BuzzSugar

New Dido Song: "Don't Believe in Love"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:29:58 PDT

A little while ago we got a taste of Dido's upcoming album, Safe Trip Home, when she was streaming a track off it, "Look No Further." I liked that one well enough, but I'm really digging this new tune, "Don't Believe in Love." There's something sultrier, almost jazzier than what you'd expect, though Dido's light, breathy voice is still at the heart of it all. It's actually a pretty cool combo: some low bass guitar, a great drumbeat and Dido's soft, sweet vocals.

You may have noticed this song in the episode of 90210 titled "The Bubble." Safe Trip Home hits shelves Nov. 18. To check out "Don't Believe in Love" and tell me what you think,

Make the Skies a Bit Friendly With These Holiday Travel Tips For Families

BabyCenter — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:33:09 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Kristina Sauerwein about making holiday travel as smooth as possible.

No doubt you've noticed the tinsel, twinkle-light Christmas trees in stores and heard carols on the radio. Although it does seem early to get decked out for the holidays, the season is rapidly approaching and it is not too early to plan holiday air travel.

To help you avoid hassles and extra costs associated with holiday air travel, here are 10 tips from Christine Frietchen, Editor in Chief of ConsumerSearch.com, a site that helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions in everything from electronics to home and garden goods to health and beauty items to cars.

For booking air travel, start yesterday. This year is going to be tough for snagging the choice Christmas flights. With Christmas falling on a Sunday, there's already a scramble for Friday-to-Monday (or Tuesday) trips. Start looking and booking now.
Be as flexible as you can. It's hard during the holidays to be flexible, but if you can depart on Thursday, for example, instead of Friday, you can save $100 per ticket in some markets.
When booking flights with connections, be mindful of the connecting city. Winter weather in popular connecting cities like Chicago or Minneapolis can throw a big wrench in your plans. Though a nonstop flight might cost more, it could be worth it if the only connection options are dicey delay-prone cities.
Don't forget to check nearby airports. Although it can be a hassle to drive an extra 50 or 100 miles to a more distant airport, it can be worth checking. For a family, saving $50 per ticket will more than make up for the extra gas.
Check in at home. Most airlines now allow you to check in via computer or smartphone as well as print your boarding pass. If you don't need to check bags, that means you can head straight for the security screening line.

Keep reading for more holiday travel tips!

Finding "The One": 10 Tips For Safe, Savvy, and Successful Furniture Shopping on Craigslist

Elka Karl — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:00:27 PDT

See this little desk? It's the desk of my dreams. Granted, it may not be the desk of your dreams, but it's "the one" for me. This little oak arts and crafts-era slant-top desk is in nearly perfect condition and is petite and perfect for our bedroom - which means I officially have an office space to decorate after our toddler kicked me out of my old office. I couldn't be more pleased.

However, this little gem didn't just land in my lap. I spent a month combing the pages of Craigslist to find it and actually rejected half a dozen desks in person on my journey to find it. Although, I've shopped on Craigslist before, this time really taught me some great lessons that I thought were worth sharing. I also asked Twitter and Facebook friends to share some of their tips as well, which I've included in the post.

Don't be afraid to walk away. Even if it took you a half-hour to drive to the location of an item you're interested in or three subway changes. If it's not your ideal find, don't buy it. You will find that beloved object, but it may not be until after several more attempts.
Try shopping locally. For me, this meant limiting my searches to neighborhoods that were within 10 minutes driving range. I instituted this rule after two fruitless journeys that took me an hour round trip.
Try a variety of search terms. I used "secretary," "antique desk," "solid wood desk," "slant top desk," "wooden desk," and a few other terms, too. Sometimes people list items under odd search terms, so it helps to try to get creative!
If you're going to look at an item by yourself, tell a friend. Leave the address you're at and the time you should be leaving that location. If you don't text or call your friend by that time, have her call you, and if she can't get ahold of you, call the authorities. This is very, very cautious behavior in my book, but as women going solo into a stranger's home, it's better to be safe than sorry. There's rarely an incident with a potential seller, but I'm always more cautious than need be when dealing with a transaction with a stranger. And if you don't feel safe going by yourself, by all means bring a friend!
Be realistic about how much effort you're willing to put into a secondhand piece. I fell in total love with an arts and crafts-era secretary I saw a month ago and desperately wanted to buy it. The price was right, but the desk needed a leg repair and had a crack along one side. These were definitely doable repairs, but I knew myself well enough to know that I wouldn't get these repairs finished in a timely manner and I let the desk go.

