Swifties, this one’s for you. It seems like Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has lasted eons. Yet somehow, there’s always something to talk about. Just thinking about how much she’s accomplished while on tour makes me want to buckle down, lock in, and channel my inner girlboss. But while I can’t even be bothered to cook dinner at home after a long day of work, Taylor is accomplishing milestones most musicians can only dream of. Let’s recap.
The Era’s Tour began in March 2023 with its North American leg. It’s set to go until December 2024, with dates in Europe, Australia, Asia, and South America— spanning 152 shows across five continents.
As the queen of multitasking, Swift hasn’t stopped at just selling out stadiums. Since the Eras tour began, she’s released multiple albums — both new and old — and shaken up the tour setlist with each new release. Her list of new releases started on the first day of tour with “All Of The Girls You Loved Before,” which was quickly followed up by “The Alcott,” a feature on The National’s album — reciprocity for their work on her pandemic era albums, Folklore and Evermore.
She also released Midnights: Late Night Edition (including the iconic collab with Ice Spice), as well as not one but two album re-releases — Speak Now Taylor's Version and 1989 Taylor's Version. As if that wasn’t enough, she announced her latest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department, in a GRAMMY’s acceptance speech. Talk about legendary. Since its release, she’s also been churning out deluxe versions and remixes to keep us on our toes. The Eras Tour was even made into a Blockbuster film that brought Beyonce to its premiere. Star power: confirmed.
But that’s just her work life. Her personal life is just as eventful. She ended her 7-year relationship with Joe Alwyn in April 2023. Then entered into a brief but controversial fling with 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Though it didn’t last long, the relationship was enough to inspire a whole album and catapult her into her current romance with Travis Kelce, aka Amerca’s first nepo boyfriend. Now they’re the American Royal couple — and she somehow had time to fly from tour to his Super Bowl performance.
We all have the same hours in the day as Taylor Swift, but how she uses them will always be a mystery to me. I work eight hours a day and can barely manage a social life. Meanwhile, Taylor literally has it all — though conservatives are turning on her for daring to be a woman in her 30s who’s not married with kids. If that’s not proof that women can’t do anything right, I don’t know what is.
Clearly, she’s working late because she’s a singer. No wonder Taylor Swift became a billionaire months into her tour in October 2023. Her net worth is currently around 1.3 billion dollars, making her the only female musician to become a billionaire from her music.
Other entertainment billionaires like Rihanna, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Jay-Z, and Kanye West have joined the three-comma club thanks to ventures like clothing brands, beauty products, and other entrepreneurial pursuits. Rihanna has her FENTY Empire. Kim has her award-winning SKIMS. Ye had Yeezy. But Taylor has an unbeatable catalog of publishing.
But Taylor isn’t just different from other Billionaires because of how she earned her money. She’s the Taylor we know and love because of how she spends it. Her rollercoaster Eras Tour is how she’s made much of her fortune. And she’s using it to give back in monumental degrees. From individual donations to investing in local infrastructure, Taylor is literally changing lives on a macro and micro scale. And teaching us what to expect from all billionaires in the process.
The Era’s Tour Bonuses — Talk About Workplace Benefits
First to make headlines were the Eras Tour crew bonuses. While some of us get rewarded with a pizza party or a $10 gift card to Starbucks, Taylor casually dropped $55 million in bonuses for her tour crew. The massive sum was paid out to everyone who makes the Eras Tour go around, from truck drivers to dancers and sound technicians.
In fairness, these bonuses are definitely well-deserved. Taylor’s shows are over three hours long. Imagine dancing for that long — because Swift certainly isn’t the one with the impressive moves — for hundreds of tour dates. Or remembering countless combinations of light cues to go with a setlist that changes daily. Yeah, they’re clocking in. And if my boss had millions to blow, I’d be expecting a comfortable bonus too. But $55 Million? That’s a testament to Swift’s generosity. It's like she's Oprah, but instead of cars, she's giving out life-changing amounts of cash. "You get a bonus! You get a bonus! Everybody gets a bonus!"
It’s similar to how Zendaya gave film equity to every member of the crew that worked on her controversial black-and-white drama, Malcolm & Marie. Filmed in a few days with a bare-bones crew during the peak of the pandemic, the film was Zendaya’s passion project with Sam Levinson, in which she starred alongside John David Washington. Though the film got mixed reviews, it captured the audience’s attention all the same. After all, it was Zendaya — and we’ll watch her in anything. So since the film sold to Netflix for a hefty sum, all the crew members got payouts from the deal on top of their salaries to reward their hard work.
Bonuses and equity payouts are common in many industries, but not entertainment. Even though it’s one of the most lucrative and recognizable American industries, most entertainers don’t make enough to survive. The SAG and WGA strikes last year were proof that there needs to be systemic change in the industry. LA County has even identified show businesses as risk factors for being unhoused — after all, how many stories do we hear of actors who were living in their cars before their big break? And for many, their big break never comes. For even more, they get hired on amazing gigs with giant performers … then go right back to the grind afterward. While individual actions from our favorite stars won’t fix everything, Zendaya and Taylor are providing models for how Hollywood should treat the people who make this town go round.
