BuzzSugar

4 Tried-and-True Tips to Save on Live Music

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:30:51 PST

There's nothing better than seeing live music with a group of friends, but like any night out, the whole experience can get pretty pricey. Looking to save some money so you can see as much music as possible? Check out these four tried-and-true tips for smart concert-going.

Buy tickets early. If there's a show you're dying to see, don't put off buying tickets. Look for presale opportunities by following your favorite bands via Facebook and Twitter and checking out sites like Jambase and SonicLiving.
Don't wait on a friend. Some people wait to buy tickets if they're not sure they'll have a concert buddy. My advice? If you can handle the cost, buy two tickets early. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll sell your extra. Who knows? If tickets are high in demand, maybe you'll even make a few extra bucks!
Stay away from brokers and scalpers. Unless it's your last resort, do your best to stay away from ticket broker websites. Even the big-name sites have loads of hidden fees and are notorious for astronomically jacking up ticket prices. Find out if you can buy from the venue's website directly, or avoid even more fees by taking the old-fashioned route and buying straight at the box office.
Skip the booze and the merch. I know that $8 beer looks so refreshing, and you love the colors on that t-shirt, but don't get caught up in the hype of the night. If you're serious about saving money, cutting out these extra expenses is an easy way to make sure you don't go over budget.

Do you have any other tips for saving money when you go to see music? Chime in with your thoughts below!

Who Got Kicked Off The Biggest Loser Last Night?

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:44 PDT

Spoiler Alert: If you're not ready to learn which contestant was kicked off The Biggest Loser last night, do not watch this video. However, if you're ready to learn the hows and whys of one contestant's demise, take a look. Everyone can stand to learn (or relearn) a lesson about temptation.

Who Got Kicked Off The Biggest Loser Last Night?

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:17:44 PDT

Video is after the jump.

Get the Lowdown on Kendra Wilkinson From Her DWTS Partner

Susi May — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:15:14 PDT

There are always surprises on the list of celeb contestants for Dancing With the Stars, but having created her own brand of sport poles for pole dancing workouts, one would think Kendra Wilkinson could be a shoo-in for winning. But after teaching a sweaty LaBlast dance class at Crunch, her propartner Louis Van Amstel explained to me that he has his work cut out for him. I spoke with Louis a few days ago, when the two had been rehearsing together for a couple of weeks.

When I asked what dancing with Kendra was like, Louis replied with a big smile, "It's awesome." He quickly followed that statement with the disclaimer that, "Kendra is not a dancer though . . . Learning choreography is not her thing." I assumed this pair would have good chemistry, and when I inquired if this was true, Louis replied, "Oh yes." Then he surprised me with, "Kendra, she's so down to earth . . . she doesn't like the fashion. She's a tomboy. That's another thing I don't have in my favor. And I am like really, and ex playboy bunny - she rehearses in her husband's oversized football shirt."

Louis also partnered Kelly Osbourne, and the starlet credits him with helping her shed 42 pounds. Learn the weight-loss strategy Louis shared with Ms. O.

Guess the Calorie Count of These Popular Movie Snacks

Heather Dale — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 04:00:36 PST

Going to the movies is all fun and games until someone goes a little overboard at the concession counter! Unfortunately, you're not going to find many healthy alternatives at the movie theater, so you just have to be wise about what you do order (and don't go for the extra large popcorn if you really only need a small size!). Wondering what snacks will leave your body in a tizzy from their high-calorie count? Take this quiz to find out!

Source: Flickr User The Wandering Eye

Take the Quiz

3 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Concert Tickets

SavvySugar — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:12 PDT

When you're organizing a fun concert outing with friends, an overpriced ticket can put a damper on the whole thing, especially when you find out (after the fact) that your friends scored their tickets at a better deal. In order to stick to your budget and plan Summer concert fun the smart way, read on for SmartMoney's tips to ensure that you're never overpaying for your concert seats.

Know the Ticket Market - Seriously, know the market for the tickets you're looking for from all angles. Check the prices of tickets being sold directly from the venue, check brokers' prices, and know if the event is sold out. If it isn't, tickets from a secondary vendor are likely cheaper since these vendors typically lower prices to compete with the venue's box office.
Know the Right Time to Buy - If you're a big fan of a band, join the fan website. They will post updates on concert dates and give more exclusive deals for concerts when tickets go on sale. More importantly, know to hold out for a deal - don't be the first to buy a ticket for a big concert venue. Early on, like the first weekend tickets go on sale, secondary vendors haven't started lowering the prices yet and you'll be paying just as much or more to score your ticket. Wait for these vendors to start competitively pricing their tickets. A good rule of thumb is this - ticket prices for a famous artist in a small venue usually climb as the concert date approaches, so buy early; for big venues, with lesser known artists, prices decrease as the date nears, so wait it out to buy tickets closer to the performance date.
Never Buy From Scalpers – If you're desperate for a ticket, a scalper waving a handful of tickets outside the auditorium can seem like your fairy godmother, but don't be fooled. In the digital age, digitized tickets make it easy for fraudulent sellers to sell you one of multiple digital tickets with the same barcode. By the time you realize you've been duped, you'll be out of cash, with no receipt and no way into the concert. Be sure, too, to avoid vendors on Craigslist who can send you the same kind of fake digital tickets via email.

