January 2017 – shemakescents

3 Organic Products That Will Change Your Beauty Routine

Published on January 30, 2017January 30, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

I wanted to take a moment and share three game-changing organic products under the $15.00 price point. Not only have I personally sampled each recommended product, they have now replaced other beauty staples in my daily routine. While some organic products can be more expensive than their chemically treated counterparts, these are a splurge, if you can even call it that, that is worth the upgrade. Be good to your body and it will be good to you!

Charcoal Soap

I’ve been wanting to try charcoal soap for a while after hearing that it removes toxins, pulls all the gross stuff from your pores, and helps with skin issues like my eczema, which conventionally flares during the winter months. While walking through Atlanta’s Krog Street Market, I came across this lovely handmade soap shop called Mama Handmade Bath & Body that has since become one of my favorite places to explore there. While playing with sample oils and inhaling the fabulous scents of the different types of soaps, I found several bars of raw handmade charcoal soap. I purchased a bar for $8.00 so I could give it a try. For almost 3 weeks, I have washed my face with this vegan soap and follow-up with the Cerve moisturizer every morning and night. I knew that it was a naturally anti-fungal and antibacterial soap but was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was loaded with moisturizing oils like avocado, jojoba, and wheat germ. My face is so clear and smooth and I have gotten so many compliments on my skin (check out my IG for my Jan 19th selfie…no foundation at all with a little blush!!!) I love that I am not clogging my pores with unnecessary ingredients.

Organic Argan Oil

Argan oil, produced from the kernels of the Argan tree, is becoming very popular in the cosmetic world because of the restorative benefits for hair, skin, nails. I hear it also does wonders for pregnant women with stretch marks. I was asked to try out a sample of 100% pure Moroccan Argan oil from a brand called Actually Organic and I wanted to see what the hype was all about.

Around the same time the 1 oz bottle of Argan oil arrived, I have weening myself off gel manicures and was suffering from soft and brittle nails that would break if you just looked at them. I started moisturizing both my cuticles and my nails and guess what happened… my nails started to grow again. I could even look at them and they would not break. I then started to use the oil to help heal dry eczema patches on my body and I have really enjoyed the results of smooth nourished skin in these dry winter months. I originally thought that $12.00 a bottle was a little steep for a 1 oz bottle, but I quickly learned that a little product goes a long way. This bottle will last me through the August, which is perfect considering Argan oil in its pure form has a 12-month shelf life. I apply oil to my nails about once a week and I use the oil on my skin to heal specific problem areas like my elbows, inside of my ears (strange, I know), and the crease of my hands. ~ Thank you to the Actually Organic team for providing the She Makes Cents team with this product ~

Organic Nail Polish Remover

I will be honest, I have had a sample bottle of organic nail polish remover from an old Birchbox for a few months now. I was cleaning out the house in one of those Kondo Method type of purges when I decided that I would do one of two things with the stockpile of unopened beauty products- use it up or donate to a local women’s shelter. My 4oz bottle of Soybean and Tea Tree Oil organic nail polish remover from Karma Naturals was on the chopping block because I have always used a standard nail polish remover. Yes, traditional removers are full of all sorts of harsh chemicals but they always got the job done. As it was going into the pile of products that would soon be donated, I decided to keep it to see how it removes pink nail polish from my toes. Compared to traditional removers, it takes a little longer to remove nail polish but that was okay with me once I felt how moisturized my bare toenails were. It was amazing!!! I now even take my own bottle of organic remover with my when I go to the nail salon so that they don’t use the harsh remover that I was used to. This is a vegan and cruelty-free product that has replaced my previous brand FOREVER.

info@shemakescents.com | Instagram @shemakescents

Money Challenge | January Savings Recap

Published on January 27, 2017February 28, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

Hello #SMCmoneytribe and welcome to the weekend! We are a month into the challenge with almost 50% more participants than the previous year. Great job everyonet ladies!!! That says to me, they there are people out there making smarter money moves in 2017. What made this year different for me was including the Mr. so we can double the money from this challenge. Full disclosure…. the Mr. decided it was easier for him to remember if he just set a fixed amount of $50.00 per week to the challenge. It makes it easier for him and I like it because even if I cross off a lower amount, I have the $50.00 to add to it.