And in this economy, even a little bit could go a long way. Inflation and the cost of living are not a joke. Especially when, like with many creative careers, you often have to invest in lessons or equipment for your craft. With all this considered, the impact of Swirt’s donations can’t be overstated. Imagine getting a lump sum of cash for dancing to your favorite Taylor Swift tracks? Talk about a dream job.
The Economic Impact of Swift - Swiftonomics, if you will
Like Barbie and Beyonce last year, Swift is still on a tear to boost the economy of the cities she’s in just by traveling there — ad inspiring others to make the trek, too.
The Barbie movie proved that by marketing to women (instead of just making Marvel flops like Madame Web that aren’t really targeted to women at all), the entertainment industry can make giant profits. Barbie fever went beyond the theater. Thanks to a plethora of product collabs, the phenomenon rippled through retail.
Similarly, Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour tour generated an estimated $4.5 billion for the American economy. According to NPR, that’s almost as much as the entire 2008 Olympics earned for Beijing. People were taking money out of their 401ks to pay for Beyonce tickets and the glittery, silver-hues outfits to rock at her shows. Cities even started calling her effect the “Beyonce Bump.”
Swift has the same effect. She’s not just proving her generosity on a micro-scale for the people close to her, she’s having actual, tangible effects on the economy. It's like she's leaving a trail of dollar bills in her wake, and cities are scrambling to catch them like it's a country-pop, capitalist version of musical chairs.
The US Travel Association called it the Taylor Swift Impact after she generated over $5 Billion in just the first 5 months of the Eras Tour. But how does this work? It’s not like Taylor is printing more money at those shows, but it almost is. Her tour dates are pretty much economic steroid shots for local businesses. Hotels are booked solid, restaurants are packed, and let's not even get started on the surge in friendship bracelet supplies.
“Swifties averaged $1,300 of spending in local economies on travel, hotel stays, food, as well as merchandise and costumes,” say the US Travel Association. “That amount of spending is on par with the Super Bowl, but this time it happened on 53 different nights in 20 different locations over the course of five months.” That’s not to say anothing of her effect on the actual Super Bowl and the entire NFL season thanks to her ball-throwing boyfriend.
It's like she's created her own micro-economy, and everyone's invited to the party. And unlike some economic theories that rely on wealth trickling down (spoiler alert: it doesn't), Taylor's wealth is more like a t-shirt cannon or the confetti at her shows — showering everyone around.
Donations that actually do good
Taylor isn’t just stepping into cities and calling it a night. She’s also not just throwing pennies at problems - she's making significant contributions that are changing lives. And more importantly, she's using her platform to encourage her fans to do the same.
She kicked off her tour with quiet donations to food banks in Glendale, Ariz., and Las Vegas ahead of the Eras Tour. Once the tour was in full swing, she continued this practice. In Seattle, she donated to Food Lifeline, a local hunger relief organization. In Santa Clara, she showed some love to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. And let's not forget about her $100,000 donation to the Hawkins County School Nutrition Program in Tennessee.
She’s been making similar donations overseas. Taylor Swift donated enough money to cover the food bills for an entire year across 11 food banks and & community pantries in Liverpool. Swift also covered 10,800 meals for Cardiff Foodbank and many more banks across the UK and EU. Her impact is so profound that her numbers are doing more to combat issues like hunger than the government.
Can billionaires actually be good?
One thing about me, I’m always ready and willing — knife and fork in hand — to eat the rich. Because fundamentally, can any billionaire really be good? In our late-stage capitalist horror story, the answer is usually no. Look how many of them are supporting the Trump campaign just to get some tax breaks.
But here's the thing - Taylor Swift might just be the exception that proves the rule. She's not perfect, sure. She still flies private jets and probably has a carbon footprint bigger than Bigfoot. But unlike most of the others in her tax bracket, she's not flaunting her wealth like it's a personality trait.
Take a look around. We've got billionaires trying to colonize Mars instead of, I don't know, helping people on Earth. In this context, Taylor's approach is more like Mackenzie Scott’s — Bezos’s ex-wife. She's not trying to escape to another planet - she's trying to make this one better.
And look, I'm not saying we should stop critiquing billionaires or the system that creates them. But she's just setting the bar for what we should expect from all billionaires. She's showing us that our collective power as fans can translate into real-world change. That our love for catchy choruses and bridge drops can somehow, improbably, lead to food banks getting funded and crew members getting life-changing bonuses.
So sorry to my neighbors who hear me belting “Cruel Summer” and “right where you left me” at the top of my lungs (and range). Just know it’s for the greater good.
