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5 Ways to Be More Productive at Work

SavvySugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:15:48 -0800

Thirty-five percent — that's how much productive work the average woman does in an eight-hour day! Women's Health broke down the typical work day in its December issue and found out what we are doing with the remaining 65 percent of our time: Email, 20.83 percent; looking for stuff, 18.75 percent; interruptions, 12.5 percent; Internet searches, 12.92 percent.

Most of you said that you never sign out of your personal email during the work day, and those who do sign out log back in a few times throughout the day. So, we're pretty much all guilty of that one, but what about the other time-sucks that detract from our productivity? Women's Health came up with 20 ways to avoid these traps, and I've selected their best ideas to share with you. Check them out when you

Glamour Picks Its Women of the Year: Who Is Your Pick?

SavvySugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:30:33 -0800

Hillary Clinton, Nicole Kidman, Condoleezza Rice, and Jane Goodall were just some of the remarkable women honored at Glamour's 2008 Women of the Year awards Monday night. The rewarded ladies were recognized for their various accomplishments and contributions, from trailblazing opportunities to spreading environmental awareness.

Glamour asked its readers to nominate their own personal heroes for a Woman of Your Year contest, and the winner was 25-year old cancer survivor Rachel Lozano who battled the disease throughout her teenage years. Now she's studying art therapy so she can help sick children. Check out the video for highlights of the big event and then tell me, who is the woman of your year?

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Smart Cookies Make Money Issues More Manageable

SavvySugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:30:43 -0800

It may not feel natural to be transparent about your finances, but five Vancouver women have shown that being honest with others about your financial situation can make you feel more accountable for it. The Smart Cookies money club started as a group of women conversing about personal money issues and the lessons learned from their time together have been turned into a book, The Smart Cookies’ Guide to Making More Dough.

Andrea Baxter gathered four other women together to form the money club in 2006 after she'd accumulated $18,000 in debt beyond her mortgage, and in two and a half years the five members have helped get everyone on track and keep them there. As reported by The New York Times, the Smart Cookies' meeting agenda follows the same format every time: Good news from every member, a spending check-in, individual debt reports, brainstorming about how to make more money, a discussion topic that someone has researched, and goal setting.

Does a money club sound appealing to you, or is it too much sharing for your level of comfort?

Even in Human Resources, Men Make More

SavvySugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:00:40 -0700

Human Resources departments are dominated by women 70 percent of the time, yet men in the field dominate when it comes to salary. The pay gap between male and female HR executives trickles down to every level of the department: In 2007, the median salary for male HR managers was 47 percent more than female paychecks, while male rank-and-file employees took home 28 percent more than their female counterparts.

One HR consultant assumes the gap could be blamed at least partially on the fact that many men in HR were executives at other firms who were recruited to their roles and enticed with the hefty compensation they were already earning. It is interesting that the people in charge of our payroll and employment issues have their own very visible gender wage-gap.

Source

Speakers Who Inspire: Maria Shriver, Jennifer Lopez, and More

SavvySugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:42 -0700

What started out as a small government initiative for working women is now an event attended by thousands and draws only the most inspirational voices to speak. The 2008 Women's Conference was held in Long Beach, CA yesterday, hosted by Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The all-day conference drew a crowd of 14,000 international women from various professional walks of life and 60 speakers aiming to "empower and inspire women to become architects of change." The agenda covered all the bases with discussions about how to live an authentic life, how to step forward with confidence, starting your own business, managing your financial life, and many, many, more. Check out who was on stage — hit start slideshow to begin.

America's Oldest Worker Can't Stop, Won't Stop

SavvySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:00:36 -0700

Mildred Heath was recently honored as America's Oldest Worker for 2008. She and her husband bought a newspaper in Nebraska when she was 23. Today she's 100-years-old. She's been a journalist and publisher for 85 years and still works 30 hours, six days a week. "I enjoy working and things that need to be done I go ahead and do them," Mildred says in the video below. "So it should be some kind of inspiration."

Playboy Seeks Women of Wall Street: Career Bust?

SavvySugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:00:45 -0700

If there's anyone that knows how to hold her own in a room full of men, it's a woman that has worked on male dominated Wall Street. So, is it only natural that after the Street has morphed into something very different than it was just one month ago, Playboy is trying to recruit current and former female employees to show off their valuable assets?

