Two quick do-it-yourself tips for today (one for the home and one for you!) that can help save you a little time, a little money and even a little muscle, LOL!

1. Instead of spending money on a toilet bowl cleaner, try pouring in a can of soda into the toilet! Best part is-you do not need to scrub-just let it soak for about an hour, and flush. The soda should have removed rust rings and other mineral deposits, no scrubbing required!

2. Make your own lip scrub: Just mix 2 tsp. sugar with 1 tsp. olive oil, almond oil, or sunflower oil. Put mixture into a resealable jar and store in refrigerator for up to a month. Once a week or so, gently massage the scrub over your lips, then rinse with warm water to remove dead skin cells and keep your lips soft.

Got a smelly sponge? Try this easy tip to refresh that sponge instead of tossing it and buying a new one:

Soak the sponge in a bowl of water with 2 tsp. lemon juice for a few minutes. Then heat the sponge in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before taking it out -- the sponge will be hot, so be careful!

The acid in the juice works with the heat to get rid of the germs, leaving you with a clean fresh smelling sponge once again!

Save some money with a healthier snack you can make in a few minutes at home: Zucchini Chips. Cheaper than buying {unhealthy} potato chips and french fries, these chips will satisfy that 'I want a salty crunchy snack' urge and as an extra perk-you will get some veggies in your diet!

Baked Zucchini Chips 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Wash and dry zuchinni
Slice zuchinni into thin coin shaped slices
lay chips on a lightly oiled baking pan and brush with olive oil or spray with cooking oil (you can also toss the chips in a bowl with the oil)
sprinkle with a touch of salt
bake appx. 8-10 minutes, or until chips are brown and crispy, turning chips over about half-way through cooking.

Egg Batter Recipe for Zucchini Chips:

Mix together bread crumbs, Parmesean Cheese, garlic powder and pepper in bowl. In another bowl, combine about two egg whites with some low-fat milk. Coat the chips in the egg/milk mixture, then toss in the seasoning. Bake about 30 minutes, turning once.

Remember, the thinner the slices, the faster the chips will cook and turn crispy!

Some ideas for extra flavor-
soy sauce
parmesean cheese
garlic salt
chili powder
garlic powder
basil

For a dip....certainly not necessary, but as an option if you like.....try marinara sauce, ketchup or ranch dressing!

**Check Out: Things To Do With Empty Cans of Soup!**

The following sponsored post was provided by Bargain Jill—Your Free Personal Discount Shopper!

I know we are still in July, but how many of us are already starting to think about Christmas? Yep, Christmas in July is here, and I am already thinking of the shopping lists I need to make and what gifts to buy everyone. Eek. Like always, I will try and do most of my shopping online this year - I love shopping online not only because it can be a time and money saver, but also as a mom with kids, it can be a real stress-saver too! I wanted to share another site I have recently came across and am loving- Bargain Jill.

Bargain Jill compiles deals, coupons, and storewide sales from across the web, eliminating the need to subscribe to multiple bargain sites. The site’s team has partnered with thousands of well-known brands like Macy’s, Sears, and Home Depot to pack the most powerful punch of bargains possible. Bargain Jill features a variety of items so that women can refurnish their house with the home and garden deals page and spoil themselves to a new pair of wedges from the women's clothing deals page.

It's like shopping at Walmart but without having to search for parking!

Bargain Jill saves visitors even more time with the site’s user-friendliness. The site is specifically tailored towards women—featuring items like women’s clothing and accessories, beauty products, home and garden goods, and children’s items—so that women don’t have to waste time looking at men-centric bargains.

But for the men out there- don't worry: Bargain Jill has a male-counterpart site which is just as cool -  named Bargain Jack. Both sites were created by Austin native Dustin DeVries who felt that people were spending too much time bargain shopping and that they needed a way to save both money and time.

Users can sort deals by deal type, item type, vendor store, and recentness, and best of all, users can search for specific items using the search bar. If Jill doesn’t have a specific item, the site will show Price Grabber's listings and price comparisons for that item.

Best of all, if you  follow all Jill on Twitter, by RSS and via her newsletter--so you will never miss a great deal!

If you house is anything like our house, then you have toys. Lots and lots of toys. And your kids are bored withing weeks, days, hours of getting new toys....and want yet more new toys. Save some money and head over to a couple of online toy swap sites where you can exchange your kids outgrown toys for other ones!

At ToysToTrade.com, you will find toys in categories of age and toy brands. There is a search option where you can enter criteria of a specific toy you are looking for as well. This is an independent, family owned company whose goal is to help parents and children find value in recycling their old toys by finding a new home for them. Membership is free (subject to change however in the future) and it takes minutes to sign up and start listing & trading. (I am thinking this could be a great Christmas money saver!)

Another website that offers a trading and selling platform for toys is ToySwap.com. While they do charge a small fee (about $1 currently), here parents can list the toys they are giving up and then create a "want list" of items their little ones are asking for. The site then matches up families that have compatible items on their lists. You can also list gently used toys for sale on ToySwap as well.

A broccoli soup recipe that costs little to make but still tastes great!

Brocolli Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. broccoli cut into small pieces

5 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini)

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup ricotta cheese

Directions:

Combine broccoli, water and bouillon cubes in a pot

Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until broccoli is tender (about 30 minutes)

Stir in pasta, salt and pepper

Bring soup back to a boil, then turn heat back down to medium

Cook uncovered about 5-10 minutes (enough for pasta to be tender0

Remove from heat and stir in Ricotta Cheese,

Serves about 6.

3 quick household saving tips that can save time, money and stress!

1. Dropped an egg on the floor? Spilled some cooking oil? Instead of using paper towels to wipe up a messy spills like those, try pouring salt on the spill. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. The salt should absorb the liquid and clumps should form, which make it easy to scoop up the mess with a spatula (save the paper towels!)

2.  Use lip balm to help keep outdoor light bulbs from getting stuck in the sockets; coat the threads in the base of the light bulb with lip balm before installing it in the socket.

3. Add 2 - 3 Tbs. of white vinegar into your bottle of liquid dish soap. The vinegar doubles the effectiveness of the dish soap so you will use less when cleaning the greasiest pots and pans!