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One Savvy Resolution You Should Make This Year

Emily Co — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:36 PST

The best way to stick to New Year's resolutions (or any type of resolution, for that matter) is to keep it simple. You may wonder how you can streamline such a complex process - there are so many possible resolutions to commit to! The answer is easy: just pick one resolution. We've detailed a total of 12 resolutions in our Fresh Start series, so all you need to do is pick one that feels suitable and doable. Read on to find out what they are.

Fresh Start Resolution: Pay Off at Least 1 Credit Card

Emily Co — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:35:55 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.

Americans are currently facing credit card debt worth $798 billion, according to November statistics from the Federal Reserve. Don't be another statistic - for a fresh start this year, resolve to pay off your credit card debt. To get started, follow these tips:

Negotiate a lower rate with lenders. Call your lenders and ask them for a lower rate. Make it clear to them that you are ready to switch to another lender who's willing to offer a lower rate. Talk to the supervisor if the representative is not budging.
Consider transferring balances. You can opt to move your balance to a credit card that offers zero percent interest, but this is a tricky move because the zero percent APY may only last for a brief promo period. Check the details of the credit card offer to make sure you'll be able to keep on top of your payments.
Don't add charges. Now that you have a lower rate (hopefully down to zero!), make sure you're not tacking on additional charges just because you saved money by lowering your interest rate. Practice discipline and live within your means.
Pick your card. Eenie meenie miney mo . . . which card should you pay off? There are a couple of ways to do it. You can pick the card based on the balance or interest rate. Although it seems the most efficient to pay off debt with the highest interest rate, it may be better for you psychologically if you pay off the lowest balance. That's because you'll feel like you're making some leeway when you're done paying off each debt. Another method is to pay off the debts that bother you the most, such as debt owed to family or friends.

Read on for more.

Don't Starve Yourself: 5 Natural Ways to Detox the Body

Michele Foley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:10:41 PST

Forget what you think you know about detoxing: juice-only diets, colonics, and herbal supplements are not the healthiest ways to cleanse the body. But after a period of overindulging, feeling lighter is what many of us crave. Instead of going to extreme measures, opt for these five natural ways to detox the body to feel healthier, more energized, and focused!

7 Things You Should Do This January

SavvySugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:06:07 PST

Whether or not you set New Year's resolutions, there's always room for improving the order in our financial houses and the beginning of the year is a great time to start fresh. Kick off the new year and decade on an organized note and set yourself up to be in better touch with your finances in 2012 by following my January must dos.

Fresh Start Resolution: Organize Your Desk

SavvySugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:06:48 PST

Having an organized workspace will streamline your schedule and boost your productivity, so take some time to assess your desk situation and sort your supplies. Whether you're in need of a major overhaul or just a mini makeover, you can follow these six easy steps to create a clean, clutter-free desk space.

Clear it all out. Before you can arrange your things or add new supplies, you'll need to take stock of what you already have at your desk. Begin by emptying any drawers and pulling folders from the shelves. As you remove the items, sort them into categories: keep, toss, and undecided. Set the undecided pieces aside to deal with later.
Sort by type. Divide the keep pile into loose papers, folders, tools, and personal items. Designate specific drawers or shelves for each category before moving forward, and remember to arrange them in a way that's tailored to your work habits.
Deal with the paper situation. Every piece of paper should be put into a folder or file, even if it's just a "deal with later" folder that you check at the end of each day. Loose items can get lost, so it's important to create a space for every document.

Keep reading for more desk organization tips.

Fresh Start Resolution: Cut Yourself Some Slack

SavvySugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:23:53 PST

It's a New Year and a new you! We're offering 12 tips to start off the year right. We've already given you advice on mastering time management and improving your public speaking, so here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Make this the year that you finally give yourself a break. It's easy to get caught up in stress and to be hard on yourself when it comes to work, finance, and relationships, but the best way to stay happy and healthy is to lighten up a little bit. Here are four ways to cut yourself some slack in the upcoming year:

Schedule time for yourself. In between work commitments and everyday errands, it can be tough to find time for the things that fulfill you. Still, it's crucial to step back and let yourself indulge. Whether it's exercise, spa treatments, lunch dates, or just 10 minutes to sit and breathe, give yourself the gift of leisure. Even tiny moments of joy will have an impact on your mind-set.
Use your vacation days. Companies want eager, enthusiastic employees, so take advantage of your benefits package and schedule a vacation early in the year. With a trip to look forward to, you'll find yourself energized and more satisfied with your workplace. After your break, you'll return to the office with a calmer spirit and the drive to do better - especially since greater success usually means extra days off.