The magazine is trying to recruit 20 women to recreate the "Women of Wall Street" feature it published 20 years ago, and is especially hoping to get some women with more "senior job experience." Perhaps the mag is trying to appeal to subscribers who find brains and power to be sexy? Gary Cole, Playboy's photo editor added, "It would be more interesting to have someone who's a financial analyst."

Cole also ventured to explain why the magazine is fond of its idea: "When the news gets bad, then maybe that's a chance to make people smile by coming up with something that puts a different twist on it." I suppose a "Women of Wall Street" feature would make readers momentarily at peace with the rocky financial world, although most just subscribe for the articles anyway . . . or not.

What do you think of it all — is Playboy trying to take advantage of people in vulnerable positions? Do you think posing would hurt or harm a woman's career?

Source

50 Most Powerful Women List Honors Youngest Woman Ever

SavvySugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:30:07 -0700

Fortune released its annual list of the 50 most powerful women in business, and while most of the honorees are in their 40s or 50s, the youngest woman to ever claim a spot on the list is only 33 years old. Marissa Mayer, VP of Search and User Experience at Google debuted the list at number 50, and it seems likely that she'll move her way up the list in years to come.

A self-proclaimed geek, Marissa was Google's first female engineer and her job is to oversee thousands of engineers while shaping the design of services like Google.com, Google Maps, Earth, Health, iGoogle. As one of the most powerful women in business, she is in the company of inspiring and accomplished women like Oprah Winfrey, Indra Nooyi (CEO of PepsiCo), Andrea Jung (CEO of Avon), and many more.

Source

Your Two Cents: Are You Offended by Sexist Advertising?

SavvySugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:30:27 -0700

The European Parliament has voted with an overwhelming majority that the advertising industry needs to check itself when printing sexist or stereotypical advertisements. Agencies won't face legal consequences if they continue developing ads sexist in nature, but they will face what The New York Times calls a scolding for "sexual stereotyping." Lawmakers have taken offense to ads such as those featuring Mr. Clean and this Dolce & Gabbana print ad. Are you offended, too?

Your Two Cents: Are You Offended by Sexist Advertising?

Yes, I'm offended by ads that are obviously sexist.

I'm not offended, but less sexism in advertising would be a positive change.

No, I'm not offended.

Something else. I'll tell you in the comments below.

News Flash: Workers Are Warming Up to Female Bosses

SavvySugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:00:56 -0700

Women were given higher scores than men in five of eight categories in a recent survey rating men and women on various leadership traits. — ABC News
If you log in a lot of driving miles you may consider a gas rewards card to save money, but do your homework before choosing a card. — CNN
Back-to-school shopping was kind to Wal-Mart this year. Abercrombie and Fitch? Not so much. — Financial Times
Working from home is a sign of the times; here are some suggestions on how to earn money without leaving your house. — The Huffington Post

Ranked: 100 Most Powerful Women in the World

SavvySugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:00:18 -0700

The women on Forbes's fifth annual list of the 100 most powerful women in the world control $26 trillion worldwide, and the list is an impressive grouping of government and company leaders. While these individuals are doing quite well for themselves, women hold just 15 percent of top corporate jobs in the US and are chief executives for less than 3 percent of the country's biggest companies. Here are the top 10 most powerful females; visit Forbes for the full list.

Angela Merkel: Chancellor, Germany
Sheila C. Bair: Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), US
Indra K. Nooyi: Chairman and chief executive, PepsiCo, US
Angela Braly: Chief executive and president, WellPoint, US
Cynthia Carroll: Chief executive, Anglo American, UK
Irene B. Rosenfeld: Chairman, chief executive, Kraft Foods, US
Condoleezza Rice: Secretary of state, US
Ho Ching: Chief executive, Temasek Holdings, Singapore
Anne Lauvergeon: Chief executive, Areva, France
Anne Mulcahy: Chairman, chief executive, Xerox Corp., US

Source

Introducing the More Female Friendly M.B.A.

SavvySugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:00:33 -0700

The applications for business schools may be pouring in, but they're not necessarily from candidates the schools want to create a more balanced student body. While almost half the students in law and medical schools are female, women make up only 30 percent of students enrolled in business schools.

