Debt: Your Worst Nightmare

The picture to the right is definitely not the right idea! But, many early 20somethings are in debt. Either from having to find ways to pay for school, or from getting their first credit card and deciding to look fabulous. But hopefully by now many of your have realized your mistakes, and have decided to man up and decided to do something about your debt. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you on your quest to becoming a debt free 20something! 

• Don't go into debt in the first place! If you are about to get your credit card... def take this advice! And if you are already in debt, do this as well. I have mentioned this several times. Take the money that you are allocating for various expenses (food, clothes, gas...) and divide it by four. Only spend this amount in the week. But to make sure you do, go one step further. Withdraw the amount of cash you have allocated for the week, and only spend this. Leave you credit cards at home, and enjoy being one step closer to better credit! 
• Knowledge! Know what you are up against! The best way to do this is to compile all of your information together. A great website that I have discovered is www.mint.com. It allows you to compile all of your different accounts, and categorizes them (with some help from you) so that you can tell exactly how much you spend on fast food, on clothing, on your utilities... It also compares this to the average in various major cities, against each state, and against the entire US! (I am below average for just about everything... except food :-(. But it gives you something to work towards. You are also able to set up a budget, and tell exactly how much you are over. It's an amazing website that will help you manage your expenses and put your debt right in front of you to deal with! 
• Eat in! Don't eat at convenient fast food restaurants all the time. Eat in, or bring a healthy, inexpensive snack. Those fast food places are very expensive, and very unhealthy. You will be doing your wallet and your waistline a favor if you stop eating out so much! Also, learn how to make equivalents to foods that you eat out. Learn how to make teriyaki chicken that you buy at the mall. Learn how to make Zaxby's chicken! Spend less money in the grocery store and don't waste the gas! 
• Budget! Create you budget and stick to it! Be realistic. Don't set $50 for clothes and $200 on food, if you know you are obsessed with new clothes and eat in 99% of the time. Think about what you usually spend, and decrease it proportionally. Use www.mint.com so that you can tell how close you are to budget without managing it yourself. But make sure you factor in hundreds of dollars towards your debt! 
• Pay it! Pay your debt off in hundreds of dollars, more than the minimum. The minimum generally just pays the interest. Ask you bank how much interest you are accumulating a month, so that you know how much beyond the minimum you need to pay to make a dent. 
• Ask! Ask you bank to lower you interest rates. It would definitely help you pay off your debt, and the worst that could happen is for them to say no! 
• Get help! If you realize you can't manage this on your own, get help! There are people out there who cost, but who are there to professionally help you. Try to find a personal banker, or financial specialist. They may cost, especially the good ones, but the will be worth it in the end! 
• Auto-pay!!!! If you can't remember to pay any of your bills (including credit card) set up auto-pay! The set amount you choose, or the cost of your bills, automatically comes out of your account on a certain day each month. This way your bills won't be late! Because late bills contribute to bad credit! 

Paying off your debt fast is very important. You will have more money sooner, rather than some money for a long time. It also improves your credit which will help you get a nicer house, car and apartment, for less in some cases! Do your best not to go into debt, but once you are, get out fast by living like you are actually making significantly less! 

A fresh month

It's getting to be the end of January, we are all about to begin February. Think of this as a fresh start. Think of each new month in this! I know it is only the second month of the year, but I have read studies that say that the majority of New Year's Resolutions have already been given up by now. Don't wait for next year to make new ones. You could do so much damage by waiting around for the next time for resolutions. Make new ones at the beginning of each month! Here's some of what I'm talking about

Budgeting!!!! 

• Credit Cards! I know I have said they are great in the past. Let me clarify how to use them in a good way. Get a credit card with a low limit!!!!! like $500 low. Pay this off every few days and write these amounts in your registrar!!!!!! Don't get a huge credit card unless and carry it around for emergencies, then on a shopping spree! 
  
• Pay off Credit Cards! Let's say you have already maxed out several credit cards, as I'm sure some people have, and are thousands of dollars in debts. Or let's say you are in debt because of school. The simplest piece of advice would be to take it one day at a time, and set aside as much as you can. Get professional help if you are far in debt. The more professional, the more expensive, but the more they can help. But even if you are making enough to live a fairly cushy lifestyle, cut your expenses significantly, budget wisely, and pay off your payments fast to get a better credit score! And don't forget! Those minimum payments may only cover your interest, you may not actually be making a dent in what you owe! 
• Budget week by week! Set aside the right amount of money for your set expenses in the beginning of the month: rent, utilities, insurance, payments... The rest is for your changing expenses: food, clothes, entertainment... Divide the money into 4 (for four weeks in a month) and spend this amount each week, but no more. If you have problems (like I do) try withdrawing this money and spending cash each week. Then once you run out, you run out and don't spend anymore. 
• Keep looking! Keep the cost of all your bills out, and their due dates! Make sure they are all paid in full on time. Some you can even pay in advance! Make sure you have enough for all of your bills, because this is the most important thing. You may be living paycheck to paycheck for a few years (hopefully you then get that huge promotion, or that huge wedding ring...) and you can finally move up in life. But you can't if you have bad credit. 
• Save! The economy :-(. It's not doing well, as everyone hears about daily, but it's the truth. I have heard that it should be doing better by the summer, but you never know. Keep your portfolio and resume ready just in case. And keep some money set aside to get you through if something does happen. It is wise to keep at least 2 months saved up, of daily living expenses. I've heard as much as 9 months should be saved up. But do what you can. Because once your income goes, you can't really do anything. 
• List! Make a list of everything you WANT! This is help you save for these things instead of blowing it on spur of the moment small purchases! Put on there your barstools, and those hot $150 jeans your dreaming of! (Or maybe this is just my list) But make a list, and maybe put pictures up in a few strategic places to entice you to save up! 

Health!

• Exercise! It's never too late to start exercising! Don't be ashamed to exercise. What's the worse that could happen? People make fun of you? No one will! Esp not in a crowded gym! They would get their butts kicked by all the in shape people! You fall off the treadmill? I've done it! Maybe that hot nice guy will see you and realize you're human and check to make sure your ok! Its better to do it now, than 20 years and 40 pounds later! 
• Eat healthy! It's cheaper first of all! Think about how much you spend at McDonald's or Moe's everytime you go. Then think about how much you would spend on a casserole, and how many servings you would get out of it. Also think about how much healthier this is. Everything for lasagna is about $30 (this one is a bit expensive). I usually get about 8 servings out of it, this is less than $4 a serving. And most of the things that go into it you already have! 
• Vitamins! Take a multivitamin everyday made for women (or men if you are a man). This will give you an extra boost that will help you out. It only takes a minute to take and you will feel much better! 

