SavvySugar

Blame Your Genes If Market News Makes You Anxious

SavvySugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:30:49 -0800

If your nails have taken a beating along with the economy, you might be able to blame your genes for desperately needing a manicure. Nail-biting nerves are genetic, according to new research - the study showed that a person's ability to deal with market turmoil is linked to her DNA.

Subjects' DNA was tested for variations of serotonin and dopamine which are thought to be impact risk-taking behavior, and the data was used to identify individuals with high-risk profiles or high-anxiety profiles. The participants were given money and told to invest it however they wanted, and the previously identified high-anxiety individuals invested 28 percent less money in risky investments than their high-risk peers.

Still, researcher Camelia Kuhnen acknowledged that experience has a lot to do with how much risk a person can handle and said, "People may learn a lot from this crisis."

Source

Have We Seen the Worst of the Financial Industry's Problems?

SavvySugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:30:11 -0800

Another week, another bank bailout. The most recent recipient of government aid is Citigroup, and the government's bailout package includes a $20 billion investment in the company and a $306 billion guarantee of risky assets.

Monday's market close was met with cheers as investor enthusiasm sent the market soaring, reflecting a general investor bet that the worst of the financial industry's problems may be over. Do you think we've seen the worst?

Source

How Money Are You: Match the Company to Its Stock Ticker

SavvySugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:15:34 -0800

We've been watching the market's volatile ebbs and flows and let it affect our moods since summertime. Following the stock market isn't necessarily the most productive way to worry, but many people just can't keep themselves from finding out how far the Dow dropped for the day. Publicly traded companies make up the stock market - can you match the company to its stock ticker? Take the quiz!

Source

Take the quiz

Watching the Market Will Drive You Nuts!

SavvySugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:00:34 -0700

Most of you aren't fans of the government bailing out private banks, but the market reacted more than kindly to the government's announcement that it may create an agency to buy bad debt from banks. Bad debt refers to the mortgage-related assets that were the Achilles heel to once Wall Street giants Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns.

The market showed its largest percentage point gain in six years but is still down for the week. What's with the fluctuation? Markets are always sensitive to news, but a week of unexpected headlines has created an even more volatile market. For the moment, investors feel reassured that the government is planning a large scale bailout that is aimed at containing the credit crisis.

Source

Bull Market vs. Bear Market: How Money Are You

SavvySugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:30:59 -0700

Just as political parties have their token animals, so do market conditions; a bull and bear are used to characterize the state of the market.

The terms are often thrown around by financial news personalities and are on the tips of investors' tongues. Do you know the difference between a bull and bear market?

Source

Take the quiz

Three Tips For Sticking to Your Retirement Savings

SavvySugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:02:04 -0700

Unless you're hooked up with a bullet and foolproof investment plan, chances are your retirement savings have taken a beating over the past many months. You're not alone! My 401(k) has been dragged through the trenches and the result is not pretty.

Am I a sucker for pumping monthly contributions into my retirement investments? I'd like to think not, though it's tough to contain my frustration when I peek at my account's worth. Find out what rationalization I use to make myself feel better when you read more.

Here are the little gems I use to tell myself in the end, it's all going to be OK. Hopefully they'll help you feel the same way about staying on track with your retirement savings.

I'm in this for the long haul. Retirement savings are for the future and aren't to be touched any sooner than your golden years. My investment plan reflects a long-term strategy and I trust that it will serve me well in the end.
I can't control the market. The market is a cycle and it's currently at a low point. While the account's total worth is lower than I've seen it before, I'm getting more shares for my money by buying them at their cheaper price. If history is any example, the cycle will come around and turn around this bear market.
I'm not alone! Staring at your dwindling account value might lead you to conclude that you have bad luck. If that were true, than most investors would be unlucky, too! There's no glass ball predicting the future, so acknowledge that the market is in a slump and move on.

One final tip: Don't check your retirement accounts often. I only check mine about once a quarter, because there's no point aside from fulfilling curiosity. It's always a good idea to make sure your investment plan meets your risk tolerance and time horizon, so review your accounts and see if they need to be rebalanced to meet your investment goals.

Source

Do Jeans Get the Job?

SavvySugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:30:19 -0800

I’ve mentioned before that jeans are generally a no-go in interviews, and most of you agreed. But are the interview times a-changin’? The Wall Street Journal recently made the claim that jeans are becoming the new power attire for male world leaders and executives - and that this phenomenon also carries over to interview attire in some industries:

. . . in the tech world, dressy pants can be viewed with suspicion. "When someone shows up to an interview or meeting in anything other than jeans, it shows inexperience and a lack of confidence," says Andrew Dumont, vice president of marketing for text-messaging company Tatango.

OK, so maybe darker, well-tailored jeans, paired with a dressier top and shoes, may be appropriate in some interview situations. But the statement that anything BUT jeans doesn’t fly in the tech industry is shocking to me.

Does a comment like this make you rethink your approach to interview attire? Or do you think it's specific to just the tech industry?

8 Successful Companies That Are Still Hiring

SavvySugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:45:36 -0700

Personal experience and news reports might tell us that nobody is hiring right now, but Fortune says to think again. The magazine recently released its 40 Under 40 - a list of the hottest rising stars in business - and many of them are looking to expand their teams. To see who these entrepreneurs are and what they’re looking for, read more.

H.S. Valedictorian Paid to Promote I Love You, Beth Cooper

SavvySugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:30:21 -0700

Nearly $2,000 is a lot of money for an 18-year-old headed to college. The marketing executives for Twentieth Century Fox used this fact to their advantage when they created what they considered a viral concept for the film I Love You, Beth Cooper.

As BuzzSugar relays, the teen comedy opens with a valedictory graduation speech that includes a profession of love for a popular girl at school. The marketing company for the movie thought re-creating this moment in a real graduation ceremony would create a viral buzz online, and 18-year-old valedictorian Kenya Mejia of Alexander High School in Los Angeles was paid $1,800 to play actress for a day.

At the end of Kenya's speech, the future M.I.T. freshman said, "I cannot let this opportunity just pass by. I love you, Jake Minor!" The crowd cheered and Jake stood up cheering, too. The moment was a big one for someone who considers herself "the biggest introvert ever" and it earned her a nice chunk of pocket change, but the incident didn't create enough of a buzz to make the movie a success. It doesn't sound like Kenya will have much trouble in that regard, however. She's already taking classes in preparation for Fall semester.

Reader Tip: Stock Up Your Pantry For Winter

SavvySugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:00:30 -0700

Over time we each develop a unique saving style, which is why I appreciate the Thrifty Tips - Getting The Most Out of Life group in the SavvySugar Community. It offers a place for you to preach your tips to other SavvySugar readers trying to turn a little into a lot and learn from fellow savers.

Beachwalker shares her seasonal saving suggestion:

I love buying fresh from the market in season. It is a delicious and inexpensive source of fruit and veggies. Before Winter I like to stock up on niblets of corn, peaches and pineapple tidbits when there is a sale. (They have to be less than half price.) Frozen, I like peas and mixed vegetables, as well as blueberries when they are on sale.

After stocking up on seasonal goodies some shoppers even can fruits and put them in the pantry to enjoy later. Have a thrifty tip to share? Join the Thrifty Tips - Getting The Most Out of Life group in the SavvySugar Community and preach!