Some schools have begun offering part-time, morning M.B.A programs they hope will appeal to women. The early classes are intended for those with schedules that may not fit with traditional part-time evening or weekend M.B.A. programs. The Wall Street Journal sites students like 26-year old Nancy who juggles her "M.B.A. studies with an evening internship, a student-government post and home life with her boyfriend."

Would a part-time, morning M.B.A. be a better fit for your lifestyle than evening or weekend programs?

Source

Guess the Olympic Sponsor

SavvySugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:30:32 -0700

NBC's research shows that women ages 18 and older have made up about 49 percent of those viewing the network's 2008 Olympic coverage. Advertisers know who's watching and aim some ads at female consumers, including this shot below of Nastia Liukin. Can you guess the Olympic sponsor?

Weak Economy Gives Birth to More Egg Donors

SavvySugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:30:46 -0700

Twenty-three year old Stephanie already works two jobs and shares her Chicago apartment with a roommate, but she wants to go back to college to pursue a biology degree. When she learned that donating her eggs to a local fertility clinic would earn her at least $7,000, Stephanie decided to become a donor. She knows her weekly $800 income won't cover tuition and living expenses and sees the extra money as a much-needed cushion in a weak economy.

Robin von Halle, president of Alternative Reproductive Resources, isn't surprised that more women have been signing up to be donors. She said, "In my 16 years in this field, I've noticed a trend that when the economy or unemployment rate starts slipping, we start receiving way more calls. Lately, we've been very busy — much more than usual."

Becoming a donor is no small decision; it involves a medical and psychiatric evaluation and the equivalent of outpatient surgery. Do you know anyone who has thought about donating her eggs for the money?

Source

Your Two Cents: Could Female-Only Banks Be Beneficial?

SavvySugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:07 -0700

Female-only banks have existed in Saudi Arabia for decades, and Time describes the women's branches of the Dubai Islamic Bank as feeling "more like spas than financial institutions." The staff and clientele at these branches are all (you guessed it) female, and the case for separation has to do with both the wealth held by Saudi women and the conservative culture.The Time article scatters some very interesting facts about women in this part of the world: A 2007 Barclays Wealth survey found that Saudi women are the most financially savvy in the world in terms of investing, retirement, and estate planning; The Middle East Economic Digest estimates that Gulf women control around $246 billion, projected to hit $385 billion by 2011; Women own about a third of brokerage accounts and 40 percent of family-run firms in Saudi Arabia. The existence of women-only branches in Saudi Arabia got me wondering: Could female-only banks be beneficial in other parts of the world? What do you think? Source

Your Two Cents: Could Female-Only Banks Be Beneficial?

Yes, I think all-female branches could be beneficial.

Maybe, but I'm not sure it could work in most parts of the world.

No, I think this would be a step in the wrong direction.

Something else. I'll tell you in the comments below.

Women Retreating From Workforce For First Time in Decades

SavvySugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:09:53 -0700

For the first time since the 1960's women's movement, the number of women in the workforce has started to decline. The weak economy has caused job loss all around and government data shows that women are losing their jobs for the same reasons as men. According to The New York Times, downturns, layoffs, outsourcing, stagnant wages or the discouraging prospect of an outright pay cut are factors that have been reducing the percentage of women in the workforce for the past few years.

The Joint Economic Committee of Congress led the Congressional study, and senior economist Heather Boushey commented, "When we saw women starting to drop out in the early part of this decade, we thought it was the motherhood movement, women staying home to raise their kids. We did not think it was the economy, but when we looked into it, we realized that it was." Median pay for women workers aged 24 to 54 had fallen from $15.04 in 2004 to $14.84 an hour in 2007, and economist Nancy Folbre thinks women are reluctant to accept these terms because they'd gotten used to seeing wages at least stay the same.

Source

Do You Spend More When You Shop With Friends?

SavvySugar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:30:50 -0700

Whether we like the stereotype or not shopping is a pretty common pastime for some women.I always think it's nice to have someone nearby to help you second guess your purchases, but my best friend often complains she buys more when she's shopping with a friend. Maybe it's the compliments, or maybe it's that window-shopping feels silly when you are with another person, but if you're not careful, you can end up battling buyer's remorse. Do you spend more when you shop with friends or do you stay strong to your budget and what you set out to buy (or not buy)?Photo courtesy of NBC

Do You Spend More When You Shop With Friends?

