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Reader’s Digest

Book Reviews

Forbidden Advice by Reader’s Digest – A Great Resource

Reader's Digest Forbidden Advice is a great bookReader’s Digest Forbidden Advice: 1,703 Rarely Divulged Secrets to Save Time, Money, and Trouble by Jeff Bredenberg with Camilla Cornell 

Forbidden Advice is full of all kinds of “insider secrets” that experts from various fields share to educate readers so they can make wise choices and not waste their money and time on things that aren’t worthwhile.  I especially like the section on organic foods.  They tell you what is really worth buying and what is just a scam.  There are also some great tips on how to improve your kitchen and bathroom, how to repair furniture, how to choose a cell phone service, and so much more. 

It’s great how they put something in there for everyone so no matter what stage of life you are in, you will find this book useful.  Along with household, gardening, and landscaping tips, there is a lot of information about retirement planning, finding a lawyer, choosing auto insurance, – the list is endless.  I highly recommend that you check out this book.  It’s definitely worth your time as there is sure to be something in it that will spark your interest, and ultimately save you money.

 To give you a little taste for some of the content, here are some interesting things I discovered by reading this book:

 *Buy organic eggs even though they are more expensive than regular eggs.  They are much higher in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for your mental and physical health.

 *Go cell phone shopping at the end of the month when sales personnel are more likely to give you a discount because they need to meet their sales quota for the month.

 *To get the best possible customer service, the best time to shop is around 2PM.  The morning staff are still available and the evening staff are starting their shifts.  The worst time is just before closing or within the first 45 minutes of opening because then they are either thinking about going home or trying to get things set up for the day.

 *Airlines release booking schedules 330 days in advance so you can book early for peak travel times.  Booking early is especially important if you are planning to use any type of reward miles.

Book Reviews

Reader’s Digest Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

Extraordinary Uses For Ordinary ThingsWhile searching for interesting books to read about saving money, I came across Reader’s Digest Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things: 2,317 Ways to Save Money and Time in our local library’s database.It is fantastic!This book would make a great reference book. It is full of suggestions on how to use common household objects to do all sorts of things. For example it talks about the many uses of aluminum foil, cat litter, and even old coffee grounds, to name a few. Although it would take many lifetimes to try everything out that it suggests, it does offer some simple and affordable solutions that are very practical and useful.I highly recommend that you check out this book if you are interested in learning how to make the most of the common, everyday objects lying around your home.You can save a lot of money, be environmentally friendly, and have a lot of fun when you get creative with your stuff!

Here are some examples of suggestions you will find in this book:

*Use denture tablets to make your diamond ring or earrings sparkle again by dropping a denture tablet into a glass of water. Put in your ring or diamond earrings and let sit for a few minutes. Rinse them off and they will look like new!

*Use ice cube trays to organize your workbench. You can use them to store small screws, nuts, bolts, etc.

*Use a piece of well-chewed gum to fill a crack in a clay flowerpot or your pet’s food dish.

*If you run out of shaving gel, use olive oil. It will make it easier for the blade to glide over your skin and it acts as a natural moisturizer.