Many people don't know that you can receive coupons (even freebie coupons) simply by sitting down to write to your favorite food product companies. And if you prefer to type, why not e-mail the companies.
There are many food product websites on the internet, for example try : http://www.mcdonalds.com and http://www.birdseye.com
(most websites have a contact us link )
Here are a few steps to take when you site down to write your letter:
* Tell the company anything you can think of that you like about their product.
* Be sure to mention one thing you dislike about their product.
* ALWAYS request coupons and thank them for the time it took them to read the letter at the end.
In short, it is easy to receive great product coupons from products you already buy. Now you can throw your scissors in the trash or give them to your daughter so she can cut paper dolls with them.
I used this concept once for gerber baby food, which my children loved !!!!
They sent me 20 coupons - each good for one jar of baby food - they also sent me 5 coupons each good for one free box of baby cereal along with a Thank you and much appreciation for buying their products.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Low cost Recession recipes - Frugal Rice mix recipes
Rice is the staple food of over two thirds of the world. It's rich in thiamin, niacin and iron, easy to prepare and can be used in many types of recipes. Use it in soups, stews, main dishes as well as desserts. Rice is one of the highest quality protein foods. White rice contains 103 calories per half cup serving, while brown rice contains 108 calories per half cup serving. Rice can be used in just about any kind of recipe from gourmet to frugal and is very nutritious. Use it in soups, stews, main dishes as well as desserts.
Brown rice contains more fiber than white rice, helping you feel full with fewer calories, and is rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant proven to protect cells from damage that can lead to health problems such as cancer, heart disease and cataracts. Brown rice takes longer to cook than regular-milled white rice (45 minutes versus 15 for white rice) since the outer bran layers act as a barrier to heat and moisture. It also requires a slight increase in cooking liquid: 2 to 2 1/2 cups liquid is recommended.
Rice is plentiful in the United States with at least seven states that grow rice. Arkansas, California, and Louisiana account for over 80% of the rice production in the United States. Rice is the most non-allergenic of all grains. It's gluten-free and can be an important staple in diets of individuals with gluten sensitivity. Most rice sold in the United State is enriched, meaning that thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and iron, and foliates have been added to replace what was lost during the milling process. Enriched rice with folic acid is one of the "good" grains that is a source of the disease fighting nutrient.
Cooking family meals at home that include rice promotes good health. You can prepare great tasting dishes by preparing you own rice seasoning mixtures. Here are a few of the many ways that you can prepare rice:
Nine Flavored Rice Pilaf Mixes
1 cup long-grain, converted rice
Flavor Packet
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups hot water
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the rice, stirring constantly, until it takes on a translucent quality; do not let the kernels pop. Slowly stir in the water, then the Flavor Packet; bring to a full boil; cover and lower heat. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until nearly all of liquid is absorbed and the rice looks just a bit too moist to serve. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes before uncovering and serving.
Each recipe makes one flavor packet. Also, these recipes are meant for bouillon cubes that mix with 8 oz. of water. If you prefer to substitute bouillon cubes that mix with 6 oz. of water, or powder, you will need to figure the differences accordingly. Three 8 oz. cubes equal four 6 oz. cubes.
Chicken:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
3 dashes pepper
Beef:
3 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
3 dashes pepper
Onion:
3 onion or beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 teaspoons dried minced or chopped onion
3 dashes pepper
Mushroom:
3 chicken or beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 tablespoons dried mushroom slices, in bits
3 dashes pepper
Celery:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
3 tablespoons dried celery flakes
3 dashes pepper
Curry:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 teaspoon curry powder
Saffron:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 pinch saffron
1 pinch turmeric
Oriental:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 onion bouillon cube, crushed
2 teaspoons dried celery flakes
2 teaspoons dried mushroom slices, in bits
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
dash of powdered ginger
add several dashes soy sauce to boiling water
Spanish:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
2 tablespoons dried green pepper flakes
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
dash of chili powder
add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to boiling water
Good tasting rice dishes do not have to be expensive. Try the recipes above and get rave reviews from your family!
Brown rice contains more fiber than white rice, helping you feel full with fewer calories, and is rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant proven to protect cells from damage that can lead to health problems such as cancer, heart disease and cataracts. Brown rice takes longer to cook than regular-milled white rice (45 minutes versus 15 for white rice) since the outer bran layers act as a barrier to heat and moisture. It also requires a slight increase in cooking liquid: 2 to 2 1/2 cups liquid is recommended.
Rice is plentiful in the United States with at least seven states that grow rice. Arkansas, California, and Louisiana account for over 80% of the rice production in the United States. Rice is the most non-allergenic of all grains. It's gluten-free and can be an important staple in diets of individuals with gluten sensitivity. Most rice sold in the United State is enriched, meaning that thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and iron, and foliates have been added to replace what was lost during the milling process. Enriched rice with folic acid is one of the "good" grains that is a source of the disease fighting nutrient.
