GeekSugar

Today's geeksugar Bargain Buys!

GeekSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:00:52 PST

In today's installment of Bargain Buys, you'll find an iPod alternative, a flat screen TV, video games, and a very fun geeky home accessory. Let the deals begin!

11 Quotes From Rick Santorum That Are Worrisome For Women

Annie Scudder — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:26:41 PST

Last week's Susan G. Komen/Planned Parenthood debacle was a high-profile example of how women's health can fall prey to politics. Considering this is an election year, we can expect reproductive rights rhetoric to heat up on both sides. President Obama recently hit a sensitive spot when his administration announced that all employers, including Catholic universities and institutions, will have to provide insurance plans that cover contraception for their employees.

Republican social conservatives have already jumped on Obama's policy as a campaign issue. And for Rick Santorum, controversial sexual politics have always been at the heart of his platform. The Republican candidate, who opposes abortion in all cases and says rape victims should "make the best out of a bad situation," won three contests last night, caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota, and the primary in Missouri. Since his chances of winning the nomination, or at least having a greater influence in national politics, is rising, let's look at some of his more worrisome quotes and positions on women's issues.

Link Time - Get to Know "Blogger" Jenna From The Bachelor

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:40:00 PST

Get five facts about "blogger" Jenna, The Bachelor's latest crazypants - The Frisky
10 expert tips for finding love in 2012 - YourTango
The most talked-about sex scandals of 2011 - Yahoo! Shine
New scientific breakthrough could mean good news for infertile dudes - Newser
What's hot and what's not in the new year - College Candy
The rules of new year dieting plans - GOOD
Eye candy: hot guys with animals - theBERRY
How to refuse sex with your partner without ruining the relationship - Huffington Post
What movie title best describes your sex life? - Glamour
Stars who fell prey to the New Year's Eve breakup curse - The Daily Beast

Say No to That Free Sample! The Rule of Reciprocity

LearnVest — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:30:56 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!
There are little tricks businesses use to get us to buy.

Some are pretty obvious, like sales and coupons.

Others are more subtle and nefarious, and may prey on the very good spirit of our human nature. A tad dramatic? Maybe not.

Recall those free address labels from the Disabled American Veterans? In the 1970s, they decided to send potential donors personalized labels in the mail, while soliciting donations. Their generous approach? They told people to keep the labels even if they didn't make a donation. After they did this, the number of people who made contributions nearly doubled - jumping from 18 to 35 percent.

Why was this marketing tactic so successful? Because of a little phenomenon called the rule of reciprocity.

It's not the end of the world if you end up donating to a great cause, but chances are you've been suckered into buying some random stuff you don't need because of this really powerful psychological phenomenon.

The Rule of Reciprocity: The Law of Give and Take

Made popular by Robert Cialdini's book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, the rule of reciprocity is the deeply ingrained human instinct to repay a debt.

According to Steve J. Martin, who coauthored the book Yes! 50 Secrets From the Science of Persuasion with Cialdini, the rule of reciprocity is fundamental to human nature. Every culture and ethnicity trains its children to abide by the rule of give and take. If someone gives something to us, we feel obligated to repay that debt. This rule operates not only with people you know, but also with strangers

Read on for more on free samples and reciprocity.

5 Things to Consider Before Turning a Fantasy Into Reality

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:00:24 PST

Having sexual fantasies is a completely healthy, and normal, part of the human psyche. Maybe there's something sexual that's been preying somewhere in the back of your mind; maybe your partner has been wanting to fulfill a specific fantasy for some time. Either way, you've got to be prepared for what you're getting into. It may not sound super sexy, but honest conversation and a little planning have got to take place before you hit the sack. Curious about what you need to consider? Here are five things to talk about before turning a sexual fantasy into reality.

