Try some of these tips and tricks around the house using banana peels. You might save some money by not running out and buying products at the store.
For Scrapes and Skinned Knees: The oil in banana skin will soothe and promote healing.
For Plant Fertilizer and Nutrient: Let a banana peel air dry, then crumble the dried banana peel and place it in a paper bag. Let the banana peel sit at room temperature for about two days. Mix well in the soil around plants to give them an extra potassium boost!
Polish Your Silver: Put banana peels in a blender and blend till they are a creamy mixture. Then, polish your silver with the mixture and smile at the shine!
Polish Your Shoes: Rub the inside of the banana peel around your leather shoes to give them a shine. Wipe and buff with a soft cloth for a perfect shoe shine. The inside of banana peels have oil and potassium..two things found in most commercial shoe polish that you would buy at the store, minus the chemicals. So you save money and go greener at the same time!
Dust the Plants: Banana peels are great for dusting your household plants, and leaves them shiny and moist.
Soothe Stings and Bites: I have heard that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a bee sting or red ant bite will help soothe. ** I have not tried this personally, so would love to hear back from others who have tried this tip**
Warts: It has been said that the potassium from inside the banana peel will help warts go away when you rub speel on warts. **Again, have not tried this one, and would love to hear from others that have tried this**
Whiten Your Teeth: I love this one. Rub your teeth with the inside peel of a banana skin with a bit of salt on it. It is said to make a difference in a few days. Word of caution here: Do not use salt on your teeth everyday as this will erode tooth enamel. Rather, do this every three days or so. But rubbing the banana peel on your teeth before brushing daily (sans salt every day) is said to help whiten teeth naturally after about two weeks.
Saving money may mean that first you have to spend money (wisely!).....as bizarre as they might sound. Investing now in more efficient, better-quality items will save you money down the road.
Some things that are worth spending more money on now in order to save money later are:
1. Programmable Thermostat. This will automatically regulate the temperature in your house at certain times during the day, like while you are asleep. It may cost you about $100 or less up front, but the energy savings could be well worth it when those bills come in every month.
*If you do not have the extra $$ to get one of these thermostats, then do what we do: just keep the thermostat off at night --use extra blankets if you need, and keep it off as much as possible during the day. Hot days: close the curtains and blinds to help keep heat out. Cold days-wear a sweater or cuddle under blankets!*
2. Seeds. Grow Your own Herbs, Fruits and Vegetables. Did you know that for every $1 you put in, you can expect to get about $9 worth of food out? So says expert Elizabeth Rogers, author of Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life and Save the Planet. Tomatoes, bell peppers and yellow squash are your best bets to get the most for your money, says Rogers.
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Of course the savings won't come for a while: wait about 2 ½ to 3 months before you can harvest if planting from seeds, and half that time if starting with a pony pack [a tray of growing plants bought at a nursery for transplanting]. And don’t forget fresh herbs and leafy greens like basil, oregano, spinach and lettuce, which typically grow in 40 days if planted from seeds. “You can harvest a few leaves at a time, depending on how much you need, and the plants will keep growing,” she says.
3. High Quality Sheets. Sinking into a comfy bed at night with luxurious sheets is actually practical, not indulgent! (could it be both??). Egyptian cotton with a high thread count (300+) will be more expensive—often twice as much—but will likely last three or four times longer than their cheaper sheets. So go ahead, splurge now, sleep better and save in the long run!
4. A Water Filter. A water filter system you attach to your faucet will cost around $25. The savings will be tremendous. Not to mention what a "green" way to save money! Consistently change the filter, and the system should last indefinitely. Replacement filters cost about $20, usually last 2 to 3 months and can filter a total of at least 100 gallons of water. “To purchase the equivalent amount in bottled water would cost you about $400,” says Rogers.
5. A Low Flow Showerhead. A little investment on a new low flow showerhead can save you about about $150 a year on their water bill. Go visit your local hardware store...it is so worth doing this simple task.
6. Re-Usable Lunchbox. Forget the paper bags, plastic baggies and juice boxes. A re-usable lunch box has separate compartments for food and comes with a reusable beverage bottle. And according to Rogers, investing about $25 to $29 will save you about $250 a year on paper bags, baggies and individual drinks.
source: http://shine.yahoo.com
The best way to save money that I know of is simple: Don't spend it! Just because I am so anxious to help you save your money, I am sharing 3 fun freebies with you, including free yoga classes, free movies, and free haircuts!
Free Yoga Classes: Go to http://www.lululemon.com/stores/, and find a lululemon store close to you. Most stores are offering FREE yoga classes, usually on Sunday mornings-but each store may have different days/times, so check carefully. As well as the yoga clsses, some stores may offer free Pilate classes. So head on over (after you finish reading this post, of course!) and see if there is a store near you.
Free Movies: If you want to have a night out but are limited on cash, check out these two sites for free movies in your area: http://wildaboutmovies.com, and http://filmmetro.com/events. OR, just make a bowl of popcorn, and watch a free movie at home at http://crackle.com
Free Haircuts: Tons of beauty schools offer free haircuts so their students can practice their craft--and they are supervised by the pro's, so you don't have to worry. Go to http://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com to find your nearest participating beauty school, then call to make an appointment!
Free Bowling: Surprise! I have one more fun freebie to share with you ( I am generous that way.) You and up to nine other friends or family members can have a free game of bowling at AMF LANES. All you do is sign up for AMF's free e-club at AMF.com, and they'll email you coupons. Bonus: The club's newsletters come with deals every month!
Start a babysitting swap with neighbors or friends. Take turns watching the each other's kids on a Saturday night so you can have a date night. Even a date night at home can be fun especially if the kids are gone. A nice dinner with your favorite food, a walk by the beach or just around the neighborhood without kids can be relaxing and romantic, even a drive about town with a stop at an ice cream parlor can be fun when it's just the grown-ups. When it's your turn to watch the kids, keep the night inexpensive as well with homemade pizza and easy entertaining games like charades.
I wouldn't be surprised if many people are already doing this, but ride your bike whenever you can and leave your car parked.
Think about where you need to go during the week and see if you can use your bike for any of the errands.
Also, if you happen to be lucky enough to not work far from home, ride your bike to work. Maybe not everyday, but what about once or twice a week? Even that will help you save money.
Don't forget your helmet!
