If you love fashion, you might have a hard time refraining from shopping. Read on to find out what OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget does to keep herself in check.

True story — I am pretty much obsessed with fast fashion. I may not know every designer label in the book, but I can spot a Zara dress from a mile away. You would think that as a frugal shopper that I save sooo much money on clothing, but actually that isn't necessarily true. I have about 20 bags in my closet that I never wear, and I'm pretty sure if you calculated their total price together it would probably equal out to one Louis Vuitton bag that I would wear indefinitely. 

No matter if your money is going toward designer purchases or frugal ones, you can still spend too much on clothing if you are living beyond your means. Most people don't recognize that you can live beyond your means even if you are buying superaffordable goods. (Trust me, I didn't recognize it for years.) But you can and you will, if you aren't careful. 

It's even harder to stay away from spending too much on clothing when you work at your favorite retail store. Working at Forever 21, I see the merchandise before it's displayed in the store. I don't have to dig through the racks for something or search all through the store — the merchandise is just right there in front of me. It's so accessible and so easy to buy. I can put it on hold for myself almost immediately. I'm pretty sure you've heard plenty of boutique associates say, "They should just keep my paycheck — I spend all of my money here!" I've said that plenty of times before. The sad part is, most of the time it's true. Aside from paying my bills, I would spend the rest of my money on clothes from there. It is a terrible spending habit.

So long story short, how did I stop myself from spending too much on clothing?

• Have a short-term financial goal. Although my fiancé is taking care of 90 percent of the wedding, there are still a few other expenses that I know I have to save my money for. I want to shower my two bridesmaids with gifts, enjoy a week in NYC with my maid of honor, and have enough money to get our hair and makeup done on the wedding day. All of these things can really add up, and having this short-term financial goal has really helped me second-guess my purchasing decisions. My wedding is important to me, and I want it to be the most special day of my life. Find a short-term financial goal for yourself, like a vacation, and it could really help you, too!

Read on for more.

OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget shares the shocking unemployment statistics of college graduates.

As a teenager, it seemed as though the next few steps in my life were going to be easy. You go to college and you get a job. That's what all of the older kids did. What I didn't know was that I would graduate college one year after the recession began and that my dream job would be even harder to grasp, much less finding a job with a good salary and benefits.

Since graduation, I have not been able to find a job that pays more than $10.50 an hour. Even though I have liked my jobs, that doesn't mean I am not financially stressed. I have around $40K in student loan debt — and that's even after receiving a $10K scholarship. Sometimes I feel like I could have skipped college altogether considering I have worked jobs that don't even require a college degree. On the optimistic side of things, I still feel like getting a college degree is a good idea. I just wish I'd have known then what I'd be getting myself into and that I wouldn't just magically graduate with a good job.

Read on for more.

Fed up with friends who keep bragging about money? OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget shares some great suggestions on how to deal.

If there is anything that worsens how you feel about your financial situation, it's probably being around someone that always brags about money. For me, one of the most difficult things is to hear others bragging about their impressive salaries and benefits package, expensive getaways, and huge end-of-the-year bonuses. And of course, you try to be nice, because you're their friend and you love them, but really you just want to tell them to shut it.

Money problems can make you bitter, especially toward others with more money and success, but there are classy ways to contain yourself around a money bragger:

• Compliment them. Have you ever heard the expression "kill 'em with kindness"? Well, this goes along with that. Your friend might not be trying to hurt your feelings, but they could just be really proud of how much they've accomplished. Maybe they don't get a lot of praise from other people, so you tell them you're proud of them! That could be all they needed.
• If they're being competitive, ignore them. You can tell a friend is being competitive when he or she brags about recent purchases or income and then immediately want to know what you bought or what you make. Whether they are jealous of you or not, this is childish behavior and shouldn't be acknowledged. Simply compliment them on their recent success and change the subject.
• Never burden them with your financial troubles. When a friend starts to brag about money, it's easy to become upset and envious of them. Still, it's never a good idea to start talking about your financial problems after they've just gotten done talking about buying a $4,000 pair of shoes (or whatever). If you want to talk about your finances, wait until later. Otherwise, you'll just be a Debbie Downer.

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Trying to get back on track with your budget? OnSugar blogger Beauty and the Budget shares some great suggestions.

It's 2012, and for most of us, our top New Year's resolution is to create a budget. It's a healthy resolution, of course, and if you're looking for tips on creating a budget, you can always check this site! However, you might be overlooking a few things, and it could be costing you hundreds of dollars over time.

There are more ways to adjusting your finances than just sitting down with a ledger, pay stubs, and a calculator. You should really look at every aspect of your financial lifestyle, but there are a few supereasy tips you should take into consideration first.

