A lot of people ask me “what are you studying,” and my answer always seems convoluted and long, and a rather logical question tends to follow: “Why?” Why would you pursue 4 majors? With the conventional wisdom to know that all a university degree really does these days is to provide you with a ticket to a job interview, why would you pursue four of them?
I found this compelling, audacious comic online, that I think sums up how some people feel about college.
This explains, in part, the attitude of many of my friends in college, whose objective it is to “do their time,” keep their heads down, get their degree, and get out of college. I, however, am taking a different approach to my education.
Let me start by stating the obvious: I’m an ambitious person. Aside from being ambitious, there are several reasons why I chose to pursue 4 majors.
Skills:
Why do any of us get a degree? The reason that we get a degree is to offer to employers some form of proof that we are capable of the hard work and skill level that is required to earn our chosen degree. So, in my opinion, it would stand to reason that someone with multiple degrees may also possess a myriad of skills as reflected by the various forms of study required by each degree.
Diversity of Thought:
Suppose again that someone who chooses to pursue an education also learns how to evaluate situations based on the persuasions to which they have become accustomed based on their course of study. For example, someone who studies math, given a problem, might evaluate a solution based on numbers, while a philosophy major might look at the problem from the perspective of a subscriber to Kantian ethics.
However, someone who has been educated in both of these fields might not only be able to evaluate the problem from both angles (pun intended), they would also be able to choose the best course of action between the two and/ or base their solution within a combination of both of these fields.
The ability to see things from different perspectives is not only useful in decision-making, it also, in my opinion, results in a higher degree of likability. Thinking differently results in open-mindedness and empathy. Studies show that both of these characteristics result in more people liking you*. If you can think differently, you’ll be able to understand the perspectives of others more often. This will result in people seeing you as more empathetic, because you’re able to understand their perspective- even in the unavoidable event that you may disagree with them. And, because you’re open-minded, disagreement does not end communication. Rather it is the beginning, since an open-minded person engages with those who disagree with them in an attempt to fully understand their positions and achieve points of agreement.
Following the advice of Adam Smith:
I am human. I am not immune to the influences of those outside my inner circle, outside my country, or in the case of Adam Smith, outside my plane of existence. Adam Smith lived 67 years and wrote his most famous books in the mid-1700s. His “Wealth of Nations” is still in print, and I have personally enjoyed it.
It is in this book, that he says: “In the progress of the division of labor, the employment of the far greater part of those who live by labor, that is, of the great body of the people, comes to be confined to a few very simple operations; frequently to one or two. But the understandings of the greater part of men are necessarily formed by their ordinary employments. The man whose whole life is spent in performing a few simple operations, of which the effects, too, are perhaps always the same, or very nearly the same, has no occasion to exert his understanding, or to exercise his invention, in finding out expedients for removing difficulties which never occur. He naturally loses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become. The torpor of his mind renders him not only incapable of relishing or bearing a part in any rational conversation, but of conceiving any generous, noble, or tender sentiment, and consequently of forming any just judgment concerning many even of the ordinary duties of private life.”
TL;DR: Adam Smith suggests here that performing only a few simple tasks during the course of one’s work day robs them of the opportunity to think critically and eventually of the ability to do so at all.
There are two parts of this quote I’d like to address. Adam Smith here, takes a relatively negative tone, but I plan to speak in positive terms as I am an optimistic person. So, I will state the opposite and say, when you perform more than one or two tasks in your work, when you are challenged, when you have a chance to think critically, something interesting happens: you grow. That’s something I’ve always been intrinsically motivated to do. So, one of the reasons I chose to complete four majors is to fulfill my desire for personal growth.
The second part of this quote I’d like to address relates to one’s ability to appreciate “rational conversation,” and to contribute to that conversation. Again, I’ll use a more positive tone, and express that given the different strategies to evaluate problems that I’ve learned, I am capable of “rational conversation.” In addition, all the different perspectives I’ve encountered makes me capable of arguing both sides of many contentious issues.
Following the Advice of Tim Ferriss
I also follow the advice of a personal hero of mine, Tim Ferriss. In the linked post, he talks about being a “Jack of all trades,” or what he dubs “a generalist.” I greatly admire this Princeton graduate who wrote his first book, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” before the age of 30. In the linked article, Ferriss refers to generalists as leaders and asks readers if Steve Jobs was better at programming than top programmers at Apple. The obvious answer is “no,” but he did understand enough about everything to see the connections and lead his team to produce great things. Ferriss goes on to say, “There is a reason military “generals” are called such.”