Personal

• Job! Now I'm not going to tell you to quit your job, esp in this economy. But I will tell you to do something to improve it! If you don't like your position, think about what you could do to get a promotion. If you actually dread coming into work, begin putting your portfolio together so that you can be ready if another position comes up. But stay realistic. Don't expect to become the CEO anytime soon if you just graduated from college. 
• Relationships! This goes for both romantic and friendship. Relationships are a two way deal, each side has to give and take. Make sure you listen to all of your friends! And make sure they are listening to you. If you think you aren't getting what you deserve, talk to your friend. It's better than blowing up at them down the road. Getting your feelings out may create a tense situation, but think about how tense a situation would be if you blew up at her during brunch because she's going on and on about her stupid dog (not a real life event hopefully) 

Think of each new month as a new beginning, and do what you can to improve yourself. Most peoples New Years Resolutions don't last but a few weeks, an average of 3. Think about if you did this for 3 weeks each month. If you ate well, budgetted well, and exercised for 3 months out of the month? That's 3/4's of the year you would be doing good, instead of 3/52's. Who knows, it may even become a constant habit! 

How to go grocery shopping

Grocery shopping is something everyone has done by the time they are our age. Most of us have done serious grocery shopping by now. This blog will give you more tips and tricks to going grocery shopping effectively, and hopefully not have to make another trip out an hour later.

• Make a list: Through the week write down things you need as you run out of them. This is most easily done on a dry erase board you can keep on your fridge, or somewhere else easily accessible. Then, on your grocery shopping day transfer this to your list! As for the rest of the list, it would be best to plan out your menu for the next week, to save gas on multiple trips a week. Write down all the ingredients you may need and buy them then. 
• Make a menu: At the beginning of each week write a menu for the rest of the week. Add these things to your list. Include, or don't include, date nights. I listen to Cosmoradio on Sirius, and they talked about one girl who would arrange her dates in the beginning of the week and then write her menu to save money. 
• Take your list! Make sure you make a list and take it with you! Otherwise, you may forget something. Organize your list based on your grocery store, to avoid having to double back. 
• Coupons!  Before you go, gather up your coupons. Check expiration dates, and pick up staple items that are about to expire even if you don't need them. I'm talking about paper towels and tissues, not chicken broth. 
• Eat! Don't go to the grocery store hungry. At least buy some fast food on your way, if you really have no food at home. Otherwise you may buy things that look good, but that normally you wouldn't actually buy.
• Check prices! Buy the less expensive brand, unless you really like a certain brand and are willing to pay extra. But things like rice, buy the store brand. 
• Check expiration dates! Before you buy something, check the expiration date. Think about when you plan on using it, and try to figure out if it will be used before the expiration date. 
• Double check your list! Before you leave, run back through your list and check for everything. Make sure you got everything you needed. 
• Pull out your card! I usually save dollars, as much as $10, just on food for me between my coupons, and my membership card. They usually don't sell your info (I have about 10 different cards and have never gotten anything, but I have heard some do), they just want to know what you buy. So make sure you have one to every grocery store you may shop at.

Make sure you bring you list everytime you go shopping! It will be your life saver. And if you don't know what you want to get because your new to grocery shopping (like me) base it on what you have coupons for. 

Stocking your kitchen

I am a very picky eater (worse than a 5 year old). So when I found a recipe book called 4 Ingredient Dinners by Betty Crocker, I got very excited because this meant very bland, and easy foods. As I was sitting down to look through this, I found a list of foods to keep in your kitchen. Here, I share them with you, but first a bit of advice: don't go out and buy all of these! It's just a suggestions. If you don't like an item, don't buy it just because this says to. What I would suggest doing, is as you make a recipe buy the items, and if you like the recipe, keep the items in your kitchen! 

Produce:

Fruits:

Apples, pears, bananas, grapes

Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges)

Vegetables:

Carrots

Celery

Onions

Potatoes

Ready-to-use salad mix

Tomatoes

In the Fridge:

Breads and Dough Products:

Pita breads

Ready-to-eat pizza crust

Ready-to-use garlic or cheese breads

Refrigerated doughs (biscuit, breadsticks)

Tortillas (corn, flour)

Condiments:

Chocolate syrup

Chopped garlic

Hummus

Prepared horseradish

Prepared pesto

Dairy:

Alfredo sauce

Butter or margarine

Cheese (grated, shredded, sliced)

Cream cheese

Eggs or egg substitutes

Milk

Sour cream

Yogurt (plain, flavored)

Meat, Poultry and Fish:

Bacon

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Deli meats (ham, salami)

Fresh or frozen fish steaks

Ground meat

Ready-to-cook seasoned mean and poultry products

Sausage (smoked, hot dogs, bratwurst)

In the Freezer:

Desserts and whipped topping

Dough (bread, pizza)

Fruits (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

Ice cream and frozen yogurt

Juice concentrate

Pizza

Ravioli (cheese- or beef-filled)

Vegetables (corn, green beans, any favorite combination)

Bakery:

Breads (sandwich bread, rolls, bagels, hamburger and hot dog buns)

Cookies

Prepared cake (angel food, pound)

Off the Shelf:

Baking Basics:

Bisquick baking mix

Cake mix

Canned frosting

Chips (semisweet chocolate, peanut butter)

Corn syrup

Dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins)

Evaporated milk

Flour

Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios)

Shredded coconut

Sugar (granulated, brown, powdered)

Canned Basics:

Beans (garbanzo, kidney, black, white northern, refried

Black olives

Broth (beef, chicken, vegetable)

Canned tuna and shrimp

Fruits (cranberry, pineapple, cocktail)

Green chilies

Mushrooms

Pasta, pizza sauces

Soups

Tomato products (sauce, paste, stewed, diced, seasoned)

Water chestnuts

Cereals and Snacks:

Bread crumbs

Cereals

Corn meal

Crackers

Croutons

Tortilla chips

Condiments and Sauces:

Asian (hoisin, peanut, duck, sweet-and-sour and stir-fry sauces)

Barbecue sauce

Chili

Cocktail sauce

Honey

Ice-cream toppings

Ketchup

Maple syrup

Mustards (Dijon, spicy brown, yellow)

Peanut butter

Pimentos

Preserves (jam, jelly, marmalade)

Salsa, pecante sauce

Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce 

Worcestershire sauce

Dressings, Oils and Vinegars:

Cooking spray

Marinades

Mayonnaise, salad dressing

Oils (vegetable, olive)

Salad dressings

Vinegars (balsamic, cider, white, red white)

Herbs, Spices and Dry Mixes:

Bacon flavor bits

Bouillon granules or cubes

Dried herbs (basil, chives, dill weed, fennel seed, mint, oregano, parsley flakes, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme)

Dry sauce mixes (cheese, gravy white)

Dry seasoning mixes (meat loaf, sloppy Joe, spaghetti)

Dry soup mixes

Herb or seasoning blends, regular or salt free (Italian seasoning, lemon, Cajun/Creole)

Instant unflavored gelatin

Pepper seasoning

Salad dressing mix

Salt

Sesame seeds

Spices (chili powder, cumin, curry powder, garlic and onion powder or salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmet, paprika)

Pasta, Rice, Grains and Potatoes:

Couscous

Instant potatoes

Noodle and pasta mixes

Pasta (long, short and tube types)

Potato mixes

Rice (white, brown, long-grain and quick-cooking)

Rice mixes

Creating your third life

When most people go to college, they often leave behind one life, to create a new life at college. A new life usually involves new things. So here you are, graduating from college, with two lives, ready to begin a third. What can you do to combine your two pasts to create your third life? The picture here is a photo of all my clothes and shoes I threw out when I began my third life. 

