The ultimate Christmas perfume gift guide for every taste!

Hello, my loves! It truly feels like the Christmas season starts earlier every year, doesn't it? We're still in November and so many of us are already putting up Christmas decorations, trees; even advent calendars have been on sale since September! Some of you may already be thinking about gift ideas, and perfumes are always a popular choice for Christmas. Fragrances make wonderful gifts, although it can be difficult to pick the right one, especially considering how many options there are to choose from! Today, I thought I'd put together a little guide that will hopefully help you to pick the perfect fragrance. Hope you enjoy!

Nina Ricci 'Bella' first impressions review

Unpopular beauty opinions

Hello, my loves! Today, I thought I'd do something a little different, and share my take on the 'Unpopular Beauty Opinions' tag. I've first spotted this tag on the lovely Lulle's blog, although it was originally created by a couple of fellow YouTubers. I think it's a really fun tag - it's interesting to learn about other people's unique perspective on makeup and current trends; and who knows, maybe you'll find that your opinion isn't so unpopular, after all! I encourage you all to try this tag, and for now, here are my answers to the tag questions. Hope you enjoy!

Problem skin saviour? CHOBS Centella Asiatica serum review

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to be bringing you a review of the organic Centella Asiatica serum by a Korean skincare brand, CHOBS (£46 for a 30ml bottle, LoveLula). It's super rare that I do dedicated skincare reviews here on Shoes and Glitter, but this little serum has been a game-changer (not sponsored), so I really wanted to talk to you lovelies about it. I am by no means a skincare expert (this title goes to my favourite skincare bloggers, like Anne!), but I know what works for my skin and I will do my best to share with you loves an honest review. Hope you enjoy!

How to edit your blog photos in less than 10 minutes! (with Photoshop)

Hello, my loves! Today, I want to share with you a few tips on how to easily and quickly edit your blog photos in Photoshop (or any other editing software of your choice). As we all know, photos are a huge part of blogging. You could write the best, most engaging posts; but it's the photos that will catch your audience's attention and make them want to click on the post. Having said that, it can be difficult to create attractive, eye-catching photos when you don't have the right equipment. Not everyone can afford a professional, DSLR camera - and that's perfectly okay! I for one, still use the humble little camera on my iPhone. Luckily, there are things you can do to make your photos appear more professional with very little effort. And whilst I am by no means an expert on this, I thought I'd share with you some of my go-to photo-editing tricks. I hope you find them useful!

3 years blogiversary + giveaway! Win an Urban Decay palette of your choice (open worldwide)

Hello, my loves! Today is a very special day, as we are celebrating Shoes and Glitter's 3 year blogiversary! I truly cannot believe how quickly the time flies... When I published my first post a little over three years ago, I honestly didn't expect myself to stick to it for more than a couple of months. I would look at all the fellow bloggers who have such successful, beautiful blogs (I still do) and think 'Wow, I could never achieve even half of this!'. Three years later, and I am loving blogging more than ever. It's not always easy, and it can be challenging at times, but it's something that I look forward to every single day. Shoes and Glitter now has over 1,800 friends on Bloglovin', and over 4000 Twitter buddies! And whilst blogging isn't all about the numbers, I am so beyond grateful for each and every single one of you who visits this little corner to read my random beauty ramblings. Today, as a little thank you for all the love and support throughout the years, I have a little Urban Decay giveaway for you, lovelies!

NYX Can't Stop Won't Stop foundation: honest review + swatches!

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to review one of the most talked about recent makeup launches - the Can't Stop Won't Stop foundation by NYX (£15, Boots). I've always been cautious about trying out new foundations (they can be so hit and miss!), although I've also been on the lookout for a cheaper alternative to my favourite Power Fabric by Armani. The Can't Stop Won't Stop foundation definitely sounded promising and perfect for my oily skin, so I decided to invest in a bottle. Will it live up to the high expectations? Is it worth the hype? Let's find out together!

