Like Oprah’s Favorite Things list but WAY more practical.
This list of my personal finds are not especially cheap or expensive. Rather, they are a combination of both. I’m on a tight budget but like most of us, I will pay more for quality; and as any good housewife knows, if you pay for quality to start, you will likely end up saving more in the long run.
Price scale
$-Inexpensive
$$-Average Price at a store
$$$-Getting a little more expensive but also higher quality
$$$$-You may have to “splurge” on this purchase
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This adorable company out of California has some of my favorite cleaning supplies. Their multipurpose cleaner concentrate is my all time fave and I get all my Mrs. Meyers dish soap and hand soap from them. Let’s not forget they have THE BEST bath bombs! They carry products that are responsibly sourced and are eco-friendly. Lastly, their customer service has been on point every time. I don’t think you will be disappointed if you give this company a try.
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This little gem, well, I am not sure how I stumbled on it. I think it popped up in my Facebook feed and I am in love with it!
This is a planner that is geared towards your way of thinking and processing. It is meant to cater to your personal style and creativity.
I took the brain type quiz and found out that I am an Alchemist. I couldn’t believe how accurate it described me and my creative style.
It’s a little pricey but if I stick to it, I think it will be well worth it. I should confess that I have received it just days prior to writing this, but like this article is titled, it’s a fun discovery of 2018.
This costs about $40 a quarter (if you follow the planner everyday). To compare, your average At A Glance for an entire year ranges in the $30-$50 a year, if you buy all 4 at once they give you a little discount. At last look all 4 cost about $130.
If you happen to get one, please let me know how it works for you. I am EXTREMELY curious on what you think of it.
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I love working out and I love these shoes. My No Bull’s have great tread and a sleek look that is not only sassy but if I ever need to “scale razor wire”, according to them, I am covered. I never slip during a burpee or a box jump and that means a lot. The last thing I want to do is hit my shins on the edge of box during a HIIT workout. If you buy workout shoes on the regular or if you are looking for a new pair of shoes for the gym, these run about the same price as Nikes or Reebok trainers. I highly recommend them. They run about $99-$300 (depending on style you get) a pair and true to your average/normal size of shoe.
Pro-tip
You should be sized for shoes 1-2 times a year. Your nose, ears, and feet NEVER stop growing. Additionally, your feet might swell during a workout so, if you are in between sizes, go with the half size up or your latest sizing from a professional shoe fitter.
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My family has had a Traeger for about a year now and that poor devil has hardly seen a day off. We cook on it constantly and we have lovingly dubbed it “The Traveling Traeger” since we bring it to every cookout we go to. It’s invited to more parties than we are, if we are being honest. We bought the 32″ version and could not be happier considering we do so much cooking on it. This version is not their top shelf consumer verson, but it is their largest basic model. Our friends have reaped the benefits of this grill and its adventures. However, I have heard similar pellet grills do equally as well compared to the Traeger. Sound off if you know of something similar that you love too!
Pro-tip
Your local bookstore will likely have a great selection of “Smoke” books with recipes and best ways to smoke just about anything (including cheese, Wisconsinites!) so don’t be afraid to give a few idea a try.
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I have been taking these for about a month now. I use to take Women’s One A Day, then I switched to Complete Nutrition’s Brand of a women’s multivitamin before giving Ritual a try. This brand popped up in my Facebook newsfeed several times and it took me a few months to pull the trigger on them. I wanted to double check it wasn’t a scam company and to my pleasant suprise, they have been featured several times in national magazines, web sites and news sources like: The New York Times, Wired, VOGUE, and CNN.
Here’s the deal, busy moms…
It cost $30 for a month’s supply and they auto ship them to your house–which I love. If you take vitamins regularly like me, It’s really nice not to have to remember to buy them on your next Target or Complete Nutrition visit. Additionally, this is a pretty average price store bought vitamins or a phenomenal price for quality ones. I can’t speak to the benefits quite yet since I haven’t been taking them long enough to make a distinction. If I love or hate them, I will update you.
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I started with the FFF Box that a friend sent to me as a gift. I later found out that they have a Stitch Fix like style box they also send out. I gave it a try and I have had mixed results and few good laughs at what they have sent me. Their prices are, well, pricey. It’s typical for fashion clothing, I suppose, but I do a lot of shopping at Target so, to get a box with a $59 top in it, made me hesitant to purchase. I also didn’t recognize many of the brand names for most of the pieces. I wanted to do a bit of research on the brands before I bought.
Come to find out–they are pretty standard for prices. But that is not why I asked them to send me another box month after month. My favorite part of receiveing a new box is that it pushes me out of my comfort zone of boyfriend jeans and tee shirts. This little box of surprises is sent by someone who knows fashion better than I know my Keurig. I am not stylish. Not one bit. I am purely a wearer of comfort until I’m told to do otherwise. My husband once gave me the “up-down” and said, “Is that really what you are wearing tonight?” Well, damn it, honey, I was just trying to be low profile cool! Oh, it looks frumpy and like I’ve given up? Well, I kind of have.
**You should know he rocked a very dapper suit that made me look like a tired housewife from a bad neighborhood, AND he was completely out of my league in the looks department that night. Meow! (Good job, Sweetie!)
Ok, back to the discovery part…
This has been really fun to receive. It has given me perspective on style that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Clearly, I need help and this box has been a great jumping off point.
You should know, I have never tried Stitch Fix but have had my eye on them for awhile now. Let me know what your thoughts are on your favorite style boxes that you subscribe to. I am game to try others!
That’s all! (commence with the summary you won’t actually read)
I hope I have inspired you to try a few new things. I make no money if you try any of these products not. We can only help each other here with some experience-driven advice. So, lay it on me, what products/services do you LOVE…on this list or not?
Tired Not Dead 