SavvySugar

Would You Trust $3 Appliances From Target?

SavvySugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:13 -0800

Any bargain hunter knows quality and price aren't necessarily correlated. But a $3 coffeemaker? That's less than Starbucks and friends charge for several of their caffeinated menu items.

You might have heard that Target's supposed Black Friday deals were leaked online. A spokesperson for the company wouldn't confirm the rumored deals which include $3 Chefmate brand toasters and coffeemakers, high-definition TVs and navigation systems with slashed price tags, half-priced clothes and toys, and more. If the leaked advertisement is accurate, it sounds like Target is going all out this year trying to get shoppers in its automatic doors.

I'm not used to $3 appliances existing outside garage sales and thrift stores, so it's really something that the chain store is offering these low prices. Sure, I'd throw down a few bucks for a perfectly good, gently used appliance. After all, the person who bought it new surely spent more for the item. Something feels different about buying a new appliance for such a low price - I'm just not sure I'd trust that it would hold up for very long. What's your take?

O . . . M . . . Gossip Girl.

Sponsor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:45:46 -0700

This just in: Anna Sui and Target have hooked up to create fashion inspired by the designer’s favorite show, Gossip Girl. Best of all, it’s available at prices to gossip about. Now, the big question is: which of the show’s four main characters best reflects your fashion sense and personality? Is it charming and ruthless Blair’s love of glamorous classics with a modern twist? Self-assured Serena’s ability to make haughty Euro-styles look easy breezy? Innocent and quirky Jenny’s rocker-chic fashion turn? Or outcast Vanessa’s penchant for bold colors and patterns that set her apart from the Upper East Side elite?

Whatever style is right for you, you can get it at Target now. Best of all, you don’t have to have the finances of an heiress to afford it.

Celebrating 10 Years of Everyday Beauty

Sponsor — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:45:29 -0700

Award-winning makeup artist and beauty expert Sonia Kashuk believes that makeup and makeup application can be easy for every woman. Her high-performing, face-flattering products and professional-quality tools make it effortless. Celebrating 10 years, Sonia Kashuk for Target simplifies beauty at remarkably affordable prices. Shop Sonia Kashuk!

View Slideshow ›

Target Celebrates Early Earth Day With Free Totes and Coupons

SavvySugar — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:00:29 -0700

Earth Day is just a few days away! If you've been meaning to take a trip to Target (or have just been looking for an excuse to go), there's a good reason to head over there today. The chain will be handing out one million free reusable shopping bags (pictured left) in honor of Earth Day, and inside you'll find a coupon for $2.00 off an eco-friendly GE CFL lightbulb. Target is offering more ways to save money while going green - just be sure you're not filling up your free bag with stuff you don't need!

Rachael Ray Is a TJ Maxx and Target Girl

SavvySugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:30:48 -0800

The queen of 30-minute meals, Rachael Ray, is an expert on whipping up family meals, and in her life outside the kitchen she loves to share more than just food with her own family. When Bankrate asked her if she treats herself to many extravagances, Ray said that now she's able to take her entire family on an annual Italian vacation and she enjoys doing things that are "emotionally profitable," like starting the Yum-O! organization.

While she's all for going splurging on her family and giving generously to charity, the bubbly cook doesn't spend much on her wardrobe. She said that she certainly has "more shoes than she did 15 years ago," but most of her shopping habits haven't really changed.

But in our everyday life, I wear literally the same pants I've had for 10, 12 years. I still shop at TJ Maxx and Marshalls and Target, and I do my own grocery shopping. I wander around in Adidas sweats and wear bluejeans most of the time.

Bankrate points out that we can all learn from Ray's habits of living below our means and sharing what we do have when possible.

Source

Target to Pay $1.7 Million For Over-Charging Customers

SavvySugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:30:59 -0700

Weights and measures inspectors from Northern California discovered that Target repeatedly charged customers with higher prices than the listed prices, and as punishment Target must pay a $1.7 million civil penalty. Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua remarked, "Customers should not have to worry about being charged the correct price. We believe the settlement sends a message."

The investigation was limited to Northern California, but there's more than a good chance electronic scanners in Targets all over the country have been over-charging customers. Target is a fan-favorite around here, but spending money unnecessarily is not OK. Next time you are shopping at Target, or anywhere for that matter, make sure you're paying attention to what you're being charged - those mistakes add up.

