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The Do’s and Dont’s to Living the Life YOU Want!

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Enough With the Bullshit

How many years of your life have you spent saying “yes” and “no” to things just to appease other people? When are you going to start living your life the way YOU want to? We think that NOW is a perfect time. It’s time to give fewer fucks and give more YYAASSS to your life! Enough with the bullshit that doesn’t make you happy. It’s time to say goodbye to the people that don’t add substance and happiness to your life. Enough with the procrastinating and telling yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” It’s time to grab your life by the balls and own it! Enough with the bullshit!

The Do’s to Living the Life You Want

  • Buy that plane ticket and take that trip! Even if it means you are going alone!
  • Say “yes” to things you truly want and “no” to the things you don’t. Say “yes” to your happiness ALWAYS.
  • Stop procrastinating and go after the things you want, NOW! Tomorrow is never promised so why wait any longer? 
  • Change your hair, buy new clothes, pick up new hobbies, move to that new city..do all the things you want to with YOUR life. Embrace change even if those around you don’t.
  • Remind yourself of all your accomplishments and always be your biggest fan! No one can love you like you love you. So love the shit out of yourself!
  • Surround yourself with people who support, love, and believe in you. Be okay with cutting people off. If they don’t make you happy then should they really be taking up any of your time? Probably not!
  • Be selective. With possessions, how your money and time is spent, with people you hang around, with the things you give energy to. Be selfish as fuck with yourself! In the end, you are ultimately responsible for your happiness, decisions, and quality of life. 
  • Stop caring what other people think. People will always have an opinion but it’s up to you whether you give a shit or not. Don’t hold yourself back from doing or saying something because of what others will think. No is one is perfect and no one has the right to judge you.

The Dont’s to Living the Life You Want

  • Stop putting your dreams, goals, and ambitions off “until tomorrow” and go after them today! Every day that passes is another day that you are either standing still or sprinting to the finish line. Be a runner. Run your fucking ass off until you reach your destination!
  • Don’t put up with bullshit relationships. You know which ones we are talking about. The “friend” that never calls, the person who says they love you but continuously hurt you, the people who only come around when they need something. Flush all that bullshit out of your life! buh-byeeee!!
  • Don’t beat yourself up over your mistakes. Shit happens. Learn from it and keep it moving. Your mistakes don’t define you. How you react and pick yourself back up does!
  • Please don’t compare yourself to others. Your journey is yours! There is no blueprint on how to do life right. You are exactly where you need to be. Don’t be in competition with anyone but yourself!
  • We know this one is tough but, don’t think negative thoughts about yourself. It’s so easy to judge, doubt and put yourself down. Don’t do this. Love yourself, your flaws and imperfections. Don’t ever let yourself forget how incredibly amazing you are!
  • Don’t hold yourself back because of other people. It’s okay to do things alone. Travel, eat at the restaurants you want, pick up the hobby you have been thinking about. Go and do the things you want to do even if no one is around to do them with you. Shedding the scaredness allows for empowerment to blossom!
  • Don’t be content with things that don’t genuinely make you happy. Seek the opportunities that will enrich your life and get you out of the contentment zone. If you want it, you can get it, if you truly go after it! We are rooting for you!!
  • Don’t be a hater, shit-talker, or asshole for no reason. Don’t be jealous and don’t rain on other people’s parades. The energy you put out comes back around. Be positive, a nice human being, and spread happiness and kindness as much as you can.

Are you Ready to Start Living the Life You Want?!

Don’t take things for granted. Today is here and everything you want is out there waiting for you! It sucks to live with regrets, so don’t! Go do what you have always wanted to do, and cut out the bullshit from every aspect of your life. Believe us, you will feel happier, sleep better, worry less and love more. You deserve to be the happiest YOU possible! 

If you need any advice or tips on how to do this for your life, hit us up. And if you have any tips on how to live a bullshit free life, let us know! Ask yourself every now and then, “am I living my best life?”, and if you’re not, change it up. Now, go live your dreams!

