GeekSugar

Vogue Wants To Get Digital

GeekSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:00:23 PDT

This month's Vogue has more than Iron Woman Gwyneth Paltrow - they have a spread called "Let's Get Digital," that seems to be aimed squarely at me and my geeksugar loyalists! They mix Logitech with Lanvin, iPhones with Armani, Blackberrys and Balenciaga - what I've been striving to do for years: meshing a look that loves fashion as much as technology. Check out the slideshow to see the geek chic intersections!

12 Things You Should Never Buy Full-Price

Business Insider — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:15:25 PST

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

With the Internet, helpful mobile phone apps, and retailers scrambling to keep consumers in their shops, there's no need to pay full-price for much of anything these days.

To give you a boost, we tapped a few savvy shoppers for their tips on all the ways you can save.

Theater tickets

"One of the greatest savings areas recently has been the theater ticket business," says Anna Aronovich, CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org.

Even if you're not going to be around NYC to score discount Broadway tickets this month, there are opportunities in nearly all cities to see shows on the cheap.

Some rewards programs like Optimum Rewards cost nothing to join and offer discounts on shows.

Beer

If you're looking to stock the fridge for your next poker night, don't hit the liquor store until you've checked out www.saveonbrew.com.

The company's been featured on a host of deals sites lately as one of the best ways to find discounts on brewski, says Jennifer Davidson, director of operations. (See some incredible uses for beer.)

Read on for more.

Handy Everyday Gmail Tips and Tricks

GeekSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:01:03 PST

If you've moved to Gmail recently (congratulations!), it's possible that you could get overwhelmed with all of the options, settings, and possibilities at your fingertips. We've got a ton of tips to share, but let's start with a few basic and handy tips that you could use every day. Check them out below!

Make voice calls - You can easily make voice calls in Gmail on the cheap. In the "Chat" section, just click the "Call Phone" button and enter the digits. You'll then be able to make free calls to landlines the US and Canada, and for super cheap you can call cell phones and landlines worldwide.
Search with options - If you haven't discovered the "Show Search Options" link to the right of the Gmail search bar, you're in for a treat. Clicking it reveals a host of helpful options, including the ability to search by sender, date, attachment, subject, and more. It's extremely helpful if you are less than diligent about labeling and filing emails in your inbox.
Use rich text signatures - Tired of those boring text-only signatures or canned responses coming from your Gmail account? Take note: Gmail supports rich text signatures! Add links, colors, images, or formatting to your Gmail account signature, or any other account you've set up to send from Gmail. It's super easy to set up - just head to your settings page, scroll down to the Signature section, and design away!
Use keyboard shortcuts - First, enable keyboard shortcuts in your Settings menu. Then, use these fast and easy keyboard shortcuts to navigate!

See the rest of the list after the break.

11 Things You Need to Throw Away

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:05:07 PST

The first step to taking care of yourself and de-stressing is to make sure that your environment is in order. Seeing your house full of clutter can affect your mood negatively and make your personal space seem like a place you want to escape from, rather than something to look forward to coming home to. Organize a "throwing out" day every month to make sure that you don't have clutter building up. Here are some things you should consider purging from your home:

Old magazines. Get rid of old magazines you have lying around because chances are, you aren't going to read them again. Find places where you can donate your magazines to such as child care centers, doctor's offices, nail salons, nursing homes, and libraries. If there's an article that really speaks to you, scan a digital image of it and keep it in your computer. Or keep a folder of magazine clippings if you like saving magazine articles.
Receipts, bills, and documents. Throw away receipts for items that you aren't planning on returning, and ones that you won't need to use come tax time. If you're wary of throwing away receipts, you can make a digital copy of them with a basic scanner, a pricey specialized receipt scanner ($174), or a smartphone app ($2). See here for a full list of documents you should keep forever or temporarily.
Clothes. Use the two-year-rule for clothes - get rid of apparel that you haven't worn in two years. Sell them to a thrift store (find a thrift store at thethriftshopper.com) or donate them to the needy.
Books. Go through your bookshelf and gather together books you haven't touched in months and ones that you aren't planning on rereading. Be realistic and make sure you're ruthless. If you haven't touched it in a year, you're most likely not going to read it again. Sell the books on Amazon, Craigslist, or eBay. You can even trade them for something else on swap.com. You can always donate them as well!
Medicine and vitamins. Take a look at your medicine closet and clear out drugs that have expired, medicine that has sat on your shelf for too long, or ones that you no longer use. First, check to see what the proper disposal methods are for the medication, and if you can't find any, check to see if your community has a drug take-back program. If there isn't a program near you, then the FDA advises mixing medicine with "used coffee grounds or kitty litter" in a container or sealable bag before throwing it away to make the drugs less appealing.

