La Voz Hispana article #4

Inexpensive Beauty Secrets

by Shannon Ridgway

Want to look your best without spending a fortune? Try these inexpensive yet very effective options listed below. Minimal maintenance AND minimal money spent. You can't get any better than that!

FOR YOUR HAIR

In a rush, no time to wash? Try dry shampoo. It's basically a powder that absorbs the oil from your scalp. Try Batiste Dry Shampoo, $7 Sally Beauty Supply

FOR YOUR LIPS AND EYELASHES:

Try petroleum jelly. Use on your lips to smooth and soften, and on your eyelashes to condition and strengthen. Just remember: a little bit goes a long way. Vaseline: $3.50, Wal-Mart

FOR YOUR SKIN:

To moisturize and even out skin tone, Vitamin E Oil works wonders. If it seems too greasy, just mix it with your regular moisturizer. Nature's Bounty Natural Vitamin E Oil, liquid: $8.99, walgreens.com

FOR YOUR EYES:

The caffeine in cooled tea bags acts as a diuretic to reduce the moisture that causes under eye puffiness and discoloration. They usually cost around $5 per box and are available at the grocery store.

FOR YOUR TEETH:

Instead of spending lots of money on whitening strips or gel, use a cloth to rub some baking soda onto your teeth twice a day. After a couple of weeks your teeth will be sparkly white again!

LA VOZ HISPANA
article #3

Pensando en Nosotras
The Strong Woman and the Novel

Ever notice that female characters in today's books are dull and boring, either playing the fashion victim, the klutz or the damsel in distress? Me too. So being that it's winter and we're all stuck inside anyway, I thought I'd recommend some books that include strong female characters. So grab some hot cocoa and let's get to reading!

The Secret Life of Bees
by Sue Monk Kidd

This is a beautiful, romantic and dynamic story of a young woman whose life has spun out of control by a sudden tragedy--the death of her mother. The novel is set in the South in the early sixties, and tells the story of an unlikely alliance--Lily and her stand-in black mother Rosaleen--as they leave their town and move in with three black sisters who teach them about their lives as beekeepers. As you read this you will feel nothing but compassion for the heroine Lily as she falls in love, struggles with the pervasive issue of racism, and eventually grows into a strong young woman.

The Harry Potter series
by JK Rowling

Join Harry, Hermione and Ron at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they embark upon multiple adventures to take down the evil Lord Voldemort. Hermione, the main female character of the novel, starts out being described as a "bossy know-it-all," but turns out to be the smartest one of thr trio and the one to rescue the group from one too many a perilous situation. This is definitely a book that demonstrates that girls can be the hero too!

Like Water for Chocolate
by Laura Esquivel

What makes this book so amazing is the "magical realism" style in which it is written. By incorporating magical and fantasy elements into an otherwise realistic story, the author creates a larger-than-life tale filled with romance, recipes and magic during the time of the Mexican Revolution. The ending will blow you away and you will truly feel the joy, pain and agony that this young Latina woman experiences in her quest to escaper her oppresion and find true love.

The Color Purple
by Alice Walker

This book holds a spot in my top five favorites of all time. If you truly want to understand suffering and the power of transformation, read this. Celie is an abused, neglected, beaten young black woman who overcomes virtually every obstacle life throws at her to grow into a powerful and inspirational woman.

*all of the above titles are available in English and Spanish at www.amazon.com

2nd article for La Voz Hispana (English version)

It's that time of year again! Whether you have decided to quit smoking, lose a few pounds, or simply get more organized in your daily life, the majority of you make some type of New Year's resolution every year. Unfortunately, statistics show that the the majority of people who make a resolution break it within one month, and less than 20% make it through the entire year. The reason these resolutions fail is not so much a lack of willpower on the person's part, but rather a lack of a plan.

A foolproof plan is needed to keep your New Year's resolution going, and lucky for you I have outlined such a plan below. Keep reading to learn how to achieve your goals once and for all!

6 STEPS TO NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION SUCCESS

1. Outline a specific action plan.

Instead of saying "I want to lose 20 pounds," write down all the steps you will take to get there--the what, when, why and how. Example: In order to improve my health/lose weight, I will walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I will cut out 500 calories/day.

2. Set small goals.

It's easy to get overwhelmed and give up, and setting small goals along the way will you toward your overall goal and prevent discouragement.

3. Develop a support group.

Find a group of friends or associates who are working toward the same goal as you and work with them to achieve that goal. Teamwork equals success.

