Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 382
December 30, 2010
The Easiest Way to Save Money in 2011
Saving money is simple: Live on less than you earn. But of course, that's like suggesting that dieting is a simple matter of burning more calories than we take in. Neither discipline comes easy. You have to track your spending (calories); become a savvy shopper (eater); understand the basics of investing (exercise); get excited about concepts like compound interest (and weight-loss maintenance). So with New Year's Resolutions in mind, here's the easiest way to save money in 2011.
Three little words: Just pay cash.
Simply using credit cards that provide rewards will cause you to spend more money, according to a new study by researchers at the Federal Reserve in Chicago. The economists found that when a bank offered a 1 percent cash rewards program, the average cash-back to the consumer was $25. But at the same time, people increased their spending by $68 a month, and overall credit card debt by $115 a month.
You're probably thinking – well, people just bought stuff with the card and paid it off at the end of the month to get the rewards, instead of paying cash. And some people did. But others simply spent more than they had previously, wiping out the benefit of the reward, researchers told the Wall Street Journal.
Previous studies have suggested similar problems with credit cards. Paying with plastic never feels the same as using cash. Richard Thaler, professor of behavioral science and economics at the University of Chicago business school, says people pay less attention when purchases are "decoupled" from payment.
Let's say you buy a $50 jacket with a credit card. "Compare the impact of paying $50 in cash at the store to that of adding a $50 item to an $843 bill," Thaler writes in a paper on the topic. "Psychophysics implies that the $50 will appear larger by itself than in the context of a much larger bill, and in addition when the bill contains many items each one will lose salience. The effect becomes even stronger if the bill is not paid in full immediately."
A separate study found graduate students who were allowed to bid on items in an auction with a credit card bid up to 100 percent more than those restricted to cash payment.
I used to charge everything to my credit card and pay off in full at the end of the month to maximize my rewards. But I stopped doing that last year because doing so can hurt your credit score.
I shifted to a debit card on a high-interest checking account. I don't think the debit is causing me to overspend, because I use it for groceries and other basics. But I have to wonder if I'd be a more careful shopper if I had to rely on a specific amount of cash taken from the ATM each week. Have you ever found that using cash made you less likely to spend?
You Asked: In Flu Season, Should I Eat My Neighbor's Food?
A reader named mimatz wrote to describe a quandary: "After a stay in the hospital, a neighbor dropped off dinner. They recently had a bout of flu in their household. I'm wary of serving it. What do I say to my neighbor when they ask how we enjoyed it?"
When you return your neighbor's (clean) dishes, just say, "Thank you so much. That was so thoughtful of you to go to the trouble to make us a home-cooked meal, and it really made us feel loved during this difficult time."
Why would you say anything else? There's no need to make her feel like Typhoid Mary after she cooked you a whole meal, out of kindness.
However, there's a bigger picture to keep in mind. The issue isn't really whether the food was full of flu-spreading germs or not. It's this. If you don't want to eat something someone offers you, you shouldn't. It doesn't matter what the reason is—maybe you are allergic to mushrooms, or you don't like lemon, or eating brussels sprouts reminds you of the last time you were sick—because when it comes to food, people have strong, instinctive reactions. Eat what you like, stay away from what you don't, and you will feel happy. And if you manage to be gracious about refusing something (see above), everyone else will be happy too.
Are there other ways to deal with this? What would you do with your neighbor's home-cooked casserole if you didn't want to eat it?
December 29, 2010
When Do You Take Down Your Holiday Decorations?
The holidays are winding down, and I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the new year. Part of starting the new year off right in my family involves taking down the holiday decorations. We traditionally put everything away on New Year's day. This year it will be a bit earlier since that's when I fly home to New York.
So I want to know when you take your decorations down. Let me know in the poll below.
When do you take down your holiday decorations?Market Research
And just in case you need some help putting your decorations away, we have plenty of expertise in that area. Check out some of our favorite storage products and techniques:
Storing Holiday Decorations
8 Ways to Store Christmas Decorations
12 Great Photos To Frame
Would you like to see some beautiful photographs for under $55 (most of them are around $25) that you can frame and put in your home for the new year? I have off this week, which has been wonderful by the way, and one thing I find myself doing a lot of is shopping online (sorry, husband!). While browsing for pretty things, I started to notice a theme -- I'm collecting lots of great photographs and adding them to my wish list, all are from Etsy shops, so I thought I'd quickly round up 12 great photos for the new year that certainly can bring in a beautiful feeling of peace, joy and hope for an even better year ahead!
