GeekSugar

Prepare Yourself For Cyber Monday: Get Your Shopping Tips Here

GeekSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:30:23 PST

To be completely honest, Cyber Monday excites me more than Black Friday. I can skip the early morning wakeup call, the crowds, and the rushing around from store to store trying to get the must-have items on my shopping list. Cyber Monday means I can do all my shopping online without having to set foot in a busy mall, while still scoring some amazing deals. To make this day even more exciting, I have buckets of tips in this slideshow that will help you save even more while you're clicking away. Check them out - you can thank me later.

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Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.

3 Iconic British Brands Launch in the US - Shop Our Favorite High-Street Picks Now!

Marisa Tom — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:37:07 PDT

The British invasion continues with today's launch of AndOtherBrands.com, a new online retail destination that allows you to shop three of the UK's most beloved high-street brands: Oasis, Warehouse, and Coast. Previously, you could find select styles on ASOS, but now you've got a real lay of the land. Oasis and Warehouse offer up a fun mix of this season's boldest prints, slick espadrille wedges, pastel-hued topper, and ladylike frocks. Meanwhile, Coast is your go-to spot for dresses, perfect for Summer wedding fare. With price points that won't break the bank and a splash of London's cool-girl ethos at your shopping finger tips, what's not to love? Click through to see our top 10 picks and shop your favorites.

You're Fired! 20 Signs That a Pink Slip Is Coming

Wise Bread — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:54:53 PDT

If something feels off at the office, you may want to brace yourself for the worst. Wise Bread shares signs to look for when a pink slip is coming.

There are two types of employees. One has a good idea of what they do, who they are, and what position they play in the company. They are savvy. They know the score. They are under no delusions, and will no doubt leave for another job long before they are ever considered as cannon-fodder.

And then there's the other kind. The guy who could get Gandhi to hate him. The woman who spends most of her day chatting on the phone to friends or doing online shopping. Or the nice chap in sales who is completely oblivious that the recent merger means his job is now obsolete. They all have Ostrich Syndrome. They couldn't see a pink slip coming if it was 8ft tall and glowing in the dark, screaming "you're fired!"

You want to avoid being in that second category at all costs. So I've compiled a handy list. If you can answer yes to THREE or more of these questions, you may want to think about sprucing up your résumé and dry-cleaning your best interview attire.

1. Are you no longer in the loop about, well, anything?

This is a huge telltale sign. Suddenly you're finding out about company news from the cleaning lady or the new girl in accounting. If you were formally in the know about all things business related, but now suffer from "the company's doing what??!" disease, the writing is probably on the wall.

2. Did you recently screw up big-time?

We're not talking a minor faux pas here. Did you lose money on an account that was previously bulletproof? Oh dear. Were you caught having sex on the boss's desk with the boss's spouse? That's probably not a career-enhancing move. Unless you're a real dope, you know if you have screwed up. And if you know, HR knows. It may not be the final nail in your coffin, but it's a nail in the coffin nonetheless.

3. Are people avoiding you at all costs?

Eye contact is difficult to make with someone if you know his or her head's on the chopping block. Small talk is just as tough. It's best just to avoid that person altogether. So if people are no longer doing that fun "stop 'n' chat" in the hall, or the coffee room empties when you arrive, then guess what . . . you may be a marked man or woman.

Read on for more.

Happy National Pet Day! 13 Ways to Save Bucks on Fido

Emily Co — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:47:58 PDT

The cost of raising a dog is extremely high. In fact, if you look at rates to fly with your dog on airplanes, it's sometimes almost equivalent to what we humans are paying for a plane ticket. And it all adds up - you end up spending a never-ending amount of cash on toys, crates, flea medication, checkups, and the list goes on. However, many think the high costs of raising a dog are totally worth it. To reduce the costs of what you think is a necessary expense, here are some tips on saving money on your new dog:

