Is Shaving Worth the Time and Effort?

Is Shaving Worth the Time and Effort? 
For Some Women, Being Hairy is More Practical Than Political - Reported from Alternet



I was weeding through my email that I had missed due to my absence last week. Quickly scanning through my news headlines (I receive daily from a couple of sources) my eyes caught the headline of this article.

"Wait... did I just see.... yeah.... "

I wondered what this could possibly be about as I mulled over the headline, Shaving: Worth your time? It seemed to ask a question whose answer was quite obvious. Right?

Not necessarily. 

To be honest, there is nothing really even compelling about this article. The headline is the most intriging part of the whole thing. It tells of a normal girl who grows up not wanting to go with society's norms that tell us that women should shave their legs.

I grew up in a "different" type of family than most people my age. My parents lived through the sixties and were at the age where they could indulge in the festivities so to speak during that era. My parents are pretty much hippies... still.

Anyways, I was around 15 when I finally got the balls up to ask my Mom if I could shave. Yes, I asked her. Kind of a foreign concept nowadays, but I knew it showed her I respected her because talked about everything and she would rather I don't shave at all.

My mother actually asked me why I wanted to shave my legs... she said I was too young and the hair was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Try telling that to all my hairless friends.

Now that I look back I can reflect upon just how huge an impact society has on the way we act, even  when we are young... still kids.





I did take a few good things away from my upbringing - that I have no room to make judgement on others for being different. So in high school when one of my girlfriends revealed to me that she wasn't shaving her legs anymore I didn't act any differently towards her. Why would I? Because society says hairy legs are not feminine? I don't think so. I was brought up to think for myself. (Which some people find very hard to deal with!)

To conclude my review/story as it pertains to the subject of whether women should shave or not...

Your legs don't define who you are, and although this article (and my review of it) are rather irrelevant, there is a lesson to be learned.

Treat people with respect, don't judge them, because who is to say you are any better? 

And never think just because society's image is depicted a certain way that you must follow it. 

Rules were made to be broken. 

More power to ya ;)

The United States Prison System

Thank you to AlterNet for sharing this YouTube video. This is an important, yet often overlooked issue in our country today.

Many people feel that people are imprisoned for wrong doings not worthy of imprisonment. And the length of sentences is also up for debate. Mandatory minimum sentencing puts everyday citizens behind bars for extended periods of time - costing the US more money than what would be a more reasonable budget.


Whatever your viewpoint is, you need to watch this video.

Fuel Rewards - Do they really save you money?

 

No matter where you live, there is some sort of savings card in your wallet that you collect points or rewards on to go towards a discount on gas. 

In the Southern states, many will have Winn-Dixie or Tom Thumb/Kroger Rewards. Depending on what/how much you buy will determine how many cents off a gallon you get.

But if you shop at many different stores, the number of cards you carry around starts to put strain on your wallet.


The solution?

One card to use at all the stores you frequent. 


The card: Shell Fuel Rewards



* It's free to request a card too! Go here. 
OR pick one up at any participating Shell station

The only real catch to the program is that the gas discount you recieve can only be redeemed at Shell gas stations.

You earn points to earn off so much per gallon by purchasing certain items or just shopping at certain stores, etc.


She saved over $20! See her testimonial. 

Where to earn rewards:

1. Participating Grocery Stores





















2. Shop Online and save big (and get gas rewards!)

TOP ONLINE MERCHANTS 
(list from fuelrewards.com)

1-800-FLOWERS.com Advance Auto Parts Apple Store BestBuy.com Books-A-Million Carter's Diapers.com Groupon

Holiday Inn Express homedepot.com Hotels.com HSN.com iTunes.com jcpenney Kohl's Land's End Lowe's

Macys.com newegg.com NikeStore.com Nordstrom.com OfficeDepot.com OfficeMax.com oldnavy.com Priceline.com ProFlowers

QVC.com Sears.com Sephora.com Shoes.com Staples.com Target.com Vera Bradley VitaminShoppe.com

3. Local Dining Rewards

* Earn 10¢/gal in Fuel Rewards savings for every $50 you spend at participating restaurants, bars and clubs.