Start sharing. If you're going to get serious about fulfilling your fantasy, or fulfilling your partner's fantasy, you're going to have to start talking. If there's something sexually you truly desire, you've got to feel open to tell your partner! It may be a little scary at first, but you've got to get real about what you want. Encourage him to do the same.
Keep an open mind. Being judgmental will take this conversation on a turn to negative town. Maybe you never knew that your partner had a little bit of a foot fetish, or perhaps a fantasy that seems a little weird. Regardless of what details come up, be sure to keep an open mind, even if you feel a little panicky. Feel lucky that your partner has enough faith and trust in you to divulge their deepest fantasy.
Lay ground rules. If you're going to embark on something very new in the bedroom, you've got to set the boundaries. The last thing either of you wants is an unexpected and unwelcome surprise. Being communicative about what you want or don't want, both in and out of the bedroom, will only help foster the growth of your relationship. And make sure you agree on a "safe word" that will stop things if you get uncomfortable.
Know your limits. I know you want to satisfy your partner. But if you are truly uncomfortable with the concept, remember that you have the right to say no. It may be a little more difficult than being "cool" girl who just goes with the flow, but if something feels out of bounds to you from the get go, you're just going to be miserable the whole time.
Make sure you're both on board. Don't get yourself into a sticky situation like Juliette Lewis's character in Old School. If you want to explore your fantasy, make sure that your partner is involved in the process. The last thing you'd want to do is betray a loving beau for one night of sexual fulfillment. But if this is a constant sexual impulse, that's even more of a reason to include your partner in the experience.

One-Minute Makeover Tip: Add a Bit of Flare

Marisa Tom — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:30:39 PST

Curb unwanted "I have nothing to wear" anxiety before it flares up. By employing your sartorial prowess and unearthing tucked-away wardrobe treasures, you can update and transform any outfit in 60 seconds flat. We've tapped into the chicest of resources - our stylish community and fashionable Fab editors - for simple styling tricks to instantly breathe new life into the back of your closet. For today's tip, just go with the flow: rock a wide-leg silhouette.

Embrace the effortlessly casual and cool 70s-inspired style staple. Let your flare or wide-leg jeans (we accept both styles in this makeover edition) make a statement. The exaggerated shape on bottom allows for a plethora of styling options on top; from oversize layers to bold necklaces, the flared look has an inherently bohemian vibe.
The wider the style, the more creative license you have. Add other '70s-reminiscent prints, patterns, and textures to polish off the throwback look. We love the idea of pairing a thrifted fur collar over a striped turtleneck or mixing a loose-fitting silk button-up with long gold chains for nostalgia.
Don't forget to throw on some killer platforms. The wider silhouette may fool you into thinking that shoes are an accessorizing afterthought, but think again. Add length to your flares to keep from falling prey to a frumpy silhouette. Try a chunky flatform, wedge Mary Jane, or stacked heel for spot-on styling.

Photos courtesy of Megan Zietz, BrittandWhit, and Thriftjuice

5 Diet Foods That Are Making You Fat

Prevention — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:10:41 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Improve your weight loss plan by avoiding these health diet disasters
By Alyssa Shaffer

Thanks to confusing labels and unearned reputations, it's difficult to know what's good for you. You might automatically reach for items with a "health halo," such as spaghetti sauce (love that lycopene!), or labels like reduced fat!, low sodium!, and whole grain! But unless you're a super savvy shopper, be warned: your diet may conceal some nasty surprises. That low-fat cottage cheese you love? It could be higher in sodium than potato chips. And the low-fat dressing you drizzle on your salad? It could contain nearly as much sugar as two chocolate chip cookies.

The truth is that no manufacturer wants to compromise on flavor, so even healthy-sounding products can contain appalling levels of sugar, salt, and bad fats. To save you time, we've flushed out some of the most surprising diet food offenders - and found some truly healthy alternatives.

5 Weight Loss Excuses You Can Overcome

Fast Food Chicken Caesar Salad
Culprit: McDonald's Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken contains 890 mg of sodium - more than half the recommended daily limit. And that's without the Caesar dressing, which can pile on another 500 mg. (Select the low-fat Italian and it's even 30 percent higher!) In these ready-to-go salads, says Lona Sandon, RD, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, "the worst part is usually the chicken, which is often cooked in a high-sodium marinade for flavor and may also be injected with a sodium solution to keep the meat moist."

Smarter choice: Skip the entrée salad and go for the burger with a garden salad on the side. A McDonald's plain hamburger has 520 mg of sodium (250 calories, 9 g fat); add the side salad (20 calories, 0 g fat, 10 mg sodium) or snack-size fruit-and-walnut salad (210 calories, 8 g fat, 60 mg sodium).

