Savvy Student | Free Birthday Treats on the Daily Hive

Mini Tiered Cake - Chiffon cake with fresh raspberry chantilly creme and fresh thinly sliced strawberries
Cake made by @monlovestobake https://www.instagram.com/monlovestobake/

It was my birthday last week - Happy 24th Birthday to ME! - and my Daily Hive article could not have come at a better time. I did all the leg work for you and have compiled a list of restaurants, cafes, bars and ice cream parlours that give out free food and drinks on your special day.

To view the full list, visit : The Daily Hive Free Birthday Treats in Vancouver 2017 

A few of the birthday freebies I have known for years and it is almost like a tradition now for me to redeem my birthday treat. Others I had no clue about, but I am glad I know about them now because it just means more free birthday food for me!

Denny's | Free Grand Slam

Denny's is by far the best and the easiest to redeem. All you have to do is go into your closest Denny's on the day of your birthday and present a government issued photo ID to prove that the day is your birthday. No need to sign-up for emails, clubs and rewards programs! Denny's Grand Slam is a full meal and will 100% satisfy your hunger and the best part is that the Grand Slam is customizable. You get to pick four items from their Grand Slam list. 

Gurly's Grand Slam: shoe-string hash browns, two sausage links, two over-easy eggs, and a waffle with fresh fruit. 

Starbucks | Free Beverage

If you are a part of Starbucks' Star Rewards Program, you automatically receive a coupon for one free drink on your birthday. The coupon is only valid for the day of your birthday so do not forget to get your birthday drink. If I am buying my drink, I will always get a grande, but when its a free drink of any size, I always go for a Venti. 

Gurly's Starbucks Order: Venti Extra Hot, 2 Pumps Classic Green Tea Latte with Whip Cream

Pajo's Fish & Chips | Get free fish & chips with purchase

I was pleasantly surprised to learn Pajo's offers a a special coupon for a meal on your birthday. To obtain the voucher, you need to head over to their website and register for the Birthday Coupon. Purchase is required, but it is my friend who is going to do the buying right?? 

Craft Beer Market | Your age is the discount

I think the coolest birthday offer has to be from Craft Beer Market. If you are celebrating your birthday with your friends at Craft Beer, they give you a discount on your own bill. The percentage is the age you are turning, so if you are turning 25, you get 25% off your own bill! 

If you are out for dinner in celebration of your birthday, be sure to always let the server know. Most restaurants will give you a free dessert or special treat for your birthday. And if you are looking to embarrass your friend on their birthday, take them to Old Spaghetti Factory because all of the servers will wish your friend a happy birthday by singing extremely loudly which usually always results in an eruption of cheers from the other diners at the restaurant. 

I wonder how many of these free birthday treats you are able to get on your birthday? Let me know in the comments below if you go to any!

BYES

Savvy Student | Aritzia Warehouse Sale Tips

Heya Dolls,

Savings, savings, savings! It is the big summer clear out at my all time favourite store - ARITZIA! I am excited to snag fabulous pieces at unbelievable prices, but before I hit their Annual Aritzia Warehouse Sale (Thursday September 1st till Monday September 5th), I make a plan to ensure I do not get too carried away at the register. 

We have all done it. Walked into a store and cannot help, but buy an item because the price is too good to be true. However, when you are at the warehouse sale, ALL the prices are too good to be true and you may just end up at the register with an armful of clothes that you actually do not need. 

Before I head out to any shopping excursion, I go through the following steps to ensure I leave with the best bargains and the items I truly need.  

1. Look in your closet and figure out what pieces you NEED as well as would like. 
2. Check out pricing online and figure out which store has the best price reduction. 
3. Make a list of the items you want before hitting the stores. I also write down the item number so if the store does not have it, the sales associates can order it in from another location for me!
4. Set a firm budget! Bring the exact amount in cash to reduce temptation of going over your budget.
5. Shop!

The sales can be so enticing and always test my will power, but I find if I go in with a solid plan and budget, it is easier to not buy for the sake of savings. Hopefully my strategy helps you with your shopping for deals!

