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    Labor Day Sales 2020…

     🛍 LABOR DAY SALES 2020  🛍

    Labor Day weekend is HERE! In addition to soaking up the last days of summer, I will be on the hunt for some good sales and steals to build up my fall into winter wardrobe, beauty routine + more!

    From beauty to fashion to tech to lifestyle + more I wanted to round up the best Labor Day Weekend Sales to shop – all with great offers + the best items you’ll want to splurge on…here we go  🛍

    Banana Republic: 40% off your purchase.

    Bloomingdale’s: Discounts on select styles.

    Boohoo: 60% off everything.

    Express: Up to 80% off clearance.

    Good American: Extra 50% off sale.

    J.Crew: 35% off almost fall faves with code FALLISH.

    Kate SpadeExtra 40% off sale with code HEATINGUP.

    Kendra Scott20% off everything.

    Macy’s: Up to 60% off everything.

    MajeExtra 20% off sale.

    Moda OperandiUp to 80% off select styles.

    NordstromUp to 50% off select styles.

    Old Navy: Up to 60% off everything.

    Saks Fifth Avenue: Up to 75% off select styles.

    Sephora: Up to 50% off select items.

    Urban Outfitters: Discounts on select styles.

    ULTA: 21 Days Of Beauty Sale continues.

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    LifeStyle, Outfits, Travel

    Dreaming Of Travel…

    Palm Print Dress || Green Ark Bag || Stuart Weitzman Nudist Sandals

     🌺 DREAMING OF TRAVELING AGAIN  🌺

    These dreamy Hawaiian photos were taken back in February at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki the day after Mike + I got engaged. I was in engaged bliss, excited for what’s ahead, enjoying the island breeze and looking forward to wedding planning, never thinking that COVID would get to the US or let alone impact daily life the way it has. It’s so weird to be living in this time where there is so much uncertainty, inability to really plan ahead, travel or know what’s to come.

    Hawaii is one of the most gorgeous places, I am dreaming of going back for our honeymoon which still seems so far away given we are still up in the air about our wedding still happening in May of 2021 with COVID restrictions. It’s been tough, tough to know what to do, tough to know how to plan + tough to think back on simpler times.

    I think we all want a sense of normalcy which is so hard to have right now, so I decided to distract myself with reminiscing of this past trip + trying to dream of where I want to travel to next once things resume to normal!

    This tropical look was one of my favorites from my Hawaii trip since then I blended in with the Palm Trees haha :p I scored this dress on Amazon for under $50 + this bag is also an Amazon find – both are perfect for any tropical vacays or adventures.

    This is how I am going to start thinking as we continue to navigate this pandemic…when + where will I get to wear this tropical look again. When there are no more masks, no more fears of catching the virus, no more restrictions on traveling, going out to eat, getting nails + hair done etc.

     🌺 Where do you want to travel to next?  🌺

    Palm Print Dress || Green Ark Bag || Stuart Weitzman Nudist Sandals

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    LifeStyle, Outfits, Tips + Tricks

    Confidence Is Key…

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    RAYE The Label Green Sandals || Green Valentino Glamlock Bag || REVOLVE Lovers + Friends Dress

     🔑 CONFIDENCE is KEY 🔑

    Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time on TikTok building up a fun + supportive community there along with sharing some current happenings in my life + also sharing some tips + tricks I’ve learned over the years. One of the many questions I’ve been asked over on TikTok + also on Instagram is how I Build Up My Confidence so I figured I would make a post about it since it’s a common issue everyone struggles with every now + again, even me!

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    KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

    No one is perfect and when it comes to building confidence sometimes you see your imperfections over your strengths and that is something that is key to tackle when trying to build your confidence. Make a list of the things you are great at from being a good friend, to having nice style, to being a hard workers…when you know your strengths it’s a lot easier to feel strength in being yourself + in turn being confident!

    DO THINGS THAT BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU

    Something that’s really helped me build my confidence up over the years is to embrace things that bring out my strengths. For me that is creating fun colorful content which I enjoy doing, working hard on my career where I make my clients happy by providing them great results + being a good friend and partner to my fiance and besties.missyonmadison, missyonmadison blog, la blogger, tips to increasing confidence, how to be confident, tips to gain confidence, how to feel confident even when you are feeling down, pink revolve dress, pink revolve clothing dress, green raye the label sandals, green sandals, green valentino bag, green valentino glamlock bag, outfit inspo, ootd, fashion inspo 2020,

    SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT LIFT YOU UP

    I am pretty independent but even when I feel strong on my own sometimes if I am feeling down it is great to have a strong support system that lifts me up. Even the most confident of people have their down days and how you handle yourself when you are sad and who you turn to make all the difference. Having supportive people around you that help add to your confidence and shine light on your strengths is something that truly helps you to build and maintain your overall confidence.

