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health and beauty

How To Save Money on Everyday Essentials

May 6, 2020 by Rachel 23 Comments

This post is sponsored by Optum Perks but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It’s hard to believe that I have been “laid off” from my job for going on 7 weeks now. The job that, over the years, became my happy place — has been missing from my life for nearly two months. As things have changed rather dramatically for all of us, I’m finding new and inventive ways to pinch pennies.

Saving Money on Essentials Can Be Easy

I made a lot of changes in these last 7 weeks. Surprisingly, most of them were incredibly easy! Here’s what my family is doing to cut down on our every day expenses.

Shop at discount grocery retailers.

Going to the grocery store is unavoidable. For my family, we are making far fewer trips than before — but we’ve also made the decision to use grocers that offer off-brand or discounted groceries like ALDI and Save-a-Lot. We still are getting the same quality fresh foods, produce, and non-perishables, but we’re doing so at a much lower cost.

Cancelling Unnecessary Subscriptions.

There was a time when we had a cable TV subscription, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Honestly, we’ve never had that much time to watch TV. So we have trimmed up our TV subscription services by cancelling our live-television services and picking one of the online streaming services.

This can go for many types of subscriptions like a grocery delivery service, music streaming service, and even beauty boxes.

woman with laptop gif

Using Optum Perks to Save on Prescription Refills.

Prescriptions are another ‘unavoidable’ cost, but there are brilliant ways of saving cash when it comes time to fill or refill! Savings reach up to 80% with no membership and no fees!+

Prescriptions saving is easy. You just search, find, and save without ever having to enter personal information or data in. Optum Perks can be used at over 64,000 pharmacies nationwide, including Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS. Once you find the prescription and pricing, you can decide if you’d like the free coupon to be delivered by text, email, or by printing it out.

These prescription coupons can be presented to your pharmacist whichever way is convenient for you. So whether you’re using the drive-thru or picking it up in-store, your pharmacy coupon will be honored. Truly. That’s it.

I’ve been really open about my struggles with mental health, particularly since having children. As many know, I’ve relied mostly on my Lexapro prescription for the last 5 years. Usually my refills cost upwards of $20. By using Optum Perks I’ve been able to fill it at the rate of $9.00! That’s an eleven dollar savings! While it may not seem like a lot, with a family of 5, every bit helps.

You can see for yourself by heading to Optum Perks today and finding out just how much you can be saving on the prescriptions you need for the whole family.

Putting Memberships on Hold.

If you look at the number of items that are auto-deducted from your account each month, what would you see? For me, it’s our family gym membership, zoo membership, and my auto-renew of my coffee card. While these memberships are handy and even affordable in times of employment, they can be detrimental to savings when going through financial hardship.

Most memberships will allow a ‘hold’ or ‘break’ for anywhere from one to 6-months. And it’s usually as simple as giving them a call or shooting their customer service team an email.

These Adjustments Do Not Have To Be Permanent

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in these last couple of months it’s that I am capable of much more than I previously thought I was. I’m the same girl who would grab coffee from Starbucks before work almost every day. But I don’t have to be. In fact, I’m amazed at how these small changes I’ve made in our spending have had such a tremendous impact on not only our pocketbooks, but our overall psychological well-being.

But knowing that at least some of what I’m doing right now is just temporary certainly helps. I may not stay away from my beloved coffee forever, but I can tell you that I will never go back to paying full-price for my prescriptions.

+Prices are subject to change over time

Tell me — what will you do with all of the money you save using Optum Perks?

Filed Under: #MomLife, busy mom, children, family, health, life, money saving tips, parenthood, tips + tricks Tagged With: #MomLife, busy mom, children, family, health, health and beauty, money saving tips, parenthood, tips + tricks

Looking Back + Moving Forward: 2020

January 8, 2020 by Rachel 19 Comments

What. a. year! I keep seeing posts from friends regarding how 2019 was awful. I have to say, while we had some rough times, the good far outweighed the bad times.

Professional Life

2019 Summed Up

My professional life blossomed this year. It took a lot of hard work, including long hours and late nights. But I set big goals and surpassed my own expectations!