Yes — I've been known to spend more when I'm with friends.

No — I usually stick to my budget no matter who I am with.

Something else. See my comment below!

New Bride's Guide to Changing Her Name

SavvySugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:31:01 -0700

Updating your email address to reflect your new married name is the easiest step of all, but unfortunately the laundry list of other changes is much more time consuming. Some women end up dragging out the process because it can be a bit tedious — the DMV and Social Security don't exactly elicit excitement, after all.

If you've decided that changing your name is the right move for you, commit to the process by following my New Bride's Guide to Changing Her Name. Simply print out the checklist to learn what steps you may need to take. You'll find that some areas require more attention and paperwork than others, but keep in mind you only need to (hopefully) do this once! Make copies of all of the documents for your records, just in case.

Holding on to Your Credit Identity Once You're Married

SavvySugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:04:34 -0700

You may assume your husband's last name when you get married and you might even merge bank accounts. Just as you maintain an individual identity outside of your husband and your new last name, you need to protect yourself by sustaining your own credit profile. This can be accomplished even if you combine checking and savings accounts. Find out how to keep your credit identity and why it's so important when you

Should I Keep My Maiden Name Professionally But Take My Husband's Name Personally?

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:03:13 -0700

Even if a woman doesn't get cold feet about getting married, she may experience them when it comes to changing her name. Toying with this decision can be tougher for some than tying the knot, and there's a lot to consider besides the fact that you're giving up the name you've always had.

Depending on where you are in your career, changing your last name can be complicated beyond all of the paperwork. Check out some last-name options when you

Brilliant or Baffling: Compartmentalized Bag

SavvySugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:34:59 -0700

“My story connects with people, my story is the American dream about the girl next door who saw a problem and did something about it. People want to connect with the human side of a brand. They will have more loyalty to a brand that has a human side to it.” That's Jen Groover, entrepreneur and creator of the Butler Bag, talking about why her product is successful.The mess that was Jen's purse frustrated her so much that she stole the dish rack out of her dishwasher and put it in her purse. Voila! Inspiration. Her bags run from $125 to $165 and her company is projected to generate about $15 million in sales this year.

Brilliant or Baffling: Compartmentalized Bag

Brilliant! No more digging for my wallet at the register.

Baffling! I don't need that many compartments in my bag.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments below.

Women Need to Save More to Support Their Longer Lives

SavvySugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:03:39 -0700

It may seem counterintuitive that you're presented with retirement savings options the moment you get your first job. You just started working and you're asked to consider your life when you've stopped working for good. That's reality folks, because unless you have a family fortune to count on or make serious dinero that lets you worry less, it can take your working lifetime to save enough to live during retirement.

A new study released by human resources consulting firm Hewitt Associates determined that women aren't saving enough to support them through their longer lives. Women tend to start saving later than men and are in retirement an average of three more years. Learn more about the study and how to make up for lost time when you

Will the US Follow Britain's Lead in Exposing Underpaying Companies?

SavvySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:04:23 -0700

The US is very hush-hush compared to other countries when it comes to discussing money, and our federal law protects our income tax information from being exposed. Not only does this protect individuals' privacy, it also conceals the prevalent gap between the rich and poor and makes the exact gender gap difficult to measure.

UK Equality Minister Harriet Harman has spearheaded proposed laws that would encourage companies to publish figures showing their average gender pay gap. It's a clever way to get around sharing individual salaries while clearly exposing the companies who underpay their female employees compared to men. Harman explained, "We have structural discrimination on pay and we will be able to see it clearly for the first time, workplace by workplace. Women will be able to see they are paid less than men and will be able to complain about it and challenge it."

The legislation would require public companies to share these figures while heavily suggesting that private companies follow suit, and Harman says she's confident they would. I think they could really be on to something with the proposed law, but how do you feel about the second piece of it? The legislation would also promote "positive discrimination" by favoring female and ethnic minority job candidates with equal qualifications.

Source

Traveling Under Maiden Name Vs. Married Name

SavvySugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:34:48 -0700

After a fabulously exhausting evening of teary vows, dancing the night away, and tight-hugged goodbyes you're off to a relaxing romantic escapade as an official Mrs.

