Helpful Hints ... add yours!

[Catty1]

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/18-...ing-cards.html

[Karen]

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/18-...ing-cards.html

I did "Sticky" this thread, and unstuck the holiday card ones now that the season is mostly over.

It is better to post the actual "18 surprising ways" than just a link, as websites may change over time, but text is text!

[Karen]

Thought of one today - an elderly neighbor years ago kept a cardboard salt shaker she had ocne gotten when she bought salt in her purse. After the salt was basically gone, she filled it with a sand/salt mixture, and kept in her purse so if she was out somewhere and encountered slippery sidewalks - which happens often around here - she could sprinkle sand/salt and wait a minute and then pass more safely!

And with the size purses that are currently fashionable, everyone could certainly add that to their bag!

[mon]

Salt is an excellent exfolliant as well (ha-ha, don't know how ta spell it. Put in a wee bowl and scrub it into yer face once a month. dead skin goodbye and no breakouts, cheap, natural and effective. For real

[RICHARD]

I like pickles and anything in vinegar.

After the jar gets some room in it, I ALWAYS have to break out a fork to fish out the stuff in the bottom of the jar.

One day I grabbed a bamboo skewer and used it as a spear - when I was done, I tossed it out.

So now I take a skewer, measure it against the jar and used the kitchen shears to cut it just a little shorter than the depth of the jar and leave it inside.

Now I just have to open the jar and use the shortened skewer instead of using a clean fork every time?

[Karen]

I like pickles and anything in vinegar.

After the jar gets some room in it, I ALWAYS have to break out a fork to fish out the stuff in the bottom of the jar.

One day I grabbed a bamboo skewer and used it as a spear - when I was done, I tossed it out.

So now I take a skewer, measure it against the jar and used the kitchen shears to cut it just a little shorter than the depth of the jar and leave it inside.

Now I just have to open the jar and use the shortened skewer instead of using a clean fork every time?

And at the end, you'll have a pickled skewer with which to stir some cocktail!

[Catty1]

A few Life Hacks lists have appeared but this one had things I hadn't seen before - all of them! (3 posts)



Using duct tape. Charging your phone. Hanging your clothes. Keeping chips fresh. … all of these things are just some of the terrible rigors of everyday life. How do we manage our lives with dealing with such time-consuming and mind-bending tasks? But fear not! There are ways you can complete these horrendous tasks while still being able to enjoy your life!
(In all seriousness, though. These super simple, everyday life hacks may make your life a lot easier.)
1.) Use a Post-It note to clean your keyboard.



2.) Use toilet paper tubes as starter pots.



3.) Use paper clips to find the end of a roll of tape.



4.) Use a dry strand of spaghetti to light hard-to-reach candles.



5.) Hide emergency money in a sanitary napkin pouch. No one will steal that.



6.) Cut open a tennis ball. It will now hold almost anything.



7.) Use paper towel and toilet paper tubes to organize cables.



8.) Charge your phone while in airplane mode.



9.) Pop can tabs can help layer hangers.



10.) Use the spring from a pen to strengthen cords.

[Catty1]

11.) Plug your devices into a power strip. You pay for “vampire charges” when your electronics are plugged into the wall, but aren’t being used. Power strips prevent this.



12.) Use a bobby pin to get ALL of your toothpaste.



13.) Cheap pants hangers from stores create awesome bag clips.



14.) Here’s how to tie a tie.



15.) Keep your pet food fresh and handy in a pitcher. [CC - I use large frozen yogurt containers]



16.) Use shower curtain hooks to organize purses.



17.) Fill a container with coffee beans and use as a handy makeup brush storage.



18.) Freeze grapes and use them to cool down wine without watering it down.



19.) Put a lazy susan in the fridge.

[Catty1]

20.) Make hash browns in a waffle maker.



21.) Put a laundry basket in the tub with baby, it’ll keep the toys organized.



22.) Dental floss can cut cakes, cheeses and other soft items.



23.) Empty paper egg cartons can help cool down your laptop.




All of these are easy to complete and should help you out quickly! (Aside from the toilet paper tube starter pot. That won’t magically turn you into a green thumb, but it’s worth a try.) Hopefully, these hacks helped you! If they did, pass on the goodness and share them with others.

[maid25cats]

Thank you Catty1

these are pretty interesting.

the container for food I do already BIG plastic ice tea picture
and the plastic Chinese food container.

I LOVE the tennis ball one. how can you not look at that and smile!

11.) Plug your devices into a power strip. You pay for “vampire charges” when your electronics are plugged into the wall, but aren’t being used. Power strips prevent this. .... I DID NOT KNOW THE POWER STRIP PREVENTED THE 'vampire charges'

My mom always used thread to cut the velveta cheese.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Many great tips here!!

I have no idea if this tip has been mentioned already.. ..
When someone spills red wine on your carpet or tablecloth, poor lots of salt on the wine! When the used salt is turning pink, add more salt, and keep doing this as long as necessary. Leave the salt there for a few hours. Then vacuum your carpet / tablecloth and you will see that the red wine color is completely gone!!
I know it works, because several years ago a brother in law spilled a full glass of red wine on our blue/white carpet...! Immediately I emptied a 1kg box of salt on the stain. Everybody said that my carpet was completely ruined. next day we vacuumed the carpet and....... we couldn't even find the spot where the red wine was spilled on!!!

[Karen]

Many great tips here!!

I have no idea if this tip has been mentioned already.. ..
When someone spills red wine on your carpet or tablecloth, poor lots of salt on the wine! When the used salt is turning pink, add more salt, and keep doing this as long as necessary. Leave the salt there for a few hours. Then vacuum your carpet / tablecloth and you will see that the red wine color is completely gone!!
I know it works, because several years ago a brother in law spilled a full glass of red wine on our blue/white carpet...! Immediately I emptied a 1kg box of salt on the stain. Everybody said that my carpet was completely ruined. next day we vacuumed the carpet and....... we couldn't even find the spot where the red wine was spilled on!!!

That's a good one to keep in mind! We are not wine drinkers, but know folks who are ...

[snakemama]

My favorite way to clean the microwave and make the house smell nice is to squeeze a lemon into a small bowl of water (leave the peel in the bowl too) and microwave for three minutes. Let it sit for another five minutes and then open it and wipe the microwave with a sponge or dish towel.

Vinegar works too but doesn't smell nearly as nice.

[RICHARD]

The store we shop at offers points for every purchase and those points can be redeemed at the gas station run by the supermarket.

One problem is that the bar code to accumulate the points is on a credit card that the store issues!

---------------

In order to get the points for each purchase, I have to get the CC, go to the store and use it - I pay cash but still need to swipe the card to get the points.....

I am scared to death of losing the card - After thinking about how to get the points and NOT have to carry/worry about it, I came across this solution.

You will need a

Photocopier
scissors
Tape
Old plastic rewards card or a key chain rewards card.

-----

I used an old plastic card for the next step!

Make a copy of the the credit card - the bar code portion - then cut it out.

I then taped the bar code onto the old plastic card...

---------

The next step was to see if it worked at the store.




--------

The bar code is an optical way scan your 'secret shopping code' - there is no magnetic strip or way to access the account that is attached to the credit card.

Now I can shop, get my gas points and not have to worry about losing the CC, If I happen to drop the 'dummy card' it won't be such a burden and there is no need to call up the CC company and get a new card!

[Karen]

11.) Plug your devices into a power strip. You pay for “vampire charges” when your electronics are plugged into the wall, but aren’t being used. Power strips prevent this.

This is not true of all power strips. Check yours - if the charger is warm even if it is not being used, it is still drawing electricity through the power strip. Just something to be aware of!