Finally, it’s fun. It’s fun to explore different avenues of thought. It’s fun to learn new things and it’s fun to make great strides. It’s fun to get awards in one field, while achieving recognition in another. Having recently won an “Outstanding Student” award in one of my majors, and being recognized as a “High-achieving” student in another, I appreciate what it means to excel and expand at the same time. I truly enjoy all of my majors and experience great personal satisfaction in pursuing all of them.
Any questions? Tell me about them below!
*This study links likeability and open-mindedness as positive traits, as well as agreeability, kindness and fairness. It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but does demonstrate open mindedness as a positive trait correlated with likeability. This study states that “the correlation between likeability and empathy was .60.” I obtained access through my institution, so that’s why the full text is not there, but you may also have access through your institution, if you’re curious as to the other results of this study.
I see this question a lot on social media. I never thought about answering it before because I figured it had already been answered but, upon reflection, I am happy to add my opinion to the collection. One issue with the opinions available online is that I was unable to find any written by “super fans” like me. (Side note: If Lulumum or Lululemon Addict has written a post similar to this one, please link it below!) I did find this one but by and large positive articles were difficult to find. This was my favorite critical, but fair article. There were many dissenting opinions, and some people complain with near vitriolic hatred about the price of Lululemon. If you don’t believe me, just spend a day on Twitter searching for Lululemon related posts.
There are several reasons why people have enormous collections of Lululemon and continue to buy and collect it. There are also reasons why people maintain smaller collections, selling as they get bored and using that money to add new items to their collection.
I wanted to show you some Lululemon closet photos to prove that there are many people who are dedicated to the brand, and also because they’re pretty. 🙂 I found some Lululemon Closet photos by Googling, and Lulumum has some posts on her blog from her subscribers.
Quality
Let’s start with an obvious reason to pay more. I’m the first to admit that Lululemon has had some quality issues in the past, but I feel that they’ve come a long way since then, and I am also dismayed to have witnessed the amount of coverage they received in the media about their lack of coverage. I have older Nike crops that have pilled on me, or sheer out when stretched, but Lululemon received a lot of bad publicity when people started complaining about it happening to their items. My theory on why they received so much bad publicity is because people expect higher quality standards for Lululemon items than they do for cheaper items. For example, I know that my Nike bottoms that are 80% Polyester are not going to feel as compressive as my Lululemon crops that are 80% Nylon. I also know that Polyester is prone to sheering out. So, people like me, who buy Lululemon on a regular basis, and pay for higher quality were outraged when the quality was disappearing from our expensive items. That’s my theory, what do you think? Why do you think the media covered Lululemon’s quality issues so fervently?
Now let’s address what Lululemon does right. First of all, most of Lululemon’s clothing is made from Luon, which is generally comprised of 80% Nylon and 20% Lycra, or some close combination thereof. If I spot an item that says “Luon” and it’s made of any less than 70% Nylon, I can tell the difference in terms of feel. “Feel” is another thing that Lululemon does right. Their Rulu fabric is some of the softest stuff out there. I love my Base Runners and my Vinyassa scarves and they’re both made of super soft Rulu. Regular old Luon is also much softer than any Polyester-based item I can find at Target or Nike and that’s a huge reason why I hardly ever buy from those places. I once purchased shorts from Target, but the fit was off. There’s another thing Lululemon does right. Lululemon clothing hugs the body and twists in the right places. I’ve tried knock-offs and have fit issues I don’t experience with Lululemon, either thumbholes are not in the perfect place, or the tops ride up, etc…
Fashion
So, aside from the above quality issues like fabric content, feel, and fit, fashion is another reason why people like me are willing to purchase Lululemon. Lululemon’s designs have been cutting edge for a while, and I still enjoy seeing what they come up with. The Nouveau Limits tank will never replace my No Limits tanks, but I enjoy this creative design. Although I can agree with people who love Zella, especially for their prints, I just can’t get over the 80% Polyester content. Same with Nike. Same with Target’s brand. I touch their clothes nearly every time I stop in there, and I’ve yet to be impressed. One other brand from which I do own quite a few pairs of crops that I LOVE is Glyder. 80% Nylon or better, and they feel just like my Wunder Under Crops. They’re around $50-$60 and I would love to have more, they just don’t come out with new colors that often.
