Category: budget

I wish I knew how to: Bloganuary Entry #4

Photo by Kaique Rocha on Pexels.com

Life is about constantly learning. I truly enjoy learning new things, and I seek knowledge, no matter how small. I love that there are so many ways to learn right at my fingertips, thanks to my friend the internet. Whether I’m learning a craft, a recipe, a computer trick, or a dance class, I feel like it’s good to be constantly open to learning.

I love finding random tutorials on pinterest, and I love taking advantage of online resources. I’m currently making my way through a Life Coaching course and hopefully I will finish that in the coming months *fingers crossed*, and I’ve done a few ecommerce courses over the past year that were really interesting.

But if I had to pick one thing that I wish I knew it would be that I wish I knew how to change a flat tire. Of course, there’s a million reasons why this is a good, practical, and important skill to have. I don’t like the idea of being stranded, vulnerable, or possibly in a dangerous situation over something that I could fix myself if I have to. Because tires rarely announce in advance that they plan to go flat, the sooner I know how to do this, the bigger relief this will be for me. So it’s on my 2022 learning list for sure.

But on a smaller scale, here three things I’ve learned to do recently by using online resources:

Fabric Stamping: I follow an artist on IG that uses random items to stamp fabric, and she then uses the fabrics to make bags. I have been mesmerized by her process and thought I could try something similar. So I looked around on pinterest for tutorials and tried my hand at it. Using some remnants from Joann’s, some fabric paint, a straw, and a plastic fork, I created these masterpieces. I thought this was fun, and it’s such an easy way to decorate a space. I also plan to try this on some tea towels. It could make a really cute gift idea, and there are so many different possibilities.






























Ceramics:  To stay sane during the pandemic, I definitely turned to crafts.  One thing I found cute and interesting was clay.  Trinket dishes, earrings, and wine charms…I tried them all.  I tried both air dry clay as well as clay that you bake in the oven.  Here’s one of the many tutorials  that I played around with and here are a few of my results.







































Beading:  I love making my own accessories, so when I stumbled across some posts for making beaded jewelry, I became obsessed!  And again, the pandemic caused lots and lots of time isolated in the house, so this was a wonderful creative outlet.  Several hundred dollars later (oy!), and I have bags and bags and bags of beaded bracelets to show for it.  Here’s one blogger that gives a good bracelet tutorial and below are a few of my results:







































What do you like learning?  What’s the last thing you learned or taught yourself to do?  







			

				

			
 justamarylandgirl10 Comments		

		


				
					


	


		
		
Quick Summer Wardrobe – 6 Easy Outfits From Walmart

	


	

		

At the end of this week, we will travel to our new airbnb. We decided to pick a warmer climate because… enough’s enough.  lol.  Spring in Maryland is doing this thing where one day it’s a high of 79 and the next day the high is 42. And I’m just over it.  I have to leave the house with layers just in case the temp dramatically spikes or drops while I’m out.  I can’t figure out whether to wear a tank top or a puffy coat, and I’ve had enough.  lol.  





Because it was December when we started this airbnb/vagabond lifestyle, we have zero summer clothes with us.  Our upcoming location will be hot and no puffy coats or scarves will be needed.  Knowing I have tons of summer clothes in storage, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a new wardrobe, but I definitely needed to buy some shorts and sandals.  So I scoured Walmart and came up with a few great pieces without breaking the bank. 





Here are a few easy, affordable, and cute outfits that I was able to throw together with a simple trip to my local Walmart.  I linked the items I was able to find on the website, but some items may be available in your local stores.





Outfit #1: Tie dye dress.   





Secret Treasures midi gown in a medium ($14.88) 
(I was unable to find this online, but you may find it in your local store)





I believe this is actually a night gown or house dress, because I found it in the section with women’s pajamas. But the material is just as thick as anything I would wear out in public so it is now a multi-use garment. Part dress/part night gown. Lol. It will be put to work!  Even in a medium, It’s a little long for me, so I can easily fix that by cinching the sides into a quick knot with a hair tie. Easy breezy!  I could have definitely done a size down but I erred on the side of caution.  I can shrink it up a little in the wash if I need to.










Outfit #2: High-low top with jeans and clog sandals.





Time & Tru Relaxed Fit Tee ($9.98); Time & Tru Wooden Heel Sandal ($19.98)





I love this top. It’s so easy to throw on with shorts or jeans. Once I got it home, I wound up also ordering it in white and navy blue. It’s just too good to have in the closet as a staple.  I am wearing a medium in the top. The sandals…omg I LOVE these!! They are so comfortable, padded with a little memory foam. Just enough heel to be cute without being painful to walk in. I will be wearing these all summer! The jeans are actually pre-owned and another brand, but I could have easily found a similar pair in walmart if I needed some. 










