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

Do Tell: Are You Enjoying the Simpler Life?

DearSugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Layoffs, pay cuts, and stock market losses, oh my! It's a scary time for all, and though we left many bad times in 2008, we've still got a long way to go before we recover from these trying times. And since we're all undoubtedly money-conscious these days, many of us are going back to the basics. Reclaiming the simple things in life has been surprisingly gratifying to me, but do tell, are you enjoying the elementals again?

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

Off to Market: Serving Ware

partysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:50:32 -0800

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I like to take inventory of my serving ware. I plan on doing a lot of entertaining between now and New Year's, and whether I'm plating up bite-sized appetizers or slicing pieces of roast chicken, I'm going to need a lot of serving trays and bowls.

I want to invest in a couple of new ones, can you help me find them? To share your favorite serving ware, bookmark the items in the Off to Market group in the YumSugar Community. Don't forget to tag the bookmarks with the keywords Serving Ware. Happy hunting!

Interested in learning more about bookmarking? Check out the complete instructions here. Need some shopping inspiration? See a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Off to Market Recap: Thanksgiving Accessories

partysugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:50:19 -0800

Creating a memorable Thanksgiving is not just about serving a moist turkey and flavorful pureed potatoes. It's also about enjoying a meal with loved ones! To get excited for the big day, I searched the Internet for festive table accessories and functional turkey tools. Then I used our wonderful bookmarking device to save the products in the Off to Market group in the YumSugar Community.

This allows me to share all of my discoveries with you in one easy widget! I'm absolutely crazy for this three-section leaf server ($30). It can be used for appetizers like nuts, olives, and chunks of cheese. Or for the main meal, fill the acorn center with gravy and the surrounding dishes with turkey, sectioning off the dark and light meat.

Interested in learning more about bookmarking and creating product widgets? Check out the complete instructions here.

On the Market: Sleep in Edward Cullen's Bedroom

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:37:06 -0800

All right, Twilight fans, here's your chance to get a little closer to Edward Cullen. The Vancouver residence that the Cullens inhabit in the New Moon film is for sale for $3.3 million through Soprovich Realty.

The five-bedroom, four-bath home is a modernist's dream, with extensive use of glass and post and beam style throughout the soaring, open spaces. The fantastic views of the surrounding Pacific Northwest landscape only add to this home's considerable charm. According to the realtor's listing,

"The Cullen House" as seen in the recent world-wide hit saga - "Twilight: New moon"!! Arthur Erickson's finest and totally renovated in 2001, this award-winning residence is situated on a private 1/2 acre creekside property nestled amongst a gorgeous greenbelt and towering trees. Tastefully remodeled by Brian Hemingway, this home has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, with the finest detail and quality available.

The home features a private studio with koi pond, concrete, slate, wool carpet, and cherry floors, a chef's kitchen, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, 20-foot-high ceilings, an outdoor pool, and a huge media room overlooking a nearby creek. Absolutely gorgeous, for vampires and humans alike.

Take the complete tour when you read more.

This is not the same house used in Twilight. That house was designed by architect Jeff Kovel of Skylab Architecture. For New Moon, the filming was moved to Vancouver, BC, and the Erickson-designed house, which was also featured in the John Cusack film Martian Child, became the Cullen home for the second film in the Twilight saga.

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