PSA: Keeping The Beach Clean

Hello Friends!

Well summer is in full swing here in Seal Beach. The weather is acting weird but today is a perfect beach day which made me think of how much people will be visiting.

I have lived and worked in places that are prime destinations for summer, winter, and holiday vacations (ie. Aspen, Disneyland Resort, Seal Beach, Newport Beach). Often I forget that I live or work in destinations that many people would die to live in. However, I soon remember that I'm in a destination area when I see more people come out during peak summer/holiday times. For example, my place of residence right now, Seal Beach, gets a little crowded during the summer.

I'm OK with tourists coming to this little seaside community. It is after all, what a lot of cities want. We want local businesses to thrive, go to our attractions, and for you to enjoy a place that is different from the normal. The problem though, I do have with some people is what they sometimes leave behind at the beach: TRASH!

Many people often forget that destinations they like to go to is not just a place to "get away." They are people's homes and place of work. Sure, there are some homes that are used only for vacation, but mostly people live and work here all year around. I get so mad when I see families and groups of people just leave so much trash and other things. The more that people do this, the more of my home they are destroying. And please, think about the tourists that want to come in after you have arrived. Would you like to go to a place to relax and have a good time, only to discover it was trashed by the people before you?

So people, please be respectful of the beach you are visiting. They are people's homes and you wouldn't leave trash if you were a guest in someones house.

For those that do clean up after yourselves, THANK YOU! I look up to you and what you are doing for the community. If you read this, please spread the word and re-post this if you strongly agree. I, and maybe some residents, would be very appreciative. I would love to hear some comments as well!

Cabin fever & what I'm doing to not get it.

Ok, so I haven't been up to date with my blog and the hotel tips. And there is no excuse, so I'm just going to keep on writing.

So it's a fact: I do not like job searching. I do not like being unemployed. And I do not like going out and spending money while I'm unemployed. (I'm a penny pincher) With that said, I'm spending a lot of time at home. Even though I am a home-body and I love my room, I can only spend so much time at home before I get annoyed at little things. My mother has said that I need to get out of the house more and she is right. But I do get in a mode of staying at home and the next thing I know, it's afternoon and my parents are on their way home from work. And when my boyfriend is off work, I like to go straight to his apartment because it is my way of "getting out of the house" and it doesn't cost anything except gas money.

My mom gave me an empty Starbucks coffee bag and a Starbucks gift card she found. She mentioned I should go and apply for jobs there instead of staying at home. So today, I traded in the Starbucks coffee bag for a free Tall regular coffee, and brought my laptop. http://instagram.com/p/M8iRZMgy07/

I had never been one of those people who go to Starbucks or any other coffee shop and sit with a laptop. I like to make my own coffee (hot & cold) because well... it's a whole lot cheaper and I'm not too disappointed if I mess up! Also, I'm those type of people that likes her quiet time.

And now I get it. I can't speak for everybody, but I'm sure they go to coffee shops to get out of the house. Especially for people searching for jobs or spend a lot of time at home on the computer. I used to spend time at CSULB and do my homework there because it was a bigger and different setting than my room in Lakewood and I didn't have much distractions. Maybe, I have coffee in my system right now but I'm loving it and being out of the house is amazing! I have actually have a little more confidence and happier thoughts. I'm all about natural light and this Starbucks, on Seal Beach Blvd. in Seal Beach, CA, has plenty of it.

So as long as I have money on a gift card and I can get free coffee by trading in a Starbucks coffee bag, I might just go to a Starbucks with plenty of seating and bring my laptop more often. We'll see how it goes. I plan on going at different times. The store is right by Boeing, a small hotel, and other businesses, and plenty of people come here in the morning to get their coffee fix before work. And there is a worker here that is super-uber-uber friendly and loud, it almost seems fake and she's trying to impress a manager or something.

Either way I'm out of the house and even getting inspiration to write more.

Using what I learned from my hotel career

Well, Memorial weekend is over and the start of summer vacations has begun. I have worked a lot of summers and see some travelers forget things that they really need or seen some misinformation that really scare travelers.

So, today I decided that I am posting hotel tips, or facts. I'll try and do this daily. Having experience in the hotel industry, I see a lot of things, and misinformation has become an increasing problem.

Right now I cannot afford to stay at hotels, but I wanted to use my knowledge and share it with people. Hopefully I can make your vacation a little bit better. You'll be able to catch those tips on my twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/Shay2010 and you can follow me @Shay2010

So here it goes:
Hotel Security Suggestion #1:
Add names to the other people staying in the room.Your friend wants to go the room, and forgets their key OR you have different friends coming to the hotel at different times. The front desk needs to identify who is allowed in your room.

