Work + Money
By Sharon Epperson, CNBC.com
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You didn't imagine it. Your paycheck shrunk. Thanks to an increase in payroll tax, more of your pay is going to fund Social Security. You got a break in 2011 and 2012 when the Social Security payroll tax temporarily dropped from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. Now it's back where it started.
About 160 million workers pay this tax, and this year's two percentage point increase will cost the average worker about $700, according to the Tax Policy Center in Washington. Wealthier taxpayers may actually feel less of an impact since the 6.2 percent payroll tax only applies to wages up to $113,700.
Still, for a family with a household income of $100,000, the payroll tax hike means a loss in income of about $2,000 a year.
[More from CNBC: 5 Ways to Put Extra Cash In Your Pocket]
Financial planners and credit counselors say making up for that loss in income will require some careful planning to cut expenses and increase earnings so the hit isn't such a blow.
- Is coming to you via home delivery of The New York Times this weekend. An eleven-page in depth feature about Lindsay Lohan's onset drama in this week's magazine section, was released online in its entirety Wednesday.
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
I laughed, I cried, I understood momentarily why Lohan may be the greatest Hollywood star alive. Writer Stephen Rodrick provides a gripping all-access glimpse into the sordid filming of "The Canyons," an upcoming movie starring Lohan and porn star James Deen. The film itself, directed by the frightening Paul Schrader (he wrote "Taxi Driver") is based on a Bret Easton Ellis script. But Rodrick's Times profile focuses on the behind-the-scenes story of movie-making with a uniquely talented, emotionally unstable actress who won't be ignored.
It begins with Lohan in negotiations for the part and ends with the screening of a film with a questionable future. What happens in between can only be fully absorbed by taking 30 minutes from your workday to read the entire article. For...Read More » - Fri, Jan 11, 2013 1:34 PM EST | CommentsVogue
See what Vogue Special Events Associate Phoebe de Croisset wore to the office one week.
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- By Samantha Toscano
Learn how to love your job—or leave it for a better opportunity.
Getting a better job can do more than benefit your bottom line. It can improve your health and well-being, too. "If you like what you do, you'd add five days to every week," says Devora Zack, author of Networking for People Who Hate Networking. Keep the following promises, and you'll enjoy your time at the office, no matter how long your workweek might be. Photo by Thinkstock.
Related: Learn about 9 bad habits that are good for you.
1. Network, network, network.
It's not just for the unemployed. "Networking is the key to opening up doors," says Holly Paul, US recruiting leader for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Among what you can get out of it: learning about new opportunities that interest you and meeting the people who can help you get hired. So how do you do it? Whatever works for you, but Zack recommends inviting one or two colleagues who don't work on your team for coffee or lunch and learning about their jobs.
2. Cut the gossip.
...Read More » - Because she doesn't talk about her "craft". She doesn't use the word "instrument" as a metaphor for her body. She doesn't tattoo Marilyn Monroe on her forearm as an homage, and she definitely doesn't talk about "convincing" the director to let her audition for her celebrated role in "Beasts of the Southern Wild."
Quvenzhane Wallis portraying Hushpuppy in a scene from,
You know how actresses love to talk about their instincts? 9-years-old Quvenzhane Wallis, now the youngest Best Actress nominee ever, doesn't talk, she does. The little girl from a small town in Louisiana who helped turn a micro-budget film by a first time director into an Oscar nominee sweeper has no prior experience in Hollywood, film or acting in general. When the 85th Annual Oscar nominations were announced Thursday morning (see the full list here), somewhere sandwiched somewhere between the names Abe Lincoln and Anne Hathaway was the name Quvenzhane (nickname "Nazie") Wallis. Here's why:
-Because never took an acting class before: Wallis isn't a child actress in the c...Read More »
Pursue a Friend Crush
Apparently, dudes aren't familiar with the concept of the friend crush.
Granted, my sample size is pretty small. My boyfriend was unaware of the term. When I asked him how he would befriend someone he didn't know very well, he said, "I'd play basketball with him, and we'd be friends."