Above is a glimpse of the 12 that I'd like to share with you today... Below you can see the full view, price, seller name and of course the name of the print and a link to it. I hope that you enjoy my picks!
1. Keep Calm & Carry On by MaGallerie, $20. I ordered this one! :)
2. How Peculiar by AL Photography, $30.
3. Paper Lanterns by Honeytree (who happens to be having a huge BOGO sale right now), $28.
4. Paris in White, a fine art photo collection, by Little Brown Pen, $38
5. Blue Paris by Alicia Bock, $35.
6. Pretty in Pink, mini print set of 3, by 74 Lime Lane, $3.
7. Brown & Gold by Miles of Light, $25.
8. Looking for Love by IS Photography, $17.
9. A Sort of Dream by Bucks County Frames, $53
10. Nostalgia by Leaping Gazelle, $20.
11. The Breakfast by SLG Designs, $15.
12. Bread Making by Marina Porter, $25.
Any photos above that you would like to display in your home? Any photographers that you follow and currently own the work of? I'd love to know... Feel free to leave a comment below with a link to your favorite photographers! :)
See you on Friday!
(images: linked to their sources above.)
December 28, 2010
Fun Ideas for Sparkling Cocktails on New Year's Eve
Popping open a bottle of something bubbly—whether it's genuine Champagne or some other type of sparkling wine—is mandatory on New Year's Eve. But there are lots of fun and super-easy ways to dress up the drink for the night if you're in the mood for something different. Better yet, put out an assortment of mixers and let your guests concoct their own festive libations. Here are some ideas for sparkling wine add-ins (and if you're creating cocktails, I'd recommend using an inexpensive cava or Prosecco instead of real Champagne; you don't want to mess around too much with the good stuff).
There's no need to measure precisely; just start with a bit of the mixer, add some sparkling wine, then taste. Add more of either until you come up with just the right combination.
Peach puree or nectar
You're already familiar with the mimosa, the popular brunch staple of orange juice and Champagne. Try making a Bellini instead, which combines peach puree with sparkling wine (traditionally Prosecco). Mix things up even more by experimenting with different purees and nectars, like strawberry, passion fruit, and pear.
Crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)
Make a Kir Royale, which combines a bit of sweet crème de cassis with Champagne. So easy and so delicious.
Guinness or other black Irish stout
Try a Black Velvet—a rich, dark beer mixed with Champagne, for something a little more substantial but still festive. You'll end up with a dark brown cocktail with a creamy head.
Port
A Nelson's Blood is a shot of port wine combined with Champagne, which makes a tasty crimson cocktail.
Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Have a bottle of orange liqueur left over from a recipe? Here's an easy way to dispose of it—combine a shot with Champagne for a more sophisticated (and potent) take on the mimosa.
Wild hibiscus in syrup
This one may sound a bit strange, but it's both pretty and delicious (and extremely unique). You can buy jars of edible hibiscus flowers preserved in syrup (order from wildhibiscus.com or amazon.com). Just remove a flower, place it in the bottom of your flute, pour in a bit of the accompanying syrup, then top off with sparkling wine. The flower opens up in the glass and turns the drink a lovely pink color, while adding a sweet-tart floral flavor reminiscent of raspberries and rhubarb. When you're done with the drink, don't forget to eat the flower at the bottom.
Cheers! What's your favorite way to jazz up sparkling wine?
(image: Lew Robertson/Getty Images)
Creating Uncluttering and Organizing Resolutions for 2011
Many people enjoy setting resolutions, and at the top of many lists is: Be more organized. Unfortunately, without more concrete objectives, these resolutions run the risk of being unfulfilled.
If you're setting resolutions and wish to include organizing or uncluttering goals to your list, consider one or more of these (I probably wouldn't try to tackle all of them, though):
Nightly: change into pajamas an hour before going to bed. (When you get ready for bed before you're exhausted, you're more likely to get your dirty clothes in the hamper and shoes back in their proper storage locations.)
Daily: put dirty dishes into the dishwasher immediately after a meal and declare that a meal isn't finished until the kitchen is clean. (If you don't own a dishwasher, make the same declaration about washing and drying the dishes by hand.)
Nightly: make and pack lunches for the next day while making dinner. (You won't have to scramble in the morning.)
