7 Blogging Shortcuts You Should Never Ever Take

7 BLOGGING SHORTCUTS YOU SHOULD NEVER EVER TAKE

1 | BUYING FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

This is one of the biggest shortcuts you can take in the blogosphere. Want 10,000 twitter followers? You could have that by this afternoon. But here’s why you shouldn’t: It’s pretty obvious and these aren’t the followers you want.

I’ve seen other bloggers do this, heck, even famous people do this. Unfortunately with bloggers, it’s even more obvious. It used to blow my mind occasionally – how did this relatively new blogger have 10,000 twitter followers? Is she really funny? Is everything she says re-tweetable? If that’s not the case, they probably bought followers.

You might even think it might give you some pull with companies for sponsored posts. Spoiler alert: they know that people can buy followers. These followers or fans aren’t usually real and therefore aren’t going to engage with you or your content – which is what you really want. It’s also what companies want. Plus, doesn’t buying followers just feel a little icky and dishonest?

2 | LETTING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA BE AUTO-UPDATED

If you’re a WordPress user (like me – here are 8 reasons I love WordPress) you can let WordPress do all the work for you in terms of updating social media. When I click “publish” on WordPress, my post updates are automatically published to Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Truth time – this is pretty much all I do with Facebook. And it shows! My engagement on Facebook is the lowest of all of my social media.

If you are going to use auto-update (as I do), make sure you are adding real-time content as well. If it’s just impossible for you to be super engaged on all social media platforms (which is hard to do if you’re balancing a full-time job or kids or both), pick one or two and really focus on those. I love Instagram and Twitter and I are pretty hot and cold. So yes, use the auto-update tools. But don’t exclusively use them.

3 | NOT PROOFREADING YOUR POSTS

While the average reader may not be turned off by the occasional spelling or grammatical error, brands will be. It’s the internet. You never know who might be looking at your site. If it’s someone who is considering working with you, you want to put your best foot forward. I re-read every post multiple times (I preview it and check out how it will actually look once it’s published) before I hit publish. It might be a personal blog, but that doesn’t mean my writing can’t be professional. That said, I do use a casual writing style which is not technically proper English, but is more how I actually speak. That you can get away with in blog world.

Because I’ve included this in this list, my mother will inevitably text me pointing out a spelling or grammatical error in this post. I promise.

4 | DOING AN OUTFIT POST EVEN THOUGH IT ISN’T YOUR THING

For a long time as a blogger, I was under the assumption that everyone did outfit posts. I did them too! But they weren’t my thing and it showed. Just because you fall under the giant umbrella that is “lifestyle blogging” does not mean that you have to do outfit posts. In fact, it doesn’t mean that you have to do anything that everyone else is doing. So really this goes for any type of post that everyone else is doing – link ups, round ups, etc.

For those days that you’re having writers block, yes taking pictures of your cute outfit or participating in a link up might seem faster and easier. But if fashion blogging isn’t your passion, it will show. If the link up doesn’t fit in with your content, it will feel out of place. You’re better off to write about what you care about, what you are passionate about, or skip a day.

5 | ALL PERSONAL POSTS, ALL THE TIME

It’s also really easy to ramble about your own life. If that’s what your blog is about, great! But if you search Bloglovin’s popular posts page, I think you’ll find that most of the posts that are highly sharable (and well-liked) are those that help the reader. If you want to grow your blog, you’ve got to mix in some shareable content.

Those types of posts are awesome to read but much harder to brainstorm and then write. So yeah, ramble about your life on occasion. I do. But try to bring something to the table too. Your readers will appreciate it (and probably share it more too)!

6 | NOT INCLUDING AN IMAGE

I love words. Words are the reason I read your blog. But words aren’t always enough. Finding images you can use for free is easy! Here are 7 places to find free images to use for your blog or website. Find one that fits the mood of your post, download it, and add it. In fact, your image doesn’t even really have to have much to do with your subject matter. I guarantee adding an image will improve your click-through rate from Bloglovin’ and well, it looks a lot nicer. If you want to go one step further, adding words to the image using a tool like PicMonkey can make your post perfectly pinable.