Outfit #3: Peach tie-dye paperbag shorts, a white neck, and brown stencil flip flops.





No Boundaries Shorts ($5.98); Time & Tru Flip Flops in Cognac ($9.98); Time & Tru Vneck ($4.98)





These shorts fit amazingly well. I am wearing a 19, but could have definitely gone down a size. I wasn’t quite sure how they would fit and I couldn’t try them on in the store so I erred on the side of caution. I’m quite “healthy” in th back so I would rather them be too big than too small. The neck is a classic and I’m sure I will be wearing that with other things this summer. The flip flops are a summer staple. They are ornate without being over the top. Easily paired with basically everything because of the maroon color, and the heel has a slight elevation so my flat feet appreciate that.










Outfit #4: Drawstring jean shorts, black tank, and straw hat.





No Boundaries Draw String Shorts ($9.88); Time & Tru Tank Top from previous season





What a simple but chic outfit for the beach, for brunch or dinner. These shorts are in a 2xl, and I could have definitely gone down a size. I would prefer them a little shorter so I will use some hem tape so that they stay cuffed like they are in the pics. The black tank is a basic closet necessity, and I can easily throw on my jean jacket or a sweater or kimono over this outfit. The shoes were not purchased at walmart, but I could easily wear my clog sandals for sure!










Outfit #5: Flutter sleeve top and open toed wedge booties





Tierra Sky Peasant Top ($13.98); Time & Tru Booties ($12 on clearance)





This top is awesome for summer date night, or for brunch with the girls. Perfect fit, great style, and easily pairs with shorts, jeans or capris. And these super comfy wedged open toed booties go so well with this outfit! (The jeans are pre-owned, but walmart sells tons of similar styles.)










Outfit #6: Tiered skirt, tank, and clog sandals





No Boundaries Smocked Mini Skirt ($9.98); Time & True Wooden Heel Sandals ($19.98)





This outfit is the surprise from my trip. I really didn’t know what to expect when I got home and tried this skirt on but I absolutely adore it!! Easily paired with a tank top and belt, and it looks so perfectly dainty. Or wear it with your swimsuit for the perfect coverup. I am wearing the clog sandals that I purchased at walmart and I just love this outfit! I cannot wait to wear it!















I love knowing that there are cute options for building a budget-friendly wardrobe!  Walmart for the win!  Of course they aren’t the only show in town, but there are definitely cute pieces that you can easily pick up while you’re doing your Saturday shopping.  And don’t get me started on their bathing suits!  They have totally stepped up their game!  So far, I’ve talked myself out of buying new swimsuits, but if I break down and buy a couple, I’ll definitely share!





Where is your go-to place for reliable, affordable styles?  Have you started your summer shopping yet?  Or are you waiting for temps to get warmer?  I’d love to hear from you! Let a sista know!












			

				

			
 justamarylandgirl		

		


				
					


	


		
		
Life Around the Airbnb (Fredlandia)

	


	

		






I feel like I should be doing better at keeping you updated on the haps with my Airbnb life, so I’m going to just start posting more frequently about the normal day to day things that happen around here.  Sometimes I feel like if nothing significant happens, then it’s not worth writing about, and quite honestly, I am realizing that’s not quite how blogging works.  I find I’m really intrigued by the journal entry type of blog posts just as much as the posts about a specific topic. 





So with that said, I’ll craft my first “Life Around the Airbnb” post and let you know what’s going on in my Airbnb life.





So here goes…





Today we are about two weeks away from checking out of this home, and here’s what we’ve been up to this week.





We are currently renting a nice two-story townhouse style condominium in a modern development in Frederick.  We positively love the home, and we love the area so much, but we absolutely do not love the neighbors.  More on that later. 





We initially rented the home for a month, but we decided to extend another month because we really felt like there was more to do and see here in Frederick.  Due to the pandemic combined with the cold March weather, we were limited with how much exploring we could do, and there is so much in this area to explore.  In addition, I had a few appointments in the Maryland area that required me to stay fairly local for a couple weeks.  So, despite the neighbors that we don’t care for, we decided to stay put for another month because we love the home and the area.





A majority of this week was devoted to looking forward.





One thing about starting each rental at an Airbnb when you’re of no fixed address—it isn’t long before you have to start thinking about where you will go the following month.  So we like to get going with that search pretty soon after we move into a home.  While being able to hop around is quite freeing, the research involved in selecting your next home can be quite daunting.  And here are a few reasons why:





Price considerations – As you can expect, we have a monthly budget for our rentals.  We wanted to keep the price at or below what we’d spend on a rental or monthly mortgage payment if we stayed in one fixed location.  What we’ve discovered is, while there are a lot of great rentals that would be wonderful for a weekend trip or a family vacation, they aren’t feasible for monthly stays when you multiply out the daily rate by 30 days and then add fees.  We just are not paying $6,000 a month for an Airbnb.  Just not doing it.  So that whittles down our prospective homes quite a bit, and makes us negotiate wants versus needs.  Though there are monthly discounts (more on that later), once you add in fees and such, the prices can still rise quite high.