View this post on Instagram

Just over here cracking jokes with @clevelandbrowns alumni, Frank Stams! ? • This weekends Field Day event at Stow @gianteagle was SO much fun! We met Chomps, got a couple of autographs from Frank, and played Browns trivia for a chance to win tickets to a game. • Tell me — what has been your favorite Summer to Savor event at Giant Eagle this year?! . . . . . . #ad #Instafood #foodie #delicious #tasty #ohiofindithere #neofoodies #midwestbloggers #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers #ohiobloggers #cbusfoodscene #ohiofood #614eats #akroneats #akronblogger #gsmbsquad #rootandrise #614food #clevelandbrowns #clevelandbrownsnews

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Sep 22, 2019 at 3:55pm PDT

2020 Goals

I’m going to push it even harder this upcoming year. I’m going to work smarter and harder. I may even hire some help (whether it be a VA or someone to help watch the kids one day a week while I work), which is huge for me!

I’m really excited to continue several partnerships and to take on a major undertaking with a local brand! It’s going to push me beyond my comfort zone, but I’m ready for it. Speaking of comfort zones, I really stayed out of photos this year. I featured mostly food, spaces, and my kids. But in 2020 I vow to be IN my content more! Stay tuned!

Personal Life

2019 Summed Up

Old House Stress

This year was a really stressful year for our little family. Chad spent most of his ‘spare’ time at our old house, getting it ready to be put on the market. This largely meant that we rarely saw him. The kids craved his attention in the moments where he was home and, well, he was just plain ol’ exhausted.

View this post on Instagram

Tomorrow! Tomorrow is THE day! . To be honest, I never imagined I would be part of the home-buying process. My husband purchased our current home long before we began dating, and I just assumed we would always make-do with our tiny, but cozy, home. . And then this all happened so suddenly. I fell in love with a century home just a block from our current home. And tomorrow we get the keys (even though I DID already sneak over and put this doormat out — in my defense the house is currently empty so I wasn’t creepin’ on anyone’s space). . Now let me go to sleep so tomorrow can come! ? . #imsobloggingthis #midwestbloggers #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Dec 3, 2018 at 3:28pm PST

Travel Time

The good news is that when he was around, we made the most of our time together. We took trips to Great Wolf Lodge, went camping at Jellystone Park in Pennsylvania, and even snuck in a trip to Kalahari!

We also (somehow) made it to Columbus several times as well as a trip to Kentucky! It was a crazy travel year, for sure.

View this post on Instagram

“I think I’m gonna kick it with my mom today.” ❤️ (Shirt courtesy of our favorite local shop, @reverie.gifts.xo) • In the last 24-hours that her two older siblings have been gone, she’s cut another tooth AND taken her first unassisted step! ? So yeah… I think she’s enjoying being the only little at home right now! ? • How’s your Monday going?! . . #reveriegifts #ohioblogger #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers #midwestbloggers #shoplocal #ohioexplored #exploreohio #cuyahogafalls #justakidfromakron #letthembelittle #letthembekids #rootandrise #cbusfoodscene #ohiofood

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Jul 22, 2019 at 3:43pm PDT

Celebrations

We celebrated our final babies first birthday by throwing a big birthday bash at our forever home — our first real time hosting! It was a lot of work, but we were finally able to show our family and friends this incredible space.

The kids had so much fun playing in the yard and jumping on the trampoline.

2020 Goals

This year offers a fairly blank slate. I’d like to do some local travel ahead of our big trip to Hilton Head Island late this Summer. But other than that, we have no official plans.

I’ll be taking my kids on new adventures here in Ohio and exploring new neighborhoods in an effort to connect more with my community and to help nurture their curiosity.

Health

2019 Summed Up

Guys, I mildly failed at all things ‘health’ related this year. The stress of life and a serious time-management issue on my part resulted in very poor year of health and fitness for me. The one and only thing I did that is deserving of any credit is running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon.

View this post on Instagram

Wanna know a secret? You can be a social media influencer. YES YOU CAN use your influence to get discounts! With as little as 100 followers you can use your influence to get offers on LOTS of website offers. Go to the website in my bio to start getting awesome discounts from @localfluence. https://localfluence.com/offers-web?onboardSource=weboffers.itsahero.nov . . . . #ad #Local #BuyLocal #Instafood #foodie #delicious #tasty #craftbeer #craftbeerblogger #gsmbsquad #ohiofindithere #neofoodies #midwestbloggers #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers #ohiobloggers #cbusfoodscene #ohiofood #614eats #akroneats #akronblogger #akroneats #akrowdy #614 #clevelandfood #clefood #clefoodies #akronohio #rootandrise

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Nov 8, 2019 at 4:22pm PST

2020 Goals

Things are changing. In fact, I’ve already started making changes. I’m being MUCH more conscious of my food choices and making MY health a top priority this year.