7 | INCLUDING AN IMAGE THAT ISN’T YOURS

Now I know that you know that stealing someone’s content is stealing. I don’t even need to list that, because you aren’t a dummy. But one no-no I see constantly in the blog world is people using images that aren’t theirs. The easiest way to find an image is to google search and grab the best one. It’s fast and you can often find good quality images. It’s stealing. It’s stealing and then putting it out in public saying “look what I did!” It’s an easy shortcut but resist the temptation and check out some of the legal ways to find images above.

One notable exception to this rule is if you are sharing a photo of something that is for sale. I have no qualms about sharing a photo of something from Etsy if I’m including a link to that product. It’s free advertising for the seller and I can’t imagine that any Etsy business would dislike that. I’ve done it a few times, like my Etsy round-up posts for the Harry Potter fan or the Doctor Who lover, and both times I’ve received thank you’s from a couple of those businesses.

So those are the blogging shortcuts I try to avoid, but with blogging, you do what you want to do. That’s the joy of this thing. What blogging shortcuts do you refuse to take?

 

12 BEAUTIFUL & UNIQUE DESTINATIONS TO SEE IN YOUR 20S

Some places like New York and London are perfect any stage in life. These 12 destinations though are especially awesome in your 20s. New cultures, amazing food, fun nightlife, these places hit the mark when it comes to traveling in your youth. By the way, I’m Margo, an expat living in Germany and completely nuts about traveling in Europe and my schnoodle, Stuart!

Margo from The Overseas Escape

1 | BARCELONA, SPAIN

Spain_0029

Have you ever been on a tapas and sangria bar crawl? No? Go to Barcelona. While you’re there do a bit of sightseeing (like the La Sagrada Familia, Spain’s most visited sight) and soak up the sun on the Spanish coast. Great restaurants, vibrant bars and great food, Barcelona is a winner!

2 | POSITANO, ITALY

Positano-4

Positano-4

Located on the Amalfi Coast, south of Naples, this little town is a true treasure. Stunning mountains leap from the clear Mediterranean for dramatic views while the UNESCO-approved village feels as though you’re in an Italian dream. The vacation destination for the stars, I claimed it here as the most beautiful place in Europe and I mean it.

3 | BURANO ISLAND, ITALY

Burano_Island

In the Venetian Lagoon, this little island is known as the residence for the large population of fishermen. The vibrantly colored rows of houses were historically used as beacons for finding their way home after a long day at sea. In recent years it’s become a Pinterest sensation and a true photographer’s paradise. While there be sure to try fresh octopus (but not coupled with espresso, like I did).

4 | PARIS, FRANCE

Paris-7
What can be said about the world’s most romantic and beautiful city? Culture (hello, Mona!) – check, fun nightlife – yep!, endless winding straights to stroll – absolutely. Paris is by far one of the most exciting and exotic large cities in Europe. Here is a helpful city guide for hitting the best of Paris with pointers like where to buy the tastiest macaroons and the location for perfect spot for a glass of wine at dusk.

5 | OXFORD, ENGLAND

Oxford England

Whether you’re a Harry Potter enthusiast or just appreciate history, Oxford is truly captivating. One of the oldest institutions in the world is riddled with stories and beautiful architecture. The vibrant town is full of great pubs, restaurants and shops. Charming cobblestone streets led through picturesque alleys walked by folks like Tolkien, Oscar Wilde, Margret Thatcher and… Hugh Grant.

6 | HALLSTATT, AUSTRIA

Hallstatt-12_Best_European_Villages

HALLSTATT, AUSTRIA

A shockingly beautiful lake village nestled in the Alps, Hallstatt is a true definition of European charm. Boating on the Hallstatt Lake is most scenic boat ride I’ve ever had and bucket list worthy for every traveler.

7 | AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Maybe the famous Red Light District is the first thing that comes when thinking of Amsterdam but don’t be fooled, this city has a tremendous amount to offer. Museums here (Ann Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt, Van Gogh) are some of the best in the world but it’s the architecture that’ll really have you in awe. Spend a day on a boat with a bottle of wine in hand like I did and it’ll be a day you’ll never ever forget.

8 | NERJA, SPAIN

Nerja_Spain

Nerja_Spain

On the Costa Del Sol near Malaga this white-washed beach town is a true retreat. During your visit expect high stress on deciding between which tapa to eat and which beach to relax on. The beauty and fun of the beach plus the vibrant culture of Spain makes it a win-win combo.

