Purchasing a Refurbished MacBook Air

14 December 2016

101 in 1001

Purchasing a Refurbished MacBook Air

A couple weeks ago, you may have read a post I wrote talking about accidentally ruining my MacBook Pro. I really don't want to get into the details of my clumsy-ness again, but I will say, I was debating between 3 options: buying a completely new laptop, a used one off someone, or purchasing a refurbished. And, as you can tell by the title of this post, I chose the refurbished route, and got myself a MacBook Air!

I'll be honest, I didn't even know Apple had a refurbished products available for purchase. I mean, I was never the type of shopper to check out deals online growing up. I followed suit with my parents, and just found and compared sales through flyers that came to the house weekly. It was really only until the end of my high school and beginning of university I found myself doing more and more online research and comparisons. And, even then, I still didn't know about refurbished products until after both my sister and I got MacBook Pro's... 

But, since this time around purchasing a new laptop would be coming from my pockets (and not my parent's wallet), I really wanted to sure I got the best possible deal without emptying the bank.

Navigating through the Apple's website was easy enough. Although they didn't have a specific tab linking to the refurbished section, searching "refurbished" was simple enough to get you to that page. And, from there, Apple had a wide selection of items that were available for at least 15% off regular price. 

During the time of my search, Black Friday and Cyber Monday was quickly approaching. So, my research consisted of comparing models of MacBook pros, and learning about the minor details of GB and onboard memory (and more tech mumbo-jumbo) before really committing to purchasing a laptop. Also, everyone told me to wait a bit to see the kind of sales Black Friday weekend would have, just in case. Made sense to me. 

However, as Black Friday/Cyber Monday arrived, I realized they sales were pretty much only consisted of 10% off regular price.... So, I made a decision to go ahead with purchasing a refurbished. Only... by the time I went back to Apple's site, all the Pro's were gone. And, I was left with the 12" MacBooks, and the Airs...

Back to research...

I ended up doing comparison research weighing the pros and cons of all 3 models of MacBooks. After the end of my research, I decided to go with Air. I mean, the main purpose of purchasing a new laptop for school was for school. So, I was really keen on battery life and memory space for documents. Plus, I already had a Pro... If I got another one, it won't feel as new... does that make sense? Plus, the 12" macbook's just didn't make sense to me... only 1 USB port? Really? 

I ended up selecting the Air from March 2015 with 8GB and I forget the other tech details, but pretty much the same details as a new laptop.

The best part was saving 15% off the price of a new laptop, plus free pickup. I mean, they did have the option for free shipping, but my house, and the other house with the same street name but different ending (i.e., I live on Crescent, and they live on Avenue) have been getting our mail mixed. Didn't want the risk of having my package sent to them. 

Oooo, better yet, although they estimated a shipping date/pickup date that was nearly 2 weeks from the day I purchased the Air online, my item was available for pick up within days. So, it was a nice surprise!

I never bought an Apple product from the Apple Store before. In the past, we would buy our products at a local Best Buy because of "deals" plus it was just closer to home. So, I was surprised when an apple employee put my boxed MacBook Air into the cutest string bag with an Apple logo. Never had anything like that before.

Also, from my online research of Apple refurb products, one con many people mentioned was the packaging. They didn't get that thrill of unboxing their apple products. But, to my surprise, mine came with a box and everything that clearly stated MacBook Air with the addition of "Apple Certified Refurbished" right at the bottom.  And unboxing felt just as good when I first unboxed my pro years ago!

When you open the box, you are first shown the laptop itself. Underneath, you have a booklet with information about the product, a plug adapter and charger. And, with that said, everything was in order and nothing was missing. 

I experienced no problems with the start up. It was quick an simple. And, transferring some information and documents from my Pro to the Air was just as simple. I thought a lot of work for be needed, but the company really thought of everything. 

I immediately saw the difference in weight between both the Pro and the Air. The Air is noticeably lighter and thinner. The frame on the Air around the screen was silver as opposed to black found on the Pro. The battery life on my Air is notably long lasting (up to 12 hours) than my Pro... but, then again, I've had my Pro for a while. I also find the Air MUCH faster, which I'm really happy about. Other than that, everything else was the same. 

The keyboard is exactly the same, which I love! I'm not a fan of the new keyboard look you find on the 12" MacBook. So, it was nice to be able to use some of the keyboard covers I previously bought and used for my Pro on the Air.

