Category: help

10 Frugal Holiday Party Tips

711083_56975192A successful party doesn’t depend on the amount of money you spend. You can have a successful fun party if you spend time thinking and letting your creativity flow.

1. Serve ordinary drinks in pretty stemware garnered from thrift shops (they needn’t match) – and garnish them with extraordinary, yet simple, touches. Frugal Luxuries by Tracey Mcbride.

2. Have a potluck, its not only cheap its tasty too. Ask each guest to bring their favorite dish.

3. Some people think there needs to be many desserts to choose but most of the time more than half is left over. Cut down on the desserts and the money spent by making one or two desserts.

4. Stop cooking appetizers if you are having a meal, this is an extra step that is not needed.

5. Skip the bar tab and have each guest bring their favorite bottle of wine. Just specify it on the invite “Bring your favorite bottle of vino to share!”. 5 Frugal Yet Fab Holiday Party Tips – Ezine Articles.

6. Save money and be environmentally friendly by using your own dishes and silverware. F is for Frugal – Blissfully Domestic.

7. Make sure and have music playing in the background, it adds a festive touch to any event.

8. Bring the outdoors in to decorate with – Pine cones, evergreen clippings, and holly all make great holiday decorations and as an added bonus they make the house smell great.

9. Make your own invitations and hand deliver them to save on postage.

10. Borrow from friends any items you may be lacking, such as casserole dishes, serving trays and large punch bowls.

Coupon Savings

1098658_12760034Sometimes coupons can add up to some hefty savings. Last night I was at the store and after coupons, I save $30. My total went from $78.00 down to $48.00. All because I checked out the sales and clipped coupons before I went to the store. So you have to put some effort into it but it is definitely worth the effort.

Here are some coupon sites that will help you get on your way to some great savings.

moneysavingmom.com – Helping you be a better home economist.

247couon.com – From books to pet stores to clothing.

dealcatcher.com – Catch the best deals online.

redplum.com – Sweeten the deal.

coupons.com – Free coupons.

And for advice on how to get the most from your coupons and how to combine offers with coupons to save more check out this site – grocerycouponguide.com

10 Holiday Savings Tips

Christmas BaubleCan you believe it, Halloween is come and gone and we are staring straight into the eyes of what we like to call ‘The Holidays”! Yikes! Yes in the past I was always ready for this time of year with not much to do but this year I have a lot left undone, and not much money to do it in. If you are in that same boat check out the tips below and start saving money today.

1. Save money on stamps by sending Christmas postcards. And only send them to the people you would like to get in touch with the most.

2. Using the Christmas cards you received last year you can make your own postcards – saving on the price of the postcards.

3. Make your own bows from newspaper and magazines – Click here for easy gift bow instructions.

4. Wrap your gifts in what you already have – left over material(you can even cut up old clothes you don’t wear), magazine ads, newspaper funnies, and old wrapping paper.

5. Make your own gift tags – cut up old Christmas card, you can even use a deck of cards like they did here.

6. Decorate with what you already have. Hang up your Children’s art work, fill a glass bowl with old bulbs or pine cones, string popcorn and cranberries to hang on the tree and along the fire mantel, use pine tree clipping for decoration and as a bonus it will make the house smell beautiful.

7. When looking for gifts, check out your local Goodwill, a lot of times you will find brand new merchandise from Target or other well known stores that donate their over merchandise. The cost of these brand new items are usually only a couple dollars.

8. Make your own gifts. There are so many easy fun project for the whole family to make and homemade is always best.

9. Save on shipping and deliver gifts in person when you can.

10. Always pay with cash, you will buy only the necessities because watching cash leave your hands is much harder then using the credit card.

How to Detect a Lie

Have you ever had suspicions someone is lying to you but you weren’t sure? The following techniques to telling if someone is lying are often used by police, and security experts. This knowledge is also useful for managers, employers, and for anyone to use in everyday situations where telling the truth from a lie can help prevent you from being a victim of fraud/scams and other deceptions.

Fun and Unexpected Calorie Burners

274000_1093Exercise is important for a healthy body and brain but the cost of a gym membership is a bit too much for most these days. Ever since we had to sadly cut our gym membership from our budget, I have been looking for ways to burn calories and keep in shape. Over at divine caroline I found this article on fresh ideas for fun calorie burners.

Here are some of divine carolines ideas:

Solo

  • Hula hooping – up to 600 calories burned an hour.
  • Hacky sack – 263 calories burned an hour.
  • Sledding – 461 calories burned an hour.
  • Tai Chi – 263 calories burned an hour.

With a partner

  • Playing catch – 164 calories burned an hour.
  • Ping pong – 263 calories burned an hour.
  • Fast dancing – 316 calories burned an hour.
  • Slow dancing – 197 calories burned an hour.
  • Sex – 104 calories burned an hour.

With a group

  • Ultimate Frisbee – 527 calories burned an hour.
  • Water volleyball – 197 calories burned an hour.
  • Kickball – 460 calories burned an hour.

Around the house activities

  • Gardening – 263 calories burned an hour.
  • Raking the lawn – 283 calories burned an hour.
  • Painting – 296 calories burned an hour.
  • Mowing the Lawn – 362 calories burned an hour.
  • Grocery shopping – 151 calories burned an hour.

For more on Fun and Expected Calorie Melter’s click here.

