DIY Plumbing Leaky Kitchen Faucet

Here are some tips I found in Family Circle Magazine on Penny Pinching Tips for homeowners:

Refinance your mortgage – For many Americans the biggest expense is paying off the mortgage, and that’s where you can save if you’re not planning to move any time soon. “Interest rates are still at historic lows, says Gary Schatsky, a Manhattan-based, fee-only financial planner and founder of ObjectiveAdvice.com, who notes that 30-year fixed mortgages are now hovering at around 5.13%, and 15-year loans at roughly 4.5% “If you can save 1% or more by refinancing, then it’s a slam dunk.” On a $200,000 mortgage, for instance, reducing your rate from 6.5% to 5 % would save you $250 every month. You’ll take a one-time hit on the closing costs, but the long-term savings will likely far outweigh, that.

Organize your money – A lot of people get into trouble because they don’t keep track of spending. One solution: new site like Wesabe.com and Geezeo.com that allow you to securely upload bills and credit card and saving accounts; slot them into categories, and view everything in colorful, easy-to-read graphics. “Seeing it all at a glance helps you focus on the big picture and motivates you to move your money around to where it should be,” says Carmen Wong Ulrich, CNBC’s personal finance expert and author of Generation Debt: Take Control of Your Money – A How To Guide.

Find your cash in your home - There’s a lot of cash to be saved – but you have know where to look,” says Ilyce Glink, author of 100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask.

- Start by unplugging energy vampires like the TV, chargers and computers at night and by switching to compact fluorescent bulbs.

- Chop back your home insurance by raising your deductible (see our site Freeinsurancepolicyquotes.com to find out What is the cost of Homeowners Insurance; boosting it to $1,000 could save you 25% on your premiums.

- Appeal your property taxes with your township or county, since they were probably set during the high-value boom years. The odds of a successful appeal are as high as 40%, potentially saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year, according to the National Taxpayers Union. (Go to homeownertaxcut.com for a starter kit.

- “By tackling basic fixer-upper jobs like repairing leaky pipes or installing a new faucet, my husband and I save about $5,000 a year,” says Glink There are a lot of how to sites on the internet that can be very helpful.

See this quick and easy video on How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

Does Sunscreen Have An Expiration Date

Americans throw away $75 billion of food each year with the average American family tossing 14 to 33 percent of the food they buy. That’s almost $600.00 of wasted grocery dollars per family per year. Learning the meanings of terms “best before”, “use by” and “sell by” dates on the products in your grocery store will help you avoid wasting food. Here is a quick guide:

The important thing to remember, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture is that shelf life has to do with consuming the product while it is at it’s peak, when you are most likely to enjoy it, while expiration dates are all about food safety.

“Use by” or “best before” are a guide to optimum enjoyment of the product. So you can actually use the product long past those dates and it is perfectly safe to consume. Sell by dates are the manufacturer’s guideline to grocery stores, so their products are placed on the shelves when they’re the most desirable. If a food has a true expiration or discard after date, that means you really have to throw it away because the product will be unsafe to consume.

If you want to know the guidelines onHow to check the shelf life of your baking ingredients see our post at Fasthowto.com the site that tells how to do anything quickly and easily.

Non food items don’t usually come with a date but many should be replaced after a certain time. Here are some guidelines:

Toothbrush – Buy a new one every three to four months or after you have been sick since the old one can have bacteria that can reinfect you.

Mascara – Replace every three months to avoid pink eye or sties.

Lipstick - You can keep this for two to three years, but if the color changes or it smells bad, toss it.

Sunscreen – Chemicals in sun block decompose, making it ineffective after a year.

Surge protector on your computer - Most standard surge protectors will last around five years. However, if the indicator light has gone out or it is flickering, better to replace a $20.00 surge protector than a $2000.00 computer.

Razor – Change your razor blade or toss your disposable razor after three or four uses, as nicks can allow bacteria to penetrate your skin.

Running shoes – Runners should replace their shoes every 200 to 300 miles. If you don’t run but work out regularly, buy new sneakers every six months.

Sports bra - Invest in a new sports bra every six months to a year. If your breasts bounce around a lot when you jog or jump, or if a bra that used to stay in place starts riding up your back, go ahead and replace it.

Shower loofah - Change every three to four weeks. Mesh puffs can be used for eight weeks.

If you are looking for more ways to save money on travel consider joining the Family Save club. Family Save is a club you join, pay a small monthly membership fee and gain access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in coupons, gift cards, buy 1 get 1 free offers and more! Save on groceries, plane tickets, online shopping, movies, gas rebates, dining out and even tech support.

If you want to check it out click on banner above or just CLICK HERE

How Much Is Rental Car Insurance

Whenever you rent a car, you always encouraged to purchase the collision damage waiver to eliminate your liability for the deductible or any uninsured losses to which the rental car agency is exposed. The usual fee is $9.00 a day.

