FabSugar

Online Sale Alert! Up to 75% Off at Swell

FabSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:20:22 PDT

I'm a California girl, so you can't blame me for having a favorite surf shop - especially when my favorite surf shop is having a crazy sale! Swell stocks all your go-to surf brands: Roxy, Billabong, O'Neill...and through July 4th, all their dresses, shorts, accessories are marked way down! (And you don't have to be a serious surfer chick to wear them, I promise.)

This Billabong Stella Dress caught my eye because I love the coral color, and its Grecian-like shape! It would be a way cute cover-up or just good for staying cool in the heat. Plus, it's on sale for $19.99 (originally $44). Shaka bra!

Know of any fabulous online sales? Do share by bookmarking a sale alert. And if you need a quick tutorial on how to bookmark, click here. Be sure to check out our favorite sale sites!!!

What It Takes to Buy a Home

Kiplinger — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:14:47 PDT

Do you have what it takes to buy a home? Consider this exhaustive guide from Kiplinger.

Tired of renting? It could be a great time to buy your first home. In many cities, home prices have bottomed, and rents have risen. Mortgage rates are still superlow. In fact, homes haven't been as affordable since 1971. On the downside, in many cities, buyers have fewer homes from which to choose and more competition for the best houses.

In Austin, TX, newlyweds Mark and Ariane Corcoran bought their first home in March. They were renting in a popular downtown neighborhood, where they paid $1,200 a month for a 500-square-foot loft apartment, when they inherited enough money for a down payment. When they began shopping, they expected to buy a classic 1930s Austin bungalow. They found lots of prospects online but drove by most of them. "Agents are really good at taking photos that exclude what they don't want you to see, like the used-car lot out back," says Mark.

They put in an offer on a $225,000, 800-square-foot home. But after the home inspection, they realized that it needed $20,000 to $30,000 in renovations and repairs and that they'd quickly outgrow it. They walked away during the state-mandated rescission period (during which a buyer can back out for any reason and get back any earnest money deposited).

Ariane identified their next prospect within an hour after the listing appeared online. It was a newly built, 1,600-square-foot home with three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a yard for the dogs. The builder asked $270,000, the couple offered $260,000, he countered, and they paid $268,000. They put down 20 percent to avoid private mortgage insurance and snagged a 30-year fixed rate of 3.75 percent from a credit union. Their monthly mortgage payment is $1,524.

Before you take the plunge, consider the answers to questions often posed by first-time buyers. Read on for what to ask yourself.

The Easiest Way to Add Spring's Tropical-Print Trend to Your Wardrobe

Brittney Stephens — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:30:21 PDT

From right to left: Salvatore Ferragamo, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Altuzarra, Stella McCartney, Missoni

Spring's easy, breezy tropical print trend certainly has us in the mood to take a beach getaway. We got a taste of the island life from designers like Altuzarra, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Stella McCartney to name a few, and were thrilled to see brands like ASOS and Topshop giving their own take on the trend (and being a bit kinder to our wallets). This look definitely has Hawaiian roots, but also calls to mind far off beach excursions like Tahiti, Fiji, and Bali - giving us even more motivation to take a much-needed vacation. These flowers might be bold, but the styling tips are easy; simply pair printed trousers or blazers with minimal accompaniments for a chic and modern take on the trend. Or, don a vivid patterned dress with strappy heels for a standout evening ensemble. Click below now to shop our favorite palm-tree prints, vibrant floral motifs and surf-inspired silhouettes.

Fit For June: Must Haves

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:47:29 PDT

June is here - can you smell Summer in the air? We can, which is why our must haves this month are sure to inspire you to get up, get out, and go! Whether it's biking, running, or hanging 10, here's what we're using to stay safe and active in the sun this year.

A Whole Lotta Lil in This Week's Links

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 04:12:46 PST

Nervous about doing a maternity photo shoot? Get our firsthand tips on looking like a celeb cover model during your belly photo session.
Get a sneak peek at Diane von Furstenberg's new collection for GapKids and plot your shopping strategy now.
Jessica Simpson's not the first star to pose naked and pregnant. See which celebs have gone the pregnant cover model route.
Grow, baby, grow! These growth charts will help mom and tot keep track.
We've got a sneak peek of Gwen Stefani's latest Harajuku Mini line for Target!
Let's go strollin' with the newest strollers to watch for this Spring.
Follow these tips to stay sane during pregnancy.
Don't go on Spring break without checking out the best warm weather maternity styles.
This surf-inspired first birthday brunch will have you dreaming of sunny skies and big waves.
Capture your lil one in one of these unique photo ops for some beautiful and memorable photos.