Cooking family meals at home that include rice promotes good health. You can prepare great tasting dishes by preparing you own rice seasoning mixtures. Here are a few of the many ways that you can prepare rice:
Nine Flavored Rice Pilaf Mixes
1 cup long-grain, converted rice
Flavor Packet
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups hot water
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the rice, stirring constantly, until it takes on a translucent quality; do not let the kernels pop. Slowly stir in the water, then the Flavor Packet; bring to a full boil; cover and lower heat. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until nearly all of liquid is absorbed and the rice looks just a bit too moist to serve. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes before uncovering and serving.
Each recipe makes one flavor packet. Also, these recipes are meant for bouillon cubes that mix with 8 oz. of water. If you prefer to substitute bouillon cubes that mix with 6 oz. of water, or powder, you will need to figure the differences accordingly. Three 8 oz. cubes equal four 6 oz. cubes.
Chicken:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
3 dashes pepper
Beef:
3 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
3 dashes pepper
Onion:
3 onion or beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 teaspoons dried minced or chopped onion
3 dashes pepper
Mushroom:
3 chicken or beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 tablespoons dried mushroom slices, in bits
3 dashes pepper
Celery:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
3 tablespoons dried celery flakes
3 dashes pepper
Curry:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 teaspoon curry powder
Saffron:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 pinch saffron
1 pinch turmeric
Oriental:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 onion bouillon cube, crushed
2 teaspoons dried celery flakes
2 teaspoons dried mushroom slices, in bits
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
dash of powdered ginger
add several dashes soy sauce to boiling water
Spanish:
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
2 tablespoons dried green pepper flakes
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
dash of chili powder
add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to boiling water
Good tasting rice dishes do not have to be expensive. Try the recipes above and get rave reviews from your family!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Conserving on household heating energy costs 2008
Today I want to dicuss energy costs of running a household.
Our utilities cost our family a mid-sized fortune and now more than ever we have decided that the costs have to be cut.
Two months ago we had propane delivered, it cost us $425.00 to have our tank filled .
That was nuts, But had to be paid.
We just had more delivered yesterday because we were running at just 12% left in our tank.
$440 and it was only filled to 70%
And our coldest months arent even here yet, their February and March.
At this point we will be re-installing our woodburning heater .
We used it in the past, it's stored in our storage building and we removed it when times werent as tough.
Now we will be re-installing it im sure.
If you own your home and if you can aquire one I would suggest installing it .
The cost of heating is basicly eliminated by using a wood burning heater.
We live on 6 acres, in the country and own our home here in Alabama so wood heaters are not uncommon .
Dead trees are pleantiful in our area and most ther homeowners will allow you to cut dead trees from there property just for the taking.
If you live in a more citified area of the world you might wanna ask around and see what your neighbors would think because the smoke from a wood heater could be overwhelming outside to some people, even though with my way of thinking It's not your neighbors who are paying your heating bill lol.
There are many new models of woodburning furnaces or woodburning heaters available these days, even some that can be stored outside and vented into your home.
Other ways to cut the cost of using oil, propane or natural gas for heating/cooking would be...
1.) If you use gas to cook , When cooking, use the smallest pot or pan needed and cover it. The cover keeps heat from escaping, thus decreasing the time needed to bring its contents to a boil.
2.) Use low heat on your stove if possible and/or turn it down once it reaches the boiling point.
3.) Don't open the oven door any more than nessesary, heat that escapes will have to be replaced.
4.) If you plan on baking more than one item, try to do it all at the same time without allowing the oven to cool between items.
It takes alot of heat to pre-heat an oven.
5.) Kill two birds with one stone and dont cook as much, or make casseroles, use a crock pot, use the microwave...Any one or a combination of these things will use less energy than cooking an entire meal on the stove or in the oven ...and also may lower your grocery bill by cooking less.
6.) Keep your heating and cooling systems well maintained. A small investment in periodic maintenance is good insurance against larger repair bills. Just as important, it will prolong the life of your heating and airconditioning
systems and ensure that they operate at maximum efficiency.
7.) Insulate ducts that pass through unheated spaces, check the duct work occasionally every year or other year if they run under your home making sure small rodents and animals havent chewed or destroyed anything.
8.) Inspect furnace filters at least every other month and clean or replace them as needed.
9.) Install a programmable thermostat. It will allow you to turn your heat/air-conditioning up or down automatically with predetermined settings.If you can't afford that right now then keep your setting at the lowest posistion without causing anyone to be to hot or too cold, turn it down considerably at night when you go to bed and will be under toasty covers.
10.) Block off any heater vents to unused rooms, and keep the doors closed to those rooms.
11.) Insulate your windows, around your plumbing and floors if possible.
We use a roll of plastic purchased for $3.00 at the dollar store. It covers every window in our home..When we take it down at winters end we store it in an empty box labeled window plastic for the next year and prevent that recurring cost.