* These vary by location, you can see what restaurants offer rewards by using the Fuel Rewards locator online or on your phone (if you install their free app)

4. Printable coupons!

* Once you are a member you will see on your dashboard special savings you can use at your favorite stores

Here is an example - Staples printable coupon:

I got to use my Rewards Card and saved a bunch on the kids school supplies with this one.

They have offers for a huge amount of stores. Here is a screen shot of their "Online Mall" to give you an idea

- Why not shop like you do already and save on gas at the same time? You're already saving money on gas by shopping at home, now save more for when you do need to fill up??

And More!!

* Earn Fuel Rewards savings when you purchase specially marked convenience store products, car washes, and auto services using your card at participating Shell stations.


If you like to save money this card is for you.

Go get yours now by visiting their website.

SEO - what they do, why we need them... presented in Infographic form

Source: mashable.com via liQuidprint on Pinterest

Is America's Economic Depression over for good?

Well, the answer to that is still unclear, however we still enjoy shopping. Stores's magazine was kind enough to track our habits and give us a list of the fastest growing retailers. 

Some still remain rather unknown, others, such as Under Armour and Dollar General, are obvious up and comers in the retail sales department. 

and this doesn't have on it the names you would suspect either as "top dog" in the retail world. 

#1 may just surprise you! It isn't Wal-Mart! 

Whatever state the economy is in we still are stimulating it with every shopping trip, online and off.

100 Fastest Growing Retailers

[as reported by Stores magazine]

Whatever state the economy is in we still are stimulating it with every shopping trip, online and off.

Top 100 Retailers from Justine Muller

Shop Smart: Plan Ahead for Back to School

Back to School Shopping

Buying Children's Clothes for the New School Year

Before you hit the mall during for your Back To School shopping, do some planning.

1. Have a plan and be prepared. 

- - This ensures you'll save money, buy only what you need, and have a better shopping experience with your kids.

2. Take Inventory

- - Go through your children's clothes. Take out items with holes, stains and other imperfections. Have your kids try on the remaining items. Too-small items can be stored in an airtight container for a younger child, or donated to those in need.

3. Write It Down

- - Write down what is left of your children's clothing "inventory"

4. Make a Checklist

- - Make a checklist of what your kids will need for school this year. (Your list will depend on many factors: the climate in your area, how far in advance you decided to purchase clothing for upcoming seasons; the school's dress code policy; what activities your children are involved in, etc. etc.)

5. Check Schools' Dress Code Policies

- - Be sure you know exactly what your kids' school approve of before you start shopping.

6. Check online for Coupons or Special Deals

- - Many large retailers offer printable coupons on their websites.

- - Childrens Place Printable Coupons and Old Navy Coupons are good starting points. 

7. Shop the Summer Sales

- - Before you shop the back to school section see what's marked down from summer. Many summer items, that are currently deeply discounted can be used for fall:

Essential items you will find in clearance racks:

- - Short sleeved tees are ideal layering pieces under sweaters, sweatshirts, cardigans and blazers.

- - Summer basics such as underwear, socks, tees, jeans and more are year round items.

- - Accessories that were meant to accompany a store's summer lines can be worn with fall items as well.

- - Lightweight summer sweaters are perfect for the beginning of fall.

- - For girls, skirts and dresses make excellent transitional pieces.

8. Shop the Front Racks

- - Once you've exhausted the sale racks, move forward to the front of the stores and shop the full-price racks. If you are on a budget, try to buy only what your child needs to get through the first week or two of school. A couple of new outfits is just fine.

Why? Because once the big back to school rush is over, all those full-priced items go on sale. 

Shop smart and you will save money!

Children's PlaceVideo

Content source: Kids Fashion @ About.com