Overall, it has been week since setting up and using my Air! And, I am absolutely in love with it. I even purchased a hot-pink laptop cover with matching keyboard cover just to give some life. Like I said, I haven't experienced any problems with it, which I'm really happy about. But, even if I do, I am not worried whatsoever because I got Apple warranty for free for a year!  Follow

Read article

Shopping Online: Kate Spade Wallet

08 April 2016

kate spade

Shopping Online: Kate Spade Wallet

* this is not a sponsored post *

As I was spring cleaning some of my saved drafts, I realized that I've had this post. Ready. To publish. Since December. Why I didn't post it? I'm not sure. So... I decided not to let this post go to waste and finally sharing this with you all today!

Like I've mentioned in previous posts, I love my Kate Spade products. But, being a full-time student with a part-time job... I'm not entirely in love with their prices. So, I usually end up buying Kate Spade products either at their outlet stores, or whenever they have surprise online sale. And, since I am a sucker for online sales, I ended up making another purchase...

DETAILS
Date of Purchase: November 24, 2015
Where? Online at Kate Spade!

Purchased: Wellesley Neda (Navy Blue)
* The navy blue in currently not in stock, but here is their neon turquoise and pillbox red *

Once again, Kate Spade never seems to disappoint! I've been using this wallet since it's arrival, and I've had nothing but good great experiences. 

First off, I love the size of the wallet. It is long enough to carry and hold more then enough cards (i.e., credit cards, store membership cards) on one side of the wallet. So, if you literally carry a store membership card to every store you shop at, and have tons of credit cards, well, this wallet is clearly for you. 

I also love how there are open spaces to keep your cash on one side, and more space to hold recipes on  the other. And, right in the centre, there is a zipper pocket to keep few (or a lot) of your coins! Talk about a lot useful storage. Or, in my case, a lot of storage to keep useless crap in.

 Let's take a look at how much I spent...

Original Price: $198.00 (before taxes)

Total Spend: $80.00 (before taxes)

Total SAVINGS: $118.00!

Like I said, I have nothing but great things to say about this purchase, and especially the wallet! And, I think you'll agree with me, the price was just as great!

Follow

Read article

Kylie Lip Kit by Kylie Cosmetics | Review + VIDEO

18 March 2016

beauty

Kylie Lip Kit by Kylie Cosmetics | Review + VIDEO

GUESS WHAT?!
I FINALLY got lucky enough to get my hands on all 7 of the Kylie Lip Kit from Kylie Jenner's makeup brad, Kylie Cosmetics! If you've been trying to get your hands on these since December, then you'd already know how quickly these lip kits have been selling out! That's why I said I was lucky. But, because demand is really high for these, I ended up making 2 separate transactions in order to get all 7! 
So... I thought it would be fun to make a video for you guys! So, pretty much EVERYTHING I would have said in this blog post is in the video. I also tried on EACH lip kit colour for you all to see, and hopefully give you a better sense of how these colours would look on someone with a lighter brown skin tone. 

Any who, each lip kit includes a liquid lipstick and a lip liner, retailing for the price of $29 USD. Pretty great deal if you ask me.... especially since you are getting BOTH.

Overall, I really love the formula and the available colours! My favourites have to be Posie K, Dolce K, and Mary Jo K! Oh, and I have to say, 22 is growing on me, don't be surprise if that will be my go-to summer fave!

Have you tried Lip Kit?? Which ones are your favourite?

Follow

Read article

E.L.F. Online Shopping Haul

11 March 2016

beauty

E.L.F. Online Shopping Haul

*this is not a sponsored post!*

Lately, I've been making more of a conscious effort to purchase and use that are animal cruelty free. And, being a student with a part-time job, it was just not practical and realistic for me to get rid of everything an start a new. My plan, instead, was to slowly and surely finish what I already have, and start slowly stacking up on new product.

I did a lot of research, and to my surprise, there are actually a lot of companies that do not test or hurt animals in any way shape or form. Like I said, I'm a full-time student with a part-time job... I was on a budget and decided to try a bunch of products from E.L.F (Eyes, Lips, and Face) Cosmetics.

DETAILS

Date of purchase: December 17, 2015 

Where? Online at E.L.F. Cosmetics 

At the time of my purchase, Target no longer exists in Canada, and Target was pretty much the only place in Canada you could buy these cosmetics. SUCKS. I had no choice and was left with purchasing a haul online. I was a bit nervous because I had to basically guess which pigmentation would look best for me... especially the foundation.