    VISUALIZE YOUR GOALS + ACCOMPLISH THEM

    One of the things that have made me confident over the years is setting goals + accomplishing them. There is something so satisfying about setting goals whether it be with your career, your health and well being, your personal growth + more and then working hard to make those goals happen! When you are able to accomplish what you set your mind to it leads to a great sense of self confidence!

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    SHOP THE POST

    RAYE The Label Green Sandals || Green Valentino Glamlock Bag || REVOLVE Lovers + Friends Dress

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    LifeStyle, Outfits

    Do Your Part…

    Pink T-Shirt Dress || Cecelia NY Flats || Louis Vuitton Escale Toiletry Pouch 26

    ♥ GET INVOLVED ♥

    Times have been tough, there is no way around that but with tough times comes opportunity for change. Realizing what needs to be done to make a difference, a chance to stand up + let your voice be heard and be an active part of the solution you are seeking. With the heightened political climate, a pandemic, an awakening for social justice issues + in no uncertain terms a WAKE UP for America it is OUR time to enact the change we want to see. How do we do that? We VOTE!

    I often times refrain from getting politically charged on my site or social but I felt strongly that in order for us to all feel heard as a society it’s important to take what is going on in the world seriously and realize we can all be part of the solution. That’s why I wanted to share some of my tips on how to Do Your Part when it comes to driving change through democratic means (we do live in a country where we vote people in to office that make decisions so we need to be active participants in the process from the beginning no matter what the election).

     1. REGISTER TO VOTE

    If there is one thing you take away from this post, please register to vote. VOTE.GOV is your go to site owned and operated by the US Government where you click the state you live in and follow the instructions to register to vote in your area. The site is simple to navigate and will lead you to the steps to take to Register to vote. It normally brings you to your state voting website which then outlines process for registering to vote, checking on your voter registration + more.

    2. PREPARE TO VOTE

    Head to your state website, for example I am in California so I go to http://registertovote.ca.gov/

    Once there in addition to registering to vote you can see: 

    •  Upcoming Elections (local, county, state etc) http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ you can then see which you are eligible to vote in based on where you live (every election counts because policy and legislation can start on a local level so even those county elections you think may not matter….in fact DO so be sure to be an active participant and vote when you can)
    • Find where + when you will be able to vote for the next available election or if mail in voting is available in your state or county
    •        Learn about who is running so you can begin your research

    3. BE INFORMED

    This is one of the most IMPORTANT parts of the voting process if you ask me beside registering to vote + knowing where to go + when…do your research on who you want to vote for.

    Think about it, for a local county election you may not see a lot of news or media coverage, you most likely have never heard of the candidates, you may only vote for them based on the political party they are part of BUT do you actually know their past voting record while in public service? Do you know what policies they were for or against? Do you know who their donors are? Do you know why they are running for political office? These are ALL questions you should know answers to BEFORE heading to the ballot box because it empowers you as an informed voter to know who you are truly voting for.

    I’m a firm believer that the more you know, the more informed you can be and when it comes to putting people in a public office that are supposed to be there to support + serve you…well I think we take a hard look at who we are nominating and putting in those places.

    For example, there are career politicians at a local, state and federal level on both sides of the political spectrum that have been voted in time and time again but may have a voting record that goes against a lot of the new changes you want to see. So while it seems safe to go with a candidate that has been steadfast in winning time after time, how does choosing that person again enact change you want to see if they voted against policies you feel strongly about in the past? This is why research is so important to find politicians previous voting records and also review what legislation they helped put in place.

    Here are some helpful links to assist in your research:

    http://www.senate.gov/legislative/HowTo/how_to_votes.htm

    http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm

    http://www.congress.gov/

    http://www.usa.gov/voter-research

    4. KNOW THAT YOUR VOTE COUNTS

    A lot of people get discouraged if they live in a state that tends to swing a certain way and they feel their vote doesn’t matter. You know what I say? Part of being an American is having the right to vote so use that right proudly and let your voice be heard in EVERY election. No matter how small the election may seem it brings us one step closer to passing legislation that brings change so VOTE.

    Another thing to note is your vote is your power, while some want to vote in line with their family or friends etc it’s important that you vote the way you feel strongly about based on policy that is important to YOU! It’s OK to not see eye to eye with your friends, family or others on your beliefs on certain policies, at the end of the day it’s you + your vote, do what’s in your heart + mind.

    5. GET INVOLVED

    Continue to educate yourself on policies and issues you feel strongly about in addition to voting. Your power doesn’t end at the ballot box, continue to research, learn + participate in causes you feel strongly about so you don’t loose sight of what is important to you. Continue to monitor who you vote for to see if you are in sync with the decisions they make while in office, not thrilled? Contact them. Make your voice heard. Ultimately you then have the chance to vote them out in the next election so make sure you always see what they are up to, even after the election is over.

