Budgeting for the (Un) Expected pt. 1

Recently, I have discovered that I need to take control of my life and also let go of some things.  I am working on a series of posts on getting my life in order.  Up first: Budgeting...

Budget.  Just the word brings chills to most people.  To be honest, I hate budgeting for my family. There, I said it. I hate it. "Why? Don't you do budgets for a living? I mean, aren't they your job?" Why, yes. Yes, they are. But budgets at my job are a) MUCH larger and b) there are built in contingencies for the unexpected. When you are working a budget of a much grander scale than a personal/family budget, it's well, easier. Plus, I don't set the budget. I just work within the confines of the budget. I make sure everything is correct and looks neat at the end of the year. These budgets, they are my jam!

Back to personal budgets. A personal budget (or family budget, in my case) is a whirlwind of chaos. Right now, we don't know what all is coming in. There are no guarantees for us this month or next. When you start to set up a budget, the first thing you need to account for is your income, but when your income is variable it's like playing Russian Roulette with a loaded bazooka. It would be stupid and could be deadly.

Anyway...

What am I doing about this budget thing?  I'm starting a budget binder.

Isn't it pretty?

I am trying a variety of printables, because well, I love printables and have a Pinteresting problem. ;) The budget printable I'm utilizing right now is from Thirty Handmade Days and I'll let you know how it works for me.  Do you have a favorite budget printable? Link it in the comments!

Caress Forever Collection Body Wash (Influenster Post)

I was given the opportunity to try a new body wash by Caress for free in exchange for my honest opinion through Influenster's VoxBox program. It's from the Caress Forever Collection in Love Forever. The Forever Collection boasts 12-hours of continuous fragrance and they really delivered. 

Packaging

The body wash comes in a standard style package, although the bottle is opaque black. It looks a little more luxurious than your standard drugstore body wash. 

Body Wash

The actual wash is a deep garnet color - I was scared it would drain my shower curtain or my white bath at! It's shimmery and smells lovely, floral with a hint of musk. I thought it was smell awful on me - I have a terrible time trying any products that are very "feminine" smelling. They usually make me smell nauseating - a cross between a 1800s whore house and fish market. Not sexy. Love Forever smells really strong straight out of the bottle, but once it sits on the skin it soaks and mixes really well with my skin chemistry. Not only do I like the smell, but I find Hubs sniffing me when he thinks I'm not paying attention. 

The feel is pretty standard for a body wash, smooth and moisturizing for a short period of time. I have really dry skin on my body, so most body washes don't leave "lasting" moisture. Caress Forever Collection's moisture lasts just as well as my normal body wash. 

Lasting Fragrance

So I figured, "12-hours of lasting fragrance was a joke. There's no way it could last 12-hours." It actually lasts closer to 24. No seriously, I still smell pretty nice the next day. 

Overall Impression

I'm actually quite happy with this body wash. It's definitely one I'll keep in mind once I run out of the one supplied by Walgreens and Influenster. I'm shocked by how much I like the scent and how well it lasts. I love the color of the body wash and that it feels silky when going on the skin. I give this body wash 4 out of 5 stars for great value, over all feel, and delivering on the long lasting scent.