Items Purchased:

Eyebrow Kit - $3 USD 
I have to admit, when I was deciding to purchase this, the hardest part was selecting which shade would look best for me. At the end, I chose the medium shade, and I have to say this, I am EXTREMELY happy with this product. This is definitely a must have. The only con I have, is that I really (or rarely) use the powder part, mostly just the gel.

Blush - $3 USD 
I was excited about this one. After watching a few youtube reviews, a lot of beauty gurus had great things to say about the blushes (and the different shades). One thing I kept hearing was how pigmented the pigs were, and how lovely it showed on their skin. I needed a new blush anyways, so I decided why not! Turns out, I LOVE IT. Not too blatantly pink, but noticeable at the same time. Oh, I ended up purchasing the shade Tickeled Pink! 

Contour Palette - $6 USD 
When I saw this online, I was really excited to get my hands on this. I didn't really see any reviews on this particular products, besides the reviews on the actual E.L.F. website, so, I was a bit nervous. After trying it ONCE, I have to say, I did not like it. It was very messy and wore off easily. I do have to say, the they did have great pigmentation. It was just a complete miss for me, however.

Matte Lip Color - $3 USD 
I LOVED THIS. This is a must have, and I cannot believe how easy it was to apply it! I loved how it looked as if I applied lipstick on instead of this lip pencil. This was a great product. Nothing bad to say! I got the colour Scarlet Night which was a nice tone of purple; and it was bold, which was perfect for the season fall.

EX-tra Lip Gloss - $2 USD 
I purchased the color Luke, which was a nice tone of purple. (Could you tell I was really shopping for the cold season?). So where do I begin with this? Depending on my mood and the look I am going for, this product was both hit and miss for me. HIT because it has such a beautiful pigmentation; MISS because it didn't last as long on my as I expected...

Illuminating Mist and Set - $4 USD
I can honestly say I used this product a total of 3 times. I personally like it! It definitely holds my makeup in place. The only CON about this product is that I feel it makes my face look glittery.

Daily Brush Cleaner - $3 USD
Honestly, I haven't used this product yet. I really need to find the time to thoroughly clean my makeup brushes first, before I start using them again to apply makeup, and THEN use the daily brush cleaner. Something I really need to get a move on with.

Acne Fighting Foundation - $6 USD I have to say, I was really impressed with this foundation! It was not greasy at all, which is a HUGE plus for me, and it has GREAT coverage. It really does help cover redness, acne and the acne scars I have. I haven't experienced any breakouts, but I did read others who did. 
So, I think it really depends on skin type. One CON I have to say is that after a while, my T-zone does get a bit oily/shiny. But, dabbing it or applying powder can easily fix it. This is hands down my NEW favourite foundation. I will gladly spend shipping fees just to have this product in my hands. I LOVE IT!
P.S. for this purchase, I ended up buying 2 different colours because I didn't know which would look best with my skin tone since I was purchasing online. I ended up purchasing coffee and caramel. Coffee was a bit dark on me; but caramel is literally my PERFECT shade. 

Ultimate Blending Brush - $6 USD I haven't used this product yet -- not really sure as to why. But, I did read and watch GREAT reviews! 
11 Piece Brush Collection - $30.00 USD This 11 piece set includes a case, eyeshadow brush, complexion brush, small angled brush, small smudge brush, fan brush, powder brush, angled foundation brush, concealer brush, small precision brush, blush brush, and contour brush. Haven't used all of them yet -- but, I'm getting to it. So, expect a review for this shortly ;)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall, I honestly have to say that I am HAPPY with my purchases from E.L.F. Yes, there are some cons, but I personally experienced a lot of pros. Going cruelty free wasn't as hard as I thought, and I found just as good, if not better products from a company that doesn't test on animals than products that do. 
Have you tried E.L.F. products before? Which ones do you want to try?  Follow

Read article

Cyber Monday: The Body Shop

08 January 2016

beauty

Cyber Monday: The Body Shop

First off, I know my title says Monday, and today is obviously Friday.... sorry but, this is a late post as I made this purchase on Cyber Monday, a really long time ago, oops! Regardless, I saved a lot on this purchase, and I thought that I would take the tim  e to share it with you all.

