Guest Article: Building Dreams Together: How to Spend Wedding Money Thoughtfully

You’ve said “I do” and had your honeymoon. Now, life was an official married couple is here. Planning our lives is a necessary event that doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. With a little help and guidance, married life can start off on the right foot. Need some tips? Advice? Guest blogger and self-care expert Brad Krause of self-caring.info has some tips for starting life as married couple that are sure to be discussion-starters. Read below.

Building Dreams Together: How to Spend Wedding Money Thoughtfully

Starting a new life together is an exhilarating journey, and your wedding gift money can play a pivotal role in shaping your future. Instead of leaving these funds untouched, consider channeling them into areas that will enhance your life and relationship. Each decision can significantly impact your financial and personal growth, from education to home improvements. By making thoughtful choices, you can ensure that your wedding gifts contribute to a prosperous and fulfilling life together.

Paying for a Promising Tuition

Investing in your education is one of the most impactful ways to use your wedding gift money. An online degree can significantly enhance your career prospects while offering the flexibility to balance studies with work or family obligations. For instance, earning a master’s degree in nursing is an excellent idea for healthcare-focused individuals (this is a good option to consider). This path opens doors to diverse career opportunities in nurse education, informatics, or advanced practice nursing. By boosting your professional credentials, you align with the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals, leading to higher income potential and greater job satisfaction.

Renovating Your Home Strategically

Enhancing your home can be a strategic move that benefits your living environment and future financial goals. Consider projects like a kitchen remodel or energy-efficient upgrades. These improvements create a more comfortable space and potentially boost your property’s market value. Simple enhancements, such as fresh paint or new plants, can significantly impact your home’s curb appeal without breaking the bank. These thoughtful upgrades improve your daily living experience and provide long-term financial benefits.

Trying Your Hands at REIa

Investing in real estate with your wedding gift money can secure long-term financial stability. Purchasing a rental property in emerging neighborhoods offers passive income and potential property value appreciation. This strategy provides steady cash flow and tax advantages, enhancing your financial portfolio. To simplify the process, consider hiring a property management company to handle day-to-day responsibilities, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your life while your investment grows. As you build equity, this asset can serve as a financial safety net or be leveraged for future investments, supporting your long-term goals.  

Strengthening Your Community with Thoughtful Giving

Consider the meaningful impact of donating your wedding gift money to local charities. Supporting organizations within your community bolsters local initiatives and ensures your contributions directly benefit those around you. By donating locally, you can witness the tangible results of your generosity, fostering a sense of connection and responsibility. Local charities often operate with lower overhead costs, meaning a more significant portion of your donation goes directly to the cause.  

Enhancing Your Relationship with Quality Sleep Investments

Investing in quality sleep products, such as high-quality bedding and a comfortable mattress, is a smart way to use your wedding gift money. This investment improves your sleep quality, which is crucial for your health and emotional well-being and strengthens your relationship. Sharing a bed can enhance intimacy and bonding and increase relationship satisfaction. To ensure a restful night, choose a mattress that minimizes motion transfer, like a memory foam mattress, which absorbs movement effectively.  

Learning More About Finances

Investing your wedding gift money wisely can set a strong financial foundation for your marriage. Consider enrolling in financial planning courses to gain essential skills in budgeting, investment strategies, and risk management. These courses offer practical exercises and case studies that help you apply theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios, enhancing your ability to make informed financial decisions. Understanding these principles allows you to align your spending with long-term goals like buying a home or retirement savings.

Thoughtful allocation of your wedding gift money can significantly impact your future. Whether you invest in education, enhance your home, explore real estate, support your community, or improve your financial literacy, each decision contributes to a stable and rewarding life. By prioritizing these areas, you lay the groundwork for a prosperous journey together, ensuring that your wedding gifts catalyze growth and happiness.

Discover the art of beauty with Tammy Hargrove Makeup and transform your look with expert tips and top-notch products!

J.Lo Realizes A Big Dream

J.Lo has announced that something new is on the way for her. In 2021, she will officially realize a long-time dream.

It was announced several months ago that she was coming out with, you guessed, a skincare line. This is a no-brainer. She’s long been known for having beautiful, glowing skin along with a serious skincare regimen. J.Lo definitely realizes the importance of taking care of her skin. It has served her well.

Her brand, dubbed JLo Beauty (of course!), will launch on January, 1, 2021 on its respective website. The brand will launch with eight skincare products including eye cream, a dietary supplement, and sunscreen.

J.Lo is pretty amazing and I expect that this product will be no less. One product she mentions that is used in her brand is olive oil. She says that the oil is part of her mother and aunt’s beauty secret. To be honest, it has been one of my long-time favorites to because it’s really an oil made for the skin. The prices vary for each of the launch items. So far, there have been rave reviews from those who were fortunate enough to test the products before they are released to the public.

Save ya coins so you can be part of this brand’s historic launch in a few weeks!

