LilSugar

Lil Find: Personalize Your Stationery

babysugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:37:16 PST

One of the things that always stalls me in writing thank you notes is having the appropriate stationery. I used to keep a stash of monogrammed notes, but since baby came along, I find myself running out to buy kiddie notes.

Now I have a great solution for both of us. Papyrus sells stamps that you can customize with your initial so you can buy one for baby and another for yourself. I get plain note cards from Paper Source and then stamp them with the appropriate letter and write the note from there. That way I don't have to keep a separate pile of notes for each family member. And, to save yourself from having to write your return address each time, order an especially cute return stamp from them, too.

Just a Minute: Saying Thank You

LilSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:00:21 PST

Today is International Thank You Day. While thank you notes are the most common way for people to formally communicate thanks, busy moms sometimes have a hard time accomplishing the task - especially when they are writing for their entire brood.

So opt for an acceptable alternative and call the person to whom you are grateful. Kind words can make a person's day. And it's that personal touch that makes all the difference. Plus, friends and relatives will delight in the chance to chat with your child.

Source

Send a Quick Greeting With One of These 19 Ecard Sites and Card Apps

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:47:13 PST

Handwritten cards are always appreciated, but if you've forgotten to pick up a batch for the holidays, sending an ecard today might be your last hope for sending well wishes this season. Let your friends and family know you're thinking about them by shooting off a few ecards today (or whenever you get the urge to say hello).

GroupCard - Want to personalize a thank-you card from your whole family? This site features an electronic pass-around that's accomplished by just emailing the card to the people who need to sign it. Easy as pie.
MushyGushy - Upload photos and cut and place your heads onto awesome video animations! It's like Elf Yourself without the hats.
Postcard.FM - Lets you put together any picture and any song (just upload each file), slap in a message and an email address, and your recipients get a custom card!
Someecards - It's hard not to get addicted to this hilarious site with wacky, cheeky ecards. The site is known for juxtaposing vintage-y images with witty and racy messages. Not your grandma's ecard site.

For the rest of my ecard suggestions (there are lots!), after the break.

Travel Tips For the Upcoming Holiday Weekend

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:45:22 PST

Traveling this holiday? Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday this year, which makes one big mess at the airport. If you can't take a car or a train, be sure to check out these packing and travel tips to make your life easier while booking flights, getting through security checkpoints, and beyond.

Booking Flights

TripIt - Once signed up for the free service, forward travel confirmation emails to TripIt, which will automatically create a master itinerary of an upcoming trip accessible through the web or a mobile device. The itineraries even include the tidbits we seem to forget like weather updates, local maps, and directions.
Google Flight Search - Book that plane ticket before prices rise any further! Google's flight search engine incorporates travel basics like price point, maximum number of connections, and preferred airline with an easy-to-use interface.
Hotel Tonight - If there are too many relatives in one house, scan the last-minute hotel deals at Hotel Tonight for a chic getaway at a discounted price. Every day three hotels in a city reveal their discounted rates starting at noon, and you then have until 2 a.m. to book the deal and take advantage of a peaceful room.
My TSA - Can homemade fruit cakes go through security? How early should you show up to the airport for a flight on the eve of Thanksgiving? Answer the pressing travel questions that could otherwise cause delays or stress by adding the TSA's free iOS app to your device. The app's airport security line estimator may become the most crucial feature on your phone when planning your airport arrival.
HearPlanet ($3) - Take the time to discover the cultural side of your holiday destination. This interactive app highlights attractions in over 300,000 locations and uses geolocation features so that you don't miss any of the nearby fun, plus it's a great excuse to get out of the house and move around in fresh air.
GasBuddy - Hitting the open road instead of the air? Use the free GasBuddy app to locate the cheapest fuel on the interstate. Show your fellow travelers some love and share the low-price gas station you discover within the app.

Gadget Essentials

iPad or Tablet - If you have the luxury of spending upwards of $500 on a tablet, it's probably the only gadget you'll need to tote during travel season since it can hold your ebooks, surf the Internet, and keep you connected.
eReader - If you're sans tablet, pack up your favorite ereader. Whether it's the latest Kindle or the new Nook Simple Touch, you can read the entire Game of Thrones series without all the paper weight.
Compact laptop - Though the MacBook Air is arguably the most popular lightweight laptop out there, there's plenty of compact PCs and ultrabooks to choose from as well.
Chargers - If you're toting all these gadgets, you're going to (obviously) need some chargers to keep things juiced. Thankfully, many airlines are offering charging stations in the terminal and even seat-side outlets on board, so you can stay 100 percent charged throughout your trip.
Headphones - Keep the roar of 35,000 feet at bay with some nice sound-isolating headphones. If you're going over-the-ear, consider Skullcandy Aviators ($149), which offer great sound and deep bass and are even comfy for those geeks who wear glasses.