We also use old towels or stained clothing bound for the garbage to stuff the gaps around any plumbing where air comes in , it stays all year round without being removed.
Use throw rugs on bare floors not only to help insulate them but to keep your feet warm.
If it's at all possible go underneath your home and inspect or install insulation to your floors from the outside.
12.) Check the weather stripping around doors.
Many doors have outdated weather stripping, replace it with new weather stripping.
Staple folded clothing strips or strips of old foam from a cushion , into the gaps if you don't have the money to buy weather stripping....anything that stops heat and air from escaping will help drasticly.
13.) Most every county in the united states has a community action agency or similar group/agency that will help low income families and elderly insulate their homes whether their owned homes or rental homes.
They will help with insulation, replacing windows,underpinning on mobile homes, and many other areas....it's definately worth checking into.
14.) Use electric fans and ceiling fans in front of your heaters to circulate and distribute the heat if you dont have central heat, remember heat rises so the idea is to move the highest areas of heat on your ceilings to eye level or below.
15.) If you have a gas or electric hot water heater , turn it down to 120 degrees, waste not want not. If your hot water heater is over 15 years old it's time to flush it out also.
16.) Plant small trees and bushes along your home on all sides or atleast the sides that the wind blows most often.
17.) Close draperies or curtains at night and on cloudy days and open them on sunny days. Note: Set your couch in front of sunny windows for added warmth.
18.)Install your storm doors and windows if you have them, if not check into buying some new or used.
19.) Dress warm. Wear layers of clothing,and use more blankets while sleeping or watching television.
20.) My feet stay cold , it doesnt seem to matter the room temperature so on most days I wear two pairs of socks ... remarkably once my feet are warm so is the rest of my body.
Last year over the summer we had one of the hottest summers on record, I believe they said there were 29 straight days of temperatures over 100 degrees, so we will be posting an article on cooling conservation to help with the costs of air conditioning.
Our utilities cost our family a mid-sized fortune and now more than ever we have decided that the costs have to be cut.
Two months ago we had propane delivered, it cost us $425.00 to have our tank filled .
That was nuts, But had to be paid.
We just had more delivered yesterday because we were running at just 12% left in our tank.
$440 and it was only filled to 70%
And our coldest months arent even here yet, their February and March.
At this point we will be re-installing our woodburning heater .
We used it in the past, it's stored in our storage building and we removed it when times werent as tough.
Now we will be re-installing it im sure.
If you own your home and if you can aquire one I would suggest installing it .
The cost of heating is basicly eliminated by using a wood burning heater.
We live on 6 acres, in the country and own our home here in Alabama so wood heaters are not uncommon .
Dead trees are pleantiful in our area and most ther homeowners will allow you to cut dead trees from there property just for the taking.
If you live in a more citified area of the world you might wanna ask around and see what your neighbors would think because the smoke from a wood heater could be overwhelming outside to some people, even though with my way of thinking It's not your neighbors who are paying your heating bill lol.
There are many new models of woodburning furnaces or woodburning heaters available these days, even some that can be stored outside and vented into your home.
Other ways to cut the cost of using oil, propane or natural gas for heating/cooking would be...
1.) If you use gas to cook , When cooking, use the smallest pot or pan needed and cover it. The cover keeps heat from escaping, thus decreasing the time needed to bring its contents to a boil.
2.) Use low heat on your stove if possible and/or turn it down once it reaches the boiling point.
3.) Don't open the oven door any more than nessesary, heat that escapes will have to be replaced.
4.) If you plan on baking more than one item, try to do it all at the same time without allowing the oven to cool between items.
It takes alot of heat to pre-heat an oven.
5.) Kill two birds with one stone and dont cook as much, or make casseroles, use a crock pot, use the microwave...Any one or a combination of these things will use less energy than cooking an entire meal on the stove or in the oven ...and also may lower your grocery bill by cooking less.
6.) Keep your heating and cooling systems well maintained. A small investment in periodic maintenance is good insurance against larger repair bills. Just as important, it will prolong the life of your heating and airconditioning
systems and ensure that they operate at maximum efficiency.
7.) Insulate ducts that pass through unheated spaces, check the duct work occasionally every year or other year if they run under your home making sure small rodents and animals havent chewed or destroyed anything.
8.) Inspect furnace filters at least every other month and clean or replace them as needed.
9.) Install a programmable thermostat. It will allow you to turn your heat/air-conditioning up or down automatically with predetermined settings.If you can't afford that right now then keep your setting at the lowest posistion without causing anyone to be to hot or too cold, turn it down considerably at night when you go to bed and will be under toasty covers.
10.) Block off any heater vents to unused rooms, and keep the doors closed to those rooms.
11.) Insulate your windows, around your plumbing and floors if possible.