Daily: shred, recycle, and/or trash junk mail immediately upon entering the house.
Daily: hang up your coat immediately upon entering the house.
Every Sunday: Plan out meals for the week and create a grocery list.
What concrete resolutions are you setting for 2011? Share your changes in the comments.
December 27, 2010
On the Hunt: Pretty Cake Stands
I'm not normally a resoultion maker. But this year, I'm setting some goals for myself. I'm an amateur baker, and I've never tackled a layer cake. So that's one thing I want to learn to do this year.
And of course I'll need a gorgeous cake stand in order to frost it and serve it. This is one of my Cake Stand Crown Tuscan 10" from Fishs Eddy, $68
DIY Cake Stand Tutorial from Eat Drink Pretty (I love the yellow. It would look perfect in my yellow kitchen.)
Vintage Fenton Hobnail White Milkglass Cake Stand from FQMercantile on Etsy, $79
Cake-Decorating Stand from Sur La Table, $100 (It rotates!)
Do you have a home-related goal for the new year? Or something new you want to learn how to do in 2011?
Your New Year's Eve Dressing Guide
The New Year is about starting fresh...a chance to wipe the slate clean...and the opportunity to begin new adventures. Don't you just love that?
Sooooo, it's no wonder that New Year's Eve parties are typically the biggest and most fun. And any gal knows that it's the perfect time to dress up and look our best!
With that said, here are some fun and most certainly festive wardrobe ideas for your big night out! Now all you have to do it figure out what party to attend.
Try something in velvet...
Aidan Mattox batwing sleeve dress, $195
Loft velveteen tux blazer, $100
Donna Morgan burnout shift dress, $158
Turn heads in a statement skirt...
Talbots silk taffeta skirt, $105
Kate Spade Mercury Marsha sequin skirt, $346
Nishe layered ruffle A-line skirt, $57
And for those who prefer pants, try a tuxedo style...
Rugby Ralph Lauren Chandra wool tuxedo pants, $125
Trina Turk Moss tuxedo pant, $178.50
Banana Republic Logan fit tuxedo pant, $93
Slip on "ravishing" red....
Audrey Brooke Estella pump, $50
Throw on a bold accessory...
Anthropologie If Color Could Talk necklace, $48
Lulu Frost May Day earrings, $112
CCC's bauble charm chain bracelet, $16
Go glitzy with gold...
Kate Spade sequin ballet flat, $125
The finishing touches...
Coach collectible large clutch, $198
Rachel Rachel Roy cocktail ring, $42
What do you plan to wear on New Year's Eve?
Letterbox Co. + DIY Number Stencils
After I wrote this post on decor8 the other day, a bunch of readers wrote in asking where to find some of the crafty items shown in the photos. I did a little research and found the Letterbox Co. -- have you heard of this quaint Australian online shop? It's a lovely find for you today, the goods are simple and nice... I particularly love the natural paper tape, kraft paper, stenciled numbers adorning tags and clipboards, and other understated beauties.
Letterbox Co. was born out of a love for vintage numbers, stencils, eco-friendly products and brown Kraft papers. When you have a passion for something that doesn't seem to fade, it is only natural that you'd want to do something with it so this shop is a result of that passion.
I love the paper tape, numbered bottle vase, and the jute laptop case. Fun!
Psst: If you would like to stencil some numbers on things in your home (tablecloths, runners, pillows) simply purchase some stencils and fabric paint (black, gray or white is best if you are going for this vintage industrial look but it also depends on what you will apply them to, white on white doesn't work for obvious reasons!) and a good stencil brush and try this at home but don't forget to tape the stencil down or else your numbers may not come out so neat. Here is a free printable stencil template to get you started or you may purchase them here on Amazon for under $5.
(images: letterbox co.)
December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas from Simply Stated
Many of us at Real Simple are now home for the holidays, but I wanted to be sure to wish all of you a Merry Christmas.
This is how I've been celebrating with my family on the morning of Christmas Eve:
Here's the step-by-step. Fair warning, it's the Charlie Brown Christmas tree of Gingerbread Houses.
Setting out the supplies:
Icing the pieces to stick together:
Walls are up. We're ready for the roof:
The roof is on:
Now it's piped:
Now it's decorated:
It's coming right along. That wreath is going to require a little love.
Frosty the Snowman!
We're almost done.
And the finished product:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at RealSimple.com (and The Appenbrink family)!