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Make-Up Bag Essentials With Believe in Bumble

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BestieTalks Must-Have Beauty Bag Items

We love our skin and the products that make us look and feel beautiful! When it comes to makeup we are both pretty minimal users but that doesn’t mean we don’t love getting ready and putting our face together. We each have a bag full of makeup but there are specific products that we wouldn’t dream of going without. We are going to share our must-have beauty bag items and why they make our essentials list. The products we take when we travel, products we use daily, and products we always keep on hand just in case something comes up and you need a little something extra.

Jess’s Must-Have Beauty Items

Our “Can’t live without” List

These are items that we use daily and can’t live without. Check them out and see if you have any in your makeup bag. And if you don’t, go grab them asap!

  • A good serum! Serums are our daily go-to. We’ve had our try at many and our favorite has to have a good thick consistency, absorb quickly, and of course, the price needs to be right. Serums keep our skin bright, our pores small, and flawless as possible.
    Ray’s current favorite serum

    Jess’s current fav
  • Coconut Oil every damn day! As you should already know we are obsessed with coconut oil. So, of course, we have it in our makeup bag too. Duh! That is a moisturizer we can always rely on and know it’s not going to break us out while still getting the job done. 
  • Basic ass Chapstick. Yep, chapstick. Nothing is worse than having cracked dry lips. And if worse comes to worst, you can use your chapstick anywhere (hands, nose, etc.) you may be dry.  
  • Ray loves the ColourPop Eyebrow Pencil! Jess love the Maybelline Precise Brow Pencil. You won’t ever catch us without our brows done- unless we are at the gym or yoga 🙂
  • Bobby Pins & a spare hair tie! Why? Because you NEVER know! We keep our bobby pins in a tic tac case!
  • Eyelash glue! I use hair bond glue that you can get at Sally’s Beauty Supply for $2. I buy maybe two bottles a year. It lasts F.O.R.E.V.E.R and works way better than the other stuff. Plus its black, it gives a look of eye liner without wearing eye liner.
  • Jess always keeps a pimple sticker in her bag. I love Peace Out which can be found at Sephora or the brand shown in the picture above which can be found on Amazon. When I feel a pimple forming I cover it with Clearasil Rapid Gel and an acne sticker. They really help shrink, minimize, and reduce redness within just a few hours. LIFE SAVERS! I was out of town for a wedding last month and a pimple popped up- thankfully I had my stickers and it helped shrink it QUICKLY!
  • Tweezers!! Tweezers are essential because they are so versatile. Something Jess ALWAYS keeps in her beauty bag. 
  • We highly recommend keeping some floss in your beauty bag. Floss is something that comes in handy when you least expect it. Your lipstick might be poppin’ but if you got spinach in your teeth- that’s not a cute look. Trust us and thrown some floss in your bag!
  • A good lipgloss that can go with anything. Sometimes we like chapstick, sometimes a pretty matte lipstick and other times we just want to throw some gloss on our lips and shine! A good lipgloss is critical for a beauty bag! If you travel and forget a lipstick you will be happy for that backup lipgloss in your beauty bag! 

Meet our Guest Blogger Emma From Believe in Bumble!

Hello there! Firstly, I just wanted to say thank you to Jess and Ray for giving me the opportunity to write for their lovely blog. Let me introduce myself, I’m Emma from the blog www.believeinbumble.co.uk Believe in Bumble is a lifestyle blog filled with Days Out, Book Reviews, Favourites, Recipes and so much more! I post a new post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday so I would love to have you over on my blog.

Back to today’s post, today we are both going to share our make up bag essentials. As we are from different parts of the world (I’m from London, UK) I thought this would be an interesting post. So, without further ado lets get cracking with my make-up bag essentials!

Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer (£4)

This is a recent discovery for me, but it has quickly replaced the cult classic Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in my make-up collection. Not only is the colour match better for my skin tone (I use C2), it is so creamy allowing it to blend effortlessly without losing its high coverage.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey (£7.99)

This is an oldie but a goodie! I have loved this product for years but recent rediscovered it. It is a purple neutral-toned lip colour making it perfect for all seasons. Honey is one of those easy throw on lip colours. Side note, my boyfriend said my swatch looked like a bruise! I hope you don’t agree!!

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast High Definition Collagen-C Mascara (£10.50)

This is my holy grail mascara and I always come back too it. It provides length, volume and definition whilst still looking natural. It has great lasting power but is still easy to get off at the end of the day.