• Furniture: What furniture you have is the most important, because by reusing furniture you can save money. You will most likely look at your pre-college life for this. Some things that may be helpful include a desk, dresser and bed. Even if these items were originally bought during a flower and pink phase when you were 13, things can be done to them. You can paint such items, or hide them. But just think about the money you would be saving by reusing them. If you really don't like your furniture, think hard about how much a new piece would cost. Go ahead and use your old furniture and save up for a replacement item. 
• Clothes: Any clothes you purposefully left at home (not based on season) should probably go. You will be beginning a new life, and this means new clothes. Keep anything that you wear often, such as jeans, sweaters and jackets. Throw out those jeans that don't quite fit you, but you say you will grow into. Throw out those t-shirts from summer camp every summer (except one for memories). Keep your nice pants and blouses that you only wear to church, they will be great for interviews and jobs. Throw out your flip flops with the rhinestones, and the ones with flowers... and keep one conservative pair. You get the point. Keep your clothes that you wear often, and your nice clothes, but throw out most of you clothes that you keep for sentimental value. I would suggest first taking your clothes to Plato's Closet, where you can get money for clothes you don't want. But, as I have said before, they don't take all of your clothes. Take the rest to Goodwill where you can fill out a form and get a tax ride off. 
• Nik naks: This is the majority of what will be thrown out. Some of the things you should keep are pictures (but take them out of the frames), heirlooms, and other sentimental things. But throw out the majority of your stuffed animal collection. As you go through you items, think about what you would be proud to show off in your new apartment. Of the other things you want to keep, think about what you have thought about in the last year. If you haven't thought about it in the last year, chances are you won't again. Buy one or two crates (however many you can store) and only put enough childhood nik naks you can store in here. Hopefully our new apartment will have space for storage, but not all do, and think about what your roommate may bring as well.

Overall, it's very important to begin your new life with a fresh start, but by using your old items you can save a lot of money. Keep what you will be useful, but don't keep all of your coloring books from kindergarten. 

• Items to keep: Furniture, clothes that you wear daily, nice clothes that you wear on special occasions, family heirlooms, very sentimental items, photos, items you have used over the last year...
• Items to toss: Clothes that don't fit, clothes you don't wear, items you haven't thought about or used in the last year...
• Remember to try to sell anything you don't want anymore, or give it to Goodwill for a tax ride off. 

HELP!!!!!!

So you are out on your own and you don't know what to do now. There are so many big issues to be faced, insurance, turning on utilities... This blog is all about getting these things done. And if there's something I don't know how to get done, I will tell you who to ask.

• Parents! This is the first thing. If you have any questions and don't know where to turn, turn to your parents. Your parents both have experience and know your taste better than anyone else. So while they may have cut you off financially, as some have at our age, they will never cut off advice. 
• What you need! Whenever you call a utility or insurance company to get something turned on or transferred to your name, you need three things in front of you. 1. Your address. Not everyone has their address memorized, so it would be best to have it written down in front of you when you call. 2. Your checkbook. Sometimes utilities require an immediate payment. It is best to go ahead and get your checkbook with your account information in front of you so that you can go ahead and make this payment. 3. Blank paper. Before you hang up, ask how much the first payment will be (with electric you may not know, but some companies bill the average of the complex). It is wise to right this down so you know what to expect! Also ask when to expect your first bill. Depending on the time of the month, it could be up to two months before you get your first bill (and this one could be even more expensive). Companies send out all of their bills at the same time, and if it's past this time, it may be awhile before you get your first bill. 
• Utilities: Utilities need to be turned on, or transferred to your name. When you first put your apartment on hold, you should get a list of all utilities you need to take care of and their phone numbers. A list of possible utilities include, electric, water/sewer, cable, and gas. Call each of these a few days before you move in. Two days for the general utilities, because they are generally already turned on, they just need to be changed to your account. If you would like you can ask your apartment office what they would suggest. Call your cable a week in advance, because it usually takes a week to get a cable person out to hook up your cable. 
• Services: For most utilities, you have two options, on or off. And in many apartment complexes you only have one choice, on. These would be for the necessary utilities such as electric. Then for insurance and cable you have more options. It would be best to speak with someone who works for the company and ask them prices, because this will be the deciding factor. You should do research and figure out exactly what you want, and visit the websites to see what is offered and prices. When you contact them, ask about specials. I got an extra 100 channels on cable thanks to a special. But the people who work at these companies are there to help you out.
• Transferring: Most people already have car insurance, car registration and cell phone service before they graduate from college. All that needs to be done is for the service to be transferred to your name. Especially during that time of year, insurance companies get calls about this all the time. They know exactly how it works. As far as car registration. You local DMV's website will have all the necessary information. If you would rather, you can call or head down to your local DMV to ask questions, but be prepared for a long wait.
• Cell Phone service: You will have to start this on your own. Do research in advance, although the service you had with your parents may still be active, so you may have service for a few more months. A great site that compares your top choices would be here. Google cell phone carrier reviews to find more. If you can't decide, stop by a store and get pamphlets to see what is offered. A great question is how easy it would be to get out of the service if you are unsatisfied. If you still can't decide, look at the phones offered. Once you decide on your carrier, you have to decide what services you want. Ask your parents how many minutes you spent and how many texts you used. Also, if you have a smart phone you usually have to get a data plan. Some services have an unlimited plan, which is usually the way to go. Sit down with all of this information and with the prices of the plans your chosen carrier has. Once you have picked this out, go in, get your phone and sign up for a plan! 
• Health insurance: If you are getting health insurance through your work, it is best to speak with Human Resources about this. They will know the details, and will be able to answer your questions, or at least point you in the right direction. It's why they're there! If you get it through an insurance company, ask the company. Ask the company about what they have to offer. Just make sure you have health insurance! 
• Taxes: If you are only doing taxes for yourself, you may not need a professional. Quicken is a great program for your computer that will help you with your taxes. Or you can ask your parents, as I intend to. 
• Address: You need to change your address to many places. Your job, your bank (as well as change your job), your magazine subscriptions, your drivers license... Anything that could be mailed needs to be changed to your new address. As things go to your parents, change it over! 

Bills are very important. They need to be paid, but they also need to be started. Representatives are trained and prepared for people who are on their own for the first time. They know exactly what is going on and can answer any question you may have. Just be prepared with all of your information and something to write with so you can write down your answers! Don't be scared, everyone goes through this! 

Decorating on a Budget

Since writing this post I have had a lot of new experiences in decorating and a lot more advice. In addition to this post I would encourage you to read other posts such as Making a House a Home for additional information on decorating on a budget.

When you first move out on your own, you often have only what you used to decorate your dorm or prefurnished apartment in college, sometimes you childhood furniture. But this is usually not enough to decorate an entire apartment. On top of having no decorations, you generally have no money. This blog will help you in your quest to create a comfortable place to live that you love showing off to your friends!

