5 Interesting Uses For Toothpaste (besides brushing teeth!)

Hold on to that almost finished tube of toothpaste! There are at least 5 interesting uses for toothpaste that work well and will save you money-

1. Get Crayon Marks Off Walls!
Squirt a small dab of non-gel toothpaste on the wall where the mark is. Rub gently with a soft cloth, then rinse with warm water.And presto! Crayon "art" is gone! (Maybe you want to take a picture of said "art" first??)

2. Clean Sneakers
Use an old toothbrush and non-gel toothpaste to rub off scuff marks.

3. DVD Scratches be Gone
Well, light scratches anyway. Squeeze a little non-gel toothpaste onto a cotton ball. Wipe over the DVD starting from the center out to the edge. Rinse with water and dry with a non-abrasive lint-free cloth.

4. Polish Your Silver
Squeeze a touch of non-gel toothpaste, that has baking soda as a main ingredient, on a soft cloth and lightly polish your silver to remove the tarnish!

5. De-Fog Your Swimming Goggles
So this one use for toothpaste you may not use so much, but hey-- if you use goggles for swimming, this could be handy one day, right? Just coat the inside of swimming goggles with toothpaste, then wipe off—they’ll be crystal clear.

Some More Freebie Sites to Make Note Of

Here are a few websites to check out for the week. Just remember if you sign up at websites that feature 'freebies' and special deals, set up a special e-mail account only for those deals so that your regular inbox doesn't get over-loaded!

HeyItsFree.net

Offers.com/Free

CitiesontheCheap.com

FreeBirthdayTreats.com

Have a great week!

How I Save Money For Special Gifts

There are special occasions throughout the year when you know you will want to buy someone special a gift, such as birthdays, Valentine's Day and anniversaries. Buying these kinds of presents can be a less painful part of your budget, as long as you start early and stay organized. January is the perfect month to go through your calendar and mark off the different special events and holidays that will be coming up this year. Once you have made a list, start thinking about what present you would like to get for each person on your list.

Next, start browsing now for those gifts. Then it becomes a simple matter of budgeting. For example,I knew that for Valentine's Day this year I wanted to get my hubby a new watch. So I started searching and comparing online prices for the Casio gshock I knew he wanted. When I found the best price, I then took that amount and divided it by 30. The watch is listed for $99 which means I would save $3.00 plus change a day for the next 30 days. I put that $3.00 in a special envelope just for that watch. Now the earlier you start your budgeting for gifts you'll be buying throughout the year, the easier it will be. For a June graduation, for example, a $200 watch can be budgeted into your finances by simply saving approximately $1 and some change a day.

And the extra bonus to this savings tip? No last minute shopping!

How to Save Money For a Rainy Day

If you are looking for a way to start saving money for an emergency savings account, look no further than you own wallet. Each day take $1.00 from your wallet before leaving the house. At the end of the week, you will have saved $7.00. Not much, granted, but at the end of the month that will be almost $30. And chances are you won't feel it. Now add your loose change that you save in a jar every night....maybe another $5.00-$10.00 each month,(just putting .50 in that money jar every night for a month will add up to about $14.00-$15.00 each month!) and you may have a nice and easy $40-$50 saved at the end of every month! Not bad. The key at that point is to continue saving that money, and not spend it. Put it in an account especially for emergencies (if you do not have an emergency account set up yet). If you do have an emergency account already, you can save it as a vacation fund, Christmas account or just good old "rainy day savings" account. If you do this each month, you will have some where around $600-$700, at least, at the end of the year.

Pamper Yourself (and save money) With Home Made Beauty Treatments

I will be the first to admit I would love to spend (money) and time at the finest salons, make-up counters and spas. Without a doubt I would love. love. love massages, facials and beauty treatments that celebrities treat themselves to daily. But even though splurging on pampering myself  is pretty much out of the question these days, I am happy to report that I have found some simple and inexpensive beauty treatments that you can make at home and blissfully pamper your soul and skin!