BarryM Cream Jewel Cream Eyeshadows (£4.99)

I like to have a wash of colour on my eyelids but as I often start work early, I don’t have time (or the energy!) to be blending eyeshadows. Instead, I just swipe one of these on my lid and blend them out with my finger. It’s as easy as that! I have Pillow Talk which is a warm-toned champagne colour, Blissful which is a natural lilac colour and finally, Fairytale which is a perfect copper colour.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my make up essentials. Again, thank you to Bestie Talks for allowing me to post on your blog. I hope to see you over at my blog Believe in Bumble soon!

We hope you enjoed this article and enjoyed meeting Emma!! Please go and check her out and she has so many helpful and lovley articles!!

What are YOUR favorite make-up essentials! Please share with us what you can’t live without!

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Tips on How to be The Best Travel Buddy

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Let’s GO!

Traveling together is one of our favorite ways to spend quality time with each other. For the past 15 years, Jess and I have been meeting each other in many different destinations. We have our rendezvous down to a tee and want to share our travel tips so you can be the best travel buddy too!

Traveling Then vs Now

So when we were just barely legal, traveling was different. We had to make sure we printed out Mapquest directions, called the hotel in advance to book our reservation, and find out by word of mouth what events were going on. Our travel interests were much different then they are today. We were all about bar hopping, dancing at the hottest clubs and wearing outfits we wouldn’t dare throw in our suticase now. These days, we like to restaurant hop, find a good brunch with the best bloody mary deals, go to concerts, do yoga, go on hikes and find some unbeatable deals at the local Farmers Market.


How to Prepare for a Buddy Trip

There are a few things you can do ahead so that you have the best trip possible.

  • Book a room with double beds. Having too much room is always better than not enough room. Plus, this gives both of you your own space to treat however you want. 
  • When picking a place to stay, look at the surrounding area and think about what you want to do on this trip. If it’s for some relaxation, maybe you want to be outside the city away from the hustle and bustle. If you don’t plan on renting a car, maybe find a hotel or AirBnb that is around lots of walkable attractions. Talk about your intention for the trip and go from there.
  • Start bookmarking places on Yelp. This way you have hella options that you were already into. When you get to your hotel or place where you’re staying, look to see how far those places are to you. You will no doubt find more places near your location once you reach your destination.
  • Plan to use Lyft or Uber. These rideshare apps allow you to split the fare which makes it really easy. And you only need to know the name or address of your destination instead of looking up directions.
  • However, if renting a car is more practical for your trip, do that! Hawaii is a perfect example of where you would want to rent a car. Having a car gives you the freedom to go and do anything you want whenever.
  • If you are traveling with other couples or in a group, make sure everyone is included in a group text so you all stay up to date on your travel plans. Make sure everyone is on the same page about where you want to stay and the things you want to do. Traveling with others can be difficult so make sure you pick travel buddies wisely!
  • We LOVE discussing our outfits before a trip. Going to the beach? Staying at a place with a pool? Make sure you both got your swimsuits! If you plan on eating a fancy restaurant one night make sure you tell each other so you both have clothing to match any event that you plan on getting into!
  • Be upfront about costs and a budget you are on. Trips can still happen and be amazing even on a budget! We always split costs if we are staying together and always make sure what we are paying for is within the other persons budget. Being thoughtful about each other’s expenses is crucial as a travel buddy!
  • We have stayed in lots of Airbnb’s on certain destination trips so we can be together instead of in seperate hotel rooms. This is a great option for certain destinations. Staying in an Airbnb allows you to go grocery shopping and cook together as well. This also saves a shit-ton of money!
  • Discuss flights with your travel buddy! Coordinate your arrival and departure times which will make meeting up and departing together easier for both of you!
  • Pinterest is also a great tool to use for places you are visiting! Especially if you are visiting abroad or a place you have never been to before! Look up tips or top favorite things to do so you will have ideas of fun things to do before you even get there!
  • Utilize Groupon to mazimize your money and fun!! There are always great deals on local events in every city!

Now go and Plan Your Next Trip!