Things I’d Rather Do That Clean
I like to think that I fall into the "tidy/organized" category, but who am I kidding? When it's time to clean, I always find myself prioritizing the most unimportant, mundane tasks in order to get out of it. Enough is enough! Recently, I started using Handy, an app that connects you to home cleaners, and it's made my day to day life so much better! Handy connects you to experienced Cleaning Pros in your area and allows you to specify exactly what kind of cleaning you need, on a schedule that works for you. You get to choose the cleaner you want, can message and pay them right from Handy's app, and each cleaning session usually takes around three hours. That's some serious time to spend on something I actually want to do!
Ok, so I'm not proud of this, but here are five boring tasks that I actually have done to avoid cleaning before I started using Handy…
I'd Rather Stand In Line At The DMV
I once renewed my license a month before I needed to because my roommate was at home spring cleaning our apartment, and I really didn't want to help. Standing in line at everybody's least favorite place on earth looks like heaven to me compared to what feels like the monumental task of tackling my kitchen.
I'd Rather Do Spin Class 2 Days In A Row. Literally
And I hate working out! I once took 2-afternoon spin classes (on a Saturday and Sunday, may I add) in a row to avoid cleaning. Honestly, it was worth the week of leg cramps to get out of scrubbing my bathroom floor. The cleaning I booked through Handy costs less than I expected, plus the Pros are vetted, meaning you can leave the house and do something you actually want to while they work their magic!
I'd Rather File My Taxes Again.
That's right, I'd rather sit through the painstaking task of filling a tax return for the second time than pick up a duster and start cleaning. On the eve of tax day, I actually volunteered to do my best friend's tax return for her because I couldn't face attempting to organize my chaotic bedroom. And she's a freelancer, so that was a total mess! I truly find cleaning more boring than trying to decode a W2 -- and that's saying something.
I'd Rather Listen To Baby Shark On Repeat.
The.worst.thing.I.have.ever.heard. I adore my niece, but wow that is just noise! I volunteer to watch her every weekend so I have an excuse to be unproductive! Listening to that song (that word is a stretch) on repeat is heaven compared to mopping my floors that, no matter how long I spend on it, never seem to be clean. Appointments can be made as soon as the day before, perfect for last minute spruce up when my sister brings the baby over for a last minute baby shark session with her aunty.
I'd Rather Watch Any Adam Sandler Movie. Twice.
Spanglish, Click, let's be honest -- they're all bad. Sorry, not sorry. But when they're all that's on TV...the worst Adam Sandler movie is still infinitely better than cleaning out my fridge or scrubbing my oven. Thankfully, Handy lets you add upgraded services like the deep oven and refrigerator cleanings to tackle those chores that need a little extra elbow grease.
It's a bad sign when you would rather do literally anything else but clean. Luckily, with Handy you can schedule a cleaning on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis, making maintaining it between cleans a lot more manageable. Stop procrastinating, do yourself a favor and let Handy help you clean up your act!
5 Reasons Why Green Chef Is The Best Meal Kit Delivery Service
If you want to add more home-cooked, healthy and balanced meals to your diet, you may have considered a meal kit.
But with so many meal kits out there, how do you decide which is the best for your lifestyle? We sent three different editors to research the meal kit industry, and they all came back with the same answer:
A USDA certified organic company, Green Chef is the #1 choice for when you're trying to eat well. Every week, Green Chef sends you everything you need to make delicious dinners at home: pre-prepped ingredients in just the right portion to limit food waste, and recipe cards with step-by-step instructions to make cooking a breeze.
They take all the planning out of dinner, and there's more: the ingredients are sustainably sourced with a focus on fresh ingredients and exciting new dishes you can make in 30 minutes or less. No wonder they're America's #1 meal kit for eating well.
Here's why Green Chef topped our list.
1. Different plans for specialty diets.
Green Chef has many different plans that are designed to cater to specialty diets, so you know that every single meal is totally safe.
They offer boxes for Keto, Plant-Powered (satisfying both Vegan and Vegetarian), Pescetarian, Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Omnivore for people who want a little bit of everything.
2. They're the first ever meal kit with a Keto plan!
If you want help getting the fat-burning benefits of the Ketogenic diet, while eating balanced and flavorful meals, Green Chef is the expert. They were the very first to design an entire plan where every single meal will make staying in ketosis more delicious than ever.
3. Nearly double the weekly choices than Sun Basket.
Sun Basket is the biggest competitor when it comes to health-conscious meal kits, but Green Chef laps them when it comes to providing weekly meal choices so dinner never gets boring!
4. Gluten-Free plans x3 !
Eating gluten-free can be really tough, and most meal kits don't have accommodations for gluten-free eaters. Green Chef has an entire gluten-free plan with tons of options for delicious meals with heaping portions of meat, fish, or veggies!
That way you never have to worry, and can trust every meal you receive is certified gluten-free. But better still, Green Chef's paleo and keto meal plans are both also certified gluten-free, giving people with allergies more choice than ever about what healthy lifestyle is best for them!