Away Lines, Away! 
Create a full-body exfoliant by pulverizing a handful of almonds, one orange peel and a cup of grapeseed oil in a blender. This antioxidant-rich cocktail blocks wrinkle-causing, collagen-degrading free radicals while fine granules slough flakes, leaving skin soft and supple. (from Self )

Soften Skin With a Wake Me Up Scrub
A skin-softening body scrub made from coffee grounds and aromatic plant essences is a traditional treatment that's used in Thai and Balinese spas. It is a wonderful way to start your day: makes you feel invigorated while softens your skin wonderfully!

1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pure turbinado sugar
15 drops peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita)
1/2 cup used coffee grounds from a freshly brewed pot

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and thoroughly blend. Transfer the scrub to a wide mouthed jar, and store in a cool place until ready to use. The scrub will keep for one to two weeks, longer if refrigerated.
( from Whole Living )

Avocado Mask for Dry Skin
½ avocado
¼ cup honey
Mash the avocado in a bowl, then stir in honey. Apply to skin and leave for 10 minutes, then rinse.

Old-Fashioned Bubble Bath
A truly pampering bubble bath that is perfect if your skin is a bit on the dry side.

½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap,
1 tablespoon sugar or honey,
1 egg white.

Combine and mix ingredients in a clean bowl.  Pour the entire mixture under the running water as you draw your bath. Honey is a natural humectant, which will attract and retain moisture in your skin. The egg white helps create stronger, longer-lasting bubbles, for a nice, fluffy bath. For extra-dry skin, consider adding a tablespoon of light oil, such as almond or light sesame. ( from Real Simple )


Pamper Your Hair With Eggs
Eggs' high protein content helps improve hair's resilience and luster.

1 egg,
2 tablespoons coconut oil (rich in moisturizing fats), and
2 tablespoons sesame oil.

Whisk together and apply the mixture to dry hair. Wrap a hot, moist towel around your head. Relax for five to 10 minutes. Without wetting hair first, work in a handful of shampoo, and then rinse and condition your hair. (from Body and Soul )

Tips For Getting Finacially Stable

It is still January. There is still time to get your money saving goals and budget planned for the new year. Dave Ramsey is a well-known financial advisor who has promoted the benefits of back to basic savings He has very effective strategies for getting your finances back on track, and put you back in charge of your money (instead of the nasty way money has of controlling us!)

Save 5-10% of your income weekly until you obtain $1,000.00 - This is the Emergency Fund. This is used for emergency breakdowns: the car, the fridge, bathroom ceiling leaks, TV. goes out, that unexpected bill that must be paid NOW.  And then replenish the account back to the $1,000.00 as soon as possible.

 Save 5-10% of your income weekly until you obtain 3 months of savings for layoff or cash flow lost. This sits in the bank until needed, don't touch it.  Disability Income doesn't kick in unto 30 days after the disability occurred. Workmen's Compensation that employer's are required to pay doesn't kick in immediately either. Unemployment doesn't kick in for 4-6 weeks after you are unemployed. So this is very realistic and a blessing if one day the unexpected happens and you are out of a job.

Invest in Mutual Fund

Charitable Giving...

Ramsey also suggests that you use the "envelope" method of spending money on food each week. Set a certain amount aside in an envelope and that is all you use for the week. No credit or debit cards. Just the cash you have put in the envelope.

 Use cash for large purchases instead of credit cards. Cash gives you a negotiating edge as well. Ramsey also suggests not being afraid to walk out if a salesman asks for more than the cash you have in your hand.

He also advises people to be careful with coupons. Only use them on products you were going to use anyway-- don't buy something  just because you have a coupon for it.

Budget Fitness Boot Camp

This is a perfect time to get serious about saving money on your monthly bills. Why? Because the wonderful folks over at The Motley Fool are having their  Fiscal Fitness Boot Camp is in session! Every weekday throughout January ,they are offering a fresh money-saving/money-making task that could save save you money every month.

One such task is  call your cable company and ask for a break on your bill.

 And to help us "nervous- nellies" (I'm talking about me....not you!), there is a 'step by step' game plan given (Thank-you, Motley Fool!!)

