4 Quick Tips For Using Tea Bags

Here are 4 quick tips for using tea bags around the house that can save you time, stress and even some money.

1. Use a wet tea bag to soothe a shaving cut or nick. The tannic properties in tea helps soothe inflammations.

2. Use a tea bag or two when potting plants. Just place tea bags on the drainage hole of the planter. They'll help retain water so your plants can grow better.

3. Use tea bags to help loosed stuck food on pots and pans. Fill the pot or pan with warm water, toss in a tea bag and let soak. The acids in the tea should help loosen the stuck on food.

4. Use tea bags to soften skin. When you run your next bath, hold a couple of tea bags under the running water. Tea has antioxidants that can help rehydrate and soften skin.

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Money-Saving Home Remedy For Dandruff

Store bought dandruff shampoo can be expensive. If you are looking for small ways to trim your budget, try this inexpensive home remedy for dandruff the next time your scalp feels itchy and you are tempted to run to the store to get some bottled relief!

Wash your hair as you normally do, using your regular daily shampoo and conditioner. After the final rinse, apply one Tbs. of lemon juice to your scalp and massage in gently. Rinse hair with cool water. The citric acid in the juice should help relieve the itch and the flaking! If you decide you just can't give up your favorite store bought dandruff treatment altogether, you can still save some money by alternating with the lemon juice too. By doing so, your bottle of dandruff shampoo will last longer, saving you money by not having to buy it quite so often.

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Potatoes: Fade Age Spots Naturally

If you are looking in the mirror and seeing age spots looking back at you, but you just do not have money in your budget to buy expensive age spot remedies, you might want to buy some potatoes instead! It has been said that potatoes can help fade those age spots that insist on showing up on our faces and hands. Potatoes contain catecholase, which happens to be the enzyme used in many skin-care products. It lightens the skin by blocking pigment cells that cause discolorations and dark circles.

Grate a fresh potato and place the pieces in a cheesecloth. Hold this under your eyes to help with those dark under eye circles, or place directly on age spots to help fade them. Do this about 5 minutes a day. I have also read that you can place sliced potato slices directly on the age spots as well to help fade them, or grind a potato completely then apply the paste to your skin.

I will tell you that I have not tried this natural remedy for age spots, so I cannot guarantee you that it will work or not. Also, I would suggest using the cheesecloth method (or another soft thin cloth) if you try this, just because I think the potato juice could possibly irritate some skin. Again, I do not know- but better safe than sorry, right?

What natural skin care remedies have you discovered and/or used? Did they work?

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IHOP National Pancake Day: Free Pancakes Tues. Feb.28

On Tuesday, February 28, 2012, IHOP will be celebrating their annual National Pancake Day by serving free pancakes!! Customers can order a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes, and in return, guests are asked to consider leaving a donation for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals© and other designated local charities.

Since the first National Pancake Day in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $8 million to support charities in the communities in which it operates. This is a great cause and if you have time on that day, why not stop by your local IHOP and enjoy some free pancakes while helping out others at the same time. Your heart and stomach will both thank-you!

To find an  IHOP restaurant near you, use the ihoplocator!

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Smashion.com: Sell Clothing and Accessories For Free

"Smashion® \'sma-shən\ noun. A social fashion commerce site where you can mix and match new and pre-loved fashion items to create individual looks. Connect with others while have fun buying and selling without a fee!"  {Smashion.com}

Love selling your handmade clothing and accessories online, but would prefer to avoid the fees that eBay and other online sites charge? Well guess what? Selling on Smashion is FREE: there are no charges, no listing fees or transaction fees or any other kind of fees.

It is easy to start selling on Smashion - you basically just register then start customizing your own online store. All transactions are handled through Paypal, so you will want to get an account there if you do not have one yet.

You can sell any women's fashion items including clothing, accessories, beauty & cosmetic products, and footwear. They can be brand new, gently-used, or NWT (new with tags.) Browsing through the stores online, I saw many handmade clothing and jewelry items for sale as well.

Take a peek at Smashion - you may find it to be a fun way to set up an online store quickly and easily and start making money from home!

Subway Giving Away Free Cookies Feb.29th!!

Free Cookie Alert!! Subway is giving away free cookies Feb. 29, 2012! And you know how good those cookies are, right? If you do not {somehow,} take my word for it - they are delicious!

So here is the deal: they are giving a FREE freshly baked cookie with any purchase on February 29th to celebrate Leap Day.

 (Did you know Feb. 29 is Leap Day/?)


Mark your calendars!

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All Natural Homemade Air Freshener {Easy-Peasy!}

Skip the expensive air fresheners at the store, and save a little money by making your own all natural air fresheners right in your own kitchen.

Slice two lemons then layer the slices on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in your oven at 250 degrees for about 60 minutes. Turn off the heat, open the oven door, and enjoy the refreshing scent throughout your home!

Easy-Peasy!


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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!


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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!

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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!