No one wants to waste money. It’s too hard to come by. But wasting money on food that’s supposed to be healthy for you — well, that feels like an outright sin. So what exactly is “healthy food”? And exactly when, if ever, should we be spending our hard-earned money on it? Let’s start with […]

Whether it’s Brita water or any water that tastes good at first but bad after it sits you’re not alone. I was being driven nuts by the yucky taste of water that started out so pure tasting. Especially the glass of water I leave on my nightstand for wake-up sips. At first I thought it […]

I want to be clear … this may not work for everyone or on every stain. And success may depend on the material the clothes are made of. But I’ve started using plain old baking soda on fresh** light clothing stains and it works! So far I’ve only tried it on cotton or cotton blend […]

Now some of you may be saying “what’s mirepoix?” And others more savvy in the ways of cooking are saying “Big deal! I always make my own mirepoix.” But I’m writing this for anyone shelling out money for packages of frozen mirepoix veggies. A friend of mine, an avid cook, told me she had been […]

I love finding simple money-saving hacks for everyday problems. One of my favorite tricks is baking soda mouth rinse. Why? It’s a great way to keep tooth acid from adding to your dental bills! Now you might be wondering what I’m even talking about. What’s the big deal about acid on your teeth? Well, it’s […]

No matter which brand of dishwashing liquid you buy, you know that more often than not when you squeeze the bottle a lot more of the soapy liquid comes out than you need. Well … you can save money by simply adding water to the container as you use it. I know that doesn’t sound […]

Time to replace your toothbrush? Good oral hygiene includes making sure you aren’t brushing on bristle fumes. But why throw the old ones away if there are uses for old toothbrushes? Always looking for ways to recycle and reuse, I started saving my old toothbrushes about a year ago. And since then I’ve found a […]

Need help with a clogged bathroom sink drain? Well, not THAT kind of clog. What worked for me I only tried this on my bathroom sink (and toilet … see below). But with just some cheap shampoo and hot water, my clogged bathroom sink drain was running clear within minutes. And, since this wasn’t a […]

Before spending money on a new pillow, you might want to try something I just did. I used needle and thread to make a soft pillow firmer. Seriously! I have neck issues that pretty much make my continual search for the right pillow into a sacred quest. And far too often, I’m disappointed. You know […]

Toothpaste tube solution! This is going to be a short post. And there’s a good chance you’re one of the few people who’ll ever read it — besides me. But I like to share simple solutions when I find them. Basically I finally got tired of wrestling with my toothpaste tube. And I never got […]

I know this is a personal finance blog, but sometimes I like to share household tips. Especially ones that save you money on extra gadgets. This is the easiest, most fail-safe method I’ve ever found to open a jar. And for someone like me, with tendinitis in my hands, it’s also a sanity saver! But […]

A friend just called me asking for the name of a good plumber. He needed someone to help fix a small plumbing leak under his kitchen sink. So I asked him “Do you have gum and string?” He thought I was kidding, but I most definitely was not! When I was young, I used to […]

There are lots of products out there designed to help touch up wood scratches and blemishes. But if you have shoe polish lying around you might be amazed how well that works on your wood furniture or floors. At about half the price or even better than you’d pay for specialized products. How I learned […]