Blog Posts by Woman s Day

Discover do-it-yourself tricks that'll bolster your budget By Sandy M. Fernandez

There's nothing wrong with paying a professional to do a job for you. But even those experts agree that people often pay-a lot-for services that they could easily tackle themselves. Continue reading to learn the DIY skills that could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. Photo by Getty Images.

Master the Sewing Machine

HOW MUCH YOU'LL SAVE Anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds per job

Most people can hand-stitch a seam or hem. But when you learn your way around a sewing machine, a world of savings opens up. You can make cushions and curtains, add years to a jacket's life by replacing a zipper, or buy that super-discounted but too-big dress and take it in. Even small projects add up: It can cost $6 to $15 to have a pair of pants hemmed, and $10 to $20 to replace a zipper. Your $80 investment for a new basic sewing machine will be recouped in no time.

WHAT IT ENTAILS Patience and practice. "You don't learn unless you make mistakes,"

Follow the journalist's journey from By Katie Couric

After a lifetime of battling clutter, Katie's declared that enough is enough. Left, Katie, eating dinner on the floor of her home office, amid her piles. Photo by Meredith Kennedy.

When I lived in Washington, DC, after college, my then-roommate called me "Pig-Pen." It was a well-deserved nickname: A few months prior, as a senior at the University of Virginia, I'd lived on The Lawn, a particularly picturesque area of campus. Outside my dorm room were pristine pavilions and lush, grassy courts. But inside my room was a mess of epic proportions. Three Mile Island was an easier cleanup.

On graduation day, my parents were driving down from our home in Arlington, VA. I figured I had about an hour to create some semblance of cleanliness-or at least an upgrade from biohazard status. I stowed clothes in drawers, stuffed papers and books in cubbies, and came up with what I thought was a really creative way to tackle my pile of dirty dishes: I hid them in the trunk of my

Learn where exactly every penny goes to become smarter with moneyBy MP Dunleavey, Editor of DailyWorth.com

What's the Payoff?
A better quality of life. Once you know where your money is actually going (not just where you kinda think it might be going), you make better spending choices.

Why You Shouldn't Avoid It
Budget leaks will drain your coffers. When you fritter away your money on things you don't really care about, you won't have the capital to pay for your true priorities. Photo by Getty Images

Related: Learn about 9 buys that are cheaper online.

1. Pick Your Method
There are probably two dozen ways to track your cash, but they're all versions of one of the following:

The manual method You jot down everything you spend, ideally as you spend it.

Go this route if... you love lists and you think you'll be consistent about whipping out a notebook every time you pay for something. You can also keep receipts and tally them later, but you'll be more accurate if you do it on the spot.

The software solution Use a

Try these 10 beauty and fashion tricks to appear slimmer from the neck upBy Alina Dizik

Even if you've gained only a couple of pounds, the extra weight can show in your face. Or maybe you have a naturally round face shape that makes you look heavier than you are. Rather than stressing about it, turn to these 10 simple makeup, hair and accessory ideas that give your face a trimmer appearance. Photo by Getty Images

1. Wear long earrings.
The fastest, fuss-free way to fake a slim face? Draw attention away from it with eye-catching earrings. "Especially long, dangly ones," says Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, author of How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editor's Secrets to Getting Gorgeous without Breaking the Bank. Almost any style works, but avoid hoops that hang from below your ears, says Pomerantz Lustig. Hoops that go through your ears will do the trick, though.

Related: Discover 10 style tricks to look younger instantly!

2. Go ombre with your hair.
Darker roots with lighter tips don't just require less upkeep; it's also a trendy way to make your face appear less

Discover the unexpected, off-the-wall things that can arouse your manBy Amanda Montell

Unusual Aphrodisiacs
Obviously, wearing a body-hugging ensemble or watching a sexy flick together can get a man in the mood. But there are some surprising sights (and even scents!) guys find equally arousing. Here, experts share the top 10 most unexpected turn-ons for men, and how you can use them to spice things up in ways you won't believe. Photo by Thinkstock

1. The Smell of Pumpkin Pie
Forget the Chanel No. 5, ladies. Chicago's Smell and Taste Research Center found the scent of pumpkin pie mixed with lavender increased men's penile blood flow more than 23 other fragrances. Why? The combination might conjure up memories of a pleasure-filled meal or simply make men feel extra-relaxed. Thanksgiving desserts and potpourri may seem innocent enough, but bake a pie next to a sprig of lavender, and your hubby may suddenly want to take a trip to the bedroom.

2. Fear
Terror as a turn-on? It seems that way! University of British Columbia researchers dispatched two sets of

Up your work efficiency with these surprising ideasBy Samantha Toscano

Get More Done
It happens to everyone. You start the work day knowing full well what you have to finish by quitting time, but at 5 P.M., you haven't achieved nearly as much as you'd planned. "Being productive is more than just checking off boxes on to-do lists," says Heidi Hanna, PhD, author of The Sharp Solution. "It's bringing our full and best energy to the time we have to do our work well." While we can't take tasks off your plate, these energizing tips will make you more efficient-and give you extra time to do the things you love.

1. Bring your work to a coffee shop.
And not because of the caffeine-packed java on offer. According to a study published in the December 2012 Journal of Consumer Research, moderate noise, such as the mid-level buzz in bustling coffee shops, enhances performance on creative tasks more than soft or loud ambient noise. Plus, being with the other patrons pumps up oxytocin, which decreases the stress hormones that cause mental blocks, says Dr.

The two Woman's Day readers that follow are getting expert advice to solve their biggest organizing issues. For the second installment of this multi-part series, they're tackling their workspaces.

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Expand your kid's mind and help her succeed with these real IQ boostersBy Margot Gilman

As a parent, you want to give your child every advantage in life, so it's a no-brainer that you'd want to try boosting her intellect. While parking a tot in front of a Baby Einstein video didn't turn out to be such a smart idea (a University of Washington study found that such video viewing delays small children's language skill building), the following approaches actually up IQ scores. Photo by Thinkstock

1. Nurse your newborn.
Breastfeeding bestows many benefits, including immunity defense and disease protection. But until recently, we didn't know whether breastfeeding influences intelligence, or if breastfed kids tested better because of other factors. A study from McGill University in Montreal has shown a clear causal connection. Looking at 14,000 children, those whose moms participated in a program that encouraged exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding scored 7.5 points higher on verbal IQ tests at age six-and-a-half than those whose mothers didn't take part.