• Roommate: If you have a roommate, you have an additional income, but also additional taste, that hopefully matches. But it would not be wise to purchase a major item to decorate the common areas of the apartment without consulting your roommate, or without a returnable receipt. Also, make sure all the items you purchase you really do like, and don't just go with this decorating theme, because once you two separate, which will happen one day, you have to decorate your next apartment or house with these items.
• Paint: Few things will make your apartment more unique and comfortable than painting it. If you can, getting a professional painter will be best, but make sure the carpets are covered if you do it yourself. Also, check to make sure the apartment allows this. At mine, if it's a dark color I have to put a layer of primer before I move out, but many complexes repaint the walls anyway before the next tenant.
• Stores: There are a lot of stores out there that sell a lot of decorating items geared towards people our age that are less expensive (and often less quality). Target is one. Target is constantly changing what's on their sales floor. But they have everything you may need. Some more are Bed Bath and Beyond, and Linens N Things (if one is still open around you, they are going out of business). What would not be suggested is to order furniture online. The S&H would probably be $100 plus, and you could go to a nice store and buy really good furniture for the price of this S&H. I would suggest going to the stores and picking it up yourself, maybe even renting a UHaul for a few hours and driving it yourself if you or a friend don't own a big SUV or truck. Great furniture stores would be IKEA, Ashley furniture, and Rooms to go. Especially right now, many places have low or no interest for a long time.
• Second-hand: Much second-hand furniture is second hand for a reason, because it is no longer stylish, but there are things to be done about this. Goodwill and other stores have furniture for very low prices. Also try yard sales and flea markets. Sometimes you can find antiques that look great. And you can often haggle with these guys. To spruce up wood, try painting it, especially white. If it has doors that are missing glass, or the glass doesn't look good, take the glass out and put lace in instead. As for couch's and chairs, buy slip covers. If you are not a smoker, smell it very closely, because a smoker may have owned it previously and it's nearly impossible to get that smell out.
• Creativity: Getting creative is the best way for you to decorate on a budget.
• Hang your necklaces on the wall. It's easy storage, and it decorates your bedroom. Add a mirror and write on it using dry erase markers.
  
• Buy some fabric you like and hang it as curtains. Hang panels of it! Borrow a sewing machine from a friend and simply fold over the edges to keep them from fraying. Then take scraps about two inches wide and about six inches long, fold the edges, and then fold them in half and sew them along the top to actually hang with.
• Buy posters, and then buy really inexpensive poster frames and hang these. From a distance they look really good.
• Keep it simple, but use color. Having things everywhere looks tacky. Putting a picture frame or two on a side table, a candle set on your coffee table, just a few things makes it look put together. But decide on a theme, and try to stick to this theme.
• Look up apartment websites such as Rental Decorating Digest and Apartment Living for more ideas. These ideas will cater to apartment living, with non permanent decorating ideas.

I hope this helps in your quest making your apartment your own. It is very important to feel at home once you get home. It helps you unwind from work or shopping. Do everything you can to decorate your apartment the way you want to, but don't go out a max out your credit card. You may have a relaxing place to live, but that will change once your bill comes!

staying healthy

I'm hoping every who reads this is healthy and remains that way, but sometimes things don't go the way we hope and everyone needs to do their best to remain as healthy as possible. 

Let me tell you a little about myself. I have always been slim, probably because of a good diet (I had a stay at home mom who cooked every meal) and good genes (all maternal female relatives are slim and tall, but I'm 5'4".) In 4th and especially 5th grade I started to fall back, and began to be obviously smaller than my peers. And all of a sudden had stomach flu symptoms, never having a stomach flu and hadn't puked since I was 8 (bad pizza, one of the random things I remember). My mother began taking me to doctor after doctor and within a year I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. I was put on several medications, something I was told I'd be on for the rest of my life. But I was still very sick for the next two years.

For those of you who don't know, Crohn's can be a very serious auto immune disease. It involves inflammation of the digestive tract (usually small intestine like mine), sometimes set off by a certain diet, among other things. It is unknown what causes it, although science points to genes, possibly hereditary. 

I averaged 50 pounds at about 5' through middle school but in 8th grade began losing more weight. My doctors decided to insert a feeding tube in my stomach to pump me full of calories, but on my way to get this done I had an x-ray and it was discovered that a small section of my small intestine was beyond rehealing. I had surgery a few days later and had 3 inches of my small intestine removed. 

I mentioned diet as being a culprit of episodes. While I was sick, my family discovered that my episodes were often following the introduction of sugar in my diet. Every crohn's patient is different, but in general processed foods cause problems. Sugar (cane sugar and sugar substitutes specifically) seem to be my issue. Stress is another culprit, one reason I decided not to go into the teaching field.

Since I had surgery in 8th grade I have been in basic remission. I have had one hospital visit (after 3 months of drinking smirnoff twisted once a week.) that lasted one night. As long as I watch my diet I am fine, basically staying away from sugar. About a month ago I went off of my last prescription medication, but I have extras for set backs (such as in the days after my birthday when I have very rich homemade birthday cake laying around). 

What I have learned is that health is very important, and can be very expensive. Which is why it is important to do what you can to remain healthy. I cannot get health insurance, unless I am willing to go through a small company and pay upwards of $1000 a month, despite the fact that I'm healthy. In order to prove to my health insurance that I am healthy my family was about to pay out of pocket for my medication (they pay for my car as long as I stay off my meds and remain in school full time for health insurance while working 2 jobs). 

I hope my little story helps you realize the importance of staying healthy. And for those of you without health insurance, I hope you get health insurance just in case, because while you are healthy it costs less than $100 a month I am told. While Crohn's is generally diagnosed during puberty as your body changes, more and more cases are being diagnosed later in life. And there are thousands of more diseases that anyone can (and hopefully won't) be diagnosed with at any time. 

Now, for tips and tricks I have learned to stay healthy. 

• Vitamins: Take a multivitamin at the very least! Now that I am down to only 2 vitamins I keep them on my bedside table with a bottle of water and take them when I go to bed. Some added suggestions would be: iron (if you get headaches that are borderline migraine, try taking iron. I was diagnosed with stress migraines, and then discovered I was severely anemic, borderline transfusion, and began taking iron. The headaches went away within a week). B12 (if you ever feel stressed or short-tempered, try taking this. I felt this way and did research and began taking B12. It makes me not really sweat the small stuff, and things I can't control.) EsterC (this is a vitamin supplement of Vit C and other vitamins to help with absorption. This could help you prevent a cold, or help you fight a cold.)
• Diet: Many fast food companies are coming out with better food, so I won't say stay away from fast food (my favorite would be the wrap by McDonald's). But it is easier to control what goes into your body if you cook it. I would suggest casseroles, which you can take to work and save money. Be sure you eat a balanced diet! The basics are to make sure you include fruits and vegetables. Grab an apple or a bag of carrots on your way out to eat on your commute to work! Eat a salad with some meals.... Also, don't eat more than a portion. I found a great website that gives exact portions of meals. As far as losing weight, due to the fact that I have always struggled with my weight the opposite way, I can not help much here. I won't go into details, but I know from experience the struggle with weight can be difficult either way. But support is very helpful. Join a group online or of friends and do it together. Weight watchers is also very successful. I can also tell you to hide your scale and hide your tags. Base your weight on your appearance, and trust what your friends or professionals say. Have realistic expectations, and don't do anything drastic! 
• Exercise! Before you check out a local gym that costs check to see if your apartment has a gym. This will be free, and easier access. Check it out (if you don't live in a very nice apartment, the gym probably won't be very nice either, but it may be workable.) Even if you look like you are in good shape, your metabolism won't stay high forever, so it's good to go ahead and get in the habit of it. Go and get your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. If your apartment or your gym offers classes, these are great as well because they are created by professionals. 

