Scavenger Hunts Made Easy With Eventzee

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Whether you're planning a fun sisterhood, 21st birthday, or bachelorette party, we've come across the best app to help you have a scavenger hunt worth participating in! The app is called Eventzee and it allows you to follow clues, snap photos, and keep track of your scavenger hunt status all through the app. TSS reader, Keley, shared that "When it was time to go to the next place, you can send a message to the group. And you can assign judges. It was fun!"  Not only can you host a private scavenger hunt, but you can also participate in worldwide scavenger hunts by submitting your photos. We really love that you can relive the moments of the scavenger hunt in a special photo gallery too. Best of all, the app is free! Download it here and gather your friends for some fun!

The Airfare Secret

 

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Traveling can be super expensive, especially over the summer. We have been crying over the hefty airfare prices we have come across and have been seconds away from begging a friend of a friend of a friend for a buddy pass (yeah, we know--desperate!). But, then we got put up on quite possibly the most genius site ever (well, besides ours).

Skiplagged is an airline fare loop hole. The model is designed off of the idea that it's often times cheaper to buy a flight with more stops. Here is how they explain it!

Skiplagged is the only airfare search engine to not only find tickets where your destination is the final stop, but also any stop leading up to some other destination.

Why the latter? As part of the pricing model of many airlines, they would sometimes charge less for tickets where your destination is a layover rather than the final destination. This is price discrimination that has to do with being competitive in the industry. At the end of the day, what you would be doing here is purchasing more of a service than you need for less. There are some caveats though:

(1) no checked bags because they'll end up at the final destination [carry-ons are okay]
(2) must book two one-ways for round-trips
(3) shouldn't associate with frequent flyer programs
(4) there is risk of airlines removing your actual destination from your itinerary during times of irregular activity such as really bad weather
(5) you may be violating the contract of carriage for some airlines. Keep in mind that as the consumer, you have all rights to partially use the services you are paying for, so these trips are completely legal.

The savings are sometimes substantial (e.g. 80%), but it's up to you to decide whether they're worth it.

In addition to providing this transparent service, Skiplagged provides features like:
(1) seeing the cheapest destinations for almost any combination of departing airports and dates
(2) showing the prices of tickets for dates near your searched date(s)
(3) monitoring how the price for any search fluctuates every hour
(4) receiving alerts when the price of a search is near your reservation price

All of this is completely free and always will be. Some of the features may only be available on our desktop website right now, so for the full experience, check out skiplagged.com.

You can also download it here for the Android or here for iTunes.

The Art of Couchsurfing

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Wow. We just got put up on a pretty incredible concept, one you've got to try out if you're in a bed-bind while traveling the country. It's called Couchsurfing and we are kind of obsessed. With Couchsurfing, you can stay with locals in every country on Earth at absolutely ZERO charge. You can basically travel like a local while staying in someone's home. But, active Couchsurfers can gain more than just a bed to sleep in; you can also foster great relationships from the community the site has created. Many cities have weekly language exchanges, dance classes, hikes and dinners. Best of all, you can give back to Couchsurfing by hosting your home to world travelers. The ultimate way to pay it forward.

Where do you plan on using Couchsurfing? Share with us below!

The Lowdown On the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale

Please tell us you know about Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale going on right now?! We kind of live for this half yearly sale and are so pumped that it falls on a 3-day weekend. That means shop till we drop. Okay, so here are the deets on the sale going on from now until 5/31/15:

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: Save up to 40% at the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale on Men, Women & Kids styles, while supplies last through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Handbags & Accessories): Up to 40% OFF Handbags, Jewelry, Watches & Home: Up to 40% OFF Handbags, Jewelry, Watches & Home at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Women's Active & Swim): Up to 40% OFF Active, Swim and Lingerie: Up to 40% OFF Active, Swim and Lingerie styles from Zella, Nike & more at 

Nordstrom, throughMay 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Women's Shoes): New Markdowns on top Women's Shoe Brands: New Women's Shoes Markdowns from Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, Ivanka Trump & more at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Kids' Shoes): New Markdowns on top Kids' Shoes Brands: New Kids' Shoes Markdowns from favorite brands like Crocs, MICHAEL Michael Kors & more at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Men's Shoes): New Markdowns on top Men's Shoe Brands: New Men's Shoes Markdowns from Cole Haan, Bruno Magli, Nike & more at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

So, uh, what are you waiting for?!