Clarisonic Says Goodbye

On September 30, 2020, the iconic brand known for revolutionizing skincare is shutting its doors.

Clarisonic, a brand that started out independently, was bought out by L’Oreal in 2011-after introducing the world to sonic brushes that deep clean the skin. It is well known in spas and by consumers alike. It will be interesting to see how this will play out in the days to come.

In the last few months, the brand put its products and accessories on sale for 50% off and announced that it would be closing in September. If you haven’t found any brush heads, there may still be some out there somewhere-though you may be hardpressed to find any. Instead, I would suggest that you find some other sonic brush brands, such as Michael Todd Beauty. The brush has solid reviews and brush heads that are about $20 each.

KVD comes to Ulta!

We are finally going to see KVD Vegan Beauty (formally Kat Von D) at Ulta!

This has been a long awaited collaboration and it’s a pretty big deal. Up until this announcement, the brand could only be purchased in-store through Sephora. (There is always the option to purchase through the KVD website or Sephora’s website) It looks like the long-standing beauty brand will no longer be exclusive to the brick and mortar stores of Sephora.

KVD will be available starting Sunday, August 23rd. That’s only in a few days. This is a great move for the brand as it will provide longtimers convenience while also exposing newbies to brand.

I have found it to be one of my personal favorites. As a matter or fact, I just purchased two lip colors for the upcoming fall season from KVD. It’s long wearing and the color payoff is excellent. What I like most about this brand is that it not only has quality products but it also provides fun, funky, bold colors that allow for full- on creative and artistic expression.

Guest Blogger Brad Krause on Self-Care

6 Ways to Take Control of Your Mental Health with Self-Care  

by Brad Krause

 When taking care of your mental health feels like a constant battle, it may be time to make some changes in your life. More importantly, it may be time to make some positive changes when it comes to your self-care habits. Even the smallest shifts in your self-care routine can make a major impact on your mental health, including these simple and doable daily practices. 

 End Self-Care Struggles 

 If you struggle with self-care, your troubles may stem from how you define the term “self-care.” Social media can be especially misleading when it comes to self-care, and influencers often define self-care as “prolonged pleasurable time resulting in peace, happiness, and beauty.” While that sounds truly amazing, the type of self-care used to manage mental health is much more basic and attainable than that. These consistent self-care habits are also more effective. 

Eat Mood-Boosting Foods 

 Your new self-care routine can start with what you put on your plate in the mornings. Eating depression-fighting foods, including bananas, dark berries, avocados, and chia seeds, can provide the boost your brain needs to keep your mood upbeat and balanced. If you need to take your breakfast on the go, you can always blend a few of these foods into a superfood smoothie. 

Fit in Regular Exercise 

If you want an extra dose of self-care and a mood boost in the mornings, try to get some exercise before you start the rest of your day. Research has found that people who get moving for as little as 15 minutes each day are less at risk for depression and anxiety. So lay your workout clothes out the night before and go for a brisk walk before you have your brain-boosting breakfast. If you prefer to stay inside, you can also try a short yoga practice. 

Explore Therapy Options 

Even though the stigma around mental health is slowly fading, you may find it difficult to seek the counseling and other professional services you need. It may help to think of it this way: counseling is to your mental health what regular checkups are to your physical health. If cost is a concern, you can also check in with your insurance to see if counseling is covered. Be sure to review your health coverages annually to see if changes are needed. 

Discover Inner Balance  

When your life feels “out of whack,” your mental health can be at risk. Unreasonable self-expectations, misaligned priorities, and feelings of shame/fear/guilt are what lead to these feelings of an unbalanced life. To re-establish balance and take back control of your mental health, you just need to work through these issues with a focus on what makes you feel content. Taking on far too much can also make you feel out of balance. So, avoid overcommitting yourself to others by learning to say “no” and establishing boundaries to preserve your time. 

 Establish Financial Security 

In their most recent survey on stress, the American Psychological Association found that nearly 62 percent of the population feels stressed about money on a regular basis. Some steps you can take to ease this tension include keeping track of your spending and creating a plan to pay down debts. If you own a home, you can also think about refinancing your home loan. Refinancing can help with financial stress by reducing the equity you’ve built to free up cash or decrease your monthly payments, which in turn will allow you to pay down other debts. 

 Self-care shouldn’t feel like an extra burden. After all, self-care is meant to manage and protect your mental health. So, if you feel overwhelmed by your emotions, adapting your daily routines to include more simple self-care could provide relief. Just be sure to tailor these practices to suit your specific needs and lifestyle. Because self-care should always aim to balance the self.  

Photo Credit: Unsplash                      

More about Brad

After spending most of his time in a corporate setting and neglecting his own self-care far too long, Brad embraced his calling and decided to become a full-time life coach. He now spends the rest of his life helping people get a better foothold on their wellness above all else.

Netflix Just Announced This

Yesterday, Netflix announced that some major classic shows are coming to the popular streaming service.