Aritzia's Warehouse Sale is an entirely new playing field. For those of you who have attended, you know exactly what I am talking about. The entire lower level of the Vancouver Conventions Centre is taken over by Aritzia.... it is a HUGE SPACE! The line for the sale wraps around outside along the waterfront. If you go early in the mornings, expect to be waiting around 40 to 60 mins outdoors and probably another 45 mins indoors. Once you make it to the entrance of the sale itself, you will be asked to check in your handbags/purses/backpacks. Do not worry, they have a very good system and in all my years, they have not had any trouble finding my belongings. They will also return your purse before you head to the cashiers. 

Since you are shopping rows upon rows upon rows of discounted amazing spring summer pieces, here are some specific tips to mastering Aritzia's Annual Warehouse Sale.

• Bring an empty large tote bag (if it is empty, you can bring it in) - you will be surprised how quick you will accumulate items you potentially may want to buy. Throw them in your bag and you will have both arms free to continue browsing the aisles. 
• Really do go into Aritzia prior to and try on some of their clothes to find out your sizing. So you do not have to carry around multiple sizes to try on later!
• There are no private changing rooms. There is an area curtained off, but it is still a communal changing room. As well, many times, girls will just start trying on clothes around the perimeter of the room. If you do not feel comfortable baring it all, I suggest wearing a tight tank and leggings so you can try on things over top. BTW it also gets very very warm in there!
• Do not be afraid to do a round of the perimeter because a lot of the clothes that people decide to not take, end up in a giant pile that practically snakes around the entire room. You will probably find pieces that were brought out in the morning and therefore no longer found hanging on the racks. 
• Clothing will be brought in throughout the days everyday. So items that were there on day 2 will not necessarily be found on day 1 and vice versa. It is not a bad idea to peak back in on a second day.
• If you find a defect in an item (loose thread, missing button etc) or perhaps it is just dirty, do let the cashier know as they will reduce the price. 
• It is a lot more fun to go with a friend so you can get their second opinion on items you are not too sure of. Also, they may just help you stick by your budget by letting you know that you do NOT need five more pairs of jeans!

Hopefully my little tips and tricks to making the most out of the Aritzia Waresale helps you all snag some amazing new pieces for your closet at unbelievable prices. Fall is approaching quick so I plan on picking up some basic Ts, joggers and sweaters. I will be sure to share with all of you the clothes I pick up from the sale because I plan on going tomorrow after work. 

BYEs

Savvy Student | Cleansing my Closet through Consignment

Hi Dolls!

I recently wrote a smart list for YP on Vancouver's Top Consignment Shops for Designer Clothing and it has motivated me to take a second look at my own closet and ask myself, "do I really wear this anymore?" Turns out, I tend to only wear approximately a third of my closet and generally will stick to my favourites. Haha but I am not the only one! Approximately 90 percent of women do the same, we reach for our favourite outfits and ignore the rest. 

So I am cleansing my wardrobe and asking myself the hard question of am I going to wear this anytime soon? Have I worn this dress in the past year? If the answers are no, I am going to consign those pieces for cash to update my wardrobe! 

There are 6 luxury consignment stores listed on the smart list, but I am going to focus on my few favourites that are relevant to what I am looking for. There are a couple of stores on the list which solely focus on luxury handbags and accessories, so if you are looking for a pre-loved Chanel Boy Bag, then check out the full list! 

For those of you unfamiliar with Consignment it is when the company takes your clothing and it puts it on the sales floor. If the clothing sells within the set time frame, the company will give you the agreed upon percentage from the selling price. Unsold pieces are returned back to you. 

Many consignment stores also have the option of direct sell. Selling is exactly how it sounds. The company assesses your clothing and offers you an amount on the same day. So you do not have to worry about coming up and picking up your clothes if they do not sell within the consignment time frame. 

