January Bullet Journal Spread

New year, new bullet journal. For the new year, I decided to get a new bullet journal so that I change spreads for each month. My last bullet journal was purely a Harry Potter theme throughout and so I didn't want to make new themes in it. Here is my January spread. I wanted to have a very minimal style since I'm not an artistic person.

I bought this dotted journal from Barnes and Noble. It was originally $12.99, but I used a 20% off coupon and got it for $10.89.

Since the cover of this dotted journal gave me spell book and astrology vibes, I thought my January spread should be related to astrology. This page was inspired by AmandaRachLee.

My calendar page is very simple and has space for me to put down important dates as well as a color key for what each colored pen means. I decided to write words at the top for what words are associated with Capricorns.

I didn't want the mood tracker to be over the top since I'm not artistic, so I decided to make each day a star and color them in with different colors.

Same idea with the habit tracker. I didn't want it to be complicated. The main habits I put down were languages and activities that I wanted to keep up with.

This is the most important page in my journal. I wanted to dedicate a page just for my schedule in January because of the new semester. This page tells me which classes I have on certain days, the time, and the locations of each class. The colors of each class goes with a certain pen color which relates to my calendar page. 

This page is also very practical for me because it allows me to keep track of how much money I'm spending each month. Ideally, I would like it to add up to less than $50.00 a month. If my end month total is higher than that, it will show me what I'm spending my money on and if I need to spend money on that particular thing.

My weekly spread is very simple and has just enough space for me to write out the homework for my 6 classes.

How to Shop for Christmas Gifts on a Budget

Christmas time is full of cheer and is the season of giving, whether it's giving back to the community or giving gifts for friends and family. But, shopping for gifts can be very expensive, especially when you have a lot of family members and friends. Don't worry, you don't need to empty out your wallet this year. Here are some ways to save money on gifts.

1. Shop using Ebates and get cashback on purchases.
- 5% back on Shutterfly
-8% back on Sephora
-10% back at Macy's
-and so much more, plus coupons!
(Ebates.com)

2. Coupons on RetailMeNot. There's many printable and online coupons available to use to help save some money.

3. Sign up for store loyalty programs. For example, Bath and Body Works has a rewards program(and app) where you get a free product(up to $16.50 value) when you spend $100. They also send coupons for 20% off and $10 off a $30 purchase. Sometimes, I get sent mail from them where I can get a free product($5.50 value or $14 value, depends) with no purchase necessary! FREE PRODUCT=FREE GIFT.

4. Use UNiDAYS to get a student discount on multiple retailers such as Ugg, VS Pink, Adidas, and MORE(10% to 30% off).

5. Shop at the clearance section of stores to find great items at a highly discounted price(50%-70% off)
-Macy's Last Chance Section
-Forever 21 Clearance
-Target Clearance
-etc

6. Shop when stores that don't usually have sales offer one. Fore example, Sephora doesn't usually always has a sale but right now, they have a Holiday Hooray Event:
-$15 off $75(Beauty Insider)
-$20 off $75(VIB)
-$25 off $75(Rouge)
(plus get 8% cash back when you shop through ebates)

7. Use reward points at stores to get gifts. For example, use Sephora points to get gifts for free.

8. Shop at discount store such as Ross, Marshall's, TJ Maxx, or any other store like these. During the holidays, they have gift sets for great prices.

9. Homemade gifts such as baked goods or anything else you may see online is also a great gift and you put time and thought into it which will be appreciated.

Things to Take Advantage of as a College Student

Being a college student can be dreadful, but there's also a lot of perks too that make being a student a little easier.

Things To Take Advantage Of

1. Student Discounts: A lot of retailers offer up to 20% off discounts for college students with a student I.D or a UNiDAYS account.

Some Places and Discounts Are:

- Toms: 15% off
- Ann Taylor: 20% off
- UGG: 10% off
- Adidas: 15% off
- Charlotte Russe: Extra 10% off
- Hollister: Extra 10% off
- H&M: 15% off
- Pink: Extra 15% off

2. Free Gym: Don't sign up for a gym membership, just go to your school gym for free! They have all the same equipment and some college gyms even have personal trainers.