We use a roll of plastic purchased for $3.00 at the dollar store. It covers every window in our home..When we take it down at winters end we store it in an empty box labeled window plastic for the next year and prevent that recurring cost.
We also use old towels or stained clothing bound for the garbage to stuff the gaps around any plumbing where air comes in , it stays all year round without being removed.
Use throw rugs on bare floors not only to help insulate them but to keep your feet warm.
If it's at all possible go underneath your home and inspect or install insulation to your floors from the outside.
12.) Check the weather stripping around doors.
Many doors have outdated weather stripping, replace it with new weather stripping.
Staple folded clothing strips or strips of old foam from a cushion , into the gaps if you don't have the money to buy weather stripping....anything that stops heat and air from escaping will help drasticly.
13.) Most every county in the united states has a community action agency or similar group/agency that will help low income families and elderly insulate their homes whether their owned homes or rental homes.
They will help with insulation, replacing windows,underpinning on mobile homes, and many other areas....it's definately worth checking into.
14.) Use electric fans and ceiling fans in front of your heaters to circulate and distribute the heat if you dont have central heat, remember heat rises so the idea is to move the highest areas of heat on your ceilings to eye level or below.
15.) If you have a gas or electric hot water heater , turn it down to 120 degrees, waste not want not. If your hot water heater is over 15 years old it's time to flush it out also.
16.) Plant small trees and bushes along your home on all sides or atleast the sides that the wind blows most often.
17.) Close draperies or curtains at night and on cloudy days and open them on sunny days. Note: Set your couch in front of sunny windows for added warmth.
18.)Install your storm doors and windows if you have them, if not check into buying some new or used.
19.) Dress warm. Wear layers of clothing,and use more blankets while sleeping or watching television.
20.) My feet stay cold , it doesnt seem to matter the room temperature so on most days I wear two pairs of socks ... remarkably once my feet are warm so is the rest of my body.
Last year over the summer we had one of the hottest summers on record, I believe they said there were 29 straight days of temperatures over 100 degrees, so we will be posting an article on cooling conservation to help with the costs of air conditioning.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
More on selling at ebay.com-How to make extra money in 2008
I want to dive a little deeper into the idea of selling on ebay for 2008 during the recession.
Lets face it if your struggling now to make ends meet, it's only gonna get worse as the economy develops more and more problems.
So something that will help tremendously will be to make some extra cash.
It seems every blog and article wants to tell you how to sell on ebay but not many will go as far as to tell you what types of things you can sell at a profit.
Of course we can't make any guarantees but here we are gonna give you some great ideas of low cost items you can sell.
If you have the investment money to buy Ipods and MP3 players then you will always fair well on ebay as they seem to push the sellers of those type items.
Unfortunately we all dont have that kind of money to start up with.
Although it's tricky to understand customers needs and wants, it's really not as hard to pick a category of items to sell.
First of all go to ebay, and choose a category of interest to you.
Choose something that you know and understand because customers will have questions.
If you know some type of craft, check that category.
If you know books ( not the story but the conditions) whether their book club editions or paper backed, check that category.
If you know auto parts , check that out.
Before buying my new computer, I asked a seller who sold computer upgrades if the one he had for sale ($120.00) would upgrade my computer? I also gave him the name and model numbers of my computer.
He emailed me back to say that he had no earthly idea if it was what I needed and had no idea how to upgrade a computer, he just sold the upgrades.
Needless to say, I didnt buy the upgrade.
You'll want to spend a few days in the category of your choice and watch what sells.
For example, if you choose Jeans/Pants (thats my niche)
You will need to know your brands , study what the average starting prices are for different brands by clicking newly listed in that category.
See what the end prices will average by clicking completed items.
You will need to read many many listings , preferrably of the listings that sold compared to those that sold high and those that didnt sell at all.
What made them special?
Were they new or used?
Were they priced high or low?
What keywords did they use in the titles?
What sizes sold best?
How did they describe their items
Did they measure the waist, inseam and leg openings?
Did they tell you about the life of the jeans, their condition?
Did they use gallery or no photo?
Were the pictures good or was the lighting bad or blurry?
Did their listing come across as comforting or pushy or was it blunt and to the point ?
Was there lots of animation?
How fast did the pages load ?
Keep in mind the new styles, wool pants probably wont sell well these days .
Once you have found a few items you might be interested in selling, you should narrow them down to one or two.
Decided which you can buy cheapest or reproduce for a low cost.
Do your homework and you will do well.
Another important factor on http://ebay.com is feedback.
If you have an existing account - GREAT !
If not you will have to register to sell and have a checking account number or credit card for verification purposes.
The majority of customers on ebay use paypal so you will need to open a paypal account also, unless you only intend to accept money orders or personal checks.
Note: You will lose incredible amounts of purchases by not accepting paypal on ebay.
Next you will need to supply your stock, either by buying a few items of your choice or making a few items ahead of time.