I hope this helps in your quest to becoming independent. Part of being independent is taking care of yourself. And I hope that my story helps you realize the importance of staying healthy. Because staying healthy can be easy once it becomes a part of your routine. 

Organize your life

I have spoken with some friends and have come to discover that one of the most frightening things about being independent involves organization. Many people are afraid that there will be issues paying bills, and also organizing doctors appointments. The key to each of these is organization!

Bills

• A desk! Have a set place to pay your bills. A desk would be best, but a plastic drawer set beside your dining room table would work as well. Just make sure you keep everything together. You need several things around here:
  
• Bills: You need a special place to put your bills. I have a divider at the corner of my desk that holds my bills, and as soon as I walk in (and open to look at the damage and due date) I put them here. As soon as you get a bill go ahead and pay it so you don't forget. Make sure you also have stamps here, because bills do not provide them.
  
• Due dates: If you think you'll forget to pay your bills, post a list of due dates and the cost of your bills. I have mine on a dry erase board on the wall beside my desk. I have the bill, the cost (or the last cost for thing such as electric) and the due date. Then I write the date they were paid to make sure I got this months and it has been paid. 
  
• Save them! Once you have paid your bills put the invoice and anything else that came in the envelope back in the envelope. My checks come with a carbon copy and so I save this in here which has the date and amount. I have an accordion folder and I keep all of my bills in here. 
  
• Savings: As you do your bills, think about a savings account as another bill. When you pay your bills, transfer a set amount of money (maybe just $50 or $100 a month) and put it away for unplanned things, such as a car accident or medical bills. If you can't do this, get a credit card just for these. You will have to pay interest, but you won't have to worry about being indebted to someone else, just a credit card company! But don't keep this card in your wallet. Hide it, and only take it out if you have an EMERGENCY! (And a $500 dress on sale for $300 is not an emergency)

Appointments

Most people who live with their parents, have the luxury of simply being told when a doctors appointment is, not having to actually call the doctor, and remember a doctors appointment is coming up.

• Appointment book! Make sure you buy an appointment book, or use your phone to consolidate. Write down all of your appointments! Your work appointments, your friends appointments, your doctors appointments. Anything you say you will do needs to be official. It will help you remember appointments, and also look forward to fun appointments.
• Here is a list of when you should visit your doctors:
• Dentist: every 6 months
• General practitioner:  once a year
• Gyno: once a year
• These do not count if you have a special condition. Ask your doctor (or your parents who have been scheduling these appoints) and write these down as well.
• Also, if you get sick and don't get better, go to a doctor. If it is just a sore throat that won't go away after a week or more, go to urgent care. If it doesn't go away after you see urgent care, or if you have more serious symptoms, go to your general practitioner. Don't run to the doctor everytime you get sick. Most things can be fought if you give it a few days, just manage the symptoms with meds when you need them. Also, health insurance goes up the more you go to the doctor. 
• I would suggest writing down the date of each of your last visits, and the approximate date of your next visit, or else schedule it in advance. Write this down in your planner, or post it on a bulletin board at your desk.

Don't only write down your work and doctors appointments, write down everything! Write down your fun appointments with friends and significant others, it will give you something to look forward to. 

• Friends: Make sure you see at least one friend a week. In the beginning of the week schedule this day so that you will have something to look forward to. But as the new person at your job, you are often very busy. But make sure you make time each week to see a friend. If you are tired, simply sit around and watch tv with them. Or go to a bar. But make sure you write this down in your planner to make it just as official as work. And don't let anything else come in the way (although things do happen).
• Love life: Just like your friends, make at least one day a week for your significant other, or a potential significant other. Even if you have been dating someone and are past the honeymoon stage, make at least one day a week to spend alone in or out doing something special. Make this day just as official by writing it in your schedule. 
• Home life: Spend everyday cleaning a little bit. I have written a previous blog about keeping your apartment clean called How to Clean. Basically, you need to clean as you go. And spend a little time each day doing detailed cleaning. For instance, clean your counter each time you cook, but also run in and spend five minutes on the toilet on Mondays, then five minutes on the shower on Tuesdays... 
• Pets: I don't have a pet, because I can barely take care of myself, but I grew up with a dog, so I may be able to give a little advice. Make time for your pet each day. Write down everything that needs to be done (feedings, walks, potty breaks) and write down a time for each (with breakfast, after work...) Then, when you are winding down in the evening, or getting ready in the morning, sit down with your pet and pet it as you pick out your clothes. Talk to it as you brush your teeth or shower. Give it treats as you cook. 

Organization is the key to getting everything done. In order to pay your bills you have to have a set way of doing it. You have to know where your bills go, when they are due, and a guesstimate of how much they will be. You also need to write down every appointment you have, not only work but also friends. 

Fashion on a budget

Most people want to look their best anytime they leave home. Most people want to stay up on the latest fashions, but not everyone can afford the latest fashions. There are entire blogs devoted just to this: staying fashionable on a budget. This blog will talk about some tips and tricks, but if you want more detailed information, google fashion on a budget and follow some of those blogs.

• Online Codes: Especially during economy lows, stores are constantly passing around codes for their online stores. There are websites devoted just to giving you codes to get discounts. Whenever you order something online, check some of these out first. A great one that I have mentioned before is www.retailmenot.com. Before you buy something online again, be sure to check this website out and you may be able to get free shipping, or an overall discount, and you can buy more! 
• People.com! This website is in connection to the gossip magazine that is found in grocery and drug stores. But it does have a section in which it shows where to buy less expensive versions of celebrity clothing. The exact website is: www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/shopping. 
• Shop! There are some great stores out there that have very fashionable clothes at lower prices (and lower quality). But if you are the type of person to wear an outfit that is in style for a single season, buy less expensive clothes, even though they may fall apart after a few months. Forever21, Wet Seal, and Charlotte Russe are some of my favorite examples. 
• Department stores! Department stores have great clothes a lower prices. Most department stores have a large section of well known and expensive brands. Instead, go to the juniors, petite or women's section and shop here. They often have great sales and great looking clothes at lower prices.
• Second hand stores! While some great things can be found at Goodwill for just a few dollars, and these should definitely be checked out, I'm more talking about Plato's closet. You can take your old clothes here and get money, and then spend it on clothes. Many clothes were simply grown out of and are still in style. They are also very picky (so don't expect to be able to sell everything) but this also means that you will find fashionable clothes. 

It is always important to look your best, and dressing fashionably is always a plus. But unfortunately, this can sometimes be expensive. I hope this helps you look your best while staying within budget. And if you want more detailed information, be sure to google fashion on a budget to find entire blogs devoted to this subject.

How to be independent!

I can't speak for every girl, but I don't want to be the type of girl who has to call a guy everytime I order furniture from IKEA (with "some" assembly required), or I want to hang something. For major repairs, I usually call apartment maintenance, or a repairman later on in life, but for basic repairs, it is good to be able to do it yourself. Here are some tips and tricks that will allow you to be more independent.

