Work + Money

With Christmas just days away, it's not surprising that the sticker price for this holiday's hottest toy is skyrocketing. Still, $2,500...for a Furby?

This year's hottest holiday toy

The priciest individual listing for the doll on eBay costs $2,450 more than the original retail price. What makes this particular cross-eyed robot so special: the seller.

Beneath Cheri Cisneros' headline—"FURBY BLACK INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TOY 2012 NEW GREAT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!"—there is an explanation for the staggering four digits.

"I am in the end stage of lung disease, and waiting for the call saying they have a donor transplant ready for me," reads the description. "As I wait I cannot work and am in bed as my function is 12% at this point. Insurance has the surgery covered but in the meantime I am drowning in debt. If you are blessed and can help me out, please make an offer on my Furby."

The dangers of holiday toys

In 2004, Cisneros was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary D

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By Angela Tafoya, Refinery29

Some will argue that between the pay (or lack thereof), busy work, and schlepping around - being someone's intern is hardly a breeze. Remember those days? But hey, you know what they say...you've got to start somewhere, right? Well, in a surprising new study by Glassdoor, it turns out Facebook interns may be an exception and are not exactly working for chump-change. In fact, they are living quite the lavish life and making more than the average American (who nets around $40,000 annually). We're talking $5,602 a month, averaging $67,000 a year. Um, suddenly being an intern again doesn't sound too shabby. On top of the mega bucks the social-media giant dishes out, it also supplies interns with employee perks like gym access, laptops, phones, and more. Perhaps it's not that much of a surprise, though, considering Facebook is ranked one of the top companies to work for, but $67,000 a year? Wowza! Okay, where do we sign up?

More from Refinery29:
This New Sh

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A recent Wells Fargo survey found that nearly 30% of middle class Americans plan to work until they are 80 or older -- up from 25% a year ago. With people struggling to save for retirement, we’ve recruited personal finance expert Lauren Lyons Cole to give us practical tips to properly plan for retirement at a reasonable age. 

1. Make sure you’re getting the match on your employer’s retirement plan: This is an easy one, but you’d be surprised how many people still aren’t taking advantage of their employer’s match. Your employer may be offering free financial workshops. Go to them! Meet with your HR rep and increase your 401k contribution up to the match. If you’re already getting the match, increase it by 5% extra. You’ll barely notice the difference.

[Related: Nature or Nuture - Why Women Don't Save For Retirement]

2. Open and contribute to a Roth IRA - These are magical accounts. They have only been around since the late 90s and Lauren thinks that one of

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Sarah, who is from New Hampshire, called the police on a Salvation Army bell ringer who was outside her workplace collecting donations for the holidays. Her bold move made headlines, and she was subsequently called "The Grinch."

Sarah appeared on "Anderson Live" to explain why she called the police. She said it was her fourth year in a row listening to the bells, and could not take it anymore. Sarah insisted she is a nice person and expressed her frustration at being called "The Grinch" and said, "It's horrifying."

Watch the video to find out what else she had to say.

Visit AndersonCooper.com
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Source: The Best Job Hunting Tips of the Year

Some of the best news to come out of 2012 was that the economy had improved and that more jobs were being created. More openings meant more job search tips - and within the year, a new LinkedIn format, new ways of looking at cover letters, and more all made it onto our list of things to keep on our radar. The job hunt may have its ups and downs, but with a positive attitude (see slide nine) and the help of these tips, you'll soon be able to kiss the search goodbye.

• Write a Standout Email : On top of having to perfect résumés and cover letters, we sometimes forget that there's an accompanying email that also makes an impression. One Google recruiter has some great advice about writing the ideal introduction note. A couple of tips? Being specific in the email subject line and keeping it short and sweet.
• Make the Most of LinkedIn: The profesional network recently got a makeover, so it's even more important to make sure yo

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