• Unsubscribe to mailing lists. Are you a member of discount designer shopping sites? Online shops? Your favorite stores? Budget savvy beauties are always sourcing for an amazing deal, but email alerts about sales and special discounts could make you more susceptible to spending when you don't need to. (I don't know about you, but when I'm offered a special discount or a certain dollar amount off via email, I always click on the link — even if only to see if I like the items enough to buy them.) Go through your mailbox and get rid of those mailing lists! You don't necessarily have to get rid of all of them, but it's a really good idea to unsubscribe from most mailing lists. That way when you have a little extra spending money on hand, you can check your favorite sites to see what deals they have going on at that time.
• Cancel all monthly memberships to "personalized" boutiques. Although sites like JewelMint and ShoeDazzle offer an amazing service, it's not financially savvy to subscribe to memberships like these. Why not? It takes away your spending power. Sure, you get a great product every month, but instead of spending when you want to, you're spending when they want you to. And those monthly memberships really add up over time. It's much wiser to buy on your own time, at your own convenience. This way you have the power, and that's what truly makes you in control of your finances. If you are truly pinching pennies right now (like me), I highly advise cancelling all online shopping memberships.

For more budgeting inspiration, follow the Beauty and the Budget blog. You can start your own OnSugar blog for a chance to be featured on the PopSugar Network.

Sometimes we just need a break! OnSugar blogger Everyday Baby Steps shares free and inexpensive ways to treat yourself.

The other day I wrote about how my new hairstyle has improved my outlook. I also mentioned that I'm fortunate enough to blog for a wonderful local hair salon, and I'm able to trade my writing services for hair and beauty treatments. It's an awesome exchange! Even if you're not lucky enough to have your hairstylist on retainer, there are still tons of ways to treat and pamper yourself, as well as your family, without spending a ton of money. These are tough economic times. Throughout my working life, I've had various periods of ups and downs with my finances. The times when I was the least happy were the ones in which I constantly denied myself. Living in a mindset of lack or want is not healthy. It's no good for you, and it's no good for your loved ones. So I'm going to get you started with a list of things you can do to add some fun and pampering to your life without spending the big bucks that so many of us just don't have right now.

Health and Beauty

Going to the salon and buying beauty products can really take a chunk out of your budget. Consider these ways of pampering yourself on the cheap.

Need to cram for an exam? Whether you're a mom or just a full-time student, check out these tips that OnSugar blogger marybabysteps shared on The College Mom.

Wow, the end of the semester is actually here. Where'd the time go? I'm sure you're saying the same thing. With so much on your plate, you may be wondering how in the world you're going to find time to prepare for final exams, never mind how you'll actually manage to survive them. Trust me, mama, you can do this. Take a deep breath and consider these tips to help you get a handle on your test anxiety during this crazy time.

Schedule Study Time

I've talked about this aspect of time management, but it's especially important at finals to make sure you've set aside plenty of time for study. Write it down in your agenda or planner, and be sure to stick to it — just like any other appointment. You'll find that you're far less stressed if you know you've got the time set aside.

Break It Down

Decide which subjects are most difficult and tackle those first in your study session when your energy level is highest. Also keep in mind that it's impossible to study absolutely everything. Decide which topics are most likely to be on the exams and focus on those. Often professors will provide you with study guides. Take a moment to review the study guides, highlighting the topics that are toughest for you. Breaking things down always makes them seem less overwhelming.

More tips after the break.

Stressing over Christmas shopping? OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget gives us some great tips to saving on gifts.

Although Christmas is almost everyone's favorite holiday, with the increasing financial difficulties we face in this economy, it's getting harder and harder not to turn into a total Scrooge. I love buying gifts, but honestly, I don't have the money. And without being too much of a political-occupy-Wall Street type, the market has definitely turned this holiday into a money-making machine.

For a holiday that should be all about family, friends, and loved ones, there are a few simple solutions to making this holiday a little less stressful financially. Below are five ways you can save on Christmas gifts, and some of them, you may not have ever heard before!

