Retirement seems so far away and calculating how much you need for your nest egg may feel so overwhelming that you might use it as an excuse to procrastinate. A Wall Street Journal article gives a ridiculously simple shortcut to help you figure out your retirement needs: Every experienced financial planner I've spoken to, when pressed, has given the same answer. At a pinch, for most people, the Read more

By now, you've already heard about The New York Times paywall, which, starting March 28, will require you to pay a monthly fee of $15 for access to online content. And if you want to access it through your computer and your iPad, you'll have to pay $25. I know this can be frustrating since we're all used to getting our news for free, but I can understand the need for media bigwigs to establish Read more

  As an answer to the frustrations of travelers who can't redeem miles for the flights they want, airlines are becoming more creative with their frequent flier programs. The Wall Street Journal listed some examples that some airlines are offering their customers in exchange for miles: A face lift, hair transplants or breast augmentations Driving school vouchers VIP treatment and access to a Read more

Enter the new elite: social media gurus who have mastery over networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Their marketing power over digital peers is undeniable, and companies are slowly coming to realize that it's beneficial to tap into these social media queen bees. After all, wouldn't you trust an endorsement from a friend, albeit an online pal, rather than an impersonal advertisement? There are Read more

According to The Wall Street Journal and Food and Wine, savory cupcakes, specifically lasagna cupcakes, are expected to hit the mainstream in 2011. Both publications have recently highlighted Los Angeles catering company Heirloom-LA, who's spearheaded the trend with the creation of its lasagna cupcakes, which are wildly popular among celebrities. Perhaps I'm experiencing cupcake fatigue, but I Read more

By now, you've probably heard that thousands of post offices are set to close this year. About 2,000 closings will start in March (in addition to the 491 the USPS said they would shut down last year), and another 16,000 are in review, according to the Wall Street Journal. For some, this may mean a minor inconvenience of having to travel a little bit further to mail packages, but for the elderly Read more

In Taiwan, it's not uncommon to go far for a bowl of perfectly-cooked beef noodle soup. But apparently, some aren't just willing to travel the distance; they're also willing to pay a steep price — 10,000 New Taiwan dollars, to be exact. At Niu Ba Ba in Taipei, Taiwan, noodle-slurpers shell out the equivalent of $324 US dollars for a bowl of the world's most expensive noodles. Though I love niu Read more