5. Ratings speak for themselves.
Green Chef is higher rated on TrustPilot (a third-party ratings website with no agenda except to help consumers give honest feedback) than their competitors, including: Sun Basket, Blue Apron, and Home Chef.
So there you have it. If you're looking to make more home-cooked, healthy meals, or want to make sticking to a specialty diet a breeze, Green Chef is the meal kit for you.
Starting at $9.99 per meal, it's cheaper than take-out, and you can sharpen your cooking skills by learning how to make stunning healthy meals in 30 minutes or less a night.
Update: The folks at Green Chef are extending a limited time offer to our readers! Follow this link to get $80 off + free shipping!
I Love Cats, But Their Pee Stinks. Here's How I Got Rid Of The Smell
Four years ago, when I first married my wife Lauren, we adopted a beautiful little striped kitty we call Tiger to make our house feel more like a home. I love Tiger, but we've had a whole host of issues with his litter box. We used to keep it in our basement, but it doesn't have windows, and the smell would end up getting trapped and grossing us out. We must have tried 4 or 5 different litter brands, and while some were better than others, none of them really got rid of the smell. We ended up having to put the litter box in our living room next to the TV because the living room has lots of windows and better circulation. But now we've got a whole new host of problems. My wife is especially sensitive to the litter box smell (and I think she doesn't like the idea of what's going on inside it), so when she sees our catwalk into the box, she'll immediately go into the other room. When she made me pause the newest episode of Game of Thrones so she could hide out in the kitchen while Tiger did his business, I knew something had to change.
I started really doing my research online to see if there was a litter option that would fix our smelly cat problems. One that stood out was PrettyLitter, a subscription cat litter that is super lightweight (only 6lbs for a whole month's supply) and uses a unique formula that is supposed to be clump free and odor free. Everything we've tried in the past has claimed to be odor neutralizing, so I wasn't so sure this was any different. But there were a ton of 5-star reviews, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
When our first bag of PrettyLitter was delivered, the first thing I noticed was that it really was super light. I was used to lugging around 30lb bags, so when I picked up the 6lb litter I noticed the difference right away. I put Tiger's litter box back in the basement and hoped this time would be different. One thing that makes PrettyLitter different is that you only have to scoop the poop, stir the litter, and change it once a month, which I liked because it would cut down on mess and dust. I would come down at night to see if any scooping needed to be done, and after a week I noticed no smell at all. I convinced my wife to come check it out for herself, and even she had to admit that this time the odor elimination actually worked. I was just glad to get our Game of Thrones nights back again.
Since then, we've discovered a few more cool things about PrettyLitter that make it unlike any other litter we'd tried in the past. First of all, the subscription is more convenient than you'd think, and I really liked not having to make last minute trips to the pet store or trying to stock up on 6 months worth of litter at a time. Secondly, the formula has color-changing crystals that help you detect health problems in your cat. It gives us a lot of peace of mind because sometimes Tiger will be sleeping more than usual or her pur will sound pained, but we don't know if something's actually wrong. A few months ago, the crystals changed to a blue color, so we took Tiger to the vet the next day. It turned out she had a slight infection and needed antibiotics!
We love our smelly cat, my wife even dressed as Phoebe from FRIENDS last year for Halloween. But PrettyLitter was the only litter we've ever tried that actually eliminated Tiger's smell. Now, we can keep the litter box out of sight in the basement, and snuggle with Tiger without the smell.
UPDATE: PrettyLitter is offering our readers a SPECIAL promo! Follow this link and use promo code PRETTY2019 to get 20% off your first order of PrettyLitter today!
I Love Cats, But Their Pee Stinks. Here's How I Got Rid Of The Smell
Four years ago, when I first married my wife Lauren, we adopted a beautiful little striped kitty we call Tiger to make our house feel more like a home. I love Tiger, but we've had a whole host of issues with his litter box. We used to keep it in our basement, but it doesn't have windows, and the smell would end up getting trapped and grossing us out. We must have tried 4 or 5 different litter brands, and while some were better than others, none of them really got rid of the smell. We ended up having to put the litter box in our living room next to the TV because the living room has lots of windows and better circulation. But now we've got a whole new host of problems. My wife is especially sensitive to the litter box smell (and I think she doesn't like the idea of what's going on inside it), so when she sees our catwalk into the box, she'll immediately go into the other room. When she made me pause the newest episode of Game of Thrones so she could hide out in the kitchen while Tiger did his business, I knew something had to change.