Alot of sellers use drop shippers (thats another blog post) but I prefer not to sell anything I don't have in my hands.
If you dont have an ebay account I would suggest you read all of the rules for both buying and selling before you list your items.
This way you will understand everything that is allowed or not and you will get a feel for what both the buyers expect from a seller and what sellers should expect from buyers.
Ebay is a dog eat dog world and being educated will pay off.
As I mentioned feedback is important to alot of ebay buyers.
You will need to build your positive feedback, the higher the better and you will see that your sales will improve the higher it gets.
In the begining I became easily frustrated that my items didnt sell as well as the other sellers with the same products, prices and quality.
It came down to feedback.
Ebay is not as complicated as some might think, it is a time consuming JOB though, just like any other job it takes time and patients.
Decide how many hours per day or per week you can devote to ebay selling.
If you only intend to ship items once per week then make sure you add that to your descriptions when listing, or your message box will overflow with unhappy customers.
Be honest at all costs when listing your items.
Don't over exadurate the quality of your items.
Trust me most buyers are easy going but there are quite a few that will pick your listing apart to find the mistakes you made with your words, to attain a refund.
New means new, never used, store like quality and thats the only time you should ever use the word new.
Other ways to list the quality might be like new condition, worn once, gently used, very well cared for.
Never use other sellers pictures, it's against ebay policy for one reason, the other is that your customers will expect to receive exactly what was pictured with no differences.
Always try to work out any problems with your customers.
Even if your right and they are dead wrong, as I mentioned feedback is important and refunding $10 - $20 is little cost compared to a negative strike on your selling account.
Always use confirmation on your packages.
If a customer says they didnt receive the package and they will, ebay will only stand beside the seller who has proof through confirmation, that it was mailed and arrived at the buyers post office for delivery.
Once you've found the right product to sell you should be able to supplement your income nicely with ebay.
We will post more on the ebay subject in a later post today.
Have a great day !
Lets face it if your struggling now to make ends meet, it's only gonna get worse as the economy develops more and more problems.
So something that will help tremendously will be to make some extra cash.
It seems every blog and article wants to tell you how to sell on ebay but not many will go as far as to tell you what types of things you can sell at a profit.
Of course we can't make any guarantees but here we are gonna give you some great ideas of low cost items you can sell.
If you have the investment money to buy Ipods and MP3 players then you will always fair well on ebay as they seem to push the sellers of those type items.
Unfortunately we all dont have that kind of money to start up with.
Although it's tricky to understand customers needs and wants, it's really not as hard to pick a category of items to sell.
First of all go to ebay, and choose a category of interest to you.
Choose something that you know and understand because customers will have questions.
If you know some type of craft, check that category.
If you know books ( not the story but the conditions) whether their book club editions or paper backed, check that category.
If you know auto parts , check that out.
Before buying my new computer, I asked a seller who sold computer upgrades if the one he had for sale ($120.00) would upgrade my computer? I also gave him the name and model numbers of my computer.
He emailed me back to say that he had no earthly idea if it was what I needed and had no idea how to upgrade a computer, he just sold the upgrades.
Needless to say, I didnt buy the upgrade.
You'll want to spend a few days in the category of your choice and watch what sells.
For example, if you choose Jeans/Pants (thats my niche)
You will need to know your brands , study what the average starting prices are for different brands by clicking newly listed in that category.
See what the end prices will average by clicking completed items.
You will need to read many many listings , preferrably of the listings that sold compared to those that sold high and those that didnt sell at all.
What made them special?
Were they new or used?
Were they priced high or low?
What keywords did they use in the titles?
What sizes sold best?
How did they describe their items
Did they measure the waist, inseam and leg openings?
Did they tell you about the life of the jeans, their condition?
Did they use gallery or no photo?
Were the pictures good or was the lighting bad or blurry?
Did their listing come across as comforting or pushy or was it blunt and to the point ?
Was there lots of animation?
How fast did the pages load ?
Keep in mind the new styles, wool pants probably wont sell well these days .
Once you have found a few items you might be interested in selling, you should narrow them down to one or two.
Decided which you can buy cheapest or reproduce for a low cost.
Do your homework and you will do well.
Another important factor on http://ebay.com is feedback.
If you have an existing account - GREAT !
If not you will have to register to sell and have a checking account number or credit card for verification purposes.
The majority of customers on ebay use paypal so you will need to open a paypal account also, unless you only intend to accept money orders or personal checks.
Note: You will lose incredible amounts of purchases by not accepting paypal on ebay.
Next you will need to supply your stock, either by buying a few items of your choice or making a few items ahead of time.
Alot of sellers use drop shippers (thats another blog post) but I prefer not to sell anything I don't have in my hands.
If you dont have an ebay account I would suggest you read all of the rules for both buying and selling before you list your items.
This way you will understand everything that is allowed or not and you will get a feel for what both the buyers expect from a seller and what sellers should expect from buyers.
