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Household

Household

Use Dryer Balls

As I was walking through the aisles of my favorite dollar store, I discovered a product that claims to save you money use dryer ballswhen doing laundry: dryer balls. Each package contains 2 plastic balls with bristles all around them. The package says that to maximize the effect you should use 4-6 balls so I bought 2 packages. The name brand I bought is Dryer Mate but there are other companies that make them as well. They claim to reduce drying time by 25% so I decided to try them. So far I am impressed. I no longer need to buy fabric softener sheets because they soften fabrics naturally and get rid of static. They decrease the amount of drying time by lifting and separating the clothes. They are safe to use for all fabric types and are said to last for years. So, for a few dollars you can save money on energy and fabric softener sheets, and if you have allergies, you won’t have to worry about having an allergic reaction to your fabric softener! It is always nice to find an inexpensive, chemical-free, environmentally friendly product. If you can’t find them at local stores, they are also available online at both Ebay and Amazon.

Household

5 Creative Uses for Aspirin

uses for Aspirin tablets Nearly everyone keeps a bottle of Aspirin in their medicine cabinet.  Who would have thought they could be useful for more than just getting rid of a bad headache! 

1. Revive dead car batteries: If you are unable to find anyone to give you a boost, a way to revive your battery is to drop 2 Aspirin tablets directly into the battery to produce one final charge so you can drive to a garage.

2. Control Dandruff: You can treat dandruff by crushing 2 Aspirin tablets and mixing it with your shampoo.  Keep the mixture in your hair for about 3 minutes, rinse well, and then wash your hair again with plain shampoo.

3. Relieve mosquito bites and bee stings.  Rub Aspirin over the irritated areas on your skin and it will relieve the inflammation.

4. Prolong the life of cut flowers.  Crush an Aspirin tablet and mix it with the water in your vase before adding your flowers. 

5. Remove perspiration stains. Crush 2-3 Aspirin tablets and mix with a half cup of warm water.  Soak the stained area in the mixture for about 3 hours.

Household

Don’t Buy Green Bags

Green BagsI’m always up for trying things that eliminate waste and make financial sense, so when I saw the advertisement on TV for Debby Meyer’s Green Bags I thought I would test them out.  I picked them up at a local store and was ready to test their magic.  The ad suggests that vegetables and fruits will last ten times as long if you keep them in Green Bags.  Unfortunately, they do not work.  At least not for green and red peppers, bean sprouts, grapes, green onions, and any other vegetables and fruits I put in them.  I hate throwing out food so I really hoped they would work.  I wanted to let you know so you don’t waste your money on them.

Household

Use a Water Filter

water filterIn many places the tap water is safe to drink, but with all the chlorine and various minerals in the water, many people prefer to drink bottled water or lug those huge water jugs home every week.  When we first moved into our home our water both tasted and smelled like mold. We were willing to try anything.  We decided to take the big jug route, but after a few months of carrying those big jugs full of water we decided to try something else.  We purchased a water filtering system from the Home Depot (GE Dual Stage Water Filtration System) for about $160.00 and my husband installed it himself.  The filters need replacing approximately every 6 months (depending on family size and water usage) and they cost about $60.00.   So, for about $120 a year we can drink good-tasting water without the hassle of carrying heavy jugs or harming the environment with hundreds of used water bottles.

Household

Try Power Cycling

You may have never heard of power cycling before but it is a great trick that solves a wide range of problems with electrical devices.  For example, if your printer isn’t responding after you have requested something to print, or if your Internet cable modem is not working properly a power cycle will often fix it.  A power cycle is performed by simply unplugging the power cable from the outlet and waiting for about 30 seconds before plugging it back in.  This action refreshes your device and almost always solves the problem.  So, if you’re having trouble with one or more of your electronic gadgets, before throwing it out or spending money on unnecessary repairs, be sure to power cycle.  It’s amazing how something so simple can solve so many problems!