grapes, going to a concert, some weekend traveling, NEW CLOTHES, and just letting myself be a little more pampered. I am a first generation, low income student. I am the first of my siblings to graduate college. I have more "firsts" to make. With this mentality, I fought to keep myself as independent from my parents as possible during the past four years and part of high school. This involved discipline, part time work, and budgeting. I have not given myself many luxuries. Ask my friends. Most of my clothes are from high school. I just replaced my winter jacket of about ten years because the zipper exploded. I have little make-up and most of it was gifts. I still want to fight and make a living for myself. I want to make my parents proud and not let my friends worry. The thought of having a job, a real job, makes the hard work feel so validating... now I just have to get that job.


The search, edits of resume and cover letters, and the emails do not bother me, but I am starting to suffer. While I know I am okay and these emotions are normal, I am scared. And the waiting is the worst part of the whole process. Apply, wait, follow up email, wait, get told they are still reviewing, wait. The wait will drive you crazy. It makes you feel powerless, because you are. You have no say at this point and are at the mercy of an HR department. College graduates of 2014 do not give up. We are the future and we will make it. All good things come in time. It is almost our time.


Are you suffering from graduate blues? I stay busy with exercising, reading, budgeting, and of course writing. Writing is a great therapeutic action for many people, myself included. Comment below if you are worried and what tactics you are doing/might do to help with the wait.


P.S. Sorry for the wait on a post! Obviously, this was a busy time for me and I had about two weeks without any internet access. More posts will be published soon!

20 Days till Graduation

...and I applied for my first real apartment. While it is not guaranteed that I have it at this time, at least it is an important step to solidifying post-graduation plans. For those of you who do not know how apartment hunting works, it sort of goes like this:

1. Search for places online within desired location and budget range, and then initiate contact 
2. Set up showing times 
3. And based on your criteria, you will select the best apartment for your financial and personal needs
4. Wait and see if your credit score and other credentials are checked before approval (IF no one has put in before you)
5. Sign a lease

Now, criteria is extremely important. I am blessed that I have an older brother who has gone through this process as it helped with knowing what to look for, what questions to ask, and simply knowing when the time is right to settle. I wanted something bigger than a college apartment. I wanted a dishwasher. I wanted a pantry. And I wanted a washer and dryer. (Unfortunately, the washer and dryer dream will have to wait.) Bring along or ask for a tape measure. It helped with the final decision, as I had to be sure a queen-size bed could fit comfortable in the bedroom.

 Questions that you should ask are - What is included? (heat, water, garbage, garage, electricity, etc.) Is the heat gas or electric? Where is the nearest grocery store, hospital, or tornado shelter? What is the price, square footage? Are pets allowed? Who do I contact if something breaks? Is the apartment internet or cable ready? (If this is important to you. I'm not getting cable.) And what are the policies the building tenants need to follow, like are there quiet hours? Hopefully, all the answers will help lead you to find the perfect place. 

I found most of my preferred characteristics in a wonderful, loft style apartment. It sits on the first floor, so I have a small patio where I can walk out into the grass and look at an artificial pond.

It felt weird and nerve-racking to sit down and sign paper after paper, acknowledging the apartment could be my space soon. But after that hour of signing, I knew I was ready for the next step in life. I hope within the next few days, I will receive good news. If not, the search will continue.

Graduation: 20 days and counting. . .




If anyone has tips on car hunting, please comment below!

Almost Making it in the Real World

Between senior seminars, an internship, presidential duties of a student organization, and general course work, where am I supposed to find time to:  apply for employment, take days off for interviews, find an apartment, buy a car, figure out upcoming student loan payments, and actually do the assigned course work! (Social life? Haha. Please.)

This is life for the average, graduating, college senior in late April, and the premise of my blog. 

Everyone has their own version of a “hectic life” and managing it is half the battle. Through my own experiences, with hopefully more “trials” than “errors,” I want to be encouraging to those who are going through big life changes, decisions, and ultimately – straight up life.

I’ll let you know what I do to keep everything managed while having a good time doing so! In addition, I have certain loves in life and I intend to share them with you. There are the general topics such as exercising, fashion, recipes, etc.  However, I am a writer, economist, small business supporter, hater of processed foods, and lover of everything outdoors. My blog will include these topics and more! As a writer, I tend to find fascination in a variety of topics, so don’t be too surprised if one week I share something about an Irish folktale or my home state, Wisconsin! (Yeah, I’m a cheese head!) But moreover, I hope to help others, like myself, make the transition into the “real world.” 

With one month left till my college graduation, it's a chaotic and wonderful time! Let's get prepped for life after graduation together!

Want to get in touch with me? Shoot me an email at lydialharrer@gmail.com or leave a message on my blog. If you have any ideas on how to improve my blog or self-marketing, please let me know!