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Show Me the Money!!!

Week one was all about learning how to win at the She Makes Cents BINGO Money Challenge. For week two, the focus was inspiring you to stay motivated toward your savings goals. It is easy to keep your eyes on the prize in the beginning of the year, also know as Resolutions Season, but getting through 52 weeks is only hard if you lose motivation. Week three, the country paused to witness the transition of presidential power and we did too. Before I knew it, we successfully completed month one of the money challenge. Below is the financial breakdown for the month of January. monthly-review-template

How to Join the Challenge

Want to join the #SMCmoneytribe to get access to a tribe of goal minded accountability partners who are invested in your success and your FREE bingo money guide? Click here, fill in your info, and we will do the rest.

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What The Navient Lawsuit Means for Student Loan Borrowers

Published on January 23, 2017January 23, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

The government or more specifically the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against Navient, the nation’s largest student loan service provider last week. Navient is the twin sister to the head of the student loan mafia, Sallie Mae, Inc. that services the loans of more than 12 million borrowers, including my own. As a loan service provider, they manage borrowers’ accounts, process monthly payments, and communicate directly with borrowers. The suit was filed on January 18^th with another following just days before the transition of presidential power.

According to the CFPB Director, Richard Cordray, “Navient chose to shortcut and deceive consumers to save on operating costs. Too many borrowers paid more for their loans because Navient illegally cheated them and today’s action seeks to hold them accountable.” Some of the most pressing allegations include failing to correctly apply or allocate borrower payments to their accounts, steering struggling borrowers toward paying more than they have to on loans, obscured information consumers needed to maintain their lower payments and deceived private student loan borrowers about requirements to release their co-signer from the loan.

What That Means for You?

If this lawsuit is successful, consumers affected by Navient’s alleged misdoings may receive some monetary restitution. Don’t get too excited yet. This is not a class-action suit that you can sign up for. According to ClassAction.org, “Attorneys usually find out those who were affected by looking at the defendant’s records in a phase of the litigation known as the discovery phase. People who could be covered by the suit are usually sent a notice or check in the mail. The agency that filed the lawsuit will also have information on their website about the suit and who can claim money in the event of a settlement”.

Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps Explained

Published on January 18, 2017February 23, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason9 Comments

Hey #SMCmoneytribe! Yesterday I took a little time out of my day to create an infographic for you that provides a quick overview into Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps. I wanted to do this for you because I reference these steps in a lot of my writing because they have become the meat and potatoes of my financial plan. If you are a long time reader of She Makes Cents, you might remember when I was so excited to get to the second part of Baby Step 2 that I tried a risky financial move of playing financial Russian Roulette. Let’s just say the outcome was not what I expected when my car broke down one week later and I only had half of an emergency fund to help me out. (P.S. According to Ramsey, car maintenance is not an emergency and rather something that should be budgeted for).

info@shemakescents.com | Instagram @shemakescents

How to Stay Motivated To Save Money

Published on January 13, 2017January 13, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

Happy Friday #SMCmoneytribe. I am coming to you on week two of the She Makes Cents Money Challenge to talk about the subject of motivation. I imagine most people join this challenge for one major reason; they want their future financial situation to be better than their current circumstances. This can be with respect to a very specific goal, such as saving for vacation or it could simply be the catalyst to fostering better saving habits like starting an emergency fund. Either way, you accepted the challenge and are in it to win it, so I ask you…what keeps you motivated?

How I Stay Motivated

It’s very strange to say, but I am just as motivated by not disappointing readers like you as I am to clear my now $18,025.00 balance on my student loans. This goes back to the idea of the #SMCmoneytribe and the village of supportive accountability partners who know my goal and know my progress. Should I miss a week, which has happened before…hey, I am human, I think about all the people whom I’m sharing this experience with and I do whatever it takes to catch up. I tell people all the time, if you get off track, either catch up or start over but don’t give up.

Watching my balance go down is also a very gratifying feeling. I know where I started, I know where I want to be, and I know that timeline I have given myself to accomplish my ultimate goal to be completely debt free, not including my mortgage, within the next 3 years.

