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Yet, even with inflation finally starting to slow down, the cost of living remains high. Data shows that by the end of May, Americans were spending an extra $460 per month on food, fuel, and more, as compared to a year before. Red-hot inflation is forcing many people, myself included, to reevaluate the way they spend and how they prioritize their purchases. I knew that in order to keep up with increasing costs of living, I had to do something about my credit card spending....

How Much Turkey Per Person Do You Need? As a general rule, calculate 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per person. You might be thinking there is no way one person can eat that much turkey, especially when Thanksgiving sides aplenty are served. But keep in mind this is not counting just the weight of meat, this is also considering bone and cartilage, which is of course a package deal. While calculating 1 pound of turkey per person leans on the safe side, accounting for 1½ pounds of turkey per person guarantees leftovers to enjoy post-holiday, and who doesn’t love that?...

The truth is that our post-shower hair care products usually end up looking more like a random experiment than a routine, but being a mixologist with your styling arsenal isn’t doing your hair any favors. Just like you shouldn’t apply face oils before serums, the wrong order can make your products not as effective, or worse, damage your strands. “Knowing the correct order of application for your hair is just as important as your skincare routine,” agrees Michelle Lee, professional hairstylist, co-owner of Salon Eva Michelle in Boston, Mass....

Air mattress: For an item that’s used only occasionally, an air mattress accumulates a surprising amount of dirt and dust. Next time you inflate yours for use, give every side of it a once-over with the vacuum’s upholstery attachment or a handheld vac. Then wipe the mattress top (getting into all those little grooves) with a chemical-free wipe (Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes, $4, target.com) and air-dry. Apron: If machine washing hasn’t conquered those greasy food stains, try a presoak treatment that uses an oxygen-based stain remover, such as OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover ($9....

That being said, once you have a sturdy skillet, saucepan, and stockpot et al. on hand, they should last you. There are a number of factors that determine how long your pots and pans will last—particularly whether they’re nonstick, stainless steel, cast iron, or copper and what materials were used to manufacture them—but one of the best ways to maintain your cookware is to use the right cleaning method. For starters, avoid the dishwasher, even if the manufacturer says it’s OK....

If you’re not familiar with this root vegetable, keep reading to learn how to cook parsnips and discover parsnip recipes that will erase any preconceived notions. What Is a Parsnip? A parsnip is a long, tapered root vegetable. It resembles a carrot in this way, and indeed they are part of the same family. But parsnips don’t taste like carrots. They’re sweeter—think sweet potatoes—and they have a delicious naturally nutty or earthy flavor....

While the meat and cheeses may be the stars of the show, including some additional items—nuts, fruit, jams or honey, and of course, crackers and bread, let people enjoy bite after enticing bite. Try our tips to make a simply spectacular holiday charcuterie board in just a few minutes. Make it easy for guests to grab a slice or chunk by prepping the cheese in advance—you can slice or crumble hard cheese, and cut softer cheeses in half to make them more inviting....

Two years later, the pretty-much-perfect studio had just one small challenge: “After years of working elbow-to-elbow with my team, it was time to finally carve out a private area for me to have one-on-one meetings, calls, and sometimes just hunker down and be super-efficient,” says Styles. “I wanted to reinvent my little corner of the office as an earthy, bohemian space with cozy textures that made me want to curl up at my desk, kick off my shoes, and dive into work,” she explains....

But whether we’re talking about bed pillows or throw pillows, it’s pretty much unavoidable: after some use, any pillow is bound to loose some of its oomph. Here are some tips for bringing pillows back to life. The fix? “A few good karate chops,” says Juneja. So consider that a good enough excuse for releasing any pent-up aggression. “When in doubt, make sure the pillow is fully laundered and dried in a proper dryer,” says Homer....

About the Designer Clara Jung started her career in corporate law before launching her firm, Banner Day Interiors, in 2014. The Berkeley, Calif.–based designer favors a slightly mismatched aesthetic. She rounds out a few new pieces with vintage finds and art, so a room looks like it’s been decorated over time—not overnight. The Goal: A Bedroom With the Feel of a Boutique Hotel Clara loves rooms that are packed with vibrant colors, fun prints, and layers of textiles and textures....

