If you find yourself without a job and qualify for unemployment insurance, here are the best practices to follow so you can make the most of the unemployment benefits you receive—and get the maximum amount of money you’re eligible for. “Starting early is essential so you can get the maximum benefits before you land your next job,” says Irene McConnell, executive coach, hiring manager, and managing director at Arielle Executive....

That’s where cosmetics that do double (or sometimes even triple) duty come in so handy, and luckily there are plenty of multi-functional products providing two makeup uses at once or even working as skincare available these days. If you’re especially looking for something to touch up your lip color and add some rosy cheek tint for spring, then Ilia’s Multi-Stick is the one you should carry with you everywhere. To buy: $34; iliabeauty....

Here, two experts weigh in on the service and how jewelry insurance can (and can’t) help protect your valuables and your keepsakes. Who Should Get Jewelry Insurance If you’re still in the costume jewelry phase, purchasing jewelry from fast fashion stores or from marketplaces such as Etsy where many items aren’t made of precious metals or stones, you probably haven’t considered jewelry insurance. But if you’re in the market for something more valuable, like a diamond, then you’re surely well aware of the price tag on these items....

Ever since my family tried the Crumbl Kentucky Butter cake cookies last year, I’ve been obsessed with coming up with a Kentucky butter cookie recipe so that we don’t have to wait for those very rare occasions that Crumbl cookies is actually offering their butter cookie. Because let’s face it – it’s easily the best cookie they offer. While these aren’t copycat recipes (there are plenty of those out there), they are a great alternative because they’re so easy to make and absolutely delicious....

Design tip: Just because you love the elements of a certain design style doesn’t mean you have to go all-in on it. In fact, many interior designers would tell you that it’s a mix of styles that adds depth and complexity to a space. So don’t feel like you need to go full farmhouse in order to have the same appeal. Start out by incorporating a few of the pieces below, then slowly add more if you’d like....

Have your own social dilemma for Michelle to solve? Tell us about it at modernmanners@realsimple.com. You’re Not Invited SHIRA: I’m having a destination wedding, and we want to keep it super-small. What’s a classy and nice way of saying on our e-invite, “We are getting married, but really, no pressure to come!” We genuinely don’t want too many people there. MICHELLE: Wow! Congratulations on getting married. Finding a life partner is pretty special....

“There’s so much pressure to achieve these things by a certain age, and you can get a lot of that external pressure,” says Jannese Torres Rodriguez of Yo Quiero Dinero. “But if you’re not honest with yourself about where you are and what your financial picture actually looks like, you’re going to find yourself in the same situation that I was, where I had just overextended myself to the point where now these goals that I thought I was going to be able to achieve, like paying down debt and saving money and saving for retirement, felt so much more burdensome....

A disordered relationship with money is easy to fall into. Finances are a loaded topic, and we often hear that the rich are evil and the poor are lazy, as well as other reductive myths. We’re led to believe that money is fickle—some people are just naturally better at making it—but ultimately, every negative belief boils down to fear. If those myths about the nature of money aren’t true, what does that say about us as potential earners?...

Scared yet? Pack family or friends in the car and head to one of these destinations near you that offer something for everyone craving some frighting entertainment this fall. Haunted Places in the South Winchester, Va. Your first stop in this southern destination should be to the spooky side of Old Town Winchester to hear the true stories of ghostly sightings. Apparition Trail Ghost Tours hosts a haunted tour of the streets, alleys, and public houses of Old Town so visitors can hear hair-raising tales of the ghosts and spirits of the soldiers and citizens who have lived, fought, and died here....

Salt the water once it comes to a boil. (Add salt earlier and it could end up pitting an aluminum pot.) The seasoning will give the pasta an essential flavor boost. For every pound of pasta, figure on 2 tablespoons of salt and 6 quarts of water. Stir the pasta right after you add it to the water and then occasionally throughout the cooking time to prevent clumping. Test for doneness about 1 minute before the time given on the package instructions....