Take a Holiday Break and Make Yourself a Facial Toner

If all the stress from the holidays is leaving your face tired and puffy in the morning, take a break and pamper your skin with this DIY cucumber face toner (Cucumber is great for soothing and softening skin because it has the same pH as healthy skin.)

1/2 cucumber with peel, chopped
3 tablespoons witch hazel
2 tablespoons distilled water

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all of the solids, then pour the toner into a clean bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Store this toner in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life—it should last for several weeks.

To use, apply the toner to your face using a clean cotton ball.

Cucumber is great for soothing and softening skin because it has the same pH as healthy skin.

Yield: 4 1/2 ounces

Recipe from Woman's Day

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas for Last Minute Shoppers!

New Package of Playing Cards and a Book on Card Games.

New Make-Up Tote Bag. Add some lip gloss, new brush, comb, nail polish, or other items if you like. (girls love these!).

Children's Artwork Framed. (And signed and Dated).

Several Magazines tied together with pretty ribbon. (Add a fleece mini-blanket or a pair of slippers).

New Address Book or Writing Journal. (Add a nice pen!)

Nail Polish Kit and a Pretty Nightshirt.

Slippers, paperback book and Mug with Hot Chocolate Mix.

Puzzles and a nice bottle of Wine (or sparkling Apple Cider).

More Inexpensive Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

The Christmas Countdown is on! Need some quick ideas for Homemade Christmas gifts? Here are a few ideas:

1. Create Several Gifts From One Purchase.

Buy a set of Teacups or Coffee Mugs in a 4 pack (or more) and divide them into several gifts using baskets or Christmas themed gift boxes. Add extras like flavored tea bags, coffee samples, shortbread cookies, paperback book, chocolate, etc. Or include printed recipes for cookies, brownies, cakes on pretty stationary.

This same idea can work with a set of wineglasses that come 4, 8 or more in a box.


2. Make a Memory Themed Serving Tray For Grandparents

Buy a wooden frame and insert laminated pictures of grandchildren. Then add handles you can buy at craft stores, and you will have a serving tray grandparents will love!

Other ideas:
Hand Prints With Poem:

(My Handprint
Author Unknown)

"Sometimes you get discouraged
because I'm so small,
and always leave my finger prints
on furniture and walls.
But everyday I'm growing big
and soon I'll be very tall.
Then all my little handprints
will be hard to recall.
So here's a special handprint
just so that you can say;
this is how my fingers looked
when I placed them here today."

Then, press your child’s hand into the ink pad, making sure that it is thoroughly covered. Press your child’s hand onto sturdy paper. Using a black pen, write your child’s name and the date under the hand print. Wait until the ink has dried, then place the finished product in frame.

more ideas for serving tray inserts:
Recipes
Children's Artwork


3. A Single Serve Coffee Lover's Gift

Buy a unique coffee cup and inside place a couple of recipes for flavored coffees, some chocolate covered stirring spoons, and maybe a gift certificate to Starbucks if desired.

Chocolate Covered Spoons:

Use good quality plastic spoons.

Melt some yummy chocolate till it is liquid.

Add extract or liquor of choice, if desired (almond extract, Frangelica, peppermint, anise,Kailua etc.).

Dip the spoon into the chocolate . . . and lay the spoons with their handles over the edge of a wax paper lined cookie sheet till set.

Drizzle white chocolate in a design over dark or milk chocolate . . . or dip 1/2 of spoon in dark and 1/2 in while best flavors mocha, mint, plain, raspberry.

Don't just dip lightly you want a nice puddle in the spoon part and part way up the handle.

Wrap these in clear plastic bags tied with raffia and a tag stating the flavor.


4. A Free Gift Straight From The Heart!

The best inexpensive Christmas gift grandparents will love! Use any empty boxes (tissue boxes, jewelry, toothpaste, whatever) and wrapped them in wrapping paper and tied them with a ribbon. Let your younger children use crayons and write a note to attach to the box:
"I took an ordinary box
As empty as can be
I filled it with a special gift
And wrapped it carefully
But please don't ever open it
Just leave the ribbon tied ,
And hold it tightly near your heart
Because my love for you's inside!"