For more things to throw away, read on.

Fresh Start Resolution: Get Rid of the Stuff You Don't Need

Emily Co — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:22 PST

It's a new year and a new you! We're highlighting 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, from quitting your caffeine addiction to mastering time management. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.
Starting a new year means clearing out the old. It's a good idea to get items you don't use out of the way because they will fill up valuable space in your home. Get ready to sell your stuff with these tips:

Electronics. If you're thinking about selling your electronics, consider Gazelle.com, buymytronics.com, and nextworth.com. These sites are great because they'll quote you a price for the item you wish to sell. You can always consider selling it back to the original retailer itself if you're wary about third-party sellers. For instance, Apple has a great recycling program.
Receipts and documents. Nip your pack rat tendencies in the bud and start sorting out documents to trash or stash. Throw away receipts for items that you aren't planning on returning, and ones that you won't need to use come tax time. If you're wary of throwing away receipts, you can make a digital copy of them with a basic scanner, a pricey specialized receipt scanner ($174), or a smartphone app ($2). See here for a full list of documents you should keep forever or temporarily.
Books and things. If you have some books or other miscellaneous items you want to get rid of, sell them on Amazon, Craigslist, or eBay. You can even trade them for something else on swap.com.
Clothes and accessories. Sell these goods at a consignment store, but make sure they are in good condition. Repair clothes before selling and make sure you wash them carefully, or even launder them. Find a thrift store at thethriftshopper.com. Other options include selling them to family and friends, online at sites like eBay, and at flea markets.

Read on for more.

How to Fight Your Financial Demons

LearnVest — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:15:23 PST

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

We all have our demons.

Some just lurk under the bed, but others bare their teeth as we go about our day - say, every time we pull out our wallet.

Financial demons are particularly vicious because their effects aren’t confined to the pages of our journal or emails to our best friend. Our finances permeate just about every aspect of our lives, from where we live to the job and lifestyle we choose.

And for that reason, our financial demons can be particularly invasive - and toxic.

But the good news is that demons can definitely be vanquished (or subdued, at the very least). As with anything, they can be worn down with the right tools and the right mind-set. Fortunately, we have both.

First, identify your demon . . . or demons. Then we’ll show you exactly how to send them packing.

If You Have Shopping Demons . . .

The Tools: As you know, “just stop shopping” isn’t helpful advice. Instead, look at your habit from the other end: Your closet. Your makeup bag. Or your gadget collection, depending on the spending that’s most problematic for you. Use our process from Priceless Style Boot Camp to evaluate your 10 most recent purchases. If lots of your recent buys are rated “not worth it,” it’s time to reevaluate your spending patterns. The first step is to avoid letting one bad spending choice drag you into a downward spiral. If you suspect you’re currently in such a phase, you can use this tool to spiral back up. If your purchases are all rated “worth it,” but you know you’re shopping too much, take a close look at your last month of spending and ask yourself whether you’re truly happy with everything you bought, or if that same amount of money could have been applied to a different financial goal, whether it's bulking up your emergency fund or beginning to invest.

Read on for more.

Get a Good Night's Rest . . . Regardless of Who You Are Sleeping With

Heather Dale — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:32:09 PST

If improving your sleeping habits made the list of your 2012 resolutions, then let's get to it! There are simple things you should and shouldn't be doing to get some quality shut-eye, but what about the person who sleeps to your right (or left)? Do you ever look at your partner as a roadblock to your sleeping success? If your significant other is interfering with your sleepy time, here are some helpful tips to get you back on track . . . no separate rooms required!