• Buy a toolbox! Don't just throw your random tools in a drawer or anything. Buy a small toolbox and some of the staple tools. You don't need anything huge, because you don't need every tool. My toolbox has a hammer, nose pliers, regular pliers, a double ended screwdriver, a battery powered screwdriver, and various sizes of nails and hooks and a small kit with nails and screws and hooks. The screwdriver (especially a batter powered screwdriver) is the most important if you plan on buying furniture that requires assembly.
• Learn how to use your tools, including the proper name. Get a guy friend to help you with this one day. Learn how to properly drive a nail and screw a screw. Once you learn the basics, you should be able to do any simple thing (don't attempt to build a new armoire with a few pieces of wood.) 
• Buy a step ladder! If you need to change a lightbulb, especially an important one, you don't want to have to wait for a guy friend or maintenance. Get a ladder so that you can fix it immediately yourself. Sometimes just a chair will work. But if you have 9 foot ceilings and are about 5'4" the ceiling will not be reachable with just a chair.
• Buy a book! The Bad Girl's Guide series is a great book that is very helpful. There is one about the open road that includes travel tips, such as how to change a flat time (although AAA is the best way if available). This is an entire series, so check out the rest and see what you find.

It's great to be independent. It's much easier to be able to do things for yourself (but this ability can be hid to make you man feel like your savior). You can get things done much faster and you will feel empowered when you are done. Take these tips and do your best to become independent so that you will feel more confident and more powerful! 

Having Fun on a budget

Almost everyone just out of college are living paycheck to paycheck, without much room for error. Especially in the days before the next paycheck, many early 20somethings are hoping to have enough for food, not really thinking about entertainment. You need to spend as much time as you can through the month on free activities, in order to have more at the end of the month. Here are some ideas that may allow for some fun to be had throughout the month. 

• Free concerts. Many cities have concerts by lesser known bands throughout the summer months, that cost no money. They are often sponsored by beer companies, and so overpriced beer will be sold.
  
• Drink beer! Beer is much less expensive than mixed drinks. My bartab is usually around 20 with tip (but I am about 110 lb and I only go out 1 every week or every 2 weeks). I would suggest pregaming at home, and then going out and drinking beer to maintain your buzz. Maybe a shot. Also, think about if you want to use cash or a tab. With cash you can keep an eye on your money easier. With a tab, you usually only tip once. Also, go to bars without a cover charge. 
  
• Book club! Do any of you or any of your friends like to read? A book club doesn't have to be about insightful books. You can read the latest Nicholas Sparks and similar books. Then get together once a month to talk about the books and anything else on your mind. These events will keep you busy reading, and will give you something to do one night a month. Mine is potluck. The person holding it makes the main dish, and everyone else brings the sides. 
• Pamper yourself, yourself! Target, and many other similar stores, have items that allow you to give yourself an at home spa day. You can give yourself a facial, or a foot scrub and pedicure. If you are addicted to having great looking nails, think about how much you spend. If you get an $8 manicure every week, think about what you can do to do it yourself. If you get acrylics or silk wraps, think about how many times a week you get a fill, and how much it costs. I can tell you that I used to get acrylics. I had to get a fill at $25 each every other week. Now I have gels, that are $35 a fill, and I get them about once a month. Also, keep them short, this will reduce the chances of them breaking. Also, if you get your eyebrows down at every sign of a new hair, don't do this! Only get them done professionally once a month. Touch up the main areas (don't get too close to what you want to keep to avoid over plucking) and then after about a month, your eyebrows will start looking nasty, so get them done professionally
• Rent a tv series! Use netflix or the blockbuster mailing service. With these you can pay a small amount and have a number of movies out at a time, but rent as many as you can through the month. With this you can watch an entire series of a show, which could take up several evenings a week. You may feel like a hobbit doing this, so try doing this with a group of friends. 
• Potluck dinners! If you meet up with a group of girlfriends for a meal every week or month, consider doing it potluck. This can be any meal, breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner. Choose someone's house to host and this person can make the main dish, and everyone else can bring a side. Choose a theme each week, Mexican, Italian... And don't forget the drinks!

20something bloggers!!!!

If you are looking more blogs by 20somethings, go to this. There are hundreds of bloggers on here, all in their 20s. 

Figuring Life Out

I was reading a forum on 20 Something Bloggers (a social network for 20 something bloggers) and a young 20 something (20 to be exact) said that she was scared of growing up. Growing up... This is what my blog is all about. How to deal with growing up, learning independence, and not failing at this.
Almost everyone is afraid of the future. I know I am. It is a very sad and scary thought, but at any moment you may loose your job because you company may fold, someone close to you may pass away, your apartment/house may burn down. I won't go into any more detail, but it is a reality that things can go wrong fast. And dealing with any of these things on your own is an even scarier thought.
In order to deal with the possibility (and hopefully not the reality) of these things it is important to do things to make you feel more comfortable with the present and future. These things can include staying happy, having a place to go when you want to be alone, and preparing for the future.

Staying happy

• Friends! Everyone needs a good group of friends that they feel comfortable around that can cheer them up. Unfortunately, friends move, and so do you. But luckily, it is possible to meet new people: through work, through friends, through personal ads (craigslist has strictly platonic ads). So if you ever feel lonely in a new city, definitely check out some of these outlets for new people. 
• Therapy and meds: If you ever feel as though you are too unhappy, you may have a chemical imbalance of some sort... it may not be your fault! There is nothing wrong with this, and you will feel better once you get help. But professional help can be expensive. May I suggest B12 supplements. I currently take these, and I love them! Vitamins are water soluble, and what isn't necessary just passes on through. B12 makes me not stress the small things and the things I can't control. 

Have you own place:

• Sometimes this isn't always possible, especially if you have a roommate, or if you live in an apartment that you can't customize. If you have a roommate, make this place your bedroom. Invest in a very comfortable mattress or mattress pad and a really nice bedspread. Decorate your room with things that make you happy and relaxed. Go here if you ever feel like being alone, and just breath for a little while. As far as apartment living, many apartments let you decorate as you wish. If you paint the walls, you may have to put a layer of primer over dark colors, and for heavy wall hangings, you may have to hang at a stud. Ask your apartment leasing office what their policy is on decorating. If you ever realize that when you come home, you don't feel at home, paint your favorite color and hang up your favorite posters, invest in decorations because this is where you spend most of your time. 
• As I type this, this happened to me, as I hear the person who lives above me open and close his door and walk from the stone tile, to the carpeting, it makes me realize that this living arrangement is only temporary. If this happens to you, invest in a white noise machine. It makes a humming noise that somehow blocks out background noise. 

Prepare for the future

• Save! You never know when you income may stop coming in. Set up a savings account and put aside a certain percentage of your paycheck. Most people live paycheck to paycheck. It is wise to have at least two months of living expenses saved up. But don't worry about it if you don't. There is always unemployment, but this isn't very much.
• Insurance: Don't just get the bare minimum on insurance. Get as much as you can afford. I have Nationwide, and can tell you that it is great. Each insurance company has its own perks, so you need to do your research and figure out what you want. I have full car insurance at $86 a month (I have 3 tickets, one at 16, two at 21. The first two were thrown out and the last I used a PJC, I also have no accidents). I also have renters insurance at $8 a month (I have an 838 sq ft apartment). But if something were to happen, having all of this insurance helps me out a lot.
• Fireproof box: If a fire starts in your apartment or house, you will very likely loose many very important documents, including renters insurance or home insurance, necessary documents for getting help from insurance. You should keep insurance documents, personal identification documents... anything you feel is necessary, in a fireproof box. Also invest in a safe that can be drilled into the floor (if you live in a house) for your passport and social security card, and any other documents with important numbers such as check books. 

