Lauren Sieben

You applied, you interviewed — and you got the job offer. Congratulations!
It’s exciting, but don’t accept just yet. Right now, it’s in your best interest to hit pause — and make sure the new job aligns with your personal and professional goals.
Not sure where to start? Here’s what career experts say you should ask yourself so you can decide if you want to accept a job offer.
IS THIS WHAT I WANT FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF MY CAREER?
Before you can determine if the role is a fit, you need to unders...

I pride myself on being pretty financially savvy—after all, I’m a personal finance writer. I’m well versed in best practices for saving and spending, the ins and outs of HSAs and IRAs, and the basics of investing.
But when it came time to buy my first house, I had to put my ego aside: I was way out of my depth as I navigated the world of mortgages, closing costs, and escrow.
While all of the Budgeting 101 basics still apply to purchasing a home—top tip: Don’t buy anything you can’t afford!—so...

One of the biggest perks of being a renter is that, for the most part, tedious maintenance work and expensive home repairs aren’t your problem. That’s your landlord’s job, right? Right?
Well, not necessarily. In some cases, tenants are in charge of handling routine maintenance—and even some repairs—in their rental units.
“Landlords and property managers are responsible for maintaining any appliances and electrical systems,” says Candice Williams, a Realtor, landlord, and property manager in L...

Ah, a kitchen remodel. It might be the most popular renovation to tackle, but it can also be a serious source of anguish for any homeowner on a budget (and who isn’t?). Especially when you consider that even a minor kitchen upgrade has an average price tag of $22,507.
Maybe you don’t have that kind of coin. Or maybe you want to experience the satisfaction of fixing up your kitchen through your own hard work. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for renovation beginners to make their mark on the ...

Congratulations: You’re a homeowner! Whether you’re just settling into your new rent-free digs or you’ve been making mortgage payments for decades, every homeowner should be sure their toolbox has the necessary items to handle common problems around the house. That includes leaky faucets, drywall that needs patching, and heavy frames that need hanging.
If you don’t already have a well-stocked toolkit, now's the time to gear up. Even if you’re already pretty handy, it's not a bad idea to run t...

In search of subatomic particles, Dr. Karen Andeen has camped at the South Pole and maintains contact there
Dr. Karen Andeen’s work as a physicist has taken her where few other scientists, let alone ordinary citizens, have gone before: the frigid tundra of the South Pole.
With oppressively cold temperatures, averaging minus 80 Fahrenheit in winter, this pocket of Antarctica contains no native flora or fauna. There are no cities or towns, and no permanent residents. But scientists like Andeen ...

In praise of the Good Shit board, the tool I use to track accomplishments large and small

Website Building
Managing a website can be a full-time job, and for a small-business owner, the constant demands on your website can slowly begin to encroach on all your other responsibilities and priorities. If you find yourself spending more time keeping your site up-to-date than bringing your next great idea to life, it may be time to bring in a website agency to help manage your site.
An agency can be a life-saver for small-business owners. By handing the technical, day-to-day tasks over ...

Until Homeownership 101 becomes a prerequisite for obtaining a mortgage, most of us will learn how to handle many household tasks through trial and error.
And even though they say “One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning,” there are certain tasks—like replacing critical items before they reach the end of their life span—that you don’t want to learn the hard way.
We talked to experts to find out which household items you should replace on a regular basis, and what can ha...

Your outdoor space should be your sanctuary: a chill spot for relaxing with a book, enjoying a glass of wine, or hosting a barbecue with friends.
But even if you scored your dream balcony or a sprawling backyard, there are ways your outdoor oasis could actually be stressing you out. This is not only a potential bummer, but also a wasted opportunity: Research shows that more time outdoors can have a therapeutic effect—if you’re doing it right.
“Outdoor living is shifting from a ‘nice to have’ ...

It starts like this: You’re listening to a co-worker describe tiling their own kitchen backsplash last weekend. “That doesn’t sound so hard,” you think to yourself. “I could do that!”
And sure, you could—but should you?
Some projects, like renovating your entire kitchen or turning a closet into a full bathroom, are too ambitious for most beginners. But even if you’re a DIY newbie, there are plenty of projects you can tackle without specialized expertise or experience.
Plus, becoming more hand...

After the loss of a loved one, the thought of sorting through that person’s belongings can be heart-wrenching. But in many situations, there’s no time to delay, especially if you’re in a time crunch to get a late family member’s house ready to sell.
Before you embark on the emotional task of sorting through a loved one’s possessions, check out these tips from experts on where to begin the process, how to find support and resolve disputes, and—most importantly—how to take it easy on yourself a...

In the best-case scenario, your bathroom is your own blissful retreat—a little slice of spa heaven where youv can unwind without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.
In reality, your bathroom is probably not so idyllic. In fact, a grim water closet could actually be adding to your stress instead of subtracting from it.
Fortunately, there are plenty of simple, affordable ways to add some Zen to your lavatory. Learn what experts say are the biggest sources of anxiety and despair in the ba...

Digital Marketing
Whether you realize it or not, many of the websites that you visit collect data about your browsing habits.
Data tracking informs websites about your preferences, and can actually improve your online experience. This practice is what allows websites to remember your login credentials, and the items in your shopping cart. Other times, websites collect data from users to tailor advertisements based on browsing history.
It’s important to understand how websites track you, so th...