A Vancouver favourite as well as my favourite pre-loved fashion store is the the infamous Front & Company! If you have not been inside, you most likely have driven by their storefront on Main St and caught a glimpse of their elaborate window displays. The cardboard dragon was my favourite from Summer 2015! 

Front & Company is great because they only accept items for consignment that are no older than 2 years. Therefore, you will always find the latest trends on their racks. Along with pre-loved pieces, Front & Company has sample pieces as well as some new items from Vancouver-based companies such as Herschel. I love hunting for unique finds at Front & Company as they have a diverse range of brands from Missoni to Oak + Fort. I once found a men's Dolce & Gabanna cashmere coat for 120 bucks! That is an absolute steal! 

Though Front & Company has a diverse selection of brands, they keep their racks well stocked with pieces from Aritzia. This is perfect for me because my closet is probably 3/4 Aritzia.... #myAritzia!!! I even spoke to one of their sales associates and she told me Aritzia is their bread and butter, so they basically will accept any Aritzia item for consignment. Perfect for me as the clothes I am thinking of letting go are predominantly purchased form Aritzia. 

So hopefully in the coming weeks, I will go through my closet and consign my hardly worn Aritzia clothing for cash or probably even credit at Front & Company because I am sure I will find some pieces I love! 


My next favourite is only a few doors down from Front & Company and happens to be new comer to the eco-fashion scene in Vancouver, The Main Exchange. In their short time, Main Exchange has definitely established itself as a trendy boutique with amazing street fashion pieces. I love how owner Miranda Dendewich has a keen eye for trendy pieces and only pieces that pass her strict requirements make their way to the shelves. Only thing to note is that Main Exchange carries women's pieces only. 

Along South Granville, Turnabout Luxury Resale has been stealing our hearts for 36 years with their vast collection of pre-loved fashion and accessories. They also recently had their ribbon cutting party to their new 2 level flagship store! Super proud of owner Joy! 

I am not as familiar with Turnabout Luxury Resale as I am with the former two, but from what I can gather, fashionista's in Vancouver refer to Turnabout Luxury Resale as the Nordstrom of eco-fashion! Along with street style pieces, Turnabout Luxury Resale has pieces from internationally renowned fashion houses including coveted Chanel, Prada as well as Chloe. Turnabout offers two options for the pre-loved clothing you bring in, you can either consign or sell.

I plan on going through my closet this weekend and pick out the pieces I no longer wear. I will definitely put up pictures of all the pieces and let you know where I end up consigning them and if any of my pieces are not accepted by the store. Wish me luck! 

BYES

Savvy Student | Caring for Fresh Cut Flowers

Hey all you gorgeous dolls!

I am not a mushy person when it comes to showing affection, but what girl does not love to receive some beautiful fresh cut flowers for Valentine's day? In fact, the only thing I wanted for Valentine's day was a dozen creamy white locally grown long stemmed roses... YAAASSSSS 

Now that we have our beautiful bouquets of roses, carnations, tulips, and lillies and etc etc because there are so many beautiful flowers out there hehe, we want to keep them looking gorgeous as long as possible right? In fact, the reason why I love fresh cut flowers are because each time I walk past them, I cannot help myself, but smile. As well the fresh floral scent just lifts me up. They just make me happy! That is why, I try to grab fresh flowers every so often because they help brighten a stressful day for me. 

So how do you keep your gorgeous flowers looking amazing for as long as possible?

What I do know for certain is that shorter stemmed flowers will last longer! However, at the end of the day, a lot of it has to do on the type of flower you have and the specific species. For example, I found the white rose to last far longer then the lilac coloured roses I had for my Birthday Photo Shoot. 

As well, opt for locally grown flowers! Do not be afraid to ask your florist about which flowers in stock are grown locally. This is because flowers that are flown in from around the globe are generally traumatized as well, have already been cut a couple days prior to the local flowers. You will generally find the local flowers to last much longer. I have had locally grown white roses last upwards of 2 weeks, but the petals were smaller. But I was totally okay with that! 

Over the years, I have learned and picked up a few tips from florists. DISCLAIMER: I am by no means an expert! 