3. Free Tutoring Services: Most colleges have a tutoring center with student tutors and teachers who help you in any subject(for no hourly fees).

4. Health Services: There's health centers on college campuses that offer services if you don't have healthcare outside the school(that's charged in your tuition) as well as therapists/psychiatrists.

5. Amazon Prime: Prime for students is free for 6 months(instead of one month) and $49 per year after that(instead of $119) for up to 4 years. You get free 2-day shipping, renting textbooks, and access to Prime Videos and Movies.

6. Gaps: Take advantage of the gaps in your schedule to do homework, nap, catch up with friends, go to the gym, or eat.

Notebooks for $0.25 at Old Navy

Right now, Mead notebooks, folders, and composition notebooks are 4 for $1(or $3 each). You have to buy 4 in order to get this deal. While supplies last so they may or may not be available at a store near you.

4 Easy Dinner Recipes

These recipes are great if you live at home or visit home on the weekends. They are hearty, delicious, and if you make extra, you can take it to school with you for a gourmet lunch.

Simple Mixed Greens Salad w/ Chicken

Ingredients

½ Cup Baby Spinach

1 Cup Spring Mix

¼ Cup Walnuts

1 Chicken Breast

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Wash spinach and spring mix, let dry, and arrange on a plate.

2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a saute pan and cook each side on medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes on each side. Cover with a lid to ensure moisture.

4. Add ¼ cup walnuts to spinach and spring mix.

5. Slice up cooked chicken breast onto salad.

6. Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ Mashed Potatoes and Spinach

Ingredients

(Serving size ½ chicken breast. Serves 2)

1 Chicken Breast

2 Slices Bacon(or 1 slice ham)

¼ Cup Mozzarella Cheese(shredded)

3 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

Dash of Oregano

2 tbs Italian Seasoning

½ tbs Salt

½ tbs Black Pepper

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 egg

For Mashed Potatoes

3 Small Red Potatoes

2 tbs Salted Butter

¼ Cup Milk

Salt to taste

For Salad

2 Cups Baby Spinach

Directions

1. Season chicken breast with salt.

2. Split chicken breast, but not completely.

3. Put slices of toasted bread into a food processor or blender until breadcrumbs form.

4. Season breadcrumbs with oregano, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

5. Crack egg and whisk.

6. Put bacon and cheese into chicken breast.

7. Coat the chicken breast with flour.

8. Put chicken breast in the egg.

9. Coat chicken breast in breadcrumbs.

10. Repeat steps 7-9 one more time.

11. Coat a skillet with canola oil(to ensure crispy crust) and cook each side for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.

12. Put chicken breast in oven for 20-30 minutes(make sure to check) and flip halfway through at 350 degrees.

13. Add potatoes to pot of water and salt. Cutting potatoes reduces cooking time.

14. After potatoes are fork tender, strain and add back into pot with no heat.

15. Microwave milk for 1-2 minutes.

16. Add butter to potatoes.

17. Add warm milk to potatoes.

18. Serve with baby spinach,

19. Enjoy!

*You can make several of these chicken breasts, cut them in half, and freeze these in the freezer. Put them in the oven for 30-40 minutes in the oven frozen or put in the fridge to thaw. When you come back from class, you can put it in the oven for 10 to 20 minutes for an easy dinner*

Chicken Lettuce Cups

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts Cubed

1 ½ tbs Soy Sauce

1 ½ tbs Rice Vinegar

1 ½ tbs Sesame Oil

1 ½ tbs Minced Ginger

1 ½ tbs Minced Garlic

1 ½ tbs lime juice

Salt to Taste

Pepper to taste

½ Onion

2-3 Cups Lettuce(Romaine or Red Leaf)

Directions

1. Mix minced ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl.

2. Saute minced ginger in a wok or large skillet until golden on medium low heat.

3. Add in chopped onion and cooked until translucent.

4. Add in cubed chicken breast and cook thoroughly.

5. Add in liquid mixture and cook for 1-2 additionally minutes.

6. Turn off heat and add lime juice.

7. Serve on lettuce.

8. Enjoy!

Pizza

Ingredients

I packet of Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast

1 ¾ to 2 ¼ cup of all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp sugar

¾ tsp salt

⅔ cup warm water

3 TBS oil

½ to 1 cup of pizza sauce or marinara

1 to 2 cups of shredded cheese

Any toppings you like

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Prepare the pizza dough. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.

