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Although making one consolidated payment may be easier, more convenient, and may offer a lower interest rate, financial experts will warn to proceed with caution. Missteps along the way could impact your credit rating or put you at unexpected financial risk. Here are three debt consolidation mistakes to be on the lookout for when researching debt consolidation options. A caveat is that interest rates increase after an introductory period, so make sure to read the terms and conditions of the balance transfer agreement carefully and thoroughly....

Get the recipe: Salmon Patties Get the recipe: Berry-Oat Crumble Get the recipe: Salted Oatcakes

I’m kind of a sucker for a good caramel apple. You know the kind – caramel, chocolate, and lots of delicious caramel apple toppings. I even made a caramel apple nacho bar once. But dipping caramel apples is such a pain. I can’t ever get the caramel to stick properly, especially not once you add the chocolate layer on top. There’s definitely an art to making your own caramel apples....

“When it comes to saving long-term, youth is on our side,” says Stan Treger, senior behavioral scientist at investing insights company Morningstar. “The younger we start saving money, the more time we have to keep saving. Furthermore, the more your money ‘sits’ in the market, the more it grows,” says Treger. Here are some easy ways you can start saving for retirement in your 20s that your future self will thank you for....

“I recommend keeping the braid on the loser side—nothing too tight—as this can help with shedding and also make it appear more voluminous,” notes celebrity stylist Cody Renegar. “Keeping hair in a braid can also help prevent breakage caused by applying heating tools often used when styling hair.” Deaundra Metzger, celebrity stylist, agrees, adding that hair braiding is an excellent way to preserve your hair. It prevents breakage and minimizes or eliminates the need for heat styling, both of which are important for thinning hair....

“When we think of an emergency fund, we simply want to make sure that someone has cash on hand for anything that’s unexpected,” says Lauren Anastasio, CFP. “Whether it’s a matter of getting you from one paycheck to the next, transitioning from that lifestyle of living paycheck to paycheck, or something a little more substantial, like the ability to support yourself should you lose your job, it really can serve in a variety of fashions....

“It can be very lonely to look for a job, manage your career, or start a business, and you don’t have to do it alone,” says Lindsey Pollak, multigenerational workplace expert and author of Getting from College to Career and Recalculating: Navigating Your Way in the New World of Work, coming out this fall. “There are so many people who have experience and wisdom who can benefit you, support you, guide you, and make your life a lot easier....

To bring seasonal cheer indoors when staging your home, consider adding accessories like pillows or blankets (in bright red or orange for fall and winter or cooler colors for summer) or sprucing up your kitchen by placing a tray of cinnamon sticks or a bowl of lemons on the counter. Scents and fragrances, like apple and pumpkin in fall and winter or fresh cotton and linen in summer, can also entice home buyers during open houses....

To combat this flavor fatigue, I decided to visit the sauce section at my local Trader Joe’s. After experimenting with almost all of their condiment options—and there are a lot to choose from—I narrowed down my top five sauce picks. Keep these Trader Joe’s sauces in the fridge to save a boring weeknight dinner, and stock up because I have a feeling you’ll want more than just a drizzle....

Outdoor Activity Ideas Plant a spring garden (or even just a plant or two). See the cherry blossoms. Have a picnic at the park. Seek out the first crocuses, snowdrops, and other spring flowers. Go for a run. Take a hike. Play softball. Ride a bike. Enjoy the spring weather at an outdoor café. Visit a farm to see the baby animals. Walk on an empty beach. Play a round of golf....

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So nice, it’s listed twice! Katie Davis of Katie Davis Design in Houston, Texas, also calls Saybrook Sage her go-to sage green paint: “We were tasked with designing a boy’s nursery, and Benjamin Moore’s Saybrook Sage read more sophisticated than your average nursery paint color. Plus, it was a great match with darker greens and muted yellows and blues. This particular shade is so versatile and works within many different palettes....

Break out of (boring) crunch mode and power up your trunk with this Pilates-inspired core exercise routine, created by Kit Rich, NASM-certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor in Los Angeles. Complete this workout set three to four times a week for stronger, sturdier midsection. (B) Lift knees toward chest so shins are nearly parallel to the floor; extend arms straight out. Pull knees toward shoulders, keeping upper body still. Bring knees back to starting position....

Swap out your face wash for an oil cleanser “Oils cleanse the skin, plus they have inherently hydrating properties,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. His pick: Avene XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil ($32; dermstore.com)—a soothing, soap-free formula (eczema skin approved!) that helps prevent the drying effects of water. Slather on a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid This ingredient is a humectant that pulls water into the outer layer of the skin and holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, says Dr....

Before we jump into things, I feel the need to clarify that there’s no such thing as a bad sweatshirt. Even the oldest food-stained sweatshirt in your closet has the ability to feel like home and take lounging to a whole new level. But that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the good elements—i.e., a soft fabric, roomy sleeves, and cute design—when we see it. From hoodie dresses to preppy crewnecks, here are some of the best sweatshirt options to replicate a warm hug, which I think we can all use right now....

The Restoration Hardware Cloud Sofa Collection is full of sectionals, chairs, and loveseats that channel the fluffy white puffs we associate with a perfect summer sky. While the collection could have turned cartoon-ish, it’s actually super sophisticated. Each Cloud couch is made of crisp white linen, and the slightly rounded cushions are whimsical without going overboard. The only caveat? A two-seat Cloud Sofa costs a minimum of $4,395. Naturally, TikTok users have made it their mission to find affordable lookalikes....

RELATED: Here’s How to Clean Your Paper Clutter for Good, According to Marie Kondo RELATED: How to Eliminate Paper Clutter in Just 5 Minutes a Day If you have a huge stash of old photos you’re storing, it may be a good idea to digitize your images. This way, they will last longer and can be more easily shared among family members. And the process is easier than ever thanks to iOS and Android apps, like Google Photoscan, which help you do it on your own at home....

That’s where self-awareness comes in. “Self-awareness is about looking at who you are in a way that acknowledges how you impact others [and] how they impact you,” explains therapist Marcelle J. Craig, LMFT. It also involves understanding your emotions and internal narrative, allowing you to lead a fulfilling life. “It’s the first step to changing and growing,” says Craig. On that note, the practice of self-awareness is just that: a practice....

Fortunately, we’re in the golden age of drugstore skincare innovation. These days, your local CVS, Walgreens, or Target is stocked with curated beauty brands and products from all over the world (hello, Korean beauty!). That means that most nearby drugstores are now chock-full of effective and top-rated skincare products, particularly face masks. If you’ve got a skincare woe, your neighborhood drugstore has got the answer. But don’t just take our word for it, we asked five of the best dermatologists in the biz which masks they always rely on....