First thing first, keep your flowers in CLEAN water. Try to change the water every TWO day. But if you are lazy, try to change it when you see the water getting a little dirty, this includes fallen petals and leaves. This is because over time, those fallen petals are going to start decomposing and creating bacteria. A not so pleasant environment for flowers to thrive in. 

Use LUKE WARM water. When you use cold water, you shocking the flowers. Would you like it if someone dunked you into cold water? Also, not too hot water either. Flowers are sensitive :) 

Clip any new leaves and such that begin to grow on the stems. This is common for long stemmed roses. You want to be cutting off and cleaning the stems because again, those new leaves if they are under water, they are creating bacteria in the water. 

Keep your flowers in an area where they can get fresh air and sunlight. Places to really avoid are kitchens and bathrooms! I keep my flowers on the table by our front entrance. Plenty of sun there as well they get lots of fresh air with our front door being opened multiple times a day. As well since they are in an area that is not used much, no one will be knocking into the flowers. 

Flowers need FOOD! Most of the time, bouquets will come with flower food. However, it is generally only one packet and once you change the water, you have no more of the flower food to add in. A simple alternative is regular white sugar! Yup just sugar! Sugar gives the flowers glucose and allows them to photosynthesize energy from the sun! Just a small teaspoon mixed into luke warm water is perfect. 

Now my last suggestion is a little debated. It is trimming the stems. Some say to cut length wise up the stems, while others say just to chop a couple of centimetres off the bottom. Everyone has their own way of doing it. I personally just cut a couple of centimetres off the bottom every couple of days. This is to allow the flowers to soak up the food easier is what I have heard. 

I really hope this helped all of you and you can have your gorgeous Valentine's flowers looking breathtaking for weeks to come! Please do let me know in the comments below if you found this post helpful :) So I know that you guys like the Savvy Student Posts!

BYES

Savvy Student | Beat Boxing Day 2015!!!

Hey Dolls!

The official day for all shopaholics is vastly approaching as 2015 comes to a close, I am talking about Boxing Day! Many of us have been saving up and making mental notes on all the things we need... {okay more like want} ... so we can take advantage of the discounted prices this December 26th. Boxing day is a Saturday this year which might mean a bit of a crazier day as more people have the day off from work.

I thought I would put together a little list of TIPS to get the most out of this year's boxing day since you all loved my Aritzia Warehouse Sale TIPS so much! I am going to begin with some general tips and then talk about a few stores specifically {Sephora, Lush, Chapters Indigo, Victoria Secret, } and the items I am hoping to get a great deal on! 

GENERAL TIPS

•••Try on Sizes Prior To

You have a couple of days until boxing day and I highly suggest going in stores and trying on the clothing items you are wanting to grab. This way, you will not need to wait in the endless fitting room line and worry about missing out on deals at other stores. What I like to do is write down the sizes in a little notebook that I will have in my purse. Just pull it out, grab the items in the sizes that fit you and you are off to the cash register! As well, it just makes the whole experience far less stressful because you already know what you are grabbing and will not be stressing which size is better. 

This also will lend itself useful for my next TIP: 

•••Use the Internet!

We are lucky to live in a world where online shopping is at its easiest. Honestly, you can practically just sit in your bed sipping your morning latte as you plop a few things in your shopping cart and check out with a couple of clicks. No need to deal with crowds or the chaos that will sure to ensue in stores! How much easier and stress free can things get? Also, most stores will be offering free shipping during boxing day to lure in more potential buyers, so you will not even need to worry about having to pay for shipping! Double yay! 

One thing you can do if you unsure about sizing when purchasing online is order the same item in two sizes. Keep the one that fits and return the other. BUT be sure to check return and exchange policy at the store. Some stores like Aritzia, make sale items FINAL SALE. The good thing about being a loyal customer and getting to know the fabulous sales associates at stores means they will do you a favour and return or give your store credit regardless of the policy. 

•••Price Match

Many shops will price match within 14 days of purchase. If there is an item you really really really want, purchase it a week in advance. This will help put your mind at ease so you are not fretting over the item being sold out when you get to the shops on Boxing Day. This being said, generally larger companies and electronic stores do price match. I do not believe smaller boutiques and companies do. 

When I was shopping for my new Nikkor 50mm Lens, the sales associates at Broadway Camera suggested I purchase the lens now and come back boxing day to have it price matched. So please do check with the store if they do price match and if they will honour it on boxing day! 

STORE SPECIFICS

•••LUSH

Lush is infamous for not having products on sale. However, Lush makes an exception only for boxing day. I want to preface by saying only specific products are part of Lush's sale. I learned this last year when I went to the store with a list of items I was going to pick up, but was promptly disappointed. Lush uses boxing day as a way to clear out all of their holiday items and goodies. So this will include anything that was released for the holiday collection and if they have anything left over from hallowe'en. I was able to snag a few of those amazing pumpkin bath bombs from the sale last year! 

The sale: Buy One, Get One Free .... Continues until all of their sale products are sold. 

Please do pace yourself dolls! Since Lush products are made with natural ingredients, they expire within a year. Their Fresh Face masks expire within 2 weeks! Nothing is worse then having amazing products that you spent your hard earned money go into the trash :( It really breaks my heart. 

••• Sephora

Unlike other stores, Sephora's boxing day sale is limited to the day of December 26th, promptly ending when the clock strikes 12. The sale is online and indoors and it really is a good time to pick up splurge items. A lot of their gift sets will have huge discounts -- nearly 50% off. That is a huge! 

I do prefer shopping online for Sephora because you can choose some free samples and there are some other great codes on their website. For example, at this time if you make a purchase of $25, using the code MINKLASH will get you a free deluxe sample of benefit's They Are Real!  

••• Aritzia

Aritzia sells great clothes, but can be a little out of budget for many of us. They generally will have everything on sale for boxing day, but it expect only $5-$10 off an item. A few specific items will be discounted more. 

••• Victoria Secret

Expect some great deals on Bras and Underwear. I am hoping the underwear is 9 for $25! These are daily female necessities, so it is always nice when we can get a super nice Victoria Secret bra for a little cheaper. 

What I am Hoping To Pick Up!

I definitely have a huge amount of clothes, shoes, accessories, you name it, I probably have it. So I am not planning on going crazy during Boxing Day. Instead, I am going to grab some items that I use daily like shower products, skin care etc. 

From Sephora, I am going to be picking up the 1L bottle of Bumble & Bumble Gentle Shampoo. The 1L bottle is the best deal and on boxing day, there is always a bit of discount on it! BB problems am I right? Why do their hair products have to be so darn amazing?!?!

I will be grabbing some shower jellies and perhaps a couple of bath bombs from Lush. I am not picky on scents and colours so I am sure I find some that I like on sale. 

I have been wanting a pair of leather vans for far too long. I think I might just pick-up a pair from Nordstrom if there is a slight discount. 

SWEATERS! Okay, so I have a lot of sweaters, I know..... but Aritzia's merino wool sweaters are just so darn soft and cozy and I cannot help myself.... 

Lastly, going to hit up Victoria Secret to grab some underwear on the cheap. Its a daily necessity and a completely justified purchase!!!

Hope this helped dolls!

BYES

Savvy Student | Shop Local Discounts for Black Friday!

Hi Dolls!

November is coming to an end which means, the holidays are only a blink of an eye away. However, Black Friday is also only a day away for us to get some great savings on presents for our friends and families! 

This morning I was reading in the newspaper how consumers are more likely to turn to e-shopping to avoid the chaos and past traumatizing stories of shoppers being trampled during Black Friday. However, when consumers turn to the web to get great savings, many local artisans and companies are missed. That is because larger over the border (USA) companies tend to have a better online shopping experience. There is nothing wrong with getting your Nars fix from Sephora; however, there are some really great fabulous local brands and companies offering equally great discounts as the big over the border companies. 