Trying to find the bright side

As you may have noticed, I haven't posted in a while. I feel like I'm going through a rough patch with myself. I don't like posting things on the Internet that are negative.

Almost 2 months ago I was let go of my job as a Sales Admin Assistant. I was on a probation, but I know that I worked really hard at the job, helped out the team as best as I could and followed the rules. I wasn't doing anything against policy procedure. I tried to stay positive and kept on thinking that everything is going to work out. However, the job was stressful and I wasn't completely happy there.

Finally, the day came, and I was told that I needed to go. Yes, I was sad and scared. This was a job I wanted for  a long time. I wasn't going to earn a wage anymore especially since I planned on moving out of my parents. The place I worked at was well known and people would get excited when I told them where I worked.

But I felt a sense of relief. I was taking a break from all the stress I endured in the past 10 months. My anxiety level came down a lot and I had more free time to figure out what I really wanted to do in life. Plus, I am using less gas and I get to sleep in.

Although not needing to go into work has it's upsides, I will feel down at times that I don't have a job. I am a college graduate, living with my parents and jobless. I see my friends having jobs, they travel the world, and I get jealous. Dealing with the unemployment insurance isn't as easy as I thought and sometimes the topic of conversation in small talk turns into me looking for a job.

But I do have to remember that I do have a roof over my head, food to eat, a great boyfriend, great family, and wonderful friends. I know my life can be worse. And I live in a great place right now. When I am down, I have a great support system.

So, I'm trying to stay positive and know that things will work out. God has a plan for me.

Luck & a New Car

After a tough week at work, on Friday, January 13, 2012, I got into a car accident. This happened at 7 am as I was driving to work. I was just coming out of an ally way and went to take a left. It was difficult to see oncoming traffic since there was a row of cars parked alongside the curb. I looked left, right, left, and right and went for it. Out of the corner of my left eye, I see a car coming closer and closer. I thought it was going to hit me and slammed on the brakes, but it was too late for my 2007 Toyota Corolla. The oncoming car and my car hit each other. Luckily no one was hurt.

My car didn't end up making it and was totalled. I was completely bummed and was renting a car that I wasn't too fond of. I had to find a new car fast, no excuses. With the help of my mom, dad, and the insurance company, I received a pretty good check to pay for another car. After a long day of car shopping, I decided on a 2011 Toyota Corolla S. Although it is the same model, it had modern updated features and I felt so comfortable and safe driving it. That is exactly what I wanted.

The price was good for a brand new car and had some nice rebates with that. I drove off the lot on January 24 with my brand new car. I used my all of my check, but I still owed almost $3,000 out of my own pocket. I knew I had the money but I had other plans! I'm trying to save up for my own place, go out to eat, and wanted to travel a little. It's hard for me to spend $3,000!

Well, I had to sacrifice. I didn't eat out as much, was careful what I was spending, and had to fore go a free 2 night stay in Denver because I didn't want to pay for airfare. I wanted to make sure I saved every penny to pay this car off quickly.

Due to my rebate, I had to finance the car. I wasn't going to wait to pay my car off while gaining interest. I was determined and able to pay off the car in less than two months due to the money I had saved.

Not only am I very proud of myself for paying it off, but lucky to be alive and survive the accident. If I didn't see the car out of the corner of my eye and hit the brakes hard; something more serious would've happened. God has a plan for me and saved me. This accident taught me lessons and even made me become a stronger and person. I'm still figuring out exactly what God's plan is for me, but I believe things happen for a reason. And I am still standing here for a reason.

Please be careful on the road friends!

The little ways I gain a little bit of money

As of right now I have just one job. The hours are pretty regular and consistent: 9 am -5:30 pm, Monday-Friday. I have thought about getting a good second job but I already work 40 hours a week plus a lot of time stuck in my car during traffic. I know I would get pretty exhausted, tired, and feel that I don't have much of a life. (Yes, a lot of people have two jobs, and I applaud them for that. But if I really needed to, I would get one.)

When I moved back home, I was trying to think of ways of how I can gain a little money on my own time. Here are a few things that help a little.

Recycle:
In California, many plastic bottles, glass bottles, and soda cans have a cash refund. Depending on the size and type of container, when consumers buy a drink in plastic, glass, or a can in California, they pay an extra 5 or 10 cents  deposit. When those bottles and cans are returned to a recycling facility, you get that money back.  I recycle as much as I can without having to dig through trash cans. 

Some items are recyclable but you do not get cash back, such as wine bottles and milk containers. To know that you will be get the cash back, look for the wording "CA CASH REFUND" or "CA CRV"

Check out these links: http://replanetusa.com/ or http://www.recyclingcenters.org/  for more info on recycling in California and to find the nearest location near you! I still encourage you to recycle if even you don't get cash back.

