Birthday Party Hints

Use Lifesaver candy to hold handles on the cake
If you serve ice cream in cones, put a marshmellow in the bottom to stop drips. Use a large marshmellow for the regular cones and a mini-marshmellow for the sugar cone
Let kids string Lifesavers on licorice whips or onto a long ribbon to create a necklace to take home after the party. Fruit loop cereal can also be used.
Favors:
Fill toilet tissue tubes with candy, wrap with colored tissue paper and tie ends with ribbon or yarn
Fill a coffee filter with treats. Tie with a ribbon and decorate with stickers

Use metal washer rings to anchor helium balloons
Fill an inflatable kiddie pool to hold ice, sodas, beer, etc. Place balloons or flowers in pool to decorate 

Sustainability

Here is a look at little things you can do to make a difference in your life and community. Sustainability can be protecting our environment, simplifying our lives, saving our money, using our spare time effectively, working on our health, or spending more quality time with our children.

Save Water:

Although 10% of the earth is covered by water, only 0.3% is drinkable by humans. Reducing shower time, sink usage, and car washing can help us and future generations make the most of that 0.3%. Cutting water usage can also cut your water bill. Here are some ways to do this:

Take a shallow-water bath instead of a shower and save 15-20 gallons a day

Run only full loads in the washer and dishwasher and save 75-200 gallons a week.

Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator and save 200-300 gallons a month

Rinse vegetables in a filled sink rather than under running water and save 15-250 gallons a month

Water the lawn in the evening instead of at midday and save 300 gallons a month

Use native or drought resistant

 plants and save 750-1,500 gallons a month

  (Cut Your Spending in Half Without Settling for Less by the Editors of Rodale Press)

Turn Off the TV and….

1.     Start a journal. Record your dreams, your goals, your accomplishments, 5 things you are thankful for, as well as daily events. It is a great way to stay connected with yourself, track who you are, where you are going, and where you have been.

2.     Take a walk in your neighborhood. Pick up trash. Recycle what you can and throw away the rest.

               3.     Volunteer your time. Help an elderly neighbor with yard or house work. Read to a class at a school. Join an organization such as Red Cross or a volunteer rescue squad.

Stay Healthy

1.     If you are trying to lose weight, chew your food slower and take more breaks   between bites. It takes approximately 20 minutes for your brain to tell your stomach that you are full.

2.     Forget sodas and drink water. Water is good for your overall health, as it washes away toxins from your body. Sodas have no nutritional value and are packed with calories. Go easy on the diet sodas. They are full of sodium

3.     Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This is good for your overall health and will reduce the risk of cancer

Save Money

1.     Unplug unused electrical items around your house. This can save you up to 26% on your electric bill each month.

2.     Look at the magazines you are getting in the mail. If you find you do not read them because you don’t have the time, cancel your subscription. You can get a refund for the unused months. Don’t throw away magazines. Recycle or pass them on

3.     Check the air in your tires. Keeping your tires properly aired will help the gas mileage of your car.

4.     If you have access to the internet, go to Walmart.com, click In Stores Now, then click free samples. Free samples change all the time, and this is a good way to try before you buy.

Random Tips

Fertilize your garden naturally. Banana peels and eggshells are great for plants. They also enjoy a drink of flat club soda occasionally. Place a small amount of old fat drippings at the base of your rose bushes to make them healthier and bloom more frequent. After you use up all the milk, put some water in the container, swish it around and water your plants. It is a growth booster.

Recycle ruined cds, dvds, or the internet software you receive in the mail. Nail them to stakes in your garden. The suns glare will keep out some of the unwanted birds and animals.

Homemake Scouring Powder

1 cup baking soda
1 cup salt
1 cup borax
20 drops of essential oil of lemon (optional) or any other fragrance you like
In a large bowl, mix ingredients. Fill a plastic shaker bottle with the mixture. (I found that a parmesan cheese container works great)  This mixture makes 24 ounces. Sprinkle this mild abrasive on sinks, tubs, and counters. Rub with a wet sponge or rag. Rinse well. 