NYX 'Honey Dew Me Up' Primer Review

Hello, my jelly beans! Today, I am so happy to be bringing you a review of the NYX Honey Dew Me Up primer (£15, Boots). I don't typically review primers on my blog, but this one has been getting quite a lot of attention in the blogosphere lately, so I thought I'd share with you my honest thoughts on it. I was on the lookout for a new primer for a while, and Honey Dew Me Up caught my attention right away - the gold-speckled formula looks very unusual and interesting! However, is it actually a reliable primer? Let's find out together!

The Best Perfumes For Autumn! 2018 Recommendations

Hello, my jelly beans! It's been such a long time since I did a seasonal perfume recommendations post for you. I actually took a pretty long break from talking about fragrances in general, and haven't bought a single new bottle this year! I've been trying to appreciate what I already have instead, so I've been looking forward to sharing these carefully selected picks with you, loves. Autumn is probably my favourite season (who doesn't love the cool, crispy, pumpkin-spiced goodness!), and it's also the perfect time to wear perfumes that are a little more bold, sweet and intense. My favourite autumn fragrance notes include earthy patchouli, balsamic amber and sweet caramel; all of which will feature in today's list. Hope you enjoy!

Beauty discoveries with the KindLook box - September unboxing!

Hello, my loves! Today, I have a very special unboxing for you. I've teamed up with the lovely folks over at KindLook, to bring you a full review of their September edition cruelty-free beauty box. KindLook is fairly new to the subscription box market, but they've already made an impact with fantastic value for money (spoiler alert - this box contains over £90 worth of products), and quality goodies (from brands like Illamasqua, Kat Von D, Spectrum and Urban Decay). It's honestly not easy to get me excited about subscription boxes anymore, but looking at the past KindLook boxes definitely got me very hopeful for the September edition. Could this be the best cruelty-free beauty box yet? Or will it disappoint, like so many others? Let's unbox it together! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills 'Norvina' eyeshadow palette review + swatches

Hello, my loves! Today is a very special day - I am very excited to be bringing you a review of the Norvina eyeshadow palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills (£43). This palette has caused quite a stir in the beauty community (with some complaints of heavy fallout and powdery texture), so I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally try it out for myself. When I first saw the Norvina eyeshadow palette online, I was completely obsessed with the shade selection. Most of the palettes I own are very warm-toned, so I was excited to try something a little different and slightly out of my comfort zone. Today, I will be sharing with you my honest thoughts on this little palette. Is it worth the hype? Is the fallout really that bad? Let's find out together!

The Pip Box August 2018 vegan beauty box review

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to be bringing you another, very special vegan beauty unboxing with the Pip Box. TheVeganKind box (which I reviewed for you last time) restored my faith in subscription boxes, so I was incredibly excited to team up with the Pip Box and review their August selection of all-natural, vegan and cruelty-free beauty products. This box costs £20 with free UK delivery (although the cost is less per box if you choose a long-term subscription), and it will arrive at your door every month. The August box is the 'Energise Edit', with a focus on health, fitness and well-being. It definitely sounds promising, and I hope you enjoy!

Jeffree Star Velour Lip Scrub in Pink Lemonade review

Hello, my jelly beans! Today, I am very excited to bring you a review of the Jeffree Star Velour lip scrub in Pink Lemonade, which is part of the 2018 Summer Collection. Whilst I know that people tend to have mixed opinions about Jeffree himself (although personally, I think the recent YouTube mini-series starring him and Shane was pretty amazing), I've always been a fan of his products as they're very reliable, unique and not overly pricey. This was actually my first time trying out a proper lip scrub of any kind - my lips are very sensitive, so I've always been a little cautious about exfoliating them! Today, I will be sharing with you my honest thoughts on this Velour lip scrub. Hope you enjoy!

TheVeganKind vegan beauty box review + first impressions! August edition

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to talk to you about a fully vegan, fully cruelty-free beauty box by TheVeganKind. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you might know that I've always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with subscription boxes. The element of surprise can be very exciting, but I've had mix luck with beauty boxes in the past where I just wouldn't use most of the products. Having said that, I cannot tell you how happy I was when I found out about TheVeganKind box. I've been trying to explore more cruelty-free products, but it can be difficult since a lot of brands aren't 100% clear on their animal testing policies. So, to have a lovely beauty box full of vegan, cruelty-free products is just so useful in terms of trying out new and different brands. TheVeganKind beauty box costs £15 +£3.15 p&p per box (although the cost is less per box if you choose an annual subscription), and it'll arrive at your door once every two months. Today, I will be showing you the August 2018 edition. Hope you enjoy!