Taking surveys:
I've always heard that people can make money while doing surveys. I was very hesitant because I wasn't sure what information was going to be taken from me and I was afraid of getting any viruses. But I did my research and and found www.mysurvey.com. I read good reviews and was just going to test it out. It was really easy to sign up and getting the surveys is easy. Depending on the survey, I get an X amount of points after finishing it. Once I gain enough points, I can claim cash, gifts cards, and other prizes.

About 9 months later, I am still using it and I legitimately gain some money. Trust me, it's not a lot, but it's some. I definitely don't take them every day and I only make about $10 a month. Very once in a while, the surveys can get a little tedious. But it works, and is a good cure for boredom.

Credit Card Rewards:
Some money-saving blogs will tell you to only use cash when buying items. That is good and it doesn't create temptation into buying extra things that are not on your list. However, with cash only, I don't gain rewards.

For a long time, I used my Chase Debit card for almost everything. I liked the idea of not waiting to pay a bill and having money automatically taken out. But I have a friend, Nick, who helped convince me I shouldn't use my debit card so much and use a credit card so I can gain rewards. At first I ignored his advise, but it wasn't until months later that I did some research and got myself a Chase credit card. The rewards were awesome and I am glad I did it. Thanks Nick! You can redeem rewards for cash, merchandise, travel and other things. I choose to get cash and put it directly in my savings.

Do keep in mind that I still save money, only pay for things that I need such as gas, food, etc., and I always make sure to pay off my credit card on time.

I do not buy something just because I know that I will get rewarded for it later. I buy something because I need it at the moment and I know I can afford it. Getting some money back is great, but saving money is the best reward.

Thanks for reading. I hope these tips help for you as much as they help me!

A new show I am looking forward to. Finally!

I went on Facebook today and I have the HBO Facebook page in my "likes." I saw that there is a new show premiering April 15 called "Girls". The title caught my attention. It was simple and made you want to find out about it. My intuition just said "click it!"

I watched the trailer and really did like it! This show follows a 20-something women through their triumphs and humiliations. It is centered on one character, played by Lena Dunham, who is trying to figure out her own life.  Even though I'm not living in New York and her love life seems different than mine, the show is something that I can identify with and I know a lot of people can too.

I am marking my calendar and looking to watch the show. HBO does some great work  and I hope it's good!

http://www.hbo.com/girls/index.html#/girls/index.html

Trying to Save Money

I'm 24 and living with my parents. Last year I was in Aspen, CO working and living with 3 roommates paying $450 a month.

I could have stayed up there but I missed home. I missed my friends, family and not having to worry about snow. When I came back in April 2011 I looked and found a job. I told myself that I would save money and move out as fast as possible. I still have my job but I can't afford to live on my own right now. My monthly income is just a few dollars more than what the monthly expenses would be if I had an apartment for myself.

I am still living at home almost a year later and saving as much money as I could. I love my family more than anything but I am determined to live the life that is my own. I am starting and here are just a few things that help me save money.

Other blogs & websites:

In my spare time, I look through other blogs and websites, of how to save money. Most of them are geared toward mothers, (which I don't plan to be in the near future!) but it is good to get ideas and maybe use those ideas in my own life and toward the future. Unfortunately, I've seen very few legit blogs or posts from people in their 20's, but hopefully I can change that.) I take inspiration from each of the blogs I use and mostly apply it to my everyday life.

Coupons:
Before I know I will go out and buy something, I will try my hardest to find a coupon. Not only is it for groceries, but also services and restaurants. I am not an extreme couponer by any means, but I always believe saving a little money goes a long way. I do have a lot of rules regarding my coupons though. (I'll put that in another post.) But I am just starting out and sometimes I can get a little overwhelmed.

Free entertainment:
There is a lot to do in So Cal and some of those things are free. Going to the beach, the park, the library, borrowing a movie, bike riding are all free things to do that are accessible everyday. (When I worked for Disneyland Resort it was nice to get free parking and free admission in. It used to be one of my forms of entertainment.)

I also look in the newspaper, city websites, city blogs, and other resources for special events happening. I usually am mindful of the extra costs that come along with free events, such as parking and food, and I usually ask myself if it's worth it. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

Just saying "No"

I am not a cheapskate, but I've had to say no to some friends when they suggest things that are a little out of my price range or I know I just should not buy. My friends will probably tell you I am pretty restrictive with my money but I am just looking toward my future. Like couponing, a little can go a long way. I do ask myself, do I really need more (fill in the blank)? My boyfriend, Ryan, has taught me that it is always good to meet in the middle. In my experience, when done right, compromising turns out great!

Hopefully these little suggestions help. And hopefully I will be writing more posts in the future!



Went to Bayshore Beach to do some kayaking for my birthday. Cheap and awesome!