Source: Ponce Photography

Beauty and the Beach: 10 Surf-Inspired Pieces For Summer

Brittney Stephens — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:58:32 PDT

Perfect tans; salt-soaked, natural waves; and cool, sporty suits. No wonder we all covet the classic wave-rider aesthetic. We saw a sophisticated rendition, thanks to fashion photographer Greg Kadel's editorial for Vogue Spain, and that chic take seems to be holding as Michael Kors featured a surf theme for his Resort 2012 collection. Whether it's a fashion-meets-function rashguard, neoprene beach bag, or a pair of boho-cool woven wedges, effortless surf style is easy to attain. For all of you beach babes having neoprene dreams this Summer, here are 10 great pieces that will help you capture the ultimate surfer-girl style.

Best Black Friday Deals Roundup

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:08:53 PST

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through November already, but it's true. Not only is it time to start thinking about your guest list for Thanksgiving dinner, but also your Black Friday shopping list. Get a head start on your planning by checking out these Black Friday ads that are already posted online for your browsing pleasure.

Amazon

Motorola phones will be on sale for just a penny. Some of the available models include Droid Razr 4G, BlackBerry Torch 4G, HTC Inspire 4G, HTC Rhyme, Samsung Focus Flash 4G, and more. This sale is available now through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28.
Verizon and Sprint customers are eligible for some extras. If they activate a mobile hotspot data plan on their hotspot-capable smartphone, they will also receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

Apple

Apple's sales will take effect on Friday, Nov. 25 at physical locations and online.

Get $101 off MacBook Airs, Pros, and iMacs. The 11-inch MacBook Air will be on sale for just $898!
Save up to $41 on iPods, including iPod Touch and Nano
iPads (first and second generation models) will be discounted up to $61.
Accessories for Macs, iPods, and iPads will be discounted as well.

Best Buy

Stores will be opening at 12 a.m. on Black Friday. Get a closer look at the Best Buy Black Friday ad here.

An insane deal, the Sharp 42-Inch LCD 1080p TV is only $200. Better get in line early for that one.
Capture precious moments with the Canon Power Shot ELPH 300HS Digital Camera for $150.
Alternatively, you can grab the Kodak PlayFull 1080p HD Camcorder for just $70.
Insane prices on DVDs - just $1 and up.
Or, grab Blu-rays starting at $5 and up.

GameStop

Stores will be opening at 12 a.m. on Black Friday.

Trade in your old DSi XL and get a 3DS bundle (that includes the system and a game) for $100.
The black Wii bundle, which includes Super Mario Bros. Wii and the official Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack, will be selling out at $150.
There's also a Xbox Kinect Bundle, which includes 250GB Xbox 360, Kinect, wireless controller, three-month Xbox Live membership, and two games for $300.

Kmart

If you're looking for a camcorder to capture family moments, snatch up the Sony Compact Camcorder with 60x Optical Zoom, which is on sale for $170.
Listen to your tunes on the cheap with Maxell Color Earbuds that are going for $2.50 a pair.
I love the Samsung PL120 DualView digital camera for self-portraits and videos, and on Black Friday, you can get one for yourself for just $99.
Looking for an affordable tablet that will let you surf the Internet on the fly? The Archos 8GB 101 Internet Tablet will be priced at just $219 on Black Friday.

Office Depot

The 17-inch HP g7 laptop is going for $350, but if you buy any HP laptop you can also get the HP Touchpad for $149.
The "tech bundle" from Office Depot offers a laptop sleeve, wireless mouse, and 500GB hard drive for $80.
8GB SanDisk SD cards are only $9 each.
All M-Edge Kindle accessories and cases are buy one get one free.
All tablets are on sale during the Black Friday sale. The BlackBerry Playbook is only $200, while the Lenovo IdeaPad is $300.
The Canon Power Shot A22 14.1MP digital camera is $90 and comes with a free 4GB SD card.

Sam's Club

Stores will be open starting at 5 a.m. on Black Friday and will include a complimentary egg sandwich breakfast for members!

It could be better, but for the price of this Samsung 51-Inch Class 720p 600Hz Plasma HDTV ($498), it's a nice upgrade for someone with a smaller screen.
If you don't already have one, the Sony PS3 160GB Bundle is going for $239.
Or, get a Nintendo Wii Limited Edition Blue Console for only $99.
Need a laptop? The HP Pavilion 17.3-Inch Notebook is $499.
And though model numbers haven't been released, select 4G Android Smartphones are going for just $1.

Target

Stores open at midnight on Black Friday.