Monthly inventory – There are a lot of homes that are available for a weekend or for a week or two, but the inventory of monthly rentals is definitely significantly smaller than the inventory of homes that you may find when you’re researching places for that weekend girls retreat or the family beach trip. Sometimes we have looked in certain cities and the inventory for a monthly rental for our dates is less than 5 homes. 





Our criteria – Anyone renting or buying anything has a set list of criteria, which includes your non-negotiables as well as the things you’re willing to be a little more flexible on.  Sometimes our options significantly decrease just by filtering out ones with no kitchen. For a space to be our home for a month, there are definitely things that are important to us.  We have learned that we operate best when a home has two bedrooms and two bathrooms at the very least (no adorably chic tiny homes for us!).  For one reason, we both work full time from home, and we both have meetings and make calls.  Many times our meetings and calls are at the same time, so another bedroom or a designated office with a door is crucial.  And the bathroom…well…lol…I’m sure no explanation is needed for this one.  We rented a home with one bathroom, and it worked fine, but our preference is two if possible.





Seasonal aspects – Some areas are more popular based on the season, so working around the price hikes for certain areas can be tricky.  Yes it sounds awesome to be at the beach for a month, but guess what…you will definitely pay a premium price for a monthly stay at a beach during beach season.  And who really wants to be there in off-season?  Well…some may, but…the point usually is to enjoy the weather and the water, and to do that, you will pay higher prices.  And same is true for mountains during ski season.  So navigating those nuances can add to the trickiness of selecting a home.  You may want to be somewhere in off-season, but if it’s 10 below and you only do outdoor dining, or if the area is shut down because it’s non-peak, is it really a place you want to be?





Working the Airbnb system – The great thing about monthly rentals on Airbnb is that there is typically a discount for longer stays.  We have found that in some circumstances, extending our stay by a few days can decrease the price by a few hundred dollars.  So even if we don’t need the extra days, we may reserve them just to get the cheaper price.  But figuring out which homes that applies to, and what the right length of time needed for the best price, this can be time consuming and somewhat frustrating.  





Because picking our next spot can be sort of challenging, we typically start working on that within a week of moving into a new space.  This week we searched, whittled down, selected, and reserved our next home. Can’t wait to tell you about that! 





So now that that’s done, we feel like we can breathe a bit and enjoy the remainder of our time in our current space. 





And that’s what’s been happening around the Airbnb this week.  





Have any questions about airbnb life or what we’ve been up to while in Frederick, Maryland, comment below or send me a message at justamarylandgirl@gmail.com! Also follow me on IG at justa_mdgirl!







			

				

			
 justamarylandgirl		

		


				
					


	


		
		
DIY Mockups for My Business

	


	

		






From the “spring gone get whatever body I give it” files…

Happy Wednesday!

What’s the weather where you are? Yesterday in Maryland was hot and today is going to be even hotter! So ummm…about all that chocolate I’ve been eating lately…

I experimented a little more with taking pics for my tshirt mockups yesterday. And though I wasn’t spring-ready, I still knotted that shirt up and struck a pose…because who gone check me??

Do you use mockups for your tshirt brand? I do love the convenience of the etsy mockups, however I’ve noticed that there are very few that have people of color as models. And I feel as though my brand is too diverse for one model type. And hello…I’m black and I want black representation for my products. 

So…what’s a girl to do? I pulled out my tripod and got to work! Because sometimes you just gotta do it yourself, amiright?? I think I got a few good shots. Can’t wait to share them!





Here’s a little sneak peek of my mock-ups in action.




















I still have some work to do to perfect the pics and poses. I need to work on being conscious of light, shadows, and backgrounds. And I definitely need to work on facial expressions lol. But it’s been fun doing this and I feel like every time I try it, I get a little better. And even though this is the free method of acquiring mockups, and that’s hella dope, the best takeaway is that I have pics that I feel represent me and my brand without spending hours on etsy. And I just love that!





#diymockups #pocmodels #diversitymatters #repesentationmatters #minoritybusinessowner #etsyowner #etsygrammer #dropshipper #diyphotoshoot #smallbusiness #entrepreneurlife #blackblogger #blackentrepreneurs #marylandgirl #blacketsyshop #loveyourbody #tshirtbrand #shopifyseller


			

				

			
 justamarylandgirl		

		


				
					


	


		
		
7 Steps to Overcome Roadblocks

	


	

		






I recently found myself at a crossroad. 