1. Donate to a charity, instead of buying everyone gifts. On Christmas, gather around the table with your loved ones and explain which charity you chose and why it means so much to you. One amazing charity to donate to is Operation Christmas Child. Anyone can do this, and you can each share a story about the gifts you chose for the child!
2. Buy gifts just for the children. Whether you choose to buy gifts just for kids under 18 or under 12, you can save a lot of money by not having to buy the adults presents. Of course, for families like the Duggars, you may want to choose another option!
3. Buy themed gift baskets for families. My mom's side of the family has done this before, and honestly, it's my favorite way of gift-giving. It's so simple and affordable to just to buy a gift basket for each family. For example, my Aunt and Uncle gave us a movie-themed gift basket one year complete with pajamas, movies, and popcorn for me, my mom, and my brother.
4. Set a limit on the price of each gift. If you have a lot of people to buy for, you can require that everyone buy a gift under a certain amount, like $25. You can always find cool gifts at thrift stores, flea markets, and even Etsy!
5. Buy everyone a gift card. Along the lines of setting a price limit for gifts, if you're one of those people who is never satisfied with your Christmas gifts or never knows what to buy anyone, gift cards are an easy solution!

How are you saving on Christmas this year? Share your ideas below!

To read other great tips, visit the Beauty and the Budget blog. You can start your own OnSugar blog for a chance to be featured on the PopSugar Network.

OnSugar blogger the college mom gives tips to adult students for choosing majors.

When I was an academic adviser, it never seemed to fail that at this time of the semester I would begin to see students coming to my office by the dozens searching for advice on choosing a major. I don't know what it is about this time but it really seems that students begin to focus on what course of study they should pursue right about now. It may have something to do with midterm exams taking place or it could be for a myriad of other reasons. Whatever the cause, now seems to be a time of great anxiety surrounding choosing a major. Let's discuss some ways to tackle the task and lessen the stress.

Take an Inventory

One of the first things I always recommend to students is taking a career inventory. A career inventory is kind of like a test that assesses your strengths, weaknesses and preferences and gives you a list of career types that may appeal to you. Career inventories don't tell you what you should do for a living; they merely produce ideas that may suit you based on your assessment results. Some examples of career inventories are the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory and the Strong Interest Inventory. See your career counselor or academic adviser for assistance in taking and interpreting such assessments.

Read on for more tips.

Struggling with debt? OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget gives us some great tips to managing debt.

Remember this old commercial? It's hilarious, and so true!

These frivolous spending habits certainly apply today. Think about it. You know these people—they're your neighbors, coworkers, family members, or maybe it's even you. You're to a point that you are sinking yourself into an unrealistic amount of debt. It's normal to have a house loan, car note, insurance, and student loan debt. Where we get ourselves into trouble is when we have a house and a car that we cannot afford. Let's face it, in our society we aren't just keeping up with the Joneses anymore — we're trying to keep up with the Kardashians! And that, beauties, is completely unrealistic.

Now of course, I'm not trying to lecture. I've seen what credit card debt can do, and I'm currently struggling to pay my student loans off when I don't even have a job with a decent (read anything above $25,000) salary! I know your pain, and it's extremely tough. But the best thing we can do is to not stress about it. Instead, we should learn to take a rational approach to handling our debt and getting it under control. Don't worry about having to get it paid off now, now, now! The key is learning to manage your debt.

So let's say you have a normal amount of debt or an abnormal amount of debt. Whatever your case, you have debt. Now, let's get it under control using these six steps

OnSugar blogger the college mom gives the lowdown on why community colleges are great choices for busy adults.

Community colleges are a phenomenal educational choice for busy adults. Classes are offered at various times, you can often find one close to home and the price is usually much less expensive than four-year institutions. Some people may worry that the quality of education is not as high at community colleges as that of traditional schools, but the truth is, the majority of community colleges require similar accreditation to four-year schools. And if you're looking for a specialized degree in a technical or industrial field, the education received at community colleges is often top-notch, offering the newest equipment, devices and technology.

In addition, a community college education is versatile. Working with your academic adviser, you'll be able to choose liberal arts courses that should transfer seamlessly to the four-year school of your choice. If you're not planning to obtain a Bachelor's degree, community colleges offer numerous Associate degrees and certificate programs that can open the doors to the career path you're looking for. As a former community college academic adviser, I may be a little biased, but I truly believe that community colleges provide excellent educational options to the community, particularly to adult students.

Here are some quick facts about community colleges from The American Association of Community Colleges:

• As of January 2011, there are 1,167 community colleges in the U..S.
• During fall semester 2008, 12.4 million students attended community college - 40% full-time, 60% part-time.
• In the 2007 - 2008 academic year, the average age of community college students was 28, with 45% being between the ages of 22 - 39 and 15% who were    40 and older.
• In the fall of 2008, 58% of community college students were women.
• As of fall 2008, community college students made up 44% of all U.S. undergraduates.
• In the 2007 - 2008 academic year, community college students received 46% of financial aid.
• The average academic year tuition for in-district community colleges in 2007 - 2008 was $2,713 compared to $7,605 for in-state, public 4-year schools.