Sweet and Simple....a box filled with a child's love.


5. Make a Homemade Floor Pillow For Kids

Buy remnant material and cut into shape of animal, flower, etc and stuff with bags of polyester filling to make large floor pillows for the children to use.

And check out my post on making a simple homemade recipe book to give as a gift!

Have any ideas for homemade Christmas gifts to share?

Interesting Report on Prepaid Debit Cards

A surprising new study conducted by Michael Flores, an economist and expert on financial institutions, found that consumers who use prepaid debit cards , instead of low balance checking and debit accounts, could save up to 70% in fees. That effectively makes the use of prepaid debit cards significantly cheaper than traditional debit cards from banks.

“There is no question that prepaid cards are a much better option for many consumers,” said Flores. “An objective review of the costs associated with these cards compared to costs of alternatives such as basic bank checking accounts, in addition to the safety and security associated of prepaid cards compared to cash, leaves no doubt that prepaid cards are a smarter option for many.”

The study found that using debit cards from banks will typically cost a consumer up to $350 each year. Those fees come from overdraft charges, minimum balance fees, and automatic teller machine (ATM) fees. Similar annual fees were experienced from consumers that didn’t have access to traditional banking accounts, and used a loose system of money orders and bill-payment services.

Based on the study’s results, the use of prepaid debit cards was overwhelmingly cheaper than any alternative. It was found that prepaid debit cards with direct deposits, like the kind you can get from your local ACE Cash Express, had the lowest cost of use.

You can download and read the full text of the report from NBPCA’s website: http://www.nbpca.org/docs/Study-Cost-of-Prepaid-Cards-to-Consumers.pdf

Walmart's Black Friday Ads Revealed

Are you planning your Black Friday shopping strategy yet? Would getting a look today at Walmart's Black Friday ads and deals help you get prepared for the "biggest shopping day" of the year (at least retailers are hoping this will be so!). What are you waiting for? Go check out the leaked Walmart Black Friday ads at the slickdeals.net forum right now! The toys on sale look pretty awesome!

Easy and Fast Hand Made Christmas Gift Idea

How cute and easy is this idea? Just tie a colorful holiday ribbon on a brown paper bag (lunch bags work perfectly!), and fill with peppermint candies.

Simple, Fast and Cheap! Hand out at Christmas parties, to neighbors, office co-workers, the mailman, etc..

Inexpensive Christmas Present Idea

A twist on an old idea: Wine glasses sold in sets of 4 are often not very expensive, but also can make a boring gift idea. So instead of simply wrapping the box set, wrap each wine glas individually in pretty tissue, and then place all 4 glasses inside a special gift box. Add a personalized Christmas Tree ornament to the bow on the preset, for an extra special touch.

Other ideas:

Add a set of wineglass charms ( I have seen cute ones at the Dollar Tree around Holiday time!)
Add a new Corkscrew
Add a Unique Bottle Stopper
Add a Bottle of Wine
Add a Checkered Tablecloth
Add a Wine Connoisseur Magazine or Book

With a little creativity and little expense, you can create a very nice holiday gift for someone on your Christmas list!!

Three Holiday Shopping Tips To Save Money

Feeling the holiday shopping stress creeping up on you? Relax. Here are 3 quick tips to help save money with holiday shopping (maybe you've tried these before, but never hurts to use them again, right?):

1. Shop at home first!

Check out your closets and shelves, really! Search, get creative and possibly come up with 1 or 2 or even more gift ideas right from your own home.

2. Stay away from malls: Shop online.

Being in person in the stores is an easy way to spend more than you budgeted on gifts. Stick to online shopping if possible, and your budget. When the holidays are over, you will be so happy you did, and so will your wallet.

3. Hit the Thrift Stores.

Seriously. A cute pin, brooch, vase, scarf....who knows what else you can find at a thrift store for so much cheaper than a regular mall store! Wrap your finds in pretty boxes and save a bundle!!

Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Dishwasher Detergent and Save Money

I love my dishwasher.....but I hate the pricey dishwasher detergents I buy at the store way too frequently. Plus, we have hard water where we live, and I am always pulling out glasses and cups that are not cleaned right and even look kind of nasty!

