9.27.2013

How To: Conquer Lateness This Fall With Citi Simplicity (Giveaway!)



Hey you! Can you believe autumn is here? I feel like this year has flown by!  There are so many things I've yet to get accomplished this year. And thanks to my never-ending sickness, I feel more behind than ever.  The holidays will be here soon (I can't believe it either), and things can start to add up. Feeling overwhelmed and worried can cause unnecessary stress for the holidays. But I've got some tricks up my sleeve to help conquer lateness this fall. So before the craziness of the holidays begins,  start a new tradition. Check out my tips:
  • Get Organized for Gifts--I have a huge family, so I keep a Gift Chart with everyone's name so no one gets left out. I also have spaces for clothing sizes (when applicable) and gift ideas. While I keep mine on a computer or tablet computer document, a paper list works just as well!
  • Gift Closet (Or Box)--I'm the worst at forgetting where I put things, and I'm totally guilty of finding presents hidden somewhere way after Christmas. I've since learned to designate a space, like a box, or I actually use a spare closet, to store gifts.
  • Get Organized for Decorations--I love decorating for the holidays, but simply labeling a box as "decorations" isn't helpful. Instead, I specifically label what is in each box, and where it goes (ex. mantel). I use containers designed for the types of decorations, like breakable items. 
  • Wrap 'N Go--I can be the biggest procrastinator when it comes to wrapping gifts. How many times have you stayed until late Christmas Eve wrapping presents? Not fun, right? What I found that really works is to multi-task. For example, I'll wrap presents while watching tv. Working little by little gets it done, leaving me plenty of time to enjoy the holidays with my family.
  • Sales--Sales and coupons are my best friends when it comes to getting gifts.  I shop year-round for gifts, leaving me done well before the holidays begin. I also purchase wrapping paper and other supplies only when on sale.
  • Budget--I allot myself a certain amount to spend each year. I DIY many of my gifts. For kids in my family, I make them things or get them small stocking stuffers so they have something to unwrap. But the main gift is an experience. I'll make them a card for them to redeem for an experience of their choice, like a special dinner out, or a day where they get to decide everything (like what we eat, play, etc).


Speaking of budget, I also make sure I pay my bills on time to avoid those pesky late fees as that really deplete my budget. These fees typically start at $15 and can be as high as $35 per missed payment! But it doesn't have to be that way. Have you heard of the Citi Simplicity credit card? Citi Simplicity is the ONLY card that never has late fees, a penalty rate or an annual fee, ever.  Some other features I love:

Citi Easy Deals-- Citi Easy Deals offers access to great discounts on gift cards, travel, brand name merchandise and more, including offers for your favorite restaurants and shops. Visit citieasydeals.com at home or on your mobile phone to see how you can start saving with over 200,000 offers.

  • Zero Liability on unauthorized charges--that means if someone uses your card without your consent – online or offline – you won’t be held responsible.
  • Back to my point earlier about sales: Have you ever done all your back to school or holiday shopping, only to see the items you purchased on sale later? It can be frustrating and time-consuming to chase down price adjustments. Citi Price Rewind does the work for you, by searching retailers’ site for lower prices when you buy and register an eligible item with your Citi credit card. Save your credit card receipt each time you shop. If Citi finds your item at least $25 lower than what you paid within 30 calendar days, you can get the difference in price back, up to $250. The average refund is $80. To learn more visit www.citi.com/pricerewind for more information.
GIVEAWAY:
I want to know your tips and strategies for conquering lateness. To encourage you to do so, Citi Simplicity is giving away a 16gb mini tablet! See rules below:

Sweepstakes
Abbreviated Rules 
The Conquering Lateness Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) is open to legal US Residents, age 18 or older. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 5pm (PST) on October 24, 2013. The Official Rules are available here. No purchase necessary.