Over the next 3 months, we will have access to these shows (let the binge watching begin!). I, for one, am looking forward to this and I know I am not alone. Shows such as Moesha, The Game (limited seasons), Sister, Sister, Girlfriends, The Parkers, Half & Half, and One on One will be lighting up our Netflix accounts as we approach the end of summer and start to say hello to autumn.

Thinking of the impact of these shows, Girlfriends comes to mind as a lesson in makeup for me. Makeup Artist Rea Ann Silva really nailed beauty-consistently. When I look at the series, I see beautiful women, not (heavy) makeup. Everything flows so well that the show still serves as an inspiration. The makeup accurately compliments the hair and clothing of each cast member. Silva created what we now know as the Beautyblender while on the show out of a need while working on set. I’d say the show has served her well.

So grateful for all of these shows and the cast and crew of each of these shows that made such great television.

See the upcoming dates below:

August

Saturday, August 1st- Moesha

Saturday, August 15th- The Game (seasons 1-3)

September

Tuesday, September 1st- Sister, Sister

Friday, September 11th- Girlfriends

October

Tuesday, October 1st- The Parkers

Tuesday, October 15th- One on One

Here’s to happy watching!

Weddings in Pandemics: Elaine Welteroth Gets Hitched!

We need to enjoy and embrace the good things, the positive things every time they show up. Life in 2020 has completely shifted for all of us-and it’s keeps shifting. It’s easy to lose sight of good things, those things that make us smile (especially if we aren’t always surrounded by positivity). Good things are still happening all around, we just need a person (or people) to show us.

To say that the last few months have been a whirlwind is an understatement. For many expectant brides, they’ve had to postpone wedding plans—some indefinitely, due to the events and uncertainty of a worldwide pandemic.

When faced with this situation, Elaine Welteroth decided that she was going to get married “come hell or high water” on May 10, 2020. And the best-selling author and history-making editor did just that. Initially, the couple considered many different places for their nuptials (both in and out of the United States). The pandemic, however, changed all of that and it looked like all of their dreams would be postponed. Instead of being down about it, Welteroth stayed determined.

As she set her mind on her goal, ideas flowed and she knew exactly how to pull everything off. It came to her to have a virtual wedding at her home followed by a virtual block party. Doing so meant friends and neighbors could be involved.

The two lovebirds used their Brooklyn stoop to exchange vows. It was beautifully decorated with a stunning and colorful floral arragement. Welteroth and her now husband were very creative and resourceful in the planning of this event. Using what they had and thinking “outside the box” allowed for a beautiful wedding. Both the bride, groom, and their friends were all decked out in white. Welteroth gave beachy, Bohmemian vibes in her flowing white gown and lowkey makeup and hair. She was simply ethereal.

The photos were absolutely beautiful—vividly invoking the sense of a warm, inviting celebration of love and beauty. Technology allowed for out-of-town friends and family to participate. Notice the tablet in the photograph. The bride and groom are happily smiling into the camera showing off their rings to their audience.

Congrats to the beautiful couple!

Celebrating Women Series: Remembering Katherine Johnson

When I think of the contributions of someone like Katherine Johnson, I’m always reminded that delay is not denial and for the hundreds and thousands of celebrities and famous people we know as members of the general public, there are thousands-dare I say millions-who go down in history unknown on a big scale that shape or have shaped the world we know and live in right now.

Katherine Johnson was born August 26, 1918 in West Virginia. Her extraordinary life started out with meager beginnings. She passed away February 24, 2020 at the age of 101. She worked for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) many years and retired in 1986. The book, Hidden Figures, by Margot Lee Shetterly highlighted the stories and accomplishments of amazing and innovative women in science. The book was published in 2016 and later released as a film under the same title in early 2017. I am so grateful to authors and writers who are passionate about getting stories told. The movie brought people together in the way that only art can.

It was so touching to witness her being honored in the national spotlight. While one could argue that this recognition was long overdue, it can also be argued that maybe it was right on time. In her 90s, she was able to attend these shows, be recognized and be loved on by a completely new generation of admirers. Dreams and rewards don’t have expiration dates. Life doesn’t have to stop or slow down at a certain age.

From my artist standpoint, I must say that she was always quite beautiful. She had age appropriate makeup that wasn’t heavy or overly done. Her makeup enhanced her beauty and she looked great on camera. Her beautiful gowns were always the right color and she had a very regal elegance about her.

To hear she had passed was a bit sad, yet, I had gratutide for her and her accomplishments. Today, she will be laid to rest with a memorial service at Hampton University. May we always remember her and speak her name.

Happy Women's Month!

This month, we celebrate ALL things women!

We’ll take a look at a few women who have had a substantial impact on society in one way or another. This month started as a way to recognize the efforts of women and to bring them to the forefront in a conscious way by celebrating all month.

Here’s to you and all the beautiful women in your life!