Household

20 Interesting Ways to Use Baking Soda

There are so many neat ways to use baking soda. Although there are other products specifically designed for each of these functions, baking soda is a natural and inexpensive alternative.  Try some of these out to see how they work for you.

 1. Put an open box of baking soda in your fridge and freezer to absorb odors.    uses for baking soda

 2. Use baking soda in your cat litter to eliminate odor.

 3.  Put soda in the wash water if you have clothes stained with oil or grease.

 4.  Soda can be used to put out fires so some people keep a box of soda near their stove, in their garage, etc.

 5.  Use soda to clean vegetables and fruit. 

 6. Helps remove burned on food from frying pans – soak the pan in water and baking soda for a few minutes and then the food will come off more easily.

 7.  Use soda to clean your coffeemaker and dishwasher by running a cycle with soda.   

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March 20, 2009
Gifts

Give Generously

It may seem ironic that I am suggesting giving generously on a blog about saving money, but my husband and I have truly experienced the concept that it is better to give than to receive.  When you give generously not only do you feel great about it, but you are often rewarded unexpectedly afterwards.  Here are some recent examples of what we have experienced.  We gave some money to some friends of ours who are struggling financially and within a few weeks my husband was informed that he got a raise! Another time we gave a friend some money and the very next week my husband was given a tip from a satisfied client for the exact same amount that we had given to our friend!  Although you don’t always see your money coming back to you like that, the sense that you have done something great for someone else is rewarding in and of itself.  Even though you may be going through some tough financial times right now, I still want to encourage you to give!  I can guarantee you won’t regret it.

March 18, 2009
Banking

Use Online Banking

Looks like he's having a good day!Most if not all financial institutions now offer a form of online banking; allowing you to pay bills, transfer funds between accounts, and more.  Check to see if your financial institutions charge you any fees related to doing transactions online.  If not, I would highly recommend you take advantage of it.  Online Banking saves you time, energy, and, you guessed it, money.  Paying your bills online will ensure that your bills will be paid quickly without having the chance of your payment getting lost in the mail.  You will save on postage, and you will not have to order more checks.  Simple transactions such as transfers between accounts can now be done with a click of a button rather than having to visit a branch or go to an ATM machine.  An additional benefit is that online banking allows you to check your balance anytime and helps you to track your purchases. Rather than waiting for monthly statements to come in the mail you can be fully aware of what’s happening in your accounts throughout the month. This is a comforting thought considering how much fraud is taking place nowadays.   Give online banking a try.  You won’t regret it.

March 16, 2009
Money Saving Tips

Don’t Do Your Own Taxes!

It's just not worth the headache.It’s that time of year again and although it is tempting to save a few pennies by doing your own taxes, it’s not always the best idea, unless you are a professional accountant.  I know there is software available online that can help you, but if you miss something important then you could lose a lot of money!  Accountants can make sure that you are maximizing your tax savings by taking into account every expense that is tax deductible.  Tax laws change over time so even if you knew what the rules were in the past you may not be as familiar with them now.  You may not want to pay for professional services, but it will be worth it in the long run.  If you do still insist on doing your own taxes, be sure to research the latest tax saving strategies and laws so that you can minimize the amount of tax that you pay.

March 12, 2009
Money Saving Tips

Cut Your Husband’s Hair!

He looks a little uneasy!Although I must admit I don’t really enjoy cutting my husband’s hair, it has saved us about $100.00 to $120.00 every year.   We purchased a haircutting kit for about $30.00 and have used it for almost 4 years.  The kits come with a razor, scissors, combs, and extensions of various lengths and can be purchased almost anywhere.  If your husband is satisfied with a buzz cut it makes it super easy.  If not, there are some really great demonstrations on how to cut men’s hair on Youtube using common haircutting kits.  Why not try it at least once?  I always console myself with the thought that my husband’s hair grows really fast so if I make a mistake it doesn’t take long for it to be covered up!

March 9, 2009