Lululemon has been known for their dedication to innovative design for a long time, and as a consumer, I am happy to benefit from that. They even have the “Lab” where they release limited runs of items to test them out and ask for feedback so they can continue to be innovative with their designs. Although Zella and other companies do an excellent job with their designs, I still feel that Lululemon is the first to market with a lot of their ideas.
I love the little details Lululemon takes the time to put into their clothing. Apart from the little quotes they often put on their clothes, they also take the time to put hidden pockets or other features.
Here are some pics of the “hidden” quotes under the hemline of the Swiftlies.
Function
Function, for most people who exercise, is the most important thing. These clothes work for me. I am never pulling up my crops, like I have to with my Nikes or my Bebe Sport crops. The waistbands on most of my non-Luon, Lululemon workout crops have built-in drawstrings that I can tie tightly so I don’t have to worry about pulling up my crops.
Thumbholes are great, and I find myself legitimately disappointed when I don’t find them on my non-lululemon workout tops. Thumbholes help keep my hands warm, and they also help keep my sleeves from rolling up when I’m putting on layers.
There are many other function-related details Lululemon adds to their clothes that contribute to their awesomeness, but I won’t list them all. What are some of your favorite features? Tell me about them below!
Brand Name Value
This reason, in my opinion, has some of this highest validity, yet both the lowest recognition and the lowest level of understanding on the part of those who do mention it. I’ve seen people say, ‘If you buy Lululemon for the brand name, you’re just…’ Insert your own brand of criticism here, but that’s essentially what they have said. However, people need to understand that there is inherent value in a brand name and that brand names influence our purchasing decisions whether we like to admit it or not. The same people who judge Lululemon addicts for buying Lululemon for the brand name are the same people who buy Nike shoes instead of New Balance. New Balance shoes are of good quality, and will perform well, but Nike shoes have a higher brand value. Nike shoes are designed and marketed expertly. Nike outsources the manufacture of its shoes, much in the same way that Lululemon outsources the manufacture of its clothing. However, both Lululemon and Nike operate and maintain their design functions as core competencies of their companies. People talk about quality, but New Balance manufactures its shoes in the USA, while Nike outsources, yet Nike has the higher brand name value, shown in the table below. Lululemon’s brand value is also shown below.
I hope you can see that what I’m getting at is that brand name, regardless of the criticisms, does have value. Therefore, people who buy Lululemon or Nike “just because” of the brand name are actually making a pragmatic decision. The brand value that has been added by proper marketing or by previous experience with that brand creates a positive feedback loop with regards to perception and people are willing to pay more for that reliability.
Unfortunately, both Nike and Lululemon have done damage to their brands in the past and the effects of those faux-pas’ have been seen in the bottom line, and when they’ve been serious enough some C-suite personnel changes have occurred. We saw this in 2012 with “Pantsgate.” However, it seems to me that Lululemon has bounced back from that severe setback. It’s stock price is on the rise, and it has adapted to consumer demands such as manufacturing larger runs of popular items, so customers experience fewer sell-outs immediately after upload.
I just want to say “Thank You” for reading if you made it this far. It’s admittedly difficult for me to be impartial, since I have had such positive experiences with the brand and I very much enjoy Lululemon’s products. In that same vein, if you feel that I’ve missed a reason, either to love or hate Lululemon I would love to hear your opinions in the box below!
After a very restful March Break/ “Study” Week, I’ve finally found a moment to blog. I’ve been traveling, and working very hard on school assignments, since I’m taking 21 hours (7 classes) this semester. I’m also looking for an internship, so I took a few hours today and dedicated them to job searching. I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m still here! And that I haven’t given up on my blogging goals! I have added Twitter and Facebook, and more recently, Pinterest! I only share posts on Facebook, but have been making an effort to engage on Twitter. @Lululemon tweets to me every so often, and I’m actually finding myself quite amused. Pretty sure I’ve secured myself a future position with their social media team 😉
I hope you continue to follow me, on Facebook as well as Twitter– and join me on Pinterest to check out my collection- and please link me to yours if you have one!
I ALMOST FORGOT! I also updated my look a tiny bit with a new Avatar! I hope you like my Unicorn! She’s doing Barre!
When you reach 2,000 points, spend your points 2,000 at at time, this is when they have the greatest per point monetary value. Also: You can redeem -maximum- up to 4,000 points at once in a purchase online.
Wait for 3x and 5x the points offers to make purchases.
Once a year, Ulta has a 10x the points Platinum Member Appreciation Day- it’s at the end of August each year.
Wait until Wednesdays for the best “Gift With Purchase” offers.
Hello everyone!