DETAILS

Date of purchase: November 30, 2015 

Where? Online at The Body Shop 

For cyber Monday, the Body Shop offered 50% SITE WIDE. As a frequent shopper at the body shop, I thought that this was a great deal, and I didn't stop myself from stocking up on some of the favourites. On top of that, they were offering free shipping for purchases over $60.00, and offered free samples for purchases over $75.00.

Along with the site-wide promotions, I am a store member, which entitles me to 10% off of my purchase.  Also, I had a store promo code (at that time) that took an additional $15.00 off of purchases over $65.00. So, I ultimately decided that it was time to pull the credit card out of my wallet, and make the purchase! 

Items Purchased:

1. Camomile Range Muslin Cleansing Cloth (reg: $5.00; sale: $2.50) x2
2. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash (reg: $12.00; sale: $6.00) x2
3. Paddle Hairbrush (reg: $12.00; sale: $6.00) x1
4. Skin Primer Matte It (reg: $16.00; sale: $8.00) x6
5. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser (reg: $13.00; sale: $6.50) x1

I'm happy with my purchases! I'm even happier at how much I ultimately saved ;)

Original Price: $155.00 (before taxes)

Total Spent: $45.75 (before taxes) 

Total SAVINGS: $109.25

Read article

Kate Spade SURPRISE Sale!

24 November 2015

kate spade

Kate Spade SURPRISE Sale!

KATE SPADE SUPRISE SALE

Hey guys!  The last time I spoke about my most recent Kate Spade purchase, a lot of you were stunned and amazed at how much I spent on my actual purchase! (Read the post HERE) And, surprisingly, I had no idea that there were a lot of you who were unaware about the amazing deals Kate Spade has during their surprise sale!

So, I thought this would be a great time to tell you that Kate Spade is having another Surprise Sale! No, really, they are, and it is just before Black Friday/Cyber Monday. So, you can easily skip the long line ups at the stores on those days, and actually sit at the comfort of you bed and purchase items that are up to 75% off! 

These are the few items I'm eyeing for either myself, or as a Christmas gift for my mom and sister:

Wallets:

Penn Valley Need // Berkeley Lane Neda 

• Penn Valley Need $158.00 $49.00
• Berkeley Lane Neda $198.00 $79.00

Handbags: 

Southport Avenue Small Jenny // Newbury Lane Cassie

• Southport Avenue Small Jenny $348.00 $129.00
• Newbury Lane Cassie $398.00 $99.00

Jewelry:

Skinny Mini Pave Bow Bangle // Lucky Streak Dice Bangle

• Skinny Mini Pave Bow Bangle $88.00 $29.00
• Lucky Streak Dice Bangle $78.00 $29.00

For the simple of ease, sign into the sale with the email you use all the time. That is the email they will use to notify you of future sales the they may have! 

Have you checked out the sale yet? What are some of your favourites?

Read article

Shopping Online: The Body Shop

06 November 2015

beauty

Shopping Online: The Body Shop

Happy Friday, friends! Today's post is going to get straight to the point, especially since it is a gloomy Friday. Don't really want to keep anyone away from making a nice bowl of popcorn and watching some Netflix! I know I will (except for the popcorn part! aha).

Anyways, the other day I made another purchase online, and this time it was from The Body Shop. Nowadays, with almost everyone's favourite cosmetic brands easily testing on animals, one of the main reasons I love shopping at this store is because they DO NOT TEST ON ANIMALS  as certified by Cruelty Free International. With Penelope (my bunny) in my life, I'm slowly become more and more conscious on what I put on my face. Especially eye products, I think its so unfair the way they treat bunnies :(

This time around, I decided to stick to the essentials (instead of buying something for the blog). Common, let's be real. Sometimes we have those tendencies to buy something just to blog about something in a later date. But, like i said, with the deal I was faced with, I decided to stick to what I really needed, and this involved VITAMIN E products for my body and face. 

The store and online store promotion they were having that week of my purchase was BUY 3 get 3 FREE. I mean, I could have easily gone to the store and purchased it there, but during the last 24 hours of this promotion sale, they offered FREE SHIPPING. Soo, I ultimately decided to be lazy and save a trip to the mall! 

Items Purchased:

1. Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream (regular: $20.00)
2. Vitamin E Body Butter (regular: $20.00)

And, as you could see the statement that was emailed to me, I SAVED a lot. Don't believe me? Just check it out below! 