I started really doing my research online to see if there was a litter option that would fix our smelly cat problems. One that stood out was PrettyLitter, a subscription cat litter that is super lightweight (only 6lbs for a whole month's supply) and uses a unique formula that is supposed to be clump free and odor free. Everything we've tried in the past has claimed to be odor neutralizing, so I wasn't so sure this was any different. But there were a ton of 5-star reviews, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
When our first bag of PrettyLitter was delivered, the first thing I noticed was that it really was super light. I was used to lugging around 30lb bags, so when I picked up the 6lb litter I noticed the difference right away. I put Tiger's litter box back in the basement and hoped this time would be different. One thing that makes PrettyLitter different is that you only have to scoop the poop, stir the litter, and change it once a month, which I liked because it would cut down on mess and dust. I would come down at night to see if any scooping needed to be done, and after a week I noticed no smell at all. I convinced my wife to come check it out for herself, and even she had to admit that this time the odor elimination actually worked. I was just glad to get our Game of Thrones nights back again.
Since then, we've discovered a few more cool things about PrettyLitter that make it unlike any other litter we'd tried in the past. First of all, the subscription is more convenient than you'd think, and I really liked not having to make last minute trips to the pet store or trying to stock up on 6 months worth of litter at a time. Secondly, the formula has color-changing crystals that help you detect health problems in your cat. It gives us a lot of peace of mind because sometimes Tiger will be sleeping more than usual or her pur will sound pained, but we don't know if something's actually wrong. A few months ago, the crystals changed to a blue color, so we took Tiger to the vet the next day. It turned out she had a slight infection and needed antibiotics!
We love our smelly cat, my wife even dressed as Phoebe from FRIENDS last year for Halloween. But PrettyLitter was the only litter we've ever tried that actually eliminated Tiger's smell. Now, we can keep the litter box out of sight in the basement, and snuggle with Tiger without the smell.
UPDATE: PrettyLitter is offering our readers a special OCTOBER promo! Follow this link and use promo code PRETTY2019 to get 20% off your first order of PrettyLitter today!
I Love Cats, But Their Pee Stinks. Here's How I Got Rid Of The Smell
Four years ago, when I first married my wife Lauren, we adopted a beautiful little striped kitty we call Tiger to make our house feel more like a home. I love Tiger, but we've had a whole host of issues with his litter box. We used to keep it in our basement, but it doesn't have windows, and the smell would end up getting trapped and grossing us out. We must have tried 4 or 5 different litter brands, and while some were better than others, none of them really got rid of the smell. We ended up having to put the litter box in our living room next to the TV because the living room has lots of windows and better circulation. But now we've got a whole new host of problems. My wife is especially sensitive to the litter box smell (and I think she doesn't like the idea of what's going on inside it), so when she sees our catwalk into the box, she'll immediately go into the other room. When she made me pause the newest episode of Game of Thrones so she could hide out in the kitchen while Tiger did his business, I knew something had to change.
I started really doing my research online to see if there was a litter option that would fix our smelly cat problems. One that stood out was PrettyLitter, a subscription cat litter that is super lightweight (only 6lbs for a whole month's supply) and uses a unique formula that is supposed to be clump free and odor free. Everything we've tried in the past has claimed to be odor neutralizing, so I wasn't so sure this was any different. But there were a ton of 5-star reviews, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
When our first bag of PrettyLitter was delivered, the first thing I noticed was that it really was super light. I was used to lugging around 30lb bags, so when I picked up the 6lb litter I noticed the difference right away. I put Tiger's litter box back in the basement and hoped this time would be different. One thing that makes PrettyLitter different is that you only have to scoop the poop, stir the litter, and change it once a month, which I liked because it would cut down on mess and dust. I would come down at night to see if any scooping needed to be done, and after a week I noticed no smell at all. I convinced my wife to come check it out for herself, and even she had to admit that this time the odor elimination actually worked. I was just glad to get our Game of Thrones nights back again.
Since then, we've discovered a few more cool things about PrettyLitter that make it unlike any other litter we'd tried in the past. First of all, the subscription is more convenient than you'd think, and I really liked not having to make last minute trips to the pet store or trying to stock up on 6 months worth of litter at a time. Secondly, the formula has color-changing crystals that help you detect health problems in your cat. It gives us a lot of peace of mind because sometimes Tiger will be sleeping more than usual or his pur will sound pained, but we don't know if something's actually wrong. A few months ago, the crystals changed to a blue color, so we took Tiger to the vet the next day. It turned out he had a slight infection and needed antibiotics!
We love our smelly cat, my wife even dressed as Phoebe from FRIENDS last year for Halloween. But PrettyLitter was the only litter we've ever tried that actually eliminated Tiger's smell. Now, we can keep the litter box out of sight in the basement, and snuggle with Tiger without the smell.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: PrettyLitter is offering our readers a SPECIAL promo! Follow this link and use promo code PRETTYLITTER2020 to get 20% off your first order of PrettyLitter today!
