Vain Roxy

Living in Luxury without Breaking the Bank

Bring the Outdoors In
Something about fresh flowers in your home adds an air of luxury and opulence.  And surprisingly, it doesn’t have to cost a thing!  Go on a walk around your home and gather twigs, flowers, and branches to create a gorgeous and fresh arrangement. 

Luxury Linens
There’s nothing quite like having plush bedding and bath linens.  You’ll feel like you’re staying in a five-star hotel every single night.  Get a memory foam mattress cover, plush pillows, and a high-thread count sheet set.  Don’t worry how much they will cost since you will only have one set.  Head to your local discount home store and buy plush towels (such as microfiber). 

Plush Clothing
Who says you can’t afford designer clothing?  One of the best ways to build up a luxurious wardrobe is slowly and at a pace you can afford.  I like to save up for a particular designer piece that I can’t live without.  Then I build up my wardrobe with coordinating inexpensive items. 

Spa at Home
A day at the spa can certainly be a treat but who has that kind of money to spend all the time?  Create your own at-home spa – open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you can give yourself the same treatments and feel just as relaxed without the steep price tag.  Invest in quality products, such as luxurious bubble bath, an avocado face mask, or high-end body cream.  Light candles, use pure essential oils, grab a good book, and relax!

Massage Therapy
The luxury of a masseuse is no longer just for the rich and famous, you just have to know where to go to get a great one.  Contact a local massage therapy school; most offer discounted sessions with students in training.  Some might even offer some free as students try to acquire more hours in order to certify.

Spice up your Home
Your home should be a relaxing, inviting, and comfortable environment.  So make it that way!  It doesn’t have to cost a lot to update, modernize, and make your home more luxurious!  Add crown moldings, repaint, or spring clean to spruce up your home.

As mentioned before, I began taking the Akavar 20/50 weight loss supplement as one of my new years resolutions. This past week I have been taking it in conjunction with my daily jogging and new sugar-reduced, low-fat eating habits in hopes of shedding a few pounds. So far, I have lost two pounds (it’s only been a week, people!) and I swear I am eating less (no easy feat for the girl who eats like a horse).

However, I have a girlfriend who insisted on using Alli, the first FDA approved over-the-counter weight loss pill. Unfortunately, I don’t think she read the label very thoroughly and experienced by far one of the most embarrassing and horrifying moments I have ever heard. Before I tell you what happened, let me give you a little background on Alli.

The pill is designed to block body fat, which is supposed to pass through your body. Thus, the makers of Alli suggest users wear dark pants or bring a change of clothes when they leave the house until they get used to the pill’s plausible (and disgusting) side effects. In other words, stray too far from a low-fat, very healthy diet and you’ll probably poop your pants - no joke! In fact, the official Alli website warns users of these possible side effects:

• gas with oily spotting
• loose stools
• more frequent stools that may be hard to control

I’ll spare you the grisly details of my friend’s humiliating experience, but I will say it involved one of the previously mentioned “side effects,” a silk dress, and one damn sexy date who will never call her back.

Personally, I would rather try something that helps stave off hunger rather than something that makes me mess my drawers! But I’m curious…would you take a weight loss supplement with such awful side effects if it meant shedding some weight?

Every year I make new years resolutions in the hopes that I can actually continue them past the third week of January. This year is no different, however, I am determined (and I mean flat-out hell-bent) on keeping them. I have a lot of room for improvement (don’t we all?), so I figured I would begin with small and simple goals that I could easily conquer, beginning with an improved, healthy lifestyle. Now, lest you think this is not a “small” goal (which it isn’t), I have come up with a myriad of tiny steps which will hopefully result in my new objective. Perhaps you could do some of the following:

• I will give up diet coke! I cringe as I type those words and my little caffeine addicted brain cells are threatening to unleash a whollop of a withdrawal if I actually try to go through with this. But not even that cannot deter me; I drink diet coke like it’s going out of style and I have decided to finally Just Say No! to that sugar-saturated brown and bubbly liquid goodness that delivers nothing but a temporary caffeine jolt and a whole lotta empty calories. It’s just not good for you. I will be (hopefully) replacing my addiction with one that is quite a bit more healthy…such as water.
• I want to start taking a weight loss supplement, such as Akavar 20/50, to help kick-start my new and improved lifestyle. The supplement will help curb hunger so I can withstand the munchies that seem to strike everday at exactly 2:37 p.m. (anyone else seem to have that problem?).
• As of now, I only make it to the gym about twice a week (and that’s if I am feeling really motivated). Making the resolution to go to the gym five times a week would just be setting myself up for failure (realistic, right?), so instead I think I will start slow. Instead of two days a week, I will now go three. Baby steps…
• Flossing every night! I know it sounds silly but I am what you would call a “selective flosser;” it is something that is certainly not done on a regular basis and only gets accomplished when I am really feeling gung-ho about my dental hygiene. So I am going to floss every single night and swish with Listerine (I know, I must be nuts).