As cliché as it sounds, I am going to get back to my regular weight this year. For those of you who haven’t been following along since before this year, you’ll know that I used to be workout fanatic. I’ve lost some of my mojo thanks to pregnancy and kids, but I think I’ve figured out what I need to get my excitement back.

View this post on Instagram

Don’t let the fear of not being “good enough” hold you back from achieving your goals! . Today I finished my first postpartum race after having Mila and my second half marathon, the @pghmarathon . I was underprepared. Crazy, crazy underprepared. The days and hours where I should have been running were spent tending to sick children. . But I still got out there today. I still showed up. I realized in the wee hours of this morning that I CAN DO VERY HARD THINGS. HECK, I birthed three babies on very little sleep (and one without an epidural). So I knew my body was (and is) capable for more than I think. . So if you think “I could never do ___,” take a step back and give yourself some darn credit! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! . Thank you to @brooksrunning for helping me remember how strong my body truly is. . . #sponsored #runhappy #brooksrunning #2run6 #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers #midwestbloggers #MOVEpittsburgh #pittsburghhalfmarathon #pittsburghmarathon #ohioblogger #womensrunningcommunity #instarunners #runnersofinstagram #runningmom #runtoinspire #sweatpink #this_is_postpartum

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on May 5, 2019 at 5:27pm PDT

Try new things

As a previous obsessive yogi, it has been years since I was ‘active’ in the community. I’ve tried the at-home practice, but it just wasn’t my thing. A new studio opened in my town and I’m going to try their hot power classes!

I’m also signed up for an OrangeTheory Fitness class trial. Now, if only I could get my hands on a Peleton 😛

Get back on track

Having babies and adjusting to being a work-from-home mom four years ago really did a number on my nutrition. I was no longer tied to a desk. You would think working from home would offer more balance, right? For me it did not. I have struggled with the freedom and my diet has suffered.

Now that we are officially finished with having babies (and now that we’re through the newborn phase entirely), I’m able to get a bit of my life back. And, for me, that means getting back in control.

For me, it’s less about weight than it is about comfort. And I just haven’t felt comfortable in my own skin for the last few years. I do have a goal-weight, but it is not unrealistic. I’ve set an attainable goal for myself as a ‘big picture’ thought.

View this post on Instagram

These kids had a BLAST at @discover_pinecrest and @neohioparent Family Fun Day this week. They played HARD and I got a reprieve from the grind of parenting! ? • I’m so excited that Pinecrest is offering so many family-friendly events this Summer, including two more family fun days! Head on over to my blog post to read more about the fun events happening this summer! [link in profile] . . . #ad #clevelandohio #clevelandfood #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers #ohioblogger #midwestbloggers #cbus #216 #akrowdy #justakidfromakron #targetdollarspot #targetdoesitagain

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Jun 13, 2019 at 5:47pm PDT

Writing it all out feels surreal. I cannot believe what this last year has brought our family (and I can’t believe we made it through). But I’m infinitely excited for what’s to come.

What goals do you have for 2020?

woman with wine glass in hotel

Filed Under: #GetFit, #MomLife, cleveland, family, fitness, goals, health, mommyhood, parenthood, postpartum, wellness Tagged With: #MomLife, family, fitness, goals, health and beauty, motherhood, parenthood, postpartum, wellness

Tips to Tackle Sick Days with Johnson & Johnson

December 29, 2019 by Rachel 20 Comments

This post has been sponsored by Johnson & Johnson®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

go away sickness

The holiday season can be stressful. Between school, work, holiday parties, and the normal winter “sickies,” the whole family is bound to come down with something. To keep the aches and pains away, our family uses Johnson & Johnson products like Children’s Motrin®, Benadryl®, and TYLENOL® when we aren’t feeling our best.

With three kids and two adults in the house, it’s hard to say that there’s ever a time when everyone feels “great.” It just doesn’t happen. But, I have a mission for the upcoming year—and that is to stay ahead of the sickness by keeping my family as healthy as possible.

cold medicine
Use products as directed.

Tips + Tricks to combat the ‘icky’ days.

Wash your hands

This should go without saying, I’m sure, but I’m obsessive about making sure my children wash their hands. Even if someone in your house feels ill, the best way to stop it from spreading is by frequent hand-washing.