Source

The Best Companies to Start a Career

SavvySugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:30:02 -0700

Moving to a city that's first-time job seeker friendly can improve your chances of landing an entry-level job, and you're really in luck if you can score a position with a company that treats its beginner workforce especially well.

BusinessWeek compiled its annual list of the best places to launch a career by polling college career counseling directors across the country and collecting statistics from employers to learn about details like pay, benefits, training programs, and retention rates. See which employers took the top 10 spots and the average pay for entry-level hires when you read more.

Deloitte (Accounting): average pay $55,000 to $60,000
Ernst & Young (Accounting): average pay $50,000 to $55,000
PricewaterhouseCoopers (Accounting): average pay $50,000 to $55,000
KPMG (Accounting): average pay $50,000 to $55,000
U.S. State Dept. (Nonprofit/Government): average pay $60,000 to $65,000
Goldman Sachs (Investment Banking): average pay $60,000 to $65,000
Teach for America (Nonprofit/Government): average pay $35,000 to $40,000
Target (Retail): average pay $45,000 to $50,000
J.P. Morgan (Investment Banking): average pay $60,000 to $65,000
IBM (Technology): average pay $60,000 to $65,000

Couple Sets Up PayPal For Wedding Gifts: Brilliant or Baffling?

SavvySugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:15:16 -0700

Most of you were baffled when a broke bride-to-be asked strangers to contribute to her wedding fund via her Help Me Pay For My Wedding! website. But what if the woman was only targeting her family and friends?

Another bride-to-be, Vanessa Caldwell, has created a PayPal site where guests invited to her November wedding can give the couple money - even by charging their credit cards. Instead of creating a typical wedding website where guests can go to find details about accommodations and day-of details, they developed Dollarforawedding.com and announced its existence on Facebook.

The couple has received about $750 so far and Caldwell defends the idea saying, "We weren't trying to have a lavish wedding; this wasn't a get rich plan. This was just to help us with a small intimate wedding with no more than 75 people." Some guests may have given the couple cash anyway and wouldn't be bothered by the PayPal suggestion, while others might be offended by the presumptuous nature of the request. What do you think of the idea; is it brilliant or baffling?

Ask Savvy: I'm Bored With My Job After Only Three Months

SavvySugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:30:08 -0700

Dear Savvy,

I'm lucky enough to have found a job after being laid off from my old one, and I've been working at my new company for about three months. I really like the people and the place, but I'm already bored with the job itself! I obviously don't want to look for another job after being unemployed for months and the company is in the industry where I see my career growing. But I'm afraid that I'll go crazy with boredom if I'm stuck with the work I'm currently doing. Any advice?

Savvy says: Three months is a pretty short honeymoon period with a position, but I don't think you're doomed to days full of dull duties. See my tips for overcoming this hump when you read more.

Make a promise to yourself that you'll really give this job a chance before looking for a new one. Then, write down exactly why you think you're bored with the job. Is it the type of work you're doing, that you're not busy enough, the predictability of your days, or a combination of these? Once you've targeted the problem, you can begin working on a solution.

While you won't be able to shake the responsibilities that come with your job description any time soon, you can always ask your boss to include you on different projects and take it upon yourself to find new ways to complete everyday tasks. You're still new at the job, so if you don't have enough on your plate it could be that your boss didn't want to overwhelm you from the start. It's up to you to let her know you're ready to handle more.

You may never have been in love with your job if you've only been there for a few short months, but some of my tips on how to fall in love with your job again could still apply. Keep chugging along with your career in mind, and stay alert for any opportunities that open up within the company and might be a better fit for you.

Are you ready to get answers to your lingering finance questions? Not sure how to get the job you can't stop thinking about? Now's the time to get the information you need. Join the Ask Savvy group and share your concerns. Savvy may answer them on the site. Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Would You Welcome a Charge For Carry-On Bags?

SavvySugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:30:47 -0700

Without fail, every time I'm on a plane I witness a flight attendant shoving someone's over-sized carry-on into the overhead compartment. Checked luggage charges are pretty much unavoidable (unless you fly Southwest), and passengers are trying to skip the extra fee by jamming as much stuff as possible into the biggest carry-on bags. I appreciate the fact that people are trying to save the cash, but I'll admit, the practice does get under my skin when it starts eating up everyone's loading and unloading time.

Passengers aren't going to stop bringing luggage and there's not much left for airlines to place additional fees, so there's speculation that carry-on bags will be the next target. Some passengers might welcome the charge which could create a smoother experience overall, while others would undoubtedly take offense to this type of fee.