5 benefits I've experienced on a vegan diet

The best cruelty-free perfume brands

Lumene skincare mini haul + first impressions

Hello, loves! It's been a while since I've done a skincare haul, so I'm very excited to share my finds with you today. On my search for good, cruelty-free skincare (which can be harder than you'd expect!), I've come across this brand from Finland, Lumene (not sponsored, although I wish!). They offer a wide range of cruelty-free skincare and makeup, including lots of vegan options, which is great! I went ahead and purchased a few products, and today, I'll be sharing with you my first impressions. Hope you enjoy!

Lumene Nordic Hydra Intense Hydration Moisturiser (£17.90)
This fresh, lightweight cream is quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving it soft, smooth and intensely hydrated from the very first application. Contains pure Arctic spring water to promote a healthy-looking complexion.

I actually tried a sample of this a while back, and enjoyed it so much that I just had to get the full size! This is, hands down, the most refreshingly hydrating cream that I've ever used. It's easy to apply and leaves your skin feeling thoroughly moisturised, without any greasy residue. I've tried a lot of creams in the past that just wouldn't absorb very well, which would put me off moisturising in the mornings. This one, however, feels unbelievably lightweight and absorbs beautifully in just a few seconds. It genuinely makes a difference to how your skin looks and feels, and it might just become my all-time favourite, cruelty-free day moisturiser.

Lumene Sisu Deep Clean Purifying Mask (£14.95)
The purity-boosting clay-based formula is enriched with natural exfoliating particles from Nordic cranberry and pure Arctic spring water. Combined with anti-pollution technology, it helps to protect against external stressors, leaving skin smooth, fresh and naturally radiant looking. 

Whoever designed this formula, was very serious about the 'deep clean' part! This mask leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, smooth and soft. The texture is interesting as it feels more like a lotion (unlike clay or peel masks), that doesn't really harden when dried up. It exfoliates well without drying out your skin, although I'd say that it's probably more suitable for oily skin types. Also, despite how thoroughly cleansing it is, it actually feels very gentle on the skin! I'm always a little cautious about 'deep clean' face masks as they can be quite irritating, but this one feels incredibly gentle and almost soothing when applied.

Lumene Nordic Hydra Pure Arctic Miracle 3-in-1 Micellar Cleansing Water (£12.00)
The gentle freshness of water is combined with the efficient cleansing properties of micellar particles. Skin is thoroughly cleansed, and appears freshly hydrated and radiant.

I was looking for a good, vegan and cruelty-free alternative to my usual Garnier micellar water, and this one was actually amongst top-rated products on the feelunique website. The price is a little higher than what I'd expect to pay for a bottle of micellar water, but I thought it was worth a try, and I definitely wasn't disappointed! This micellar water gently melts away all your makeup without needing to rub, leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean. It's definitely as effective as the Garnier micellar water, although it does struggle a little more with waterproof mascara. The formula also feels more 'concentrated' - you need much less product per application to achieve the same results.

Overall, I am very pleased with my Lumene purchases, and will definitely be checking out more of their products in the future. Again, this post isn't sponsored in any way - I am just genuinely impressed with this brand, and wanted to share it with you, loves! It's not easy finding vegan, cruelty-free skincare products that actually work - it's sad how many brands still choose to test on animals, honestly. I've been on the lookout for good skincare and makeup alternatives, so will be sharing with you more in future posts. x

Have you tried Lumene skincare before? What skincare products have you been loving lately? 

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Meet Cinnamon Roll, my baby hamster

Hello, my loves! Today, I want to introduce you all to someone very, very special - my little Syrian hamster, named Cinnamon Roll. We got him just over a week ago (it was an early birthday present from my partner), and I love him so much that I just couldn't wait to share with you the happy news! Cinnamon Roll is currently about 10 weeks old, and it is the cutest, fluffiest bundle of joy that I've ever seen!