Only two entries per participating blog per household; if the same or substantially similar comment (as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion) is posted twice, it may only count as one Entry. Eligible persons may enter this Promotion by taking any of the following actions, each of which counts as one entry:
1.     Leave a comment in response to the Promotion prompt on this post.
2.     Tweet (public message) about this Promotion, including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that Tweet in a comment on this post.
3.     Blog about this Promotion (including a disclosure that you have received a sweepstakes entry in exchange for blogging about this Promotion), and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
4.     To enter without commenting, follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to the Promotion prompt.

Be sure to visit the Citi brand page on BlogHer.com where you can learn more about conquering lateness!
What are your tips for conquering lateness?


97 comments:

  1. Elle, I was laughing with a barista at Starbucks the other day that the holidays will be here in a flash! It is so true! Great tips! T. http://tickledpinkwoman.blogspot.com

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  2. Great giveaway Elle! As for holidays, since most of my family is spread allover, I generally buy and have it wrapped, hence online shopping is a godsend for me. I also make many of my gifts for friends and family as well. :) xx /Madison

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  3. Lovely giveway

    Kisses
    http://www.mademoisellemode.com/

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  4. Great prize, good luck everyone :-)

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  5. I conquer lateness by setting my phone's alarm and keeping lists of everything I need to get done, so I don't get distracted. I always give myself extra time when possible, in case I get delayed.
    kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

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  6. tweet
    https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/383939042535944192

    kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

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  7. Great Giveaway Elle, can't believe its almost the holiday, how fast the year went by! Hope you're having a great unwinding weekend!

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  8. Well, I am rarely late for anything. If I am, it is because of very bad traffic and not because I leave the house too late. Just have to make sure to leave plenty of time for driving.
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

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  9. tweet - https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/384091140812574720
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

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  10. I always prepare my attire the night before and set out anything additional- make-up pouch, tea cup, any outgoing mail, etc...Every second counts in the morning so this helps.
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  11. https://twitter.com/disneyfan40/status/384330586812186624
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  12. I hate being late but sometimes there are unexpected instances that will hinder me from coming in on time.

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  13. Perfect prize
    it will be so useful in the coming holidays.

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  14. These are fantastic tips! I keep myself on track by writing birthdays down on a master calendar and putting them in my phone, too. I am always behind when it comes to Christmas, though. I never know what to buy.

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  15. Tweet: https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/384434054138822656
    onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com

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  16. Prepare as much as possible in advance! Days in advance if possible!

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  17. I use my alarm clock/timer on my smart phone. It definitely helps me keep it on task - when I hear the buzzer...I jump to action...haha!

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  18. Tweet Tweet! https://twitter.com/EMERS0N_LANE/status/384525876974460928

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  19. good blog,
    do y like to follow each other?

    ciao from Italy,
    Nicky

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  20. i set alarms on my phone plus my husband is a truck driver so his is awake all hours of the day and night so he is my alarm also to give me a call or a reminder

    yes.4eva.r(atgmaildotcom)

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  21. https://twitter.com/vivaciousgold/status/384672581636218880 tweeted

    yes.4eva.r(atgmaildotcom)

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  22. Wow this is such a cool giveaway!(: and my tip for contouring lateness is to buy a planner and write down EVERYTHING you want and need to do it really will help you get organized! Also my email is TruelyABlonde@gmail.com

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  23. Also I tweeted about this giveaway my username on twitter is TruelyABlonde.
    https://twitter.com/truelyablonde/status/384719695078629376

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  24. I have lists for everything and schedule appts and bill payments on my phone calendar. I plan my trips so I can save on gas and tackle one task at a time on my list.