Get adequate sleep

Another thing I’m obsessive about is sticking to my children’s regular bedtime. It’s easy to get swept away by a cozy late-night movie, but it does us zero favors when our children wake up cranky and more prone to illness.

Set a bedtime and stick to it. And if you can’t stick to a “hard” time, set a general “within this 90-minute window” timeframe.

USE JOHNSON & JOHNSON PRODUCTS TO HELP KEEP THE ACHES AWAY

My children and I all get “aches” when we are feeling even the slightest bit under the weather. In those moments, it’s important that we slow down and listen to our bodies. I trust Johnson & Johnson products to help make my family more comfortable in these tough moments. A little rest and a little Children’s Motrin® will help their little bodies feel better in no time.

I, on the other hand, prefer Extra Strength TYLENOL®Rapid Release Gels. I don’t have a lot of time to be “down,” especially while taking care of three icky-feeling kids. I also keep Benadryl® on hand to help with congestion and allergy symptoms.

Watch your food and drink

Coming out of the holiday season can be rough for all of us. It’s not unlikely that we all get sucked into patterns of eating that are abnormal for us. Take this time to make you’re on a regular meal schedule and you’re drinking plenty of fluids.

Our family drinks a lot of water, but maintaining a meal schedule has always been more difficult. I keep soup and crackers on hand just in case one of them is feeling under the weather. If I can’t get them to drink water, at least I know they can sip some bone broth or noodle soup to maintain hydration.

medicines
Use products as directed.

Don’t get in a bind

Keeping the “ickys” away can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Instead of running out to grab more Children’s Motrin® or Benadryl® in the middle of a crisis, stock up ahead of time on all of your go-to Johnson & Johnson products AND save money in the process.

From now until February 1st, 2020, get a $10 Reward with your next $30 purchase of participating Johnson & Johnson products. Keep your receipt and upload it online here to qualify.

Johnson & Johnson cold medicines
Use products as directed.

Tell me, which Johnson & Johnson products will you stock up on to receive that $10 reward?

Tips To Stay Healthy This Winter with Johnson and Johnson

Filed Under: #MomLife, children, family, health, life with a toddler, mommyhood, money saving tips, parenthood, tips + tricks, wellness Tagged With: #MomLife, children, family, health and beauty, money saving tips, parenthood, tips + tricks, wellness

Tips + Tricks to Stay Healthy This Winter

October 10, 2019 by Rachel 25 Comments

Dare I say it… Winter is around the corner. I know, I know. We haven’t even fallen back yet. But I’m telling you — the sickies are moving in and they’re moving in fast! I’m trying to stay ahead of the curve and prepare a defense to stay healthy during cold and flu season now.

Here’s what we’re doing to stay healthy this winter:

staying healthy tips

Rest and Sleep

The key for us is making sure we have very few late nights (especially the kiddos) and never say no to a nap! Sleep helps our bodies to recover and rest.

Vitamin C + D

We’re about to enter the ‘dark season’ here in the Midwest. Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is a real thing with real consequences. Heck, even in the Summer, we just have infrequent sunny days. So it’s no surprise that we need to give ourselves an extra boost of Vitamin D throughout the year, but especially during the cooler months.

Also? Don’t forget to load up on that Vitamin C! Keep your immune system in tip-top shape!

Stay Hydrated

I’m the first to admit that I do not drink an adequate amount of water. In order to do so, I have to make a serious conscious effort.

Last year I picked up one of these water bottles in hopes to remind myself to drink more. Guess what? It worked!

Of course, making sure my kids have their water bottles filled at all times also helps. Not juice, not milk; just water.

Probiotics

As much as I want to keep bacteria and germs away, I’d like to keep the good bacteria around.

My husband and I and the kids all take a daily probiotic to make sure our gut stays as healthy as possible. Because the kids’ probiotics are gummies, if they don’t get them daily I’m reminded. They will absolutely ask me for ‘their gummies.’

Elderberry Syrup

Before becoming a mom I hadn’t given much thought to alternative medicines. And I’m still not saying that you shouldn’t use and trust modern medicines. I am saying that you shouldn’t completely write-off things like elderberry syrup when you’re looking for the means to keep everyone healthy.

It’s been discovered that Elderberry syrup can help to fight viruses, including the flu. If you don’t have access to Elderberry syrup in a local health foods store try this syrup from Amazon.

Creamy Chicken Soup

Maintain a Healthy Diet

It can’t be an accident that sick season and soup season are one and the same, right? Real talk though — obviously we do our best to eat a balanced diet, but kids are ridiculously picky eaters.