Other Uses for Coffee Filters

Coffee Filters are lint free, so they are good for many things. Here are some ideas:

Buff your shoes

Dip a coffee filter in water and wrap it around a plant stem to keep the plant moist or line a wet coffee filter around a planting hole before adding your seedlings. The coffee filter holds moisture and deters cutworms

Clean eyeglasses or other lens, mirrors or windows

Make nail wraps by cutting a piece of coffee filter to the size of your fingernail and adhering it to the nail with a drop of Crazy Glue

A coffee filter can be used for a make shift dust mask

Use a coffee filter to filter broken cork pieces from a bottle of wine

Protect your good dishes by placing a coffee filter between them

Cover food with a coffee filter when you cook them in the microwave

Place chopped food in a coffee filter when you need to weigh it on a kitchen scale

Hold tacos or sloppy joes, or poke a hole in the coffee filter to put a popsicle stick through to catch dripping ice cream. Also good to serve popcorn or other snacks to children

Use it to strain sediment out of liquids such as cooking oil, homemade wine or jellies, etc.

Save Money on Gas

My daughter was having problems with her car eating gas. She would put $20 in and the needle would be laying on empty in a day or two. I kept telling her to get her oil changed and put good tires on her car and she would see a difference. She was amazed at how much money she saved on gas after her car was properly maintained. Here are some ideas on what can be done to save some of your money even when gas prices are so high.
1. The more you press your brakes, the more gas you use. Watch the lights ahead of you and decelerate if it is red. Only use your brakes if you have to come to a full stop. Don't tailgate, so you don't have to keep pressing your brakes to keep from hitting the person in front of you. Always be aware of the traffic ahead of you and keep your speed in accordance so you don't have to keep braking. Also, choose a route with less traffic and traffic lights. It may be a longer route, but might still be better on your gas mileage.
2. If you have cruise control, use it. You do not use as much gas when the speed is kept constant. When you are standing still for a long period of time, shift into neutral. If you are waiting for an extra long train, or stuck in non-moving traffic, just turn your car off for the duration.
3. Take some of the extra weight out of your car. If it is not a necessity, such as spare tire and emergency kits, take it out of your truck or backseat floor board. If you drive around with empty bike rakes or luggage racks, you are eating up more gas due to the wind resistance as well as the extra weight.
4. The use of air conditioning and keeping your windows open, both take a toll on your gas consumption. A good rule of thumb is, at high speeds, run your air conditioner and at slower speed, open your window.
5. Change your oil when you are supposed to, and use the right grade of motor oil.
6. Check your fuel cap. Gas is lost when it doesn't seal correctly.
7. In the summer, don't top off your tank. The gas is cool underground, but when it heats up it expands and tends to spill out of your tank.
8. Check your tires and make sure they have the proper amount of air in them.

I have discovered Pinterest! When you are on a tight budget, you always are looking for ways to save money but keep a good quality of living. People all over the world are posting recipes, crafts, great gift ideas, how to make your own cleaning supplies, and so much more. I have started making my own laundry detergent. For the price of one bottle of detergent, I have made several. It seems to clean as well. I have no complaints and it doesn't take long to make up a batch. I make up enough to fill my laundry detergent bottle, which is half the recipe. A full recipe will fill two plastic milk jugs.

Liquid Detergent

1 gallon water (boiling)
1 bar soap (grated). I use Ivory.
1 cups borax
1 cups washing soda, which is available at your local grocery store near the Borax. Look for Arm and Hammer.

1. Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
2. Add borax and washing soda to the hot soap mixture.
3. Add 1 gallon of water, stir until well mixed.
4. Pour the mixture into your container, whether it is milk jugs, detergent bottle or a covered pail. Use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. The mixture will gel, so you might have to shake or stir it before each use.

Powdered Detergent
2 cups finely grated soap 1 cup washing soda 1 cup borax
1. Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
2. Use 2 tablespoons per full load.