A sneak peek of the current cage. :) 

Me and my boyfriend always wanted to keep a pet, and a little Syrian hamster seemed like a perfect addition to our family. We wanted to give him the most amazing home possible, so we invested in a large Living World Green Eco Habitat tank, which is 95cm wide and 49cm high, giving him lots of room to run around and explore. We also bought him lots of toys, places to hide, an exercise wheel (which I recently upgraded as the initial one ended up being too small!), food and treats. It's still work in progress, and I would like to eventually give the cage more of a theme (I'm thinking maybe a woodland or rainforest theme), but I think it's a good start. Let me know if you would like to see a more detailed hamster cage tour!

The minute I laid my eyes on this little hamster, I knew he was the one I wanted to get! He was all curled up in the corner, shy and super adorable. We've been getting to know him over the past week, but it's still early days. For now, we're just giving him space and letting him adjust to the new environment (as much as I'd love to just go ahead and give him a proper cuddle!).

So far, Cinnamon Roll seems to be adjusting very well to its new home. He's super curious and loves to explore his cage, which is so heart-warming to watch! He's still a little shy and quite easily startled, which of course is completely expected. He's made a nest and moved his toys inside one of the wooden houses, which seem to be his favourite spot to hide and rest. I've read up quite a lot on taming hamsters, and whilst they're naturally quite curious and friendly, we're being patient and taking things slow. I have yet to handle him properly, but it's okay as we just want him to fully adjust to his new home!

I hope you enjoyed this post, and please let me know if you'd like to see more updates from Cinnamon Roll's life! I am thinking of creating an Instagram page for him, and perhaps preparing some homemade hamster treats - let me know if you'd like to see a post on that! :)

What pets do you have? Please, tell me all about them! :) 

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100 lifestyle blog post ideas!

Hello, my loves! Today, I am excited to share with you 100 lifestyle blog post ideas, that will hopefully help you out if you ever happen to hit a creative block. I think that it's only natural to feel a lack of inspiration from time to time, especially if you've been blogging for a while. Whenever I feel creative, I like to write down any blog post ideas that come to mind in a little notebook, and use them later on. There is an endless amount of things that you can talk about as a lifestyle blogger, so I've compiled a list of some of my go-to ideas. This includes everything from travel, blogging to food and personal posts - I really hope that you find them useful!

1. Share everything that you eat in a day
2. Your favourite smoothie recipes
3. Your favourite quick meal recipes (less than 20 minutes to prepare, or 3 ingredients or less)
4. Review your local restaurant, bakery, coffee shop, etc.
5. 'Cook with me' post where you try out a recipe with your readers for the first time
6. Share your favourite cookbooks
7. Your best cooking/baking tips
8. Your favourite healthy snacks
9. Round-up of your favourite breakfast/lunch/dinner recipes
10. Grocery haul
11. Your best food photography tips
12. Your favourite seasonal recipes (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.)
13. School/work lunch ideas
14. Tell us about the best restaurant you've ever been to

15. Share your morning/evening routine
16. Your lazy weekend routine
17. Random facts about yourself
18. Share your favourite motivational quotes
19. Five things that make you happy
20. Five things that annoy you (pet peeves)
21. Five things that inspire you
22. Story time post - share some interesting, embarrassing, funny stories from your life
23. Share your favourite childhood memory
24. Write a letter to your young (or future) self
25. Talk about a challenging time in your life, and how you've overcome it
26. Share some scary ghost/paranormal experiences (perfect for Halloween!)
27. Tips for people starting college (share your experiences)
28. Nostalgia post - share your favourite games, TV shows, toys etc. from your childhood
29. Share a typical day in your life
30. Talk about your goals and dreams for the future
31. Who inspires you the most in your life?
32. The most important lessons you've learned/ in your life
33. Tell us about your pet (if you have one)
34. 'Get to know me' tag
35. Five things that you are the most grateful for
36. Your best tips on how to stay organised
37. Bullet journal ideas

38. Your current travel wishlist
39. Tell us about the last place you've travelled to
40. Your beauty routine when travelling
41. A travel guide to visiting your home town/country
42. Your best tips for travelling alone
43. Your tips on how to save money when travelling
44. Share your scariest/funniest experiences when travelling
45. What's in your travel suitcase?
46. Review the last hotel you've stayed at
47. Share your first time abroad experience
48. A travel guide to your favourite city
49. Your top destinations for a summer/winter holiday
50. Your best safety tips for travelling
51. Your tips for taking travel photos

