Join Me at the RBC RESP Twitter Party September 17th at 9:00pm!

RBC RESP TWitter Party

 

 

This year I hit a pretty major milestone – I paid off my OSAP debt!

It took me ten long years, but I finally did it. When I started university I didn’t have an RESP, and so I worked throughout the school year and summer paying for my education.

The cost was too great, and I needed to rely on OSAP to have enough money to pay for school. The debt plagued me for years – months and months of payments for a debt that I couldn’t help but accumulate.

Now that it’s gone, it’s been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders!

 

 

RBC RESP twitter party

 

 

I never want my son to feel the weight of that debt, so my husband and I set up an RESP for him right after he was born. We have been putting money into it every month for years, and by the time he reaches university he won’t need to worry about student loans – he will have the tuition money he needs!

Our ‘Someday’ dream for him is to go to the university or college of his choosing, and not need to worry about debt because the RESP we have set up for him will give him the security of being student-loan free.

 

 

 

 

Are you starting to think about opening an RESP for your own child? If you are thinking about it, or have one set up already and want to ask the experts questions, then join me at the RBC RESP Twitter party on September 17th at 9:00pm EST!

Participants of the party can win one of 6 $150 Visa gift cards, and you can follow along with #RESPwithRBC

It’s the perfect spot to ask some of the questions you may have about setting up an RESP.

Maybe you have already set up an RESP but were too embarrassed to ask a few questions at the time, or thought of questions later that you wanted to ask? This is a great, friendly forum to get answers to your RESP questions.

RBC has some great resources to answer some of the questions you may have online as well!

What exactly is an RESP? Why is it important to set up? All the information you need, including FAQs and benefits of an RESP, can be found at http://www.rbcbanqueroyale.com/reee/.

What are your options if your child doesn’t pursue postsecondary education? Find out at http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/resp/resp-matic.html.

How much and how often should you contribute? Well, as much as you want, and frequencies of weekly to annually! Learn more at http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/resp/resp-matic.html.

How convenient can your payments be? Opt to save automatically and easily with RESP-Matic. Learn more at http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/resp/respmatic.html.

Did you know that saving for education doesn’t have to be overwhelming because of the options and assistance available, as well as “free” money e.g. government? Learn more at http://www.rbcbanqueroyale.com/reee/resp-benefits.html.

It’s easy to book an appointment with an RBC advisor to open up an RESP – you can do so online here!

For expert answers to your personal questions about RESP’s, be sure to join the RBC RESP Twitter party with me on September 17th at 9:00pm EST!

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

My First Shopping Trip to Farm Boy Whitby!

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

Today I visited Farm Boy Whitby for the first time, and I can already say I’ll be back.  I wrote last week about the grand opening and the events to come this Saturday, August 29th, but I decided to stop in to see the store for myself today.

The biggest thing I noticed was that I couldn’t actually purchase anything bad for myself!  I really needed chips to get me through the weekend (I am a HUGE chip fan), and I couldn’t find them.  Why?  Well, they aren’t exactly healthy, but I was provided with all kinds of alternatives.  I picked up some of Farm Boy’s own tortilla chips and salsa in the place of my beloved chips.

 

 
Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

The store is packed full of everything good for you!  At the checkout instead of rows of candy bars you find organic candy and gum.  It’s a real change from the average chain grocery store.

The produce was incredibly fresh, and there were a few options you don’t always see at the grocery store like coloured carrots, and sliced up fruit samples in the isles.
 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove
 

 

My favourite part of the Farm Boy Whitby store is the fresh meals you can eat there or bring home!  We are always on the run, so sometimes I need something quick to feed the family.

 

 

I couldn’t belive all of the options.  The meat section had all kinds of marinated steaks, fish and chicken all ready for the oven or BBQ.  It was a bigger selection than I have seen at a regular grocery store.  The deli and cheese section had fresh products ready to be cut and packaged, and again had lots of ready-to-go options as well.

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

The salad bar is pretty amazing.  It’s got everything from pre-made Ceasar salads, to a section where you can create your own salad, all kids of potato and pasta salads, and then other mediterranean style salads.  Every kind of possible salad combination could be put together there.  There was also a section to package fresh soups made daily, and even a section with hot meals like pasta and butter chicken.
 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove
 

 

There was a separate area where you could have a stir fry made on the spot, and a sandwich section where you could have it warmed up on a grill.  There was also a fresh sushi spot, and a full service bakery.

 

 

The pizza area was really impressive.  You could choose the toppings on your pizza, and watch it cook in a fire burning oven before it’s boxed and ready to take home.

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 
Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

There was a great seating area both inside and outside to eat which was nice as well.

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

I picked up quite a few items from the Farm Boy brand like fresh orange juice, mediterranean salad dressing, and their tortilla chips and salsa.

 

 
Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove
 

 

I don’t think my shopping cart has ever looked so healthy!
 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

I didn’t notice too much of a price difference between Farm Boy and the other grocery stores I normally shop at.  I often buy organic fruits, vegetables, and gluten free treats for my son and I found the prices very comparable to where I usually shop and what I usually buy in that regard.

I really loved that they had many pre-packaged lunches and snacks to take on the go as well. How great is this lunch in a bag? It includes a sandwich, drink, cookies, an apple and a granola bar!

