15 Random Household Tips From Cyberspace
Posted on January 28, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Household | 7 Comments
This weekend, I received an email from my father-in-law that had all sorts of household tips in it. Some of the tips I knew about but some I hadn’t seen before. I thought the 15 tips below were interesting enough to share with everyone. Hopefully you will find them helpful as well!
I haven’t tested these out yet but I did write some comments below.
If you have tried any of these tricks before please share with us if they really work!
1. Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
I may try this out on my leftover pizza for lunch today. It’s worth a shot!
2. Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
3. Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
4. Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
5. Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Weeds can get through plastic but not wet newspaper? Hmmm.
6. Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.
I use a damp paper towel – that way my hands are protected and I can cover a larger area
7. Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.
I wonder if this would get expensive? I wouldn’t do this around pets – the cayenne can irritate their eyes and nose.
8. Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
9. Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and — ta da! — static is gone.
This could come in handy – I’ve always had to use a static spray.
10. Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
I like to rub my cups with a dab of oil so the ingredients slide out.
11. Foggy Windshields
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
12. Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.
Putting the envelope in the microwave for a few seconds is quicker. I tried it out here.
13. Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair.
Great idea! I bet this would work just fine if you used a thin layer.
14. Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2″ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
15. Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home,” can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works & you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
I’ve had ant problems before but never heard of this method.
Reducipe – Baked Dijon Salmon
Posted on January 25, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Food, Reducipes | 3 Comments
Reducipe
Pronunciation: ri-doos-uh-pee
Function: noun
1 : a recipe that can help lower your food costs in a variety of ways
a : by scaling back an expensive recipe to be less pricey but still just as tasty
b : by turning an already inexpensive meal into something special
c : by using leftovers in creative ways to stretch their use
We like to try to include salmon in our meal plans when we can. Although it’s considered fatty, salmon is full of the good fats that you need in your diet. This week there was a sale on salmon so I picked up a pound to make this tasty Baked Dijon Salmon.
I tend to buy farmed salmon because it’s always cheaper around here. I know lots of people swear that wild salmon is the only way to go but it’s a budget killer for us. I’d rather get more fish, even if it’s not as high quality, than less fish in our diet. I just make sure to prepare it in delicious ways.
This is a good go-to dish when you want a quick and simple meal that isn’t too heavy. Not only is it is easy it combines spicy, sweet, and savory in a fabulous way. And the buttery golden brown crumbs on top really make it delectable and crowd pleasing. I bet kids would like this as well.
On weeks where I’m able to get fish I always prepare it the night I purchase it or the following night. Fish just doesn’t last in the fridge so plan for it to be one of the first meals following the shopping trip.
Baked Dijon Salmon
1 lb salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
Seasoning salt
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 clove garlic, minced very finely (almost a paste is best)
3 tablespoons cornflake crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 lemon, cut into wedgesPreheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl stir together mustard, garlic paste, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl mix together corn flake crumbs and butter.
Sprinkle some seasoning salt over the salmon then place them in a shallow baking dish, skin side down. Spread the mustard mixture on the fillets, reserving a little of the mustard to serve on the side (if desired). Top with crumb mixture. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges and reserved honey mustard. Serves 4.
You can season the fish with any seasoned salt you like but we prefer Emeril’s Bayou Blast. It doesn’t have an overwhelming celery flavor like a lot of spice mixes have. The lemon is really important because it helps cut through the richness of the fish. The brightness really adds that special zing so don’t forget that squeeze of lemon!
Green beans or roasted veggies make a really good match for this dish. If you don’t have cornflakes on hand (I keep some crushed up in a Ziplock baggie) you could always substitute another crunchy crumb like panko. If you want to make it a little healthier lower the amount of butter or substitute olive oil.
| Ingredient | Cost | Ingredient | Cost |
| Salmon | $6.71 | Cornflakes | $0.05 |
| Mustard | $0.30 | Butter | $0.06 |
| Honey | $0.16 | Spices | N/A |
| Garlic | $0.02 | Lemon | $0.17 |
| Total | $7.47 or $1.87 a serving |
Obviously the bulk of the cost is in the fish itself. It’s pretty pricey so buying large amounts and freezing it would help lower that cost. This preparation adds minimal cost and considering how much flavor it adds it’s an even better bargain. Pair this fish with a steamed veggie side and you have a great healthy meal for under $3! Enjoy!
Don’t Save The Worst For Your Family
Posted on January 24, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Relationships, Work | 7 Comments
This is a little off topic but I thought it was still worth posting.
I was feeling crabby after a particularly stressful day last week and I noticed that I was being a little short with Eric. We were doing our normal routine of chatting while I prepare dinner. It was a subtle change and he didn’t mention it but I knew I wasn’t being as nice as I could have been. He had done nothing wrong – I was simply allowing my frustration from earlier to affect my attitude that evening.
Whatever ticked me off that day was distracting me and stealing my time with my husband. I just had to let it go so we could enjoy our evening. I look forward to our conversations in the kitchen every night (it’s our time to connect and bond as a couple) and it would have been sad to let something trivial interfere with that. Now that I write this I don’t even remember what even irritated me that day. I guess that shows how important it was in the scheme of things, right?
Are you striving to give your very best at work only to end up giving your family the worst of you afterwards?
Do you exceed at your job only to come home and sit on the couch at night, too exhausted to interact meaningfully with your kids? Maybe you work so hard to keep the household and kids in order that you find yourself missing out on bonding time with your family? Are you known as “the nice one” in the office yet you rarely remember to say nice things to your spouse?