52. Your all-time favourite books
53. Your all-time favourite films and TV shows
54. Your all-time favourite games
55. Your stationery collection - shows us what you have!
56. Your all-time favourite apps
57. Share some of your favourite bloggers
58. Monthly/weekly Instagram roundup
59. Pinterest finds of the week/month
60. Review the last TV show/film you've watched
61. The worst film you've ever seen?
62. Review the last book you've read
63. Your favourite podcasts
64. Your favourite YouTube channels
65. Your favourite social media accounts to follow
66. Share your guilty pleasures - songs, films, etc.
67. Your all-time favourite songs
68. Your playlist for relaxing/date night/night out, etc.

69. Share your current workout routine
70. Share your workout playlist
71. Your best tips on staying fit and healthy
72. Share your health goals
73. Your tips on how to motivate yourself to workout
74. Talk about your favourite sport
75. Your favourite 'at home' workout
76. Have you ever been on a diet? Share your experience

77. The most important lessons you've learned as a blogger
78. Common blogging mistakes
79. Your top tips for starting a blog
80. Your best blog photography tips
81. Share your favourite blog resources - fonts, templates, etc.
82. Round-up of your most popular posts from the past year
83. Share your entire blogging process
84. Money-saving tips for new bloggers
85. Why did you start blogging?
86. Types of posts that get the most views
87. Your best photo-editing tips
88. Your best tips on growing a blog audience
89. Share your favourite blogging inspirations
90. Share your blogging goals (monthly or weekly)

91. Nail art of the month
92. Outfit of the day
93. Seasonal gift guides - Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc.
94. Budget celebration ideas - birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
95. Your Christmas/birthday wishlist
96. Your favourite accessories
97. Your top five favourite outfits
98. DIY decoration ideas
99. What's on your desk
100. Room/house tour

And that's about it! Hope you enjoyed these post ideas, and will find them useful. What are your main sources of blog post inspiration? 

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Tarte 'Rainforest of the Sea Vol. III' palette review + swatches!

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to talk to you about this gorgeous highlighting eyeshadow palette by Tarte, called 'Rainforest of the Sea Vol. III' (£30, Tarte). I stumbled across this one whilst browsing Tarte's vegan makeup section, and, as a huge fan of shimmery eyeshadows, I was immediately drawn to how pretty it looked. This was actually my first time any of Tarte's makeup, making this review a very special one! Today, I will be sharing with you my honest thoughts on this little palette. Hope you enjoy!

What I eat in a day on a vegan diet - weekend edition

Hello, loves! Today, I am very excited to share with you the first in a new series of 'what I eat in a day' posts. Personally, I am a huge fan of these types of posts and videos - as a helpless foodie, I am always interested in new recipes and ideas. Today, I want to show you what I eat on a typical weekend day. This is by no means a dietary guide on how you should be eating - my food choices are not always the healthiest, and I like to keep any meal prep as minimal as possible (I'm pretty lazy, and helpless in the kitchen!). A lot of people seem to think that eating vegan involves a lot of cooking and prep; so today, I want to show you just how easy it can be. Hope you enjoy!

As it was a Sunday after a pretty rough week, I decided to treat myself to my favourite breakfast ever - a cheese toastie! Cheese toasties were always my favourite thing to eat before I went vegan, and it wasn't easy to find an equally satisfying dairy-free replacement. Having said that, the Violife cheese slices come pretty close - they're probably my favourite vegan cheese alternative that I've found so far. They're super creamy and milky, and melt really nicely when grilled. I've topped the toastie with fresh tomato slices and some szechuan pepper, chilli and ginger salt. I've also had a few strawberries so that I could pretend that it was a healthier breakfast, ha!

Since we're still in the summer season and fruits are not as expensive, I typically have a nice, big fruit salad for lunch. I am not much of a chef and like to keep things simple, so I typically just mix whatever fruit I have left at home. For this delicious salad, I used one large banana, a few handful of strawberries and mandarin oranges. Bananas are always a staple for me in any fruit meal - they're super healthy and much more filling than most fruits. It might not be the most adventurous, but it was definitely a really nice, light and satisfying meal!