9 | BRUGES, BELGIUM

BRUGES, BELGIUM

Known as the ‘Venice of the North’ the cozy town of Bruges is a photographer’s AND beer drinker’s dream. Take a canal cruise, munch down moules and frites (mussels and fries), admire the architecture or just sip that lovely golden Beglian goodness. A super-duper easy train ride from Brussels, Bruges is an absolute delight. (PS. It’s an easy city to pair with a visit to Amsterdam or Paris!)

10 | ANNECY, FRANCE

France

 

Beautiful as can be, with flowing french wine and baguettes and zillions of outdoor activities – Annecy is a gem and convenient from Lyon and Geneva. We visited in late summer and enjoyed a day on the water (Annecy Lake is the cleanest in Europe) and later did a gorgeous hike in the Alps. In the winter zillions of ski resorts are within close proximity in the Alps.

11 | PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

Best_Prague-2

A UNESCO old town, castle looming high above, lively cafe culture, rooftop bars, markets, and cheap prices, Prague fits the bill perfectly. I highlighted the best of Prague because the amount of activities in this city are endless.

12 | DINGLE, IRELAND

Ireland

Trad music in the air, a fresh glass of Guinness and a plate of mussels straight from the Dingle Bay. The town of Dingle has all the Irish charm you could ever hope for PLUS a friendly dolphin (no, seriously). My day in Dingle is one I will not soon forget.

P.S. If you liked this post then you should check out 10 Amazing 1-Week European Itineraries and 9 Ways to Make Living Abroad a Reality.

Follow along with my travels!

HOW WE GOT RID OF HALF OF OUR STUFF

We’re downsizing, in a big way. Going from a sprawling suburban apartment (okay, it’s 820 square feet) to cramped (but charming) place in the city means we’ve had to downsize. In order for our new space to not look cluttered, we need less furniture and less stuff. So we got rid of about half of it. Here’s how we did it:

How We Got Rid of Half Of

1. THE CLOTHES HAD TO GO.

I made strict guidelines and went through my closet at warp speed. Split second decisions only. I had to go with my gut. Here are the questions I asked myself:

  • Have I worn it in the last 6 months?  This doesn’t apply to seasonal items but if the whole summer went by and I never wore that sundress, it’s out. I’ve heard that others use this rule and it seemed solid.
  • Does it actually fit?  Or am I just hoping that someday it will? I’m looking at you, size 1 jeans. If I can’t wear it TODAY, to Goodwill it goes!
  • Does it have a hole in it?  Somehow this was the hardest. It’s embarrassing how many items I have that I adored but have tiny holes in them (thanks to Archie carrying them around in his mouth).
  • Am I just keeping this because it’s a brand name?  I had many items that I never wore and didn’t really love but justified keeping around because “but it’s Banana Republic” or “but it’s J.Crew”. It doesn’t matter what it is. If you don’t wear it, it goes.

How I Got Rid of Half of My Clothes

Items that were in style and in good shape, I sold at a consignment store. Everything else went to Goodwill.

2. WE BOOTED HALF THE FURNITURE.

My boyfriend (N) and I sat in our living room one day and made a list of all the furniture that is not coming with us. We’ve accumulated a lot of furniture over the years, as I love Goodwill and frequently find items that I love but have no use for (and then buy anyways). These are the questions we asked ourselves about every piece of furniture in our home:

  • Is it structurally sound? Our Ikea bookshelf is wobbly like whoa. It isn’t joining us in Philly.
  • Do we use it regularly? The desk, vanity, antique table, and dining room table all don’t get much use.
  • Do we have room? We need and like two dressers but two dressers will not fit in our new apartment. The newer dresser is coming with us, N’s dresser is going back to Goodwill where it came from. Plus we’ve gotten rid of half of our clothes so hopefully we can make this work.
  • Is it just plain ugly? Our coffee table is so far past needing to be refinished, it isn’t even worth it. Speaking of ugly, I don’t care how ugly our recliner is, it’s coming with us.

All furniture that isn’t coming is going on Craigslist, to Goodwill, or in the trash.

3. IF WE HAVEN’T SEEN IT IN A YEAR, WE DON’T NEED IT AND WON’T MISS IT.

The desk drawer was full of stuff but and had not been opened in a year. The extra products (that I never use) under the bathroom sink were out of control. The extra linens (i.e. old sheets and dog towels) we had were exploding out of our hall closet. I couldn’t possibly tell you what was in my nightstand, but it was completely full. And there was an entire closet that was just “miscellaneous”.

