GeekSugar

Love It or Hate It? Clawmingdales, a Spoof on Bloomingdale's

FabSugar — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:00:04 PDT

Graffiti artist Claw Money - who once collaborated with Boost on a collection of mobile device cases - has just released a Fall collection of tees, sweats, and leggings, all with a playful take on Bloomingdale's. Notice how these Clawmingdales Sweatpants ($52) have the same color and font as the big brown bag. A serious shopper would instantly recognize the design. What do you think - do you love this cheeky take on the department store, or is it way silly?

Gadgets Galore? Get an Eight Piece Case Set

GeekSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:00:38 PDT

I'm all about matching bags, but this limited edition mobile device case collection by Claw Money and Boost is a sight for sore eyes if you ask me! And since when was it OK to label bags, especially a regular duffle bag, a device bag?! Is there proper padding in each one? I highly doubt it. If you look closely you'll notice three small cases to the left that are said to fit cell phones or your iPod, but I was so distracted by the other bags, I hardly noticed them! Separately, they may work, but as a set? They are a gadget girl's nightmare!

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Fixes For These 10 Money Mistakes

Business Insider — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:15:04 PDT

Everyone makes mistakes. Business Insider shares solutions for some common money mistakes people make.

Recently, two friends confessed they live check to check - a revelation worsened by the fact that they only check their bank balance once or twice a month.

We called in the finance experts, and here's what we decided they should do to get on track.

"I check my balance once . . . every two weeks."

The mistake: The more we rely on our debit cards, the easier is to go over budget - and risk having our bank misorder the charges to slap us with overdraft fees. It's the reason my friend keeps paying $39 for that Starbucks latte.

The fix: Get in the habit of checking your bank balance morning, noon, and night, says financial expert Farnoosh Torabi. "Rather than compartmentalizing into a once-a-month chore, make checking statements a habitual, daily thing."

"What, my bank offers an app?"

The mistake: Ignoring your balance can make you "forget" about incoming bills and checks waiting to clear, and not using your bank app is careless.

It also keeps you out of sync with your money, something you don't want to do in an era of rampant identity theft.

The fix: Download the app!

Read on for more.

Mirror Mirror: Boring Boring

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:05:47 PDT

Mirror Mirror, the candy-colored vision of director Tarsem Singh, is the latest take on a classic fairy tale, with Lily Collins filling the shoes of Snow White and Julia Roberts as her nemesis, the wicked queen. But even with a solid cast and Singh's risk-taking aesthetic, the uneven script and undeveloped characters reduce it to a retread of an old story with a very pretty look. You know how it goes: the queen married Snow White's father, and after he dies, she sets about to get rid of anyone prettier than herself. That makes Snow White target No. 1, and when the girl is run out of the kingdom, she's forced to take shelter with a group of outlaw dwarves in the forest, becoming their caretaker of sorts. In this version, Snow White becomes their vigilante leader, while the perspective is largely from the wicked queen, who's trying to solve her financial problems by marrying rich Prince Alcott (the very dreamy Armie Hammer). While these twists are cute tweaks of the well-known tale, they don't make the story different enough, and the film drags on toward its obvious conclusion.

Singh is known for his bold, arresting aesthetic, like in films The Cell and Immortals, and he definitely has fun reimagining the setting of Snow White and her fairyland. It's clear that he's reining in the weirdness to give the film wider appeal, but some unusual elements sneak in there, like some creepy villainous puppets and a scene with the queen's downright gross beautifying routine. As polarizing as those scenes may be, the movie could have used some more weirdness, if only to give it a clearer angle. Sadly, the creativity is used up on the visuals, and the rest of the film suffers.

To find out why else I was disappointed by Mirror Mirror, just keep reading.

3 Things Advisers Are Doing to Get Millennials Excited About Investing Again

Business Insider — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:07:20 PST

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

It's no big secret that millennials are scared silly at the thought of investing in the stock market.

With employment still sputtering along and home ownership little more than a pipe dream, the so-called graduates of the recession are mainly focused on finding a job and investing in what they need to get by.

"We look at where they are almost similar to a generational thing we saw in the 1930s," said Chris Hobart, a financial adviser. "These investors look at money totally different than their parents did, and they see the stock market as being extremely scary and that the opportunity may not be worth the potential."

This wary outlook has made it harder for financial advisers to lure young investors into stocks and savings vehicles in general, wrote Jane Hodges in the Journal. Advisers are having to come up with new and unique ways to get millennials excited about financial planning, but what's surprising is that many of these tactics aren't all that new to begin with. Here, we outline a couple trends taking hold among Gen Y investors:

Investing like Buffett

Perhaps the biggest step in getting millennials to plan for the long-term is changing their mindset, said Hobart. (See why having the wrong mindset might be keeping you poor.)

"Adopting the Warren Buffett approach tends to get them interested," he said. "The idea is that they should find something that people need or want, understand why they need or want that and then buy it."

Drawing from everyday experience makes the act of investing feel more accessible to millennials, he said. It feels like less of a chore.

Hobart has also found that Gen Y - early 30-somethings included - tends to gravitate more toward privately-owned shares of tangible products such as oil and gas.

"Being a small owner of a small piece of land that produces oil represents a larger value," he said, noting Gen Y's desire for a sense of ownership despite its reliance on the Cloud and social media. "It gives the investment a solid feeling."

For what else is working, keep reading.

Group Therapy: Should I Break Up With Him?

Tres Community — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:05:00 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

My BF and I have been in a relationship for 18 months. I do love him but I'm really struggling with two issues. The first is with just how selfish he is within the relationship. Nine times out of 10 it is me that pays for the bill on dates. I'm more than fair when it comes to paying my way, but what annoys me is that he rarely offers to pick up the tab or if he does offer to pay half, after I've paid, he never gives me his share.

We live between two houses and have one child each. I'm always footing the food bill each week also. I have told him just how hard it is for me to keep on doing this and he always says, "OK, I'll give you money," but never does. I make him a priority in all aspects of the relationship and always help with anything he asks without complaint. When I need help, he b*tches and moans, which usually ends with me doing it myself anyway.

My second issue is his need to talk smut with other women on Facebook. I have explained to him that I find it utterly disrespectful to me and the relationship, regardless if he claims it to be innocent. I have caught him out time and time again in one way or another and it is just the same old bullsh*t justification each time. He says he has a problem and needs to seek counseling for what he does. I'm really finding it hard to keep the faith, and I'm tired of his hurtful behavior.

This affects our sex life also. I find him extremely attractive, and when things are good we do have a good sex life. But when he does this crap with other women I just feel like sh*t and don't want to give myself to him and see him through eyes of disgust. We talk about it, he promises to stop, I claw back what self-esteem I have left, and things are all good until he f*cks it up again with his bloody ego. His response is, "You're just not that into me babe," and starts complaining that our sex life is taking a nose dive. I am 100 percent loyal and just think I deserve to be treated the same. Any advice would be appreciated, but please be kind as a feel like an idiot enough already. Thanks for taking the time.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.