One thing they will eat is soup. And the bonus about soups (like this creamy chicken noodle soup) and stews is that you can sneak all kinds of veggies into them!

Hit the Sauna

I am a recovered sauna skeptic. It wasn’t until a group of women from my gym started preaching about the wonders of a 20-minute sauna session that I finally caved and tried it for myself.

I used the sauna for post-workout recovery. And I completely avoided the usual soreness that accompanies a workout. But it has other benefits as well. Deep sweating that you experience in the sauna has been proven to release toxins from the body, aid in better sleep, relieve stress, and help to fight illness.

photo of woman in bed under blankets

How are you planning on staying healthy this season?

Filed Under: #MomLife, busy mom, children, crunchy granola, health, mommyhood, parenthood, tips + tricks, wellness Tagged With: #MomLife, children, crunchy granola, health and beauty, mommyhood, parenthood, wellness

Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Half Marathon 2019

May 17, 2019 by Rachel 6 Comments

Don’t let the fear of not being “good enough” hold you back from achieving your goals!

Nearly two weeks ago I finished my first postpartum race after having Mila and my second half marathon ever, at the Pittsburgh Marathon. I was underprepared.

Like, crazy, crazy underprepared. The days and hours where I should have been running were spent tending to sick children.

But I still got out there. I still showed up. I realized in the wee hours of that morning that I CAN DO VERY HARD THINGS. HECK, I birthed three babies on very little sleep (and one without an epidural). So I knew my body was (and is) capable of more than I think.

So if you think “I could never do ___,” take a step back and give yourself some darn credit! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!

Right now my body is still in recovery mode. The mud, sweat, and tears were totally worth that finishers medal (and the finishers beer!). YES, I’m proud of myself for physically finishing 13.1 miles. But mostly I’m proud of the fact that I mentally and psychologically could handle it. Postpartum baby number one and two, I could never have convinced myself to start, let alone finish. But this time my anxiety stayed far from that start and finish line.

That alone was worth the medal. So I’m going to consider this my freaking postpartum medal. And I goddamn earned it!

 

 

Filed Under: #GetFit, #MomLife, #SweatPink, 1/2 Marathon, Family Travel, fitness, health, postpartum, running, Travel Adventures, wellness, workout Tagged With: #GetFit, #MomLife, 1/2 Marathon + Running, Family Travel, fitness, health and beauty, postpartum, running, Travel Adventures, wellness, workout

Taking A Moment To Find Myself // My 3rd Postpartum Journey

May 13, 2019 by Rachel 13 Comments

I needed this Mother’s Day in ways that I cannot even convey to you. Just Saturday, I was a broken down mother — exhausted from the grind, full of self-doubt and self-pity. But late Saturday evening, I purchased a pass to Balance + Brews at Royal Docks in Canton.

Balance + Brews is a group of local yoga teachers that do pop up classes in craft breweries throughout Northeast Ohio. I’ve been meaning to show up for a class for years, but there was always a reason I couldn’t make it. In fact, this time I almost self-sabotaged — I almost decided not to go because I was afraid of going alone. But I bought the ticket anyway. I committed.

And as I was driving down the highway completely alone, blasting music from my college days, I realized… I needed this. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I went further than Target (which is about a half mile) in the car without a child.

And then to have a meal completely alone? It just sealed the deal for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my children. But the weight of always being “on” has really taken a toll lately. It took me until Sunday to realize just how much I missed being with my most authentic self. And in those moments of screaming singing Thursday songs at the top of my lungs, I made a vow to make myself a priority. Starting now.

So to all of the mama’s out there who are struggling to find their new identity, I see you. If you can, go ahead and take a drive, blast that music, and remember who you are.

And Happy (Belated) Mother’s Day.

 

Filed Under: #GetFit, Akron, brews + food, busy mom, children, cleveland, Columbus, Explore Ohio, fitness, gratitude, health, live happy, mental health, mommyhood, NEO, Oh baby!, pampering, parenthood, postpartum, restaurants + bars, yoga Tagged With: #MomLife, being a mom, brews + food, children, cleveland, columbus, explore locally, explore Ohio, fitness, food, foodie, health, health and beauty, life, Live Happy, local, mental health, mommyhood, motherhood, NEO, oh baby, ohio, pampering, parenthood, postpartum, restaurants + bars, workout, yoga

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