The figures show that community colleges are a popular choice for a great number of students pursuing higher education. It's likely you'll find people just like you with common interests attending these institutions. The education is affordable, with financial aid that is available. Why not schedule a visit to your local community college and see if it's the right fit for you?

To read other great posts, visit the college mom blog. You can start your own OnSugar blog for a chance to be featured on the PopSugar Network.

Wondering how to raise your credit score? OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget gives us some tips. Read on to find out what she has to say about credit scores.

One last thing on credit history — what's good for it and what's bad for it? Let's break it down in the final post on credit history! (Hopefully you aren't bored out of your mind by now — beauty and fashion posts will be up tomorrow!)

What Hurts Your Credit Score

1. Late Payments or Not Paying at All: 35% of your credit score is your payment history.
2. Having an Account Charged Off: If you don't pay your credit card, they will charge off your account, which means the creditor has declared that the money will never be collected.
3. Maxing Out Your Credit Card: 30% of your credit score is your debt to your available credit ratio. Try to keep your card balance as low as possible.
4. Eliminating Your Oldest Credit Card: 15% of your credit score is your credit history. However, be cautious on this one — if your oldest card has a high interest rate, an annual fee, or if you just don't think you can handle a credit card — cancel it.

What Improves Your Credit Score

1. Paying Your Bills on Time.
2. Keeping balances low.
3. Don't always closed unused accounts, a zero balance may help your score. (Refer to the exception to this rule on number four above.)
4. Get a Goodwill Adjustment. If you've been a good customer, ask your lender to remove that one late payment.

To read other great tips, visit the Beauty and the Budget blog. You can start your own OnSugar blog for a chance to be featured on the PopSugar Network.

Being a mom and a college student means double the work . . . and finances! OnSugar blogger the college mom gives tips on how moms can juggle their mommy and student duties when they are enrolled in school.

Even traditional aged students get the jitters when it comes to back to school time. So if it's been awhile since you've been in the classroom, you're certainly entitled to be a bit nervous. While going back to school as a parent with home, work or family obligations can be a bit scary, some pre-planning can help you to feel a bit more ready and confident about your new educational path.

Get Your Finances in Order

Money's tight for many of us these days. Be sure you have your financial aid in order before starting back to school. Though it is possible to find last-minute financial assistance, you'll be more likely to qualify for everything you're entitled to if you begin the process early. Whether you qualify for loans, grants or scholarships, you'll feel much better knowing the bulk of your education costs are taken care of.  If you could still use a little cash in your pocket, check to see if your campus has any part-time jobs for students or work-study programs, These are often convenient ways to make some money.

Read on for more tips.

The pressures of interviewing can be daunting, especially when your heart's not in it. OnSugar blogger Everyday Baby Steps explains why she decided to walk out of a recent interview. Read on to find out what that was like.

These are tough economic times. I know. It's been about four years since I left my job as a college academic adviser in order to pursue the more flexible lifestyle of a work-at-home freelance writer. I love working from home, learning new things every day, and networking online and in person with fabulous people. Lately, though, I've been feeling like something's missing, like I'm ready for another change. I kind of miss the structure of getting ready and going someplace every day. I miss the sense of purpose it gives me to leave for a job, and I miss the social interaction of working with others. That's why I began to look for additional employment. Notice I said "additional." I have no intention of leaving my writing and blogs behind!

I've been a bit conflicted about the type of job I'd like. Should I work full time in order to receive a steady salary with benefits? Do I just want to have a part-time gig so that I can continue to be available to my children? There are so many things to consider that I decided not to rule anything out. I applied for several different kinds of opportunities, and I've been excited about exploring each one.

That is until I showed up for my interview at a local Pittsburgh, PA, campus of University of Phoenix last week. That experience was less than exciting for me. The events leading up to the actual interview were encouraging. The hiring process was rigorous, but I felt that showed they were serious about ensuring the quality of their candidates. I took an online assessment, received some information on the position and the benefits, then had a telephone interview. After the phone interview, I was told that I'd meet with the hiring manager in person to continue the interviewing process. Great.

Read on to find out what happened.

Time management is crucial to keeping up with the competitive work environment. OnSugar blog Fashion Fortuneteller gives some examples of major time-wasters. Read on to find out what they are.

These days if you don't manage your time well you are bound to drop the ball. With so many people feeling more competitive than ever, dropping the ball is not an option.

If time is of the essence, what are the things we all could cut out (or minimize) to make more of the minutes we have? I started thinking the other day, what exactly are the things that I do that are simply wasting my time?

Time we will never get back.

Time in which your competition is using to close in on your business, desired job, internship — your future.

