BuzzSugar

Sales Galore: 5 Ways to Exercise Shopping Willpower

Nancy Einhart — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:35:36 PST

Before and after the holidays, our in-boxes are flooded with discounts, sale emails, and deals that seem impossible to resist. Even worse, they're often loaded with urgency: save 30 percent off, two days only!

But shopping a few sales here and there on top of gift buying can add up to a massive credit-card bill at month's end. This season, I've been finding new ways to exercise willpower around all these sales, so check out my tips after the break.

Welcome Home With Fashionable Floor Mats

Lizzie Fuhr — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:00:06 PDT

A floor mat isn't just a practical necessity. It's the very first impression someone gets of your home, so why not make a stylish statement? Maybe you're lucky enough to have a home with a long and winding entry, or maybe your front door floor mat is the only detail of your space's exterior you're able to individualize as you see fit. Either way, a design-inspired floor mat is a welcoming addition to any space. I always notice when someone has something that stands apart from the standard, tired-looking mat at their door.

I love the majestic monarch rug on Butterfly Orange Rug ($57) from Liora Manne. The detail is exquisite and the shape is anything but traditional. And there's nothing more warm or welcoming than that beautiful butterfly's burnt orange hue. I also love the bright colored symmetrical circles of the Step Lively Polka Dots Doormat ($45). It's a modern and fun option I'd love to see at someone's door before I ring their bell. But my favorite has got to be that whimsy Hippo Door Mat ($34) by Droog. Talk about a quirky and welcoming surprise.

While there are a plethora of options for the material used to create a gorgeous indoor rug for your front door, you'll need a mat that will stand up to the dirty shoes crossing over your threshold. I've pulled some sweet options for every budget!

How to Get a Better Deal at Your Bank

Kiplinger — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:15:35 PDT

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

Pesky bank fees aren’t just creeping up - they’re attacking from all sides. Banks impose 49 different fees, on average, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. Getting paper statements in the mail will cost you $1 to $2 a month; seeing a teller could result in a $9 fee; and maintaining a checking account without meeting deposit, balance, or usage requirements could cost as much as $30 per month. Earning interest on a checking account often requires a hefty minimum balance, and yields on certificates of deposit and money market deposit accounts are minuscule.

Ironically, a big reason for the fee explosion is federal legislation designed to protect consumers from excessive fees and misleading practices. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act and a rule that requires customers to opt in to overdraft services have reduced revenue, and banks now lose an average of $174 per year on each checking account, says Mike Moebs of Moebs Services, an economic-research firm. And banks’ coffers will also be hit by a new regulation that prevents banks with assets of $10 billion or more from charging merchants more than 21 cents each time a customer swipes a debit card (some banks will also get an allowance for fraud protection and loss).

Fortunately, free and high-interest checking accounts haven’t disappeared, and some banks will reimburse ATM fees no matter where you go.

Free checking. In 2009, 76 percent of banks offered free checking, but only 65 percent did in 2010, according to a recent Bankrate.com survey. To qualify for free checking at most banks, you’ll have to meet stiffer requirements. For example, customers of Citibank and JPMorgan Chase must have an average monthly balance of about $1,500 or keep a minimum total of $5,000 in the bank in various accounts.

Read on for more ways to get a better deal at your bank.

From Total Body to High Intensity: Elliptical Workouts For All

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:53:29 PDT

The elliptical is a mainstay in the gym for good reason: it's easy on the joints and provides a great cardio and total-body workout. But the elliptical can also get pretty boring and repetitive, too. Instead of spending a mindless 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, maximize your time by doing one of these eight workouts instead. Whether you're a beginner, looking for a high-intensity interval workout, or want to challenge different muscles groups, there's an elliptical workout for you. There's even one for those of you who love the treadmill!