Get your game on with the PS3 gaming bundle, that comes with a 160GB PS3 Slim, two games (including Little Big Planet 2 and a 30 day PlayStation Plus membership for $199.
The Acer 10.1-inch netbook is $72 off and priced at $157 on Black Friday.
Get a Westinghouse 47-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $298. That's $250 off the regular price of $550!
Select video games start at $5 a piece and DVDs starting at just $2.
Other gaming bundles include the Kinect sensor bundle (Kinect, two games and two game downloads) for $99, and a 3DS bundle (red 3DS and a copy of Super Mario 3D Land) for $180.

Walmart

Walmart's Black Friday ad is available to view online. Electronics will be going on sale starting at 12 a.m. on Black Friday, while toys and other departments will be open for shopping at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

Get your hands on an LG Blu-ray Player for movie-watching fun for just $49.
Or, if you're in need of some sweet sounds to go along with your flicks, the Philips WiFi Blu-ray Home Theatre is going for $178.
Upgrade your movie-watching experience with the Samsung 51-Inch Plasma TV, priced at $498.
Keep the fun coming with DVDs starting at just $2 and up.

Kmart, Office Depot Black Friday Deals to Look Out For

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:52:22 PST

The Black Friday ads are rolling in, and we're just getting started on our shopping lists! If you're hitting up Kmart or Office Depot next Friday for the big sales, here are the gadgets and gear we'd keep an eye out for. Looking for more ads? Check out our Black Friday deal roundup page.

Kmart

If you're looking for a camcorder to capture family moments, snatch up the Sony Compact Camcorder with 60x Optical Zoom, which is on sale for $170.
Listen to your tunes on the cheap with Maxell Color Earbuds that are going for $2.50 a pair.
I love the Samsung PL120 DualView digital camera for self-portraits and videos, and on Black Friday, you can get one for yourself for just $99.
Looking for an affordable tablet that will let you surf the Internet on the fly? The Archos 8GB 101 Internet Tablet will be priced at just $219 on Black Friday.

Office Depot

The 17-inch HP g7 laptop is going for $350, but if you buy any HP laptop you can also get the HP Touchpad for $149.
The "tech bundle" from Office Depot offers a laptop sleeve, wireless mouse, and 500GB hard drive for $80.
8GB SanDisk SD cards are only $9 each.
All M-Edge Kindle accessories and cases are buy one get one free.
All tablets are on sale during the Black Friday sale. The BlackBerry Playbook is only $200, while the Lenovo IdeaPad is $300.
The Canon Power Shot A22 14.1MP digital camera is $90 and comes with a free 4GB SD card.

Stay Connected During Holiday Travel With These Free WiFi Sources

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:46:00 PST

Heading out of town for the holidays doesn't mean you have to give up on checking your emails, surfing your favorite websites, or watching your shows on Hulu. If you're on the go, keep an eye out for these six places that offer free WiFi connections (and one big safety warning to go along with it).

The Big Apple - New York City and AT&T partnered up to launch free WiFi service at 20 city parks across all five boroughs. While we'd like to imagine park goers enjoying computer-less moments, free park WiFi is a great excuse to "work from home." Just wear a coat while you're out.
Airports - Kayak created a handy guide of WiFi at US airports, noting which airports provide free and secure WiFi.
The golden arches - In most major cities it'd be difficult to not pass a steady stream of McDonald's, Starbucks, and other big name restaurants. Many of these chains offer free WiFi, putting the "value" in value meal.
Starbucks - Grab a cuppa Joe and some free Internet while you're at it. You can pretty much find a Starbucks on every block in big cities, and there are plenty to go around in smaller towns and airports as well.
The library - Oh, forgot about the library since you have a fancy pants ereader now? Well, if you're ever in need of a quick connection, head to your local library branch. If they don't have WiFi, they'll certainly have computers for you to log in.
Your hotel - You may have to fork over the dough to get online in some cases, but free WiFi is becoming a welcome perk at some hotels and hotel chains. Call ahead to see if your hotel offers free connections, and if not, the concierge should be able to direct you to a generous neighborhood coffee shop or bar with a free signal.
But remember, safety first! - Just as leaving your home network open and unprotected with a password can be dangerous, so is piggybacking on an unsecured WiFi signal in a public area, so steer clear of wireless networks labeled "Free Public WiFi," which can be dangerous if used. Hackers can create fake networks in hopes of stealing your personal information. Don't let them get away with it that easily!

A Geek Girl's Guide to Digital Safety

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:19:45 PDT

There's no better time to start thinking of online safety than the present. Whether you're shopping online, signing into your email, or surfing the web on your mobile phone, there are simple ways to protect your identity and information. Check out this guide to protecting yourself in this digital world.