Here are some of the things I came up with:

• Email. While email is a useful and powerful communication tool, is it helping or hurting to check it consistently throughout the day? Could it be interrupting your focus?
• Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, oh my! I know it's fun — I'm addicted — but are social networks taking up too much of your time? Obviously if your business is social media, then by all means live on the network. But for the rest of us, perhaps we could lay off on the every-few-minutes status updates and the like.
• Texting, sexting, or whatever it is you're typing away there. If you are like me and your phone has become physically attached to your hand, you may be wasting time. Minimize the random hello texts and maximize your time.

Read on for more time-wasters.

How important is your credit history? Read on to find out what OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget has to say about this vital topic.

In a nutshell, most of us don't really know a lot about credit cards. Those financial articles on money, credit scores, and FICO are too long and complicated. Don't you ever just want a simple explanation? Well, beauties, here you have it! For the next few days I'm focusing on credit history. What is it, how do you establish it, and what effects it? I plan to keep it short and simple — money is boring unless your spending it! So let's figure out how it all works in a brief overview.

The reason many people get a credit card is to establish credit history, which is a record of a person's past borrowing and repaying history. Credit history determines your credit worthiness — will you pay it back consistently or will you be late on payments? In summary, it determines your responsibility with money.

A Good Credit History Will . . .

If you prove that you are financially responsible, it can help you get approved for a car loan, an apartment or home, cable or phone services, etc. It can also lower your insurance rates, which most people are unaware of. When you establish a good credit history, lenders will see that you are reliable, which will likely save you money on interest.

Read on to find out more about credit history.

Are you the type who can't handle a credit card? Don't be too sure — most of us can't, according to OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget. Read on to find out what she has to say about the decision to cancel your credit card.

Credit card spending isn't always a bad thing, but in the hands of certain spending personalities, it can lead up to major debt.

After paying off my credit card, I realized a valuable lesson about myself — I can't handle having a credit card. It's embarrassing to admit, considering I love to dish my learned financial "wisdom" on this site, but it's the absolute truth. For certain spending personalities it is absolutely dangerous to own a credit card — even for emergencies.

If you continuously max out your credit cards, are late on your bills, or have trouble paying them off, you shouldn't have one. That sounds like everyone, right? Well, it practically is everyone. There are few people who can truly manage a credit card the right way — where you only buy what you can really afford and pay the balance off at the end of a month or two. Although I know you aren't supposed to max out the entire card, I don't have the self discipline to not blow it. And let's face it, we never use our credit cards for actual emergencies.

When you're young, it's okay to get a small credit card (with a $500 limit or less) to first establish your credit. Track how, when, and why you spend on the credit card. How are you using the card? When do you buy things with it? If you don't max it out and can pay off your balance at the end of every month, you're probably okay to have one — just don't get crazy when they up the credit limit. However, if you go on massive shopping sprees, make foolish purchases, and max it out, you should get rid of it.

For more on whether you should cancel your credit card, read on.

What kind of financial blunders have you been making? Read what OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget has to say on four money mistakes people tend to make:

It's that time again . . . Yep, beauties, you guessed it — it's time for another budget post! For the latest budget check-in, we're talking about financial mistakes. We all make 'em, but financial mistakes always seem to add more unnecessary stress than anything else.

You might be aware of your own financial mistakes. You keep muttering to yourself, "Ugh, I should have never done that!" But hey, don't be so hard on yourself! Only very few people in this world are naturally money-savvy, and as for the rest of us, we just have to live and learn.

So you're probably thinking, "I know what she's going to say, 'No credit cards, pay off your debt, etc. etc.'" Well, I wanted to make this post a little less generic and a little more original. You might be guilty of some of these mistakes and not even be aware of it!

If you're interested to know these four financial mistakes, read on!

Why on earth should you save for retirement? Read what OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget has to say about saving for your golden years.

For a young woman in her mid twenties, saving for retirement can seem like a distant, abstract concept. Personally, I tend to save for short term rewards, like a summer vacation. But for those things that are far off — even further away than marriage and children — I avoid the subject and neglect the planning. When I look at other financial websites, my eyes usually fall upon some topic on retirement savings, but I never really look into it.

Somehow, the other day at work, I got to thinking about my retirement. I love working in fashion, but let's face it, this isn't the greatest industry if you want a high paying salary or benefits. Only those on the top of the fashion pyramid make lots of money. As for the rest of us, we just really have to love what we do. I used to think that every job came with some sort of retirement plan, and that you'd just automatically be taken care of by the last company you work for when you decide to retire. Unfortunately, that's not the way it works.

Read on for reasons to save for retirement.