Booty Workout - Target glutes and hamstrings by playing with the incline on the elliptical. This elliptical booty workout will help you tone your backside while also getting a good cardio workout. Really give your backside a good workout by focusing on keeping your heels down while you're on the machine.
Core Workout - To work your core while on the elliptical, just let go. Not using the handles in this elliptical core workout helps engage all the muscles of your core as you work harder to stay balanced on the machine. The faster you can go, the more you'll work your core in this.
Just Like the Treadmill - For times when you can't find an empty treadmill in the gym, try this elliptical treadmill workout. The workout comes close to mimicking what running on a treadmill feels like and may even help even out your stride. To really feel like you're on a treadmill, don't hold onto the elliptical's handles; instead, keep your arms in a running position.

See more elliptical workouts after the break!

Tempo Runs: How to Push Yourself Past Your Comfortable Running Pace

FitSugar — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:50:36 PDT

When you first start running, it's important to think of yourself as a tortoise and not a hare, slowly easing yourself into running two to three miles a day, three to five days a week for about five weeks at a comfortable pace. This way, you can cover a lot of ground, yet still build endurance while minimizing injuries.

Once you're in a comfortable pace zone, you'll notice that you're getting in better shape and building a stronger aerobic system. But, to avoid hitting a plateau, it's a good idea to move out of your now-comfortable cruising pace and push yourself to run faster by doing tempo runs. A tempo run challenges you to run outside of your normal pace for a steady period of time (rather than in short bursts like interval training). To start training with tempo runs, Shape suggests 10-minute tempo runs for beginners, 20 minutes for intermediate runners, and 40 minutes for advanced athletes. What tempo runs do is they get you running faster, but at a speed that you can handle for an extended period of time.

Keep reading for more tips about getting past your normal running threshold.

Why Metal's So Damaging to Your Microwave

Susannah Chen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:41:44 PDT

Even the most cooking challenged would agree: you'd be hard-pressed to mess up popcorn, a TV dinner, or soup in the microwave. But stick a sheet of foil in on accident, and it's a recipe for disaster - just ask my 8-year-old self! So why does the microwave take poorly to metal?

Microwave oven transmitters produce electromagnetic radiation ("microwaves") that disturbs electrons (the negatively-charged bits inside atoms), creating kinetic energy and thereby producing heat. That's how materials that receive radiation, like food and water molecules, become heated. The game changes with certain metals, however, which can be so dense that molecules, when agitated, have nowhere to go. The electrically conductive metals bounce off microwaves, rapidly creating a high voltage between the metal and the radiation source. Once the voltage strength surpasses a certain threshold, a spark is produced and can lead to a fire.

Have you ever unknowingly put metal in your microwave? If so, tell us what happened.

Go From Tortoise to Hare With These Running Tips

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:24:31 PDT

A friend asked me to go for a run the other day, and I agreed with the disclaimer that I was pretty poky in the speed department. I was surprised that I wasn't as slow as I thought. I've been working on my pace, and I guess what I've been doing has been effective. Try these tips on your runs to give your running pace a little kick in the pants.

Don't fear the hills. Running uphill is much harder than running on a flat surface since you're working against gravity. Moving on an incline strengthens the same muscles you use for sprinting, so it's the perfect way to make you a faster runner. It also increases your body's endurance, which you'll need when picking up the pace. Find a neighborhood or woodsy trail that has natural hills, or use the treadmill and pump up the incline.
Do sprinting intervals. If you want to become a faster runner, you have to practice running fast. Sprinting intervals are great because they last only a short amount of time, so they're easy to start incorporating into your runs. The easiest way to do intervals is by time. Keep an eye on your watch and run at a basic pace for three minutes, then sprint for 30 seconds. Or if you have access to a track, sprint the straights and run the curves. There are lots of ways to incorporate interval training into your plan, and if you make intervals part of your regular workouts, you'll quickly notice a difference in your strength and endurance. Before adding sprints into your running workouts, make sure you have a solid cardio base. Remember, your fast pace doesn't need to be an all-out sprint, but a faster pace than your usual.
Start doing tempo runs. If you're not familiar with this running term, it means running slightly faster than your normal, comfortable pace for a steady period of time. These types of runs will push your physical threshold and teach your body how to metabolize oxygen more efficiently. If you're new to tempo runs, start out with eight to 10 minutes, and build up to 20 or 40 minutes. You're not sprinting the entire time, just moving slightly faster than your basic pace. Here are tips for tackling your first tempo run.