1. Head to competitors' websites to price out current rates or compare packages and availability in your area at http://www.dslreports.com/find-broadband. Look for signup specials as well as rates for plans that are similar to yours.
2. Get into "Concerned Customer Mode." (Put on a suit jacket and your "I mean business" shoes if it'll help you get into character.)
3. When you get a live human on the line, explain (politely!) that you feel your bill is higher than you'd like. Share the details of the various plans you priced out while doing your research. Ask if they can match it, or if there are any special offers -- perhaps for new customers -- that they can extend to you. If not, inquire about ultra-cheap rate plans.
4. If there's not a lot of competition in your area, let the rep know that you're serious about cutting your service back to just the basics. "They may find a good deal for you after all," Ellen says.
5. Write down any offer you're given and its expiration date, then make sure you monitor your bill for price increases. When your promotional rate expires (or if your bill goes up for other reasons), call again, repeat your spiel, and ask them to help you find places to save.

Now of course while nothing can be guaranteed, the motley fool drill sergeant for this particular task is Ellen Bowman ( TMFKabellen ), who says that  she has rung up discounts with Comcast every three to six months over a two-year stretch. "Your mileage will vary depending on the customer-service rep you get, your particular provider, and the phases of the moon," she says, "but I've always been able to reduce my bill somewhat just by asking."

So go on. What do you have to lose by trying anyway? And you stand to gain some extra savings every month if you succeed!  Plus, with sites like hulu.com and many network station websites showing episodes after they air on TV, you might want to go radical here and save big by cutting cable altogether.

For some inspiration, visit the couple over at cancelcable.com. They have been  posting about their experience of life without cable for the past year. After calculating that they spent $2,000 a year to watch TV, they went cable-less and now watch their favorite shows with a combination of free HD broadcast TV and the Internet. Check out their current setup and see if there are free or lower-cost ways to watch your guilty pleasures with the showfinder tool . 

Start Saving Money Today !

A new year, a fresh start with your saving money goals. And I have a new save money game to try out this month!

It's simple really.

Take the paper towels on our weekly shopping lists. I don't know about you, but in our family we can go through two rolls quite easily each week. That costs us at least $3.00 a week. Now, it is one thing to tell ourselves that we won't buy those paper towels next time, and save that money instead. But does that work, really? And if it does work once in a while, that is not enough to make it a valuable savings in the money department. So--- do this instead:

Take the money you would normally spend on your favorite brand of paper towels for a month, put it in an envelope, and tuck it away in a kitchen drawer. Get out some hand towels and put them in a kitchen drawer. Next time you go shopping , decide if you want to take money out of the paper towel envelope to buy some, or if you want to keep saving that money and use the hand towels (which you can toss in the wash with your regular loads of laundry). My bet is you will leave that money safe and sound in that envelope. At the end of the month, enjoy your "savings!" and start again with a new envelope for the month.

If this works for you, try doing it with other items. I think what helps is seeing the actual money saved for a month in the envelope, as compared to the idea of money saved at the end of the month if you just try and convince yourself to not buy paper towels (or Starbuck's, or the paper, or whatever.)

You can do this with just about anything you want to challenge yourself on to see if you can do without it, even for a week. Just remember, calculate the total cost for a week, or even better a month, and put that amount aside right away. Just seeing that saved money every day will keep you motivated to stick to this savings game.

6 Online Sites For Getting Free Samples and Coupons

One way to save some money each month is by taking advantage of free samples companies sometimes offer. True, you may not become rich by ordering freebies, but you could save a few extra dollars every week--which can add up overtime. So if you are adding "shopping for freebies" to your money and budget resolutions for 2010, here are some sites to check out:

Heyitsfree.net (which I recently came across and am very impressed with thus far. On this website, you can find sales and deals at stores, and sometimes a free cup of coffee being offered somewhere!!

freeflys.com
mysavings.com
startsampling.com
instoresnow.walmart.com.

Also, couponmom.com is a great site to add to your list as well. Here you can find printable coupons, freebies and online deals.

Happy New Year!