We hope you find at least one of these tips helpful! Do you have a favorite travel buddy?! Do you have any tips of your own? Please share with us !

Bonus Tip : Don’t be a complainer. Be okay with going with the flow on a trip. Trips are supposed to be fun and not a time for complainers or debbie downers !

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How To Save Money On Everyday Purchases

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$$$>$

We would all love to save some money right?! We love getting the best price possible on just about anything and everything we buy. Whether that includes clipping coupons or browsing other online sites, we are always looking for the best deals. Here are a few ways that we save money year around…

Money Saving Tips

One of the best emails to receive.
  • Ebates: Download the Ebates app on your phone and add the attachment to the computer you use the most to do your shopping. Ebates gives you money back on the thing you are already purchasing. It is as simple as searching for the store through the app, seeing the percentage you will receive back and completing your purchase through there. Done! Ebates will notify you that they received your purchase and how much you will get back. You can even link your credit or debit cards so that you can receive cash back for in-store purchases. If you ever have a problem with a transaction and you didn’t receive your money back or forgot to press the Ebates button, Ebates has a great customer service department and they get back to you ASAP. They have always honored my proof of purchases. They have all u   https://go.ebat.es/8xk0iuZcTN  Here is a link you can use to get $25 after signing up and spending $25. 

    This is what will pop up when you access a site that Ebates honors.
  • Honey: Honey is an attachment that you add to your browser that alerts you about coupons that site has.
    Honey notification when coupons are found!

    When you are about to make your purchase, Honey pops up saying they have coupons that can possibly make your price lower. It scans through all the coupons people have tried and gives you the coupon that gives you the most amount off. Sometimes you may already have the best price but it will let you know that as well. Honey also allows you to price watch. It will alert you when an item that you were watching goes up or down in price. Super cool! You can also visit their website anytime to see what coupons and stores are trending. 

  • Ibotta: This is an app that requires you to scan your coupon to show proof of purchase. Each store has an amount of an item that you can receive cash back for. The amount varies with product and store. Once your receipt is verified, the amount will be added to your Ibotta account. So, if you’re the type that keeps all your receipts, this app may be for you. 
  • Khol’s: Khol’s is like the nowadays Mervyn’s. They have great name brands with awesome prices and daily coupons. Kohl’s sales everything from clothing for everyone in your family, household items for all areas of your home, stunning jewelry, and even furniture. I never buy anything at full price at Kohl’s and if I ever need to I use my Kohls cash that accumulates from regular purchases. 

      Quick Tips

  • Hobby Lobby: Never pay for anything their full price! Even the staff will tell you if you find something that is not on sale, wait two or three days and the sale will rotate to that item. But if you absolutely NEED that item, go online and pull up their 40% off one item coupon. It is ALWAYS available and works on any full price item in the store.
  • Michael’s: Michael’s will price match their competitor’s coupon! That’s right! Bring in the competitors add (such as JoAnn’s), grab the item you’ve been eyeing and bring it up to the cashier with the competitor’s ad showing that item at a better price. Sometimes the cashier doesn’t know about this and will call the manager but no worries, the manager will work their magic to get you the deal you came in for. Also, if you work at a school, show them your badge or something that shows your school affiliation and get a discount on your purchase! 
  • Bed Bath & Beyond: I can spend hours at this store finding new items I didn’t know that I needed. Well, did you know if you sign up with them in the store or online, you will receive (what seems like bi-weekly) coupons for either $10 off or 20% off?! And to make it better THESE COUPONS NEVER EXPIRE!!! the only catch is that you must present them at the store and not online. I literally have a drawer filled with these coupons and they honor them (to the max possible) every time I go in. It’s coupon heaven!   

Find Deals Everywhere!