3. Add the warm water and oil and mix together into a dough. The dough should be slightly sticky.

4. Knead the dough, using additional flour on the surface, and form/roll into the shape you want.

5. Then, transfer onto baking tray or pizza pan.

6. Bake the dough for 5-7 minutes.

7. Take it out of the oven and add sauce, cheese, and toppings.

8. Bake for additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

9. I like to broil the pizza for a minute to brown the cheese.

10. Wait to cool 5 minutes and then serve and enjoy!

*Make 2 or 3 pizzas, slice them up, and wrap each slice in aluminium foil. You can freeze them and when you want pizza, just put it in the oven frozen for 7-15 minutes or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes*

PSA: SHEDD AQUARIUM VISIT IS FREE FOR RESIDENTS DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER

You read that right. If you're a resident of Illinois, you can visit the Shedd Aquarium for free from September 4th through the 30th. Just bring your I.D.

Tickets are usually $20(for adult residents of Chicago) or $40(non-resident adults).

Take advantage of this Resident Day offer and go with family or friends for a free hangout.

Things to Avoid in College to Save Money

College is a place where most students spend a lot of money during the time they're there. There's a lot of things there that students spend money on(sometimes everyday) and the cost adds up. Here's 10 things you should avoid while in college.

10 Things to Avoid 

1. Coffee- Most campuses have a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks which have crowded lines everyday. If you buy a coffee every day, you are spending thousands of dollars a year. My tip is to make your own coffee(in your dorm or at home), or if you do want Starbucks or Dunkin, use their app to get free drinks or promotional points. If you love iced coffee like I do, cold brew some at home and keep it in your fridge. Make a batch that lasts a week and put it in your own cup with ice. You can add your own milk, sugar, creamer, and flavors. If you like specialty coffees(like the seasonal coffees from Starbucks), they sell VIA Instant packets that usually come in a pack of 4 for $7(and you can find coupons to use at grocery stores). Each packet makes one grande cup. This is better than the $6 venti for the same flavor.

2. Fast Food- Not only is it unhealthy, but it's expensive. If you buy lunch on campus everyday, you are spending a lot of money on food each year. It's better to pack your own food at home(like sandwiches and fruits). If you're dorming, stick to the dining hall(since you're already paying for that food each year).

3. Vending Machines- A lot of colleges have vending machines all over the campus and the price of snacking everyday also adds up. Instead of buying snacks from the vending machines(chips are often $1.25), buy big bags of chips and pack them in ziplock bags everyday instead or buy individual bags in bulk at a wholesale warehouse such as Costco or Sam's Club. 36 small bags of chips at Costco are around $10 or a 50 pack is around $13.

4.Water Bottles- You can buy a good reusable water bottle for $10 and under so instead of paying $2 for a water bottle, just fill up your own water bottle on campus for free.

5. Spending Full Price- Whether on clothes, shoes, or food, students are spending retail prices on these things. College students should sign up for UniDays which gives them student discounts on almost everything.

6. Buying Textbooks- Renting books, buying e-books, buying used books, or finding free PDFs of textbooks are much cheaper than buying a brand new book that you aren't going to be using the next year.

7. Buying Brand New Calculators- Buying used calculators is also cheaper than buying a brand new one. If you do want to buy a brand new calculator, always buy it during the back to school season when it's 30% off or more and use a rebate app/site such as Ebates to get cashback.

