LilSugar

Tell Mommy: What Do Your Kids Always Misplace?

LilSugar — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 05:00:56 PDT

No matter how organized I am when we're headed out the door, my husband, or children are usually missing something. Whether it's a misplaced key, wallet, backpack, permission slip, toy, hair tie, or pair of socks - items, small and large, seem to disappear into thin air in our flat. Usually, they are uncovered in a matter of minutes or months. But, I can almost always guess what's been lost. For my daughter, it's her toothbrush and with my son, it's a shoe. If time allots, we turn the place upside down, if it doesn't we table the search party for a more convenient time. Does this happen to you?

How Will France's New First Lady Valérie Trierweiler Compare to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy?

Annie Scudder — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:45:28 PDT

Outgoing French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, 44, is a singer/songwriter, actress, former international supermodel, and mother of two. But we already know about Carla, who even made a cameo in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. France's new "unofficial" first lady, Valérie Trierweiler, will bring a different flavor to the Elysée Palace. She's 47, a working journalist, a graduate of the Sorbonne, a mother of three teenage sons, and the unmarried companion of the president elect, Francois Hollande. She's written about politics since 1989, but moved to arts and culture last year after Francois Hollande began campaigning. Valérie says she will keep working when her partner becomes president on May 15.

While Americans are just getting to know her, Valérie has made headlines for speaking up for women's rights. She once slapped another journalist after he made a sexist comment, and after her employer, Paris Match, published a photo of her on its cover calling her Francois Hollande's "charm asset" she tweeted: "Bravo Paris Match for its sexism on international women's day. Thoughts to all angry women." If you want an excuse to practice your high school French, you can follow the soon-to-be first lady @valtrier.

Valérie seems like a reluctant political spouse, something she shares with Carla who once said she wished her husband wouldn't seek reelection, explaining, "Perhaps I wish to live what time we have left in some peace?" Valérie has admitted "What I'm scared of is losing my liberty. I am not seeking notoriety and I am not seeking to grab the limelight." And like Carla Bruni, who became the second First Lady under Sarkozy after she married the newly divorced president after a short courtship, Valérie offers some relationship intrigue. Valérie and Francois became a public item in 2007, shortly after his partner of 30 years, Ségolène Royal, lost to Nicolas Sarkozy. Check out photos of Valérie out on the campaign trail with her partner Francois now.

Event Guru Jung Lee Shares Secrets For Creating Killer Atmosphere

Angela Swinderman Elias — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:00:12 PDT

You may have caught a glimpse of Jung Lee's breathtaking work in our slideshow featuring her most memorable tablescapes. Since launching her event-production company Fête in 2002, Jung has starred on her own television show Wedded to Perfection and authored Fête: The Wedding Experience, which focuses on a modern approach to tackling events and includes stunning imagery from her portfolio of weddings.

We caught back up with the event planning guru to learn a few tricks of the trade. Keep reading to find out Jung's top five party must haves, affordable yet stunning centerpiece ideas, and more!

6 Extremely High-Paying Careers and Other Savvy Hits of the Week!

Emily Co — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:15:50 PDT

Want to make lots of money? Check out these 6 careers.
How to keep your luggage smelling so fresh and so clean.
Smart ways to remember things.
What's the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA?
Cute envelope budgeting systems from Etsy.
How to replace these lost tax documents.
Go camping in a glamorous way.
What the Muppets can teach us about life.
If you're forgetful, keep these items at the office.
5 solid reasons not to eat at chain restaurants.
Never do these things when you're leaving your job.

Easy Steps For First-Time Taxpayers

Kiplinger — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:08:06 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

If you got your first job last year, you may have been agitated every payday to see how much of your salary was going to the tax man. If you’re like most taxpayers, tax filing time is payback time. So don’t think of filling out your tax forms as a pain. Instead, think of it as sending a bill to the IRS, demanding a refund of the amount by which you overpaid your taxes in 2011. Every year, three out of four filers get refunds.

Do you have to file? That depends on your income in 2011 and whether or not your folks will claim you as a dependent on their return (as is often the case for the year you graduate from college). If you are a dependent, you have to file if your gross income was at least $5,800; if they don’t claim you, the threshold is higher: $9,500. But even if you don’t have to file, you’ll want to, in order to reclaim income tax withheld from your paycheck.

Don’t treat your tax return like a term paper . . . by leaving it until the last minute. The absolute due date this year is April 17 (it was pushed back because April 15 falls on a Sunday and the next day is a holiday in the District of Columbia). However, the earlier you file, the better, since you will receive the money faster.

What you need. If you’ve filed before, the best way to prep for tax season is to use last year’s tax return as a road map. You can find the federal and state forms you need online at irs.gov or through the website of the Federation of Tax Administrators. Also, keep an eye out for important tax documents that come in the mail, such as the W-2 form from your employer or 1099 forms if you did freelance work. Employers should have sent these forms out by January 31. If not, give them a call.

Start with the feds. Since state forms often ask for numbers from your federal return, you’ll want to do the federal form first. Most young taxpayers can file the 1040EZ, which is the easiest form and has no supplementary forms. To qualify, you cannot claim any dependents and your taxable income must be less than $100,000.

But don’t shy away from longer forms - the 1040A or the full-fledged 1040 - if one of them is your ticket to tax savings.

Read on for more.

Eat Cake For Breakfast and Lose Weight, Study Says

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:21:52 PST

If your insatiable sweet tooth is preventing you from losing weight, findings from a recent study may be just the thing to help you slim down. Researchers found those who ate a large breakfast that included something sweet lost weight and were able to keep off more pounds than those who ate a small breakfast.

