Blog Posts by SavvySugar

This past weekend, I talked in front of a large audience, which definitely gave me a nervous feeling at the pit of my stomach. It's the same feeling I used to get on job interviews - the pressure of wanting to impress, coupled with trying really hard to remember your prep materials and hoping you don't have seaweed stuck on your teeth. I experienced the exact same emotions, just in a different situation and with more eyes watching. If nerves are a problem for you, take note of these tips below which work for both public speaking and interviewing!

• Practice Makes Perfect: The more you prep, the more calm you'll feel before an interview. It's a good idea to accept interviews that you're not really interested in just for the sake of practicing. That way you'll be used to the situation and when it comes to a job you really want
  
• Memorize, Memorize: There are some that advice against it, because it might make your answers seem robotic. However, I think it is a good idea

We all hear of miracle stories of coupon mavens feeding their families on $10 a week, and although it's impressive, it's not always realistic for the rest of us. If you aren't able to clip coupons like it's your job, read some of these tips by Nancy Cook, one of the vice presidents of coupon provider Valpak:

• Decide what you need to buy. Nancy says that she looks "for specific deals on something that I'm going to go specifically buy . . . The coupons very much have to fit into my lifestyle." Don't clip coupons just because you think it's a good deal or it'll be harder to organize. Figure out what you need, and pick coupons based on that.
• Store it. Pick a spot in the house to put your coupons, whether it be a kitchen drawer or a special accordion folder designated to coupons. Don't get overwhelmed with a pile of growing coupons.
• Stick it in your wallet. When Nancy goes shopping, she leaves the coupons in her wallet so that she'll remember to use it. If you

Not everyone has the luxury of enjoying a flexible vacation policy at work, so you might not have as many PTO days as you want. A reader wanted feedback on how to negotiate for more vacation days, because just like asking for a raise, it can be a sensitive topic to touch on. Find out how to approach this situation with tact.

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Every so often, I find myself feeling a little restless with some aspect of my life or another: my wardrobe, my apartment's décor, my Friday night routine. The problem is, if I bought an entirely new wardrobe or redecorated my crib every few months, I'd be broke. So, I've come up with a few savvy ways to change things just enough without ending up penniless.

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Move over LinkedIn, BranchOut might be replacing you. A job seeker friend of mine just sent me a link to this Facebook App called BranchOut, which may very well score you a job by using your immense social network to your favor.

As most of you know, networking is key to scoring a job, rather than sending in resumes and applying for jobs online. Even if you found the job listing online, it helps to have a friend who works at the company to drop your resume with HR. BranchOut will help you tap into your Facebook friends and check to see if anyone you know happens to work at the place you hope to have a job.

So you know that prolific Facebook list you've been building? Well, you now have a practical excuse for growing it - because you want to find a job. "People who aren't close may not help each other, but warm connections will. Everyone knows where their best friends works, but someone like a roommate from college who is at a different job since you last spoke is a warm

When you're unemployed, there is a mountain of things to worry about, and sometimes taxes may seem like the least of your worries. But it's vital to be on top of all things taxes, so it won't give you more additional stress down the line. Here are some great tips from Kathy Pickering, the executive director of H&R Block's Tax Institute.

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Tons of people file tax extensions, more than 10 million to be exact. But what's the harm in doing that - does this little bit of procrastination hurt? Patrick Cox, CEO of TaxMasters, lists the negative outcomes of tackling your taxes beyond the April 18 deadline. He says:

1. A lot of people assume that they don't need pay off what they owe in April, because they filed a tax extension. But if you don't pay up by the April deadline, you may be charged a penalty or interest on the amount you owe.
2. Filing extensions may lead to all sorts of tax trouble and encourage truant behavior, which includes missing the October tax extension deadline. This year the deadline falls on October 17.

Convinced? Read these three tax tips to get you started.

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Now that we've covered the question of what is dishwasher-safe, I thought I'd move on to an equally important subject: how to load your dishwasher. The task may seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised by how many people earn a capital F in Dishwashing 101- I'm talking to you, roommate. It also may seem like a trivial matter to some of you; as long as you can fit all the dirty plates in, it's OK, right? Err - no. The way you arrange your pots and spoons not only affects how well they're cleaned, but can be a deciding factor in whether they become tarnished, chipped, or even broken. So here's the lowdown on loading:

• Arrange your dishes by height, placing the larger ones on the outside. Turn all of your plates and bowls to face the middle of machine/dish drawer.
• Put wine glasses and other delicate glassware and dishes on the top rack. Face glassware downward if they fit, and leaning diagonally across two rows if not.
• Place small, round cereal bowls face-down on the