Enter the charcuterie wreath. Sometimes dubbed a “charcutewreath” (because, why not), this festive display of cured meats and cheeses is exactly what it sounds like—a charcuterie spread shaped just like a holiday wreath. Though you can’t fasten this edible arrangement to your front door or hang it above a fireplace, you can use it as a cute and clever way to welcome revelers into your home this winter. While charcuterie wreaths aren’t brand new (they began popping up on TikTok and other social media platforms about a year ago), they are certainly having a moment in 2021 amid the larger holiday hosting comeback....

The FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is based on the idea that if you aggressively save and invest 50 to 75 percent of your income, you can retire early and become financially independent within 10 or so years. The method stresses frugality, looking for extra income, and making your extra money work for you. FIRE picked up in popularity in the early 2010s with financial bloggers such as Mr....

“Writing helps us because it gives us an outlet for our feelings rather than keeping them bottled up, which makes us subject to them in unanticipated ways,” explains Laura Lewis Mantell, M.D., a physician specializing in pain and stress management, and a personal and professional coach. “Writing lets us process our internal experiences before we share them with others, and if we write about our feelings and thoughts, we can begin to make meaning and sense of what’s happening to and around us....

And forget about working with a computer on your lap―it’s too darn hot. “That’s why they changed the name from laptop to notebook,” says Justin M. Solomon, a 19-year-old undergraduate at Stanford University who took first place in computer science at the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. “The next best thing is for the sweat to move quickly from your skin to clothing and then evaporate. Loose, billowy clothes allow air movement next to the skin and help with evaporation....

The Worst Spot for Milk in Your Fridge The worst spot for temperature swings? Your refrigerator door. It’s the warmest spot in your fridge, after all. Just think: Every time you open the fridge door, you’re dragging everything stored there into what’s likely the hottest room in your house. Warmer temperatures and frequent fluctuations can put food at risk of spoiling, especially milk and cream. Although a gallon or half gallon of milk may fit perfectly in the fridge door bins, the warmer temperatures may make the liquid curdle before you can drink it....

Get the ball rolling with these conversation starters, based on the position your parents seem to be in. Make sure your own finances are squared away—you want to be prepared if the conversation comes around to your situation—gather your support team (spouses and siblings are a good place to start), and start talking. “I have a 40/70 rule, meaning if you’re 40 or your parents are 70,” says Jody Gastfriend, vice president of senior care at Care....

What You’ll Need: Gentle detergent formulated for silkMesh laundry bagDistilled white vinegarClean white towel Steamer or steam iron (optional) Decide whether or not you have the time and resources to hand- or machine-wash your silk pillowcases and sheets. Wash silk with like colors to avoid discoloration in case the dyes run. You can also test an inconspicuous spot with cool water and a tiny amount of detergent before washing the entire item....

That mentality has always made me wonder why cold hairstyling tools aren’t a thing. Sure, I know my blow dryer has a cool setting, but does that really do anything other than feel refreshing and dry your hair? That’s why I was hyped to hear about Babyliss’ first cryotherapy brush ($190; ulta.com), the brand’s coolest launch yet (literally) that uses freezing cold temperatures to style and treat your strands. BaByliss Pro is a branch under the Conair umbrella—and the brand has deemed cryotherapy the next big thing in hair tools....

My friend Susanna, a follower of the Curly Girl Method—a curly hair maintenance routine credited to Lorraine Massey’s Curly Girl: The Handbook—for three years, introduced me to the world of Curly Girl Facebook groups. Even though she’s not as devout a follower as some—meaning she sometimes uses shampoo and styles with hot tools—her testimonial had me convinced that I could give the Curly Girl Method a try. Susanna’s bouncy curls are the kind that look so perfectly effortless you just assume it’s a result of genetic blessings and not much else....

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