5 Creative Ways To Reuse Items in Your House

I love finding ways to reuse old stuff that would otherwise languish forever in the back of our closets, in the garage or stuffed under the beds, er, thrown away. I often search the web for creative ways to reuse household items, and thought I would share some of my {most} favorite finds with you today (because I am so nice that way.)

1. Have an old picture frame but no picture to put in said frame? Simply place a piece of fabric or pretty paper over the thin cardboard that comes with the frame (or if you have lost that, use lightweight cardboard from an empty cereal box or any other box you have laying around.) and you have a lovely vanity tray. Put it on your dresser and keep your brush, comb, lotion, hair-clips or whatever you want on it! (this tip comes from RealSimple.)

2. Those thin potato chip cans make great containers for straws! Of course I know you never eat those things. Neither do I. But in case you happen to come across one someday, you might want to cover it in some cute contact paper, wrapping paper, or something cute you have laying around, like extra material. Then take that plastic lid and carefully cut a small opening in it - big enough for a straw to fit through. This step is really not even necessary - you really do not have to have a lid if you don't want to. Really.Then fill it up with straws for the kids to grab for their drinks. (This tip comes from Woman's World Magazine.)

3. That Twister Game sitting on the shelf gathering dust has a very fun re-purposing use! Use the Twister mat as a cute tablecloth for the next kid's birthday party you have! (again, this tip comes from Real Simple.com)

4. Those old jeans that are a bit too tight are too worn out to wear anymore - well, the legs of those jeans can make perfect door draft stoppers! Cut one leg off the jeans, fill with whatever you have around the house - plastic bags, old socks, fabric, stuffing, etc. Then sew up both ends. Place this 'pillow' along the bottom of a door to stop drafts from coming in! (Thanks to The Greenest Dollar for this tip.)

5. The cute glass jars that jams and jellies come in make even cuter storage containers for yarn and ribbons. Use a hammer and sharp nail (or drill fitted with a small bit), to pierce holes in the metal lids. Next, place spools inside jars, stringing the ends through the lids before screwing them on. ( This tip also comes from RealSimple.com.)

{image: realsimple.com}

FindFocusGroups.com: Get Paid For Your Opinions

Looking for ways to earn extra money to help build your savings account or to help pay some bills? Check out FindFocusGroups.com, where you will get paid for participating in legitimate focus groups conducted by various marketing companies.

From the website:

 "Our team gathers focus groups from around the web and works directly with some of the top market research firms to bring you legitimate paid focus group opportunities.

 Since we started in 2006, we have listed over 27,500 legitimate focus group opportunities and worked with virtually every market research firm in the United States. FindFocusGroups has been featured on: The Today Show, Women's Health, Reader's Digest, CNN.com, and Careerbuilder.com!"

FindFocusGroups.com researches and lists hundreds of legitimate focus groups that are looking for participants. You can search for focus groups and research studies coming up in your city, and apply to the ones that interest you. It may take a few steps to determine if you qualify, but if you have some extra time to spare, and apply for different studies, it can increase your chances of qualifying for one or more.

When you do qualify for a focus group, you will be paid a pre-determined amount after completing the study. Some surveys may be completed online, while other research/marketing focus groups will be held at designated locations. How much you get paid and the method of payment will vary according to the company conducting the study. But just by browsing the site, it looks like most surveys are paying between $10-$200.

It is definitely worth bookmarking this site and checking back often as they post about 25 and 45 new focus group studies every weekday, with most being added on Mondays.

A word of caution: even though the company is committed to posting only researched, verified and legitimate paying surveys, they warn that you should never give your Social Security number or bank account number to anyone claiming to be doing market research. They also advise users to use their best judgment when they give out information, sharing only information that you are comfortable giving.

You can follow FindFocusGroups on Twitter and on Facebook so you can get their latest postings!

The Best Free Instant Virtual Makeover

Before you spend money on a new haircut or new makeup, get a free virtual makeover so you can decide if you will like the new 'you.' Seriously, who has not shelled out some big bucks on a haircut just to walk out of the salon full of regret? Even money spent at a drugstore cosmetics counter for makeup that you end up never wearing hurts, right?

Go to beautyriot.com and click on 'Free Virtual Makeover,' then upload your photo and set up your profile (all free, of course!). This may take a bit of time, but it is so worth it! After you are done setting up your profile, you can have fun choosing all kinds of different items to try on your photo, from eyeliners to celebrity hair cuts. And we are talking real actual makeup products here - name brands, colors, everything. This is not just a 'generic' type of make-over with generic colors and such.  You can see how that new shade of CoverGirl lipstick you've been eyeing looks on you, or check out if Jennifer Aniston's haircut works for you. (Just saying.)