Find more Craigslist shopping tips from fellow readers

Jazz Up Your Ride: 5 Accessories For the Family Car

LilSugar — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 05:12:24 PDT

Let's take a drive! With all of the activities kids have going on, the family car becomes like a second home. Mama spends hours a day shuffling the tots around from one extracurricular activity to the next - and searching for lost toys in between the seats! From tiny kicks on the back of your seat to junior screaming desperately for his sippy, driving with kids can be stressful. Make your car-pool drives a little more pleasant with the help of these five car accessories.

Sunshine Kids Stow 'N Go Car Seatback Organizer ($10): Sippy cups, toys, and sunglasses! Oh my! A seat back organizer keeps all of your tot's backseat belongings tidy and visible.
Kurgo Auto Tray Table ($20): Enjoy a meal, watch a movie, or play with your LEGOS! Your tots can engage in all sorts of activities while mom is driving if they have a tray table at their disposal.
Prince Lionheart Two Stage Car Seat Protection ($22): Car seats can leave depression damage and scuff marks on the backseat of your car - especially if you have leather seats! Protect them with a durable car seat cover.
SafeFit Kick Mats ($9): Kick away! Protect the back of your seat from dirty shoes with kick mats - it'll cost a lot less than having to get your car seats shampooed.
Sunshine Kids Travel Pal ($14): Road trip! Let the kids bring what they want and keep it all organized - and within reach - with a travel pal. It even has special compartments for baby's bottle or your tot's sippy!

The Vampire Diaries "The Hybrid": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:05:37 PDT

This week's episode of The Vampire Diaries takes us on a little field trip to the Tennessee mountains, as Elena pursues her boyfriend-gone-bad Stefan. He's on a hybrid-making mission with Klaus, who may be a little closer to finding out that he never killed Elena after all.

Tyler comes clean to his mother about what he really is, but it's not enough to keep Caroline safe, who's in an interesting pickle with a shady new character. We also get to see more of Jeremy's dead girlfriend problem and a nice Damon/Elena scene. There's a lot going on, and so much to say, so let's get to the good, the bad, and the bloody when you keep reading

What Not to Keep in Your Wallet

SavvySugar — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:15:00 PDT

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

We love the motto “be prepared.”

But when it comes to the average American’s wallet, there’s such a thing as over-prepared. From the looks of our bulging billfolds, we must be heading out each day to open a new line of credit, fill out a W-2, shop at several department stores, use a few gift cards, return an item or two, and grab a fro-yo at our favorite punch card spot on the way home.

1,000 wallets and purses are stolen every two minutes in America (44% of LearnVest readers have had their wallets lost or stolen once, while 8% have had theirs stolen twice or more). While it’s smart to be concerned with online security (check out our article on creating the perfect password here), 76% of identity thefts result from the theft of something physical, like a wallet. Additionally, it costs an average of $8,000 to recover from identity theft.

Most police who receive reports of stolen wallets lament the same thing: people carry way too much stuff in their wallets, handing their entire lives over to identity thieves.

So before you leave the house, read our list of what NOT to keep in your wallet, so you can pare down to just the essentials - and protect your finances and identity.

Social Security Card

This is the number one thing to NOT keep in your wallet. If a thief gets ahold of your Social Security card, he can open credit cards, take out loans or even buy a car - it makes you very vulnerable to identity theft. There is no need to carry this around as an extra form of ID, and even the U.S. government's website recommends leaving your card at home in a safe place. Your Social Security number is only nine digits - just memorize it.

(Learn how to safely store your important information; read this.)

Read on for more items you shouldn't keep in your wallet.

How to Beat the Post-Honeymoon Blues

Tara Sharp — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:00:40 PDT

After the flurry of the wedding prep is done, the big day has come and gone, and you've made it safely home from the honeymoon with your new hubby, you may be feeling a little sad that it's all over. It's normal to have the blues once the excitement of being a bride-to-be has passed, but don't forget, you have a lifetime with your love to look forward to! Here are some tips for keeping the honeymoon high as you move on to this new chapter of married life.

Celebrate a small milestone. You're probably not going to celebrate every month you're married, but keep the momentum after the wedding by doing something low-key on your first-month anniversary. It could be as simple as sharing a bottle of bubbly while you watch your wedding video, read your guest book, or flip through the photos from your big day.
Save some fun for after the honeymoon. Hold off on opening your wedding gifts until you get back from the honeymoon; it'll give you something to look forward to besides getting back to the office!
Gab with the girls. After all the bride-centered showers and parties, now's the time to shift the focus from you to your gals. Once the wedding craziness is over, you can spend some quality time with your girlfriends catching up anything you may have missed in their lives while you were a busy bride-to-be. Grab coffee, go on a shopping trip, or hit the beach with your besties and you'll be out of your funk in no time.
Turn your house into a home. The best way to get out of a slump is by getting to work on a project. Whether you are moving in with your husband for the first time or just finding a place for all your registry items, chances are you will need to do some work at your house after the wedding. Devote a weekend to home-work with your honey, from painting the walls to hanging art to selling duplicate furniture items on Craigslist. Not only will the experience strengthen your bond with your new partner, the sense of accomplishment afterward will get you excited about moving forward.
Catch up on missed hobbies. Now that you aren't being consumed with reading bridal mags and wedding planning, you can spend your free time doing what you love. Get back into your favorite pastimes by joining a sports team or taking an art class. Or maybe just attempt to tackle that stack of books you've been meaning to read.

