Being the indecisive person that I am, gift giving is actually such a difficult task for me. Instead of struggling through that feat, I decided to share some of my November favorites. In a way, any of my monthly favorites posts could work as gift recommendations right?? So although I’m a few days late, I thought I would share some of my favorites from November. Better late than never! (Excuse the past few months of craziness around here.) I’m really looking forward to the new year to start fresh with blogging – and life in general. Those of you who have been following along know I’ve had so many life changes recently. Thank you for bearing with me!
Crazy Rich Asians
I finally finished this book!! I bought the book over a year ago and most recently brought it on my trips to Hawaii and Vegas. The book isn’t very deep or philosophical so those of you who love a lighthearted read with tons of drama, this is for you. Those of you whose families are Cantonese/Chinese/Singaporean will love this even more for all of the cultural references. Once I got to the meat of the drama, I couldn’t put it down even though I was exhausted beyond belief. You know a book’s good when you forgo a 3 hour nap on the plane to finish a book.
I’ll be reading the sequel as soon as I have some more time! Get the book on Amazon Prime here
Buy Nothing Groups
I’m sure a lot of you have heard of these groups but in case you haven’t, you should definitely look into your neighborhood group on Facebook! The idea of the group is really simple. Ask for or receive things freely between community members that live near you. No money can be exchanged, so you literally buy nothing.
Last month, we got rid of a lot of things as we prepped for our move. I would normally give things to whoever commented that they could come earliest or whatever was most convenient. One day when I had posted a tv and a tv stand to give, a woman commented that she was helping this family of 5 who was living in their van. A whole group was helping them furnish their new apartment. I immediately messaged her and we started coordinating the pick up. Over the next few days, I set aside more and more that I thought they could use. She was super excited when she came to pick it up and I was also really happy to 1) declutter and 2) help out a family in need at the same time. The best part was when she messaged me after she dropped it off and told me how blessed the family had been by other community members.
My other awesome experience from the group was someone posted about a working stand mixer that she had to donate. Tons of people commented their interest and I did too. Since 50+ people were gunning for this mixer, I didn’t think I would be drawn but I did!! Imagine my surprise…my last week in the group and I got picked for something amazing! It was so generous of her and she was so so sweet, even throwing in new attachments with it.
Ebates
This is completely unsponsored, just a big favorite of mine! My mom actually introduced me to Ebates because she online shops a lot (lol) and loves this site. Basically it’s one extra step during any online shopping session and you can earn cash back on your purchase. The best part is it’s free. They also have some in-store cash back offers too so as long as you link your card, you can earn double cash back on online and in-store shopping trips. If you add the Google Chrome extension, you’ll get prompted to activate cash back on any eligible website too. (My favorite thing ever is when I get cash back on Amazon purchases – you guys know I’m obsessed with Amazon.) Check it out for yourself here:
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
Get it at Sephora with 8% Ebates cash back right now, omg. I’ve had this for a few months but recently have really been appreciating it more. I used it for baking before and it was okay but I felt like it didn’t last long enough. Last month I began using it just as a normal powder to dust over my skin after I finish the rest of my makeup. It’s really lightweight and doesn’t make you feel cakey at all. Since my skin is drier in the winter, this is perfect without baking which can feel too heavy. My mom uses the pressed version and loves it too!
Crossbody bags
I know I’ve written about my obsession with going hands free with backpacks all summer. Now I have to echo that sentiment after my recent trips! In Hawaii, my backpack was a godsend. It was the perfect bag to bring everywhere from the beach to shopping. However in Vegas, a much more busy city, I wanted to bring a crossbody bag. My go-to is my Rebecca Minkoff but the chain can get super heavy. On a whim before the trip I decided to go to Goodwill and I ended up finding a great black with gold hardware bag. The best part? It was only $5.99.
This bag is nothing fancy but it goes with everything, is the perfect size, and let me stay hands free. The front zipper compartment perfectly fits my iPhone 7+ (which is a considerable feat). I also have a pretty large wallet which also fits perfectly. Sometimes you think a tiny bag won’t hold your necessities but this bag fits all the essentials and then some. Here are some others that I am loving:
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