Travel Goodies!!!

Travel Goodies

While preparing for my travels, I’ve come across some great finds I thought I would share. Many of these handy items I have come across did come from TJ Maxx, Wish, ebay and Goodwill which saved me a lot of money when compared to the usual travel stores. (More money to go towards the trip, right?) I will try my best to remember exactly which store these items came from and the price points that I purchased them for along with the comparison price to try and give you an example of the savings.

TJ Maxx: So T J maxx and Marshalls are owned by TJX companies which also own Home Goods, Homesense, TK Maxx, Sierra Trading Post and Winners. The great thing about TJ Maxx and Marshalls is that they get many of the well known travel brands you already know at a fraction of the price! Many people think that these stores carry damaged/irregular or counterfeit (which is illegal by the way) items which simply isn't true! There are buyers that work for the company that go to these vendors or even other larger stores and negotiate for the great prices that you see! Now TJ Maxx and Marshalls doesn't dosales like other stores, because they are already at sale prices, but they do have clearance sections that you can peruse. So now that you have a rundown of the store I affectionately call ‘The Maxx’, let’s dive into the items I have purchased. -Cloudz TSA luggage lock set (They come in a variety of colors): I Paid $4.99 compared to $10-$13 -Travelon Luggage cover Lg (coral floral)- I paid $3 on clearance compared to $18 -Travelon Mixtape luggage tags (set of 2)- I paid $4.99 compared to $10 -Coop & Daisy Gym face wash kit- I paid $8 compared to $18 -Gillette Venus Waterless travel razor (2)- I paid $3.99 compared to $10 -Psssst! Dry Shampoo Tropica(travel size)- I paid $1.99 compared to $2.99 -Travelon luggage scale- I paid $7.99 compared to $10

Wish.com For those of you who aren’t familiar with this e-commerce website/phone app, Wish allows companies and manufacturers to sell items directly to customers. The site is loaded with tons of different items ranging from clothing, toys, jewelry, beauty items to even a variety of tech gear. Now I have never bought any clothing from this site, but I have bought a smattering of other items and the prices are pretty cheap. Now with all this being said, I do caution you to read the reviews of any item before you purchase. Some items on this site are fantastic and every once and a while you will find some pretty amazing gems, but some items aren't all that great quality. With the brief summary of this site out of the way, let's get to the fun stuff… what I did buy for travel. -Compact collapsible utensil set (fork, spoon, chopsticks)- $2 -Electronics organizer- $3 -3 Port USB travel wall adapter- $2

Ebay: Everyone pretty much knows what ebay is, so it needs no explanation, but I can tell you that there are great finds to be had as long as you pay attention to the sellers rating and read the listing thoroughly. With all that being said, let’s dive in! -Vortex 30 liter backpack- I paid $14 compared to $45 + shipping & handling -Tattoo goo renew 30 SPF (a must have for anyone with tattoos)- I paid $7.48 compared to $14 -Moleskine city travel journal (NYC edition)- I paid $14.24 compared to $20 *You can also find a lot of (current too) travel guides really cheap here too! A lot of times there is also free shipping! Many charities sell books via ebay to help raise funds and these accounts are marked as you view the item. I tend to gravitate towards these accounts. Not only are you getting something to help you plan your trip, but you are also helping a good cause.

Goodwill: I can already hear the groans and see the eye rolls at the mention of the name. Say what you will, Good will is a great place to shop and a great way to stay on budget! I have found many fantastic things at Goodwill stores, some even with the tags still attached! (Just make sure you sanitize/wash any item!) -Pacsafe Instasafe Crossbody Anti-theft 10 inch tablet bag- I paid $4.50 compared to $89.99 -Not For Tourists guide to New York- I paid $3.74 compared to $15.99 -Little Black Book of New York- I paid $2.49 compared to $12 -(2) Brand new Lularoe ‘Julia’ dresses with the tags still attached- I paid $5 a piece when they originally retail for $45 a piece

So it is possible to prepare for a trip on a budget without putting a huge dent in your bank account by thinking outside of the typical box! Hopefully this helped you prep for any upcoming trips or gave you a little inspiration of where to look and save a little money for some odds and ends things.

A Year Of Running

So I'm not a professional athlete. I had wanted to run for years, but had others tell me I wasn't exactly "runner material". With my asthma, bad knee and other health issues I even had a doctor laugh when I brought it up. I felt frustrated and defeated, then January of last year rolled around and the Air Force marathon popped up in my feed. I thought "Why couldn't I just try?' So I looked into what with would take to prepare for the 10k and signed up that week. Unfortunately I broke a rib and a toe prior to the race, but I was still determined to finish. I was in a lot of pain by the time I crossed the finish line, but I did finish.

A week after the marathon, I went to New York for a week and a half. During that time I was determined to continue my training while trying to be mindful of my current injuries. Lucky for me, the weather was perfect my whole trip (Except my last day) and I was able to start my day with a run in central park. If you haven't had the chance to do this, I highly recommend it at some point. (I will elaborate on this in a later post about my trip)

By far, my favorite race I did in 2018 has to be the Hot Chocolate 15k in Columbus,OH. Not only is it my farthest official race to date, the overall theme was so much fun, the medal is so adorable and its sponsored by my favorite hydration product (Nuun). The expo for the Columbus race is a little smaller than others I have been to, but there is still so much to enjoy! The crowd participation and ‘cheerleaders’ were wonderful too, from handing out little sweet snacks and water/nuun to the amazing signs they made!

I completed 6 races in 2018, determined to prove not only to myself, but to others that I could be a runner at any age, size or health condition. This year I've decided to do 12 races this year while also upping my training program. The goal is to average one race a month, ranging in different distances to keep my training interesting and give myself checkpoints to measure my progress. One of the 12 races I will be running will also be my first half marathon, which will be in the Rock n’ Roll series!

So the moral of this story is, no matter what people say, do not let them tell you or try to determine what your future is for you. It's your life. You are at the wheel, not anyone else. If there is something you have been wanting to do, take those first steps today towards that goal. Shut out the toxic negativity of others and believe that not only is you goal possible, but you are worthy of it.