Why We Love the Sunrise Calendar App!

Wait, you're not already using the Sunrise Calendar App?! To be honest, those are the words we heard from our friends when they saw how ancient our phone calendars looked! The Sunrise Calendar App is an enhanced, more modern calendar app. It's free and was made for Google Calendar, iCloud and Exchange. Sunrise was basically designed to make our busy, crazy lives so much easier. Below is a breakdown of the features as shared on iTunes:

• 100% free calendar app with a gorgeous design.
• Compatible with Google Calendar, iCloud, Exchange.
• A completely redesigned calendar experience for your iPhone and iPad.
• Synchronization that just works, in real-time and with background updates.
• Quick Add Event just by typing "Lunch tomorrow at 9pm" (long-press on the +) (for Google Calendars only).
• Reminders.
• Timezone Support. No more headache when traveling!
• Facebook Events and Birthdays included.
• See faces and profiles of people you are meeting with using LinkedIn.
• Weather forecast based on your location.
• Smart icons.
• Tag location to events.
• Use Google Maps for Directions.
• Connect multiple Google Calendars.

We are loving it so far and it's a breath of fresh air from our old calendars! Try it out and let us know what you think.

Postmates: Food Delivered To Your Door!

So we are a little obsessed with the Postmates' App! Keywords: On-demand food delivery ALL THE TIME! How perfect is that? If you're just too busy studying or you had a long day at work and just want to go home, the Postmates app provides 24/7 on-demand delivery services for any restaurant or store in select cities (there are a lot like San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, D.C., L.A., Austin, Boston, Phoenix and Seattle). Not to mention, Postmates offers new users a $10 referral credit off delivery services from any restaurant or store to your home or office, plus you can get a $10 credit for each new user that you refer to Postmates. Try Postmates! Get the app here: bit.ly/1hRSGkD. Use our referral code, lq2j, for $10.00 in delivery fee credit. Just download the app, go to your profile and enter our promo/referral code (lq2j), then you're all set to order food! Our favorite place to get food from right now is Chipotle (haha)! You can literally add all of the ingredients you want as if you were ordering it in person. Gotta love it!

Popcorn Time: The Latest and Greatest in Watching TV

Want to watch your favorite TV shows and movies FOR FREE? Popcorn Time has you covered! TSS Reader, Mekdes, filled us in on one of the new, coolest ways to get access to your favorite shows and films via Popcorn Time. Popcorn Time essentially streams movies and TV shows from torrents. You simply open Popcorn Time, select a movie or episode, select quality and subtitles, then click Play and you're on your way toward catching up on your favorites! Popcorn Time is available for Android, Windows, iOS, Mac and Linux.

Download the beta now and let us know what you think!

Have You Heard of Miracle Gel?

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We have brought to your attention just about every nail polish and nail art fad so it should be no surprise that we recently discovered a new way of applying nail polish that will blow your mind (well, not really, but it's still really awesome--haha!). The amazing product is called Miracle Gel by Sally Hansen and it is specifically for you lovers of gel nails! Why this product is so great is that it requires NO LIGHT. Yes, you heard right. Second, the gel nails can last up to 7 days with no chipping (whoop, whoop!). Lastly, the Miracle Gel product is less than $10. Secret steal! We are currently loving the Creme de la creme pink color! So perfect for work or sorority functions.

Save yourself the time and money of going to the salon with this cool, new product! Tell us about your experience with Miracle Gel by leaving a comment below!