Ebay is a dog eat dog world and being educated will pay off.
As I mentioned feedback is important to alot of ebay buyers.
You will need to build your positive feedback, the higher the better and you will see that your sales will improve the higher it gets.
In the begining I became easily frustrated that my items didnt sell as well as the other sellers with the same products, prices and quality.
It came down to feedback.
Ebay is not as complicated as some might think, it is a time consuming JOB though, just like any other job it takes time and patients.
Decide how many hours per day or per week you can devote to ebay selling.
If you only intend to ship items once per week then make sure you add that to your descriptions when listing, or your message box will overflow with unhappy customers.
Be honest at all costs when listing your items.
Don't over exadurate the quality of your items.
Trust me most buyers are easy going but there are quite a few that will pick your listing apart to find the mistakes you made with your words, to attain a refund.
New means new, never used, store like quality and thats the only time you should ever use the word new.
Other ways to list the quality might be like new condition, worn once, gently used, very well cared for.
Never use other sellers pictures, it's against ebay policy for one reason, the other is that your customers will expect to receive exactly what was pictured with no differences.
Always try to work out any problems with your customers.
Even if your right and they are dead wrong, as I mentioned feedback is important and refunding $10 - $20 is little cost compared to a negative strike on your selling account.
Always use confirmation on your packages.
If a customer says they didnt receive the package and they will, ebay will only stand beside the seller who has proof through confirmation, that it was mailed and arrived at the buyers post office for delivery.
Once you've found the right product to sell you should be able to supplement your income nicely with ebay.
We will post more on the ebay subject in a later post today.
Have a great day !
Monday, January 21, 2008
Recession 2008 Making extra cash on ebay
I would like to expand on selling on ebay for anyone who might be interested in making some extra cash to suppliment their incomes during this time.
I began selling books on ebay, I picked them up at thrift stores, yard sales, and library sales for less than $1 each, then expanded to books AND magazines.
Somehow I ended up in the clothing business lol
Books sell quite well on ebay depending on what they are.
Most of mine doubled, tripled and even quaddroupled what I paid for them.
I can honestly say that I never lost money on books.
Newer College textbooks are big moneymakers, craft books follow close behind.
Then you have the novels and how to books, all do quite well for the begining seller.
But I would like to also incorperate the recession into this post because it's here and cant be avoided...or shouldnt.
If your thinking about selling on ebay for extra money there are some frugal ideas here that you can feel free to expand on for deciding what to sell on ebay.
By frugal crafter I mean you can become a seller who has very little cost in what they sell for major profits.
First of all if you are a crafty person you should fair well on ebay.
Designing your crafts around the holidays brings alot more revenue.
Here are some ideas with links to some little known items that cost little to make but sell for a mint.
Handmade tote bags - sell for $10 - $50
http://search.ebay.com/handmade-tote-bags_W0QQfsopZ1QQsspagenameZADMEQ3aBQ3aTB2Q3aUSQ3a1
Pre-made scrapbook pages - Now heres some GOOD money !
They sell for $10 - 100's of dollars
http://search.ebay.com/scrapbook-pages_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQdfspZ1QQfobfmtZ1QQfromZR10QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQssPageNameZWLRS
Handmade cards - Again concentrate on the holidays Sell for $2 - $10 each
http://search.ebay.com/handmade-cards_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQdfspZ1QQfobfmtZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Try your hand at making primitive cloth dolls - Make $5 - $300
http://search.ebay.com/primitive-dolls_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQdfspZ1QQfobfmtZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Do you know how to make your own patterns ? $5 - 20 each
http://search.ebay.com/primitive-patterns_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Crochet it and sell it.
http://search.ebay.com/Crocheted-handmade_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Do you paint ? Can you paint on small aceo cards ?
http://search.ebay.com/ACEO_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
How about make your own fragrant soaps ?
http://search.ebay.com/Handmade-soap_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Or just browse this category for handmade and find something of interest to make and sell.
http://search.ebay.com/handmade_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
The possibilities are endless with handmade items.
Do you live in an area where there are thrift stores and yard sales on every corner?
Visit them ! And visit them often !
Decide after a visit or two what you can get access to on a regular basis.
For example Clothing.
Decide how much money your willing to pay per piece and stick to that.
Then find the stores with the cheapest prices on the item you choose and buy a few to sell.
Antiques will take you into a higher bracket of spending so unless you know your antiques I would pass on them.
Glasswear is also a big seller on ebay and usually cheap to buy at thrift stores, but again you will need to KNOW your glass.
Now I can't make any guarantees that you'll strike it rich selling on ebay.
Heavens knows I would be rich already if that were possible but you should be able to supplement your income and make this recession a little more comfortable for your family.
I began selling books on ebay, I picked them up at thrift stores, yard sales, and library sales for less than $1 each, then expanded to books AND magazines.
