Stay Connected This September

September means back to school, and all the foreseeable expenses this inevitably brings parents! This year, kids will be carrying Netpads and iPads instead of laptops, listening to Lady Gaga instead of Beyonce, and telling us silver is the new black. Every year, it is some new trend; some new technology. As parents, you are used to it. All you care about it that your kids are safe and happy. You just need to keep track of your investment, after all!

Or maybe you don’t have kids—perhaps you are in college yourself, for the first time taking care of some your own expenses…or not. My parents didn’t fork over a dime for me when I went to school, I will bitterly tell you! But, many of my friends partook of plenty of fiscal assistance from their parents; I’d say I know a good

Saving the “Back” in “Back to School”!

You are sitting on the beach on a gorgeous, clear day, working on your sexy summer tan. You are sipping on a cool Corona or a margarita perhaps, listening to the sound of the waves crash against the sand. Beautiful people are frolicking around in their skimpy bathing suits, playing volleyball and laughing with pure glee. The kind of glee that comes from the freedom only summer vacation can bring. The sun feels comforting on your skin, and you sigh quietly as you relax even deeper, knowing this is exactly where you want to be.
The absolute last thing you want to think about right now is the impending school year, and I don’t blame you. It is not easy to give up those lazy, sun-shiny days and get back to the grind. But it is not ALL bad, right? The leaves are just lovely when they

Recession, Who???

“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Recession?”
“Recession, who?”

Ok, it’s not a funny joke, and I’ll bet YOU have noticed we are in a recession, but I think there are some people and institutions that need this fact shouted right in their ear. Loudly, even, because a joke would be way to subtle. For example, I think someone needs to tell that to the bars I frequent in Hollywood, where a mixed drink still costs me $12-$14, plus tip! And apparently, no one told this to my insurance company, who still charges me about $120 a month just to keep my car on the road. I’m pretty sure no one has told the movie industry, because tickets to the latest blockbusters keep going up and up. My cell phone costs a pretty serious penny too. Heck, one’s favorite coffee at a Starbucks is half an

The Garden of Eden Was Organic

Dictionary.com defines the word “organic” as “noting or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals.” So what does that mean? And why go organic?

Organic products are essentially free of unnatural chemicals and additives that can possibly have adverse effects on our health over time. When talking about organic food, you are referring to food that has not been sprayed with chemical pesticides, growing in soil without the use of synthetic fertilizers. Organic foods and products are also less harmful to the environment, making them extremely earth-conscious.

These days, more and more people are taking that step and going organic with their foods, concerned about those chemical additives and

Gifts to Up Your Professional Ante

In today’s world, there is an aesthetic professionalism which is mostly efficiently expressed in leather briefcases, laptop bags, and crisp-suited executives. In order to be treated like you matter, you have to look it; you have to play the game and look your part. And this isn’t just for others, either. I know I personally think and act more like a professional when I am in professional dress, with my well-organized laptop bag, as opposed to “lazy Fridays” where I wear my sweats to work. In short, looking the part helps you BE the part. And it helps others see you in a professional and serious light. Business accessories have really taken off since the invention of the laptop, and more and more people are spending more and more cash of these types of items. An example