In most instances, your personal auto policy or family auto  policy will provide coverage to secure you against payment of any of these deductibles. The only problem you have with using your own policy is that if your rental car is damaged at a time when your insurance agency is closed.

For example, say you return your rental car on a Sunday night and you have damage. You may have a hard time proving you have coverage and the rental car company may demand immediate payment for that damage.  How do you avoid this problem without paying that extra $9.00 a day?

Many credit card company have included automatic coverage in their package of benefits, saying that if you rent a car using their credit card, they will assume this liability. In most situations, rental car agencies have accepted the “credit card insurance” and not demanded immediate payment.

Make sure you check with your credit card company to see if you have car rental insurance option and check with your insurance company to find out how much your policy covers when you rent a car.

There are two reasons you may want to purchase the rental car insurance from your car rental agency:

1. Your auto insurance policy does not cover you for amounts the rental company charges you for the money it loses while the car you damaged is out of service.

2. Your insurance company may not reimburse the rental car agency quickly enough to satisfy them and the rental agency will insist on immediate payment from you if you did not buy the agency’s insurance.

For more information on saving money on auto car insurance policy quote see our site free insurance policy quotes

If you are looking for more ways to save money on travel consider joining the Family Save club. Family Save is a club you join, pay a small monthly membership fee and gain access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in coupons, gift cards, buy 1 get 1 free offers and more! Save on groceries, plane tickets, online shopping, movies, gas rebates, dining out and even tech support.

If you want to check it out click on banner above or just CLICK HERE

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Ways to Recycle

Got some great tips from Woman’s Day Magazine plus some of my own on recycling common household items. When you recycle household items you save money and the earth at the same time. A great thing to do and make you feel good about being an upstanding citizen of the planet Earth.

Old sheets and pillow cases - Fold them almost in half, leaving a top flap. Stitch up sides and use them to store blankets, comforters and pillows  dust-free. I use old sheets to protect my car seats and trunk when I am transporting plants from the nursery and also put them over plants in my yard to protect them from freezes.

Luggage - You can use these to store extra sheets and pillow cases or out of season clothes. I use them to store other luggage such as duffel bags. We also once used an old suitcase lined with a blanket for a dog bed.

Wastebasket – Use tall ones for storing rolls of gift wrap or use them to store extra paint rollers or outdoor toys in the garage.

Plastic grocery bags – Use them as padding in packages with fragile items or use them as trash can liners in small trash cans.

Trifle bowls – I seldom make Trifles ( a layered dessert) so I use my Trifle bowls to hold hair scrunchies and hair rollers.

Laundry baskets – I use these in the garage to store basketballs, soccer balls and some sports equipment.

Laundry hampers – I use these in the garage to store the old sheets I cover the plants with during a freeze.

Three Ring Binders – You can fill these with plastic page protectors and store recipes, kid’s artwork, school schedules, magazine articles you are saving or even important receipts.

Plastic Bins from ice makers – I use the plastic bin from the previous refrigerator to store lids to plastic containers. You can put them in size order for easy access.

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I found this great little mini-site which gives all sorts uses for coffee filters. Here is the linkBest Use of Coffee Filter.
Some of them are very clever and great for cheapskateliving.

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Save Money on Fresh Produce – Tips On Keeping It Fresh

I just read a really great article in Women’s Day magazine on how to make your produce last longer. Now before I give these tips, I want to let you know I also tried to those special storage bags for produce. I have had mixed results. Bananas did not seem to stay any fresher in those bags so read the tip on bananas below because I think it is better. I have had good luck with storing celery, carrots, oranges, green peppers and scallions in those special bags. I have noticed that parsley and cilantro don’t stay as fresh in those bags unless you wrap them in paper towels and then put them in the bag. Some fruits and vegetables just seem to produce alot of moisture when stored in those bags and that seems to effect the freshness. Here are the tips:

Leafy greens – Store them in an open container in the fridge. I often use a colander to store greens and that seems to work well. If you want to store them in the plastic bag be sure to poke holes in it so the greens can breathe.

Bananas – Break them apart. Bananas rot in bunches so if one browns first it will cause the others to turn brown more quickly. I just bought bananas yesterday – so I am testing this one.

Tomatoes  – Store on counter stem side down. Avoid the fridge as tomatoes lose flavor and texture when chilled. Never leave tomatoes in a plastic bag – they won’t last as long.

Broccoli and Cauliflower – Remove from plastic bag and lightly wrap in paper towels. Store them stem side down in the fridge crisper drawer.

Also don’t store onions and potatoes in the same container. I also find that parsley and cilantro last longer if you wrap a paper towel around them.