Adopt a Doggie: If you're not too picky about the breeds, getting your dog from a shelter is cheaper than spending over a thousand for a purebred puppy from a breeder. Further, many of the pets have already been vaccinated and spayed or neutered, which will definitely save you money in vet bills.
Pick a Responsible Breeder: If you have your heart set on a pooch from a breeder, make sure you do your homework lest you end up with a sick dog from a puppy mill. Do research online to see what qualities a responsible breeder has, and go take a look at the dog and inspect the environment it's being raised in. Ask for references from sources like the breeder's vet, ask to see the dog's parents (if they are around) and quiz her on how she raises her dogs. Here are more questions to ask a prospective breeder.
Costco For Pets or Buy Online: Check to see if there is a warehouse superstore for pet supplies in your area. For example, Pet Club in the Bay Area gives great discounts if you buy in bulk - great for buying items in bulk such as urine pads, cleaning solvent, and poop bags. Another option is to see if you can find better deals online - Four Paws wee wee pads are available on Amazon at a 55 percent discount, so be sure to look around online for great bargains.
Neuter or Spay at the ASPCA: Spaying or neutering your dog can be extremely pricey. Check out your local ASPCA for cheaper prices on the surgery. To compare prices, I called a local vet that quoted me a hefty $800 for a small breed puppy, while the ASPCA in San Francisco quoted me $225. However, after asking around, my friend told me about an even better deal at another ASPCA, located a little further away in Oakland, CA, which charged $100 to spay/neuter. Be sure to check out the prices of the different clinics, even if they are under the same organization. The local Humane Society clinics were even cheaper so you might want to check out their prices as well. Lesson to learn: always shop around for pet health services.
Housebreak Your Dog: If you train your dog to "go" outside of your house, you don't have to waste money buying expensive pee pads and you'll be using less cleaning solvent for the messes that accidentally spill from the pad to the floor.

For more tips to saving on Fido, read after the jump.

Feeling Wronged as a Customer? Vent Online to These 6 Sites

Emily Co — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:36:11 PDT

One of the things I love about this digital age is that we have more power as consumers, because we now have a public online forum to voice our dissatisfaction. Sometimes you may feel like your complaints are going unheard. Perhaps the firm did not respond to your multiple calls and emails or maybe the customer service rep was just plain rude. As frustrating as it is, we know that the "customer is always right" adage is no longer true for many establishments. But don't worry, there are plenty of places to voice your unhappiness. Here are some of them:

Amazon: If you're unhappy with any product you have received, leave a review on Amazon.com to enlighten other customers. Amazon is the largest online retailer in the US so your review will definitely be seen by many pairs of eyes.
The Consumerist: A bulk of the posts on consumerist.com come from complaints and tips from readers. The blog also scours the news to find other examples of consumers being wronged. Some of the top posts include a customer getting banned from Best Buy after catching the store doing something illegal.
Yelp: Compelling Yelp reviews can really make a difference. I've gotten messages from shop owners thanking me for my positive review and some who requested me to take down a negative one. Remember, you're the one with the upper hand so don't be cowed by store owners who try to threaten you.

For more places to vent, read on.

6 Tips For Returning Anything You Want

Emily Co — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:04:59 PDT

Impulse shopping has its drawbacks, and one of them includes returning items. It's a hassle and sometimes you won't be able to get your money back if you didn't do your homework about the store's policy. Here are some ways to put the cash back into your pocket and the item back where it belongs:

Check the store policy. Something you should always check when learning about the return policy of the store is to see what the length is and whether you'll be able to get your money back. Some stores will only give you credit, so be sure to see if they will refund you before buying the item. Some stores can be a pain to return items to and are picky about the method of returning - such as mail-only returns or in-store returns. Make sure you take advantage of prepaid mailing labels if the company provides them. You might not even have to negotiate with a salesperson if the return policy works in your favor. Read this for more tips on sweet-talking the store employees.

Do it soon. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to return the item. The return policy may expire and it'll be tough to get a refund after that date. Even if the store does not have a refund policy, it's easier to make a case to return an item you just bought last week vs. one you've had for months.