8. Parking- Driving to school can cost a lot of money. Some schools charge $700 or more a year for parking and you also have to pay for gas. Commute if you can(also lowers your carbon footprint).

9. Private Loans- If you take out too many private loans, the interest over time may add up significantly and can be hard to keep track.

10. Credit Cards- Credit cards are a great thing to use if you're financially responsible. But if you're not, you can be overusing your card and have a hard time paying your bill in full each month. That could cause you to pay a late fee of $35 or more and hurt your credit score. So be cautious of how much you use your credit card.

Birthday Deals

In honor of my birthday today, I thought it would be a good idea to show you some free things you can get for your birthday(free is a college student's favorite word).

Food and Drinks

Starbucks: You get a free food item or any size drink coupon on the app that can only be used on the date of your birthday.

Dunkin Donuts: You get a free medium iced coffee, latte, or coolatta coupon that lasts at least a month.

Baskin Robbins: You get a free scoop of ice cream coupon.

Panera Bread: You get a free pastry.

Red Robin: You get a free burger.

Cinnabon: You get a free iced coffee coupon in your email.

Culver's: You get a free one scoop sundae coupon.

Corner Bakery: You get a coupon for a free treat.

Noodles and Company: You get a coupon for a free rice crispy treat.

Steak n Shake: You get a free milkshake coupon.

IHOP: You get a free stack of pancakes.

Lou Malnati's: You get a free dessert.

Shopping

Sephora: If you're a Beauty Insider(free to join), you get a free gift during the month of your birthday.

If you're a VIB or Rouge member, you can choose a gift or 250 points($250 worth of points).

Victoria's Secret: If you're an angel cardholder, you get a $10 gift card to spend.

Pink: If you're a Pink cardholder, you also get a $10 gift card.

Commute or not to Commute?

When college approaches, it's the time when you have to decide whether to commute to school or if you want to live on campus?(If you are going to school from another state, dorming is the best option).

Is It Really Cheaper to Commute?

The truth is, it depends. For students who are living with their parents or sharing an apartment with 2 or more friends, commuting can be the cheaper option. Some schools even offer a pass for public transportation that's included in the tuition already.

Let's See an Example

At the university I attend, room and board is $12,000 a year which is $1,000 a month(but you don't actually live at the school for 12 months unless you're from out of state). Even though you have a roommate, you still pay $1,000 a month to live and eat at the school. The cost of transportation(that's already included in my tuition) is $163 a year. It would cost me $5 a day($2.50 each way) to commute.

$5x5 days a week is $25 a week.

$25x40 weeks in a school year is $1,000 a year.

This amount is more than the $163 fee that the school charges me a year. It is also the same amount as a month of rent is at the school. Therefore, for some students(including myself) save a lot of money each year by commuting.

But, if you live more than two hours away from your school(by transportation), commuting might not be worth your time.

Final Thoughts

If you can live at home or get some roommates to live with you somewhere near the school, you should consider commuting.

Back to School Shopping

School supplies can be expensive if you buy them too early. The best times to buy things like notebooks or pencils/pens is during the last weeks of August and the first weeks of September because stores are trying to get rid of the Back-to-School section in order to put the Halloween stuff out. Prices are as low as 50-90% off. This is also the time to stock up for the next school year and in case you need more supplies during the school year(instead of paying retail prices).

Tips

1. Buy generic notebooks instead of name brand notebooks. They may be plain and boring, but you can always decorate them yourself.

2. Buy Texas Instruments graphing calculators when they're between $90-$120. Office Depot and Target usually runs this promotion every year so check online. This is better than the original $119 and $150 when it's not on sale.

If you buy the TI-84 CE calculator on Office Depot's website through Ebates, they're offering 3% cashback.

3. If you like high end backpacks like The North Face or Vera Bradley, try to buy them from outlet stores. They're usually 50-70% off retail prices. With those discounts, you can get backpacks for around $25 which is the same or less than the price of JanSport and High Sierra backpacks. If you prefer High Sierra backpacks, buy them at Costco for $19.99.