Overall, you need to live you life day by day. Live it to the fullest. Don't turn down any opportunity just because you are scared. Take reasonable risks (don't jump off a bridge just because your friends say it's cool). Don't have regrets. If you do something you wish you hadn't, think about how it really affects your life, and if it doesn't affect your life in a bad way, think about how much fun you had doing it! 

Don't ever think you have anything all figured out, including yourself. Everything constantly changes, including yourself, and the best way to deal with these changes is to adapt. Let everything flow! Nothing is permanent, this is both good and bad. Good things don't last, but don't worry, bad things don't last either. 

Always look professional

It is always important to look your best. You never know when you may run into someone you may want to impress, such as your boss, your significant others parents, or a future significant other. And if you are anything like me, this always happens when you just run up to the grocery store for some laundry detergent on laundry day. So every time you leave you house, at least look presentable. Here are some tips to doing this.

• Iron: As you fold your laundry, look over it and make sure there are any wrinkles. Don't let your laundry lie around, in the dryer or on the floor, hang it immediately! If you forget about it, set up your iron and ironing board in front of your TV, and just work on laundry for about 30 minutes. Then hang it up immediately! Also, don't stuff your nice clothes together. Make sure they have plenty of room. And as soon as you get home either put them in the clothes hamper, or hang them back up immediately, don't sit around in your nice clothes. 
  
• Hygiene: This doesn't necessarily mean heels and dress pants. Even in jeans and a t-shirt you can look put together. Take a shower everyday, or at least make is seem as though you did. Pulling your hair back is a great way to make it look nice. A low bun is very sleek, or for shorter hair, pulling half your hair up in a clip is simple. If you're hair looks like a 90s headbangers, definitely wash it, which only takes about 5 minutes. Even wet hair is better than grease and dandruff. If you worked out that morning, and have just been sitting around for a few hours, at least bath. This only takes about 5 minutes. Check yourself! (Privately) smell under your arms, maybe even ask a close friend what they think. Depending on your body, you may be able to risk a quick trip without a complete shower. A suggestion would be extra deodorant, brushing your hair, and definitely wearing clean clothes. Don't wear perfume, especially not anything expensive, this is pretty obvious. Also invest in febreeze. This may make it fairly obvious, but it is fresher than cigarette smoke and liquor if you were at a bar the night before. 
• Put a mirror beside you door: Take a fast look in the mirror on your way out, just to make sure you are acceptable. Keep a few necessities in a drawer beside it. Keep a brush, a hair tie and some bobby pins in it. Concealer and mascara. Deodorant. Lint Roller. And anything else you may think of.
• Keep a bag with you: Make sure you have a few necessities with you at all times, just in case something happens or you miss something. Most of these are for ladies, but guys can pick and choose as you see fit:
• Deodorant
  
• A small make up bag: concealer, foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara...
  
• Red eye eye drops
  
• Breath mints
  
• Perfume
  
• Lint Roller
  
• Brush, hair tie, bobby pins
  
• Stain remover sheets

The key to looking presentable at all times is to think ahead and check yourself out. Even just a quick run up to the grocery store, make sure you look clean, smell clean, and look put together. Always dress as though you may run into someone you need to impress. Check yourself on your way out the door. Remember, that one time you run out right out of bed, will be the one time you run into your hot neighbor! 

Follow it!

Don't forget to follow my blog! If you have a blogger account (which is great because then you write your own blog about your own topic) click on the follow it link! You can get an e-mail whenever I add a new helpful blog! Lemme know if you create a blog! Or add a bookmark to your bookmarks bar for easy access and check back often!

If you follow more than one blog, there are great things called aggregators. These allow you to follow multiple blogs. Google reader is a great one, with it you can use your gmail, or any other google account. Bloglines is another good one. By using one of these, or by using blogger itself, it is easier to keep up with my blog! 

Also, if you have any addition tips that pertain to any blog, or any more blog ideas, be sure to leave a comment, even just to say hi! 

Using leftovers

I just have to say I love this photo. This child is looking through the freezer for leftovers, which is what you should be doing to! Save money and eat food you've already paid for! 

A staple of cooking on a budget is using leftovers. Almost everyone loves going to restaurants, but it is expensive, and we often get extremely large portions and end up with food left over. Bring that home, and reheat it for a free dinner! This blog describes how best to store and heat leftovers. 

• Storage: put in the refridgerator as soon as you can, within 1 or 2 hours. The cold temperature of the fridge prevents bacteria from growing, which can make you sick. The freezer is even more effective if it will be a few days before it is eaten. Food in the refridgerator can be saved for between three or four days. It is best to keep tape and a pen beside your fridge to mark the date on your food. If you think it will be more than this stick it in the freezer. The following website is great for knowing how long food can stay: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3606.htm
• Reheating:  Keep in mind that you may have to add a little bit of water. Cooking tends to dry food out, and consider this is the second time its cooked, your food may become extra dry. Also, don't expect to be an expert the first time. Just like cooking any meal, it takes practice to reheat food. 
• By oven: Preheat the oven to 165F (remember, its already been cooked) until it is hot and steaming. Liquids should be brought to a rolling boil. Don't burn! 
• By microwave: I usually cook food for about one to three minutes to reheat. Most microwaves do have a reheating button. But something to keep in mind is how microwaves cook versus ovens. Ovens cook with hot air, microwaves cook by moving the molecules. And this movement only goes about an inch deep. This is why it's necessary to stir your food. So as you reheat your food, make sure you mix it about half way through the cooking time to evenly cook it. Also, if possible, use a food thermometer to test your food to make sure it is at least 165F all the way through. 

Reheating your food can be a cost effective way to eat a meal. Asian cuisine, with its large single portions, is a great example. Remember, to cook to 165F, add a small amount of water if necessary, and if using a microwave, stir it about half way through for even cooking. 

Barhopping Rules

If your school was anything like mine, you mostly went to parties where you knew a lot of the people attending. While most schools have a good number of bars in the area, mine had 2 nasty ones that most people didn't go to. So when I moved back to the city and began barhopping, it was a completely different experience. Here are some suggestions to follow to help you stay safe. Most of these will pertain to a female, considering I am a female, and the world, especially involving alcohol is often more dangerous to a female.

• Talk to your friends about intentions beforehand, and exchange numbers with any new people. Make sure everyone has an idea of the plan, and get it out if there is a bar to avoid. Make sure the dd won't drink, or go ahead and arrange for taxi payment. Make sure everyone knows intentions. If someone has no intention to go home with someone else, discuss this sober, because alcohol can change peoples minds and lead to regrets.
  