Offer Expires In
I Love Cats, But Their Pee Stinks. Here's How I Got Rid Of The Smell
Four years ago, when I first married my wife Lauren, we adopted a beautiful little striped kitty we call Tiger to make our house feel more like a home. I love Tiger, but we've had a whole host of issues with his litter box. We used to keep it in our basement, but it doesn't have windows, and the smell would end up getting trapped and grossing us out. We must have tried 4 or 5 different litter brands, and while some were better than others, none of them really got rid of the smell. We ended up having to put the litter box in our living room next to the TV because the living room has lots of windows and better circulation. But now we've got a whole new host of problems. My wife is especially sensitive to the litter box smell (and I think she doesn't like the idea of what's going on inside it), so when she sees our catwalk into the box, she'll immediately go into the other room. When she made me pause the newest episode of Game of Thrones so she could hide out in the kitchen while Tiger did his business, I knew something had to change.
I started really doing my research online to see if there was a litter option that would fix our smelly cat problems. One that stood out was PrettyLitter, a subscription cat litter that is super lightweight (only 6lbs for a whole month's supply) and uses a unique formula that is supposed to be clump free and odor free. Everything we've tried in the past has claimed to be odor neutralizing, so I wasn't so sure this was any different. But there were a ton of 5-star reviews, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
When our first bag of PrettyLitter was delivered, the first thing I noticed was that it really was super light. I was used to lugging around 30lb bags, so when I picked up the 6lb litter I noticed the difference right away. I put Tiger's litter box back in the basement and hoped this time would be different. One thing that makes PrettyLitter different is that you only have to scoop the poop, stir the litter, and change it once a month, which I liked because it would cut down on mess and dust. I would come down at night to see if any scooping needed to be done, and after a week I noticed no smell at all. I convinced my wife to come check it out for herself, and even she had to admit that this time the odor elimination actually worked. I was just glad to get our Game of Thrones nights back again.
Since then, we've discovered a few more cool things about PrettyLitter that make it unlike any other litter we'd tried in the past. First of all, the subscription is more convenient than you'd think, and I really liked not having to make last minute trips to the pet store or trying to stock up on 6 months worth of litter at a time. Secondly, the formula has color-changing crystals that help you detect health problems in your cat. It gives us a lot of peace of mind because sometimes Tiger will be sleeping more than usual or his pur will sound pained, but we don't know if something's actually wrong. A few months ago, the crystals changed to a blue color, so we took Tiger to the vet the next day. It turned out he had a slight infection and needed antibiotics!
We love our smelly cat, my wife even dressed as Phoebe from FRIENDS last year for Halloween. But PrettyLitter was the only litter we've ever tried that actually eliminated Tiger's smell. Now, we can keep the litter box out of sight in the basement, and snuggle with Tiger without the smell.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: PrettyLitter is offering our readers a SPECIAL promo! Follow this link and use promo code PRETTYLITTER2020 to get 20% off your first order of PrettyLitter today!
Offer Expires In
How This Drink Helps Me Stay Hydrated While Avoiding Diet Sweeteners
I tend to be real health-nut and I pride myself on eating healthy and always paying attention to what I am putting into my body. Before buying any new snacks or drinks, I make sure to look at the label to ensure that I am not consuming any kind of preservatives or diet sweeteners.
Unfortunately, this proves difficult in one circumstance for me: staying hydrated. I HATE plain water and really struggle to stay away from flavored drinks. The problem is, when you look at the ingredients for most flavored water brands, they definitely don't meet high health standards. That's why my new favorite drink right now is Hint, a naturally flavored water that comes in 16 delicious combinations, plus sparkling and caffeinated options. Hint helps me keep me hydrated and healthy while giving my taste buds a treat. It's SO MUCH BETTER than just water.
Luckily, Hint's ingredient list is always simple. Take my personal favorite blackberry flavor: purified water, blackberry and other natural ingredients from non-GMO plants. That's it. And when it comes to nutrition labels, Hint has zeros all the way down the list -- no calories, no sodium, no anything! Hint never uses diet sweeteners, preservatives, dyes or GMOs.
Here's how Hint compares to the top three zero-calorie flavored water competitors (and sparkling!). How does your go-to compare? (Psst, we left the worst for last so make sure to check out Bai bubbly at the bottom for a carbohydrate surprise!)
Vitamin Water Zero
OK, if you're already on the zero calorie flavored water train, then you probably know about Vitamin Water Zero. If you think all flavored waters are made the same, just take a look at that long list of ingredients on the Vitamin Water Zero bottle. One of the many synthetic ingredients you can't pronounce is the sugar alcohol erythritol, which is often made from GMO corn and has been linked to weight gain and stomach bacteria issues [1]. That's not natural. Plus Hint comes in more sophisticated flavors like blood orange.
Dasani Flavored Water
Dasani also makes a zero calorie flavored water with just four flavor options. Dasani's water contains a lot of the big-name diet sweeteners health conscious people have avoided for a while now, like aspartame. But the biggest differences? One of those ingredients is causing a bottle of Dasani flavored water to have a whopping 70mg of sodium! That's almost twice the sodium in a can of Coke! Sodium makes you bloat, so watch out. Hint on the other hand comes in way more flavor options and has 0mg of sodium (which, duh! It's water).