We had to be ruthless. What I kept in mind was this – If N threw it away when I was out of the house, would I even notice? In most cases, the answer was no. There is just no reason to move a hand cream that you hate the scent of, the duvet cover you’ll never put back on your bed, or your scientific calculator from 10th grade. You don’t even remember what sine or cosine are. Make peace with that.

4. NO EXTRAS ALLOWED.

Does anyone else have an absurd amount of tupperware? We’ve got way too much tupperware, thanks to restaurants now using it as to-go boxes. It’s not coming with us.

No duplicates of anything. No keeping extras of things just because.

5. OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY IS NOT INVITED.

N announced recently that our DVD player isn’t coming with us. What?! He claims we never watch DVD’s which is true except that every time he’s gone for the weekend, I watch at least two Harry Potter movies. All on DVD. So sure, we don’t use the DVD player but I do. He still insists that he doesn’t think we need it or my DVD collection. I’ve agreed to this deal IF he buys me all the Harry Potter movies on Google Play or iTunes.

Harry Potter DVDs

And if you’re a fellow Harry Potter lover, make sure you check out this post.

6. CUT THE COSMETICS.

Since we are ditching both my vanity and a small antique table that previously housed my hair and makeup products, I now had to figure out where they were going to go. Turns out, I’m a hoarder of almost finished lipsticks and old tubes of mascara. I asked myself these questions and got rid of over half of my cosmetics and nearly all of my hair products:

  • Is it super super old? If I couldn’t remember when I bought it or when I used it last, I tossed it.
  • Did it just never work for me? There’s just no reason to keep a $5 lipstick that I hated from the moment I put it on for the first time. If that hairspray just never held your curls, ditch it. If the foundation was always kind of the wrong color, throw it out.
  • Is it almost empty? I’m totally that girl who kept a lipstick because there was maybe a wear or two left. But come on, we all know that by then I’ve already bought another lipstick to replace it. If it’s empty or even close to empty, throw it away.

7. LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT.

We found that as we really looked at our apartment piece by piece, there were a lot of things that we actually didn’t like. There were lots of mentions of things like “why do we even have this?” or “is this yours?” (said in a judgy tone). Turns out, our home decor style was really just a hodge podge of what we found in my parent’s basement and at Goodwill. We’re upping our game for our new place.

So that’s how we got rid of nearly half of our stuff. It feels good to get rid of the clutter. Do you have any other suggestions to help us downsize before our move? I’d love to hear how you got rid of the clutter in your life!

THE BEST (AND EASIEST!) SALMON RECIPE EVER

One day I watched the Food Network for all of 5 minutes and it completely changed my life (exaggeration….kind of). I threw on the Food Network while doing my makeup and found myself half-watching the Quick and Easy episode of The Kitchen. And then, this:

The Best Salmon Recipe Ever | www.eastandblog.com #food #dinner #fish #salmon #recipe

This is Katie Lee’s Brown Sugar Spiced Salmon Recipe. It is heaven. She says it takes 20 minutes total to make and it really does. Prep to cook. 20 minutes. Done.

Best Salmon Brown Sugar and Chili PowderRaw Salmon

Best Salmon Brown Sugar and Chili PowderRaw Salmon

Best Salmon Brown Sugar and Chili PowderRaw Salmon

Best Salmon Brown Sugar and Chili PowderRaw Salmon

Best Salmon Brown Sugar and Chili PowderRaw Salmon

I threw this together with a bag of salad – the Fresh Express Asian Chopped Salad kit (my all time favorite -I add Craisins). It went over so well that now I make it at least once a week.

Boyfriend Enjoys Salmon

If you’re in need of a quick dinner, check it out. It was too good not to share and is the best salmon I’ve ever had. And I made it. I know, I’m as shocked as you are.

6 WORKOUT TIPS YOU HAVEN’T HEARD BEFORE

At a recent doctors appointment, my doctor brought something to my attention.

“Nadine, you’ve gained 7 pounds since the last time I saw you, less than a year ago…” Like a punch in the gut.

“For someone of your stature, that’s a pretty significant weight gain….” Jab, jab, right hook.

“Have your eating or exercise habits changed?” Bam, uppercut.