  • Coupons: As crazy as it may seem, some of the best coupons still come in the Sunday newspaper. Have you ever heard the phrase “you gotta spend money to make money”? Well, this is true when it comes to getting the coupons from the Sunday paper. Spending that $2.50 for the paper that one day will easily pay itself off. they usually have tons of restaurant deals and stores will advertise certain deals only to the newspaper. But get your scissors ready, because deals found in here usually required proof which means cutting the coupon out and not losing it. I have found a weekend stay in Cambria for 50% off in the Sunday paper and it was actually applicable. Best newspaper score yet!
  • Weekly Ads: We all receive that load of ‘junk mail’ and usually throw it in the recycling bin right? We’ll take a look through it next time and see if there is anything that catches your eye. My junk mail is usually filled with fast food coupons and chain restaurants and grocery store ads. If you eat at those places, I am sure you will find deals in that stack. Our local hardware store always has an ad and a coupon for a free item with no purchase necessary. It’s a great way to get you to go to the store and the item is usually something cool and useable like an LED flashlight or big tarp. 

How Do You Save?

We love saving money any way possible! We hope you use these tips and stack up on savings as well. If you liked this article, check out our article on how to save during traveling. Let us know some of your favorite ways you like to save. 

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Five Weird Health Tricks That Really Work

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Weird Tips but They Work

I am always trying new things when it comes to my health and beauty routine. Some of these tips might sound weird but they work. I wouldn’t share tips if I didn’t try them myself and vouch for them. I stopped taking prescription acne medication about two months ago and I have been able to keep my skin under control. I even started trying some of the tips I’m going to share with you on my husband and he has been seeing results as well. If there’s a way for me to achieve the result I’m looking for without relying on pills, expensive medication or supplements then I am all for it! I hope one or more of these tricks can help you too!

Weird Health Tip List

Weird Tip #1 : Do you have digestion issues? Suffer from IBS or other stomach related problems? Flax seeds may be your cure! I have suffered with IBS issues for over 10 years. I have tried everything from prescription medication to stool softeners. I recently came across a Flax “carrot cake” at Sprouts. It’s dairy free and gluten free. Eating a piece of this cake at night has ensured that I wake up and go to the bathroom first thing in the morning. Of course there are healthier ways to ingest flax, but I love carrot cake and it’s like a bonus knowing I’m eating a dessert that will make my tummy happy. Give Flax seeds a try or go pick up this cake! Flax seeds are SO good for you. Check out the benefits here.  

Weird Tip #2 : Staying on the topic of digestion and having a happy tummy. MAGNESIUM! Another great way to keep things moving smoothly. I take magnesium several different ways. You can purchase a bottle of Calm and drink a serving mixed in with water. Or you can take a magnesium bath ( great for sore muscles too!) and let it soak in your body as you soak in the tub. Both ways work and both are things I do religiously. I tell anyone suffering with stomach issues to pick up a bottle of Calm. The benefits of magnesium are profound. Check them out here.

Weird Tip #3 : Tea tree oil is something I have used for years. I use it on my scalp and spot treat any random pimple that might pop up. But, a few weeks ago I switched things up a bit and have had awesome results. I started taking a wet cotton ball and putting a drop of tea tree oil on it and rubbing it over my entire T-Zone. Instead of just spot treating I am applying it twice a day and it’s really made a difference. My husband asked me what Ive been doing differently because my skin looks so clear. I started applying it to his face as well. It works! Use only a drop or two and make sure its diluted with a completely wet cotton ball. Don’t irritate your skin by applying tea tree oil directly to your face.

Weird Tip #4 : Eating raw cucumber for skin and digestion benefits! I love cucumber. They are jam-packed with nutrients and because they are mostly water they are virtually calorie free. Cucumbers count as negative calories in my opinion. I will cut a large cucumber in half and eat a half of a cucumber raw. Yup, I will munch on it just like an apple. Skin intact which of course supplies a lot of the beneficial nutrients you will want to absorb. I swear cucumbers play a role in my overall skin appearance and help with flushing out toxins. Just start eating more cucumber.. you won’t regret it! Check out these benefits if you don’t believe me.

Weird Tip # 5 : So, this isn’t technically a weird tip but it made it to this list because it’s weird to me how many people don’t use Vitamin C as part of their every day skin care routine! It’s also crazy weird how much of a difference vitamin c has made in my overall skin tone and appearance. I have been using a vitamin c serum on my skin twice a day for the past six months and absolutely notice a difference. I even got my Bestie hooked on it and she can’t live without a bottle either. I use the serum after washing my face along with my normal toner and moisturizer. It has helped clear up old scars, helps heal pimples quicker and all around improves my complexion. I wish I would have added vitamin c to my regime when I was younger! Get some now, you will be happy you did! Click here to peep the serum we use, but I’m sure any other brand would provide similar results. Just read reviews before you buy!