Bai Bubbles
Bai is one of the most popular flavored sparkling waters to rival Hint's line of bubbly beverages, which boast simple ingredients and zeros all the way down their nutrition list, just like their still counterparts. Bai on the other hand is a double offender: erythritol, just like Vitamin Water, AND enough carbohydrates that a single bottle of Bai would kick you out of a low carb diet.
Hint is a great way to get all the health benefits of water, including accelerated weight loss and improved cognitive function, with a kick of flavor. They even have a subscriptions service you can use to make sure you never run out, and cut down on trips to the grocery store! If you're already a flavored water fan, make sure to check out the label of your go-to brand and see if it has any of the same hidden health risks as the competitors above.
UPDATE 04/22/19: The folks at Hint are offering a special promotion to our readers! Follow this link to get 35% off PLUS free shipping!
My Daughter Hated Gym Class So We Tried Aaptiv & Here’s What Happened
After the second time in a month when my daughter, Sophia, asked for a note to sit out of gym class, I asked her what was going on. She told me sixth graders were running the mile, and as the slowest one in her class, she was too embarrassed to try again.
No one made fun of her, but she was always one of the last kids to finish while the other kids watched from the bleachers. She's a smart kid, and she likes spending all her time inside, reading and working on the computer. I've tried to limit her screen time to get her outside and moving by having her join the middle school soccer team, but she doesn't have a natural competitive streak so she wasn't really motivated. I even tried to talk to her gym teacher but the coach was dealing with huge class sizes and just didn't have time to give Sophia special attention. I was worried that if I didn't figure out a way to get Sophia interested in being active, it could negatively impact the rest of her life. Instead of telling her to push herself until she gets sick in gym class, I got her a subscription to Aaptiv, an audio workout app for her phone. They have fitness-instructor guided programs for doing workouts, motivating you through runs, teaching you how to stretch and more.
I've been using Aaptiv for a while, including to help me train for the annual charity 5k. The app has been a godsend for staying engaged during cardio training because I lose motivation on the treadmill after 2 minutes of going at it alone. The Top40 music and trainer's encouragement helped me so much, I thought it would work for my daughter too. I had Sophia download the app to her phone, and we browsed together some of the different programs and classes. They add 40 new classes a week, so there's always something new. Sophia wanted to try one that would help her run a mile, and we decided to do it together.
When she got home from school, before doing her homework, the two of us changed into exercise clothes, and then went outside. Sophia put the earbuds into her ear and was pleasantly surprised to find that every program has a soundtrack of music she actually likes. It's not just elevator music; they have all the biggest artists like Cardi B, Sia, and Britney Spears.
So she wouldn't feel self-conscious, I ran on the same track, keeping my eye on her while letting her go at her own pace. I know she's gotten embarrassed in the past when she feels like people are watching her, so the app was a good way for her to get the motivation and pro-tips she needed without having to work with a trainer. The audio instructor was such an expert, that the moment she started to feel a little out of breath from jogging, she was guided to walk. Sophia is a slow runner, but by alternating between jogging and walking, she was able to run faster for shorter bursts of time, which kept her from getting as tired and helped her build stamina.
When we did our lap and made it back home, Sophia found that her favorite band, Pentatonix was the soundtrack to an ab strength workout, so she did it alone in her room. I was so relieved that my daughter, especially at the tricky age of 11, was finding a healthy way to exercise. Three times a week, Sophia and I went for a guided run together, and after two months, she was able to run a mile without stopping for walk breaks!
Sophia's excited to try the mile-run at school again next year, which is a huge improvement from asking me to write her out of class. In the meantime, she's devouring every workout with a Pentatonix playlist they have, and also working on how to do the basics, like a proper push-up. Aaptiv has given me peace of mind that my daughter is going to have fun exercising, and will start the 7th grade on a physically and emotionally healthy track.
Follow this link to sign up online and get the first week of Aaptiv FREE!
Why I Replaced My Old Mattress With A New Casper Box Mattress
Sleep isn't something I really thought about until I moved in with my girlfriend last year. I'd heard that there are different qualities of sleep, but I just never really paid attention to my own patterns. I knew that if I was out late the night before I might be more tired the next day, but that was about it. But when my girlfriend moved in, I started waking up in the middle of the night a lot, because whenever she would move, the mattress would shake and jostle me awake. I tried melatonin and other supplements, but nothing really worked and eventually, I started feeling the effects of poor sleep in my life. I was snapping more easily at work, couldn't concentrate, and just wanted to nap instead of going to the gym when I got home. I told a coworker about my problems, and he told me that I should try a mattress made with memory foam. I thought that sounded unnecessary, and my spring mattress was probably fine. My only real association with memory foam was those old Tempurpedic commercials I used to see when I was a kid, and they seemed super cheesy. Plus it sounded like something that would sink down to much, I just didn't feel like it was for me.
