Traveler’s Notes

Hey guys! I’ve been super busy lately trying to get ready for three trips, that got cancelled to two, plus taking care of everyday things that need done before I leave. For this I apologize for not being on here nearly enough. As I’m coming into the 24 hour stretch before I take off on my journey, I think about what it would be like to not always have to get up and go.

What you don’t know is that I’m in the reserves. No biggie, one weekend a month two weeks a year…..This has to be the biggest lie the Army has ever told me. With my military job, I have to go through a lot more training events than other military jobs. In fact in 2015, my training kept me away for about four months in addition to my weekend and annual training. While it beats being deployed for a whole year straight, it also makes it really hard to transition back from a military state of mind, to a family frame of mind, and go right back to it. 

I’m also a single mother (DUH), so I have to prepare my little one for when I leave now too. Oddly enough when she was a baby I thought it would get easier, but now as she gets older, she really understands that I’m not going to be around and now she genuinely has feelings that she can display. This time around she is really sad about me leaving, and I am too. At times I feel like the worst mother in the world….after all what kind of single mom can just harden up, pack her stuff up and leave for a month or so at a time? Me, that’s who. 

The Army is my family as much as my daughter is, and I realize the sacrifices I have to make. That’s why I still get up and go when I am needed to without any questions or hem-hawing trying to stay home. The Army is a great learning experience, I get to travel, and meet and try new things and people. I like to make a key note and say I don’t always facetime my daughter or call her everyday while I’m gone. Sometimes the training doesn’t allow me too, or sometimes I emotionally can’t handle it. We are all human, and that’s my weakness. I can’t let my daughter see how sad I am, or she will be too. Can’t make life harder for those around me. 

So I sit and think, about what it would be like to not have to go to a military event. To be able to see my daughter’s first day of school (I missed her first day of pre-school, and I might miss kindergarten too), to go to her events. I want to go to a concert, or huge event, that always coincide with my army dates (Coincidence…..the army knows how ruin a good time lol). But for now, I still have a contract to finish up, and during this time I will continue to think about being in the military or being a free civilian…and when the time is right, I will make my move. Have a great weekend and stay safe!

Routines

Hey Everyone! As we all know, humans are very routine….we pretty much do the same thing the same way day in and day out. There is no exception to your morning and nightly skincare routine. I’ve been through many different regiments for my daily facial care in my time. Some of these were not so great, 10% peroxide can cause chemical burns by the way. This past year, I’ve decided to go a little bit more natural with my routine, especially since my PCOS has been acting up the last six months. Normally I don’t get any crazy symptoms like some women, where they get horrendous cramps…..BUT I get terrible cystic acne. Not just a bump, I’m talking a new mountain appearing EVERY SINGLE DAY. It was really bothering me, especially because my SO and family would just blurt out how bad my face looked (As if I didn’t already knows guys). So a change was in order. I have been using Sheamoisture African Black soap, Curology prescription, and Dr. Jart’s water Drop moisturizer daily. The African black soap is very mild, and gives off a smell of black licorice, plus has shea butter. The curology prescription I have been on is custom formulated for my skin and I use it at night. Morning and night I apply Dr. Jart’s moisturizer (Moisturizing my face was something I’ve never been good at until I’ve noticed my wrinkles showing) After about two weeks with these three products together, my face took a turn for the better again. It’s clean, almost acne free, and not dry!! These products are very simple and very great, plus don’t have too high of a cost, and they have been effective at treating HORMONAL acne, which everyone says can’t be done. (Bite it internet article doctors) I suggest checking these products, or product lines out rather (sheamoisture actually has a ton of natural products) because of their effectiveness and that they fit the budget!!!! SCORE!!!!

Mystery Bags

Hello everyone! Sorry for the MIA, been doing the army reserve thing this past week. A lot of fun, but so glad to be back home. So, My daughter is into these little surprise bags you can find at Wal-Mart, The dollar store, and the like. A few of her favorite brands are the My Little Pony, Shopkins, and Littlest Pet Shop. These things are pretty fun to collect! I’m getting into it with her, because it’s an inexpensive hobby, Literally $10 a week gets her a few surprise bags and shes thrilled. She loves Playing with them….but at four years old shes also categorizing them and figuring out the rarities as well. I think it’s a little bonus that keeps her involved, and FINALLY it’s something that takes her away from her drawing and making things. I love that she makes things, but there are only so many times I can vacuum the floor from paper, and wash her down from the marker she gets all over herself. She’s such a little artist. I noticed they have grab bags for little boys too! It might be a cheap little thing to invest in, especially if your little one has been well behaved and you want to give them a little. non-sugary reward.

Make-up Dupes I LOVE!!!!