**UPDATE January 21, 2018: I recently published my thoughts and a little math regarding Ulta’s NEW Diamond rewards tier!
Let me just start by saying: I LOVE makeup! However, I am all about getting the best deals on the things I love. For example, just check out this post I wrote about getting the best deals on Lululemon!
I WISH Lululemon had a rewards program, but since 2014, nothing has materialized. I hope to update this post with a retraction, but I digress…
UPDATE: Editing this post to add a photo of the HeyLululemon.com link, since HeyLululemon is being closed down on the 16th of May 2016.
This post is going to be about how to get the most out of the Ultamate rewards program, how to save money at Ulta and how to get the most out of the money that you do spend. I love their rewards program, as well as the extra savings I’m able to get- and because of this, I almost never shop at Sephora anymore!
If you play your cards right, you can accumulate tons of points at Ulta, and the more points you get- the more money you can save!
UPDATE: FEB 25/ 2016
This post is over 3,000 words long! And although I think the information is valuable throughout, I also think that 3,000 words is too long for one post! So, here are the main points, summarized, for busy people who don’t have time to read this entire post.
When you reach 2,000 points, spend your points 2,000 at at time, this is when they have the greatest per point monetary value.
Wait for 3x and 5x the points offers to make purchases.
Once a year, Ulta has a 10x the points Platinum Member Appreciation Day- it’s at the end of August each year.
Wait until Wednesdays for the best “Gift With Purchase” offers.
If you want to know the whys behind the points listed above in bold- please read on below!
Steps to getting the most out of Ulta and the Ultamate Rewards Program
First:
Creat an account on Ulta.com and sign up for the rewards program! Simple enough!
Subscribe to emails:
Second:
When you sign up, be sure that the box is checked for “Yes! Please send me emails with current offers,new products and over $250 per year in saving coupons!” This way you can be sure that you’re receiving all your offers. I would also say that it’s likely that these offers are worth way more than just $250 a year, depending on how much you spend.
Take Full Advantage of the Offers You Receive!
Third:
Since you’ve signed up to be an Ultamate rewards member, and you’re now receiving email offers, you’ll want to be sure that you’re leveraging those offers for all they’re worth! There are a few different types of offers to consider, and I will discuss them below. I also created this excel sheet to show how often I received offers from Ulta from February 19, 2015 until Platinum Appreciation Day, August 24th, 2015.
From the same data, I also created this Pivot table, which shows us that the most common day to receive offers is Wednesday, and that the most common requirement was either a $40 or $50 Ulta purchase in order to receive the perk.
These are extra gifts usually requiring any $50 purchase on Ulta.com between the hours of 10:00am and 2:00pm on the day that you receive the email. One great thing about these is that they can be combined with other offers including 5x the points offers and other GWP offers. Ulta also offers so-called “Extended Beauty Breaks,” that can last up to 12 hours, however, the most common are the ones that are four hours in length.
2.) Earn Extra Points with 2x, 3x, and 5x the Points Offers
In addition to all the other coupons, gift with purchase offers, and other perks, Ulta will often offer double, triple or even quintuple the points on certain items! This is the best way to build up your points balance quickly! Remember, points are as good as money at Ulta so it’s worth doing your best to activate offers and combine them with GWPs to maximize what you get for every dollar spent at Ulta.
Just as an aside, a lot of the time, when I’m offered 3x the points for Platinum members, non-platinum members get a 2x the points offer as well, but since I’m a Platinum member, I’m sure I’m not always seeing every time that regular Ultamate rewards members are receiving double the points offers.
3.) Free Gifts With Purchase
Ulta’s brands are constantly giving away free GWPs. You just have to know where to find them to see them. On Ulta’s website, if you click “sale” on the left hand side of the screen, you have the option of seeing three different types of offers.
The first is “Buy More, Save More,” which is usually filled with their drugstore brands as well as hair care. Every so often they’ll have something that’s rarely on sale listed, so I do like to check it out. One of my favorite hair masks is called “Therapy Session Hair Mask” by Eva NYC. It’s almost always on sale, but a few times a year they’ll have it on BOGO, and that’s when I stock up!
The second is where you’ll find all the brands that are currently offering GWPs. There are currently 40 different ones to choose from, and it’s really fun when I’m able to combine a “Beauty Break” with a free GWP by being careful about which brands I choose.
The last is their “Sale” section. Personally, I don’t find this section to be particularly helpful since, at any one time Ulta is having a “sale” on hundreds of items, and it’s difficult to find any good deals when you’re not able put things in order by “percentage off.” PS: I love doing that on 6pm.com’s website.