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  25. I set the clock a few minutes ahead the actual time. This simple trick helps me to conquer lateness

    elena150980@yahoo.com

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  26. https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/385187948397740032

    elena150980@yahoo.com

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  27. I seriously dislike lateness so I set alarms whenever I need to attend events and I almost always arrive earlier than I need to.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

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  28. -https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/385258023142187008

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  29. I try to conquer my lateness however having a son with Autism it is not always possible to be in time on appointments, to try to conquer my lateness ,I set a schedule for the day and give my son rewards when he finish one task at a time, the reason of my lateness are unscheduled meltdowns ( cause by sensory overload and going to new places) , and when that happens , what I do is to let the meltdown run its curse , and be patience .

    dealsan32 at gmail dot com

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  30. https://twitter.com/Dealsfan32/status/385275090507546624

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  31. i use phone's alarm

    freebiel0ve@yahoo.com

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  32. tweet: https://twitter.com/akronugurl/status/385433999679569920 .

    freebiel0ve@yahoo.com

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  33. I set my phone alarm and then set another reminder 15 mins. after the 1st. to help not be late.

    dlatany at gmail dot com

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  34. https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/385450181962899456

    dlatany at gmail dot com

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  35. My best tip for conquering lateness is preparing things the night before if you can! I lay out clothes, make lunches and even lay out my children's breakfast bowls and spoons! For appointments I have a planner and always try to arrive 30 minutes early so if something happens like traffic I generally arrive on time!

    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

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  36. Tweeted
    https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/385489943880937473

    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

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  37. I always try to prepare the day/night before so I can be ready to go the next day without forgetting anything. I also write everything on my planner so I don't forget events and deadlines. Being organized is key!

    angelilee91@gmail.com

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  38. i prepare everything i need before i go to bed
    tina19820115@gmail.com

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  39. https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/385939096759066625
    tina19820115@gmail.com

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  40. I set multiple calendar reminders for myself-- if not I'll forget!

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  41. I always set a reminder on my phone to pay each bill that is due. I set it about a week ahead of the date suggested to mail on the bill. I have only been late once in all my years of having credit cards.

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  42. I conquer lateness my using my phone alarm. I also have set back the clocks a couple of minutes so I can make sure my kids get to school with plenty of time to spare.

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  43. https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/386561464837734400

    s2s2 at Comcast dot net

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  44. i posted a tweet! https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/386862472784662528

    debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

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  45. i normally schedule my bill payments ahead of time using internet banking.

    debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

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  46. tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/386928698848317440
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

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  47. i conquer lateness by using my electronic calendar. forrester_laura@hotmail.com

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  48. i prevent lateness by using my phone. laura.forrester@amrep.com

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  49. i deal with lateness by using my phone to remind me of events. Leigh LaSala
    rllasala@sbcglobal.net

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  50. My tips and strategies for conquering lateness is planning ahead. I like to make meal ahead of time and set up auto pay on my bills to avoid late fees. This Citi Simplicity is perfect for me too. thanks for the review.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

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  51. tweeted:

    https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/387670014985113601

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

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  52. I put reminders on my phone one and two days ahead of time for events. I also leave the house 10 mins earlier than I should leave so that way in case I hit traffic or something comes up i'm still on time or early. My dad taught me it was always better to be early than late or on time!

    pittsy82@hotmail.com

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  53. tweeted https://twitter.com/pittsy82/status/388815403763261440

    pittsy82@hotmail.com

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  54. I use my calendar on the phone and set reminders and I set my alarm clock to go off 15 minutes early

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  55. tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/389876399034486784

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  56. cell phone reminder work for me i love them

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  57. https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/389790252157521920

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  58. My tip is to give myself A LOT of extra time. I tend to be habitually late.

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  59. https://twitter.com/misaacmom/status/389978506781679616

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  60. I try to prepare whatever I can ahead, dinner, the kids school clothes, shopping list etc.
    njharmonyg @ aol.com

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  61. tweet https://twitter.com/hburmeister/status/390037404230221824
    njharmonyg @ aol.com

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  62. I'm going to conquer lateness by doing the things that I don't like doing (putting makeup on, argh, so tedious some days) first in the morning instead of eating breakfast and watching Good Morning America for way too long. Then rushing around trying to get ready. Just small steps! Also started thinking about Christmas last month.
    https://twitter.com/LoveCarrotsAlot/statuses/390316904289562624

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  63. I have a list of what is due and when.
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

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  64. I always set reminders and alerts on my phone

    natcarbonell@live.com

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  65. Tweet: https://twitter.com/um_lil_cutie/status/390649558981558273

    natcarbonell@live.com

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  66. Imagining everywhere I need to be 30 minutes earlier!