The Best Hair Moisturizer

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It doesn't matter if you have long straight hair or a beautiful fro, we have found the perfect hair moisturizer that will do miracles to your hair and it's called Hawaiian Silky by Miracle Worker! It's under $20 and we know for sure you can get it at Sally Beauty Supply. Why do we love it? It offers 14 things in 1 big bottle.

1. No drip activator
2. Moisturizes hair
3. Defines curls
4. Softens hair
5. Adds shine
6. Soothes dry scalp
7. Reduces breakage & strengthens 
8. For healthy weaves & braids
9. Repairs chemically damaged hair
10. Non-greasy
11. Detangles
12. Increases body 
13. Thermal protection
14. Helps relieve burning sensation

Co Founder Karen loves this stuff and says it makes her scalp "feel so good"!

Mother's Day Gifts Under $50

phone case | perfume | business card holder | coffee table book | ring | lip scrub | garden-in-a-bag

We literally cannot believe how fast Mother's Day is approaching this year. We are trying to be more proactive this year in shopping for our mothers, so we scoured the Internet to find some awesome, thoughtful gifts for our sweet mothers, all under $50! Whether it's nice jewelry like a ring, or something simple and practical like perfume or a lip scrub, it's really the thought that counts. Shop some of our favorites above. 

Do you know of a special of Mother's Day gift? We want to know about it! Share with us below in the comments!

The Cheapest, Cutest Glasses...Like, Ever!

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Okay, so we are currently obsessing over this pretty awesome secret steal. It involves the absolute cutest selection of eyeglasses for dirt cheap. We're talking like $6 and up cheap! Where? None other than EyeBuyDirect. We recently got wind of these oh so cute eyeglasses (and sunglasses) over the weekend and we just had to see the site to believe it. With EyeBuyDirect you can shop prescription (yes, we said PRESCRIPTION) glasses online. As the site shares, buying prescription eyeglasses can be an intimidating process. It's expensive, time consuming, and includes a lot of uncertainty. But at EyeBuyDirect, they make buying glasses online easy.

With their helpful tutorial videos that explain everything from buying glasses online to the differences in all their lenses and coatings, they cutout the middlemen to keep their prices low and then deliver your new glasses right to your door.

They offer all the lens and coating options you need with all the styles you want. With over 1,000 frames, they're sure to have the eyeglasses that you need! We really love these Daphne Tortoise Framed eyeglasses and these Nicola glasses are pretty cute too! If you're a sorority girl, then we think you would be obsessed with their Her Crush collection! Their lenses and coatings are customized based on your needs to make your eyeglasses perfect.

Best of all, EyeBuyDirect will give you a full refund if you aren't 100% satisfied.

So grab your prescription from your eye doctor, sign up for EyeBuyDirect, and get yourself some cute prescription eyeglasses.

P.s. We heard through the eyeglasses-vine that if you sign up, you get exclusive coupons sent to you making the eyeglasses even cheaper!


We love it!

The Simplest Way For Whiter Teeth

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Do you want pearly whites but can't afford to professionally get your teeth whitened? Well, look no further than your closest grocery store. When you get there, pick up some baking soda! Baking soda is an age-old teeth whitening remedy that is under-utilized since white strips and teeth whitening kits have stolen the show. But, don't sleep on the baking soda method. Simply dip your toothbrush in baking soda then scrub away on your teeth. Stay committed and watch a significant improvement in the color of your teeth. Extra tip: The more saliva you accumulate the better off your teeth will be. According to WebMD, saliva neutralizes the acid that causes tooth decay. If you're going to be at the grocery store picking up baking soda, you might as well also pick up some celery, apples, pears, and carrots as they trigger saliva which helps to wash away food debris on your teeth.

Good luck!

4 Products To Help You Stay Focused

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For most of you, school has just restarted or for many of you, those New Year's Resolutions are already wearing off {haha!} Whatever the case, we understand how hard it can be to stay focused. Energy is the best way to catapult you into movement, but it takes more than energy, it takes being centered and focused. We have come up with 4 products sure to not only give you energy, but to also create a level of focus to help you move through the day!