I also keep in mind that some of those “sale” items are almost always on sale, and so they’re not really that great a deal. A lot of retailers do this, because by listing something as “on sale,” and having a ‘regular price’ that’s higher than you expect consumers to pay, you can create perceived value and increase sales. Unfortunately, this practice is common among consumer goods- especially clothing. In the linked article, this line says it best: “So many discounts are priced into the cost of goods these days that it is possible to mark an item down severely and still make money.” This phenomenon is nothing I want to write extensively about right now, but definitely something I keep in mind when making purchases.
4.) Extra Deals
There were also other sales and offers that I didn’t discuss because they were, in my opinion, not the best sales, or not a “surprise,” like the “Beauty Breaks” are. Of note, I did not include any of the ’21-days of Beauty’ deals that change every day when they are being offered. This is mainly because you can just look at the ad that Ulta puts out to see when those deals are offered. Another thing I did not include were periodic invitations to enter contests- I think I only received one or two, and I didn’t feel that they were relevant to this blog post.
Become a Platinum member
Fourth:
Become a Platinum member. In order to achieve “Platinum” status, you must spend $450 in a given calendar year. If you love makeup, like I do, you’re probably already there or you’re spending money at Sephora and DermStore and Urban Decay and other online makeup shops in addition to shopping at Ulta. Since I’ve discovered how good the benefits of shopping at Ulta are, I’ve essentially stopped shopping elsewhere for makeup and skincare. If you check Ulta first for your beauty needs, I’m sure you’ll be Platinum in no time.
There are several reasons to want to become a Platinum member:
1.) Earn more points per dollar spent.
One of the perks of being a Platinum Ultamate Rewards member is that instead of earning only point per dollar spent, you earn 1 *base* point per dollar, plus 0.25 *bonus points*. This distinction between base and bonus points becomes important when calculating the number of points one earns when 2x, 3x, and 5x the points offers are fielded. Namely, the offers apply only to base points and not to bonus points. So, for example, if you activate a 3x the points offer, and spend $100, you’ll earn 325 points (100 base times 3, plus your 25 bonus points for being Platinum), not 375 points (which is what it would be if all points earned were multiplied by three and not just base points). I hope this provides some clarity.
2.) Points don’t expire.
This is essential to saving up your points and then ultimately earning the most number possible. Platinum member’s points don’t expire.
3.) You get a 2x the points offer and an EXTRA birthday gift during your birthday month! Make sure you let them know your birthday!
4.) You get extra offers. These are called “Platinum Perks,” and you will get plenty of them once you’re Platinum. These will help you maximize your point-earning potential!
Get The Most Bang For Your Buck At Ulta
Fifth:
You’ll want to start getting the most value for the money that you spend at Ulta. Here is a list of some of the ways I get the most value for my makeup dollars, and how I save money by shopping at Ulta.
Save MORE with coupons!
Ulta constantly has a $3.50 coupon, that you can almost always use on your purchase, unless you’re only buying things that literally have a little warning under them that explicitly tells you that coupons don’t apply. Personally, I appreciate that Ulta lists that certain items are not eligible for coupon discounts, because it is transparent and honest. Instead of clicking “check out” and finding out that my item is not eligible for coupon discounts, Ulta tells you up-front. I have experienced this before at other vendors, both in-store and online and I’m sure you have also been disappointed by the lack of transparency in pricing before as well.
Ulta will also often email “20% off of one item” coupons. This is great if there’s a single, but more pricey item that you would like.
There are so many posts online on how to save money using eBates. It’s not a scam, it’s just an intermediary website that helps direct traffic and purchases to a lot of already very popular online retailers. You literally just get money back from shopping at places you already shop. Shop at Home operates very similarly, and also offers cashback for shopping online, however, I find eBates more convenient since it deposits directly into your PayPal account. I included Shop at Home because, as of this writing, it was offering 4% cash back on Ulta.com, while eBates was offering 3%. However, eBates does sometimes offer double cash back on websites on a regular basis. And I have seen cash back offers from eBates for Ulta purchases of up to 8%.
I am writing this post about Ulta for the same reason I wrote the review of MyFitnessPal Premium: There isn’t a very good post online about how to make the most of your Ulta points. There are a few that explain them, but none that go into detail about how to best accumulate and take advantage of all the offers that Ulta sends online- or how to combine them!