These are some of my top picks for local- and Canadian-based company black Friday savings! And for those who prefer to online shop, I have some discount codes for you too! 
Also, in Vancouver, this Saturday November 28 is Shop The Neighbourhood Day! These discounts are an added bonus to the already fabulous savings you can get this Black Friday - which kind of is more a weekend of savings! You will need to download the YP Shopwise app to access the savings. But since I love you all, I have taken the liberty of sifting through the app and picking my favourite stores that are participating. 

I know it may seem a little early for holiday shopping; however, if I can get a good discount, then I would be able to gift more items! Versus my entire budget going towards one item. There is nothing wrong with shopping smart! 

Everything is down below! I might be adding more as stores release more discounts! These are just shops I would consider purchasing from :) 

BYES


Black Friday/Weekend Savings:

Arrow House | 20% Off

Kardz Kouture | 40% off $20 purchase (BFRIDAY)

Paper Felt | 25% off (BLACKFRIDAY)

Lil Fox Shop | 15% off (SHOPSMALLCA)

The Latest Scoop | 20% off everything black

Party Skirts | $20 off

Hills of Kerrisdale | Receive a $25 GiftCard when you spend $100 or more
Shop The Neighbourhood Saturday November 28th

XO Bella | 25% everything in store

Middle Sister Boutique | 25% off select merchandise 

Wishlist Boutique | 20% off on candles and beauty products

Front & Company | 25% off new Native Shoes

Lute Boutique | 20% off mens & women's clothing

Nineteen Ten Boutique | 20% off stationary

Savvy Student | Hallowe'en Costumes that Add to your Closet!

Hey Dolls!

Gosh, can you believe it, we are almost at the end of October which means Hallowe'en! True, I may be too old to go trick or treating, but you are never too old to dress up! I think it is absolutely silly to invest a large amount of money into a costume that you will only wear once because it is a total fashion faux pas to wear that exact same costume again next year. 

Be savvy this October 31st and use dressing up as an excuse to add new pieces to your wardrobe! Unless you really want to dress up as a fat pumpkin (aka me!). Pick a recognizable character or pop-culture icon and you will be surprised how easy it is to dress up like them. You may even realize how many items for the outfit you already have. 

Cute Minion | a pair of denim overalls + a yellow shirt + black gloves + cute pair of glasses 
Yup, an excellent excuse to add some denim dungarees to my closet. 

Wednesday Adams | little black dress + collared white shirt underneath
If you use an oversized white button up collared shirt, just slip on some white socks and you are Tom Cruise from Risky Business! 

Lady Gaga from the Telephone Music Video | black pleather leggings + black shirt + black leather jacket + empty coke cans to put in your hair
This is probably one of the only outfits of Lady Gaga's you will be able to do with a regular clothing because I am unsure if you will be wearing armadillo heels and a balloon dress to class. 

Ballerina | tulle skirt + cute top + ballet flats (that are criss-cross ankle lace ups!)+ do your hair in a bun
YES! I have been wanting to get a tulle skirt for so long and this may just be the perfect excuse to finally go out and get a fun tulle skirt. 

And if all else fails, just do it the mean girls way. 

Image taken from: http://www.polyvore.com/mean_girls_icon_regina/thing?id=26608435 

Be prepared to sacrifice a white tank! "How many of you have felt personally victimized by Regina George?" Classic movie! I think I will be watching it this Hallowe'en! 

Let me know what you go as this hallowe'en! 

BYES

Savvy Student | Tips & Ways to Save Even MORE at the Aritzia Warehouse Sale

2 1/2 hours of waiting, 3 hours of shopping later, I emerged victorious with two bags of goodies! 

Hello Dolls!

Gosh, today has been an absolutely crazy day. Also I feel as though I have been blogging non-stop a bit. 

I attended the 2015 Aritzia Warehouse Sale this morning, September 3, 2015, and it was madness! I wanted close to 2 and a 1/2 hours in line to get in. Did I mention that the first half of the line is outside along the seawall and today is a cold day and even colder when you have the breeze blowing in from the water! 