Well, that’s it for now. Like I said…baby steps! Now that I have shared a few of mine, what are a few of yours?

Surrogacy is often a popular infertility alternative because it allows a couple to have a biological child. Surrogacy entails an embryo made of the egg and sperm of the intended parents being inseminated into the woman who will be carrying the child to term. Most couples are able to form a close relationship with a surrogate and be involved in the pregnancy of the child. It is always recommended to go through a surrogacy agency when utilizing the process of surrogacy to have a child.

In areas where surrogacy is legal, the most common way for couples to find a surrogate is through a surrogacy agency. An agency will screen all potential surrogates through medical and psychological tests before they consent to take a woman on as their client. Most agencies have a legal department that handles all legal aspects of a surrogate relationship (rights of the birth mother, rights of the intended recipients, etc.) The lawyers will also set forth a contract for the surrogate to enter into. It is always wise to have your own lawyer look over all the contracts and written agreements before you sign anything.

Once a couple chooses the surrogate, both groups need to decide and agree on the terms of the pregnancy. Since there are so man legal aspects to consider when it comes to surrogacy, both parties should have their own lawyers to ensure that they and their rights are protected. The surrogate and couple should also consider receiving psychological counseling from the surrogacy agency because there are numerous emotional issues that can arise as a result of a surrogate pregnancy. You should make sure all concerns, emotionally, physically, and mentally are addressed before you become too involved in the process.

Abortion is certainly a hot topic of debate in American society; just watch one of the political debates for the 2008 presidential election and see how long the topic is addressed and the candidates’ platforms in regards to the issue.  The moral dilemma of life versus choice has caused Americans to become incredibly impassioned on the topic, either for one side or the other. 

Pro-life activists have long encouraged adoption as an abortion alternative and denounce abortion in all scenarios.  On the contrary, pro-choice advocates believe it is solely the decision of the mother to decide what is best for her physically and emotionally.

Vain Roxy wants to know, where do you stand on the abortion issue?  For or against?  Why?

The egg donation business is apparently booming across college campuses throughout the nation.  Fertility clinics are posting ads all over, from online advertisements on Craigslist.com to newspaper ads on university publications.  And they do not want just anyone responding; applicants are generally required to be under the age of 30, attractive, and intelligent (many have to meet a SAT score minimum of 1300).   

 So what is the incentive for young, attractive women to donate their eggs (ovum)?   The skyrocketing money compensation fertility clinics are offering.  Donated eggs have been used in the reproductive industry for years, but recent technological advances have created a booming global marketplace for egg donation and triggered a high demand for quality eggs.  The high compensation rates – which can be as much as $10,000 for one donation cycle – are a way to entice egg donors to meet that demand.

 Interested?  Check out an Egg Donor clinic to see if egg donation is right for you.

Want rosy cheeks, toned calves, and a feeling of accomplishment?  Maybe some fresh air and stunning scenery will do…try hiking the Swiss Alps!  Not only will you get to see some of the world’s most breathtaking and beautiful views, it’s great exercise!  Happy hiking!

Until recently, I hadn’t gone biking since I was a kid. Although I ride stationary bikes at the gym, it is definitely not the same as biking over dirt or even on the road, with the wind on your face and the beautiful scenery that surrounds you.

My boyfriend introduced me to Utah mountain biking, which I only tried at first to stay in shape. But now I love it so much that I rarely do my old favorite activity, hiking.

Although it takes time to build up your stamina, mountain biking can really make you feel like a kid again. Plus you can do it almost anywhere or at any time. I’ve even gone biking on the packed snow in the winter (though be sure to get clips to lock in your shoes because it makes it easier).

Recently I finished my first 100 mile race and I’m training for my next. My next goal is to perfect my jumps without looking like an idiot (the teasing is worth it when I land a jump better than my boyfriend).

Even if you don’t live in Utah, it is a great place to travel for mountain bike trails and road cycling races from Moab to Salt Lake City. So if you’re bored with your typical exercise routine or just want to try something new, give mountain biking a try.

There is a certain lucrative industry that is offering young (typically under 30), attractive women big bucks: becoming an egg donor. Egg donation has been a part of the infertility industry since its inception nearly thirty years ago, but the rise of the internet and advances in reproductive technology, egg donation has become a global market for both donors and recipients. Everyday, ads for egg donors appear on internet ad sites and in college newspapers, pleading with young, intelligent pretty women to donate their ads.

And it’s no wonder why it’s so appealing to women; since federal law does not regulate compensation, donors can be paid up to $10,000 for one egg donation cycle. Not bad, eh?

So if you’re an attractive girl with brains and no moral reservations about this controversial reproductive industry, egg donation may just be the answer to paying off those damn student loans and credit card debt.