• Pregame! This is only for the one not driving. If you pregame, or drink before going out, you spend less money on outrageously priced drinks. I usually pregame with a crude screwdriver, simply orange juice and as much vodka as I can handle, and then stick to mostly beer when I go out.
• Do not drink and drive! People do it no matter what anyone says or does, and it is better to be sober and alert behind the wheel to watch for those who aren't. Getting a taxi is also cheaper than a lawyer, and you don't have to worry about parking. If you get four people together, a cab fare won't be very much.
• Always have cab fare. Sometimes the dd gets caught up and next thing they know, they can't drive, and may or may not drive anyway. Or you may accidently get separated, or end up somewhere you don't want to be. Call taxi companies and get the average fair (usually the same throughout the city) and figure out how much yours would be. Do not spend this money on alcohol!
• Don't go home with someone you don't know! You may get labeled by your friends if you make a habit of this, and word of these habits do tend to get around. Even once, you may have the best of intentions, but things can go south bad and you may end up hurt or dead. If you do make a habit of this, or think you may at anytime, carry protection with you. Then there will be no excuse.
• Don't drink in excess! Few things are tackier than passing out on the sidewalk. Don't do three shots in a row, they will hit you at once. If you pregame liquor, stick to beer for awhile. Learn your limit and stop at that. Don't make a fool of yourself. Always keep an eye out for your friends to make sure they don't make a fool of themselves.
• When you get home, stop drinking! Don't continue drinking! Don't waste alcohol on just yourself. When you do lay down, pay attention. If you get the spins, sit up and sleep that way, you will probably puke if you ignore them
• Most importantly, have fun, tip your bartender, and don't leave anything or anyone behind!

How to Clean

Keeping your things clean is one of the most important, most challenging and most time consuming tasks to owning your own apartment. Try to make time on a weekly basis to clean your entire apartment. Clean each room on a different day and it will only take about 30 minutes a day. 

• Kitchen: Have Clorox wipes ready whenever you need them to wipe down your counter. This will wipe down and sanitize your counter, especially after you cook meat. These can be used for any surface in your kitchen that may look dirty. If you clean as you make a mess, it will only take a few minutes everyday. Don't forget to wipe down the stove top after you cook. This can get very messy very easily. Also sweep and swiffer (these will be your best friend) constantly to keep your floors looking great.
• Living room: Put everything pack as you use it. If you work two jobs like me and are exhausted at the end of the day, every two or three days do a fast room sweep and put everything up. Also, make sure you vacuum once a week to make sure it looks good. 
• Bedroom: This is one of the most difficult, because you don't spend very much conscious time in here. Make it a habit of only doing bedroom things in the bedroom. Also, put clothes away immediately. Most people re wear jeans, so hang them up immediately, or throw dirty clothes in the hamper as soon as they come off. Make sure it is easily accessible. I have mine open, in my closet so I just have to toss it in. Remember to vacuum here as well.
• Bathroom: This can be one of the hardest rooms to clean. Clean this room on a day when you know you will have energy and patience. Start with the toilet. Spray down the inside of your toilet with your choice of solutions (I use Clorox), scrub, and let it sit for 10 minutes (or follow directions). If you do this once a week it won't get very nasty. Then move to your sink. Spray this down with bathroom cleaner and wipe it down. Then do the same in the shower. Do these tasks during the 10 minutes before you flush your toilet again. If you do this once a week your bathroom will stay clean and it will be fast. 

If you stay on top of your cleaning, it won't take very much time and your friends and roommates will enjoy spending time here.

But sometimes things happen. You may spill something, and no matter how on top of your cleaning you are, these stains will stick. 

• Carpet: This may be one of the most popular areas for stains. Liquid stains are fairly easy to get out. Immediately blot (don't rub) the stain with a plain paper towel or white cloth. Once it appears to be gone, rinse it with water and blot again. Repeat until the stain is gone. Semi solids, such as pudding and peanut butter, scrape up with a spoon. Then rinse and blot. Solids should be broken up, vacuumed, then rinse and blot. A Shop-vac would be most effective, but also fairly expensive. If you have a pet that is being potty trained they may be worth it though. For anything tougher, such as blood or coffee, try this website: www.howtoremovecarpetstains.com
• Paint touch up! Another great tip would be to ask for a little container of paint from your leasing office. Especially while moving in, but during simple every day tasks, things can pump the walls and make a mark. Periodically you can go around and touch up a few spots to make your apartment looking new. 

Money Saving Tips

Especially with the economy, it is often necessary to save money where you can, especially when you are already the bottom wrung at work. This will help you save money where you can. 

• Buy store brand- Stores are getting better at copying ingredients of the national brands. It is often a good idea to at least try the store brands, because if you do like them you could save a lot of money, $30 for every $100 spent. Some items that are good to buy store brand are your staple items: rice, flour, sugar, salt, milk, applesauce, apple juice, frozen vegetables, frozen juices, or vinegar. You shouldn't buy toilet paper, macaroni, salad dressings... 
• Use coupons and sales. Buy a divider and clip coupons every Sunday, or go online and print out coupons. Sales, especially around the holidays, are always a good idea. Before you buy anything always check your coupons or sales, or maybe even hold off for a sale.
• If you buy items online often, you should be using discount codes everytime. There are websites that have lists of shopping codes by store that can give you discounts and free shipping. Some of these include www.retailmenot.com, www.currentcodes.com and www.couponcabin.com
• Buy energy efficient light bulbs. They cost a little more and are a strange shape, but they use a quarter the energy and last 10 times longer. They are especially good if you leave a light on all the time to prevent walking into a dark apartment. Most apartment complexes maintenance teams are willing to change out any light bulbs you can't reach. 
• Drink tap water instead of buying bottled water. Most bottled water is taken out of a tap anyway. It may taste a little different, but it is something you can get used to. You can also fill up bottles with tap water, but be sure to constantly wash the bottles. 
• But fake flowers. Flowers brighten up any apartment, but spending almost $20 a week on new flowers can get expensive. If you buy fake flowers to just switch out each season, you can save a lot of money. 
• Don't continue to buy movies and TV seasons. Rent them instead. Blockbuster charges about $5 to rent a single movie, and this can get expensive. Try getting netflix. I rent two movies at a time and it costs only about $14 a month. You can rent as many as you want, but only a certain number can be out. This is a great way to watch TV shows you get into late, or you want to re watch instead of spending $50 for the entire season. DVR is also great. It costs only $7.95 a month and you can record two shows at a time. This way you aren't stuck at home all the time. 
• If you take a lot of pictures and then get them developed in an hour, this can add up. Many websites, including shutterfly and Kodak can print and mail pictures you load online for less than ten cents a picture plus shipping and handling. It only takes about a week to get them, and if you order in bulk you can save a lot of money
• Put some money in a savings account of some kind. You could add $20 to an account each week, or add 50 cents to a jar every day. Do something special with this money: Each year take a vacation with this money, use this money for Christmas presents, or save it towards a car or house. If you don't think about it and just add money to this "account," it can add up quickly. 

Update 1/14/2009

• Woot.com: This is a great website that sells very nice items for dirt cheap prices. They sell one item on special everyday, and make sure you check it out early because they usually sell out! They also sell tshirts and wines. One drawback is that it may not be something you actually need, so think for a minute about how much you'll use it, how necessary it is, and how much you have to spend. But if you have a little extra money to spend and want to buy something that takes a lot of extra money, go check it out!