A Month of Adventure and Thanks

I just opened up my calendar and had the happiest realization. Currently, I am in Kentucky. In one week, I will be in Seattle. In two weeks, I will be in Hawaii. In three weeks, I will be in Florida.

No matter how many supposedly negative events pile up, it only takes a moment for me to truly realize all the things I have to be grateful for. I have an amazing family, once-in-a-lifetime friends, a quality education, and the incredible opportunities to travel this beautiful country we live in. A big "thank you" goes out to everyone who has endured my antics all these years, adventured by my side, and caused enjoyable trouble for the establishment. Here's to the past 20 years of no regrets, and to 80 more years of worthwhile shenanigans!

College Comes at a Cost

Ever since I entered college, I can definitely say that I have been living comfortably. Going to a university that only costs $10k a year and receiving scholarships that covered those entire costs greatly contributed to this comfort. The income I received from my job went straight into my pocket. This provided me with many opportunities - purchasing camera equipment, going skydiving, traveling to New York, and splurging while living at Disney World. It was a fun two years, and I am grateful for what I have been able to do. But now it's time to put in the hard work and earn my education - and I am also grateful for this opportunity.

I have now transferred to the University of Kentucky as an out of state student. This means about $25k per year in school costs, not to mention my rent (which is a heck of a lot more expensive than it was in Utah). Though I am currently employed and doing an unpaid internship, I am now in search for another job to decrease the amount of loans I must take out. Not only this, but I have started learning the craft of couponing! I still have a ways to go until I'm a pro, but I've saved a dollar here and there by using coupons, and it really adds up. I am really excited to learn some great skills over the next couple years - budgeting, conserving, and sacrificing.

What I may be most worried about when it comes to budgeting my money is my upcoming trip to Hawaii. Everyone knows that this is not a cheap vacation spot. Luckily my dad and sister live there, so I don't have to worry about paying for an expensive hotel. But I'll be there for nine days - I'm going to have to spend money on something at some point or another. My plan is to budget, plan, and record. I'll seek out cheap or free excursions or souvenirs, and share it with you all! When the time comes closer, I will give myself a budget and stick to it, then share the how-to's of vacationing cheap in Hawaii with the world! Stay tuned!

Food Friday | Pasta Alfredo & Kielbasa

I haven't done a Food Friday in an awfully long time, mostly due to the fact that I have once again moved across the country and have yet to get settled in. But I decided that I will start making an effort to redeem myself, starting with one of the tastiest dishes I have ever made. It's simple, foolproof, and delicious - perfect for those of us living on a budget or short on culinary expertise. I happen to be both!

Ingredients:

1 box of your favorite pasta (I like tortellini or shell)
1 can Alfredo pasta sauce
1 kielbasa (I usually wait until this item goes on sale to make this dish)

1. Cook pasta in boiling water for 7-10 minutes.
(Note: the best way to tell if its cooked all the way is to taste it!)
2. Strain pasta, stir in Alfredo sauce, and put on low heat.
3. Cut up kielbasa into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut these slices into fourths.
4. In a separate pan, fry kielbasa on medium heat.
5. Stir kielbasa into the pasta and enjoy!

Bucket List 2014

I wish I could say that this summer will be more eventful than last. However, now that I have transferred to a much more expensive school, I may have to get a little creative in order to save as much money as possible. Student loans are in my future, yet I don't want that to stop me from making this summer an adventure. I mean, you're only 20 once, right? I better make it worthwhile.

Skydiving last summer

I find that I accomplish more when I have goals written on paper. Thus, I will be making another bucket list this summer! If you would like to view all the bucket list items I completed last year, click HERE, or click the "Bucket List 2013" tab above. This list includes everything from skydiving to bridge jumping, to hiking to Walt Disney World! As a college student, I completely understand how it feels to have to survive on one meal a day in order to make ends meet, and I have learned to cherish leftovers. So follow me on this journey into the unknown, and hopefully on a manageable budget! Where will we end up? Who knows, because all roads lead to nowhere. There is no certainty. There is only adventure.

News!

Happy Wednesday everyone! It is my favorite day of the week, thus some good news is long overdue. As you all know, I love to travel. New York City, Orlando, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Seattle... you name it, and I'll add it to my list. This coming August, I'll be happy to add another adventure to my list: Maui, Hawaii! 

After my quarterly pit stop into Seattle to visit my mom, friends, and the rest of my family, I will happily make my way over to a vacationers paradise to visit my dad and little sister. I've already began concocting a list of to-do's for my trip. Snorkeling, hiking, maybe some skydiving? We'll see! And I get to add some more cities to my layover list (this includes cities that I have stopped in during layovers, but have not explored fully...still exciting though!) - Denver, San Diego, and Dallas. Stay tuned to hear all about this Hawaii adventure!