SavvySugar

Money Tip: Try These 5 Savvy Weekend Saving Tips

SavvySugar — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:00:22 -0800

The weekend's here and we're all celebrating our well-deserved days off (and the Super Bowl!)- but we're not about to blow our budgets doing it. You've been savvy and smart all week long when it comes to spending, so keep it up over the weekend. Enjoy the big weekend with friends and family - you don't have to spend a fortune - just be sure to keep an eye on expenses with our saving tips.

Make this the weekend you quit an unnecessary expense - If you didn't cut an unnecessary discretionary expense at the start of the new year, it's not too late to do it now. If your budget could use some shaping up, or just a quick boost, kick one of your bad spending habits and say goodbye to the excess spending this weekend.
Opt for inexpensive entertainment - The Super Bowl is the perfect opportunity to lay low and hang home this weekend. Instead of heading out to a bar, host a potluck for the big game - Yum's got your recipes covered. Drinks are cheaper (especially when friends BYOB) and you're guaranteed a better view of the game at home.
Shop warehouse clubs for the best buys - If you're shopping for the big game, be sure you're getting your money's worth by hitting up discount warehouses for the best prices on items in bulk - and beyond.

Get the rest of my savvy weekend tips after the jump

7 Weekend Movies That Motivate

SavvySugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:00:10 -0800

After a rough week at the office, you deserve your downtime. I'm usually begrudging Friday traffic as I make my way home to climb into bed and a pair of cozy sweats. But, just so I don't lose all motivation come Monday, I'm setting my sights on a movie marathon that packs some career-minded motivation this week. Read on to get my movie suggestions - then, grab a snack, kick back, and kick off your weekend with a little career-inspiring entertainment.

View Slideshow ›

Tighten Spending by Logging Receipts by Category

Savvy Community — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:00:06 -0800

This post was submitted by member Galonabudget in our How Do You Save? group.

My hours were cut back in September and I had to get serious about my savings and monthly budget to stay afloat. Until then, my income was steady enough that I could be careful and not worry. I tightened up my spending by logging all my receipts by category - housing, bills, food, transportation, clothes and entertainment - and quickly learned I was spending way more on gas, food and entertainment than I thought. I love movies, but my boyfriend and I were sometimes seeing two a week at the theaters, which quickly added up to more than $100 a month! I started my budget auditing on paper, but then went "professional" with my bank's online service and have been able to maintain a manageable budget since then. Thank goodness for organization and setting strict goals otherwise I'd be in the poor house right now.

Share your budget tips with SavvySugar readers. Create a PopSugar account or log in to your account. Then post your tips in the How Do You Save? group.

I'm Asking: What Did You Spend on Holiday Gifts?

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:45:57 -0800

Your wallet may be feeling a little lonely this week after a very busy month, so don't forget to take it out and take stock of the receipts. Eighty percent of SavvySugar readers admitted to spending most of their holiday budget on gifts, followed by nine percent who spent on seasonal entertainment spreads.

How much cash did you throw down in the name of the season? Were you able to keep your spending under the limit you set for gifts? What was the total damage?

Go Bowling For Free Today!

SavvySugar — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:30:32 -0700

This weekend might be all about Labor Day, but it's still National Bowling Week, which could work out for anyone who wants free entertainment today. Download a coupon to bowl a free game (good Sept. 5 only) and take it to an alley near you. By doing so, you'll be participating in an effort to set a record for the most games bowled in a single day.

Think bowling is for old guys? Here's an interesting fact. According to Strike Ten Entertainment, the average bowler is 29 years old, and 49 percent of bowlers are female. Even if you're not an a good bowler, it could be a fun (and free) way for you and your friends to pass the time today.

Three Bank Accounts Might Be Better Than One

SavvySugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:00:01 -0700

Is three the magic number? Money magazine is encouraging its readers to find a budget style that sticks, and one of the options is a bank account trifecta. The accounts include two checking and one high-yield savings. Here's the gist of the "bucket budget" way of managing your money, as suggested by Money.

"Figure out how much of every paycheck you want to put toward savings. Have that automatically sent to the savings account."
"Send the rest of your paycheck to checking account No. 1. From this you'll pay monthly fixed expenses, such as mortgage and utilities; set up automatic bill payment online."
"Figure out your monthly surplus in this account after recurring bills, divide by four, and set up a weekly automatic transfer for that amount to checking account No. 2. This is for variable expenses like groceries, entertainment, and eating out."
"Two rules: You can't transfer more money over until the next week, and you can't use credit cards."

Do you think this budget style would work for you?

Source

11 Real-Life Lessons Learned From the Celebrity Apprentice

SavvySugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:30:06 -0700

NBC has already given the nod to a ninth season of Donald Trump's Apprentice, so the show must be speaking to viewers. Sure, it's reality entertainment, but there are real-life lessons to be found in each episode of this season's Celebrity Apprentice. We had to get something valuable out of those two-hour segments, right?