For more tips on frugral grocery shopping check out our sister siteFrugal Pig and read the post Grocery Coupons And More Ways To Save Money

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Helpful Household Hints

Hey cheapskaters this was our 100th post on how to save money and live well. Here is to 100 more ideas on saving money and enjoying the good life.

One way that you can save money is to extend the life of household items. Here are some great tips from Graham Haley author of Haley’s Hints:

Patio umbrellas - Patio umbrellas need to breathe. Stretch one leg of a pair of panty hose over the umbrella and use the other leg to secure it tightly. The pantyhose allow the umbrella to breathe which will prevent mildew stains and also prevent any bugs from getting in the folds.

Pantyhose – Spray toe area with hairspray to prevent runs and make pantyhose last longer.

Wrapping paper – Slip roll into one of the legs of a pair of panty hose. Use other leg of pantyhose to tie onto a hanger and hang up.

Set color in new clothing – Ever notice how the colors seem to fade quickly in your just bought clothes. That is because you have  not “set” the colors. It is very easy to do. Just soak new clothes in a solution of water, vinegar and epsom salts. You can just fill up the washer with water add some vinegar and epsom salts and run through a regular cycle.

Finger nail polish – If you want your polish to last longer simply apply white vinegar to your nails before painting them.

Natural Household Cleaners

 I was watching a PBS special the other day that all cheapskaters would love. It was called Haley’s hints. Haley is this very nice man with what seemed like a slight British accent or perhaps it was a New England accent. Anyway, Haley appears to be the male version of Heloise. He and his wife Rosemary have authored several books – Haley’s Cleaning Hints, Haley’s Household Hints and Haley’s Green Hints. He demonstrated a bunch of them on the show. Haley says if you have vinegar, ammonia and water softener (ex. Borax) in your home, you should never have to buy commercial cleaning products. Here are some of the recipes for homemade cleaning products he demonstrated:

Copper Cleaner - Take a half a lemon sprinkle with salt and apply to copper surface to polish. To keep copper surface shiny apply lemon oil and buff with cloth.

Grout cleaner emergency – Toothpaste makes a great grout cleaner if you don’t have any homemade grout cleaner mixed up. Haley also recommends using a denture toothbrush to scrub grout. The bristles are strong and wide and you can use the opposite end (rubber tip) to get in tight places.

Grout cleaner regular – Add 1 Tablespoon ammonia to 1 cup of water and mix. Then add 1 teaspoon water softener and 1 Tablespoon white vinegar and mix. Use denture toothbrush to scrub grout.

Tile Cleaner – Take dishwasher powder and sprinkle on tile floor. Let sit overnight and rinse in the morning.

Carpet Cleaner – Mix together 3 Tablespoons dishwashing soap (liquid kind), 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon household ammonia, 3/4 cup water. Beat mixture with a whisk or egg beater to get foamy consistency. Can also use a foaming bottle (you know when you get those bottles that dispense foamy soap – just recycle one of those).  Put foam on carpet stain, let sit for a minute or two and then blot with paper towel.

Silver cleaner – Get an aluminum pie plate, then add 1 teaspoon of regular table salt and 1 teaspoon water softener (ex. Borax). Next pour in hot water and stir to combine ingredients. Soak tarnished silver piece in pan (tarnish disappears immediately) and rinse in cold water. If you have a large object to clean get a large plastic tub and line it with aluminum. Use 1 quart of hot water to 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon water softener (ex. Borax)

Scouring Powder – Combine 1 part baking soda with 2 parts borax (example 1/2 cup baking powder to 1 cup borax) and mix together. Sprinkle on surface and wipe with a damp cloth. Rinse with water and buff with a towel. Haley says you can use this for cleaning walls and any other surface that requires a non abrasive cleanser.

To find other homemade cleaning product recipes and a recipe for homemade lemon oil see our post Homemade Cleaning Products Save You Money

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We all know Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to cost more this year than last year. But that is no big deal for us cheapskaters – it just means we have to get creative. So here are some tips from Parade Magazine on how to save on your holiday parties:

1. Start with a strategy – “Plan you dinners around unfussy, inexpensive ingredients,” says Paula Deen of the Food Network. “Scour your pantry and use what you’ve already got. Keep an eye on pre-holiday sales, especially on supermarket brands. Make a grocery list-and stick to it.”

2. Shop early – The truly thrifty know that prices rise after Thanksgiving, “so shop now for Christmas canned goods,frozen foods, and baking supplies” says housekeeping expert, Cynthia Townley Ewer. One exception: Unsold fresh turkeys usually are discounted for quick sale the day after Thanksgiving. So while everyone else is watching television run out and get your Christmas turkey on sale. Also, you can freeze fresh cranberries.