4. Buy laptops or other electronics from Costco if your family has a membership. They have great warranties that last up to 2 years.

5. Buy pencils and pens in bulk from Amazon or if there's a sale on the products at Target, Walmart, or Walgreens.

6. Not all things from the dollar store are a great deal. For example, notebooks at Dollar Tree are all $1, but you can get them from Target or Walmart for $0.25-$0.75 each.

Cheap and Fun Ways to Go Out With Friends

You don't have to spend a fortune to go out with your friends. Some things you can do are free and you and your friends will make memories of a lifetime.

Free Things to Do

1. Exploring your city. You and your friends can just walk around your city and admire the architecture as well as the scenery around you without having to pull out your wallet.

2. Have a picnic with friends. Chances are you will already have some food lying around so why don't you and some friends all bring food and have a picnic together.

3. Go to a carnival and walk around. Sights and smells are free!

4. Go to free places. Some zoos are free to go to and some museums offer resident days which means free tickets. 

5. DIY Manicures. Do each other's nails with things you already have for free while you have a girls night in.

6. Go to the beach. Most beaches are free to go to unless it's in a residential area.

7. See a sunrise or sunset. Free to do whenever.

Cheap Things to Do

1. The Movies. AMC offers $5 tickets on Tuesdays if you're a Stubs member(which is free to join!)

2. Sharing. If you go out to eat, you can split an entree or dessert between two people to save some money.

Blaze: BOGO Free coupon: 2 pizzas for $5.25 split between 3 people.

Bingsoo split between 3 people for $2 a person

Split one with a friend for $3 a person.

3. Mini Golf. Depending on where you go, prices range from $6-$15 a person.

Reward Programs You Should Join

You should definitely have these apps and take advantage of.

Coffee(every student needs caffeine)

1. The Starbucks App
Get a free beverage once you register a Starbucks card. For each dollar you spend, you get 2 stars. Once you have 125 stars, you can get a free drink(any size!) or food item that's on the menu. On your birthday you will get a reward for a free beverage or food item as well. This may sound like you have to spend at least $75 to get that free drink or food item, but there's ways you can get 125 stars without having to spend that much.

Here's a few ways

1. Join menu challenges. Most of the time you will only have to purchase 3 specific items to earn 50-100 bonus stars(on top of the 2 stars per $1 you spent).

2. Join the daily visit or number of visits challenge to earn 25 to 75 bonus stars.

3. Take advantage of double star days(4 stars per $1 spent).

4. Games such as boardwalk(you can play for free and earn bonus stars or free drinks without having to spend any money).

On Thursdays, they have special promotions such as BOGO free and half off beverages.

2. The Dunkin Donuts App
You get points for every purchase and a free drink at 200 points. Just like Starbucks, they also offer promotions to get those points sooner. When you sign up, you get a free drink as well as on your birthday.

3. The Argo Tea App

You get a $5 credit for signing up. Just pay with your app and your drink is free. After visiting 10 times, you get a $4 credit.

Food(fast fuel in moderation)

As college students, fast food is cheap and easy to get. Joining certain apps can make fast food even cheaper when your away from home(but you should eat it once in a while to avoid the Freshman 15).

1. The McDonald's App.

Some offers include:

2. The Domino's App
Get 10 points for each purchase over $10 and 60 points gets you a free medium 2 topping pizza.

3. The Subway App
If you want a healthier option, go to Subway. You get tokens for each purchase you make and 200 tokens gets you a reward. There's also deals available on the app as well.

4. The Baskin Robbins App
If you have the T-Mobile Tuesdays app, this app is a must. You will get a lot of $2 Baskin Robbins gift cards. Save them on the app and treat yourself to ice cream.


Other Apps

1. The T-Mobile Tuesdays App
Every Tuesday you can score $2 gift cards to Dunkin Donuts or Baskin Robbins, a $3 Starbucks gift card, $25 concert tickets, free movie tickets, or some T-Mobile merch. Check out the app every Tuesday to see what's offered.

