Blog Posts by Woman s Day

By Mary Hunt

It's no secret that the world of consumer credit has changed dramatically over the past year. Banks have gotten more aggressive during the recession, trying to squeeze consumers for more fees and higher interest or closing down accounts entirely. Help is on the way: President Obama recently signed into law the CARD Act of 2009 to stop unfair practices. But until it goes into effect next February, here's what you need to know to manage your plastic the smart way.


1. Micromanage your accounts
The same banks and card issuers who kept giving you more and more credit only a few years ago are now slashing those limits, raising interest rates smercilessly, and closing active and inactive accounts with abandon. So far, nothing is stopping them. At the moment, they must give you 15 days' (45 days when the new law goes into effect) written notice of changes to the terms and conditions you agreed to-but those notices can go undetected if they're hidden in what looks like junk

"The act of keeping stuff is a self-reinforcing behavior," says Joshua Klapow, PhD, associate professor in the school of public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and coauthor of Living SMART: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever. What that means: The more you do it, the more you, well…do it. Break the cycle by using the same behavior-modification techniques that work to break any bad habit. "It's not a matter of willing yourself to change," says Dr. Klapow. "You need skills." Try this S.M.A.R.T. approach:

1. Set goals. Be specific; it's too vague to say, "I will stop buying stuff." Instead, set a specific and realistic goal, like "By the end of the weekend, I'll gather up all the unused toys for donation." The more specific, the more attainable.

2. Monitor your actions. List your goals, then cross out each one as you complete it. Visual cues boost your sense of accomplishment.

3. Arrange your environment for success. If you've just cleared out the

By Denise Schipani

A few months back, sick and tired of the state of my files, which were bulging from my cabinet and literally spilling over onto the floor, I dove into a sorting, recycling and shredding free-for-all.

I knew purging and neatening would make the space look better, but what surprised me was how it made me feel. Clearing out stuff was like sweeping away mental cobwebs, giving me space for new ideas.

Turns out that decluttering and organizing delivers unexpected benefits, says organizing maven Julie Morgenstern, author of five books, including SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life. Beyond mere neatness, here are three compelling reasons to finally get everything in order.



Surprise! Save Money

Professional organizers tell tales of unearthing uncashed checks from among a client's piles of files, and everyone's had the experience of finding ten bucks in a jeans pocket. But being organized doesn't just help you find money, it helps you save it. Says Morgenstern, if you don't

By Aimee Couture

Rainbow Bright


Are you looking to add some extra pizzazz to your kitchen without making any permanent changes? Browse through WD's selection of bright and cheery kitchen appliances that will add a pop of color and make cooking a little more fun.

Orange You Glad

Watching what you eat? Counting calories is a breeze with this bright digital kitchen scale-perfect for measuring food portions. The plastic base makes cleanup a snap, and at 7.5" x 9.6" you don't have to worry about overcrowding your cabinets. Leifheit Page Kitchen Scale in Orange, $39.95; Target.com

Hand Stand

How can anyone resist this versatile mixer in a citrus-inspired color? It comes with flat beater, dough hook and wire whip attachments for taking on a variety of mixing jobs. Plus, it has a pouring shield to prevent messes and a tilt-back head design for convenient access to the beaters and 5-quart stainless steel bowl. KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer in Tangerine, $299.99; ShopKitchenAid.com

By Dayana Yochim

Money is on my mind nearly 24/7. I spend hours picking apart the fine print on credit card offers, days surfing the Web for the best banking deals, and weeks test-driving the latest budgeting software. Why am I so obsessed with money? It's my job. Literally.

As a longtime financial columnist at The Motley Fool (Fool.com), I've seen just about every tip, trick and recommendation in the book. Still, even I occasionally stumble upon surprising information that challenges some of the most steadfast financial rules of thumb. And in these topsy-turvy times, it's a good idea to reexamine the conventional wisdom. So with the help of a few trusted money pros-with whom I regularly dish-here are five old-school money maxims that can be bad for your financial health.

Old Rule: Pay Yourself First

This old saw has been trotted out so frequently it's practically part of the canon. At the risk of public shunning, I must point out that paying yourself first-taking a portion of every

By Ellen Breslau

We all know kids need notebooks and pencils, erasers and glue sticks, but there are a few other items we consider school-year essentials. Stock your house with these little lifesavers and you'll save your sanity all year long.

1. Electric Pencil Sharpener
"I can't do my homework yet, I need to sharpen my pencil." How often have you heard that one? Plug this baby in and no more procrastinating. Bonus: Kids think it's fun.

2. Change Purse or Wallet
Instead of kids searching for (and losing) their snack money in the netherworld of their loaded backpack, they'll now know exactly where to find it.

3. Comfortable Backpack
They have to want to wear it, so pick one with padded shoulder straps and a waist strap to distribute the weight evenly.

4. Desk
Kids need a place of their own to spread out and concentrate. (And you need to feel like your dining or kitchen table isn't always cluttered with piles of stuff.) The desk doesn't have to be huge or expensive; it just has

By Jennifer Tzeses

When a headache hits, the discomfort can be a real pain in the neck-not to mention the pounding pressure it imparts on your skull. For many people, medication is often the first line of defense, but did you know there are other ways to tame your pain? If you have persistent headaches, see your doctor for treatment, but in the meantime, here are some unexpected ways to ease your aches.
Botox
It may be best known for smoothing out wrinkles, but this wonder toxin also works magic on headache pain. "Botox relaxes the muscles that are contracted thanks to your headache," says Traci Purath, MD, medical director of Comprehensive Headache Care at Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group in Franklin, Wisconsin. "It blocks sensory nerves that relay pain to the brain and eases tension in the forehead and the back of the neck," she says. About eight injections, which feel like tiny pinpricks, are administered in the areas where the pain occurs. The effects start to kick in about eight

By Sally Stich

Which would you say is more damaging to your health: stress from losing a job or from a messy house? A major blowout with a friend or a friend who can be unreliable?

If you picked the messy house and the unreliable friend, you're on to something. Most of us simply dismiss little things as "just the way life is." But they are, in fact, major causes of potentially harmful stress.

"For some people, the little stressors we face every day are more damaging to health over the long term than the really big things, like a death in the family or a car accident," says James Ehrlich, MD, clinical associate professor of endocrinology at the University of Colorado, Denver.

Why? "Because the sole purpose of stress hormones is to get us through life-threatening situations," says Dr. Ehrlich. "Today, many people live in stress mode all the time, and the constant release of steroids like adrenaline and cortisol can lead directly to diseases like diabetes, heart disease, depression