4. Stay positive.

If your resolution requires changing some major life habits, it's not going to be easy. You will stumble once in a while. Do not give up! Post inspirational reminders on your bathroom mirror. Forgive yourself if you slip up, and keep going.

5. Picture yourself succeeding.

Close your eyes and picture yourself after you have reached your goal. You no longer wake up with tightness in your chest. You look good in your clothing. Your house is clean and organized. Can you see it? Good! Keep that image in your mind and draw upon it when you need inspiration.

6. Reward yourself.

For each milestone you achieve, reward yourself--that new book you've wanted to buy, a night out with friends, whatever. And when you hit the big goal--CELEBRATE! You did it!

My First Article!

Hello everyone!
If you haven't heard, I have been asked to write articles for a monthly column in La Voz Hispana magazine (a free magazine published in the Sioux Empire and marketed toward people of Hispanic descent, and others who hablan espanol), so I thought I'd try out my first article on you guys. Of course, this version is in English, while the magazine's version will be in Spanish, but you get the general idea. :)

Fashion and Beauty Tips for the Frugal Woman
by Shannon Ridgway

Hello, and welcome to my column on all things fasion, fitness, beauty and more. In this column we will cover a lot of topics, but due to the state of the current economy I thought I'd start out with a topic that's on a lot of women's minds lately: how to save money--or more specifically, how to save money on fashion and beauty items.

Now, I know that some of you may be feeling guilty even thinking about fashion and beauty during these tough times. What I say to that is--don't! It is always important to feel good about yourself. And by utilizing the advice I provide below, you can feel good about yourself while still saving money!

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

1. Try multiple uses for the same item.

Remember that cute scarf you bought to wear with that new shirt? Why not try it as a headband with your favorite sweater? or wear it as a belt to dress up that old pair of jeans?

2. Buy classic pieces.

I know it's tempting to buy those trendy electric blue high heels, but keep in mind how much you're spending compared to how often you'll wear them. You can't go wrong with classic items such as black pumps, cardigans, and white button-up dress shirts. They are more versatile and never go out of style.

3. Shop consignment stores and clearance racks.

Often times you can find some name-brand items of clothing at a fourth or less of the cost you would pay at a department store. My favorite place here in Sioux Falls to shop for consignment deals is Plato's Closet (located in the strip mall next to the Olive Garden on 41st St.). You can also try Twice as Nice or Try It Again.

Clearance racks in department stores are also an excellent option for the savvy shopper--especially during the end of the season when the store is trying to get rid of all their merchandise (think February and August).

4. Consider a clothing and accessory friend-swap.

Why buy it new when your friend has the exact same thing? And if you don't wear the same size, you can always share accessories!

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON COSMETICS AND HAIR PRODUCTS

1. Try trial sizes.

If you want to try a new product but don't want to spend the money in case you

don't like it, consider purchasing the same thing in the trial size first. Or, if you're shopping at a department store makeup counter, ask the salesperson if you can have a sample.

2. Utilize the "free gift with purchase" offer.

Every few months or so, makeup brands such as Clinique, Lancome and Estee Lauder offer a free gift bag with the purchase of a certail dollar amount (usuallyaround $25). It's also a great way to try new makeup without spending a fortune. I discovered my favorite mascara this way!

3. Try makeup palettes.

If you're a makeup junkie like me, you love trying different looks! Instead of buying multiple eye shadows or lipsticks in different colors, consider trying a palette. The Sephora Brand Ultimate Blockbuster is an excellent choice ($48,sephora.com). It comes with over 100 eye shadows, 60 lip glosses, and more.

4. Revisit the drugstore.

If you've been frequenting the department store makeup counters too often, consider reacquainting yourself with the beauty sections at Target or Walgreens.

Their products are often just as good (or better) than the department store ones. One of my favorite makeup lines is Sonia Kashuk at Target, and the best skin cleanser I have ever used is Cetaphil. It's only $6, but it's so effective I won't go back to anything else.

Well, that's all for now. I hope you put some of my frugal ideas to use!

Shannon is a self-described lover of all things fashion and beauty. Feel free to contact her with comments or suggestions at shannon.ridgway@lvhmagazine.org

RELAPSE

Ay, it has been WAY too long since I've written.
I wish I could say the reason for the delay was that everything is going beautifully, and I that I have maintained my anti-shopping ban with minimal effort.

Alas, this is not the case.
For I, dear reader, have fallen off the wagon.
That's right. I was lured in by the siren call of consumerism.

