Happy Father's Day! June 15, 2014

Today, I'd like to take a moment and share an old post that I shared on my other blog, Freelance Lady. It was part of my "Thank You Thursday" series, where I thanked my father for all that he has done for me. I am resurrecting that post today right here, along with another "Thank You Thursday" post dedicated to my husband. They are both amazing fathers, and they deserve recognition today.

Thank You, Daddy!

It didn't take much thought to decide who I was going to thank today. It's a no-brainer.

From the moment I was born, this man has been there for me. When I scraped my knee, he was there to comfort me. When I was teased in elementary school, he backed me up and reassured me that I was an amazing person, no matter what anyone had to say. When I entered my rebellious teenage years and began pushing him away, he still stood by my side. When I gave birth to my son, he became a loving grandpa.

The man I am thanking today is my father.

Jess, me, and Daddy.

My dad has worked his ass off, doing his best to take care of us. There were good times, bad times, sad times, and joyful times, but no matter what we were going through, we knew we could rely on Daddy. Without him in my life, I don't think I would have ever learned the meaning of "common courtesy," something that still remains incredibly important to me. I don't think I would have known the meaning of "security." Without my dad, where would I be?

That is something I don't even want to know the answer to.

Daddy, I love you with all of my heart and I want to thank you for EVERYTHING that you've done for us. We love you.

Thank You, Justice. My Husband, My Love!

I've known my husband for almost 7 years now, and we've been together for 6 of those years, and married for 2. Throughout these years, we've had good times, bad times, highs, lows, twists, and turns. But we got through it all. We always do.

We've grown together---and we're still growing.

From the first moment that I met him, I knew that I had to get to know him. He radiated something that I had never seen before. A happiness that I longed to feel. That was all it took. I don't know what had gotten into us, but my sister and I walked right over and introduced ourselves. And he smiled. And I melted.

As it turned out, he was good friends with the guy my sister was dating (and still is with today), so we all started spending lots of time together. And the rest is history.

Even today, I see him as one-of-a-kind. I have yet to meet someone like him. He has this way of turning anything and everything into a laughing matter, or into an art form of sorts. He can turn a dreary Monday afternoon into a wacky family day that we all enjoy. When I'm feeling inadequate or down on myself, he knows exactly what to say to motivate me, and to make me see the brighter side of things. He knows how to turn an awkward situation into a lighthearted affair. He's brutally honest, but he knows just how to say things to avoid backlash. He's hilarious and full of character.

He's shown me---Mrs. Serious---that it's okay to take risks once in awhile. It's okay to laugh at yourself instead of beating yourself up.

He taught me that everything will be okay.

And for that, I thank him.

I love you with all of my heart, J. <3

FFF: Inexpensive Online Shoe Stores

 



Last week for Frugal Fashion Friday, I discussed shoes, and how it used to seem impossible to purchase an entire outfit + shoes for less than $60. In it, I also listed four outfits, all fashionable, for less than $60 each, just to get you started on your frugal fashion journey.

Today, I'm still kind of stuck on the topic of shoes. As a matter of fact, I was "window" shopping online today, and I came across this super cute pair of jeweled sandals that I wanted. Simply by looking at them, I figured they'd cost around $20, with $40 being the most.

Cute, right? Yeah, well, the price tag isn't so cute. As a matter of fact, I lost all interest in those bad boys once I saw that they were $297.

*Gag* Not that cute anymore.

Anyway, I left behind the sandals and started browsing some more, when I came across a pair that looked incredibly similar to the ridiculously expensive sandals. That's when I decided that today, for FFF, I would share with you three of my favorite inexpensive online shoe stores.

BodyCentral.com

 



 

Body Central is amazing. I didn't discover this website until recently, and I was blown away by the deals available. In fact, there was a pair of black patent pumps for $5.80! That's what originally caught my eye. And then I saw a very cute skirt on sale for $3. It doesn't get much better than that when you're talking about brand new clothes and shoes. The shoe selection is quite incredible, featuring pumps, flats, sandals, flip-flops, and even boots. Unbeatable.