If you were too distracted by the celebrity drama to deduce your own career-minded conclusions, Trump University's Lessons Learned Blog kept track for you. Randal Pinkett (winner of The Apprentice Season 4) runs the blog and he came up with several lessons from each episode, so I've selected the best ones from each week.

Episode 1: "Disagree behind closed doors all you want at work. That's part of teamwork. But never badmouth your team to outsiders. You need to present a strong image to the people who judge your performance."
Episode 2: "Cultivate the ability to adjust quickly. In today's fast-paced world of business, flexible people win out over the rigid."
Episode 3: "Remember, leaders don't shoulder their way into the spotlight. They know that the more they can let their team members excel, the brighter their own success will be."

To see eight more lessons, just read more.

Episode 4: "If you want to succeed in business, you have to stand on your own. If you cannot fight your own battles, you're not ready to succeed."
Episode 5: "Remember that simple systems free your mind to focus on the big picture. In times of confusion, even a little organization saves the day!"
Episode 6: "Stand by your word. Even if you don't realize it yet, a good reputation is your most powerful career asset."
Episode 7: "Never rely 100 percent on technology, because things go wrong. Hard drives crash. Power outages occur. The graphic you send at the last moment could be in a format that the recipient can't use."
Episode 8.1: "There will be times when you will feel shut out of some inner circle at work. If that happens, focus on the excellence of your work. You are not in junior high school anymore. Your feelings are no longer your top concern. It is time to get the job done."
Episode 8.2: "Remember that simply meeting demands is not always enough. Research and creativity will carry you into the winner's circle."
Episode 9: "In your career, take any hand you are dealt and play it to win. If you apply that strategy consistently, you will build small victory on small victory and move ahead."
Episode 10: "If you don't set specific goals and know how to reach them, you can never expect to succeed. You can't wander into success, you have to plan it."

Photo courtesy of NBC

Saving Inspiration: Family Spends $100 For One Month

SavvySugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:00:12 -0700

Inspiring stories can be found in the most surprising places, and this one comes from the October issue of Reader's Digest. Like many Americans, the Hochman family (Ruth, David, and four-year old Sebastian) realized they were being weighed down by pointless expenses, but instead of consuming as usual the family formed a drastic plan.

They'd have $100 for 30 days, to be used for what they call essential items like fresh fruit and milk, and of course they'd continue to pay the mortgage, utilities, and preschool tuition. Everything else, including parking, gas, and Internet, were off-limits. Find out how the Hochmans learned to live lean when you read more.

Habitual spending is a hard habit to break, but the Hochmans were adamant about sticking to the plan. When their shower clogged they pirated the neighbor's Internet and found a solution that worked on thriftyfun.com; David entertained Sebastian by taking him to Costco for the free samples; they used Skype for free phone calls, the public library for DVDs and books, and Freecycle or Craigslist for free stuff.

During the last week of the experiment, Ruth and David volunteered at a local charity that serves food to people in need in a restaurant setting. This final experience made them realize how much they really have, and how much other people live without every day.

How do you think your household would do with this (almost) no-spend month?

Source

TV's Behind-the-Scenes Salaries

SavvySugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:01:31 -0700

It takes a lot of people on payroll to make all of the lights, camera, and action happen on TV shows. BuzzSugar filled you in on how much the big moneymakers make on-screen (hopefully you'll do better than me on her quiz!), and I wanted to give a shout-out to those behind the scenes whose roles aren't as visible. TV Guide included some interesting pay facts about how much money these important contributors command. Do any of the numbers surprise you?

$37,005: Minimum rate for director of a one-hour show on network or pay cable.
$2,132: Weekly minimum for a costume designer on a half-hour or one-hour show.
$486: Residual per episode for a writer who creates a new character on an existing show (up to four episodes).
$31,748: Writers Guild minimum for one-hour teleplay.
$2,202: Weekly minimum for makeup artist.

Check out four more behind-the-scenes roles and their pay when you read more.

$600-$800: Average daily rate for TelePrompTer operator.
$1,690: Weekly minimum for videotape editor of a scripted show.
$350: Average daily rate for entertainment-news show field producer.
$1,000: Average daily rate for Steadicam operator.

Source

How Money Are You: Savvy Weekly Recap

SavvySugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 07:05:49 -0700

So many of our favorite TV shows were back on air this week after the writers' strike hiatus - I loved The Office on Thursday and the dinner party was undeniably entertaining, but I really can't wait for the whole staff to be back in their office. With all of the fresh episodes on TV this week demanding your attention, were you able to keep track of everything here on Savvy? Take my quiz to find out!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Take the quiz