At five foot eleven, this is not the first time I've found myself thinking that playing basketball probably would have been a good life choice.
My dad didn't know what a friend crush was, per se, but he did ask, "Is that like a man crush? Like in I Love You Man?" So I counted that for a win.
But talk to a girl about a friend crush, and there's no explanation needed. The term really resonates with women; all seem, at some point, to have pined after a platonic friendship with someone slightly unattainable. A friend of a friend, a fellow cubicle-dweller, the friendly neighbor who lives downstairs-we've friend crushed them all.
Why do we do it? As much as we discuss romantic relationsh
...Read More »- This month isn't just for flowers and cookouts. May is also Small Business Month - a time to honor and support the entrepreneurs who help make the financial future better for their families and our country.
business
In recognition of the contributions of small business owners, a number of companies (including OpenSky, Dotbox, Dwolla, Edison Nation, Goodsie, Shopkeep and others) are launching an initiative called the Small Business Breakthrough. They're asking social media users everywhere to let others know about their personal favorite small businesses - from the bakery down the street that makes the best cupcakes to the pediatrician who has seen your kids through stomach flu and sprained ankles. You can share your picks using the hashtag #sbbreakthru. You can also nominate a business at www.SBBreakthrough.com to be eligible for a special prize.
Related: ow much your fave celebs REALLY earn - Brad Pitt, Honey Boo Boo, and more!
A number of celebs will be supporting their ow
...Read More » - Source: 5 Simple Tips to Trim Your Wedding Guest List
From long-lost aunts and uncles to your father-in-law's best friend's cousin, it's easy to let your wedding guest list spin out of control. It's tough to pick and choose who to invite - where do you draw the line? Still, when it comes to watching expenses, cutting the guest list can be one of the quickest ways to keep costs low. Whether you're narrowing it down in hopes of a more intimate ceremony or simply doing your best to save money, here are five stress-free steps to help you trim your wedding guest list:
- Consider your budget and venue. Before you analyze your guest list, take a step back and talk to your fiancé about your highest priorities as a couple. Are you hoping for a specific venue? Worried about staying under budget? Those guidelines will help you decide how long your list can be and whether you need to cut back in other areas.
- Agree on a fair split point. Keep things equal by compromising on a gu
- Source: 10 Fun and Frugal Bachelorette Party Destinations
It's time for some wild revelry with your gal pals! The bachelorette party is one of the many fun traditions that the bride-to-be generally partakes in. It's always a bundle of fun to get together with some of your girlfriends and spend some quality time.Although we offered you great budget tips for a local bachelorette party, I know some of you are itching to travel. Heather Dickson, Associate Publisher of Lonely Planet, weighs in on the hottest vacay spots that will give you a bang for your bachelorette bucks.
- Washington DC: "All the best things to do in DC during the day, except shop, are basically free - including botanical gardens, art galleries and museums. At night hit happy hour at bars like Madam's Organ in Adam's Morgan or try free beginner's swing dancing at The Jam Cellar."
- New York: "Your wallet might not be able to meet all the expectations of your Empire State of mind but budget NYC c
- Source: 7 Tips to Cut the Costs of Your Wedding Video
If your special day is going to be memorialized in beautiful pictures, you might want to capture it on video, too. After all, decades down the line, when you're celebrating your 30th wedding anniversary, wouldn't it be nice to reminisce and view your wedding highlights on video? If you decide to record your wedding, try not to skimp on the quality by having an amateur shoot it. Instead, here are some other ways you can save on the wedding videographer:
Wedding fair prices: Go attend a wedding fair and try to negotiate a better rate with the videographers you meet there. My friend managed to get 10 percent off the usual rate, just by haggling with the videographer in person at the fair.
Package deal: Find out if you can get a better deal if you hire the photographer and videographer together. This means that they will also be working together vs. clashing, which is also a bonus for you.
Watch the clock: Many videographers wil...Read More »
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