You can get great deals at garage sales, but if you don’t know what you are doing you could end up wasting time and money. Here are some tips when shopping at garage sales.
• Just ask
o When you are looking for something in particular, just ask. They may have it or be willing to go in their house and sell it to you.
• Be the last customer
o Go at the end of the sale because the sellers will be highly motivated to get rid of their stuff.
• Map your garage sale route
o Come up with a plan so you are not backtracking and wasting time and gas.
• Bring a list
o Have a list with family clothing sizes and house measurements. Bring a tape measure with you to make sure furniture will fit.
• Look for items in original packages
o These will be worth more and bring in more income if you plan on selling them.
• The best buys are at church or organization’s rummage sales
o They don’t have emotional ties to the items and are more willing to sell them cheaper to get the money.
• Bargain
o You will better at bargaining if you are buying lots of items.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Vinegar – the only household cleaner you’ll ever need.
I’m always worried about what chemicals are in the cleaners I use around the house. Lately I’ve just been using a mix of vinegar and water to clean everything. I read somewhere that you can use vinegar to clean your house, and the carpet cleaning company told me to use it to clean the carpet rather than Resolve. I was wondering if vinegar really does kill bacteria and germs so I did a little research. Here’s what I found.
Because of vinegar’s acidity it is effective in cleaning most mold, bacteria, and germs.
I like using vinegar because I know it’s safe to use on eating surfaces and around my two small kids.
The only thing I don’t like so much is the smell, but you can cover it up with other smells, light some candles, or use a little room spray.
At GoMestic they say, “It can clean as well as most chemical products without giving off dangerous toxins, it is highly competent and cost far less than name brand cleaners. It is possible to do nearly every household cleaning chores by simply using white vinegar and water.”
On The New Homemaker they recommend preparing 2 spray bottles. One with half water, half vinegar. The other with non diluted vinegar only. Here are some of the many uses of vinegar on that site. Oh, and use plain, white vinegar.
All Around the House
1. To remove stickers that have been used to "decorate" furniture and other surfaces, moisten with vinegar. Let sit for at least ten minutes, then remove.
2. For persistent room odors, place a bowl of vinegar in the room overnight.
3. For spills on carpet, use a sponge or cloth to soak up as much liquid as possible. Then spray with a mixture of half vinegar, half water. Let stand for about two minutes, then blot with towel or sponge. Repeat as needed.
4. For more persistent stains, use a mixture of 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 cup warm water. Proceed as suggested above. When finished cleaning, dry using a hairdryer set on low.
5. To clean windows, spray with half vinegar, half water. Wipe clean with either newspapers or cloth.
6. To clean silver, pewter, copper, or brass, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in one cup vinegar. Add flour to create a paste (1/4 cup or more). Apply the paste to the metal item, and let stand for at least fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water and polish with a soft cloth.
7. No-wax floors can be cleaned with a solution of 1 cup vinegar per gallon of water for a shinier surface.
8. To clean wood paneling, use a mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Apply to paneling with a soft cloth. Dry with a clean cloth.
In the Bathroom
9. To remove corrosion or chemical build-up from showerheads, soak in vinegar overnight.
10. Remove stains from the toilet bowl by spraying with vinegar and spraying.
11. To remove soap build-up from faucets, clean with a mixture of 1 part salt to four parts vinegar.
12. Spray shower walls and shower curtain with vinegar to help prevent mildew.
In the Kitchen
13. To keep ants away, spray vinegar along doorways, windowsills, countertops - anywhere that ants are likely to appear. If you find an ant trail (path that ants use repeatedly), clean it with vinegar.
14. To remove odors from the sink or garbage disposal, pour in a cup or more vinegar. Do not rinse out again for at least an hour.
15. For a clogged drain, first pour in 1/2 cup baking soda. Then add an equal amount of vinegar. When the mixture finishes bubbling, rinse with warm water. (Note: some garbage disposals do not react well to this cleaning method; check with the manufacturer first.)
16. Wipe your hands with vinegar after chopping. It will remove strong scents like onion and garlic, as well as stains from fruit juices.
17. To clean wooden cutting boards, wipe with vinegar.
18. Remove strong odors. Rinse jars with a half and half mixture of vinegar and water to remove garlic or other strong odors. Boil water with several spoons of vinegar to remove the smell of burnt food from your kitchen.
19. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner for all kitchen surfaces - counters, refrigerators, stovetops.
20. To clean your microwave oven, put a microwave-safe bowl of 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in the oven, and cook long enough to boil. In addition to removing any lingering odors, this will loosen any baked-on food from the microwave's walls.
21. To remove coffee or tea stains from china, clean with a mixture of vinegar and salt.
In the Laundry
22. To keep colors from running in the wash, soak in vinegar before washing.
23. To decrease lint on clothing, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
24. Many persistent stains can be removed with vinegar: coffee, chocolate, ketchup, jam, cola, wine. Gently rub stain with vinegar, then wash.