In the post prior to this one, I teased you all about how I actually paid less for two items then their marked sale price. This is how and why!

BTW I had the most fabulous cashiers help me so they are the reason I got such a great bargain! Shout out to @zentaxx !! Cannot believe you found me on instagram without even knowing my name!!! 

1 | The Denim Top! The marked sale price was $24.99 from $75; however, I actually paid $10.00. Pretty crazy deal eh! It had a few tears on the back of the shoulders, probably during unpacking. I quickly checked on my phone if this shirt was meant to have tears, but the pictures did not show any. Since it is a denim top and a lot of denim tends to have the ripped style these days, it did not bother me much. Especially since in the winter I would be wearing a sweater over top so no one would even see rips.  

At the register, I simply showed the sales associates that the shirt had tears, but told them I am willing to pay $5 - always give a low offer first if you are trying to barter! - she countered with $10 so I said SOLD! Hehe

Its a really nice Denim Top from Aritzia and their quality is always fabulous. I do not mind if this top does not lasts me a year because I paid only $10 for it! 

2 | The gorgeous Milky White 100% Marino Wool Wilfred Cardigan Sweater. This sweater only had its regular price on it and not its "Sale" price. At the cash register I asked the Sales Associates what the price would be. She said all the Wilfred Sweaters are marked down to $59 dollars, but she would give it to me for $49! 

I do not know how or why she offered me $10 dollars off and if she even has the authority. All I know is that I got another $10 dollars off so I was happy and it seemed like a win win situation since they got to make a sale. 

Those are two scenarios in which I was able to save a total of $35 dollars MORE! So do not be shy to barter a bit because the hustle is generally worth it. This sale is so chaotic that I feel the associates are just tired and overwhelmed and Aritzia might just want to get rid of all their past season stock. 

Some TIPS I have in making your life easier at this sale as well as not so overwhelming are:

{1} Wear easy slip on shoes, tights/leggings and a tight tank. 

The changing room is just a space covered off and it is just communal. Girls just throw clothes on and off. I did not even go in the changing rooms this year because it is just a claustrophobic chaos zone. I just tried on clothes overtop my tights and tank. It worked out perfectly and I did not need to be standing amongst racks in my bra and panties. Unfortunately, the majority of the girls did not come with a plan and were just changing everywhere. The perimeter and the middle of the warehouse was turned into a changing zone for all the girls haha. I think I saw more boobies and butts then ever in my entire life. 
So if you do not want to be awkwardly trying on clothes in a crazy overwhelming warehouse where everyone can see you, wear something that allows you to try clothes overtop. 

{2} Bring a Re-Useable Grocery Bag

I did not do this; however, I have learnt from my mistakes and am now sharing it with you! 

Because there are a million clothes there and you kind of just want to go through all of the racks and just gather all the clothing you like prior to trying them on, you end up with a huge heavy bundle of clothes in your arms. It is NOT fun! You are in this hot overwhelming environment where clothes and hangers are just piled all over the floor amongst the racks and they have music just booming through the speakers. How are you suppose to find all the awesome deals when you have your arms full with clothes? 

I saw some pretty great McGyvering on some girls' parts. They decided to take the cardboard boxes which staff were unpacking clothes from and dragged the box behind them as they shopped. Some girls created a "chain/rope" by linking together hangers and hooking it to the cardboard box making it easier for them to drag it along. Other girls just simply awkwardly carried heavy boxes between the aisles. 

I luckily found a big bag and just stuffed all my clothes in their and carried it with me as perused the racks on racks. But I got LUCKY! You are going to be so happy that you brought a big bag along with you to use as while you shop! Your Welcome Hehe

{3} Bring a FRIEND! I waited for 2 and a 1/2 hours in line. That is a LONG wait. Having a friend to chat with makes the time go by so much faster. Plus, its always great to have a second opinion when you are trying to decide what to buy. 