Anyone that REALLY knows me, knows how much I love make-up. I don’t always get to buy everything that I want (C’mon man, I’m on a budget!) and I don’t always wear it (My boyfriend lovingly calls me grandma because I’m often found with my hair in a bun, librarian glasses, and make-up free anytime I can) Just because you’re limited, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, after-all this is literally the paint to your canvas(face). You can create thousands of looks with make-up. Not that moms really have the time to do that, but make-up helps keep us looking put together and polished if and when we need it. I love shopping at Sephora, because of the brands and selection, but as I said I’m on a budget so I can’t splurge a lot. Now I have found a few ‘dupes’ (low-end products) that I choose either because I’m not shelling out the $$$ or because I have decided I liked the dupe better. Here are a few of my favorite products:

1. Sephora ‘Teint Infusion’ foundation- $11. Yes this is sephora, BUT its sephora brand, which is their drugstore version. I got this on clearance, which is around about the price you would find nice foundation at Wal-Mart. It’s got a dropper so you control the amount of foundation that you get out of the bottle. It has a great feeling! It goes on kind of like an oil….but has a dry non-greasy finish! It doesn’t break me out, I use literally a pea sized amount, and it’s AFFORDABLE! Nice blendable colors too.
2. Maybelline Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara-$7, I normally do TooFaced Better Than Sex mascara, but it’s $23, so I buy it about twice a year. In between then…it’s this stuff. Everyone is different with their mascara’s, because they all have different looks with the formula and the wand. This one gives me that better than sex look, and isn’t very clumpy. I like the wand as well, and it comes off really easy when washing your face. I HATE Mascara that will still leave residue on your lashes and around your eyes after scrubbing them.
3. Revlon Photoready Kajal- $5 I like that this is a smooth liner, and I got it in a charcoal color. It lessens the drama effect of a black liner but it still solid and easily blendable. I got this after I bought Clinique’s Drama Liqui-pencil. Cliniques goes fine over the top lid, but does not work on the bottom eye line so well, when I try to blend it, it comes right off. This pencil stays and gives a subtle look
4. Rimmel Scandaleyes Black eye Liners- $4, love this liner. Has glitter, but doesn’t look like a disco party. Blends wonderfully for me and stays on. Gives me the DRAMA in the eyeliner department. I fell with the glitter, it helps give the liner an extra bold look without having to do a thick line or go over it a thousand times. As you can see in my picture, it’s quite used.
5. L’Oreal Brow Plumper-$7. Sad truth, I’ve only ever had my eyebrows waxed ONE time in my life. during the high arch, thin period….needless to say they never grew back. I hate their shape and used to use a brown shadow with a brush to fill them in until I gave this a try. I was too cheap to pay for the high end brow pomades, and feel they also make your brows look painted on. Yes this is a brow plumper, and it does give my brows volume, but it also fills the in really nicely! It has a little wand you can use to direct the color AND shape your brow. I’ve asked a lot of people, and they don’t realize I fill in my brows because it gives them a very natural finish. MIND YOU: I got mine in light to medium shade even though my brows are dark brown. Filling in, will make this go darker and I felt that if they went too dark, it would look funny.

Those are my top fave, cheapo dupes of make-up that I swear by. I’m always on the look-out for great cheap products….and even high end ones too. These items make me feel and look great(Nobody has called me ugly or anything else while wearing em sooo) Give these a try, worst thing is you waste a couple bucks, versus a lot and that always helps the blow when spoiling yourself with make up. ENJOY!!!!

The Cheap Single Mom

The purpose of Cheap Single Mom, is to broadcast information, products, techniques, or just random relevance that the normal, every day frugal mom (That might also be a single mom). Why? Simple, I’m a cheap single mom who 1)Is finding a hobby where I can voice myself…you know to be more sociable on some platform of social media.  2) Because us moms need products and ways to make our lives cheaper, more efficient and a LOT more fun…and I’m not just talking home cleaning products kind of fun all the time either. GIRL….we got to look put together on top of all the crap we take on in our day to day lives too. (Don’t EVER comment how much of a grandma I look like on my few and far between “I’m not doing bologne” days)

 

I’m a soon to be 28 year old mom to one pistol of a 4 year old daughter. I’ve learned a ton of things so far on my excursion to find that happy balance between parenting, job life, home life, and personal time. Something else about me is that I’m in the military and a fitness enthusiast. I’ve always had a creative and innovative side that I haven’t been able to share, but I’m finally taking those steps! I take an oddball sense of approach to life…..don’t worry about it until it happens, then it’s too late to worry! Trust me, adopt the motto and you will find the gray hairs multiply at a much slower rate. Yes, I’m almost 28, and have gray hair.

 

As my first post I will leave this little tip for now:

Are you tired of looking tired?! Easy way to help the appearance of your skin without caking on make- up, go for a fruits and greens smoothie. Not the expensive crap at a smoothie bar…find the sports nutrition or dieting section in the store and you can grab the bags of powder for like $3-$5 if you can’t grab frozen fruits or fresh ones. Get those vitamins and nutrients on the fly, or take some time and mix some frozen fruits and veggies in your nutri-bullet with some protein powder. Do it right and they can become your little snack that makes your skin bright, but can also help with actual dieting. I literally kept a bag of EAS brand smoothie in my car, kitchen, and at work so I could always make one when I was cutting weight and had an angry sweet tooth.