So why not check out a free preview of the 'new you' before throwing away spending money on a look you may end up not liking after all?  Plus, it really is fun. And free. Free fun. Can't beat that now, can you??

But a word of caution here. You may spend more time playing around on this website than you planned to. It can get quite addicting. So now that you have been warned, go on over and start having fun picking out your next awesome look!

Get Free Stuff By Signing Up With HouseParty

Everyone loves freebies, and I have come across a great place to get some amazing free stuff.  House Party is a website where you and your friends can be the first to try out new products from sponsors waiting to get your feedback!

 By hosting a party, you get to try products from sponsors for free, and give out free stuff to your friends as well! You don’t pay anything or sell anything. Just tell the sponsor of your party what you and your guests thought of the products.

You will need to first sign up {free} at House Party.  Next, you can go check out the upcoming parties, and apply to be a host of any that interest you. If you are selected to be a host, you will receive a party pack full of products, cooking tools and party decorations to share with your friends.

Some of the party packs already distributed included:

Video games and controllers
Advance copies of TV shows and movies
Gourmet chocolate
Board games
Coffee makers
Mugs, glassware and plates
Action figures
Aprons, oven mitts and kitchen items
Stickers, window clings and party decorations
Baby toys, food and other products
T-shirts and hats
Reusable tote bags
Pizza cutters
Health and beauty products

Sounds cool, doesn't it?

And if you are not sure about how to host a party, there is a section on the site that gives you detailed step-by-step ideas from invitations to decorating.

They also have parties organized into categories, to make it easier for you to find one that suits your interest:

kids products:

food and beverage

TV, movies & music

household products

So if you love getting free stuff, go check out www.houseparty.com.

If you have already signed up with House Party, we would love to hear what you think of it!

Make Your Own Apple Oatmeal Facial

We always have packages of instant oatmeal in our kitchen pantry, so this make-it-yourself facial is one of my favorites (and it smells delicious too!!)

Apple-Oatmeal Facial

1 packet instant oatmeal
1 tsp. apple cider
1 Tbs. almond oil

Blend ingredients in blender. Massage mixture all over your face. Place a warm washcloth over your skin for about 3-5 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry gently.

Get Free Stuff By Using EcoFreek.com

Have you heard of ecofreek yet? And if so, are you using it? This site makes finding free items as easy as can be!

How it works:


Just type in any item you are looking for from toys, books, clothing, furniture to sporting goods. Enter your city and state, and EcoFreek instantly searches websites like Craigslist, Freecycle and Facebook for local ads listing similar items for free.

It's like having an assistant working for you. But you don't have to pay them! So if you are looking for a free chair or table, let's say, head on over to ecofreek and let the nice people behind the website find it for you!

3 Websites Offering Free Homework Help Online For Your Kids

One of my children is now in high school (!!) and we are finding out just how challenging it can be academically (for her, and for us.) Luckily there are websites online offering free help to kids that could use a little extra help with subjects like algebra, English and history. If you are a parent and are scratching your head at some of the homework your kids are bringing home, here are 3 websites that you both might find helpful in completing those assignments - and may help you save money on tutoring costs.

Cramster.com. Online tutors are available to answer questions via email from students in the ninth grade through college. 

Number2.com. This website offers practice exams for the SAT, ACT and GRE. Kids can follow their own progress, and get coaching to help improve their scores.

CliffNotes.com. A great website for school kids of all ages. This website has hundreds of study guides, book summaries, articles and information to help students with their English studies.

Quick Homemade Help For Dry Skin

Get itchy dry skin help from your kitchen in a flash, and save money by not buying expensive facial scrubs at the drugstore.

Take 1 tsp. yogurt and 1 tsp. sugar. Mix together. Rub mixture gently on your face ( works best if your skin is damp,) and then rinse completely.

The yogurt hydrates your skin while the sugar buffs away dry flaky skin.

A fast, cheap and easy way to help to soften your skin in just a few minutes!!

Want to Save More? Stand Up Straight!

Did you know that if you lean just a little to the left while deciding if you should buy something or not, chances are greater that you will end up buying that item??

I am not making this up. Honest. There was a study done that shows that people who tend to lean left will underestimate figures. Even just a little leaning might make you think something is a better deal than it really is, prompting you to spend money and buy it!

Researchers say that this strange phenomenon may have to do with our natural inclination to automatically think of smaller numbers being on the left and larger numbers on the right.

So next time you are window shopping, stand up straight and save your money!

You can read more here about this research.