1. EBOOST

We have shared with you EBOOST before and well, we can't stop talking about it, and apparently many others can't either as EBOOST has blown up. It's no wonder because their product really works! If you want to be focused while also taking in important daily vitamins then EBOOST is your answer. With new delicious flavors like Super Berry w/ Coconut Water, Berry-Melon w/ Coconut Water {our absolute favorite!}, and Fruit Punch w/ Coconut Water it makes drinking an energy drink actually tasty. EBOOST is sold at many nutritional stores like GNC, but your best bet is to buy them online!

2. Mental Mojo

We may not be crazy over the taste of Mental Mojo, but we are crazy about the results. Promoted as an "intellectual blast" we actually felt a true burst of energy after consuming just one packet of their product. Just mix it with water and prepare to be alert and energetic! Mental Mojo started last year and we're sure they will be be selling them throughout many universities across the nation. You can buy their products directly online, though.

3. ISAGENIX Natural Orange Flavor Electrolyte Mix

ISAGENIX is based out of Arizona and is widely known for their awesome weight loss program. But, for this company it's more than just losing weight; it's about a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, they sell amazing energy products one of which is the ISAGENIX Natural Orange Flavor Electrolyte Mix. It tastes DELICIOUS and keeps you energetic and focused throughout the day. Other flavors include Tropical Fruit and Hibiscus. You can only get ISAGENIX products as a member of ISAGENIX. However, there are ways to buy this product via ebay or Amazon. It is worth it!

4. ISAGENIX e+ Energy Shot

This is another product sold by ISAGENIX that gives you natural energy keeping you alert and focused. The energy is sustained so similar to EBOOST, you don't immediately feel like you're going to have an energy crash. The apple pomegranate flavor isn't bad and really, there is something to be said about an energy shot where the main ingredient is water. It's a must-try! Try purchasing this product via Amazon if you're not interested in becoming an ISAGENIX member (though we totally encourage it to save money)!

Wishing you more days of energy!

Top 14 Posts of 2014

2014 was a year of growth for us! We loved continuing to share our best kept sorority secrets with you all and hearing a lot of your secrets. Your support of us is showing as we recently passed a major milestone: 3 million+ views! In lieu of that, we compiled your favorite fourteen posts of 2014. From beauty, to fashion, to tips and advice, you loved and read these posts. Thanks for continuing to make us your go-to site; we appreciate you!

1. Beach Waves Hair Tutorial {by Maddie}
2. Second Day Curls on the First Day!
3. 20 Best Friend Date Ideas
4. Top 10 Words To Cut From Your Writing
5. Campus Security 101: 5 Tips To Keep You Safe
6. Study Session Survival Guide
7. Recruitment Conversation All-Star Tips
8. 4 Travel Tips Every Wanderlust Should Know
9. Clip-In Hair Extension Secrets
10. Eyelash Extensions- Pros & Cons
11. How To Successfully Travel Internationally
12. 10 Ways To Nail An Interview
13. Spring Recruitment Guide
14. Music Festival Outfit Guide

Have a favorite blog post that didn't make the Top 14? Well, we would love to hear which post of 2014 was your favorite so leave a comment below!

Happy New Year!

Uber Over the Holidays

It's that time of year to go home and celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Getting to the airport is only half the battle, but the idea of leaving your car at the airport for hours is daunting when you think of the money you will be accruing letting it sit. Taxis are super expensive and getting a town car is too. For us, it's all about using Uber! Uber is less expensive than a taxi and you can track where they are as she patiently wait for them to pick you up. Unlike taxis where you can't rate the driver, Uber is largely successful for its ability to rate drivers. Drivers have an obligation to provide you with good service. What is even cooler is that you can do a rideshare where you can split the ride with someone else making the ride that much more affordable. By the way, all of this is done through a mobile app so you don't need to carry cash at all. It's a total relief! The cool thing is, Uber is always offering coupon codes, particularly for first time users. So, if you're a new user, download the app and time in FIRSTRIDE30 for a smoking hot deal!

