Making Coke Ice Cubes

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Last week’s Tips for Tuesday was about turning flat soda or day old coffee into icecubes for your soda or to make iced coffee with.  I was really eager to get that almost empty and very flat bottle of Coke out of my fridge this week so I went ahead and tried the Coke ice cube experiment. After about 4 hours the ice cubes were formed but slightly mushy- like an icee that’s left in the freezer too long. (they {Read More}

Food Expiration Dates – Understanding the “Use by, Sell by and Best by” Dates on Food.

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when does food go bad

I’ve had many people ask me “how long past the food expiration date is a product still good?”  My first answer is usually “a long time”.  My second is that “most dates aren’t an expiration date, but rather a use by, best by, or sell by date”.  Here’s what you need to know about those dates: Sell by:  This product is nearing the end of it’s freshness, so the stores should sell it so you’ll have time to cook and/or {Read More}

Good Things Come in Pairs

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pairs

We put on our socks and shoes in pairs because that’s the way it’s always been done.  Of course it would be incredibly uncomfortable to put on only one sock and one shoe, but that’s not the point. The point is that pairs are good. When you’re making lunches for the kids and/or your hubby in the morning, make one for yourself too.  No sense getting everything back out at noon. When you do a load of laundry, put a {Read More}

Homemade Tide Laundry Detergent for $.03 Per Load or Less!

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Homemade Tide

Everyone knows I love my Tide laundry detergent.  I thought I was doing pretty good to get a 50 oz jug for around $2, but now I’ve come up with a way to make 3x that amount for around $2! I started with this recipe for laundry detergent from Pary Moppins’ friend.  I decided to half the recipe because I didn’t want the extra detergent sitting around for years.  Here’s what you’ll need: 1/2 bar Fels Naptha or Zote laundry {Read More}

Repurposed Items for a Closet Organizer

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While having a yard sale with a friend, I spied an entertainment center someone was selling.  Of course not having a stereo we didn’t need a 3 piece entertainment center.  What I did need – and was pondering- was shelving to organize my daughter’s closet. So for $10 we now have this 4.5 foot tall unit in Little One’s newly organized closet. Previously there were boxes/tubs all across the bottom with miscellaneous items perched atop.  Something was falling out every {Read More}

14 Ways to Reuse Plastic Twist Ties

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The long plastic twist ties that hold toys to packages are some of the most simple yet versatile tools out there.  Best of all – they’re free! I always save the long ones and put them in my craft bin until I need them.  Here are some of the things we’ve used them for over the years: baby/toddler proofing cabinets holding pens/pencils together in a drawer emergency cotter pin makeshift bolt or hinge pin makeshift clamp for crafting attaching items {Read More}

Use Vinegar to Remove Urine Smells

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Do you have potty training clothes or sheets that you can’t get the urine smell out of?  If so, I have the simplest of tricks for you!  For clothes that have been “wet” the first time, wash them as usual with your regular clothes and detergent. Pour 1/2 cup white vinegar into your washing machine at the beginning of the first agitation cycle.  Allow it to soak for about 10 minutes after it agitates, then continue the wash cycle like {Read More}

Furnishing an Apartment on a Shoestring Budget

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If you’re moving into your first apartment, or maybe your first apartment that’s not furnished courtesy of Mom and Dad’s checkbook, this guest post is for you! Furnishing and decorating an apartment on a budget can always be a challenge, especially when you’re making the transition from college student to that first “real” job. With a little ingenuity and some handiwork, you can stretch that shoestring budget to make yourself a comfortable apartment. Check out some ideas below! Budget bookshelves {Read More}

Store Bought Pizza vs. Take Out Pizza

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For quite some time I’ve been wondering if a store bought pizza really is cheaper than take out.  We usually pick up a $5 Hot-n-Ready pizza at Little Caesar’s, so I know that a store bought pizza wouldn’t save us much money.  Most times it’s worth my sanity to just pick it up on the way home and be able to eat it right away, but I figured it was time I have a little math fun  to do a {Read More}

Pine Needle Mulch for Flower Beds

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Last month we were swimming at a neighbors pool while visiting my Mother-in-law.  I noticed the neighbors had several a flower bed mulched with pine needles and thought it was a great way to make use of something that most people in suburbia would typically throw away. Pine Needle Mulch Because pine needles are acidic, some plants won’t survive with this type of mulch.  Be sure to do your research on your plants before using this mulch.  Azaleas, Hostas, Hydrangeas {Read More}