If you experienced a letdown after your wedding, what helped you get over it?

Photo by KT Merry via Style Me Pretty

5 Tips to Planning Your First Bike Commute

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:06:23 PDT

Want to be leaner, have more money, and do your part in helping the environment? It’s as easy as riding a bike - to work that is! While the idea of two-wheeling to work might seem daunting, these five steps from The Big Book of Bicycling ($22) will take you from gas guzzler to bike commuter in no time.

Think on Two Wheels - The next time you drive (or ride the bus) to work, think like a cyclist. Pay attention to the entire route. Make mental notes of the roads that have shoulders wide enough to accommodate a bike as well as narrow stretches that are too dangerous. Use this as a starting point when mapping out your bike route.
Map It Out - Pick up a detailed road map of the area your route will traverse - or download a bicycle-specific one from Google Maps. Highlight only the parts of your normal driving route that you know are safe. Find alternate routes that run parallel to the sections you want to avoid - choose side streets, parks, and neighborhoods rather than high-traffic, high-speed roads. Also be sure to plan your route through well-lit streets; remember, you’ll most likely be riding alone and, often, in the dark. (Don't forget your bike lights!) The most direct route may not be the best cycling route.

See even more tips after the break!

Clean Up Your Act: Stay Eco-Clean in a Dirty World

LilSugar — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:21:02 PDT

It's hard enough to keep a home clean and toxin free, but what about trips to the park, playground, and any other place kids and germs congregate. Parents can't scrub down every public surface kids come in contact with (though, no doubt some will try), but there are simple ways to mitigate the overwhelming ick factor when a child say, picks up a partially decomposed sandwich or drops their pacifier in a puddle of . . . something. So get out there and play - just make sure these products are on hand for those dirty, sticky moments.

From left:

Munchkin Arm and Hammer Pacifier Wipes ($4): Kids have numerous names for their prized possession - paci, sucker, binky - but whatever they call it, they won't leave home without it. These wipes are alcohol free and made with 100 percent food-grade ingredients to safely clean pacifiers, bottles, cups, teething toys, and anything else that's sure to get dropped at least a hundred times on the walk to the park.
CleanWell Disinfectant Spray + Wipes To-Go Pack ($8): CleanWell products are a favorite of eco-conscious parents for some time now. Their new to-go products are formulated with Thymol, a component of thyme oil, which cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes. These new to-go products are antibacterial, antiviral, and kill 99.99 percent of germs botanically on hard, non-porous surfaces. They're perfect for wiping down changing tables in less than ideal conditions!
Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer ($4): There's a lot of conflicting information about the merits of hand sanitizers. Parents understandably don't want to use products with alcohol on their tots' sensitive skin, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued warnings that hand sanitizer with less than 60 percent alcohol cannot be deemed effective. They recommend washing hands with plain old soap and water to get rid of germs, but when your child has just played ring-around-the-rosie with a very questionable smelling fire hydrant, a sink's not always nearby. Bottom line, if parents choose to use a sanitizer with alcohol, like Purell, it's important that kids under five years old are supervised to ensure they rub their hands together for 15 seconds, at which point the ethanol is mostly evaporated.

6 Quick Tips For Keeping Your Home Safe While You're Out of Town

Elka Karl — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:30:38 PDT

Planning a road trip or jaunt to the coast this weekend? Packing your sunglasses and bikini aren't your only considerations. You should also prepare with a few smart steps to keep your home safe while you're away. The last thing anyone wants to return home to after a vacation is a home that's been vandalized! Here are some easy ways to keep your house secure while you're having a fabulous time away.

Set timers on lights when you’re away, so it looks as if your home is occupied.
Close curtains so potential vandals can't get a peek inside at your goods.
Keep lights on outside. Even better, install motion lights in places such as entryways, paths, and front gates, which can deter intruders.
If you're away for longer than a few days, have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail, so it appears as if your home is occupied.
Don't leave keys in "secret" places. Instead, leave a spare set of keys with a trusted neighbor, family member, or friend.
Consider having a friend housesit. If your home has perks, it's often easy to get a friend to hang at your home and keep it safe while you're away. (I always lure potential housesitters with great stored cable shows on my DVR.)