 

 

Payless.com

 

My second favorite shoe store is Payless. I've been a Payless fan since I was about 15-years-old, and my feelings about the store have only improved. As a matter of fact, the selection has improved, and they seem to be keeping up with current fashions. Here, you'll find pumps, sandals, flats, boots, and even tennis shoes at incredibly low prices. Occasionally, you'll find a $5 deal.

 

 

 

GoJane.com

Finally, I present to you "GoJane." While the shoes aren't as inexpensive as Body Central and Payless, they still have some pretty great deals, especially for such high quality shoes. My favorites are the fold-over boots, because at $30, it's a steal. The reviews on the products are pretty good, too, which is the main reason why I highly recommend it. There aren't many "casual" shoe options here besides boots, so that may be a negative aspect for some shoppers.

Websites with Inexpensive Shoes

Don't assume that the aforementioned websites are the only inexpensive shoe stores out there. As a matter of fact, there are plenty more, including 6PM, TB Dress, and Ippolitan, among others. Just keep your eyes peeled and your mind open to awesome deals, and you'll be good to go!


What's your must-have brand of shoes?

Where to Get Free Products to Review

One of the many benefits of being a blogger is getting to try, test, and keep products for review. Providing honest, thorough reviews allows you to help your readers make more informed choices before purchasing certain products. Since I first started blogging back in 2011, I've received dozens of products for review, including Downy Unstopables, Schick Hydro Silk, Breyers® Gelato Indulgences, and UNREAL™ Candy.

I received the aforementioned products from the blogging communities that I participate in. These programs connect brands with bloggers to try, review, and generate buzz about products. Most of these programs require you to apply for the campaign, and you're typically accepted or rejected based upon your blog's stats.

Influenster

I receive most of my products for review from Influenster. Influenster is a blogging community that connects brands with bloggers so that they may try out new products, and spread the word via various social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, among others. Recently, I received and reviewed the TLC VoxBox.

Social CallOut

At Social CallOut, you sign up, fill out your CV for your blog, and then start applying for programs. What I like most about Social CallOut is that you're able to pick and choose which campaigns to apply for. For example, if your blog is about beauty and fashion, you can narrow down the "callouts" to only show campaigns in select categories.

Expo

I like Expo because you can apply for "Tryology" programs to review products, or you can simply review products that you already own in exchange for points. You can redeem these points for hundreds of items, including Amazon gift certificates, electronics, household products, food, clothing, and more.

Vocalpoint

This was the first "influencing" community that I joined, and I absolutely love it. The Vocalpoint community is very active, and everyone is incredibly friendly and helpful. You can earn badges (similar to Influenster) for tasks that you complete. The more badges you have, and the more active you are within the community, the higher your chances are to receive products to review, or to be invited to participate in different campaigns.

Alternatively, you may contact companies upfront. For more information on product review pitches, check out my other article entitled, How to Get Free Products to Review on Your Blog.

When pitching companies, you're going to want to have something to show them to prove that you're great at writing reviews. The best way to do this is to review products that you already own. Provide an open and honest opinion about the product, and be as thorough as possible. Some of the products I've reviewed (that I purchased on my own) include John Frieda Precision Foam Color, Fake Bake Flawless (a product I love), Kiss Stick-On Nail Strips, Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, and Hot Designs Nail Art Pens.

I also review places. So far, I've reviewed Burr Oak Cabin in Glouster, Ohio, and Grand Lake St. Mary's in St. Mary's, Ohio. I feel that there is no limit on what you can review. If you've tried it out, then you have the authority to review it. I've even test and review online work-at-home opportunities on my blog, Freelance Lady.

No matter what your strategy is for getting products to review, you'll need to always have something to show off your skills. Whether it's blog stats, or reviews on products you purchased with your own cash, the experience is what matters.