We hope you have a safe travel home!

How To Save Money While Shopping Over the Holidays

Okay, so you missed Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, but you still want to save money on your holiday shopping. Or you participate in all three but you're still looking to save. We have the answer for you: choose thoughtful gifts rather than popular gifts. Some of the most meaningful gifts we have received have been the ones that came from the heart. Here are some cost-saving gifts sure to make the receiver smile:

Personalized Phone Case

For most people, their phones are attached to their hip (or palm of your hand)! A thoughtful reminder of something special on your phone is a priceless gift. Zazzle is great at making custom phone cases and they offer tons of coupons to ease the pain at checkout. You can find many of their discounts via RetailMeNot.

A Framed Picture

A framed quote or picture to hang up in someone's wall or better is truly an amazing gift. IKEA sells beautiful and cheap white and black picture frames, perfect for an art gallery wall. Create a quote on Microsoft Word or Photoshop, print it, and place it in a frame. Wrap it up (check out our 5 Easy & Cute Ways To Gift Wrap This Holiday for wrapping tips)! Either that, or go to Walgreens and print out a nice picture.

P.s. Consider even making a poster size picture! IKEA has frames big enough for that.

A Scrapbook

Nothing is better than reliving a moment in pictures. With places like Facebook and Instagram storing our pictures, it shouldn't be hard to pull them. Even consider using companies like Groovebook who can turn all of your photos online into a photo album!

A Video Montage

A video scrapbook is even cooler! If you have a MacBook use iMovie and create your own video that you can fill with thoughtful music and pictures!

A Candle

You can't go wrong with gifting someone with a candle. Everyone has a place in their home that could use some good aromas. Candles are a great investment. Check out our Favorite Holiday Candle Scents from Bath and Body Works for some ideas!

Assorted Gift Basket of Favorites

A bunch of tiny gifts can look like a nice big gift! Throw in a movie, socks, nail polish, candy and/or cookies, lipstick/lip balm...you know, essentials and place them in a nice basket (which you can find at Dollar Tree, Michaels, JoAnns, or 99cents Store). Tie it with cellophane and you've got an awesome gift.

Happy saving and gifting!

Bath & Body Works Scents For the Holidays

1. Sparkling Icicles. 2. Tis The Season. 3. Vanilla Snowflake. 4. Hot Buttered Rum. 5. Marshmallow Fireside.

This weekend while everyone was Black Friday and Small Business Saturday shopping, we were at our homes decorating for the holidays! It's so much fun getting our homes into the holiday spirit with bright lights and pretty Christmas/holiday accents. But, we knew we were missing one more touch: holiday scents! Of course, Bath & Body Works is always our one-stop shop for amazing scents, especially for the holidays so we stocked up (they have killer deals!). Looking for the perfect scents to fill your place with more holiday cheer? Shop our favorite Bath & Body Works holiday scents above! Co Founder Karen's personal favorite that is permeating throughout her house is the Marshmallow Fireside. Imagine toasted marshmallows, vanilla, and smoldering wood scents mixed together...to die for!

Which scent is your favorite from their collection? Share with us in the comments below!

6 Tips for Controlling Clutter

SpareFoot is an awesome site where they make finding storage units easier. For those of you in college, leaving for winter break means leaving your belongings behind. More often than not, your dorm usually requires you to move out and move back in after winter break. In that case, you can reserve storage online via SpareFoot. If you're not in college but you struggle with clutter below are six tips from SpareFoot for getting your clutter under control.

1. Define the Problem.

One way to determine the severity of your clutter problem: Use the free clutter and hoarding assessment tool from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization


2. Get Help.
Even on a small budget, you can hire a professional organizer to spend an hour or two assessing your clutter and creating a plan of action that you can carry out on your own.