What weird beauty and health things do you do? Would you try any of these tips? Please share with us!

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Packing Tutorial so Your Bags Fly Free this Holiday Season

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Airlines Without Free Bags

Traveling is expensive as it is. The holidays are even more expensive. Knowing which airlines allow a free carry on and knowing their policy upfront can help you save money. Spirit Airlines is one airline that offers competitively cheap flights especially during the holiday season. Spirit has a bad rap, and if you don’t know how to fly with them, it can seem like a really shitty airline to take. No free water, they will charge you to print out your boarding pass, no free peanuts, and especially no free carry on luggage. I have flown with them more than a dozen times and have perfected how to play their game. They fly almost everywhere, and when you need to save some money, they are the airline to use. I used them a few years back 3 weeks before a Chirstmas trip and saved hundreds of dollars. I’m here to tell you all the tips and tricks you will need so you won’t have to pay for luggage.

The Breakdown

This list is going to break down exactly what you need to do when flying with Spirit.

  • After buying your tickets download the Spirit mobile app. If you have access to a printer, you can print out your tickets otherwise make sure you have them on your mobile app or a copy in your email. They will accept all of these versions. DO NOT go to the airport expecting them to print out your boarding pass for free. They will charge you for that. 
  • Spirit allows a free personal bag that must not exceed dimensions of 18 x 14 x 8 inches. I found a bag on Amazon that is within Spirits policy. This bag is only $12.99, and I highly recommend that you buy it. It has saved me hundreds of dollars in bag fees. My husband and I both have one. Click here to buy. It’s $30 one way for a single bag so you can do that math and see how smart of a buy this is. 
  • I have used this bag for so many trips, and it never fails to carry everything I need. Learning how to be a minimalist traveler is a smart trick to adapt to. Bring only what you need. I spent 4 days in New York and even brought back new shoes and gifts in this same bag. You can make it work. Roll those panties and jeans up as small/tightly as you can! I promise you will be impressed by how much this bag can hold!
  • Ladies: stuff your purse into this bag when boarding your plane. I stuff my purse on top and zip it all up, and I can carry this bag on my shoulder so its an obvious “personal item.”  I have never been stopped or questioned about my bag. It always fits (even if I have to smash it in) into their displayed box they have to make sure it passes as a personal item. It fits every time so there isn’t shit they can say! If it fits then it flys! FREE!

Bonus Tip!

  • Pack an empty water bottle and some snacks. You can fill up your empty water bottle once you get through security. Spirit will not provide anything free on the plane, so bring some stuff to get you through your flight. Otherwise, you can always purchase items at the airport before you board. They offer food/drinks in flight but nothing, not even water, is free. 

The Folding Bag That Will Save You Money!

I wanted to give you a visual of this bag so you could get an idea of exactly what it is. It’s a foldable duffle bag that is extremely lightweight. It folds into itself and turns into a small square that is great for storing! When unfolding this bag, it becomes large enough that you will be able to fit everything you need for your trip! We understand that if you are flying out of the country that you might need a little bit more than this bag can carry. Raynita will be doing a packing tutorial for out of the country trips. She is a pro at getting everything she needs into a roller carry on suitcase. Be on the lookout for that! 

Foldable empty duffle bag!
I took three standard size pillows and stuffed them into the duffle to give you an idea of what it can take!
Duffle packed with the three pillows! Still extra room in there! You can get an idea of the size based on the comparison with the hairbrush. LOTS of room!
The front pouch has a zipper that you can take the entire bag and fold it into itself. When empty and folded up..this is the outcome! Pretty cool right?!

I hope you found this article helpful! I am all for saving a buck, and if it takes me flying Spirit sometimes then that’s what I’m gonna do! Now that you know what to expect and how to play their game I hope you will take this advice and save yourself some money. Traveling during the holidays is supposed to be fun and not more expensive then it needs to be! Happy traveling! For more traveling tips click here!

Did you find this useful? Please let us know!

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