SavvySugar

I'm Asking: Are You an "Airport Snob"?

SavvySugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:45:26 -0700

Naturally, it makes sense to book the cheapest flights possible if you're located near more than one major airport, as long it doesn't cost significantly more (in time or money) to get there. But what about layovers? Since I can typically find flights of similar value with a variety of stops, I do have my own penchants when it comes to picking airports - just one bad experience will make me avoid certain connections whenever possible. On that note, my local airport released this ad showing an intentionally exaggerated view of SFO when compared to other major California airports:

Of course, travel time and parking price should be factored into any choice, but do you find yourself preferring one airport over another for departure, arrival, or stops in between?

A Look at Who's Shopping Wal-Mart's Beauty Aisles

BellaSugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:38 -0700

Wal-Mart is already a go-to spot for a lot of household goods, but one study suggests it may be taking a bigger role in the world of beauty. WWD reports on a new study by researching firm The Benchmarking Company, which surveyed more than 2,300 women to gauge their opinions of the store's beauty shopping experience.

Among the findings: 73 percent of the participants shop for personal care products at Wal-Mart, and more than half do so because of low prices. Olay, Cover Girl, Suave, and Maybelline are some of the more popular brands among these shoppers. One beauty genre, however, isn't doing so well at Wally World. The study shows that shoppers are "confused" by natural and organic products, and 70 percent refuse to pay more for them. Why does this matter for beauty brands? Because 200 million people shop at Wal-Mart each week. Are you one of them, and do you stock up on your grooming essentials there?

Save Money on Groceries by Learning How to Price Match

SavvySugar — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:49:16 -0700

There's more to saving money at the supermarket than clipping coupons. Go beyond your normal routine and add price matching to your saving strategies at the grocery store. If you think that's easier said than done, just learn these simple steps and you'll be a pro in no time.

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How Much Do You Think You'll Spend on Makeup in Your Lifetime?

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:00:46 -0800

Are you ready for this? A recent poll by UK retailer Superdrug showed that the average woman spends approximately $13,000 on makeup in her lifetime. Does that seem possible? Check out the breakdown below:

The stats:

The results concluded that a woman spends about 20 minutes doing her makeup each day, or approximately 330 days over her lifetime.
According to the study, from the ages of 16 to 65, a woman shops for cosmetics about five times a year. Each time, she spends approximately $39 each time, equaling about $196 a year.
To break it down further, that's about $2,500 on eye shadow, $1,600 on lipstick, and $3,400 on mascara in total.

Does it sound less crazy now, or not so much? How much do you think you spend on cosmetics over the course of a year - let alone your lifetime?

I'm Asking: Are You a Socially-Conscious Consumer?

SavvySugar — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:00:30 -0800

Apple has long been admired for its product innovation, but amid reports this week that an Apple company audit revealed 17 "core violations" with various suppliers, including breaking with child labor laws, I'm hoping the company can help innovate supplier factories. To be clear, I'm not knocking the company, after all, it was a company audit, which revealed and reported the violations. With discoveries that include "falsified records" and "noncompliance with labor standards," by Apple's suppliers, I feel that the report was necessary. I'm the kind of consumer that wants to be informed - for me, ignorance isn't bliss at all, and if there's been a shady violation from a company that I'm a customer of, I want to know about it.

I'm confident that Apple has the power as a big name company to push for improvements in manufacturing, and hopeful that other companies are just as informed about how their business is carried out, because when it comes to the consumer-side of things, I try to do just that - stay informed. What about you, are you a socially conscious-consumer? And to what extent does your social awareness shape your purchases?

Has Anything You've Purchased Been Recalled?

SavvySugar — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:45:32 -0800

Unless you've been driving in the outback listening to '80s dance hits, you've surely heard the daily updates about the recall of millions of Toyota vehicles and impending Congressional hearing. The company's recalls seem to be a shock to most because of its reputation as dependable, but they are a reality of business. Faulty products are constantly put on the market only to be recalled weeks, months, or even years later, and as consumers there is little we can do besides our brand and product homework.

Has anything you've purchased - from machine parts to peanut butter - ever been recalled? If so, what and what did you do?

An Insider's Look at the Men in Sephora

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:00:00 -0800

Here's some funny Sephora shopping advice from OnSugar blogger Juicy Watermelon, who works there:

There are a surprisingly large number of men shopping at Sephora. A tiny percentage are there for themselves, and you can normally tell which ones those are, because they tend to be pretty hot. There are also guys there with their wives or girlfriends, or just simply left with shopping lists. There are two types of those, though: the young and eager to please, and the middle-aged one who's just happy not to be buying more tampons. Then there's the last type of guy - the ones who are there getting gifts. To find out her tips for the latter, just keep reading.

Cashmere Toilet Paper: Guess How Much?

SavvySugar — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:00:03 -0800

Of course, your buns deserve the best. For those who swoon over cashmere knits, there's a new cashmere blend toilet paper to satisfy your obsession with soft.

A luxury bathroom experience will soon be available at British supermarket Waitrose, and a buyer for the chain said cashmere "is indulgent, it's stylish, and it's helping provide that extra softness to our new premium bathroom tissue collection."

Stylish hasn't been a word much associated with toilet tissue, so perhaps they're creating something of a niche market. How much would it cost to add rolls of the "most luxurious bathroom tissue yet" to your stockpile?

Take the quiz

Do You Shop at Beauty Supply Stores?

BellaSugar — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:02:08 -0800

If you color your hair at home, or you just want access to pro-level products, beauty supply stores can prove to be an excellent resource. I've been hitting up Sally Beauty Supply since I was a wee one, mostly because my aunt, who had her own beauty shop in the back of her house, was a frequent purchaser. What about you? Do you head over to your local beauty supply store on a regular basis, or do you do your shopping elsewhere?

Source: Flickr User Pikturewerk

Guess How Much: America's Biggest Rip-Offs

SavvySugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:00:54 -0800

Smart shoppers pretty much know when they're getting hosed, although it's not usually obvious how much retailers are ripping us off. Perhaps ignorance is bliss when it comes to paying huge markups, but you can only make more thoughtful decisions when armed with more information. Take the quiz and find out what it costs to make some of your favorite products.

Take the quiz