Or you can benefit from the objective eye and accountability you get from enlisting a relative or friend to help.You can also set aside a chunk of a Saturday and swapping favors, such as help straightening up your friend’s garage in exchange for a hand with taming the closet in your master bedroom. This makes it harder to procrastinate.

3. Start Small.

Instead of organizing your entire kitchen, organize your silverware drawer.As you’re organizing, assign each type of item a home to make it easier to see what you have and to decide what to pitch. Go one drawer at a time and one cabinet at a time until you have a room done and you know what belongs there.


4. Avoid Stashing Stuff Indefinitely.
Your mother-in-law called to say she’s on her way over, so you quickly hide that stack of unopened mail. Sometimes you need to stash, it’s a fact of life.

But those tucked-away items can create a mountain of clutter. Stow stuff in a container you’ll need fairly soon—like your laundry basket—so you’ll be forced to sort through the items after your company leaves.

5. Make Decluttering Fun.
About 80 percent of people dread decluttering, and one in 10 hate it so much they’d rather get a tooth pulled. But don’t despair: You can make organizing fun. For example, you can clear out overstuffed closets by holding a family fashion show.


6. Set Up Systems to Keep Your Space Neat.
The key to staying organized is creating systems. For example, thinking about what a room is used for, deciding what items are needed for that purpose and categorizing them.

If you're sharing space with other people it’s also important to identify and assign maintenance tasks. Somebody’s got to take out the recycling and somebody’s got to buy laundry detergent and somebody’s got to straighten up the bathroom. People tend to think in terms of big tasks. But staying organized is really about those tiny, everyday maintenance tasks.

Once you vanquish your clutter, you should see improvements in your life. The whole purpose of getting organized is to be calmer, happier and have more time to do the things you enjoy.

#GivingTuesday

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So, have you heard about #GivingTuesday? Not to be confused with #ManCrushMonday, #WomenCrushWednesday, #ThrowbackThursday, or #FlashbackFriday. Tuesday has a special day of it's own on December 2nd and we're thinking it's worth participating.  #GivingTuesday isn't about buying anything - it's about giving back, celebrating generosity and supporting organizations that our community relies on. GivingTuesday.org is starting a movement post Black Friday and Cyber Monday to steer people away from the material and to focus on improving the world. As sorority women we thrive on philanthropy and also recognize that every sorority out there has a cause that they support. Why not consider doing more for that cause with your sorority sisters? How do you plan on giving back? Email us your plan at secret@thesororitysecrets.com for a possible feature. If you need help in your plan to 'give back' then consider utilizing Deposit A Gift. On their site, you can start a campaign to give back in any way you choose. Other sites you can consider include Change.org and ColorOfChange.org. Both sites expose issues in the community where you can offer help.

To learn more about #GivingTuesday go to GivingTuesday.org or watch the promotional video here.

Black Friday Or Nah?

Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Decisions, decisions! The truth is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with both; it just all depends on lots of factors like what day you prefer to access some pretty smoking hot deals and if you're willing to wake up early to fight the crowds for them! Office Depot has made the decision easy for us by coming up with the "Are You Black Friday or Cyber Monday?" Assessment. Looks like we are split! All signs point to Cyber Monday for Co Founders Karen and Sakura. But, after utilizing our Black Friday Survival Guide last year, we think we are pretty equipped to handle both shopping days. One thing we always look forward to on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the major sales on technological devices. Karen is big on arts and crafts and really wants to enhance the quality of printing she gets so this laser printer from Office Depot is on her wish list. Sakura is the Queen of picture taking so she is beyond excited to get her hands on the Canon PIXMA™ MG5520 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer. If you want to preview Office Depot's Black Friday deals, check them out here.

From now until Black Friday and Cyber Monday, gets lots of sleep, save up your money, and make a list of all the things you wish to purchase!

*Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Office Depot, however, all views and opinions are solely that of The Sorority Secrets.