Money Woes & Losing Sleep

The focus of this blog is sharing ways to stretch our resources to provide for our families and save for the future. These days it seems like every time we turn on the TV or radio we are hear another piece of news about job losses or how bad the economy is. We are already living too busy, fast paced lives with more than enough stress. The constant stream of "bad news" tends to make it worse. Sometimes, it feels like turning up the heat on the pressure cooker.
Personally, I have too many nights where I wake up at 3:30 AM and had difficulty falling back asleep because of all of the "steam" in my pressure cooker. During a recent business trip a friend sent me this article he read in Southwest Airlines in flight magazine. The title of the article is "The Science of ZZZZZZZs". It is a somewhat humorous look at many of the gadgets that people spend their money on trying to get better sleep. While the article may seem long and you may start to doze off part way through, be sure to read the helpful suggestions at the end that won't cost you any money and may help you improve your sleep.
http://www.spiritmag.com/features/article/the_science_of_zzzzzzzs/

$ Saving Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Products (from News & Observer Feb. 7, 2009 issue)

Baking soda
Extinguish grease or electrical fire – scatter by handful
Clean combs and brushes
Clean greasy garage floor – sprinkle on, let stand, scrub & rinse
Clean badly burned pan – pout thick layer on, sprinkle w/water/leave overnight
Clean shower curtains – soak them in water and soda
Eliminate foot odor – sprinkle in shoes
Repel rain from car windshield
Freshen carpet/furniture - sprinkle on for ½ hr, then vacuum
Eliminate water rings on finished wood – baking soda & toothpaste
Get rid of ants – mix soda & salt, sprinkle where they come in
Fill in nail holes in plastered wall w/paste of white toothpaste & soda

Dryer sheets
Repel mosquitoes – hang sheet outside
Freshen air – hand in closet, under car seat or in drawer
Prevent tangled thread – run needle thru sheet before sewing
Luggage – put one inside suitcase
Eliminate static from TV or computer screen
Dissolve soap scum from shower
Repel bees/bugs in picnic basket/under outdoor furniture
Repel bugs – rub directly on bare skin
Combat static on clothes, stockings/hair – pat w/sheet

Vinegar
Remove price tags/stickers – paint w/several coats/soak 5 min/wipe
Kill weeds in paving stones/sidewalks – fill spray bottle/spray

Soda
Clean car battery terminals – pour, let set, wipe w/wet sponge
Loosen rusted-on nuts and bolts – soak rag in soda/wrap around bolt
Clear out slow drain – pour 2-liter bottle down drain to remove clog
Make cut flowers last longer – pour ½ cup soda into vase of cut flowers

Dawn dishwashing detergent
Pre-treat oil-based laundry stains, such as lipstick & grease
Soak oil/grimy tools to clean
Kill fleas by washing pets in soapy water bath

Grocery bags
Preserve paint brushes few days – wrap w/rubber band or twist-tie
Bulk up curtain valances/crafts/pillows – stuff w/bags

Milk
Use to shave with
Clean patent leather shoes – rub w/milk and soft cloth; dry & buff
Remove ink stains on clothes – soak ½ hr-overnight
Repair fine cracks in china plates/cups – cover w/milk/ boil/simmer 45 min

Nail polish
Make cup measurements visible
Mark levels inside a bucket
Seal an envelope
Keep belt buckle shiny – coat w/clear polish
Stop windshield crack from spreading – brush both sides of glass

Cotton balls
Fight mildew in bathroom – soak in bleach – leave few hrs – rinse w/warm water

Mayonnaise
Remove bumper sticker/tar/pine sap – rub on for several minutes/wipe off

Marshmallows
Stop ice cream drips by placing in bottom of cone before adding ice creamKeep brown sugar soft – add few to bag

Local Helps

This announcement was found in the Coffee News— Garner Edition

Announcement For Those In Need:

St. Andrews & New Life Wesleyan in Garner, NC are the ANGEL FOOD distribution locations for the Garner Area. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to purchase grocery store/restaurant quality food valued at around $60-$70 for $30.

Contact Tiffany Harwood at 550-0228 for more details.

Cooking Tip - Canned Fruit

When using canned fruits, I reserve the drained liquid and make homemade popcicles out of it. We pretty regularly use canned pinapple and mandarin oranges as a base for fruit salad, so I mix the juices together.

Cooking Tip - Ramen Noodles

When making Ramen Noodles for the children, I usually use two packs of noodles. When I cook them I only use one seasoning packet. I save the other packet and use it to cook rice or in place of bouillon.

Shop to Save

Save loads of cash by purchasing most items at ALDI's in Fuquay-Varina

Coffee Filters

Coffee filters ..who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
5. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
6. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
7. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
8. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
9. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
10. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two ho les as needed in a coffee filter.
11. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
12. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. Soaks! out al l the grease.
13. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

Oh, Yeah, they are great to use in your coffee makers, too.

Another $ Saver

When the food budget gets crunched, things like tea and coffee seem like “necessary” luxuries.
To make these last longer do the following:

For Tea whether making iced or hot. Reuse bags.

Brew your cup of tea and save used tea bags in the refrigerator.
Use two or three used bags per cup depending on how strong you like it. This also gives you the option to have part caffeine/part de-caf
Tip: If you microwave your mug of water for hot tea, microwave it longer when rebrewing.

Coffee:
Brew coffee in your typical fashion. Do not remove the used filter or coffee grounds.
The following day use the same filter with coffee ground and this time use less coffee to brew the same amount as day before.
Example:
First Day: For 4 cups of coffee use 1 and ½ scoops.
The following day use a little less than one scoop to a scoop.

Money Saver #1

Money saving tip #1:
Don’t bother buying Jet Dry for your dishwasher.
Distilled white vinegar does the trick- at a fraction of the price.