Well Doc, if you count the fact that I had not been to the gym since before my trip to California last August then yeah, I guess they’ve changed. And um, maybe I got a little too friendly with the Dominos delivery guy. Also, somewhere around 26.5 years of age, I’m pretty sure my metabolism disowned me.

“You are in the healthy weight range now but if you gain 5 more pounds, you’ll be in the unhealthy range.” Boom, knockout.

So I decided that if A. I want any chance of being “young and hot” again, I needed to hit the gym and B. with my current habits I am never going to live to be 100, which we all know is my ultimate life goal.

I’m proud of myself. I’m actually sticking with it. And I’m doing it differently than I have in the past. Here’s what is actually working for me.

6 Workout Tips You Haven't Heard Before

1. DON’T WAIT TO BUY THE GEAR

I’ve read articles that say that you should reward yourself with work out gear after you’ve made a habit of hitting the gym. Ignore that advice, it’s stupid.

I can’t be the only woman in the world who used the excuse “but I don’t have any clean sports bras” to pass on the gym. When I decided I really needed to get it in gear, I went straight to T.J. Maxx and bought 4 new sports bras, 1 new pair of capris, and 2 new pairs of athletic shorts. Having clean (don’t pretend like you haven’t re-worn a dirty sports bra) and cute work out gear every day has encouraged me to actually put it on and subsequently, work out.

2. SET SILLY GOALS

I try to do one Grey’s Anatomy episode worth of cardio every day. That is actually how I measure my time. I don’t go for any number of calories or miles, I just get on whatever machine I’m getting on, put Netflix on my phone, and let Seattle Grace Grey Sloan Memorial take me to another place.

cristina-yang-

Whenever Cristina references cardio, for a second I think she’s talking about working out.

3. WHEN SOMETHING ISN’T WORKING, GIVE UP

I’ve tried to become a runner so many times. I get a couple of days in and my hip flexors hurt so bad that I skip a day. And then I skip 6 months.

So I recently tried jogging on the treadmill and when I wound up hating it, I opted for the bike or elliptical instead. Just because it feels like everyone else is training for a half-marathon doesn’t mean you have to. Give it up and do what works for you.

4. IF YOU HAVE THE TIME TO BLOG (OR READ BLOGS, FOR THAT MATTER) YOU HAVE THE TIME TO WORKOUT

Just sayin’. These days I might only be posting 4 ish times a week but I’m healthier for it. When I don’t post for a day, I remind myself that the time I would have spent blogging, I was working out.

I also daydream about feeling good enough to take the occasional pinterest worthy outfit photo, come fall. We can be honest here, right? Good. #bloggerdaydreams

5. DON’T LEAVE YOUR HOUSE

On days that I just don’t want to do boring cardio, I do a fitness youtube video. Many videos don’t require any equipment (although Meighan once wrote that she used cans of squash to work out when she didn’t have hand weights so seriously, no excuses).

Here are some of my favorites:

  • Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1 (requires hand weights – or canned vegetables)
  • FitnessBlender 37 Minute Cardio Workout at Home
  • FitnessBlender 45 Minute HIIT Cardio and Abs Workout
  • FitnessBlender 10 Minute Abs

Okay, you get it, I really like FitnessBlender. Usually I put the video on my laptop in front of my TV and put (what else?) Netflix on my TV. It’s a fabulous combo.

6. GIVE YOURSELF A GOLD STAR

Workout Tracking

Or in my case, a big pink check. I searched for a while for an app to record my workouts in and never found one that felt really satisfying. Now I use a basic calendar to keep track of the days I work out. Something about adding that big pink check for the day just feels really really good.

What weird things have you found to motivate you? Any tips for us workout newbies?

GOD?

Today I’m sharing something that maybe seen as controversial or may be hard for some people to read. Please know that I’ve tried my best to get my words out in a thoughtful way. I’m human. What you believe is what you believe, and that’s okay. We can still be friends. We can agree to disagree. Here are my thoughts on where my life experiences have led my beliefs.

Cross

For the past two years I’ve worked with families of kids with cancer. What I’ve found is that as kids get sicker, families seek God. Each day I opened thank you notes from families across the country thanking us and praising God. Families of kids with cancer, thanking God, talking about how blessed they are. And I’d just sit at my desk and stare at the letters, feeling strangely proud and slightly confused. When the absolute worst happens, why is God the answer?