It's not a given that you'll change your last name to match your husband's, but if you're considering it then take care when making your honeymoon and other travel reservations. Find out how to treat traveling as a newly married woman when you

Would Your Job Take a Back Seat to Your Husband's Job?

SavvySugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:02:30 -0700

Almost half of you are sure that your guy would be supportive if you earned more than him and 33 percent of you already do earn more. When I read a CNN article titled "Career couples fight over who's the 'trailing spouse'" I immediately wondered what you all would say about it. It mentions a 2007 study of 9,000 married men and women ages 25-59 whose responses determined it's common to place more emphasis on the man's career. This especially seems to be the case when a couple relocates because of the man's career choices, leaving the woman to find work that may not be as good as the job she left. When asked why she thinks the woman's career takes a back seat, the study's author says, "More often than not, men and women are taught to play very different roles within marriage. Women are socialized to play a homemaking role within the family, whereas men are encouraged to focus on their careers and breadwinning."Source

Would Your Job Take a Back Seat to Your Husband's Job?

My career does take a back seat.

Yes, my career would take a back seat if I were married.

No, but I could see it happening if we were to relocate.

No, and I don't predict that would ever happen.

Other. See my comments below.

Guess Who? Working Harder For Less

SavvySugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:34:56 -0700

"We can’t afford an economy where folks keep working harder for less. We can’t let the women in our workforce get paid even less for doing the same work. And we can’t keep pushing more and more of the burden on to the backs of working parents who are struggling to balance their jobs and their family."

Men Wear Pantyhose For One Full Work Day

SavvySugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:18:40 -0700

Unsuspecting pantyhose may not come off as headline making hosiery, but with Summer upon us everyone from The Wall Street Journal to Good Morning America has been giving them attention. Diane Sawyer challenged American men to test pantyhose for one day and the guys who got their hose on went above and beyond.

The Hollywood Handymen, Britt and George, wore theirs through a full day of physical labor and NY real estate agent Josh Fields kept his on while playing baseball. The men admitted that women have a tougher go of it wearing pantyhose than men do wearing ties. Check out their challenge in the video below.

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Women Think About Shopping Like Men Think About Sex?

SavvySugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:31:18 -0700

You were all equally divided on whether or not the assumption that women will jump at any chance to shop is bothersome. But if the results from the online survey by UK Cosmopolitan are accurate, some of us must be hiding something about our undeniable desire to shop!

The results seem pretty unbelievable to me — of the 778 women surveyed, 74 percent said they think about shopping every minute, while men supposedly think about sex every 52 seconds. Really? Whether or not their sample of women aged 19 to 45 was an accurate measurement of women in general, here are some of the other details that emerged from the survey as reported by Daily Mail.

Two out of five described themselves as shoe and bag addicts, and more than one in ten focused on accessories or make-up.
62 percent said they will put the damage on their credit card and 8 percent are prepared to use funds saved for rent or mortgage.
Those surveyed said they spend at least 30 percent of their annual income on clothes.

Source

Poor, Unfortunate, Pantyhose: The Right to Bare Legs

SavvySugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:05:08 -0700

Pantyhose and I are not friends. We have never been friends, and I don't even like the way it sounds when I say "pantyhose." Fortunately, I haven't been forced into wearing them since childhood, and apparently I should consider myself lucky. Some offices require that women wear hose, and The Wall Street Journal did some serious investigation into the world of women and their legs at work.

They unsurprisingly found that there's a distinct generational divide when it comes to pantyhose preference, but it hadn't occurred to me there would still be a geographical divide as well. Jim Holt, president of a small financial institution in Wichita, Kansas attended a seminar and received this advice regarding women's business casual wear: "Nylon hose and dress shoes are to be worn at all times. We're not New York or San Francisco. We're the Midwest."

Here's their video of New Yorkers of both sexes weighing in on their opinion of pantyhose. Where do you stand?

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Ask Savvy: Looking For a Job While Pregnant

SavvySugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:04:50 -0700

Dear Savvy,

I am a recent college graduate. I feel like I should be looking for a position in line with my degree, but I am also four months pregnant. Should I wait until after the birth of my child or start looking now?