Have you fallen prey to other "fake" diet foods? Keep reading to find out!

6 Tasks to Complete For a Productive Sunday

Emily Co — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:05:23 PST

Sunday is the perfect day to get chores done. Friday is reserved from detaching yourself mentally from the work week, Saturday is for mindless fun and catching up with friends, and Sunday is the designated day to complete tasks and prep for Monday. Check out this list of tasks to bump up your productivity today:

Prepare meals: Do your grocery shopping today to prepare your meals for next week. If you're not the type to bring your lunch to work, consider doing it this week to save. Do a little bit of food prep then freeze what you made or put it in the fridge to save for next week. To save money on grocery shopping, don't buy these items at the supermarket.

Check finances: It's always good to check your finances regularly so you know you're on the right track and not in danger of falling prey to overdraft fees. Know how much you have in your savings account and remember to budget for the amount you're going to spend on travel and presents this holiday season.

Make Christmas lists: Speaking of presents, start on your Christmas list today if you haven't already. If you're like me, you'll already be thinking of what to get people for a few months. If you need some inspiration, we have plenty of gift guides for you, including one for what to get your overachieving buddies.

Sign up for Award Wallet: I can't go on enough about how useful Award Wallet is. It's basically a site that organizes your reward points for you and it even sends you alerts when they're expiring. I just received an alert a few days ago for some American Airlines miles that were about to expire. I used them up in the nick of time and saved a bundle on a hotel stay. Take time this Sunday to sync up your reward accounts with Award Wallet and you'll never see your points go to waste again!

File expenses: It's hard to remember to do little chores when you're busy with work during the week days, so file expenses with your company if you have them. Perhaps you're expensing the Halloween candy you bought for the office or maybe it's the professional development class you recently took.

Clear your mind: Start off on the right foot by clearing your mind this weekend. Do some yoga or go for a run today to find some inner piece before the daily grind begins on Monday. Greenery is great for relaxation so if you have the time, go for a mini escape in a nearby park.

What to TiVo: Sunday

BuzzSugar — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 Once Upon a Time (new)
9:00 Desperate Housewives (new)
10:00 Pan Am (new)

8:00 Amazing Race 19 (new)
9:00 The Good Wife (new)
10:00 CSI: Miami (new)

8:00 The Simpsons (new)
8:30 Allen Gregory (new)
9:00 Family Guy (new)
9:30 American Dad (new)

8:15 Sunday Night Football: Ravens at Steelers

Getting Back on Budget: How to Escape a Downward Spiral

LearnVest — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:15:02 PDT

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

I recently fell off my budget-or, rather, got pushed off by a large, unexpected expense at the dentist’s office.

I negotiated a payment plan so I wouldn’t have to pay more than $1,000 all in one go, but that night, as I was walking home, I became really irritated about the payments I’d have to make for the next few months.

Then, I saw-and was lured into-one of my favorite New York City institutions, the Strand bookstore, whose memorable tagline is “18 Miles of Books.”

That’s 18 miles of used books. Used books are cheap, right? Cheap.

That’s what I told myself as I proceeded to walk out with $75 worth of new reading material.

As I walked home, I thought, “I’m so far down the hole already anyway, what’s another $75?”

It turns out that this is a common way of thinking-about budgets, diets (“I already gorged on that cake last night, so what’s a little cookie?”), exercise (I already missed two workouts, who cares if I miss a third?) and more. But a few easy tricks-and our easy-to-use, goal-setting calculator below-can lift anyone out of a damaging downward spiral. If you want to jump right in to calculating how you can undo any damage you’ve done, scroll down.

First, let’s figure out why so many of us fall prey to downward spirals in the first place.

Why We Dig Ourselves Deeper in a Hole

Carmen Wong Ulrich, personal finance expert and author of “The Real Cost of Living,” says that once people fall off their budgets, they feel helpless. “You’re beyond the point of seeing yourself getting out. The pit is so big, it’s exhausting to look at, and that exhaustion wears down your ability to make a good decision.”

It’s a sad fact: Once one financial defeat saps our energy and willpower, we tend to make yet another bad decision, which makes us feel even worse, engendering yet another budget-busting decision, and so on. (A lot of it comes down to the psychology of sunk costs.)

So, how do you reverse course?

Read on to find out.