For a cheeky afternoon snack, I had this scrumptious almond vanilla dessert by Alpro. It was so yummy and convincingly milky, that I had to kept reminding myself that it's actually vegan! These pots are delicious and only 72 calories (I don't care about calories myself, but I think that the low calorie count would appeal to a lot of people), so I also had a banana for a 'healthy balance'!

For dinner, I decided to prepare one of my favourite, easy vegan meals. I had some mash potatoes, baked Quorn's fishless fingers (which honestly taste just as good as the real thing) and a simple mushroom stir fry. I am not a talented cook and like to keep my meal prep as easy as possible (I'm lazy!), but this dinner was still very satisfying and delicious. For vegan mash potatoes, you can use soy milk and a nice-tasting, dairy-free margarine like Vitalite to make them extra creamy. For the veggie stir fry, I simply chopped up some organic mushrooms and tomatoes and fried them in one teaspoon of vegetable oil. I also added some thyme, lemon and bay salt for extra flavour!

And that is my whole day of eating! I know that my food choices are probably not the most exciting, but I just wanted to show you how easy it is to eat vegan - you can even have grilled cheese! Thanks to the many dairy and meat-free alternatives, it's so effortless to swap out your favourites for an equally tasty, vegan option. Hope you enjoyed this post, and let me know if you'd like to see more content like this! 

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Come shopping with me! My weekly vegan groceries

Hello, my loves! Today, I am inviting you to go on a fully-vegan, fully-awesome shopping trip with me! I've had a lot of questions regarding my current vegan diet and dairy/meat alternatives, so I wanted to show you just how many amazing options there are. I find that a lot of supermarkets have really stepped up their game recently with regards to vegan foods, which makes me so, so happy! When I first tried going vegan over a year ago, I felt very restricted as there just weren't many options around. Now, with supermarket sections dedicated to meat and dairy-free alternatives (including things like cheese, yogurt, milk, pizza and even ice cream!), I am finding it completely effortless to do my weekly shopping. And, I think that even if you would never consider going vegan, it might be fun for you to try out some of these alternatives - a lot of them are seriously delicious! Hope you enjoy this shopping trip with me!

A postcard from Tenerife

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to finally talk to you about our nine-year anniversary trip to Tenerife. We had the most wonderful time, and I think that it might actually be our favourite holiday to date. It may seem a little strange, but whenever I am on holiday, it almost feels like living in an alternate reality. You are so far away from everything that makes up your everyday life - the grind, the routine, all the daily problems and challenges. You don't need to worry about going to work or any other everyday responsibilities - you are free to relax, explore and do whatever you like. Travelling is one of the few things in life that makes me feel truly happy and carefree, and I wish I could enjoy it more often. We always make a point to save up to be able to go on holiday once a year, and when we do, it is always super special.

A Walk Down The Memory Lane With Ziaja's Marine Algae Skincare Range!

Hello, my loves! Today, I am very excited to be bringing you a very special post in collaboration with Poland's biggest skincare brand - Ziaja. As cheesy as this may sound, I have always felt very sentimental about Ziaja - it was my beloved Nan's all-time favourite skincare brand. I grew up around their products, and I still have memories of getting into her skincare stash as a little girl, playing around pretending to run my own beauty shop (I told you it'd be cheesy!). Living in the UK for the past eleven years, I have definitely missed their products, so I was over the moon to find out that they actually have an online UK shop! It was so excited to get my hands on these (very affordable!) goodies again, and it definitely brought back some memories, as well. Hope you enjoy today's review!

My Top Money-Saving Tips For New Bloggers!

Hello, loves! Today, I am very excited to share with you a few blog-related, money-saving tips. If you've been blogging for a while, you probably know just how expensive of a hobby it can be! There are always things like a blog layout, a custom domain, a new blog camera, and of course all those endless products that we end up buying just to review them. It can be a bit of a financial trap, and today, I'd like to share with you a few tips (learned the hard way!) on how to save on any blog-related expenses. Hope you enjoy!