25. To make your "brights brighter", add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
26. For fresher cloth diapers, add one cup distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle. This will break down uric acid and remove both lingering stains and scents.
27. To remove scorch marks from an iron, rub with a mixture of vinegar and salt.
28. To remove soap residue from the washing machine, run an empty (no laundry) cycle with one cup vinegar added.
29. To remove the smell of smoke from clothing, add a cup of vinegar to a tub of hot water. Let clothing hang in the same room for several hours.
Pet Care
30. To keep cats off windowsills or other surfaces, spray with vinegar. This will also keep them from scratching upholstery (spray an unnoticeable area of the fabric first to make sure the vinegar doesn't cause a stain).
31. To keep dogs from scratching their ears, clean with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
32. If your dog should have a run-in with a skunk, vinegar will take care of the smell better than even tomato juice. Using vinegar diluted 50% with water, rub the dog's fur. Rinse with warm water. Repeat as needed.
Because of vinegar’s acidity it is effective in cleaning most mold, bacteria, and germs.
I like using vinegar because I know it’s safe to use on eating surfaces and around my two small kids.
The only thing I don’t like so much is the smell, but you can cover it up with other smells, light some candles, or use a little room spray.
At GoMestic they say, “It can clean as well as most chemical products without giving off dangerous toxins, it is highly competent and cost far less than name brand cleaners. It is possible to do nearly every household cleaning chores by simply using white vinegar and water.”
On The New Homemaker they recommend preparing 2 spray bottles. One with half water, half vinegar. The other with non diluted vinegar only. Here are some of the many uses of vinegar on that site. Oh, and use plain, white vinegar.
All Around the House
1. To remove stickers that have been used to "decorate" furniture and other surfaces, moisten with vinegar. Let sit for at least ten minutes, then remove.
2. For persistent room odors, place a bowl of vinegar in the room overnight.
3. For spills on carpet, use a sponge or cloth to soak up as much liquid as possible. Then spray with a mixture of half vinegar, half water. Let stand for about two minutes, then blot with towel or sponge. Repeat as needed.
4. For more persistent stains, use a mixture of 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 cup warm water. Proceed as suggested above. When finished cleaning, dry using a hairdryer set on low.
5. To clean windows, spray with half vinegar, half water. Wipe clean with either newspapers or cloth.
6. To clean silver, pewter, copper, or brass, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in one cup vinegar. Add flour to create a paste (1/4 cup or more). Apply the paste to the metal item, and let stand for at least fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water and polish with a soft cloth.
7. No-wax floors can be cleaned with a solution of 1 cup vinegar per gallon of water for a shinier surface.
8. To clean wood paneling, use a mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Apply to paneling with a soft cloth. Dry with a clean cloth.
In the Bathroom
9. To remove corrosion or chemical build-up from showerheads, soak in vinegar overnight.
10. Remove stains from the toilet bowl by spraying with vinegar and spraying.
11. To remove soap build-up from faucets, clean with a mixture of 1 part salt to four parts vinegar.
12. Spray shower walls and shower curtain with vinegar to help prevent mildew.
In the Kitchen
13. To keep ants away, spray vinegar along doorways, windowsills, countertops - anywhere that ants are likely to appear. If you find an ant trail (path that ants use repeatedly), clean it with vinegar.
14. To remove odors from the sink or garbage disposal, pour in a cup or more vinegar. Do not rinse out again for at least an hour.
15. For a clogged drain, first pour in 1/2 cup baking soda. Then add an equal amount of vinegar. When the mixture finishes bubbling, rinse with warm water. (Note: some garbage disposals do not react well to this cleaning method; check with the manufacturer first.)
16. Wipe your hands with vinegar after chopping. It will remove strong scents like onion and garlic, as well as stains from fruit juices.
17. To clean wooden cutting boards, wipe with vinegar.
18. Remove strong odors. Rinse jars with a half and half mixture of vinegar and water to remove garlic or other strong odors. Boil water with several spoons of vinegar to remove the smell of burnt food from your kitchen.
19. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner for all kitchen surfaces - counters, refrigerators, stovetops.
20. To clean your microwave oven, put a microwave-safe bowl of 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in the oven, and cook long enough to boil. In addition to removing any lingering odors, this will loosen any baked-on food from the microwave's walls.
21. To remove coffee or tea stains from china, clean with a mixture of vinegar and salt.
In the Laundry
22. To keep colors from running in the wash, soak in vinegar before washing.
23. To decrease lint on clothing, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
24. Many persistent stains can be removed with vinegar: coffee, chocolate, ketchup, jam, cola, wine. Gently rub stain with vinegar, then wash.
25. To make your "brights brighter", add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
26. For fresher cloth diapers, add one cup distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle. This will break down uric acid and remove both lingering stains and scents.
27. To remove scorch marks from an iron, rub with a mixture of vinegar and salt.
28. To remove soap residue from the washing machine, run an empty (no laundry) cycle with one cup vinegar added.
29. To remove the smell of smoke from clothing, add a cup of vinegar to a tub of hot water. Let clothing hang in the same room for several hours.
Pet Care
30. To keep cats off windowsills or other surfaces, spray with vinegar. This will also keep them from scratching upholstery (spray an unnoticeable area of the fabric first to make sure the vinegar doesn't cause a stain).
31. To keep dogs from scratching their ears, clean with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
32. If your dog should have a run-in with a skunk, vinegar will take care of the smell better than even tomato juice. Using vinegar diluted 50% with water, rub the dog's fur. Rinse with warm water. Repeat as needed.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Woot!
If you haven’t heard of Woot, definitely check it out. It’s an online store that sells all kinds of stuff at very cheap prices. The catch? The sell one item per day until it is sold out. A new product is released every morning at 12am (CST). Shipping is only $5 for each item purchased. Every so often they will have a Woot Off, where they list many products, one after another, during the day. Once one sells out they will post another. The other day Morry bought Neat Receipts from Woot for $60something. On Amazon it is selling for $119.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
DIY Gift Ideas
I saw this this on the today.msnbc.com site. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28116755/?pg=1#TDY_10Tips_DIYGifts
Trying to save money this year during the holidays? Try making your own gifts to give out. Here are a few suggestions of easy and inexpensive do-it-yourself gift ideas.
1. Do something sweet
Make some cookies or fudge and then dress them or the container to make it look special. You could use ribbon or decorate cheap containers yourself.
2. Break bread together
Make quick breads or muffins and dress them up pretty.
3. Give the gift of yourself
Give your services in the form of a gift certificate. Do you babysit? Home repair? Fix computers? Walk dogs? Give massages?
4. Pass your recipes along
Write or type your recipes on cute cards or notebooks and pass them along to your loved ones.
5. Spice things up
Make spice jars with either cocoa mix or spiced tea.
6. Light up the night
Make your own candles, or decorate cheap ones.
7. Capture some memories
Give pictures in frames. Buy cheap frames and decorate them.
8. Make homemade bath salts
Combine bath oil and kosher salt, put in a nice jar, and you have a great gift.
9. Bead your heart out
Make jewelry.
10. Have fun with T-shirt
There are many ways to make t-shirts. Iron-ons are the easiest.
Trying to save money this year during the holidays? Try making your own gifts to give out. Here are a few suggestions of easy and inexpensive do-it-yourself gift ideas.
1. Do something sweet
Make some cookies or fudge and then dress them or the container to make it look special. You could use ribbon or decorate cheap containers yourself.
2. Break bread together
Make quick breads or muffins and dress them up pretty.
3. Give the gift of yourself
Give your services in the form of a gift certificate. Do you babysit? Home repair? Fix computers? Walk dogs? Give massages?
4. Pass your recipes along
Write or type your recipes on cute cards or notebooks and pass them along to your loved ones.
5. Spice things up
Make spice jars with either cocoa mix or spiced tea.
6. Light up the night
Make your own candles, or decorate cheap ones.
7. Capture some memories
Give pictures in frames. Buy cheap frames and decorate them.
8. Make homemade bath salts
Combine bath oil and kosher salt, put in a nice jar, and you have a great gift.
9. Bead your heart out
Make jewelry.
10. Have fun with T-shirt
There are many ways to make t-shirts. Iron-ons are the easiest.
Monday, December 08, 2008
How to ask for coupons
I have gotten coupons by just asking the company who makes the product. If there are products you use often and like a lot, tell the company that and most times they will send you coupons and/or samples. Sometimes they will even send coupons for a free product. Kashi is great about that.
Go to the company web site. Use the comment form, tell them how much you like the product, and that you would love to have some coupons.
Here a sample letter:
Dear Yummy Food Inc.,
Our family loves your _____ and _____. They are so convenient and are great for making quick, healthy meals. We have 2 little kids and not much time to spend making dinner.
We would like to have some coupons. Those would really help us out since we buy your _____ and _____ so often.
Thank you,
Ima Customer
Go to the company web site. Use the comment form, tell them how much you like the product, and that you would love to have some coupons.
Here a sample letter:
Dear Yummy Food Inc.,
Our family loves your _____ and _____. They are so convenient and are great for making quick, healthy meals. We have 2 little kids and not much time to spend making dinner.
We would like to have some coupons. Those would really help us out since we buy your _____ and _____ so often.
Thank you,
Ima Customer
Sunday, December 07, 2008
I'm back
I'm back.
Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving.
My husband and I went to Costa Rica for a few days after Thanksgiving.
We left our 2 little boys with my parents and took a much needed vacation.
I'll try to keep updating this frequently with money saving tips now that I'm back.
Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving.
My husband and I went to Costa Rica for a few days after Thanksgiving.
We left our 2 little boys with my parents and took a much needed vacation.
I'll try to keep updating this frequently with money saving tips now that I'm back.
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