I found this recipe for making your own automatic dishwasher detergent, and the bonus (besides being very money-saving indeed!), is that this detergent is eco-friendly. The cost? On average, it works out to 50 loads for 50 cents!

DIY: Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Recipe:

1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup citric acid

Shake thoroughly or stir and store in tightly covered jar. Use one tablespoon per load. For best results add white vinegar to the rinse dispenser.

Arm and Hammer makes a washing soda also known as sodium carbonate. It is a natural substance made from salt and limestone. Borax is a naturally occurring substance in the environment and you can usually find it in the laundry detergent isle. Kosher salt is a pure salt.

This recipe came from www.care2.com a site for the environment.

Debit vs. Credit: Warnings For Debit Card Users

Did you know that using your debit card frequently may actually be a bad thing? We have all become credit card conscious no doubt, but according to shopsmart.com, swiping that debit card everyday may be not such a wise move for a few reasons. Here are some Do's and Don'ts to consider before you pull out that debit card.

DON’T use debit cards for big purchases. They don’t offer the same protection that credit cards do. Credit cards allow you to reverse or dispute charges, and some will even extend the length of warranties.

DON’T use a debit card online. If you use a credit card, your liability for unauthorized charges is capped at $50, no matter what. If your debit card is lost or stolen, it must be reported within two business days to limit liability to $50. If a lost or stolen debit card is reported within 60 days, liability can go up to $500. If an unauthorized transaction is not reported within 60 days of the statement date (and the card hasn’t been reported lost or stolen), you’re on the hook for charges made after the 60th day until the report is made.

DO click on “credit” and sign for payments instead of giving a PIN. Card companies might extend the same zero-liability protection to debit cards as they do to credit cards if the debit cards are processed like the latter, but PIN transactions might not have that protection.

DON’T link your debit card to an account with a lot of money. It is too easy for thieves to empty your debit-card-linked checking account, so keep just enough in the account to cover current purchases.

Save Money This Christmas Making Homemade Christmas Decorations

Here are two of my favorite inexpensive (if not free!) homemade Christmas decorating ideas:

Make a holiday display using matched or mismatched
mittens around your house. and staircases
make great backgrounds for a mitten arrangement!


Homemade Christmas Decorations made from
small branches or twigs in the backyard and tied
with twine, ribbon or yarn. Simple, inexpensive, and
pretty!


source

10 Online Swapping Sites Where You Swap Instead of Shop!

Everyone has something in their closet they do not need, use or want anymore. Like that wedding dress? Or how about that bowling ball in the corner of your garage? Or the books on that dusty shelf in the attic? There are exchange sites to swap almost anything: clothing, books, music, DVDs, video games, and more. Some of them offer prepaid postage so members can take advantage of reduced shipping fees, paying only a flat rate for shipping.

Why not try an online swap site and swap your stuff for things you do need and want? The benefits of online swapping include-

1. Frugal – you can get new items at no cost simply by exchanging them for your unwanted ones
2. Eco-Friendly – swapping reduces both waste and resource consumption, as you get rid of unwanted items without discarding them and others continue to use them
3. Fun – much more exciting than simply shopping online, and you’ll make new friends in the processes.

Here are 10 popular online swapping sites. Most have some system of feedback, and some of them actually award usable credits for good trades. Members who do not behave honorably are removed, and rules governing the type and condition of the items that can be listed are enforced.

1. SwapStyle.com
2. rehashclothes.com
3. dignswap.com
4. clothingswaps.com
5. makeupalley.com
6. chancexchange.com
7. swaptree.com
8. bookins.com
9. barterquest.com
10. u-exchange.com

Happy Swapping!

Saving Money Tip : Insect Repellent

A cheaper and healthier alternative to insect repellent: Bounce® dryer sheets! Just place the dryer sheets around the house to keep spiders away. Try putting them behind a couch or under a bed out of site. So much cheaper and healthier than bug spray.

New Use For Old Things

Ah....being a mommy to three, I especially love this idea that I found on Real Simple.com:

Instead of buying those plastic or paper tablecloths for kids' birthday parties....try using a Twister Game Mat as a tablecloth! Wipe off spills and stains, and save for the next family game night and the next birthday party!!

Don't you love it?