Blog Posts by Woman s Day

By Andrea Atkins

It's easy to get overwhelmed during the holiday season, especially when your daily life is already so busy. Who can stay organized with so much to do? Thankfully, there are several ways that technology can help solve your shopping problems and lower your stress level. From comparison shopping to skipping the lines at the post office, check out these ideas to make your life easier.

1. Keep track... of thank-yous, gifts you've given (so you don't buy Aunt Sylvia a scarf for the third year in a row) and ones you've received by going to GiftElephant.com. It will even generate stamps and mail thank-you cards for you. And, once the holidays are over, use LeverageCard.com to track the balances on the gift cards you received as presents-or swap them for ones you really want.The Busy Woman's Guide to the Holidays

2. Avoid lines...by using the United States Post Office Click-N-Ship service, which allows you to create shipping labels from your computer and store addresses you ship to the most. You can also

By Arianne Cohen

Etiquette doyenne Peggy Post tells us how a bit of manners can keep social stress to a minimum.

1. You love your guests, but they want to bring their dog, whose potential for house damage you love less. Peggy Post on Holiday Etiquette

"Speak up," says Post. "Say, 'We're so glad you're coming, and we have a wonderful kennel nearby.' It's easier with friends than with family. If it's your mother's beloved dog, maybe it's not worth bringing up, and that's the cost of keeping the peace." (Keep in mind: "It's best to be honest in a kind way.")

2. Out at dinner, your guests order triple what you order-and then want to split the bill.

"Quietly ask the server if separate checks are OK," says Post. "It's a reality that you can't support others' eating and drinking." (Keep in mind: You can always choose the restaurant, a charming place in town that is moderately priced.)

3. You'd prefer to let only certain family members crash at your house.

"You need to have a logical cutoff. Say

By Angela Ebron5 Tips for Writing an Effective Complaint Letter

Tired of rude salespeople, defective merchandise or bad service? Don't put up with it. Complain! Just make sure to do it the right way if you want results, says Bruce Silverman, author of How to Complain for Fun and Profit: The Best Guide Ever to Writing Complaint Letters. Venting at a manager is a waste of breath, instead, put it in writing. "Typed letters are far more effective at getting results," he says. "When you take the time to carefully craft one, clearly articulating the problem and what you want the company to do for you, it stands out." What about just dashing off an email? It doesn't have the same impact, says Silverman. "Most problems require some 'storytelling' to explain. Email is not a good medium for that. The company will probably look at is as 'just another email.'" So the next time you've had it up to here, follow these tips from Silverman:

1) Write to the head honcho. That means the CEO. "The buck stops with him," says Silverman. Finding

By Diane Oatis

I used to be a hyperorganizer. I was famous for it. Friends would ask me to help them weed through their closets, and there are still people who walk into my office and say, "It's so…clean in here." But sooner or later, life intervenes. Not long ago, at the end of a ridiculously stressful day, I was putting away laundry-I looked at the color-coded-by-season hangers in my closet and it hit me: Why? A long commute, a teenage son, a parent living alone and suddenly being a neatnik seemed less important. So I've let go of some things, and guess what? They were never worth the time anyway. Here are eight things I've decided I don't need to do to keep my life in order.

Don't…alphabetize your spices. They come that way in those prestocked spice racks, but how long can that last? Come on. If you don't already have one, get your hands on a lazy Susan-a quick spin and you'll find what you need. (See where they got the name from?) Beats spending 208 Organizing Tips to Throw Away minutes making sure the

By Mary Hunt

I'm going to guess you've made a financial mistake or two in your life. Who hasn't? For some of us, it was more than an occasional late fee or random urge to overspend that brought us to our financial knees. But I'm not talking about the kind of blunders that got us into trouble-we could list those in our sleep. Instead, I want to focus on the mistakes people make while they're working their way back to financial health. Whether you're recovering from a season of unemployment or from a financial mess you created on your own, avoid these goofs and you'll get where you want to go much faster.

1. Not Saving 7 Big Money Mistakes to Avoid
You've heard this plenty, and here it comes again: Jump to the front of the line- ahead of your creditors-when you divvy up your paycheck. Get over feeling guilty about keeping money for yourself. You need a fat emergency fund, and the only way to build it is to pay yourself first! Stuff happens, and if you're not financially prepared for those emergencies,

Helpful Household Gadgetry

Technology is supposed to make life easier, but sometimes a mass of complicated electronics can make you long for simpler times. It doesn't have to be so overwhelming-we've rounded up some great gadgets that will help you accomplish daily tasks faster. From uploading and sharing family photos you've had lying around forever to checking the weather forecast while making dinner, here are five ways to live a more streamlined life.

Wirelessly UplWirelessly Upload Your Photosoad Your Photos

Admit it-you still have photos on your digital camera from your summer vacation. Uploading your photos to your computer so you can share them online often gets pushed down on the to-do list in favor of more pressing concerns. But the Eye-Fi Home card takes out the middleman, er, cord. This memory solution can store up to 1,000 photos and lets you wirelessly upload your photos via any Wi-Fi network. Eye-Fi Home 2GB memory card, $49.99; Eye.fi

Charge YouCharge Your Gadgets Cord-Freer Gadgets Cord-Free

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A weekend spa retreat sounds heavenly, doesn't it? Two days of complete and total tranquility…OK, who are we kidding? Between work, the kids and the bank account, who can possibly pull this off? Good news: You don't really need one to relax and rejuvenate. With practice, you can boost your well-being practically anywhere, anytime. These easy, no-cost refreshers are the perfect way to start.

1. Wing It Once In a While14 Ways to Relax
If you're ruled by your to-do list, it's time to learn the art of anything goes. Contradictory as it sounds, you have to schedule spontaneity, at least at first, says life coach Cheryl Richardson, author of The Art of Extreme Self-Care. How? Plan a plan-free day: Put it on your calendar (in pen!) and when the time comes, let your freewheeling, creative, impulsive side call all the shots. Whatever you feel like doing that day, do it-no chores or responsible girl tasks allowed. Wake up and then go right back to bed. Watch a Real Housewives marathon. Spend an

By Sarah Jio

Sure, germs are everywhere, and being paranoid about them won't keep you from getting sick. But considering the amount of time we spend at our desks and in our offices, it doesn't hurt to be aware of the places where germs tend to congregate. Here are the nine germiest zones in most offices and what you can do about them.

Germ Haven #1: Computer Mouse and Keyboard

Barring an occasional visit from your company's tech guy, you're the only one who touches your mouse and keyboard, so how dirty could things get? In a word: very. "According to data, these are the worst offenders," says Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. The reason is simple, she says: People rarely clean them and it's unheard of for cleaning crews to go to that level of detail. So, take matters into your own hands and give your keyboard and mouse a weekly wipe down with disinfecting wipes after you turn your computer off.