Over my two years, I had many intense conversations with loved ones about this. Each time I couldn’t see how any God would let such terrible things happen to wonderful families. To beautiful children. Any merciful God would not have let a dear friend of mine, age 18 and dying of Osteosarcoma, linger for so long, in so much pain. She retained her faith until the very last moment, while I lost hope of ever finding mine.

When I’d have this discussion with the faithful people in my life, they’d implore me not blame God. But if we can’t blame God for the bad, why should we praise him for the good?

I’ve had many people use the phrase “God only gives you what you can handle” and let me tell you, I (and many families I worked with) strongly dislike (see how I didn’t use the word hate? I wanted to, oh I sure did, but I didn’t use it) that phrase. I’ve yet to see a family who can “handle” the loss of a child or sibling. A piece of them is gone forever. This phrase doesn’t lessen pain or provide hope.

Certainly we can’t blame anyone but the individual(s) for human acts of terror. But when it’s something as tiny as one cell mutating (after all, that’s how cancer starts), who do we blame, God or science? Perhaps it’s my lack of maturity to look for someone, something to blame. Although I’m not sure how anyone could see kids dying and not look around and wonder why.

N and I have talked a lot about what we believe and what we want to raise our kids to believe. Neither of these involves a higher power. I’m a good person. I know that in my heart. A heart that doesn’t beat for Jesus or because of him. It beats because of electric impulses in my body. It beats because I grew cell by cell. Just as you may believe in scripture, that is my belief.

Until he met me, N had never been in a religious building of any kind. He hadn’t been in a mosque or a synagogue or a big stone Catholic church. He didn’t know what it meant that I was baptized Episcopalian but that I come from a predominantly Catholic family. He’d never heard the nicene creed and was shocked to see me recite it, word for word, the first time we stood in church together at the obligatory Christmas service. He had almost zero religious influences in his life. Today, he is one of the best people I know. We both agree that religion isn’t necessary to turn out “right”.

And I’m sure you’re wondering (or you know, without a doubt), what if she’s wrong? Well I might be wrong. With all the world religions, all the atheists and agnostics, someone has to be wrong. I’m telling you, it could definitely be me.

But here’s what I’m hoping: If there is a God, if I get up to those pearly gates and Jesus, Mohammad, Joseph Smith, or even my great-great grandmother comes out to greet me, I’m guessing they’ll know I lived my life in a good way. That I tried to help people. That my moral compass was strong and that I deeply loved and truly lived and hopefully, made the world a better place. And I bet they’ll let me in anyway.

So no, I don’t believe what most of the world believes. I’m definitely in the minority in blog world. But that’s okay. I sleep just fine at night.

7 PLACES TO FIND FREE PHOTOS TO USE ON YOUR BLOG OR WEBSITE

You know what? I don’t want to get sued. And I bet you don’t either. But if you are using photos from other websites, you are technically stealing (I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it is). Even if you provide a link (like “via” or “source”) at the bottom of the photo, it’s still really a no-no.

I’ve been guilty of this before (I love GIFs) and will probably be guilty of it again someday (cause God knows I’ll keep using GIFs). But for most of my posts I either use my own photos or I get them from one of these free photo sources. This is one of those things I think about and go: I wish someone had told me about these when I first started blogging.

free stock photos

Photos can set the tone for a blog post. They break up wordy posts and hey, they make your post look prettier (and more clickable) on Bloglovin. I like photos that I’m allowed to edit – usually to create a “pinable image” for Pinterest. You can do that with the photos from the links below (just like I did with the image above!). It’s a bloggers dream.

1. UNSPLASH
Unsplash is probably my favorite, in terms of the quality and diversity of the photos. It’s where I head first to get some idea of what I’m looking for. There aren’t many photos of people (which I like because I don’t want to post pictures of people I don’t know on a personal blog) and you are allowed to do whatever you want to the photos.

It’s easiest to look through the photos if you immediately click “archive” when you arrive at the homepage. Then you can see little thumbnails of all of the photos instead of scrolling through them one by one.

2. LITTLE VISUALS
Little Visuals releases 7 new photos every 7 days. There aren’t as many photos here and many are landscapes but the photos they have are beautiful. And again, you can do whatever you want to these photos.

3. FREE RANGE STOCK
This site has a ton of interesting photo options. Their search feature makes it easy to find what you looking for. The only downside is that you have to register to be able to download. Registration is free and just takes a minute.