So, I decided to calculate. By the look of my purchase confirmation (photo above) I literally got 6 items for the value of 3! Let's take a look at it this way:

Original Price: $120.00 (before taxes w/o shipping)

Total Spend: $60.00 (before taxes w/o shipping)

Total SAVINGS: $60.00!

ONLINE SHOPPING TIP:

I know at times emails can be seriously annoying, but I really find that if you take the time to read each email through, you will be surprised at the AMAZING details a store is either having online or in stores, or even both! So, definitely take the time to check those out, especially with The Body Shop. I always find them having amazing deals to look forward to every week!

Read article

Shopping Online: Saving with Kate Spade!

20 October 2015

kate spade

Shopping Online: Saving with Kate Spade!

Happy Monday, friends! Today, I'm going to talk about a recent purchase online. And, based on the picture above... you've guessed it! It is a Kate Spade purchase! Even better, it was a purchase from the Surprise Sale that Kate Spade had just last month. (So yea... this is  somewhat of a late post)!

My cousin celebrated her 21st birthday just last month, and my sister and I decided to get her a purse as a gift. We weren't exactly sure which name brand to purchase, but somehow, luckily, on the day I actually decided to open some of the emails I receive from stores, I saw an email notifying me about the Surprise Sale on Kate Spade's website! Too much of our excitement, we hit the website ASAP and decided to buy her a bag right then and there! 

Purchased: Wellesley Durham (black)

     *Currently can't find black on the website, but they have it in red!*

The purchase arrived about a week after placing the order. And, because we ordered two bags (I'll talk about the second one in a separate post), the bags came in a BIG BOX. Like really big... Inside the box, were the bags covered in a plastic covering, and cushioned with a few airbags. Not bad I thought, a great way to ensure the bag does get damaged during delivery!

The bag was honestly stunning! I instantly fell in love with the bag, that I actually hesitated to wrap this gift for my cousin. Like, I wanted to keep this bag for myself! 

One thing that I was disappointed about (and I didn't know if this is a thing they do or not), but there was no Kate Spade dust bag provided. I know when you purchase a bag from the store, they usually provide you with a dust bag, so I was a bit surprised we didn't receive that... 

But, I soon didn't mind that downside when I realized how much I saved...

Original Price: $398.00 (before taxes)

Total Spend: $139.00 (before taxes)

Total SAVINGS: $259.00!

SO, I guess I (well, my cousin) can live without the dustbag since I saved BIG on one bag ;) 

P.S. She iterally teared when we gave her the bag. She was just super happy, and I was happy she liked it! 

Read article

Winners Fab Find: Kate Spade Wallet

12 August 2015

fashion

Winners Fab Find: Kate Spade Wallet

Have I ever told you I love Kate Spade? I love Kate Spade products so much to the point where I'd bought Kate Spade items for friends as well, so they can also enjoy the line. However, at normal Kate Spade stores, items can be a bit pricey, especially if you're a full-time student with a part-time job. 

I've recently discovered a Kate Spade outlet store (almost) near by my house. I'd say it is less than an hour by high way drive from here. I personally like the sales there! Most of the items were around 30% off, which of course seems like a sale to a gal like me! So, I decided that in the near future I would go back and get myself a wallet, and possibly a wallet for my cousin's birthday. 

Anyways, see the Kate Spade wallet above? I got that for such a steal at Winners! For my American followers who may have never heard of Winners, it is essentially your Marshalls. In fact, here in Canada, Winners, Marshals and Homesense are all under the same company. So, for those familiar with Marshalls, Winners is very similar! And, Winners never seem to disappoint when it comes to finding great deals for brand name items. 

When I saw this Kate Spade Wallet, I was actually shocked at the price reduction! At first, I genuinely thought that there may have been damage, due to the reduction of the price, however, because there was no "AS IS" stamped on the price ticket, it was too good to pass up. So, I literally purchased this adorable bowed- wallet in that instance. 

What I love about it, and all wallets, is the make of it. It is really practical, having a zipper inside for coins, lots of space for cash and the occasional receipts I throw in my wallet, and it can be held as a wristlet! A perfect combination, for me of course! 

P.S. For those who want to know the actual name of the item, its called Kate Spade Valencia Mara Wallet Wristlets Bow! I couldn't find a link on the Kate Spade website, I did however find a lot of others selling their on eBay.. click HERE to see those and their price ranges! 

I think you'll agree with me when I say for the 100th time, I got this wallet for such a steal.

Read article