Humane Animal Control-Remembering Mr. Mole

mole_3aA year ago today I wrote a post about humanely hunting Mr. Mole. As fall nears and you’ve finally gotten your garden and lawn looking just the way you want it, you may have already dealt with rodents and pests. But as the weather turns, more and more animals are trying to come inside to your nice, warm living rooms. Spiders and bugs are migrating into our house and my wife is not pleased. I am also keeping an eye out for mice and rats in our garage, just in case the turning whether drives them into seek shelter. But should we destroy these animals for seeking shelter? I would suggest not. Schools and large buildings can often experience bigger issues with animals indoors than homes do. Here are some recommendations on how to humanely handle animals in schools:

Effective, humane methods of rodent control do not target the animals themselves but instead target the conditions that attract the animals to certain areas. Taking away their sources of food and shelter is the only sure way to deter these animals. Killing them will only cause others to move into the newly formed “vacancy.” The problem of rodent intrusion is largely preventable by maintaining clean, sanitary conditions and plugging holes or cracks where mice or rats might enter a building. Here are a few simple tips that your school’s staff can follow to prevent rodent infestations:

  • Deter rodents from places that can’t be mouse- or rat-proofed with a mixture of salad oil, garlic, horseradish, and cayenne pepper. Let this sit for four days, then strain it into a spray bottle and spray it on the desired area. Cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil work well, as do moth balls.
  • Keep counter surfaces, floors, and cabinets free of crumbs or food droppings.
  • Keep piles of wood, bushes, and other plants about 1.5 feet away from the school in order to allow a clearing between them and the building.
  • Restrict rodents’ access to other sources of food, such as birdfeeders, pet food, garden seed, and fertilizers.
  • Seal holes larger than 0.25 inch in diameter, cracks in the walls and floors, and spaces around doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures.
  • Store all food and garbage in well-sealed containers made of materials that can’t be gnawed through, such as metal, ceramic, or glass.

If traps are needed to remove mice or rats, humane box-type traps are available from humane societies and hardware stores and at PETACatalog.com.

A Real Leader

“You do not lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault, not leadership.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

mother-theresaLeadership is one of the most sought after, yet elusive, attributes in life, sports and business. There are different leadership styles, personalities and positions. Leaders hold an important key to the movement and success of whatever it is they have been called to lead.

I think back to the different coaches that I have had in my life, leaders in the game of football, and how they have employed different leadership styles and tactics in order to breed success in their players and team. What I found is this: the most successful leaders, were men and women who inspired within me the desire to be successful. They did so, not be yelling or forcing me into performance, but by modeling and serving those they were in charge of leading.

Some leaders use fear as their motivator, threatening, yelling or attempting to scare employees or players into action. But their yelling turns to noise and their fear turns to dust when they lose the respect of those they are to lead. But those who lead with other’s best interest in the forefront, those leaders that serve the people they are responsible for earn the respect and loyalty of those around them. These types of leaders have people they will actually follow them, not out of fear or coercion, but ought of love and loyalty.

Each of us is a leader in some facet of our lives, whether its in business, sports, family or some other area. I would suggest and challenge each of us to consider how we might serve those we are leading and then watch and see the respect and support that is gained by these selfless service.

7 Ways to Cure Those Butterflies in Your Stomach

273179_6525Do you get nervous when you are going to do something new? Starting school, first day of work, or learning how to do a new task can all cause a persons stomach to become all tied in knots. If you are that kind of person who’s stomach seems to become its own personal barometer for what you are feeling and butterflies take up residence in your stomach more often than not – then here is some helpful ways to cure those butterflies.

  1. Deep Breaths – On your way to the meeting or new situation, breath deep, sit back, relax and clear your mind of anything that will take you away from your deep breathing and just breath. In and out, just breath.
  2. Eat Healthy – Keep your mind producing its own natural feel good chemicals by eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grain foods, getting plenty of fresh air and sunshine and exercising regularly.
  3. Relax – Practicing relaxation techniques, meditation or even taking time for a regular walk on the beach can all help to reduce stress levels and facilitate a feeling of calm – helping us to wind down and relax.
  4. Try Herbs – These herbs might help to alleviate some of those anxious feelings: bugleweed, chamomile, feverfew, lemon balm, mullein and skullcap. These herbs will help to calm an upset stomach: catnip, chamomile, fennel, peppermint and willow bark.
  5. Be Prepared – There is no worse feeling than to know that you are not ready for your presentation. This is where the standard saying “Practice, Practice, Practice” comes in. Being prepared will help you recover better if you do make a mistake.
  6. Yoga – The asanas in yoga are what cleanses the neurons, which in turn allow the nervous system to react carefully to stress.
  7. Meditation – The benefits of meditation are manifold. When practicing meditation, your heart rate and breathing slow down, your blood pressure normalizes, you use oxygen more efficiently, and you sweat less.

Anit-Aging Skin Care Help

1039791_85503515Do you have age spots that seem to get darker by the day? Buffy or dark circles under your eyes that don’t seem to go away? Winkles that seem to be getting worse even though you use anti-aging creams? Do you have questions about what the best treatment for your aging face is? Each part of our body and each beauty concern we have needs different care, along with the fact that each persons skin ages differently. Below are some helpful tips to help you get a hold on your aging face and slow down the process.

Wear sunscreen! If you do only one thing for your skin this would be your best bet.

Bags under the eyes – This might be a clue that you are not getting enough sleep. If your eyes look different with different activities you may want to take note of what might be causing it. Drinking alcohol before bed may be a factor.

Dark circles under the eyes – If it is caused from a deficiency of vitamin K try using a cream with vitamin K and retinol, they significantly reduce the puffiness and discoloration in most patients.

Age Spots on your face and neck – Age spots and freckles don’t appear overnight so getting them to fade wont happen overnight either. Your best bet is to use Hydroquinone cream for lightening skin discolorations. Another more expensive option is an intense pulsed light laser, costs about $200 a visit.

Neck Wrinkles – The cheapest bet would be to use the same anti-aging treatment you use on your face, this will definitely slow down the aging process. To tighten and smooth sagginess on the neck, dermatologists often recommend a Thermage treatment, which uses radio frequency to heat the skin but costs about $2,500 a treatment.