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

For someone like me who doesn’t always have time to make dinner but has good intentions for serving something fresh and healthy to my family, I was very impressed with what they had to offer for meals to go.

 

Overall I loved it, and I will be back often!

Farm Boy Taunton Gardens (Whitby) is located at 2 – 360 Taunton Road East, Whitby, Ontario.

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

Review of Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+

Review of Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+
 

 

This is my second SPF I’ve picked up specifically for my face this summer, but this one seems to be my favourite compared to the other one I gave a try.

Kiehl’s Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ protection has a very light consistency. It’s bright white in color, but once rubbed into the skin it blends in easily to a matte finish. Sometimes I find that sunscreens make my face look a little grey, but this one didn’t have an effect at all. I didn’t feel like it was greasy at all, and I really forgot I was wearing it.

 

 

Review of Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+

 

 

It has antioxidant Vitamin E to help prevent free-radical damage, and it’s oil-free, fragrance free, parabin free and color free.

It says it’s water resistant for 80 minutes, and I believe that be to be true because I was splashed in the face with water many times and I still didn’t burn!

I really liked that it was gentle enough that I didn’t have a reaction to it or break out at all. It easily slid into my routine.

It has the “sunscreen” smell to it, but other than that no other noticeable fragrance.

Overall I would purchase this product again, although I do wish it was tinted so it would add coverage to my face. I actually liked the formula of the L’Oreal BB SPF and I really loved that it was tinted, but this sunscreen seemed to do a better job of protecting my skin and I really liked the consistency. This one can very easily be worn under make up since is non-greasy as well.

My face didn’t even get a tan when I wore this sunscreen, and even after being in water and sweating it didn’t let me down.

For more information on Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+, visit their website here.

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

Our New Home Entertaining Plans + Join Me at the RBC First Home Twitter Chat

RBC First Home Twitter Party

 

 

When we bought a new home a couple years ago, we had no idea what we were doing! We knew which house we desperately wanted, and we loved the location it was in, but we didn’t know the in’s-and-out’s of how to work with the builder.

I really loved the idea of having the kitchen the heart of the house. I decided we would make some changes to the kitchen to make the space larger. We wanted to move the L-shaped counter against the wall so we could have a larger space, and so we could have room for a very large table where we could fit all of our family and friends.

After fighting with the sales agent to do this and being turned down, our builder decided to work with us and did everything we asked to create the perfect entertaining space!

We always imagined having people over and settling in the kitchen at our giant table (it’s just over 9 feet!), and it all came to fruition.

 

 

RBC First Home Twitter Party
 

 

RBC First Home Twitter Party
 

 

RBC First Home Twitter Party

 

 
In our experience no matter what kind of party you are having, everyone somehow ends up in the kitchen when you are entertaining. This is why making it the focal point was so important to us. We love to entertain, so when purchasing our new home the floor plan was an important part of making our choice in a home.

One of my favourite parties after we moved in was a wine and cheese party with my girlfriends. I paired all of the wines with the cheeses laid out on our table, and everyone ended up just sitting down and socializing at the table having a great time!

 

 
RBC First Home Twitter Party

 

 

How about you? Did you think about entertaining when buying your last home, or will that be something you think about the next time around?

Comment below to let me know!

 

 

RBC First Home Twitter Party
 

 

Join myself at the RBC First Home Twitter Chat and speak to RBC experts who can answer home buying questions!

The Chat is on August 18th at 8:30pm EST, and you can submit your home-buying questions by using the hashtag #RBCFirstHome

RBC has invited a lawyer, realtor, design, home builders, and home mortgage experts to participate as well

Chat participants have a chance to win 1 of 5 $100 gift cards, and you can even win win 1 of 3 $100 Visa Gift cards before the party even takes place by signing up by clicking on the widget link below!

RBC First Home Chat August

 

 

Disclosure: I am part of the RBC First Home campaign with Influence Central and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

Fringed Boots for Fall

Fringed Boots for Fall

 

 

Last week I paid a visit to Mapleview Centre for a bit of shopping, and I came across the cutest faux-suede fringed ankle boots at Forever 21! These will be a staple piece in my fall outfits over the next few months. At only $45.50 I was very happy with the price as well!

 

 

Fringed Boots for Fall

 

 

Fringed Boots for Fall

 

 
Fringed Boots for Fall
 

 
Fringed Boots for Fall

 

 

It seemed like fringe was going to be a strong part of the summer festival trend and that would be it, but it’s now translating into another season of wear with vests, skirts, shoes, and anything else you can add a fringe too.

Boots like these are practical enough that you can do errands in, but they are stylish enough to wear with a dress or skirt.

I scooped up the last pair these boots at the Forever 21 at Mapleview Centre and I couldn’t find them online either, so I’ve added a few more styles by other brands below in case you love this trend as much as I do!

 

 

Sam Edelman Louis Black Suede

Sam Edelman Louie Back Suede
 

 

Steve Madden Realie Boot

Steve Madden Realie Boot

 

 

Zara Leather Flat Booties with Fringe

Zara Leather Flat Booties with Fringe

 

 

Aldo Casalnuoyo ankle boots

Aldo Casalnuoyo Ankle Boots
 

 

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Kristen Cavallari Charm Fringe Bootie

 

 
Mandy Furnis