I knew I wanted to accomplish a certain goal, and the way to accomplish this goal was to use this specific application.  The issue for me was 1) I didn’t understand what this application was;  2) I didn’t understand how this application fit into the overall process of what I already knew; and 3) I didn’t know how to use or implement this application. 





To add to the obstacle, in order to play around with and learn this application, it would cost money.  No free trials here.  So I would have to pay money just to figure out what the application was was and how to use it, before I actually even implemented it.  So in addition to my lack of knowledge, I would also have to spend money.  In my budget-DIY world of learning and business, it just wasn’t checking the right boxes for me.





Overall, these items ultimately became my stopping point.  Instead of figuring it all out, I just shut down and did nothing. 





For about a year.  





Lazy + Cheap = Absolutely no movement towards my goal. For a year.





That. Is. Ridiculous.





In the meantime, I tried other variants of actions.  Low scale, small results type actions that helped me learn a little and earn just as little.  But ultimately did NOT get me to where I had been striving to get.





SO now here I am again, a year later, realizing that, in order to advance to the goal that I set, I have to learn this application and implement what I learn.  I finally said to myself…LEARN THE D*MN APPLICATION!!!! 





Like…am I going to risk just not accomplishing my goals because of this ONE thing I don’t understand???  Chick…are you actually serious???  NO!  I did not come this far to let something so small be the reason I don’t accomplish my goals.





So I got out of my own way.  I googled some articles, read some manuals, and got to work!  And in literally one evening, I made more progress than I made in a year.  Now I’m well on my way to being able to implement the knowledge and hopefully also well on my way to accomplishing the goal I set for myself. And ultimately on my way to MAKING MORE MONEY!!  KA-CHING! 





Please tell me I am not alone.  Do you ever find yourself immobile because you just cannot find the energy, strength, or money to figure out how to progress forward?  I’m going to assume I’m not alone with this.  (Please tell me I’m not alone!)





If you are like me, and find yourself stuck, I want to help.  Because being stuck sucks.  Especially when you’re stuck because of your own self.  So here are seven steps that helped me get going.  You can use these when you find yourself at a mental roadblock and are unsure how to move forward.





  1. Envision what you want.  Be clear.  What does success on the other side of this blockage look like?  What specifically will you be/have/do once you clear this hurdle?  Is it a financial accomplishment?  Health?  Education?  Envision yourself in your new home, finishing that marathon, wearing that bikini, or writing that new accomplishment on your resume.  Visualize clearly.  Let that be your motivation.
  2. Identify the specific action or thing that is preventing you from moving forward.  The action may be something big or it may be small.  Do you have to pass a test?  Are you unable to find time?  Do you not quite understand one thing, and that one thing holds the key to bigger things?  Write down the one, or the few things, that are keeping you from accomplishing the goal ahead. 
  3. Note the specific reason that this action is difficult to tackle.  Dig even deeper and get to the root.  Are you unable to study because you don’t feel like it?  Is there one thing in the material that requires explanation?  Do you not have time because you have to work, take care of children, and find time to rest?  Are you not sure which method of moving forward is the best option for you and now have analysis paralysis?  
  4. Write down a list of ways that you could clear that obstacle.  Is there someone you could ask for help?  Is there a website online that may have an answer?  Do you need someone to babysit?  Are you hesitant to spend money?  Can you research the best option online?  Do you need to speak to someone about their experience?  What specifically will help you overcome this obstacle?  Write down one way, or a couple of options for clearing this obstacle.
  5. Designate a specific start time.  Look at your calendar, figure out your upcoming schedule.  Pick a time that you will start devoting to your action.  If your action is researching options, pick a time that you will sit down and begin your research.  You may not hammer it all out in one sitting, but if you don’t make a plan and set aside time, that time will pass and you will be no further along. 
  6. Be intentional.  Even if you only have 20 minutes of solid time this week to devote, make that time as productive as you possibly can make it.  Turn off distractions, put your phone down, have your note-taking devices prepared. Make that time count.  
  7. Designate a specific time for your foreseeable sessions.  If you know that you have an hour before the kids get off the bus, let that be your specific time going forward.  If you’re working on losing weight, have your sneakers, sports bra, headphones and gear set out and ready.  When that hour approaches, you can jump to action as soon as it hits. No excuses.  No fetching.  Get to it.





What I’ve noticed is that each small action snowballs into the next action.  Getting started helped me to gather the momentum to keep going.  





Once you hit the brakes on a plan, you just have to figure out how to get going again. Get unstuck and keep moving!  Don’t dismiss how important this goal is to you and your future.  Your goal is important and you are worth the effort!





Do you have any tips to add?  Anything work for you that I haven’t mentioned?  Let me know your thoughts on roadblocks!












			

				

			
 justamarylandgirl