Of course, one COULD say that our apartment was in dire need of a furniture upgrade, considering that I was using the futon I purchased in 2003 (zero money down, 6 months same-as-cash).
But like any other crutch, a justification for the relapse can be found. The alcoholic couldn't say no to "just one glass" of wine while making a toast at his brother's wedding. The gambler
needed to play "just one round" of Blackjack so he could win the money needed to make his car payment. And the shopaholic needed "just one sofa set" in order to upgrade her boring apartment decor.

Of course, one fall from grace begets another. The alcoholic doesn't have one drink; he has ten. The gambler doesn't lose just $20; he loses $20,000. And the shopaholic goes to World Market and buys cute new end tables and wall decor, and decorates her way into HGTV heaven (I am ashamed).

In addition to the decorating DIS-grace, I am sad to admid that I have also purchased several items of clothing, in several moments of retail weakness.

So, what's a girl to do? Start the shopping ban over, or start a 12-step program?
Please sign in and give me your opinion. (You don't need an account to do it).


-Shannon.

*P.S. Clarification for those of you who are ready to stage an intervention: I use the term "shopaholic" loosely. I don't need to go to the store or online everyday to get my shopping "fix," and I'm still paying my bills and living a somewhat fiscally responsible life. However, shopping has definitely become somewhat of a crutch-thus, the reason for the ban.

D.E.A.R.

SHOPPING BAN: DAY 14

TOTAL CREDIT CARD DEBT: $8,345

Hello to all!
First off, I apologize for not having written since my first post (as I'm sure you were all losing sleep over it, anxiously awaiting my updates). Life was getting in the way...AND I've been busy reading. No, I haven't gone to my all-time favorite store Barnes and Noble and spent a small fortune on books, as I would have done pre-shopping ban. I've done something that I haven't really done since middle school-gone to the library.

That's right-the library.

At first I was a little grossed out. After all, who knows how many snot-nosed kids have come through and wiped their boogers all over the books. But I got over it (mostly...still use the hand sanitizer after reading them). And now I've rediscovered a long-forgotten treasure! I currently have about 8 books checked out. And now, instead of meandering aimlessly around the mall, I come home and read!

Now if only I could get back into the habit of exercising...oh well. I'll work on that.

As far as not shopping goes, I haven't had "the urge" as strongly as I thought I would. I was a little pissed the other day when I opened my makeup bag and pulled out my mascara only to find it smeared in black stuff. Turns out I had left my black eyeliner pencil unopened and it had smeared all over everything, thus ruining the bag.

I appealed to my friend Amanda to allow me to buy another one, but of course my urgent request was denied. "Just use one of the other 10 you probably have under your bathroom sink," she said.

Oh yeah. Guess I'll have to come up with a better excuse next time!

Until then,

Shannon Elizabeth

Shopping Ban 2009

So I was doing a fair job of it-keeping my spending under control, that is. I had reduced my $12,000 in credit card debt (wince) down to $8000-thanks in part to Dave Ramsey and his Total Money Makeover. But as the weather started getting nicer and my winter clothes were getting heavier and heavier, I shed my newfound philosophy along with my bulky clothing and went in search of the latest summer sales.

And here I am-four months later and my debt back up to $8500. I knew it was time for a change when I couldn't even leave the house without stopping at a store to buy something. So I've decided to do what any sane person (who has gone a little insane) would do in this position-go cold turkey on shopping.

Originally I had decided on a 6-month ban, but my friend Amanda pointed out that as I don't want to fail at this little experiment perhaps I should start out slowly and try 3 months. Good plan.

So it's Day 3 (the official start date was August 7th) and so far I don't have too much of a withdrawal sensation. I did have a strong urge to go to Target. O00h Target-they had an ad for the cutest ballet shoes in the paper today...(argh-see why I had to do this??). Anway, I wanted to buy some leave-in conditioner for my post-pool hair. I justified it as a necessity because my hair was a mess and I needed this to get it back into shape, right?

Wrong. I consulted with my friend and co-worker Meghan (aka my shopping support buddy) and she gave the whole thing the ax. It is, after all, a beauty product. (And it's not like I don't have multiple similar hair products-Frederick Fekkai glossing cream, for one. And some strawberry-smelling stuff that I don't know the name of but works amazingly well...but cost $28. YIKES!).

ANy-hoo, let's hope that I can reign myself in, pay off some debt and learn something in the process. My goal in these posts is to be as honest with myself as possible, so in my continued blogs I am going to list everything I buy along with my ongoing amount of debt to keep myself accountable. Feel free to post any comments or uplifting words of advice (as I will need them), but try to refrain from the "you materialistic shopaholic sk**nk" remarks. Believe you me, I have berated myself enough up to this point! :)

Until next time,
Shannon Elizabeth