Read on for more stay-sane tips

10 Tricks to Save $10 a Day

SavvySugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:29:53 PST

Making just a few small tweaks to your daily spending habits could help you save big in the New Year. If you adjust your everyday patterns and take advantage of even the most minor saving opportunities, an average of $10 a day translates to $280 at the end of the month - or around $3,600 in one year.

Where you save depends on where you're most apt to spend, so we've rounded up 10 money-saving ideas that can amp up your savings and boost your budget confidence. Pick and choose from this list of tricks to help expand your wallet in 2012, then tell us: where can you save $10 a day?

Organize Your Bedroom in the New Year With These 5 Tips

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:56:27 PST

Have you made organizing and beautifying your home a resolution for 2012? Before you lose your motivation, resolve to work on one of the most important rooms of your house - the bedroom. As the place in your home where you spend (hopefully) six to eight hours a night sleeping, and time on either end relaxing, it's a great place to get started. Here are five easy tips to help you begin the process.

Move your computer station or laptop to another room. Bedrooms should ideally be reserved for sleeping, relaxing, and romance. If nothing else, invest in an under-the-bed storage container or basket that you can use to toss your laptop in and slide under the bed.
Donate any clothes and shoes you have not worn in the past year that are cluttering up your closet. Also, add any extra bedding you do not use to that pile, as well as books you will never lend to friends or read again. Choose your favorite local charity, or go with one of the bigger national charities that does great work, such as Goodwill or Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Recycle papers and magazines that have spent too long sitting on your bedside table.
Toss anything not in good enough condition to donate. If the objects are large, arrange a pickup from your waste service, or take them to the dump, which will probably involve a fee.
Add shoe storage, closet storage, and under-the-bed storage. The more items that are out of sight, the more serene your bedroom will feel.

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You Could Save Money Just by Cleaning Up Your Email Inbox

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:04 PST

Trying to get back on track with your budget? OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget shares some great suggestions.

It's 2012, and for most of us, our top New Year's resolution is to create a budget. It's a healthy resolution, of course, and if you're looking for tips on creating a budget, you can always check this site! However, you might be overlooking a few things, and it could be costing you hundreds of dollars over time.

There are more ways to adjusting your finances than just sitting down with a ledger, pay stubs, and a calculator. You should really look at every aspect of your financial lifestyle, but there are a few supereasy tips you should take into consideration first.

Unsubscribe to mailing lists. Are you a member of discount designer shopping sites? Online shops? Your favorite stores? Budget savvy beauties are always sourcing for an amazing deal, but email alerts about sales and special discounts could make you more susceptible to spending when you don't need to. (I don't know about you, but when I'm offered a special discount or a certain dollar amount off via email, I always click on the link - even if only to see if I like the items enough to buy them.) Go through your mailbox and get rid of those mailing lists! You don't necessarily have to get rid of all of them, but it's a really good idea to unsubscribe from most mailing lists. That way when you have a little extra spending money on hand, you can check your favorite sites to see what deals they have going on at that time.
Cancel all monthly memberships to "personalized" boutiques. Although sites like JewelMint and ShoeDazzle offer an amazing service, it's not financially savvy to subscribe to memberships like these. Why not? It takes away your spending power. Sure, you get a great product every month, but instead of spending when you want to, you're spending when they want you to. And those monthly memberships really add up over time. It's much wiser to buy on your own time, at your own convenience. This way you have the power, and that's what truly makes you in control of your finances. If you are truly pinching pennies right now (like me), I highly advise cancelling all online shopping memberships.

For more budgeting inspiration, follow the Beauty and the Budget blog. You can start your own OnSugar blog for a chance to be featured on the PopSugar Network.

Fresh Start Resolution: Improve Your Public Speaking

SavvySugar — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:19:03 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 tp mastering time management. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Public speaking is a regular - and regularly feared - part of life, so it's important to refine your skills. This year, challenge yourself by learning to lecture like a pro. Here are four tips to help you polish your public speaking.

Assess yourself. What part of public speaking makes you nervous? Where have you slipped up in the past? One reason public speaking is so nerve-racking is because there's so much to manage - your presence, your words, your delivery, and your reaction. Determine your weakest points, from stuttering to stiff hands, in order to tailor your speech improvement.
Find opportunities to practice. It's hard to feel confident about speaking if it's something you rarely do, so look for the chance to polish your technique in everyday life. At a dinner party? Offer to give the toast. Working on a new project at the office? Present it at the weekly staff meeting. Public speaking is like anything else: the more you do it, the better you'll become, and the more comfortable you'll feel when the moment arises.

Keep reading for more public speaking tips