{4} Check the WEATHER NETWORK! I had to wait more then an hour outside in the freezing cold this morning. I came prepared with a  raincoat and warm clothes as the weather network showed. Thankfully it did not rain when I was waiting; however, when I left the sale, it was torrential downpour. Imagine being stick in that for an hour! 

Let me know if you have any Tips or Tricks on making the most out of the Aritzia Warehouse Sale! 

As well PLEASE be nice to all of the staff at the warehouse sale. Just imagine how overwhelming and tiring it is for them to be literally bending down and picking up clothes from the floor and rehanging them over and over and over again - I know everyone of you who attends did contribute to the massive floor piles! So show them some love and they might just give you a better deal :) 

BYES

Savvy Student: Chipotle LOVE

Hey Dolls, 
I LOVE FOOD and my favourite cuisine is MEXICAN! Tacos YES PLEASE! And guacomole YUMMMM because avocados are what make the world better!

If you live in Vancouver, you would know we were given our very own Chipotle Location two years ago! However, the struggle can be hard as Chipotle is so delicious, yet on the pricier end of the quick grab foods. Furthermore, it is even more difficult and saddening when you are coming to the end of your delicious burrito. 

Here is a Savvy Student tip to help you get the most Chipotle food!

Chipotle has one single pricing for the meats/veg choice and the style of meal you like. So if its a chicken burrito or a tofu burrito bowl, it will cost exactly the same! You can also get a mixture of meats - my favourite is half sofrita (Tofu mixture!) and half chicken! YUMMY! Generally, most food places do not like it when you ask for half and half and at times state there will be an extra charge, but NOPE! Not at chipotle, you get that chicken with steak or double steak!

However, you will have noticed there is a portion size difference between the burrito, soft/hard tacos and the burrito bowl. 

Portion Sizes:
Soft/Hard Taco < Burrito < Burrito Bowl

It is wisest to choose the burrito bowl, but here is the secret - you can ask for your tortilla or tacos on the side! YES! They will with no extra charge give you a warm tortilla wrap on the side with your burrito bowl. They are so cute they wrap the warmed tortillas in aluminum foil. 

VOILA! Now you are getting much more filling and also get to build your own tacos or burritos!!!!!!!!! 

BYES

Savvy Student: Free YOGA!

Hey Dolls!
Winter has turned into Spring and that means Summer will be upon us shortly. In preparation for Summer, many of us are working on getting our bodies toned and fit to look amazing in our shorts and crop tops. Unfortunately, when you are a student, we do have a limited budget and cannot afford many fitness options such as Yoga. 

Many yoga studio fees are around $20+tax for drop ins and annual memberships exceeding $1000! Now that is very costly and a gym membership can be a third of that price. But yoga is just so great, gets finding our rhythm and increasing our range of motion and not to mention, adorable yoga outfits!

So now you may be wondering... Free Yoga? YUP! You can get free yoga, as much free yoga as you want. Many yoga studios have a volunteer program where they have a volunteer doing the regular tasks a front desk employee would do. I believe it is quite smart on their business end. 

For me, I volunteer at YYoga. The commitment is 4hrs per week for each volunteer. We have a set schedule, same time and day each week; therefore, you do not have to be worrying about fitting it into your schedule. 

My duties as a volunteer are:

• Refilling the tea and washing the tea cups
• Dry mopping the studio after a yoga class ends
• Setting the humidity and temperature before each yoga class
• Folding the laundry (towels and mat towels)
• Spraying down rental mats and rolling them

That is it! The tasks only keep me busy for about an hour and half to two hours. For the rest of the two hours I do some homework, blog and just chill out! When it is very quiet around the studio, I am able to sneak in a yoga class during my volunteer shift too hehe :) 

I can attend any and all classes for the rest of the week for FREE as long as I keep doing my volunteer shifts!

Contact your local yoga studies, enquire about volunteer positions if you want to do yoga, but the costs exceed your affordability. Please note, volunteer duties vary at each location and Yoga company. 

Have fun dolls! Namaste 

BYES