SavvySugar

Do You Supplement Your Income With Side Jobs?

SavvySugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:00:07 -0800

Diversifying - investing in a variety of places to minimize your risk - is a popular buzzword in the financial world. But have you ever considered applying that concept to your career? With jobs and retirement funds feeling pretty unstable these days, some financial advisors are suggesting diversifying your sources of income - i.e., having more than one job. To find out what the advantages might be, read more.

According to some financial experts and bloggers, pursuing side jobs can help you increase your income, be more financially stable, and even retire early. The idea is that having different types of cash flow will serve as security if you’re laid off or take a pay cut in one position, and will give you more flexibility to save for the future. I can see other pros, too - side jobs and freelancing can provide different outlets for your talents, and can be really fulfilling. On the other hand, juggling several jobs at once can get stressful fast if you aren’t careful.

Have you tried this approach?

Source: Flickr User Daniela Vladimirova

Does Everyone Secretly Want a "Wife"?

SavvySugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:00:23 -0800

Thanks to a recent Pew Research study we know now that more women are outearning their partners than ever before. Let’s hear it for the ever-shrinking gender gap . . . right? According to some women, including writer Sandra Tsing Loh, earning more than our partners isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

In a recent New York Times op-ed, Loh says that the constant multitasking and duty-splitting of most modern households make her pine for the days of 1950s housewifery. Except, Loh realizes, she wants to be on the other end of things this time - she wants to continue being the breadwinner, while her partner greets her every evening with a clean house, an attentive ear, and ideally, a good Manhattan. "In the end," she says, "we all want a wife."

What’s your take? Do you think the top-earning partner in a relationship secretly wishes for a stay-at-home spouse to make life easier?

Photo courtesy of AMC

5 Money Issues Every Couple Should Prepare For

SavvySugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:30:33 -0800

We talk about love and money quite a bit here on Savvy, and many of you have had a go-round or two with your significant other about the topic. In a new relationship, resolving money issues means adjusting to each other’s spending and saving styles, and coming up with a system you can both live with. But as relationships grow and change, financial situations do too, and many couples find themselves having to adjust their approach to money after years of marriage.

New York Times columnist Ron Lieber recently offered up a list of five issues that can cause financial bickering even in established relationships. To see them, along with my advice for how to address them, click away.

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How-To: Determine If You Can Live on One Income

SavvySugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:30:15 -0700

There are too many families who were taken by surprise when one breadwinner suddenly lost his or her job, but some couples might choose to give up an income for one reason or another. Maybe one person was offered a job in another city, leaving the other one without employment, the couple wants one parent to stay home with the kids, one half of the duo is miserable at work and wants out ASAP, etc. Before you make the choice to live on one income, you need to find out if it's a viable option by following these steps.

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Which Best-Paid Celebrity Earns More?

SavvySugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:30:10 -0700

Oprah is untouchable in terms of income - taking in an estimated $275 million, she's the highest earning celebrity by far. Do you know where the other best-paid celebrities stand? Take the quiz!

Question 1 of 6

Who earns more?

Maryland Is the State With the Highest Median Income

SavvySugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:30:43 -0700

Maryland is holding strong as the state with the highest median income for the third year in a row. The U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (using 2008 figures) found the median household income in Maryland is $70,545, followed by New Jersey ($70,378), Connecticut ($68,595), Alaska ($68,460) and Hawaii ($67,214). See which states have the lowest median income when you read more.

With its median income of $37,790, Mississippi is ranked in the survey, following short of West Virginia ($37,989), Arkansas ($38,815), Kentucky ($41,538), and Alabama ($42,538). It's important to note that the cost of living in Bethesda, Maryland is 52 percent higher than in Tupelo, Mississippi; the average apartment monthly rent in Bethesda is $1,464 and median home price is $529,707, versus $512 monthly rent in Tupelo and a median home price of $220,000.

The takeaway? One must consider purchasing power before taking a job in a new state that promises bigger bucks.

Which Top-Earning Talk Show Host Earns More?

SavvySugar — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 06:30:35 -0700

No matter what time they're on TV, the top-earning talk show hosts are paid nicely for their gift of gab. Guess which hosts make the most!

Question 1 of 5

Which talk show host earns more?

Your Two Cents: Are You Paid a Fair Salary?

SavvySugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:57:00 -0700

A friend of mine admits that she's overpaid. I appreciate her honesty, but there's a little feeling in my gut whenever the subject comes up - a nip of envy, if you will. My pal with the inflated paycheck is in the minority of women who admit they make more than they deserve, according to a recent survey of 4,000 women conducted by Woman's Day and AOL Living. The poll found that 6 percent of women agree they are overpaid, while 69 percent say they deserve to earn more money. What's your opinion on your paycheck?

Source: Flickr User Unhindered by Talent

Who Brings Home More Bacon: You or Your Honey?

SavvySugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:44:06 -0700

We know what tradition says about who puts the bread on the table, but I want to know, who brings home more bacon in your relationship?

Source: Flickr User robotsari

The 10 Best Paid Cities in the World

SavvySugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:15:45 -0700

There's more to purchasing power than the gross number on your paycheck. Nobody knows that better than residents of Copenhagen, who earn more before taxes on average than any other city in the world. However, after accounting for taxes, hours worked, social security contributions, transportation, and the cost of groceries and household items, workers in Copenhagen have weaker purchasing power compared to cities where the average gross pay is less.

The UBS Prices and Earnings report factored in the necessary pieces to determine which cities are the best paid in the world. Find out the 10 cities where purchasing power is strongest when you read more.

Zurich, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland
New York, New York
Dublin, Ireland
Luxembourg
Copenhagen, Denmark
Los Angeles, California
Oslo, Norway
Helsinki, Finland
Miami, Florida