Do you have a savings tip for purchasing ticket on the cheap? Share it in our How Do You Save? group.

The Unintended Side Effects of Movies in 3D

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:45 PDT

The 3D trend may be great for the movie and television industries, but it's literally making some moviegoers sick. In five percent of the population, moves in 3D can actually induce motion sickness. The cause lies in your eyes; 3D movies impose two slightly different images on top of one another, creating depth perception. Both of your eyes have to work together to create the proper three-dimensional image, and when this doesn't happen properly, you can experience side effects.

Though most people aren't likely to experience motion sickness from a 3D film, as many as 30 percent of the movie-going population suffers from a milder vision issue, causing side effects like headaches and eye strain. "The problem comes in with people who have 3D vision but have a weak fusional mechanism. Your eyes are having to work harder. The brain is sending extra impulses to keep the eyes in alignment," says a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. When forcing your eyes to view 3D images for an extended period of time, viewers can start to feel eye strain, fatigue, or in extreme cases, motion sickness.

Conflicting messages to your brain add to your body's confusion. When you're watching an extremely realistic movie in 3D, but sitting still, your brain processes a false sense of movement. In sensitive viewers, this is leads to the nausea and headaches associated with motion sickness. If watching movies in 3D makes you queasy - but not queasy enough to give up your beloved flicks - an over-the-counter motion sickness medication should give you some relief.

Lil Tip: On-the-Spot Tot Entertainment

LilSugar — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:00:48 PST

It's amazing what moms invent when we're standing in line with a fussy lil one at the grocery store or passing time in a waiting room at the doctor's office. I've invented a few foolproof ways to distract my two-year-old for at least a couple of minutes each. Try out these tricks on your own tot.

Hand Crocodile: If you've got a pen in your purse, your swamp creature will look even more authentic with a few doodled-in features. Purse your fingers together and flip the side of your hand toward your child pretending that your knuckle is the eye, and the line of your finger and thumb is the croc's incredibly powerful jaw.
Mr. Two: Mr. Two, the finger man, was invented when I tried to show my son how to create his age using his fingers. I form a Mr. Two, and then he follows suit and the two-hand people play all sorts of games. From going on hikes (on the back of waiting room chairs) or playing hide and seek (between the pages of magazines), they are always up for an adventure.
Zipper Train: My lil guy is a train enthusiast and noticed that the zipper of a hoodie resembles a track. So he zips it up and down pretending it's a train choo chooing down the railroad.

Front Page: Emmy Nominees Announced, 30 Rock Rocks It

TresSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:34 PDT

The 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards nominees were announced this morning. 30 Rock led the pack, scoring 22 nominations.- BuzzSugar
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. - ABC News
Legal marijuana in California could generate $1.4 billion in revenue for the state. - AP
China has bounced back from economic downturn thanks to its stimulus policies. - Wall Street Journal
About 1,000 insurance lobbyists have descended on Capitol Hill to raise questions about proposed healthcare reform. - Washington Post

Susan Boyle: Never Been Kissed . . .

TresSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:00:00 PDT

. . . but touched by the singing angels. When Britain's Got Talent contestant Susan Boyle of Blackburn, Scotland, recently sauntered onto the stage in front of the terrifying panel of judges and the snarky-faced audience, she looked like someone's cute but dowdy aunt.

It didn't help the audience's perception of her that underneath her name were two words that together painted a grim picture of her life: 47, unemployed. (Why not add "spinster" while you're at it, guys?)

But Susan's transporting voice stunned even the usually poker-faced Simon, and the other judge, Piers, was visibly choking up and beaming from her heavenly voice. As for the skeptical audience? They could not stop roaring with approval. It turns out that Susan, who admitted backstage before her performance that she'd never been kissed, had dedicated the performance to her mother who recently died. Here's the cheeky and wonderful Susan on The Early Show, but if you really want to see her in action, watch her full performance after the break. Go, Susan! I bet you can't watch it without choking up! So