Make nice. The way you talk to the person is crucial - you should never be condescending or defensive. It can be hard not to react if the salesperson is being defensive, but the general rule of thumb is to always stay calm and be rational. Believe me, people can pick up on your irritated tone even if you're trying to hide it, so it's critical to be calm on the inside and outside. Understand that if the store policy won't accept returns, there might be nothing you can do, so don't take your frustrations out on the salesperson.

Bring up your loyalty. You should definitely bring up how loyal of a customer you are. Mention how long you've been a patron and how often you shop at the place. If it's a place you do frequent, I would advise that you build a solid relationship with one of the salespeople so it'll be easier for you if you want to navigate tricky situations like returning items.

Read on for more

Club Monaco to Launch Ecommerce on March 26!

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:15:56 PDT

In just a few short weeks, you'll be able to shop Club Monaco's casual cool collection online with the launch of its new ecommerce site on March 26. We couldn't be more excited since before, only a few of its pieces were available for purchase online at ShopBop. In addition to carrying the full assortment of clothes and accessories, Club Monaco's new ecommerce site will also feature web-exclusive pieces, new editorial content, shoes from its collaboration with Rachel Comey, and for a limited time only, free shipping and returns until the end of April. Insider tip: if you become a fan of Club Monaco's Facebook page, you'll get special early access to shop the site on March 23. Excited? We are. Check out Club Monaco's latest collection, and get ready to start shopping.

3 Ways to Hide Your Online Shopping From the Boss on Cyber Monday

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:21:55 PST

Black Friday is a thing of the past - today is all about finding your holiday deals and savings online with Cyber Monday! Over half of Americans will be secretly shopping online at work today and throughout the holiday season, which puts you at risk for being reprimanded for browsing the virtual racks, or in some cases (seven percent according to a new study), even fired for holiday shopping at work. If you must hit the Cyber Monday sales on the boss' dime today, do so with caution. Here, a few tips to keep your online shopping habit a secret from the higher ups in your office.

Toggle screens - Quickly toggle between open applications with the Alt + Tab (for PC) or Open Apple + Tab (for Mac) keystrokes. This will allow you to quickly switch from your open web browser and work applications when you hear the boss tromping down your aisle.
Use your desktop wallpaper - Take a screenshot of an important spreadsheet, document, or collection of open applications and set it as your desktop wallpaper. Commence shopping. If someone approaches, use the keystroke of Windows + D on your PC or F11 on your Mac to switch focus to your desktop, which will conveniently be populated with your busywork instead of a photo of your boyfriend, dog, and/or kids.
Fake an Excel spreadsheet - If you're tweeting or Facebooking your finds, don't forget to keep that on the down low too. Applications like Spreadtweet and ExcellBook keep your social networking under wraps by disguising your feed as an excel spreadsheet.

Sony Unsure If Your PSN Credit Card Numbers Were Stolen: How to Protect Yourself [Updated]

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:34:26 PDT

Update: Sony has confirmed that PlayStation Network users' personal information has been compromised (including names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, and email accounts), so be sure you take the necessary steps to protect yourself from phishing scams, change all of your passwords, and alert your banks for potential fraud.

You may have noticed by now that the PlayStation Network is down. There's no time frame as to when it will be back up and running, and Sony is still unclear as to the nature of the "external intrusion." Another thing Sony is unsure of: whether or not your credit card numbers have been stolen during the hack and subsequent outage.

Keeping your credit clean is important, so having a hacker go wild in your name could spell trouble for you down the line. I asked credit expert Emily Co of SavvySugar what gamers can do to protect themselves while Sony investigates the outage. Here are three ways you can keep your credit safe from possible fraud:

Monitor charges: The most basic thing you can do is to keep an eye on credit card charges. If you see any suspicious activity going on then it's time to call to your bank or credit card company.
Give banks a heads up: Be proactive and give your bank or credit card company a heads up on the situation. This way, your bank knows to be on the lookout for suspicious charges, and you'll be protected if things do go awry. Pro tip: it's best to use a credit card for all online charges (verses a debit card), since credit cards offer the most protection against fraud.

One last tip after the break.