2. The AMC App
Everyone goes to the movies so why not earn points for the money you're going to spend anyways.

Benefits Include

-$5 tickets on Tuesdays
-$5 reward for every 5,000 points
-Free large popcorn refill
-Free large popcorn on your birthday
-$5 cameo popcorn and drink deal(check when available)

3. The Walgreens App
Earn everyday points on all your purchases or earn free points by tracking your health. Earn up to $1 reward a month for exercise and if you track all your health data daily(weight, amount of sleep, smoking habits, glucose, and blood pressure), you can earn up to $36 a year.

Easy Ways to Save and Earn Money

Living as a college student usually means you don't have a lot of funds to spend throughout the year. But, there are a lot of things you can do to save money as well as make some money on the side. The links on this page are not sponsored.

Earn money

1. Use Swagbucks during your free time. You can do surveys and earn Swagbucks(1 SB is equal to 1 cent) and redeem those SB for gift cards to Starbucks, Target, Walmart, Amazon, PayPal, and more! It does take a while to get $5 or more, but they do add up. It took me about 2 weeks to get enough SB for a $5 Starbucks gift card(doing surveys at lunch everyday) and a week to get a $10 Target gift card over the summer.

Swagbucks

2. Use Ibotta if you grocery shop for yourself. You can get gift cards or money sent through PayPal for redeeming items on your receipts. Even if you don't grocery shop, have your family download the app using your referral link and earn $5 for each person who downloads it and redeems an offer.

Ibotta

3. Use Ebates when you shop online. This is an easy way to earn cashback for things you were already planning on buying online. If you sign up, you get a $10 welcome bonus for your first $25 order through their site or app. Again, even if you don't use their site, you can have friends and family members sign up using your referral link and you can earn $25 for each person who makes their first purchase through Ebates.

Ebates

4. Sell unwanted used clothes to places like Plato's Closet. Fair warning, they won't buy everything you have unless it's things that are trendy and will sell in their store. Usually, they always buy items that are brand name like Nike, Adidas, and Converse along with clothing items from places like Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe. I have been able to sell 3 or 4 items for around $20 but you may have better luck if your clothes are in style. Check their website to find a location near you as well as things you can sell to them.

Plato's Closet

5. Sell used and unwanted books to a place like Half Price Books. You can also sell textbooks, electronics, video games, magazines, or collectibles there as well. If you have popular books, they pay you more than other books you may have to sell.

Half Price Books

6. You can also sell any of your used items on Amazon and Ebay as well if you rather decide the price of your items on your own.


Save Money

1. If you're living on your own, you would have to buy essentials on your own. Couponing is an easy way to save money on items you need. Coupons combined with rebates on Ibotta could save you a lot of money. Couponing now is easier than ever thanks to couponing blogs that show you every deal there is.

Print Coupons from This Site

2. If you need to buy clothes or anything you should also use Ebates. Not only do you get cashback, but they also have all the coupon codes you can use on the sites you're on when you add the Ebates button to your browser.

3. If you don't want to use Ebates, just go onto RetailMeNot's site and look for coupons to use in stores as well as online promo codes. This helps you save some extra money.

RetailMeNot

4. Set a budget and use a cash envelope system. Have a certain amount of money into categories and stick to cash so you don't overspend.

Some things to consider into a budget:

Fixed(needs)
-food
-gas/transportation
-rent
-student loans
-utilities

Wants
-clothes
-entertainment
-outside dining
-other things you can live without having

5. If you have a job(all year or summer), put a certain amount of your paycheck into your bank account. That money will add up and you can use it for emergencies or to pay off any loans in the future.

6. Rent your textbooks or buy used textbooks. College textbooks are expensive so renting books can help save hundreds of dollars each year. If you decide to buy used textbooks, you can sell them after you're done using them. You can rent books through Chegg or Amazon Prime.

Amazon Prime is free for 6 months as a college student and then $49 per year after that(instead of $119 per year) for 4 years.

Amazon Prime Student