So, in the interest of comprehensive inclusion of all the ways to save on your Ulta purchase, I have included eBates and Shop At Home, which offers a similar discount on Ulta’s website. I also checked every website on this list, and both eBates and Shop at Home offered the highest percentage discounts on Ulta, from what I could tell.
Just FYI: I do use eBates, and the above is a referral link, but I do not use Shop at Home because I don’t like that they send a physical check. I prefer eBates because it deposits the money directly into my PayPal account and doesn’t use such archaic implements.
GET MORE by Combining Offers
Combine Gifts With Purchase To Get More
In addition to the emailed offers documented above, I also received notices when other gift with purchase (GWP) offers were available, but to be honest, I rarely spend the $35 to $50 required to get these smaller GWPs, I usually wait for something more substantive to come around.
For example, Benefit often has a GWP available, usually a little makeup bag or a small sample of a product, but rather than make a purchase that day, if I’m in the market for a Benefit product, I tend to wait until an extra GWP is offered like the “Strivectin 3-piece gift with any $40 Ulta purchase,” that way I get both GWPs from one purchase.
Explaining the Points
As I mentioned above, a major reason why I’m writing this post is to let you know how I accumulate tons of points at Ulta. The following is this writer’s best attempt.
How Earning & Redeeming Works
I found this great graph online showing how the rewards increase as you earn more points. The redemption trend is not linear and affects how much money you get and this graph shows why you should just save your points rather than spending them. I also found this Reddit pretty useful.
How I Accumulate Tons of Points
Accumulate 2,000 Points
First:
If you can, get to the top level of Ulta’s reward program. It says “$125” after 2,000 points are earned, but you can continue to earn after that. Once you reach the 2000 point level, I recommend spending your points 2000 points at a time. This is the time at which your points will have the greatest per point monetary value. Once you reach the 2000 level, although you can continue earning points, the monetary value of each point begins to decline. As you can see in the table, the value per point comes up from zero, decline at 2000, and go up again until you hit 4000.
Worth Noting: I currently have 4950 points, and I can redeem up to $286 with them, but when I attempt to check out online, Ulta only allows me to redeem $250 (4,000 points) at a time.
Leverage 2x, 3x, and 5x the Points Offers
Second:
As I mentioned above, keep an eye out for special offers in your inbox! A lot of times Ulta will offer 2x, 3x or 5x the points on certain brands, or just any $50 purchase. Use these opportunities to make planned purchases. I won’t even shop at Ulta unless I’m getting a kickback- and neither should you!
One other thing should be mentioned here: Once a year, Ulta has a 10x the points offer active for one day. Let’s say you make a $100 purchase, you’ll earn 100 points, right? But if you’re Platinum you’ll get 125. In addition, you’ll get 900 more points, because the calculation is always based on the “Base Points” and doesn’t include the bonus points you receive for being Platinum. However, 1025 points is still a tidy sum. And, earning $0.0625 per point, you’ve literally earned $64 on that purchase in points. That’s incredible. In 2013, the 10x the points offer took place on August 26th, 2014 was August 25 and in 2015 it took place on August 24th. I hope that 2016 will also see a Platinum member appreciation day with 10x the points! In the case that there is one, it will be either the 22nd or the 29th of August, if this “Monday, late August” trend holds true.
Caveat: Last year the products that were eligible for 10x the points were somewhat, but not egregiously, limited.
Example of how quickly points add up after you get to 2,000- while leveraging other Ulta offers.
So, for instance, recently, I got to the 2,000 level. That entitles me to $125 off my next purchase. However, since Platinum member points don’t expire, I can earn even more points! Fast forward, having only spent about $60, I’m now at the 2300 point level, and am entitled to $134 off my next order. This is an example of how you can leverage a combination of the bonus points offers, and base-level bonus points.
The $60 I spent was on items during a 5x the points event, which means that I earned enough points to get a discount of over $9. In addition, I received an eBates discount of 4%, or about $2.50, bringing my savings to about $11.50. That’s almost 20%! You can save almost 20% at Ulta and receive other perks every single time just by following the advice given here.
Other ways to earn & save
Use the Ulta Salon for hair services. I recently decided to start searching for a new hairdresser, and the next cut I get will be from Ulta. You can accumulate points there too and they also offer Ulta Salon coupons- especially for new clients. Buyer beware: Not all stylists at the Ulta Salon are equally talented. Be sure to ask which level of stylist they are if you’re concerned about quality. Last time I went there, I just got a (glorious!) deep conditioning treatment, so I wasn’t concerned about skill. However, next time I go it will be for a haircut, so I will definitely inquire.