When I had credit card debt, I would allocate the weekly deposits from this challenge along with a monthly set payment of $300.00 to pay off my balance quickly. Once I eliminated that debt, I set aside that $300.00 + the weekly deposits from this challenge to make quarterly lump sum payments towards my student loan principal. This, my friends is what you call snowballing your debt. I know how I excited I get to see my balance on the student loans go down at the slow pace it is currently moving since so much of the payment goes towards interest and not the principal. The idea that my balance is about to make a major decrease by attacking the principal head on is the fuel I need to keep me motivated toward my larger goal of debt-free living.

Week 2 Update | She Makes Cents Money Challenge

For week two, I decided to cross off $25.00 on my bingo money card. Since the Mr. and I are joining forces this year, that gives us a joint year-to-date (YTD) total of $145.00.

What’s Your Motivation To Save? Please share below

How To Win on the She Makes Cents Money Challenge

Published on January 6, 2017February 27, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason4 Comments

Happy 1^st Friday of 2017 everyone and welcome to the 2017 version of the She Makes Cents Money Challenge! Need a quick overview of the She Makes Cents Money Challenge?… click here. If you know me, you know I LOVE Fridays. It’s the day I eat tacos and drink margaritas with a sugar rim, it kicks off the weekend, and it’s the day I make smart money moves on the She Makes Cents Bingo Money Challenge! bingo-money-challenge

The Benefits

They say you should do something today that your future self will thank you for and that is what this money challenge is for me and the #SMCmoneytribe. As a part of the #SMCmoneytribe you will take this financial journey with the best accountability partners….other readers like you. Last year I paid off my credit card completely and I am still carrying a zero balance (insert angels singing…seriously can you hear them?). While I have used the money from this challenge to help pay down debt, other members of the tribe have used their savings to go on vacations, pay for professional certifications, holiday gifts for family, and to ramp up their emergency funds. By accepting this challenge, you will gain more than the financial payout… you will gain a new sense of discipline, determination, and better money habits overall.

Should you get off track, you can always catch up or start over, we just ask that you don’t give up on this challenge, your goals, or yourself. YOU can do it and you have an entire TRIBE of people cheering you on!

Double the Fun

This year I have talked the Mr. into participating…sort of like a dollar for dollar matching. For every number I cross off and save, he will match it. If we decided to “double of fun” last year, we would have saved almost $4,000.00 together. I’m doing this with the hubby because we have a shared travel goals and an invested goal to reduce my student loan debt. The cool thing is that you don’t need a spouse to double your savings, you can do this with anyone who you know and trust who shares your goal. Saving for a girl’s trip, why not combine efforts with your bestie(s)?

If you share your progress on social media (which I highly recommend), please make sure you use the hashtags #SMCmoneytribe so the tribe can cheer you on!

How to Join the Challenge

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shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{2017 Word of the Year} How One Word Will Guide My Entire Year

Published on January 1, 2017January 22, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason5 Comments

fb-qotd-template I pose this question every year and 2017 is no different. What one word reflects your vision for 2017? So many of you submitted thoughtful responses via the SMC Facebook group and Instagram such as “gentleness”, “perseverance”, “do”, and “focus”. I even had one response that was in line with my word of the year…INTENTION from the Instagram handle @yourlifefinance. By definition, intention is a determination to act in a certain way. I chose “intention” to reflect my vision for 2017 because it adds purpose to all thoughts, words, and actions. To be honest, I have found that haphazard thoughts, words, and actions tend to get me into trouble. Toward the end of the year, I started asking God to guide my words so that I speak with intention and not for the sake of attention. This past year was my year of BRAVERY and even though it started out shaky, I ended the year with one of my bravest moves yet (post to come later on that one…). intention-adds-purpose-to-all-thoughts-words-and-actions Four years ago was my year of BALANCE, 2014 was my year of FOCUS, 2015 was my year of PASSION, 2016 was my year of BRAVERY, and I welcome my year of INTENTION. I am working very hard to make sure that my words and actions are in line with the following criteria: Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it truthful? As each year passes, I take a moment and reflect on why I chose my earlier words, where I was in my personal development for that to be a necessary focus, and how I incorporated the meaning of those words in my life.