See my answer and weigh in with your own opinion in the comments! Just

Does the Assumption That Women Will Jump at Any Chance to Shop Bother You?

SavvySugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:56:21 -0700

At the start of the recent Memorial Day Weekend, I ventured to San Diego where I stayed in a hotel equipped with several shops. Our check-in chit-chat involved an overview of the grounds, map and all, and the representative helping us paused when she came to the retail cluster on the map. She said, "And here are all of the shops. Mostly women's, but that's a good thing, right?" And then she winked at me. I'm not saying that I don't enjoy a shopping trip once in a while, but my fiancé enjoys shopping for himself just as much as I do. Does the assumption that women will always jump at any chance to shop bother you? Photo courtesy of CBS

Does the Assumption That Women Will Jump at Any Chance to Shop Bother You?

Yes, it bothers me. We have other hobbies, too!

It's slightly annoying, but the assumption is generally accurate.

No, it doesn't bother me. So what if people assume I enjoy shopping?

Other. See my comments below.

College Degrees Pay Off, Especially For Women

SavvySugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:24:24 -0700

There are plenty examples of people who have made a name (and billions) for themselves without a college degree, but The New York Times argues that the progress women have made over the last 40 years goes to show that higher education is not overrated. The statistics they note are remarkable: Only 25 percent of women received a college degree in the 1960s, while today almost 40 percent will end up with one. During the same time period, between 30 and 35 percent of men graduated from a four-year college.

Overall, educated women have seen their degrees pay off — the average inflation-adjusted weekly pay of women has increased 26 percent since 1980, while men's pay has risen only one percent in the last 20 years. Less gender discrimination has something to do with women being able to seek out higher paying jobs — about half of new doctors today are women, up from just one of every 10 in the early 1970s.

Source

How Normal Is Your Spending?

SavvySugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:57:18 -0700

As previously mentioned, Glamour got seriously savvy with its June issue and collected some hard numbers about the spending habits of most women. The one finding that came as a surprise to me is the number of women who don't talk about spending with their partner, but a couple of them actually made me feel validated in my own habits — particularly the one about eating out as the hardest spending habit to break. Do you see yourself in any of these numbers?

Forty percent of women say they've never talked about their spending habits with their partner
Fifteen percent of women put everyday purchases on credit
Fifty-five percent of women younger than 30 consider themselves bargain hunters
Thirty-six percent of women say they spend more than they can afford — at least sometimes
Forty-one percent of women ages 17 to 26 spend more than $100 on a pair of jeans
Forty-nine percent of women say eating out or getting takeout is the hardest spending habit to break
$450 is the average amount that a young single woman making about $34,000 spends on alcohol each year

Source

Glamour Tells Us What Weird Spending Habits Are Normal

SavvySugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:01:24 -0700

Glamour's June issue includes more fun money facts than usual, and I'll be sure to share them with you here and there. The life and happiness section features an in-depth look at women's spending habits, while other parts of the magazine feature advice on how to look expensive and updating your wardrobe without leaving your closet. A sign of the times? Sure, but practicing your savvy is timeless. Here's what Glamour calls "four weird things that are very normal."

Buying lots if one thing is on sale. Spending more when the item you planned to get is deeply discounted has a name: the spillover effect.
Using up most of your salary. The average young single woman spends all but $628 of her annual income.
Mystery spending: Young women lose track of $52 a week. Most say it vanishes on a shopping trip or night out.
Spending more when you're on a diet. A study found that people struggle to resist impulse purchases when they use up self-control elsewhere.

Source

Cleavage Could be Asking For Trouble When Colleagues Are Involved

SavvySugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:46:36 -0700

Voluptuous is definitely not a word to describe me, so the topic of sporting cleavage at work hasn't ever been an issue I've had to combat. But I've witnessed several well-endowed entry-level employees trying to figure out what's acceptable and what's not and walking the fine line between fashion forward and sexy. When you're working in a conservative environment some dress codes are strict about toe cleavage, so common sense would imply that your chest cleavage is out of the question.