Pardon the horrible example, but it’s like giving your work the best part of the prime rib and giving your family the crusty little end pieces.
Sometimes we can get so caught up in our work and our problems that we forget what’s most important. Isn’t our family the reason we work so hard for in the first place? Shouldn’t we try to save a little of the best of us for the people that matter most in our lives?
I’m not trying to imply that you should do a less than stellar job at work. It’s only to remind you to show the ones at home some stellar treatment, too. The people who love you deserve it and the effort you put into those relationships will be worth more than anything you can achieve at work.
Image Source: VirtualErn
Suspect You Paid Too Much For That Diamond?
Posted on January 23, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Shopping | 7 Comments
Of course you did. We ALL did.
The good news is that we may get a little back now that the class action lawsuit has been settled. The lawsuit alleged that the diamond kingpins were being naughty and were up to no good when it came to diamond pricing.
A great big thanks to Punny Money for bringing this to my attention and my father-in-law sending us a reminder about the case today. If you haven’t checked out Punny’s site you are really missing out.
What’s going on?
De Beers, the world’s largest diamond importer, is settling a gigantic class action lawsuit worth $297 million. Part of that settlement will be distributed to consumers that purchased diamonds between 1994 and 2006.
De Beers is charged with violating all sorts of consumer protection laws by monopolizing diamond supplies and price fixing. Why am I not shocked by this?
What does this mean to you, the consumer?
Consumers who purchased any kind of diamond jewelry (even jewelry with diamonds mixed with other gemstones) between January 1994 and March 2006 for personal use can receive a rebate. The rebate amount will be determined based on the quality and quantity of the diamonds and on how many people file claims. The following table shows the maximum refund you could be eligible for:
There is no way to tell how much your refund will be worth until all the claims have been collected and the available funds are divided among those claims.The fine print indicates that they will not issue checks for claims that amount to less than $10. So, if your total claim is less than $165 for mixed stone jewelry or $95 for diamonds only jewelry, don’t even bother filing.
Are you eligible? All persons located in the United States who purchased any diamond or diamond jewelry or other products containing gem diamonds for personal use and not for resale between January 1, 1994 and March 31, 2006.Make sure you have the receipts as well. They don’t require you to send in receipts when you submit the claim but they do reserve the right to ask for them. I bet the larger claims will require receipts before they issue a check. Even if your claim is under $500 I think it’s best to be prepared.
How do I file? Go to the Diamond Class Action website to submit your claim before May 19, 2008.
The process was straight forward and simple. Today we put in a claim for my diamond engagement ring bought in late 2005. Eric just realized he made a mistake when filing, though. He labeled it as an engagement ring but then only put in the value of the solitaire diamond. He should have labeled it as a loose diamond since it was bought independently from the setting. We will have to figure out if it is worth contacting them to get it cleared up or not.
I’ve never been involved in a class action lawsuit before. Often they aren’t even worth the paper the notice is printed on. But this one could actually be worth everyone’s time. Make sure to send in your claims if you have them!
Image Source: Odalaigh
Recession Fears = Flat Screen TV?
Posted on January 22, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Debt, Savings, Taxes | 17 Comments
On our way home from visiting family this weekend we decided to listen to news radio. They were discussing the economy and the stimulus plan being proposed to help ward off a recession.
Many experts are on the fence on whether or not a tax rebate will help prevent a recession. Regardless, it seems the general population is happy about the proposed rebates. They mentioned that some people’s reaction to the rebate news was that they hoped the money would arrive before the super bowl so they could go get a flat screen TV. Funny….yet frightening.
At the risk of over simplifying it, a recession means that overall spending slows down which means fewer jobs are created (or jobs are even eliminated). Fears of a possible recession can become a self fulfilling prophecy because people often cut back on their spending if they think there is a trouble ahead. Less consumer spending means fewer sales coming in for businesses, they begin to downsize, more people can’t find work or they become unemployed, they have even less money to spend, and the cycle begins.
Bush’s proposed tax rebate plan is meant to encourage us to keep spending by giving us a little more money in our pockets. Although I welcome the idea of getting money back I wonder if it will help the economy in any lasting way.
First, it takes time to issue a refund and get it in the hands of the consumers. It may come too late to make an impact when we need it to. I’ve heard that checks could come as soon as June and that it could take 6 months to a year to reach its full effect on the economy. I guess those super bowl parties will have go on without new flat screens. With the way the stock market has been tanking I can’t help but wonder if we need the help now rather than later.
I also think the rebate counts on the majority of people spending that money immediately so it gets pumped right back into the economy. It’s been said that targeting the rebates to the lower and middle classes would help the most because those households are more financially strapped and are more likely to quickly spend the rebate money. It seems to be expected that the majority of the population outside of the upper class won’t be saving this money. I understand why that’s the assumption (it can be harder to save when money is tight) but it still bothers me.
Are people going to look at this money as a windfall to be spent frivously instead of as a way to get prepared for a possible recession? Quite frankly, if I feel a recession is coming I’m more likely to put that cash into my emergency fund or use it to pay off debt. I certainly wouldn’t go buy luxury or non-essential goods with it. It would feel irresponsible to me even if that’s what the money was intended for. Saving for an emergency fund needs to be a priority, especially during an economic down turn when jobs become vulnerable.
Unfortunately, paying off debt or putting that money in savings may not be the best way to boost the economy even if it puts my finances in a better position to handle a recession. Hmmm. Does wanting to save that money make me a bad American? Of course not.
Could it be that what’s best for the economy may not be what’s best for your household?
Image Source: PPDIGITAL
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