Get more tips on how to pack your bag and save some dough after the break.

5 Ways Tech Can Help You Save Money While Traveling

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:05:52 PST

Summer may seem like the biggest travel season of the year, if you're headed abroad, cross country, or to far-off locales, travel time is ripe 365 days a year. Unfortunately, traveling can also have you racking up the charges on your credit card, but with these handy tech tips, you can save money while on the road now, or any time!

Track down free WiFi - There's a number of US airports that offer free WiFi in the terminals (and more being added all the time), which can save you big money if you need to stay connected. Also, there's plenty of WiFi options getting to and from the terminal. Just don't use that mysterious "Free Public WiFi" signal - it could spell trouble.
Get a Google Voice number - Getting a Google Voice number can help you save big bucks on international and domestic calls wherever you are - rates start at just two cents a minute, and calls to US and Canadian landlines are free! Plus, you can use your laptop to make calls, no cell phone required.

Check out the rest of the tips when you read more.

Guerrilla Guide to the Holidays: Holiday Etiquette

LearnVest — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:15:17 PST

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

As the holidays approach (just seven weeks away!), you’re only getting more prepared.

If you’ve been following our weekly Guerrilla Guide to the Holidays, you’ve already made your travel plans and selected the perfect gifts for everyone on your list.

And it’s only the first week of November.

Since you definitely don’t want to quit while you’re ahead, the next thing we’ll help you cross off your to-do list is . . . mastering holiday etiquette.

While it’s certainly a time of year to express appreciation, all those family visits and rites of gift-giving, whether with friends or coworkers, can also mean frayed nerves, stepped-on toes or general awkwardness.

But guess what? With a little preparation - and our guide to holiday etiquette - you can navigate the next few weeks with nothing but grace, gratitude and good cheer.

Handling Awkward Money Situations

Family and Money:

It’s the Murphy’s Law of Relationships: The people who love us most also have the greatest power to hurt our feelings. Combine the general sensitivity surrounding money issues with the kinds of probing questions that family members have a knack for asking, add a dose of holiday stress, and anyone can end up in an explosive situation.

But you can ward off fights with this simple, disarming tip: When someone inevitably asks, “When are you going to get a bigger house?” or “Why did you buy such an expensive purse?”, simply respond, “Thanks for your concern about my personal finances. You’ll be happy to know that I budget carefully and am in good control of my money, which is why I’m waiting to buy a bigger place/I was able to get this purse.” Then go back to eating your cookie.

Old Friends and Finances:

You come back home and want to see all of your best friends from high school-only now one makes three times what you do, while you know another just lost her job.

Here’s how to catch up with each, without letting money come between you.

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "Unaccompanied Minor"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:13:32 PDT

Oh what a difference a year can make. It's hard to believe that this week's tame season finale of Grey's Anatomy came from the same writers that gave us the gripping shoot-out that ended in two major deaths (but at least I didn't come close to a panic attack this time around). In lieu of shocking moments and major cliffhangers, the season seven finale is all about love and loneliness. While some are coming closer together (like Lexie and Jackson), other couples and friends are seriously drifting apart.

Both Alex and Meredith have to suffer the consequences of Mere's actions with Derek's trial, while a local plane crash makes Teddy rethink a major decision. Meanwhile, Cristina learns that she's pregnant and the new chief resident is finally chosen. Ready to rehash everything that went down? Just

How To: Watch the Final Space Shuttle Launch Online

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:35:27 PDT

Weather permitting, tomorrow marks the final launch for NASA's space shuttle program. At 11:36 a.m. EDT, the shuttle Atlantis will take off from the Kennedy Space Center for a 12-day mission to the International Space Station, marking the final trip to space for NASA's shuttle fleet. Thanks to technology, you don't have to head to Cape Canaveral to view the launch (though it could be a very geeky trip). Instead, there are a few ways you can watch the Atlantis launch live online; find out how below!

On Your Computer

NASA will be broadcasting the shuttle launch live tomorrow, with a pre-launch update beginning at 8:00 a.m. EDT.

On Your TV

Major news networks will be broadcasting the shuttle launch live on TV, so be sure to check your local listings for stations and times.

On Your iPhone and iPad

NASA has free apps for both the iPhone and iPad that allow you to watch NASA TV live, including tomorrow's shuttle launch.

Hashtags to Follow

If you can't get to a computer screen or pause to watch the live video, you can follow the action on NASA and NASAKennedy's Twitter streams, and watch for the #STS135 #NASA and #Shuttle hashtags.