When you're just starting out in your career dress code slip-ups are more expected and therefore usually easily forgiven, but as you move up the ladder your colleagues won't be so forgiving. While dress codes at the office leave little room for interpretation, there aren't any structured rules that tell you how to dress for evening events like work dinners. The Wall Street Journal recently addressed this issue, so to find out their tips on finding a happy medium just

Guide to Hiring Women, Circa 1943

SavvySugar — Sat, 10 May 2008 11:01:06 -0700

Transportation Magazine came to terms with the fact that women would be part of the workforce in 1943 when the war caused a shortage of manpower. In order to help companies use women to the best of their advantage and adjust to the integration of women workers, the magazine published "Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees." Their tips are pretty amusing and frank, and while number eleven is a timeless tip, it is obvious that times have certainly changed!

Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they're less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they sitll have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.
When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked out side the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.
General experience indicates that "husky" girls — those who are just a little on the heavy side — are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination — one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
Stress at the outset the importance of the time the fact that a minute or two lost her e and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely slowed up.

There are six more "tips" so just

Men Earn in Nine Months What You Earn in a Year

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:17:17 -0700

The gender pay gap is definitely not a thing of the past — the 77 cents that women make for every man's dollar in this country is a sure sign that gender inequality continues to plague the workplace. To put things in perspective, men make the equivalent of a woman's yearly salary by the time the first of September rolls around. Configured on a weekly basis, a woman must work until the following Tuesday to catch up to a man in an equivalent position.

Just last week, the Senate killed an equal pay bill, called the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, that was aiming to counteract a Supreme Court decision limiting how long workers can wait before suing for pay discrimination. The original decision was made when Lilly Ledbetter sued her employer for pay discrimination and the case escalated all the way to the Supreme Court. Want to know how long you have to sue your employer for unfair pay? Just

Would Better Fertility Info Affect Your Career Choices?

SavvySugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:52:52 -0700

How often have you heard women say, "I'm not getting any younger," in relation to her biological clock? While it's true that a woman's ability to conceive becomes more difficult with age, a new hormone test awaiting FDA approval gages fertility in a way that measures the health of a woman's eggs. The Wall Street Journal article focusing on these tests says "the delay in childbearing, fueled in part by the strides women have made in the workplace, has led to more fertility interventions as women age."It also notes that doctors expect more women will undergo these tests during their childbearing years to get a "benchmark of their fertility." If you knew that you had a larger fertility window, would it affect the path you've chosen for your career?Source

Would Better Fertility Info Affect Your Career Choices?

Yes, I would have made different career choices if I knew I had a bigger fertility window.

No, my career path hasn't been affected by any fertility anxiety.

Other. See my comments below.

An Expert's Golden Rules For Negotiating

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:25:03 -0700

Earlier I shared with you most of my interview with Linda Babcock, professor of economics and author of Ask For It. We talked about how important it is for women to learn to ask for more at work, but there are certain points you should keep in mind before going into a negotiation.

SavvySugar: What are your top tips for women entering a negotiation, your golden rules for going into a meeting?

Linda: Number one, do it. Decide that negotiation can get you what you want.
Number two, be prepared: Being prepared will give you confidence going into a negotiation. If you’re uncomfortable asking colleagues what they earn in order to gage your own salary, talk to them about what they think you should be earning. Gather information to support your case and feel confident that you’re being reasonable.
Number three: Practice, especially if you’re anxious. Ask a friend to sit down with you and run through the points your want to cover in your negotiation.

SS: So what if the company responds that there’s just no money available to boost your salary? The economy has caused a lot of companies to tighten their belts, so how should we respond to that excuse?

LB: If there’s really no money to spare, negotiate other things like projects you want to work on, or think about rearranging your hours like switching to a flex-schedule with Fridays off or working from home. Think creatively and broadly about the possibilities of improving your work life.

Savvy Interview: Why You Should Ask For More at Work

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:28:21 -0700

I had the fortunate opportunity to speak with Linda Babcock, a Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert on women and negotiation. Her most recent book, Ask For It, explores the reasons why negotiating is necessary and how to go about asking for more. She was a pleasure to interview, so intelligent and good humored, with an arsenal of interesting observations and tips. To see what Linda shared with me about her experiences and women negotiating just

Have You Witnessed Weight Discrimination at Work?

SavvySugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:02:38 -0700

I've never heard anyone try to defend the US when someone calls our country fat, but weight discrimination is certainly a hefty issue in this country. Women have been particularly mistreated and discriminated against because of extra pounds, and at considerably lower weights relative to their body size than men. Self-reported cases of weight discrimination show that women begin noticing a difference in the way they're treated when they're about 13 pounds overweight. Women reported workplace weight bias as well as mistreatment in their personal lives, and researchers found that this kind of discrimination is more common than discrimination against religious beliefs or ethnicity. Source

Have You Witnessed Weight Discrimination at Work?

Yes, I've witnessed obvious weight discrimination at work.

I've just heard rude weight related behind-the-back comments at the office.

No, I've never witnessed someone being obviously mistreated because they're overweight.

Other. See my comments below.

How to Invest Like a Girl

SavvySugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:59:16 -0700

While throwing or screaming like a girl haven't exactly been populated as compliments, investing may give the usually downer-descriptor a positive twist. The folks at The Motley Fool have given women investors the ultimate confidence boost by claiming that Warren Buffett, Mr. Richest Person in the World himself, invests like a girl. Buffett's long-term, patient approach to investing sets him apart from typical male investors who react to the market by transforming their portfolios. To find out how to invest like a girl just

Have You Ever Negotiated Your Salary?

SavvySugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:05:00 -0700

The unfortunate workplace pattern has been that men are more likely to negotiate for a higher salary than women. Whether it's that men are told it's OK for them to ask for more and women aren't, or that they're more confident in standing up for what they believe they're worth, the fact remains that most women don't negotiate after a salary has been offered. Where do you fit into this man-woman-negotiation equation. Source

Have You Ever Negotiated Your Salary?

Yes, I've negotiated and got what I wanted!

No, I haven't negotiated but haven't been in the position to.

No, I've wanted to but couldn't muster up the courage.

Other. See my comments below.

Why Women Can't Stand Working With Women

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:49:39 -0700

When I asked you if you preferred working with women or men, an overwhelming 62 percent of you said that men are preferable, 19 percent voted for women, and the other 19 percent of you said you don't have a preference. Your comments described women as catty, ultra-competitive, overly-sensitive, nasty, gossips, back-stabbers, guilty of emotional favoritism, cliquey, and fake. So how come we cherish our girlfriends in our personal lives, but can't stand working with our own sex? To see my take on the subject just

Renewed Sexism in the Workplace

SavvySugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:09:32 -0700

While the number of female officers among Fortune 500 firms steadily increased during the early and mid-1990s, that number has decreased each year since 2005 and stalled in 2007. Last year, the boards of Fortune 500 companies were represented with only 14.8 percent women. This month's issue of Portfolio explores why there aren't more women in charge of corporate America but doesn't exactly come up with an answer to the question.

The author of the article, "Sexism," observes that nobody wants to talk about sexism because most people think there's nothing to discuss. She boldly points out that a number of the women acknowledged in the Wall Street Journal's "50 Women to Watch in 2007" list "appear deliberately, studiously unfeminine." So what? The author muses that women with power avoid criticism based on appearance by flying "below the radar," and notes Vogue editor Anna Wintour's comments when Hillary Clinton declined to do a photo shoot with the magazine.

Imagine my amazement, then, when I learned that Hillary Clinton, our only female presidential hopeful, had decided to steer clear of [being photographed for] our pages at this point in her campaign for fear of looking too feminine. The notion that a contemporary woman must look mannish in order to be taken seriously as a seeker of power is frankly dismaying." She went on to ask, "How has our culture come to this?" and state, "This is America, not Saudi Arabia."

Do you agree that femininity compromises women in positions of power? And would we be better off if the US adopted a policy similar to Norway's law, requiring that companies have board seats be composed of 40 percent women by 2008?

Your Two Cents: Are Pantsuits Unfeminine?

SavvySugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:56:54 -0700

Some anchors over at Fox News seem to think that a pantsuit makes a woman unfeminine. They dislike the outfit so much that anchor Brian Kilmeade says, "If I was to run for office, I'd run on the pro-skirt platform." So much jabber over a pair of pants. Watch:

Your Two Cents: Are Pantsuits Unfeminine?

Yes, they're unfeminine. I'd rather show a little leg!

Both pant and skirt suits are unfeminine.

No, there are some great feminine pantsuits out there.

Other. See my comments below.