Keep reading for more speed-building tips.

Feel the Burn? Shake It Out!

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:00:41 PST

I hit a wall last year. I was working out a lot and eating well, but my body wasn't progressing. Whether it was doing that last pull-up, biking that last mile, or adding heavier weights to my routine, my muscles just gave up on me. This year as part of the Get Fit For 2010 challenge, I made it my goal to increase my strength and endurance.

To accomplish my goal I've been doing a lot of interval training, and it's definitely paying off. Still, it's not unusual to feel a slight burning sensation in my muscles during my workout and have them give up on me. Instead of stopping my workout like I did in the past, I take a small break and get on it again.

To see how I've overcome the burn,

5 Things You Didn't Know About Sex Addiction

Annie Scudder — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:20:46 PST

Even before Tiger Woods gave his celebrity endorsement to sex addiction, we debated whether it's an easy excuse or a mental health issue. Now Time magazine is taking on the topic in the latest issue. We already took a look inside sex rehab clinics to find out what to expect when you're reforming, but here are five facts from the article you might not have been aware of already.

Sex addiction is relatively new: According to the article, "only in the past 25 years have we come to regard excesses in necessary cravings - hunger for food, lust for sex - as possible disease states."
It's not official: The APA is just deciding whether to add it to the DSM and thus make it official. The definition currently under consideration by the APA states that "you have an illness if you spend so much time pursuing intercourse or masturbation as to interfere with your job or other important activities."
An orgasm a day is considered troublesome: The article explains, "seven orgasms a week (either alone or with someone) is still considered by many experts to be a threshold for possible disorder."
It's lucrative: If the APA decides to recognize sex addiction, it would mean a huge windfall for the mental health industry. Time explains: "Some wives who know their husbands are porn enthusiasts would force them into treatment. This is already happening. In the year since Woods made sex addiction famous, rehab facilities accustomed to dealing with alcoholics and drug addicts have found themselves swamped with requests for sex-addiction treatment."
Some treatment resembles religion: The author recounts a session he attended: "People read aloud from manuals cum bibles - like AA's Big Book, Sexaholics Anonymous has its White Book - that are filled with harrowing personal stories and vague generalities. (From the White Book: 'sexual sobriety includes progressive victory over lust.') About halfway through each meeting, a donation-collection plate is passed around, just like in church."

Anything surprise you?

Good News For Those Struggling to Pay Back IRS Debt

Emily Co — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:25:54 PST

Today, the Internal Revenue Service announced that new rules have been implemented that will make things easier for taxpayers who are having a difficult time paying back debt owed to the IRS. Here they are:

The threshold for tax liens will be doubled from $5,000 to $10,000, which means the IRS won't file a lien unless your unpaid taxes are more than $10,000. The liens give the IRS the ability to claim a taxpayer's property for the amount they owe.
Lien withdrawals would be easier for taxpayers to obtain after they pay their tax debt, which is better for credit scores. Previously, the IRS would not fully withdraw the lien. You qualify for a lien withdrawal if you owe less than $25,000 or if you have agreed to a direct debit installment agreement, which involves monthly payments directly withdrawn from your bank account.
The Offer in Compromise program will be expanded to cover more taxpayers. The program lets people settle for less than the amount owed if they can't pay back the debt. People who make over $100,000 can now partake in the program if they owe less than $50,000. Previously, the limit was a $50,000 income and a $25,000 debt.