3. Ask for help – “If you’ve been designated by divine ordinance to host 48 people every holiday, now’s a good time to rethink that role,” says Nick Malgieri, director of the baking program at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. “make this holiday about sharing kitchen duties-and costs-with friends, family members, and neighbors. You’d be surprised how willing people are to pitch in.” Plus a lot of people like to show off their favorite dish at holiday time and will be thrilled if you ask them to make it.

4. Try a buffet – If you normally serve a sit-down holiday meal, consider a money saving buffet. “Use the old hotel trick of placing your rolls and big carb items like yams and potatoes at the beginning and the meats at the end,” say Michael Ainslie, development chef for Fresh and Easy supermarkets. “People’s plates will be full by the time they get to the big-ticket items. Buffets also cut down on second and third helpings.” My sister-in-law who frequently entertains large crowds always serves several vegetarian salads and a soup before she serves the main course. We are all usually too full to help ourselves to much of the main course.

5. Rethink bread – Bakery breads can be costly, so try new options. “Buy day-old or use stale bread for stuffing.” Deen says. Most recipes I have for stuffing call for stale bread anyway. Add Malgieri: “Foccaia is a bread that takes minutes to whip up. There’s no kneading or food processing, and all you need is flour, salt, warm water, yeast, and oil.” You can also buy bread dough in the frozen food section of your grocery store.

6. Get creative with decoration – For decor, skip that pre-made pieces on display at the store and make your own. “Bundle twigs from the garden with bright ribbons,” Ewer suggests, ” and plunk them into a carved-out pumpkin for a designer centerpiece at a yard-sale price.” You can also find branches with colorful berries such as the American Beautyberry and cut them and place them in a vase for decoration. Just make sure children or pets don’t accidently consume the berries as many varieties are poisonous. Also be sure to check for bugs.

7. Pick the right fruits and vegetables – With produce, the key to saving is knowing what’s abundant and in season. This time of year, look for fresh apples, yams, squash, potatoes, onions, carrots and pomegranates. Watch your grocery store specials because often they will discount commonly used holiday vegetables. I noticed our Kroger usually has celery and green beans very cheap around holiday time. More expensive selections are grapes, corn, tomatoes, zucchini,and strawberries. Anything pre-cut or bagged only adds cost, but if you are pressed for time you may need to purchase some. For tasty alternatives, frozen corn, peas, and blueberries work best in compotes, stuffings and stews rather than in a bowl on their own. Adds nutrition expert David Katz, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. “Frozen vegetables are generally just as nutritious as fresh. Canned foods tend to have added salt, so choose low-sodium and rinse before preparing.

8. Buy frozen meats – With meats, the frugal go frozen. But read labels. Liquid broths and flavor enhancers add costly weight and affect taste and texture. “Look for ‘minimally processed’ or ‘natural’ poultry, so you’re not paying for water,” says Ewer. Interestingly, fresh hams and turkeys, while more expensive, aren’t necessarily healthier, since those products are sometimes “saline-infused to plump them out,” says Katz.

9. Make your own dessert – “A showstopping dessert doesn’t have to be expensive,” Malgieri insists, but it helps to bake it yourself.  A store bought pie can run $20 for something that costs $5 to do at home.” Same goes for frozen pie crusts, which fetch, $4, commpared with $1 or less for homemade. Here is where I differ with the experts. If you are not accustomed to making and rolling out pie dough, trying to do it when you are entertaining is a recipe for disaster. Find a coupon, find a brand on sale but don’t try to make your own for the first time when you have so much else to do.

If baking scares you, look for simple recipes for brownies, chocolate cakes, and old-fashioned applesauce cakes. Brownies are magic – you can burn them, overcook them or undercook them  and people will still eat them. If chocolate is a must, shop warehouse club stores for 18 oz., no-name Belgian bars – far tastier than squares of bland baker’s chocolate, Malgieri says. I agree good quality chocolate always makes your dessert taste better.

To make it even simpler, Deen suggests that you “fancy up a $1.79 cake mix by adding cream cheese or canned fruit to the filling.” Remember the cheapskater motto - live cheaply but live well. You can have a fabulous holiday meal without killing yourself or breaking the bank. Creativity is the key.  

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BPA Free Bottles

I always used to refill my plastic water bottles to save money. I learned today not all bottles should be reused for safety reasons. The numbers on the bottoms of plastic bottles are taken from the SPI Resin Identification Codes, which identify the type of plastic a product is made from and whether it can be recycled. The numbers also will tell you which plastic bottles are safe to reuse. According to the article I read the safest plastic bottles to reuse are bottles with the numbers 2 and 4.

Avoid reusing containers that have a number 7, some forms of which contain a chemical called bisphonel-A also called BPA.  New research indicates that people who accumulate hhigh levels of this chemical may be more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.  It is also a problem for pregnant or soon to be pregnant women and for growing children. So while it is good to reuse and recycle make sure you don’t endanger your health.

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