Items by By ALINA TUGEND
NYT > Business
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Shortcuts: What to Think About Before You Hit ‘Send’
Posted: April 20th, 2012, 3:35pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Just because e-mail is commonplace doesn’t mean we know how to use it properly and productively.
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Shortcuts: Identity Theft Prevention Can Be Cheap and Easy
Posted: February 11th, 2012, 2:40am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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There are several free and easy steps that consumers can take to prevent identity theft.
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Shortcuts: Putting a Price on Your Work - Shortcuts
Posted: January 27th, 2012, 12:40pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Charge too little and you feel cheated; charge too much and you risk pricing yourself out of the market.
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Shortcuts: The Importance of Setting Expectations, Whether High or Low
Posted: January 14th, 2012, 1:20am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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What we expect from life’s events can determine how we react to them — and those expectations can be managed.
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Shortcuts: For Readers, the Neighbors Touch a Nerve - Shortcuts
Posted: December 31st, 2011, 1:10am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Of all the Shortcuts columns in the last year, two about neighbors — helping them or enduring them — were among those that inspired the most comment.
NYT > Health
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Shortcuts: Why Doing the Ethical Thing Isn’t Automatic
Posted: November 19th, 2011, 1:00am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Research shows that, in spite of what they would like to think about themselves, most people do not act ethically when put on the spot.
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Shortcuts: Self-Improvement, at the Risk of Self-Acceptance
Posted: November 5th, 2011, 2:30am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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The notion that we can constantly make ourselves better is, in theory, a great idea. But when does it become too much?
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Shortcuts: Family Happiness and the Overbooked Child
Posted: August 13th, 2011, 12:40am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Scheduling a constant round of activities for children can deplete family finances, and does not necessarily mean the children will be successful, or happy, later in life.
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Shortcuts: Tiptoeing Out of One’s Comfort Zone (and of Course, Back In)
Posted: February 14th, 2011, 1:57pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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A comfort zone can soothe, but it can also spoil. Still, it’s one thing to leave that safety under one’s own steam and another to be yanked out.
NYT > Business
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Shortcuts: Teaching Children to Help Neighbors, With or Without Reward
Posted: January 28th, 2011, 9:10pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Doing chores for the neighbors can help teach a child about the value of work, but sometimes the lesson is when to work free.
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Shortcuts: When Giveaway Trips Come With Extra Baggage
Posted: January 15th, 2011, 1:23am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Consumers should be skeptical about the free things being offered to just hear a pitch for vacation clubs.
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Shortcuts: How Not to Wreck a Nonstick Pan
Posted: December 18th, 2010, 1:56am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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The convenience of a nonstick pan comes at a price. Read the instructions before using or washing.
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Shortcuts: Lessons Learned in Auditioning for Job
Posted: December 4th, 2010, 2:53am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Sometimes interviewees who are asked to demonstrate their skills see their work used without payment or permission.
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Shortcuts: The Cost of Incivility Is More Than Hurt Feelings
Posted: November 19th, 2010, 12:51pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Research shows that employees who have experienced rude behavior tend to decrease their effort on the job.
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Shortcuts: Pumping Up the Self-Control in the Age of Temptations
Posted: October 9th, 2010, 1:06am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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As with all personality traits, some people are born with a greater ability to exert willpower. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to increase it.
NYT > Home Page
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Shortcuts: Pumping Up the Self-Control in the Age of Temptations
Posted: October 9th, 2010, 1:06am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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As with all personality traits, some people are born with a greater ability to exert willpower. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to increase it.
NYT > Business
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More on the 3,000-Mile Oil Change
Posted: September 16th, 2010, 1:05pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Answers to reader comments about the 3,000-mile oil change and some excerpts of other comments.
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Shortcuts: The 3,000-Mile Oil Change Is Pretty Much History
Posted: September 11th, 2010, 12:30am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Knowing how often to change your car oil takes more information than in the past. The good news is that it’s probably less often.
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Shortcuts: When Being Edited, Make Sure the Result Is Still You
Posted: August 14th, 2010, 12:10am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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The line between acceptable and unethical is thin and fuzzy when hiring a professional to help with a résumé, college application essay or dating profile.
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Shortcuts: The Benefits of Volunteerism, if the Service Is Real
Posted: July 31st, 2010, 12:50am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Even community service done simply to build a résumé for college can be a good thing, but there needs to be a connection between the work and the overall issue.
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Shortcuts: That Repair Bill Is Huge, but There Are Reasons
Posted: June 4th, 2010, 8:00pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Consumers are often taken aback by how much appliance service technicians charge for a home visit. But many factors can affect a bill.
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Shortcuts: In a Land of Cynics and Saps, the Skeptic Is King
Posted: May 21st, 2010, 5:10pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Do we trust people too little? Too much? There’s evidence on both sides.
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Shortcuts: Selective Penny-Pinching for Maximum Impact
Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 11:35pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Cutting small expenses can make consumers feel good, but people who are living far beyond their means need to make major financial changes.
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Shortcuts: Clutter and How to Get Rid of It
Posted: March 27th, 2010, 1:50am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Grandma’s hutch? A souvenir from Mexico? Take a photo of the items before giving them away and think twice before buying or accepting items you’ll hardly ever use.
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Shortcuts: When a Cap Full of Soap Is Not a Good Thing
Posted: March 12th, 2010, 11:45pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Go easy on the detergent in dishwashers and washing machines, and never clean your oven the day before Thanksgiving.
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Shortcuts: Spending Less in a Recession, and Talking About It, Too
Posted: February 13th, 2010, 1:16am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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In tough times, people are more willing to discuss their finances even though the commiserating can have a downside.
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Shortcuts: Recession Resolutions, Like New Year’s, May Be Hard to Keep
Posted: December 5th, 2009, 12:54am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Habits like overspending may have been tamed during this recession, but history suggests people will return to their old behaviors, assuming they’re able to borrow.
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Shortcuts: If Not Passion for the Job, at Least Warm Feelings
Posted: September 25th, 2009, 11:53pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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It may be too much to ask for employees to adore their jobs, but work should still be rewarding and satisfying.
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Shortcuts: Repair Options for Ailing Electronics
Posted: September 11th, 2009, 5:32pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Electronic devices, seemingly built for quick obsolescence, can sometimes be repaired for much less than it would cost to replace them.
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Shortcuts: For Best Results, Take the Sting Out of Criticism
Posted: August 28th, 2009, 9:52pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Criticism can teach valuable lessons, if delivered and received in a positive way. Upbringing and culture can account for great differences in one’s personal language of criticism.
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Shortcuts: New Worries About Children With Cellphones
Posted: August 15th, 2009, 1:19am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Parents who used to worry about whether to buy their children cellphones are now concerned about scams and improper texting.
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Shortcuts: Blinded by Science in the Online Dating Game
Posted: July 17th, 2009, 10:49pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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The competition is fierce among Internet dating sites to prove that their particular method is more scientifically valid.
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Shortcuts: Raising Children Who Care in Times That Need It
Posted: July 3rd, 2009, 10:34am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Philanthropy is not only for the wealthy. You can bring children into the fold by letting them figure out how they would like to contribute.
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Shortcuts: Work at Home and Make Big Money? Let the Wise Be Wary
Posted: June 6th, 2009, 2:56am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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In hard times, schemes that promise lucrative ways to earn money at home proliferate. But the old saying holds: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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Shortcuts: Putting Yourself Out There on a Shelf to Buy
Posted: March 28th, 2009, 12:58am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Job seekers need more than simple résumés. They need to brand themselves, and a social networking site is a place to start.
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Shortcuts: Even Pro Bono Work Requires Doing Your Homework First
Posted: March 14th, 2009, 1:59am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Volunteer work is a way to do some good while keeping a hand in the job market, though finding the right volunteer job can seem as difficult as obtaining a salaried position.
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Shortcuts: Rethinking College Prep Costs in Tough Times
Posted: February 27th, 2009, 11:43pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Campus visits, private counselors and SAT tutoring can add up to a fortune. What gives a student a leg up and what’s overkill?
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Shortcuts: Trading What You Have for What You Need
Posted: February 13th, 2009, 11:34pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Despite the recession, or maybe because of it, the barter economy is booming — especially if you’re a masseuse.
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Shortcuts: The Popular Practice of Putting Stuff Off
Posted: January 30th, 2009, 7:57pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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There’s a little procrastinator in all of us, but delaying some tasks can be costly.
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Shortcuts: Portfolio in Ruins, It’s Time to Pay for Summer Camp
Posted: January 16th, 2009, 11:24pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Camps say they are hearing from a number of parents who are wondering if they will be able to afford the tuition.
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Shortcuts: Portfolio in Ruins, It’s Time to Pay for Summer Camp
Posted: January 16th, 2009, 11:24pm EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Camps say they are hearing from a number of parents who are wondering if they will be able to afford the tuition.
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Shortcuts: Coping Skills and Horrible Imaginings
Posted: January 3rd, 2009, 12:11am EST by By ALINA TUGEND
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Researchers have found that uncertainty about things such as job security can sometimes take a greater toll than bad news.
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Shortcuts: When Job Hunting, Be Your Own Salesman
Posted: October 10th, 2008, 9:58pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Most job seekers know that nothing beats networking and face-to-face contacts. But how do you meet those people?
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Shortcuts: Choosing the Right Gift for a Graduate (Just Don’t Send a Check)
Posted: June 21st, 2008, 1:12am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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The graduation season is upon us, and gifts now seem as much a part of the ceremony as the diploma.
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Shortcuts: If Your Appliances Are Avocado, They Probably Aren’t Green
Posted: May 10th, 2008, 8:00am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Getting rid of household appliances older than 15 years will probably save you money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Shortcuts: Pick a Planner Who Can Spell ‘Fiduciary’
Posted: April 26th, 2008, 12:42am EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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In looking for a financial adviser, one thing to ask is if they have fiduciary duty, which means they will have to put your interests ahead of theirs at all times when providing investment advice. -
Shortcuts: At a Certain Age, Simplicity Sells in High-Tech Gadgets
Posted: April 11th, 2008, 11:33pm EDT by By ALINA TUGEND
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Companies have noticed a growing market for simple devices aimed at older customers.