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  67. I use the reminders app on my iPhone a lot to keep myself on track. Otherwise I will get busy and forget to pick the kids up at the bus stop!

    heythere.delilah77@gmail.com

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  68. I put everything into my iPhone with notifications, even reminders to email people back.

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  69. I am a huge list maker, they help keep me on track and on time. I also set alarms and reminders on my cell phone to help keep me on time.

    zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  70. Tweet: https://twitter.com/Zuzuz_Petalz/status/391904253960134656

    zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  71. To conquer lateness I use a day planner and mark important events and due dates. This way I know what I have coming up, and plan accordingly.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

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  72. tweet--https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/391969577753518080

    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

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  73. My solution to staying on time is to combine it with another activity. I will get to work or an appointment early and use the extra time to either catch up on my reading or check my "to do" list. As I've gotten older I find it is taking me longer to get going. It seems like I'm always having to go back for something I forgot. These days starting early is absolutely necessary.

    willitara (at) gmail (dot) com

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  74. Tweet - https://twitter.com/willitara/status/392334453764132864

    willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

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  75. My husband and I use a wall calendar in our kitchen as a family planner. It's a quick, highly visible way for us to stay on the same page about school and daycare events, doctor's appointments, parties, work schedules and everything else! It really helps keeps us on track and on time.

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  76. I tweeted - thanks for the chance! https://twitter.com/hellina2000/status/392336321240260608

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  77. i try to prepare ahead of time so i'm actually some times early

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  78. I try to have a regular routine for recurring tasks so I'm consistent on when I pay things, when I leave the house, etc. so I'm not late.

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  79. tweet https://twitter.com/prizepuzzle/status/392710938324770816

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  80. I make sure to always plan a little extra time for last minute emergencies. For instance, when I mark an appointment on my calendar, I always put the time 15 minutes earlier.

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  81. I keep a calendar and consult it often

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  82. setting phone reminders! scg00387 at yahoo dot com

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  83. https://twitter.com/scg00387/status/393200378642059264

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  84. I have never been one to be late. I hate people who are chronically late! I set my alarm or cell-phone, giving me enough time to get ready. I allow for things that come up at the last minute also.
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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  85. I cannot stand being late but sometimes it just happens. I try to conquer lateness by getting ready at least the day before depending on what the event is :)

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  86. I tweeted https://twitter.com/cdhabolt/status/393342566029987840

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  87. I always prepare ahead of time, whether its hours or days. I think its really the only way or skip some steps like making a full breakfast and opting for cereal

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  88. tweeted https://twitter.com/shopgurl/status/393410690825723904

    shopgurl101 at gmail dot com

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  89. I guess they are pretty common: alarms, cell phone/email reminders, writing things down on calendars, or making notes. Nothing really new here. I also try to plan for unforeseen things like traffic or weather conditions that could slow you down. OH and always leave early!
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

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  90. I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/393424292316061696
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

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  91. Get everything you can ready the night before so you can save time in the morning and not be late.

    rounder9834 @yahoo.com

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  92. https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/393442034310053888

    rounder9834 @yahoo.com

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  93. Thanks for the giveaway!
    caitlin.abshier@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  94. I set an alarm
    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

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  95. https://twitter.com/aes529/status/393450501091508224
    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

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  96. Caffeine and exercise helps

    wlbellows at gmail dot com

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  97. https://twitter.com/electricstar/status/393524421123530752

    wlbellows at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete

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