Remember that Ulta also sells fragrance, skincare and hair tools. Don’t forget to think of Ulta for gifts too! These large, often planned, purchases can add up to a lot of points and savings if you remember to buy when there’s a 5x the points offer or a 20% off coupon!
Disclosure:
I mentioned this above, but the deal at Ulta where we both get $10 is a referral link. I just want to make sure that people know that. Ulta didn’t pay me for this post, and my opinions are my own. Secondly, as I also mentioned above, the eBates link is also a referral link, but again, they don’t know who I am and did not pay me to mention them. Maybe one day they will! Again, these are just my positive experiences that I am happy to share. Also: Anyone can get their own referral links once they sign up for these services.
Just one more thing…
Finally, if you made it to the end of this post, I thank you. Please let me know by commenting below. Did I miss anything? Did I make any mistakes? Please correct me! I’m always very appreciative of your feedback! Lastly, if this has helped you, why not share it with your friends?! 😉 Everyone loves a good deal!
Hello everyone! Happy Monday! I thought it would be fun to do a quick post, even though I’ve been pretty busy lately!
Here’s my favorite outfit right now!
I love to match! Here we have a Free To Be *Wild bra in Lullaby Ray Space Dye Twist and matching Wunder Under Crops. I am also wearing a Lullaby 105 F singlet. On my feet, as usual, are some Vibrams! I actually get a ton of questions about these & usually just tell people that I like them- but in reality, I love them so much I even wrote a whole post about them!
I just wanted to let you know about some things I heard about future Lululemon releases. I can’t make any promises, but I just couldn’t keep these to myself!
First off, Lululemon released its Spring preview video! (Yay!) In this video, there appears to be some camo. I don’t think that the jacket shown is the Rise & Shine, but I know how many people love that jacket and camo. In fact, as I recall, I made a meme reflecting the sentiment surrounding the camo-mania.
I’ll just leave this here…
I saw someone post about this next thing in the groups, which, if you’re not a member of the Lululemon Facebook groups, you should be. 🙂 They’re fun, plus I always learn new things with regards to what’s coming out, and how the quality is of the newest items.
So, in the video released we saw a print that I think is called the “Seven Wonders” print. And what I heard is that, unfortunately, we will have to wait until the beginning of April to see that.
That’s all for now! I hope you join the groups so you can see what Lulu is planning to come out with too! … Or just follow my blog and I’ll let you know if I see anything! 🙂
UPDATE: This print, as predicted by the community, was released in early April.
I haven’t done an outfit of the day in a while, and I have a few extra minutes to spare, so why not post one!?
Here we have it: Wunder Unders in Vintage Pink/Cadet Blue Space Dye, with a similar March WAFS Space dye Cool Racerback, layered under a Walmart find that is very lightweight and says “Live To Love.” I heart it!
Hello everyone, this is week four of my New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. It’s not been an easy journey so far, but no one promised that losing weight would be easy! I have in total lost 3.2 pounds, which is 0.8 pounds below my goal. I’m reconsidering my calorie goals, going from 1500/ day to 1400/ day, but what I really think I need to do is establish a more consistent exercise routine. I gained back a little this week, but I’m not going to give up!
Snow day ruined gym plans, but I made it on Monday to see how it was and I did do some exercise on Tuesday. I definitely need to make it more often, but the free gym on campus (where I went) is always packed, so I find it very intimidating.
Day 22
SNOW DAY! So, this was great for my productivity. I got some school work done and I got some blogging done, but it wasn’t so great because I had planned to go check out the campus gym after class today. That did not work out. So, I’m going to go on Monday. I have a 3-hour break between two classes, so I should have time to go then! I went just over my calorie goal by a smidge, but not too much.
Day 23
Oh, Saturday, you’re out to get me! Just kidding. Went way over my calorie goal, but had a fabulous time at dinner with my husband then went to a comedy show at the local opera house. I think I ruined my entire week though. We’ll see how this goes.
Day 24
Woke up with a lot on my mind. I have way too much work to do. I had brunch with my mother in law anyways, and had a reasonable amount of calories. Spent most of the day afterwards working on school stuff. Ended up going over my calorie goal by 300. Ugh. 🙁
Day 25
Busy day! Did end up going to check out the gym, but it was a lot like I would imagine that it would be. Crowded and busy. Although, the equipment seemed relatively well cared for. It turns out- I needed to bring my own lock and it hadn’t occurred to me that I might need one, so I didn’t end up working out. Ended up eating slightly below my calorie goal.