But after seeing a ton of reviews from other people online who said that foam mattresses totally changed their sleep game, I wondered if maybe it was worth the hype. I started comparing brands, and the mattress that seemed to have the most positive reviews was Casper. I had heard of Casper before and knew it was a leader in the bed-in-a-box space. Sometimes things are popular for a reason, so I went online to see what made Casper different. I found out that their mattresses are made with several layers of foam to make them comfy and supportive, breathable material to keep you cool, and best of all they are motion transfer resistant so I won't feel my girlfriend if she moves in the middle of the night. Ding ding ding! Ok, they did call out my biggest issue, but I still just wasn't sure it would actually make a difference. But, they have a 100-night free trial, so I figured I had nothing to lose and ordered a Queen sized mattress.
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The mattress arrived in a box so the delivery guy could just leave it in front of my building without a problem. It was light enough that I could carry it up the stairs by myself and didn't have to hire movers, which I liked. I opened the box and uncurled the mattress onto my frame. It started inflating immediately, and it was really cool to see it puff up like magic! The whole process was so convenient, which makes a big difference to me as a busy person. When we went to sleep that first night, my girlfriend loved how comfortable it was, but I knew the real test would come after she fell asleep. When my alarm went off the next morning, I had slept through the night for the first time since my girlfriend moved in! I was so glad that the motion transfer resistant material actually worked because I was starting to worry about what my lack of sleep would mean for our relationship.
Over the next few weeks, I noticed a few more perks of our
Casper: I really was staying cooler, and wasn't waking up a little sweaty. Plus, because the mattress is engineered for good neck and spine alignment, I felt less creaky and stiff and was moving around more freely when I went to the gym. Most of all, I started actually appreciating the soft and comfortable foam whenever we'd watch Netflix in bed on the weekends. Now that I've experienced the energy and mood lift that comes with a good night's sleep, I'm never going back. I wish I had gotten a Casper when I lived on my own, so I could have appreciated good sleep for all it's worth back then.
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Now Is The Perfect Time To Get Summer-Ready With YogaClub
As the days get warmer, we're trading our snuggly winter blankets and Netflix binge sessions for lighter outfits and sunny days outside. We're counting down the time until we can hike through the wilderness, have outdoor charcuterie picnics, or sip umbrella drinks by the pool. This year, we're determined to look and feel our very best and take advantage of the most anticipated season! Now is the perfect time to get ready for summer, whether that's losing a bit of that winter take-out food weight or stocking up on cute new outfits. Luckily, YogaClub is here to help us with both.
YogaClub is a subscription box that sends you curated, 3-piece outfits of brand name workout apparel from designer brands like Niyama Sol, Threads 4 Thought, and Beyond Yoga. Before getting your first box, you take a short style quiz that collects info like your size, body shape, color & style preferences, and more. Then they send you a hand-picked outfit (that's leggings, a sports bra, and a top) right to your door. My subscription is $79 a month for 3 luxury items, and it costs less than one pair of leggings usually costs at the studio!
Here's why you need YogaClub before summer rolls around.
1. The clothes are so cute, you can't wait to show em' off.
Gone are the days when you could get away with wearing the same boring black leggings over and over. Summer is coming, so shove those to the back of your closet and make room for YogaClub! They have such a wide range of colors, prints, and details you can mix and match, no matter what your style. Bright florals? Check. Neutral patterns? Check. Still, want to stick with black? Spice it up with a fun mesh cutout. Their style quiz lets you opt out of certain styles, so you know you're getting an outfit that fits your taste.
2. It'll become your motivation to hit your workout goals.
"Okay, I'm actually going to start my workout plan… tomorrow!" We know the feeling. But opening your pink YogaClub box and seeing what new outfit you got is the perfect spark of motivation you need to ignore all of your excuses and work on that #summerbod. Feeling confident in what you're wearing and how you look can really give you the mental boost you need to run that extra mile or sign up for the kickboxing class you've been too intimidated to try.
3. You'll look trendy everywhere you go, from the gym to the grocery store to brunch.
We promise you won't look out of place. YogaClub outfits are high-quality and functional, but also super stylish. Many of their brands are sold in designer boutiques and high-end studios, so you won't be wearing the same old department store styles as everybody else. No more lugging around giant tote bags with all your changes of clothes, these outfits are super cute and versatile!!
4. You'll fill your closet with high-end athleisure without splurging.
With a YogaClub subscription, you're basically getting 60% off name brand workout apparel. Instead of paying a cringe-worthy $98+ for one pair of Lululemon leggings, you're paying $79 a month for a top and sports bra and leggings! That means more money for fun things, like frosé at the rooftop bar. They also have different frequency subscriptions if you want it less often, and it's great that you pay every month instead of upfront. It's also really easy to pause or cancel your subscription online (but you won't want to).
If you're ready to stock up your workout closet for summer without draining your wallet, it's time to join YogaClub. Your personal stylist will hook you up with athleisure that's individually picked for your style, so there's no way you won't love it. But be warned, you'll be getting a lot of compliments and you might need to spill your secret at the next girls' brunch!