Somehow I ended up in the clothing business lol
Books sell quite well on ebay depending on what they are.
Most of mine doubled, tripled and even quaddroupled what I paid for them.
I can honestly say that I never lost money on books.
Newer College textbooks are big moneymakers, craft books follow close behind.
Then you have the novels and how to books, all do quite well for the begining seller.
But I would like to also incorperate the recession into this post because it's here and cant be avoided...or shouldnt.
If your thinking about selling on ebay for extra money there are some frugal ideas here that you can feel free to expand on for deciding what to sell on ebay.
By frugal crafter I mean you can become a seller who has very little cost in what they sell for major profits.
First of all if you are a crafty person you should fair well on ebay.
Designing your crafts around the holidays brings alot more revenue.
Here are some ideas with links to some little known items that cost little to make but sell for a mint.
Handmade tote bags - sell for $10 - $50
http://search.ebay.com/handmade-tote-bags_W0QQfsopZ1QQsspagenameZADMEQ3aBQ3aTB2Q3aUSQ3a1
Pre-made scrapbook pages - Now heres some GOOD money !
They sell for $10 - 100's of dollars
http://search.ebay.com/scrapbook-pages_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQdfspZ1QQfobfmtZ1QQfromZR10QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQssPageNameZWLRS
Handmade cards - Again concentrate on the holidays Sell for $2 - $10 each
http://search.ebay.com/handmade-cards_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQdfspZ1QQfobfmtZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Try your hand at making primitive cloth dolls - Make $5 - $300
http://search.ebay.com/primitive-dolls_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQdfspZ1QQfobfmtZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Do you know how to make your own patterns ? $5 - 20 each
http://search.ebay.com/primitive-patterns_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Crochet it and sell it.
http://search.ebay.com/Crocheted-handmade_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Do you paint ? Can you paint on small aceo cards ?
http://search.ebay.com/ACEO_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
How about make your own fragrant soaps ?
http://search.ebay.com/Handmade-soap_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
Or just browse this category for handmade and find something of interest to make and sell.
http://search.ebay.com/handmade_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfposZ35744QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown
The possibilities are endless with handmade items.
Do you live in an area where there are thrift stores and yard sales on every corner?
Visit them ! And visit them often !
Decide after a visit or two what you can get access to on a regular basis.
For example Clothing.
Decide how much money your willing to pay per piece and stick to that.
Then find the stores with the cheapest prices on the item you choose and buy a few to sell.
Antiques will take you into a higher bracket of spending so unless you know your antiques I would pass on them.
Glasswear is also a big seller on ebay and usually cheap to buy at thrift stores, but again you will need to KNOW your glass.
Now I can't make any guarantees that you'll strike it rich selling on ebay.
Heavens knows I would be rich already if that were possible but you should be able to supplement your income and make this recession a little more comfortable for your family.
Recession and selling on ebay
As I mentioned I am an ebay seller, I sell womens and mens jeans and pants and occasionally some craft patterns.
http://stores.ebay.com/Northeast-Alabama-Apparel
I've been putting alot of thought into how I believe the recession will affect my business.
First of all let me say that for the most part, at this point in time of the recession I think more families will begin cutting back on trips to the movies, bowling and eating out.
Atleast families I know are doing that and eating off the dollar menus when they go out for fast food.
I still believe that ebay and other auction sites will do well because people arent spending money on gas while shopping ebay.
They can buy or wait for a cheaper price at a later date, and dont feel the urge to go ahead and buy it since they have driven all that way to the mall and don't want to drive back at a later time.
There are still many families out there who have a money pool to live off of during times like these and this recession won't effect them untill a later point in time when their funds begin to dwindle.
People will also be attaining their tax break money and hopefully from a business viewpoint they will spend it , from a frugal lifestylists viewpoint I would hope they will save it for emergencies and those occasional "ESCAPES" from the pressures of the recession.
If I were gonna begin selling on ebay I think in all honesty the timing is right.
Ebay is undergoing alot of changes right now and I plan to fill my ebay store to the brim asap so that im ready for peoples tax money and the begining panic that will come from this recession, lets face it we all panic to some degree and buy up what we need in times of crisis.
During a snow storm people buy all the bread and milk on the store shelves, before a thunderstorm with tornado warnings people fill their gas tanks with thoughts that they may need to escape.
When their was a threat of the end of the world in 2000 the millenium people bought gas masks lol
Im gonna guess (and hope) this recession will cause the same type of mild panic from consumers who will buy some of the more expensive nessesities their families will need in the coming year of not knowing what will happen like clothing.
Also maybe they will begin buying craft books and patterns also in an attempt to develop new hobbies that allow them to spend more time at home.
More later !
Bye
http://stores.ebay.com/Northeast-Alabama-Apparel
I've been putting alot of thought into how I believe the recession will affect my business.