Day 26
I did end up working out today! Yay! Did 45 minutes of fairly intense cardio. Was under my calorie goal by about 200.
Day 27
Long day, but ate 400 calories below my calorie goal.
Day 28
Finally, a short day. Followed my diet today. Pretty pleased about the last few days.
Day 29
Had a special lunch today with my mentor that included other students and their mentors. I even won a gift certificate for a free brunch! Chinese class, then Chinese language table. At language table today we got to have jiao zi, which are dumplings. They were delicious. Exhausted by the time I got home and took a 3-hour nap! Ended up slightly below my calorie goal. But reconsidering my calorie goals due to weight gain.
1. Golf Carts are acceptable forms of transportation. Everywhere. This guy down the street from me uses his to visit friends in our neighbourhood. My university uses theirs to take potential students on tours and to provide transportation to sanitation and gardening crews.
2. Hugs are for everyone. Even that guy you just met. If you choose to shake hands, people will think you don’t like them. I learned this the hard way, and still get made fun of by my friend’s girlfriend for not hugging him when we first met.
3. They test the tornado sirens at the same time every week. I was terrified the first time I heard them. As I thought they were dropping the bomb. I hid in the closet until my husband came home and explained that they ‘test’ the sirens as a cruel joke… er, I mean, to make sure they’ll work in an emergency.
4. Barbecue is a subject of much contention. Where the “best” barbecue is sold is quite contested among Southerners and I’ve learned not to ask in group situations. Much in the same way one does not discuss politics and religion, one does not discuss prefered barbecue venue.
5. Fixin’ to. If you’re “Fixin’ to,” you’re ‘preparing to.’ You can be “Fixin’ to take a bath,” “Fixin’ to go grocery shopping,” “Fixin’ to eat,” etc… You can also be “Fixin’ dinner” but you cannot be “Fixin’ the car.” Also: “Fin” is just short for fixin’, because that needed to be shortened. My husband sometimes says that he is “fin’uh order pizza” and I now speak enough of the Southern dialect to understand and tell him that I would like mushrooms on mine.
6. There are no basements. When I first moved here, I was confused by the near total lack of basements. House tours that came without basement vistas seemed incomplete to me, but were the norm to my Southern friends. So, I Googled “Why don’t Southern homes have basements” and found this genius answer on Quora.
In addition to concerns regarding flooding, the original purpose of building a basement was to lower the foundation below the ground’s frost point to prevent frost heaving. Fascinating.
7. You can’t order traditional tea. If you order tea, you’ll receive an iced, sugary beverage. If you ask people if they serve tea, they’ll ask you whether you prefer sweetened or unsweetened and bring you a dark, chilled drink. You must specifically ask whether or not establishments serve hot tea. If they do, you’re in luck and they will likely raise an eyebrow before bringing you a hot cup of water with a Bigelow tea bag on the side.
8. There are bugs everywhere… sometimes that’s not such a bad thing…
but sometimes it is…
With regards to the pics of the bugs, the first two are from around my yard, and the last one is from near my school. I’m glad the gigantic spider was choosing to live near my school, while the butterfly and ladybug preferred to take up residence near my home.
I hope you enjoyed this list of things I learned after moving to the South. Thanks for reading!
Hello everyone! I thought it would be a good idea to help people who LOVE the Vinyasa scarf discover the Ivivva Village Chill Scarf. If you like the Vinyasa scarf, the Ivivva version is a smaller version. It is also Rulu and I took a chance and ordered one on markdown a few weeks ago. I think Ivivva’s uploads occur on the same days as Lululemon’s, which are Tuesday afternoons for new merchandise and Thursday mornings for markdowns. So, for $14 I figured I would try the Ivivva version of the Vinyasa scarf I love so much. I’m glad to report that I like it so far and find it just as easy to wear as my Vinyasas.
Measurements & Comparison Photos
The Ivivva scarf is about 25 inches long and 19 inches wide, while the Vinyasa scarf is about 29 inches long and 25 inches wide. Also worth mentioning: there is no loop tab on the smaller Ivivva scarf, while the Lululemon one does have one. I’ve never used mine, so this does not affect me, but I thought it would be of interest to some people.
Edited to add:
In response to my reader: they feel like they’re the same thickness, it’s the same Rulu I know & love. But the sides of the Ivivva one are rolling because like some of the older Lululemon Vinyasa scarves, the sides do not have finished seams. I hope this helps!