You can also do almost anything with these photos. Here is how their license reads: “You can do nearly anything with the images, commercial or not. Just don’t redistribute them – this means don’t host the images or repackage them, just post a link to this site and let others sign up download them, just as you did.”

4. GRATISOGRAPHY
This eclectic collection is all photographs taken by Ryan McGuire. There is a lot to work with here and all photos are completely free of copyright restrictions.

5. MORGUEFILE
Morguefile is the most hit or miss of all of these. If you head over there and search, you will immediately find that many photos on this site were taken by amateur photographers and some are quite old. That being said, if you click “popular” you’ll see a ton of high-quality, beautiful photographs. Again, you can use these for anything.

6. PIXABAY
Pixabay may have the most images available of all of these sites. The search feature pulls some quality photos and lots of cartoon type photos so the fastest way to find the good stuff is to click “explore” at the top and then select “editors choice” or “leaderboards”.

These are also photos that you can do whatever you want with but just to be sure, once you click on a photo, check the license information in the bottom right corner. You have the ability to download each photo in various sizes. Again, you have to create a free username and password with this one but it just takes a minute.

7. PICJUMBO
This is a fantastic website with high-quality photos. I love that you can search by category on the left side. Though there aren’t a ton of photos (yet) there is a lot to work with and you can do whatever you want with them. The site design of this site is user friendly and is my favorite of all of these.

Have any photo sources to add to this list? Leave a link in the comments below. And if you liked this post and it helped you 1. bookmark these fabulous resources and 2. please use the pin it button below to pin this post on Pinterest so that others can find it!

DEAR PARENTS, CASUAL HARASSMENT NEEDED

At what point did my parents stop reminding me to go to the dentist? Sure, I’ve never ever gone more than 6 months without going. But why have years gone by without any of my parents reminding me to do this? It’s important. When did they stop? And why?

I was pondering this yesterday as, in celebration of my 26th birthday, I became one of the 47 million Americans who are uninsured. That’s right, if I broke my leg today I’d be broke in a hot second from all the medical bills because I am that idiot who doesn’t understand how to buy insurance. Because up until yesterday, I’d been on the glorious train that is my parents health insurance. Let me back on…please…I beg you.

jess new girl crying

To be fair, I’ve tried. Healthcare.gov doesn’t always work. After many attempts, it tells me that it has sent an email to my email address, the next step in the process, and yet it has not. I’ve tried and tried and some days, the whole dang website has been unavailable.

But let’s not make excuses. There were other ways to get insurance, I just haven’t tried them (yet). I tell myself that I’ve just been too busy. So I guess that means I’ll have to cut back on my incredibly reckless lifestyle of averaging 3 hours of Netflix a day, doing zero athletic activities, and setting a world record for the number of consecutive days I’ve worn the same pair of yoga pants.

Girls Hannah Gif

I’m shocked by how laid back my parents have been about this. I needed them to start nagging me about it back in January. To tell me that if I didn’t get it together that I’d be uninsured and to stress how bad that is. Why don’t they lecture me about stuff anymore? I needed those lectures and I still need them. Parents, get it together!

Some other things I’d like my parents to casually harass me about:

  1. Get an oil change, Nadine. Your car is hella old (Okay parents, please don’t say hella. I just really wanted to.) and you need to be kind to it.
  2. Floss. Every day.
  3. Save money. Where is your emergency fund? You have to have 5 months of living expenses in an emergency fund!
  4. Are you making a direct deposit to your IRA? No, Nadine, $20 per pay check will not be enough for you to retire. Ever.
  5. Don’t use credit cards. Don’t you dare.
  6. Why do you wait 4 weeks to do laundry? You are a slob.
  7. Stop letting your gas tank get to empty every time and then having a panic attack when you realize that you may actually run out of gas this time.

These can all be followed with phrases like “we taught you better than that”. Seriously. I’ll take the guilt just for the reminders. Parents, you don’t stop being parents just because your kid is an adult. In all fairness, they’re still exceptionally good at that other parent thing: unconditional love. Plus, much of the time they treat me like a *gasp* equal and friend. And yeah, yeah, I know I’m old enough that I should be doing all those things on my own. But still, I miss the reminders.

On that note, I’m going to be indoors for the next two days as we get hit with another epic snowstorm. Can’t risk slipping on ice and breaking a hip.