BellaSugar

Which Is More Expensive?

BellaSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:00:23 PDT

No matter how many times I see a caviar night cream or a diamond-encrusted lip gloss, I still experience sticker shock. Of course, there are an abundance of beauty items that don't cost and arm and a leg, and for that I am grateful. But when it comes to the asking price of the following beauty items compared to price tags of some similar-sounding products, can you guess which ones are more expensive? (And can you guess how much I am fantasizing about this coconut cupcake, too?)
Source: Flickr User Michael Q.

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Bella Quiz: Which Is More Expensive?

BellaSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:00:00 PDT

Pretty as a package? Some perfumes and compacts have such lovely bottles that you may be more charmed by their looks than the actual purpose of the item. I've gathered some beautiful beauty items to compare with similar adornments for your home and body. Can you spot the cheaper item in these luxe duos? Test yourself and start this quiz!

Question 1 of 5

Which is more expensive?

Bella Quiz: Which Is More Expensive?

BellaSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:00:34 PST

I firmly believe that many pricey products are worth their, uh, price - but did you ever stop to think what else you could be getting for the same dollar amount? Well, that's just what I did when I set out to see whether one bottle of really nice polish costs more than the entire collection from another brand and other like comparisons. It was fun for me to hunt out these makeup items, but the results are definitely not made up. Take the quiz and see how much (hypothetical) bang you can get for your (hypothetical) bucks.

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Bella Quiz: Which Is More Expensive?

BellaSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:01:03 PST

I'm often amazed at the high cost of certain beauty products. A $200 haircut? The frugal gal in me can't help but start formulation scenarios as to what else I could do with that kind of dough. Fifteen pairs of shoes at Payless. Eighty-seven boxes of whole wheat pasta, perhaps. You get the point. So, let's test your knowledge. Can you guess which is more expensive?

Source

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Bella Quiz: Which Is More Expensive?

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:01:35 PST

Trudge, trudge, sludge, sludge. The economy may still be suffering, but it has to eventually get better, right? I put on my rose-colored glasses and spotted items that are still flying around in my fantasies. Take the latest Which Is More Expensive? quiz . . . and continue to dream big.

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Bella Quiz: Which Is More Expensive?

BellaSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:00:04 PST

In these tight economic times, most people are cutting back on their spending, but companies continue releasing over-the-top items. Welcome to the third Which Is More Expensive? quiz, where your knowledge of just how pricey beauty products can get is tested. Think of it as The Price Is Right, only without the prizes. Or Bob Barker.

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10 Tips to Save on Memorial Day Grocery Shopping

Emily Co — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:15:10 PDT

It's fun to host people for a barbecue, but it can also get quite pricey when everyone isn't chipping in. Consumer expert Andrea Woroch provides suggestions to cut your grocery bill when shopping for your Memorial Day meal:

Prepare most of your meal. Woroch says, "The general rule for prepared foods is that they are more expensive, and it's cheaper to buy the ingredients to prepare yourself." For example, prepared veggie platters and fruit salads "are never a good deal" and aren't exactly the freshest produce. However, prepared potato salad at a regular supermarket is less expensive and will save you time in the kitchen.

Get chicken from the butcher. Buy chicken breasts from the butcher counter instead of the prepared packets. They tend to be cheaper and are generally more fresh.

Consider boxed wine. Save money by skipping the bottled wine and going for the box. "Boxed wine is an affordable option for large parties, and the quality has greatly improved in recent years," she says.

Buy liquor at a superstore. If you're insistent on a specific bottle, then check out warehouse clubs like Costco. There are better deals on wine, liquor, and beer at a superstore, according to Woroch. While you're there, pick the store's generic version of vodka for an even cheaper deal.

Make your own salad dressing and marinade. Check out recipes online - here's a list of over 60 different marinades to make. "Most people will already have the basic ingredients like olive oil, some type of vinegar, and herbs at home," she says. "Other ingredients like lemon or lime, soy sauce, or honey won't cost much extra."

Read on for more.

What's the Story With Girls' Clothes After They Outgrow Toddler Sizes?

BabyCenter — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:03:09 PDT

Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Joyce Slaton about girls' clothes.

Clothing manufacturers seem to divide girls' clothing into three ages: Infant (up to 1 year), Toddler (1 to 6 years - pretty old toddler at 6, huh?), and Junior Skank (first grade right up to college). As you can see, I'm not a fan. When my daughter was 2, 3, 5, I was able to select her clothing from a wide variety of affordable and age-appropriate choices. Sometimes it was a little hard finding something plain that wasn't encrusted with butterflies/fairies/legends reading, "Daddy's li'l princess." But with a little effort, I could find stuff that was cute and right for her.

But these days, unless I'm willing to shell out for expensive stuff like Hanna Andersson and Naartije, I'm having trouble finding clothing that looks like it's made for actual little girls. OK, I was a 15-year-old once. I get the appeal of super-short shorts, which are just made for legs that haven't yet grown cellulite. I used to leave the house and roll my skirt up too.

Click here to read the rest of Joyce's post.

5 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Paying For College

LearnVest — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:15:23 PDT

Paying for college is such a complex issue. LearnVest helps simplify it by answering some key questions in regard to paying tuition.

If you believe everything you read, then you might think you need to be a Rockefeller to have kids.

That, of course, isn't the case.

Yes, kids are expensive, and thinking about paying for a college education can be scary and frustrating . . . but that's where we come in.

As with everything else in life, figuring out what to do about your kid's college savings is all about the planning, says Stephany Kirkpatrick, CFP, LearnVest's director of financial planning. Depending on where you are in life right now and how old your kids are, you may have questions about how to set up a 529 plan (which is an education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs), what to look for, and when to start saving.

If you're pregnant or have a newborn and are starting to think about this, then good for you! The earlier you get started socking away cash for their college, the easier it will be. You'll learn a lot in this article, but you should also check out our Baby on Board Bootcamp, which will tell you everything you need to know - financially - to be ready for a baby. It includes 529 advice, as well as financial tips on everything from putting together a will and picking out a life insurance policy to buying nursery basics.
If your kid is slightly older and you’ve done your research but haven’t yet started saving in a 529 plan, then first read the four mistakes to avoid when choosing a 529 plan, and then check out the different college savings plans available to you.
If this is the first you’re thinking about it, no matter your kid's ageI, then don't worry about it. You have to start somewhere!

Read on for more.

Savvy Confessions: Asking For a Raise (It's Complicated)

Savvy Community — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:22:17 PDT

This post was submitted (anonymously, as always) to our Savvy Confessions group. Got any advice? Leave it in the comments.

Hi, fellow Savvy Confessors. I've got an issue I've been struggling with that I could seriously use some help on. I am in a job where I am paid to be "available." I am paid salary (based on an hourly rate at 40 hours a week) regardless of how little or how much I work. Some weeks I work four hours, and some weeks I work 40. Sometimes I have whole weeks off at a time - but only with extremely last-minute notice. Usually, I don't know my schedule until late the night before or early in the morning the day of.

There have been only three times since I started this job almost two years ago that I have gone over 40 hours, but I was compensated for overtime. I am on the books and paid weekly via direct deposit, but receive absolutely no benefits - health, dental, 401(k), etc. After 20 months, I am still on the same salary as when I started. For the most part, it's an amazing job - the actual work is really rewarding, my boss is really nice and friendly, and (as you can see with my fluctuating schedule) I have plenty of downtime to myself. All in all - a really awesome job!!

So what's the problem? Read on.