    And as a friendly reminder

    Please register to VOTE –> VOTE.GOV

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    Tips To Investing for the First Time…

    ♥ Ready to Invest Like A Pro? ♥

    If you said to me a few years ago, let alone a year ago that I would be thinking about my financial future + be opting to invest some money rather than spend it all where I can see it…my closet hehe I would have said you are C R A Z Y…BUT here we are, I am super into investing, excited about my financial future + honestly I feel really amazing about it!

    Over the past year I discovered more + more young people are neglecting investing, living paycheck to paycheck or are spending beyond their means. Trust me…this was me. For YEARS I felt brunches, lunches, dinners, Starbucks, handbags, shoes etc were more important than my financial future. I thought about the immediate now rather than the future + it honestly took me till seeing how wise my boyfriend is with his money that inspired me to get better with mine.

    I laid out a plan to pay off my credit card debt, think about how much I should be investing a year not just to secure a better future but also have tax break benefits as a write off, and of course…invest money in ways that will actually MAKE me money, YES investing in your financial future isn’t just saving for a rainy day or retirement, investing if done right can become an additional revenue source + that is what thrills me the most!

    OK, so you are hyped, you are inspired + you are ready to begin investing…so what is the next step? What do you do? Well I did a little Q&A with various people in the financial world to cover all of your questions. *Note these are personal opinions*

    1. Less and less Millennials are learning about investing, let alone actually investing themselves. Why do you think this is?

    Most Millennials have student loan debt and are trying to get a good enough paying job after college to actually afford to be self sufficient, so saving is the last thing on their minds.

    2. What is investing?

    Investing is putting away money for the future, either retirement or for future big purchases ex. cars or a house

    3. What types of investments are there?

     Mutual funds, individual stocks or retirement such as I.R.A.’S or 401K’S through your job.

    4. When it comes to starting a 401k when should a person create one on their own vs taking one with an employer? When should someone take advantage of an employer 401k plan?

    When you start a new job, you are often told about the company’s benefits package which includes a 401K (better known as a retirement plan). The plan typically entails setting money aside each paycheck as a pretax deduction to put away for your retirement. Some employers will match your contribution making it worthwhile to go through your company for your 401K plan as opposed to doing it on your own.
    Personally I like my Traditional I.R.A where I get a tax deduction at the end of the year when I file my return and if I leave an employer I don’t have to stress about switching over or transferring my 401K.

    5. What age should one seriously begin investing? 

    Realistically you should begin investing as soon as you can + you can start off small by saving $50 per paycheck and set that aside to invest or put into a retirement account. Ideally, age 23 is the optimum age to begin investing since most people re usually finished with their 4 years of college and in their first full time job most likely. If you are continuing on to get your Masters, you should hold till you finish school.

    6. How does one balance paying off debt i.e. student loans and also putting money aside to invest?

    Look at your monthly net income after taxes and evaluate your bills and expenses. See where you are spending the most money or where frivolous spending occurs (Starbucks, Brunch, Bars, Ubers etc) and cut those expenditures back by a quarter, half or third to put those funds towards investing for your future. You get way more out of your investments than that Avocado Toast, Bottle Service at the Club etc. Personally I don’t drink since I don’t like the taste but also I can’t justify spending on things that aren’t tangible + long lasting. My guilty pleasure is shoes and handbags which I can always sell if needed etc.

    7. What percentage of a paycheck should go towards investing?

    It is recommended to invest a minimum of 5% of your paycheck per pay period, but if you can invest more that is always recommended!

    8. What are the benefits of investing? Can your money really grow? What are the risks?

    The benefits of investing are that the money earns much more than in a savings account which pays very little & barely grows. The current rates of savings accounts around the country are typically only 1% ad that is really bad. The risks are that the market does fluctuate daily but as long as you ride it out and don’t look for immediate returns the pay off can be huge.

    9. For someone new to investing how do they get started?

    There are plenty of apps out there to help advise you on good investment options or you can always seek out a financial advisor although they do charge a fee. You can also go directly to companies like Fidelity, Voya etc and join their ‘House Accounts’ if you don’t want to pay a financial advisor fee or commission.

    10. What should someone investing be on the lookout for when choosing investments?

    You should look at the portfolio of each and every fund or stock and see it’s historic prices & returns. Look at the length of time the fund has been around, who is the fund manager and what is their experience etc.

    11. How much should someone have to begin investing with? How often should they add to this?

    Most funds want a minimum of $1,000 to start with, some may want more depending on the fund. It is recommended to start with $2,000 to diversify your first investment (split between 1 or more mutual funds or stocks)

    12. Do you feel investing encourages better financial responsibility? If so why?

    Yes, because you get to see your quarterly statements and be proud of what your extra income earned for your future. Investing is a great way to make money on the money you already have without doing any work. Let your money work for you.

    13. Any misconceptions you’ve come across in your career about investing? If so what?

    MANY PEOPLE THINK STOCKS AND FUNDS ARE INSURED AND GUARANTEED, AND THEY ARE NOT. IT IS A RISK, BUT EVERYTHING COMES WITH RISKS.

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