A group of 193 obese adults (not a huge study) were split into two groups. One ate a large, 600-calorie breakfast that included a sweet item such as a cookie, cake, or doughnut. The other group ate a 300-calorie breakfast with no dessert. Both groups ate the same amount of calories daily: 1,600 for men and 1,400 for women.

Keep reading to find out more details about cake and weight loss.

10 Things You Do to Save Money That End Up Costing You More

Wise Bread — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:15:37 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Have you heard of the expression “penny wise, pound foolish”? It’s something I heard a lot growing up, from my parents, and it can have multiple meanings:

You are very careful with small amounts of money, but throw caution to the wind with large amounts. This is akin to someone who eats from the dollar menu every day but then blows a hundred dollars every month on a gym membership that’s never used.
You do things to save money now, only to have those savings cost you more farther down the road.

The second definition is what I’m focusing on today, because it’s a lot easier to fall into the trap of saving money only to have it bite you later on. Here then are 10 things that you may be doing to save money that could actually cost you a lot more in the weeks, months, or years to come.

RELATED: The Case For Expensive Shoes

1. Avoiding Regular Checkups With the Doctor, Dentist, or Optician

It’s something I did in college when money was tight. “Aah, who needs to pay money to a dentist to have him tell me I should floss more?” Well, after leaving the dentist alone for a few years, I paid the price. Avoiding the regular cleanings and checkups left me facing a hefty bill later on when I needed a bunch of costly fillings. I was lucky that I didn’t need root canals or replacement teeth. Now I have a dental plan that covers free checkups twice a year, but even if you don’t, get to the dentist and doctor for health checks. It’s a lot better to pay a co-pay now than pay for major surgery later on. And worse still, it could even cost you your life, especially as so many conditions can be treated if they’re caught early enough.

Read on for more.

Fresh Start Resolution: Organize Your Desk

SavvySugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:06:48 PST

Having an organized workspace will streamline your schedule and boost your productivity, so take some time to assess your desk situation and sort your supplies. Whether you're in need of a major overhaul or just a mini makeover, you can follow these six easy steps to create a clean, clutter-free desk space.

Clear it all out. Before you can arrange your things or add new supplies, you'll need to take stock of what you already have at your desk. Begin by emptying any drawers and pulling folders from the shelves. As you remove the items, sort them into categories: keep, toss, and undecided. Set the undecided pieces aside to deal with later.
Sort by type. Divide the keep pile into loose papers, folders, tools, and personal items. Designate specific drawers or shelves for each category before moving forward, and remember to arrange them in a way that's tailored to your work habits.
Deal with the paper situation. Every piece of paper should be put into a folder or file, even if it's just a "deal with later" folder that you check at the end of each day. Loose items can get lost, so it's important to create a space for every document.

Keep reading for more desk organization tips.

Dry Cleaning Dos and Don'ts

SavvySugar — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:43:35 PST

Tough-to-clean sequins and silk shine this time of year, which means regular trips to the dry cleaners. Since the fancy fabrics tend to be used for more expensive items, it's important to care for them correctly. Keep your party wear in celebratory shape by following these essential tips.

Don't bring a giant basket of inside-out items into a random cleaners. You should research beforehand to be sure that the business is reputable and well-established.
Do take stock of your clothing before making the trip. Check to see that all items are right-side-out, yes, but also inspect the tags and take note of any special care instructions.

Don't simply drop your bundle and go. Sure, you have plenty of other things on your to-do list, but it's worth taking the extra time to confirm that your clothing is tended to properly.
Do get to know your dry cleaner. Spend a few extra minutes talking to the person in charge to discuss any concerns and ask about available deals that may cut costs.

Don't shove your ticket to the bottom of your purse. It will inevitably fall into the deepest depths of your bag where the gum wrappers reside until you throw it all away a few days later.
Do keep the ticket in your wallet. Leave it in a place that you look through daily so that you remember to pick up your order on time. If you leave your clothes at the cleaners for too long, you run the risk of pieces getting lost.

Don't immediately hang the clean clothes in your closet. Yes, it's annoying to deal with the plastic wrap, but dry cleaning is a chemical-filled process, and you'll be exposing those chemicals to the rest of your wardrobe.
Do remove the wrap right away. Once the items are uncovered, slide them onto your own hangers and hang the pieces in an area with regular ventilation. It's important to let the clothes air out to ensure that the fabric is chemical-free and ready to wear.

8 Steps to Being Happy Without Spending a Dime

Emily Co — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:10:54 PST

Happiness is something you can't put a price on, and it's something you shouldn't take for granted. Despite what you think, no fancy car, flashy bling, or other material possessions will make you happy. True happiness has to come from within and just like most things in life, it takes effort and hard work to achieve it. Here are eight simple steps to becoming a happier person:

Stop being materialistic: If you find joy in things, that happiness will be short lived. Because what you have will never be enough, and things can always be lost or broken. Wanting what you don't have will create unhappiness, so you should always be content with what you do currently have.
Not defining yourself with a title: Just like material possessions, titles can always be lost. If you define yourself by an occupation or a role you carry, such as a doctor or being a mother, you may feel lost if the title was taken away from you. You need to find happiness in your own self and just be happy about being you.
Getting rid of your clutter: Having too much clutter in your house can take a toll because a disorganized mess can cause inner turmoil and stress. Take steps to reduce the clutter in your home by throwing out, donating, or selling items you don't use or need.
Meditating: Meditation is an extremely powerful tool. In fact, scientists have found that people who have trained in meditation have different brain activity than those who haven't trained. They respond better to situations that would cause us to lose emotional control.

Read on for more.