Some like it hot, some like it cold: If your partner likes to keep the heat cranked throughout the night, while you prefer to keep it at a lower temperature, use scientific evidence to win this battle. Like it or not, room temperature has a significant impact on sleep. To get proper, quality sleep, the body needs to reach an internal temperature of 65 to 72 degrees F. If he (or she) is still set on sweating it out, load up the blankets on their side of the bed and have them wear socks and a sweatshirt to bed.

Keep reading for more tips.

Early CES Leaks to Get You Excited For Next Week

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:05:22 PST

CES 2012 is coming up next week and we'll be there to bring you the latest tech news from Las Vegas! As usual though, the product leaks begin days before the show floor opens, so we'll be rounding up the juiciest of them all right here. Get excited and check out all the latest pre-CES leaks and rumors below.

Polaroid Tablet and Ereader - Some lucky tipster got an early look at what could be a tablet or slate ereader coming from Polaroid. There's front and rear cameras, but that's about all we know so far.
Nokia Lumia 900 - Coming with a 4.3-inch WVGA display, 512MB of RAM, and an eight-megapixel camera, we hope to see this smartphone at CES next week. Nokia's press conference is on Monday Jan. 10, so keep an eye out for our liveblog of the action!
Fujifilm interchangeable lens camera - This beauty picks up where the X100 leaves off. There are pics at the source link, so be sure to check out this retro-styled camera sure to make an appearance at CES. Update: Looks like specs and images of the Fujifilm X-Pro1 have surfaced.
Fujifilm's digital camera lineup - Speaking of Fujifilm, the company is prepped to introduce 19 new cameras at CES this year, some of which are available to view now.
Olympus weather-proof camera - There are little details about Olympus' next interchangeable lens camera, but the company may actually hold off until after CES to announce it. Let's hope not.
HP Envy Spectre - The super thin and sleek ultrabook teased in a new HP video looks to be a fierce competitor to the MacBook Air. No details are known yet other than the name, but boy, would I like to get to know Spectre a little better.

What to Do With Your Year-End Bonus

LearnVest — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:15:06 PST

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

You’ve just been informed by your supervisor that you have a tidy bonus coming to you soon for all of your hard work this year. (And, of course, you totally deserve it.)

But whenever a large sum of money falls in your lap, you need to have a plan for it, so you don’t wake up a month or two later and realize that it’s all gone.

That’s no way to reward yourself for a job well done.

What You Shouldn’t Do

Rack up credit card debt in advance of your bonus expecting to pay it off.
Use it to treat your family and friends to oversized Christmas gifts.
Count your chickens before they hatch. Even if you’ve been told how much your bonus is, it will be taxed like regular income. Because of all the factors that play into it, don’t assume you know exactly how much will land in your account.
Plan your finances around the same bonus showing up next year.

Read on for more.

Turn Your Inbox Into a To-Do List in 5 Easy Steps

SavvySugar — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:36:23 PST

Start the new year off right by getting organized - beginning with your inbox. From daily deals to digital receipts to holiday sale announcements, emails are especially frequent this time of year. Clear the clutter and manage your tasks by following these five simple steps.

Create categories. It's important to categorize your messages so that you can find them quickly. Start by establishing general folders like personal, work, finance, travel, and shopping. Then decide how you can divide each of those labels into smaller subcategories. For instance, your personal folder may include photos and letters, while your shopping folder contains coupons and receipts. Determine the types of messages that you receive most often and add more as you see fit.
Color-code. For one thing, colored labels will make your inbox look better. Plus, keeping things color-coordinated allows you to carry the label system throughout your office. Buy folders, sticky notes, and highlighters in each shade so that, for example, blue always means banking. In Gmail, colors can be added to each label by letting your mouse hover just to the right of the label name.

Read on for the rest of the steps.