Blog Posts by Woman s Day

open red walletBy Betsy Wiesendanger

What's in Your Wallet?

Sorting through your wallet once in awhile is a good idea, and not just so you can find exact change for the soda machine. Looking at what's in there can actually save you money and help you keep your overall financial house in order. Read on to see how the right balance of cards and cash will help you avoid hassle-and fees. Photo by Allison Gootee/Studio D; prop styling by Matthew Gleason

Aim to carry just two or three cards. Here's why: People tend to spend more with credit than with cash, so having many cards handy may lead you to apply for others if you max out your first set. Don't close an account outright, however. Doing so reduces the amount of credit that's available to you, which can lower your credit score. Simply stash the cards you don't use in a locked drawer.
Related: Discover 10 things you didn't know you could rent.

Ideally, your wallet-worthy cards should

modern living roomBy Woman's Day Staff

No budget for a big renovation? No problem! Turn your house into the home of your dreams with these smart but so-simple tips from the past 75 years of Woman's Day. Photo by Thinkstock
Related: Find 15 clever uses for household items.

1 | Use shades of the same color on the walls, floor and ceiling so that the eye focuses on the furniture-and not the size of the space. September 1985

2 | Place a decorative mirror so it reflects a window. It will provide the illusion of space as well as a pleasing picture. January 1938

3 | Hanging vertically striped wallpaper on the longest expanse of wall or on two adjacent walls that have no windows or doors will draw the eye up. June 1975

4 | In a small bedroom, push the bed out of the corner and into the center of the room (but still keep the headboard against the wall). The room will look bigger. February 2010

5 | In a cramped living room, replace the couch with a love seat.

supermarket shopping cartBy Donna Freedman

Outsmart Your Supermarket

Hold onto your grocery carts: Prices on everything from poultry to pasta are going up in 2013, according to the USDA's "Food Price Outlook" report. Why? A drought and the hottest summer temperatures in recorded U.S. history affected nearly 90% of the country's corn and soybean crops. And both corn and soybeans are used in animal feed. Fruits, vegetables, grain crops and animal herds also suffered. While there's no threat of a food shortage (phew!), fewer eats are being produced this year, so they'll cost more next year. Photo by Thinkstock
Related: Try these 9 innovative kitchen accessories.

Luckily, you can reduce the pain at the checkout by preparing your pantry now. "Stock a little more than you'd normally buy," suggests Erin Huffstetler, frugality expert for About.com, who watched her own Tennessee garden wither in the relentless summer heat. No, you don't need to clean out the big-box store this second. Just buy a couple

woman giving vaccinesBy Woman's Day Staff

Just because you received all of your vaccinations as a child doesn't mean you're scot-free for life. The protection that the shots give you wanes over time, and there are a few new ones adults should consider, too. Photo by: Corbis
Related: Try 20 easy ways to burn more fat.

1. Tdap vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough). There's been an increase in cases of whooping cough in both kids and adults over the past two years. If you've never had a Tdap vaccination and/or you're around children daily (whooping cough is especially dangerous for kids and infants), you should probably have this one.
Related: Check out these fiber-packed foods.

2. Zoster vaccine protects against shingles. A condition caused by the same virus as chicken pox, shingles results in serious rashes and blistering. The pain can last for months or even years. If you're 60 or older, the CDC recommends that you get this vaccine, since you're at

couple sharing a strawberryBy Denise Schipani

Food and sex: you need 'em both, you want 'em both-and, as it turns out, they're closely linked. A poor diet can lead to a lackluster sex life, while some foods have the power to make you feel sexier or prime your body for some mind-blowing booty. A healthy balance of vitamins and minerals keeps your endocrine system humming, which in turn regulates the production of the hormones estrogen and testosterone, essential for sexual desire and performance, says Cammi Balleck, PhD, a naturopathic physician and author of Making Happy Happen. "Enjoying an active sex life is essential to our wellbeing, and the foods we eat play a large role in ensuring we feel in the mood," she says. So you could call good food and good sex a positive feedback loop. Here, eight foods (plus one meal!) with proven power to up the sexy. Photo credit: Getty Images
Related: Discover 10 things men wish women knew about sex.

It may seem like all this crunchy veggie has going for it

By Woman's Day Staff

Volunteer, daily prayer and time spent with her children and grandchildren-this is what Ann Romney treasures above all else. "Family is the most important thing in life," she says. And when she's not devoting her time to multiple sclerosis awareness (she was diagnosed with MS in 1998) or faith-based youth charities, she's enjoying another of her passions: horses. "Horses live in the moment-my stress just melts away when I'm around them." Photo credit: Ann Romney
Related: See 8 calming foods that erase stress.

"Mrs. Romney was warm, genuine and down-to-earth. She spoke passionately about her love of riding and how she's passing it onto her grandchildren. Her story about how husband Mitt gives her lilacs every day Mother's Day was lovely-it's clear they have a supportive and loving bond."-Susan Spencer, Woman's Day Editor-in-Chief

Susan Spencer: What's your favorite quote and why?

Ann Romney: "No other success can compensate for failure in the

By Woman's Day Staff

Most Americans know our stylish First Lady as a passionate advocate for military families and healthy eating. But she started out as Michelle Robinson, the daughter of middle-class parents on Chicago's South Side. "Growing up, Barack and I watched our families work hard to make ends meet. We now feel a huge responsibility to make sure others have the opportunities we had." Photo credit: OFA

"Michelle Obama is so open and honest, there were times I forgot I was talking to the First Lady of the United States. It's evident that family is her first priority and I was touched by how they manage to stay plugged into one another's lives in spite of a truly hectic schedule. If she can do it, anyone can."-Susan Spencer, Woman's Day Editor-in-Chief

Susan Spencer: What did you want to be when you grew up?

A pediatrician-I've always loved kids. Maybe because I was the youngest and I used to beg my mother for another younger brother or sister. I'd say,

woman serving saladBy Arricca Elin SanSone

As you're racing from one chore to the next, it's easy to skimp on certain nutrients and overdose on others. The good news: "There's no food or dietary component that you have to eliminate from a healthy diet," says Rachel Begun, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "But you have to plan a little." Here are women's most common nutrition mistakes and how to fix them.

You eat too much sodium.

The recommended daily allowance for sodium is 2,300 mg. But if you're over 50 years old, have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease or are African American, your sodium intake shouldn't go above 1,500 mg per day. Unfortunately, the average American consumes about 3,300 mg daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). "Most of our daily sodium comes from restaurant meals and processed foods, not the salt shaker on your table," says Begun.

The fix: Eat more fresh foods or prepare more foods at home, where you