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By Lauren Young, Digital Special Projects Editor

Beth Martin may be working as a designer in Charleston, South Carolina, but, in her head, she is in the south of France, touring a 1700s chateau.

That is thanks to real estate site Zillow, which is where Martin tends to take a break, procrastinate and wonder what she would buy if money were not an object.

“I’m not really going to buy all these things, whether it’s an $11 million house or a $30,000 vintage Hermes bag,” laughs Martin, 40. “But I do like to look at them. That’s my daydreaming.”

There is even a term for it: ‘Dreamscrolling,’ according to financial services firm Empower. 

How much time do you spend modern-day window shopping? Empower’s new study says Americans spend 2.5 hours a day, or 873 hours per year, gazing at dream purchases.

Some of the most common stuff we are pining for: Shoes and accessories (49%), tech gadgets (30%), home decor and furniture (29%), vacation spots (25%), beauty or self-care products (23%), and homes or apartments (21%).

I will admit that I am guilty of ogling fine jewelry auctions, country estates, fancy restaurants as well as hotels in my downtime.

As long as you do not go overboard, the Empower study found that dreamscrolling can be a positive thing. Indeed, 71% of respondents said dream purchases motivated them to reach their financial goals.

Here are three ways to avoid overspending for the dreamers out there.

Let me know if you enjoy looking at things online you’re unlikely to purchase or afford! What do you fantasize about buying? 

Write to me at onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com.

Be productive! identify your Power Hours to get stuff done. REUTERS/Hannah Beier

When you think of productivity, what comes to mind?

Probably the image of someone stressed out, rushing around, scheduling every minute of every day.

Wrong.

That person may indeed be super busy, but they are likely not at their most productive. And they are probably headed toward burnout.

True productivity requires a different approach, according to Laura Mae Martin, Google’s in-house productivity expert who just published a book on the subject, “Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing.”

So how can people wrest back control of their time and craft sustainable schedules to get the most out of every day? 

Here are a few factors to consider.

Sectors Up Close: Location isn’t everything. U.S. interest rates are crushing residential and commercial real estate, making the sector no longer the surefire bet it once was. John Stoltzfus, chief investment strategist at Oppenheimer Asset Management, explains why location is only one component investors should consider. 

Watch here.

What happens when a parent dies with credit card debt? REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi 

Q. Is my mom liable for my dad’s credit cards? 

He had a few different cards, but only had about $7,000 in cash to his name when he passed away this spring.  

We are getting different answers from different people. Do you know?

– Mark, NYC

A. Generally speaking, you are not responsible for your late spouse’s credit card debt unless you are a joint account holder, says Matt Schulz, a credit expert and author of a new book, “Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More.”

“Even if you’re an authorized user on the account, you likely aren’t responsible,” Schulz says. “State laws may vary, so if he has questions, it may be worth Mark consulting a lawyer in his home state, but most likely, Mark’s mom won’t be responsible.”

For more information, Schulz recommends these useful links from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Lending Tree. 

An estimated 29 million workers work while also caring for an adult family member. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

I am at the stage in life where it feels like everyone I know is dealing with some kind of caregiving crisis. 

And when you have a job, it can be complicated to juggle your career while taking care of a loved one.

An estimated 29 million workers work while also caring for an adult family member, according to research by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. Six out of 10 are working full time, compared with 46% in 2009. 

After working 40 hours, many spend about 20 hours providing unpaid care, according to the research highlighted recently in The Wall Street Journal.

Company benefits typically do not include senior or eldercare support, such as paid time off or reimbursed care. And since caregiving can be all-consuming, it can impact job performance, too.

Thankfully, I work at a company that offers designated days off for caregiving. I have used them to assist my parents during hospital stays and after they returned home.

If your employer does not offer paid caregiving days, it can never hurt to ask for them. Start by checking out competing firms to see what kinds of caregiving benefits they offer. Find colleagues who are looking for similar benefits, so that you have some organizational support. And then, with research as well as critical mass, talk to your human resources department to see if they are willing to match the competition or add new perks. 

Finally, don’t ignore the financial impact of caregiving. Here are important money tips for caregivers.

Do you need a healthcare directive? Are you shopping for life insurance? Send questions to onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com, and I’ll tap my extensive source network and braintrust for expert advice.

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This newsletter was edited by Mark Porter.

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