Make a stylish statement at school or at the office with Breast Cancer Awareness writing materials this month! 

First, Dixon Ticonderoga's brand pencils have a limited edition Pink Ribbon box of one dozen pencils, where a portion of proceeds go to benefit breast cancer research.  Sold at Staples or other national retailers.  Your kids can show their support by bring some to school, and same with you; pass them around the office and everyone can get in on spreading the word for breast cancer awareness!

Pens too!  Is it just me or does everyone get comments on the pens they use?  Is that strange?  I don't think so!  I enjoy sampling pens and making a statement with them, a good writing and looking pen can add professionalism and make tedious writing so much more enjoyable.  So, make your statement this month with the Zebra Pen Clip On Pink Ribbon Pen, where $.25 of each purchase will go to City of Hope for breast cancer research. 

See, there's always a simple, affordable way to make a difference and donate just a small amount, which can go along way!
Don't forget about our month end giveaway!  There's still time to comment on each and every Breast Cancer awareness post this month for a chance to win a tote bag filled with goodies!  Good luck!

Money. We all want it, most of us have some of it and getting more isn't very easy. But those of us who have learned how to save, invest and budget are doing OK.

Of course, doing all those things is easier said than done.

Saving With Me--the blog of a 20-something professional discussing personal finance, saving, debt and investing--is a great resource to help you through. She recently posted 11 Money Tips for College Students that's actually appropriate for people of all ages.

Some tips include:

1. Use credit cards with extreme caution.

2. Organize your expenses.

3. Track your income.

For the full list, plus explanations of each bullet point, click here.

My first desk job was located downtown, in close proximity to my choice of hip lunch spots and a bevy of Starbucks. Although the job paid more than any previous positions, I was soon bleeding money and found my monthly bills mounting. How could this be? My closet wasn't swelling and I wasn't taking trips. Surely those paninis and venti half-caf, nonfat, high-foam, cappuccinos weren't the culprit. Were they? At $23 per day, 5 days a week, you can rest assured I was literally eating away my profits.

Over at Money, Matter and More Musings they discuss "the latte factor" in a recent post. The latte factor is about wiling away your funds as I was doing at the ripe young age of 23. I was definitely guilty, and not stashing funds away as I should have beeen. A latte a day is no biggie if you're also adding to your 401K, but when you're paying interest on a $4 cappuccino, someone has to stage an interventon.

Although many companies are encouraging flex-time these days, it has been largely seen as a benefit geared towards women. Women today strive to avoid being accused of being on the "mommy-track" for fear of being held back from advancement.  Until now. In a new twist, major companies such as Earnst & Young are touting successful men who have taken time off to be with family or care for personal matters. Did you hear that? Companies are showcasing the many ways that men have used work-life policies to let women know that it is perfectly acceptable do do the same.

Times are changing. Women are eclipsing men at four year colleges, and soon will outnumber degreed men in the workforce. With more men staying home to care for children it is only a matter of time before the established methods at companies are forced to adapt. On the flipside, people are working upwards of 70 hours a week and are perpetually tied to their office via Blackberry or mobile phone. So taking true "time away" form the office is actually more difficult than it seems. 

Best Buy is one of the leading examples of our changing work environment. They recently began a results-only work environment. What does that mean? No meetings. No schedules. They are revolutionizing our perception of work. Imagine the implications for workers. You can go to your son's soccer games, make that dentist appointment mid-day and celebrate your anniversary without looking like you're scooting out on your boss. Best Buy is reshaping the idea of 'showing up for work' for its employees. And it is done in a way that is gender neutral.

This is just the beginning of change. It will take several years for us to the the organizational shift that is occurring. If you've been living to work and need to begin transitioning to a more balanced work-life lifestyle, consider this chilling take from Michelle Goodman at the Anti 9-to-5 Guide: