Mold and Vinegar

I have a major mold problem this year. I am going to try to use vinegar rather than bleach as I have a cat named Lovey and bleach feels just as toxic as the mold does to me. Lately, Lovey and I have been choking our ways through the days, coughing, runny eyes, probably allergies? Nope, Mold. Going through my fancier items the other day, which I hardly ever use, I found the two perfect black dresses for black dress occasions. What I did not anticipate, in the back of my closet was a white and green coating of mold, everywhere! (photos to follow) I will go through the mold process slowly, but surely with you all. The areas of my home that I use often don't seem to have the same problem of course. I have been battling in the bathroom and the refrigerator more so this summer, but that was to be expected. If any of you have any advice on how to remove this vile substance from my shoes, handbags, sweaters, clothing, please let me know! As stated earlier, I will be trying to vinegar wash everything for now. I'll keep y'all posted through the weekend!

From Megan Crossman-Great tip for parents!

Ikea is an amazingly cheap outing for me & the kids (my husband is staunchly anti-Ikea). I drop the older kids off at the FREE 1 hour of childcare which includes a ballpit, coloring, movies and giant clogs (?). Then the youngest one and I shop for cheap straws, herring and meatballs. Then we enjoy 50 cent hotdogs for lunch. This must only be done during the week, weekends are too crowded.

Great babysitting co-op idea!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/08/21/feyerick.sitter.swap.cnn

Yay Onions!

If you grow or buy onions, here is how to keep them fresh for 6+months:

Take and old pair of pantyhose or tights, cut the legs off and put in the first onion. Tie a knot and then place the next onion...repeat this. Keep them in a cool, dry, airy place. Broom closet, utility room or even a dark corner of the kitchen. You are simply mimicking a root cellar. When people had dirt basements (and if you do, lucky you!) We are going to try this with a potato. Also,if you cut the eye off a potato, plant it! The stem will grow!

Thanks Bettye, great Southern tip!

Gifts, re-gifting and hostess gifts

First things first, get rid of everything that does not serve you or your loved ones. If your home is full of clutter, it clutters the mind. Everyone receives gifts that are not what we would keep in our homes or have nothing to do with anything we would be a part of or do. These gifts should be either re-gifted to someone who would use them or appreciate them. If you can’t think of anyone in your life who would like the Hummel doll your Aunt Sally gave you for Christmas, give it to charity. There is always someone who would benefit or appreciate what you have no need for. In the end, it is an act of kindness and not a slap in the face to the person in which the gift originated. Keep a wish list of things that you would really like and when asked by Aunt Sally what you’d like for your birthday, tell her! I once celebrated a birthday with a party and knew that there would be those who would be bringing gifts, even though I didn’t want them too. I asked for gift certificates to a prominent kitchen store so that I could buy the expensive cappuccino machine I wanted. I was given a machine and able to use the money for the very pretty cups and saucers. It was perfect and practical. If you have the room, a gift closet, or shelf, or bin, or cabinet is a great thing to have. You can put the things you receive and don’t want right in there. Also, if you see something that you know someone else may like, even if it’s not close to the holidays or their birthday, and you can get a good price, but it and store it. When an event like a party or holiday does roll around, make a list and consult your gift space first. It can save you so much money and time.
Hostess gifts are coming back as well. As we begin to gather together in each other’s homes more we can share something that we have found to be helpful with each other. Whether it’s a bottle of wine, a corn butterer, or a great cookbook, a hostess gift is a showing of gratitude for your friend or acquaintance for the meal and party. The gratitude feels good and is appreciated.

Waxing

Well ladies, we have found the way to wax at home to stave off MRSA and other nasty infections you risk from going to a salon. SurgiWax has a Brazilian waxing kit that you simply microwave (or heat carefully in boiling water). There are no strips and it is not messy! Serena and I both swear by this. She has no microwave so developed the heat in hot water method. The cost is about $5.00 for 3+ waxes! Run, don't walk to your local pharmacy now!

Fruit Flies

Here's a great tip from Serena (and her local farm stand)

Fruit flies are a nuisance. Put a small cup of cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap and mix it up. Leave overnight and the flies will be attracted to it and die...all of them!

These flies come in on your fruit, so wash when you get home first...this may kill the larvae.

Plan your day and include your route!

Here's a little something to save gasoline. Not only will this help your handbag, but it will also help the environment!

When planning your day, including your errands, plan to go to the furthest point first and then stop en route accordingly to your home. We are so spontaneous in our travels these days. If you take the time to organize in the morning and really think it through, you will not only save gas, but your time as well. We all need the feeling of satisfaction of having our errands complete, so revel in the spare time you will create by planning your day!

Have a good week!

Juicing and Garbage Day

I have been juicing, a lot, and I feel great!
2 Lemons
2 Fuji Apples
Bunch of Kale
Head of lettuce
Bunch of celery
Ginger

Juice it, drink it, feel awesome!

But here's the rub. The fiber smells terrible in a matter of a day in your garbage. I love juicing the night before garbage day. It feels so efficient and it was :)

Enjoy the weekend!

Ice Cubes

Here's a great summer tip from Bonny Batt: Make coffee, lots of coffee and make coffee ice cubes. Keep said cubes in a labeled Ziplock. This makes a non-watered down iced coffee. Apply the same principle to Bloody Mary Mix or Margarita mix. Don't we all love the taste of a fresh drink?

Visited my friends Kerry and Brian last night. Kerry had pre-made garlic cubes that were a bit smaller than traditional ice cubes. What a great idea! When chopping garlic and getting stinky, why not go all the way and chop it all and freeze the chopped cloves individually? Smart, efficient, and tasty too!

Cooking for who? You!

Here it is, Sunday night and I am cooking. As a single woman, I am going to take a page from my friend Nancy's book. She swears by cooking a double order when she cooks a big feast. She packages up meals and freezes them for nights she does not wish to cook. Last night I had friends for dinner and their request was lasagna. Most of which is now in my freezer and waiting for the day that I simply take it out and nuke it! Tonight, steak and sweet potato. Now, I probably won't freeze any of it, but will enjoy the left over, sliced steak over salad tomorrow for lunch, then perhaps a steak sandwich on Monday.

If you have a family, get a freezer. You can buy things on sale or in bulk, cook when you're cooking anyway and freeze meals. Save those plastic "to-go" containers and, with a marker, put the contents, date and serving size. A great way to utilize your time, save future time and save money!

Manicures and Pedicures

Who does not like to go and get a mani and pedi? I don't know many of us who don't, but in time, it does get expensive. My pedicures can last forever, it seems, when I get them done professionally. Here's why they seem to last longer: Fresh Polish and base coat! Get rid of your old polish and buy a couple of colors you like and use them and buy new topcoat and basecoat!

Take off old polish and cut or file nails to desired shape and length.
Moisturize your hands a feet overnight by liberally applying moisturizer and wearing cotton gloves and socks.
Take your morning shower or bath and slough off dead skin and callouses with pumice stick or stone.
Then, push back your cuticles on both your hands and feet with a wooden orange stick. This will remove unwanted cuticle without cutting (cutting is bad!).
Dry off and use remover again to make the nail clean and dry.

*Buy Esse's First Base Base Coat* and use as base. This is rubberized and can make your job last MUCH longer (it's transparent blue). Seriously, I have had manicures last days, without chipping. It's worth the trip to the beauty supply store!

Apply 2 coats of your favorite polish color allowing a minute or so between.

Apply a FRESH top coat. This is where you run into trouble if it is not fresh. You will get unwanted creases and polish movement. Use orange stick to remove mistakes.

Allow to thoroughly dry and don't worry about other mistakes, they will come off in your next shower with a nail brush.

Try this technique and you will be thrilled with your professional looking job!

More Grocery Shopping

This is something we can all take advantage of now! Buy local when you can, as the high cost of transporting food long distances is one culprit behind rising prices. Fortunately, summer is prime time to find delicious, locally raised foods at the best prices at farmers' markets. Also, check food co-ops, which often offer hefty discounts to their members.

The grocery store

Stick to your list! Grocery shopping is essential to both budgeting and keeping a household. Manufacturers send you coupons constantly; trying to entice you into buying whatever product they’re touting that month or week. ½ the stores say that if the price does not ring the same amount as the shelf, you get the item for free. It’s important to make a shopping list after looking through store flyers. The flyers will allow you to compare prices and get an idea of what prices for food actually are. In personal experience, as a single career woman, I had no idea what food prices were. I couldn’t tell you what an apple or a gallon of milk cost. It’s hard to concentrate, while in the grocery store, on how much things cost. Not that price is not clearly marked, just that there is an awful lot to note. This is why flyers are so valuable. Every week, you receive these sale flyers and can look to see what’s on sale and what things could cost.

Mango Salad

This is a favorite of both Serena and I:

1 Mango, cubed

1 Beet, sliced thinly

1 Carrot julienned

Bunch of Arugula

Sprigs of Basil, Mint and Cilantro

Dressing: 1 part fresh squeezed OJ, 1/2 part olive oil, tblspn soy sauce, chopped green onion to taste

Mix together and viola, super delicious and colorful salad!

Looking for a home or living space

We all know that the world is changing economically, and we have all played our parts…I am a Realtor, I’ve played and now I am paying. Our economy is global now and when there is distress, everyone feels it. In Europe, much of what I am writing about is mandated or just second nature! There is really no place to assign blame at this point. For other countries, budgeting is required. As an American generation Xer, I am a consumer. I have been targeted by marketing stronger than any other generation in the past and have not had to live through very hard times. My grandparents were young in the depression and are now gone. I have wished over and over while writing this book that they were alive now so I could hear their wisdom on managing and keeping happy homes while times are economically tough. Thank goodness for the memories of my Mother, Aunts and girlfriends who may have paid attention to the stories of the depression or who lived through the gas shortage in the 70’s. Now I am not implying that we’re heading for a depression. But I do believe that in the science of Positive Psychology and in those books from a long time ago that we laugh at now, there is something very important to learn. That we need to make our environment comfortable and good running order and that we need to live within our means, even when times are great economically. In the book The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt suggests that we are, in fact, happier when money is spent on activities than on possessions. I believe this to be true. The wholesomeness of family and friend time has been clouded by posturing and keeping up with the Joneses. A sad state of affairs but we can mend this easily by focusing on our inner or more primal needs.

There is something that I often do in Real Estate that was in something I once read. While people start the house hunt, I suggest that they focus on what they want in a house…not cosmetically but broader. Do they need lots of light or do they work and thrive more in the evening and maybe want more seclusion and darkness during the day? Do they entertain and need a larger dining or family room area or do they mostly go out and need more work or project room? Does life seem to center around the kitchen or outdoors? What activities make them happy? All of these things are usually not looked at when first considering a home, but should be the primary focus. Not what we see in magazines or books. Not what’s in fashion, which can always be changed. I had some wonderful advice from my dear friends, Bob and Pat, who live on the lake that I grew up on. Their advice is to look for a home that you rent for a vacation. Mind you, this is a couple who chose not to have children so their need was for the harmony of a couple, not a family. For others, the need to be in a community with lots of children is important to them. We need to look at this first and foremost in homemaking. Now, I am not suggesting that you run out and sell the home you’re in because you think you may e happier elsewhere more. This is not about the grass being greener elsewhere. Chances are good you instinctively found the place you are currently living for some of these reasons. Now you have to examine how space is being used.

Wondering what to do with your kids on these rainy days?

Libraries have passes to local museums and parks so you can get the family in for free. You can also get movies, books and books on tape for free. Also, see if there may be a lecture that interests you. The library is such a great source of entertainment!

Save energy while doing your laundry

Welcome to my blog! There will be a few guests that will be contributing to this, Bonny and Serena. Both of these ladies are masters of finding "life changers", as we like to call them.

This is one of my favorite tips:

When you are drying clothing in a dryer, throw a clean and dry towel in. It will reduce the drying time in half! For darker colors, use a dark towel.

More to come!

Jeannine

Welcome and thank you for visiting our blog.

This blog is designed to share vital information and advice that will help you to live within your means, be better to our environment and make life easier. We hope you'll enjoy our tips and welcome any suggestions you may want to post.

We are all in this together folks, let's share our knowledge, turn the current financial situation around and live well!

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JBS