First of all let me say that for the most part, at this point in time of the recession I think more families will begin cutting back on trips to the movies, bowling and eating out.
Atleast families I know are doing that and eating off the dollar menus when they go out for fast food.
I still believe that ebay and other auction sites will do well because people arent spending money on gas while shopping ebay.
They can buy or wait for a cheaper price at a later date, and dont feel the urge to go ahead and buy it since they have driven all that way to the mall and don't want to drive back at a later time.
There are still many families out there who have a money pool to live off of during times like these and this recession won't effect them untill a later point in time when their funds begin to dwindle.
People will also be attaining their tax break money and hopefully from a business viewpoint they will spend it , from a frugal lifestylists viewpoint I would hope they will save it for emergencies and those occasional "ESCAPES" from the pressures of the recession.
If I were gonna begin selling on ebay I think in all honesty the timing is right.
Ebay is undergoing alot of changes right now and I plan to fill my ebay store to the brim asap so that im ready for peoples tax money and the begining panic that will come from this recession, lets face it we all panic to some degree and buy up what we need in times of crisis.
During a snow storm people buy all the bread and milk on the store shelves, before a thunderstorm with tornado warnings people fill their gas tanks with thoughts that they may need to escape.
When their was a threat of the end of the world in 2000 the millenium people bought gas masks lol
Im gonna guess (and hope) this recession will cause the same type of mild panic from consumers who will buy some of the more expensive nessesities their families will need in the coming year of not knowing what will happen like clothing.
Also maybe they will begin buying craft books and patterns also in an attempt to develop new hobbies that allow them to spend more time at home.
More later !
Bye
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Recession 2008 - Natural low cost cleaning products
You would think that alongside laundry I would hate house cleaning.
Actually I dont mind housecleaning at all , what I hate is cleaning after a house full of NEAR adults who cant do anything themselves lol
I have a husband, a 2 year old and 4 teenagers.
Can you feel my pain ?
I also have allergies along with our 2 year old son so most store bought cleaning products seem to irritate our allergies.
There has been a stigma about natural house cleaning products that they won't work unless their loaded with harsh chemicals...NOT true !
These natural cleaners will do just as good a job "if not better" than any store bought, prepackaged product on the market.
What do you think our grandparents used befor there was oxyclean and windex?
Start with vinegar , now this stuff smells to high heaven but wears off when it dries.
Vinegar can be used as a multiple or all pupose cleaner.
Vinegar costs about $2.00 per GALLON and can be used for thousands of cleaning jobs.
Vinegar should be dilluted and used in a test area for some jobs.
Use vinegar in the…
Bathroom -
Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops.
Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings.
Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down.
Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim.
Scrub down the bowl.
Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution.
The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile.
Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin.
Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)
Use vinegar to clean wood floors or mock wood floors.
Spray vinegar from a spray bottle to remove most odors from fabric and the air, including ciggarette smells.
Rubbing alchohol
Rubbing alchohol costs .50 cents a bottle and cleans the dickens out of windows and other glass surfaces.
shines sink and bath faucets.
Baking soda
Costs about .75 cents - $1.00 per box
A box or small bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator, freezer, or any cupboard will keep away unpleasant odors.
Baking soda will keep away garbage odors; sprinkle the bottom of the pail, and then sprinkle again after you put a new bag in.
Grease fires can be put out by sprinkling them with baking soda.
Clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
Remove stale smells from food containers, rinse out with hot water and baking soda. If the smell persists, let the container soak overnight in the baking soda and water mixture.
Clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
Remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
Remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
Avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
Remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
If there is a smoker in the house, put baking soda in the bottom of each ashtray to keep away some of the stale smoke smell.
Baking soda in the litterbox will help prevent odors.
Quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
Help remove spills, blot as much as possible. Then clean as you normally would. When finished, sprinkle with baking soda. Vacuum. This will decrease the chance that some of the spilled item will remain in the carpet and cause unpleasant odors later.
Children's toys can be cleaned using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
Remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
Pretreat diapers in their pail with baking soda. This will keep odors from becoming overpowering between washings.
Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
If you keep a laundry hamper, add some baking soda every day to keep the hamper from smelling between emptyings.
Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
The children's pool can be cleaned and have mildew removed by washing with baking soda in warm water.
Before packing away your camping gear after a trip, sprinkle with baking soda.
Hope this helps with your cleaning chores and saves you some money in the process.
Total cost for these cleaning products $3.50
Take a challenge and use these cleaning products for 6 months.
You'll never go back to spending all that hard earned cash on fancy cleaners again.
Actually I dont mind housecleaning at all , what I hate is cleaning after a house full of NEAR adults who cant do anything themselves lol
I have a husband, a 2 year old and 4 teenagers.
Can you feel my pain ?
I also have allergies along with our 2 year old son so most store bought cleaning products seem to irritate our allergies.
There has been a stigma about natural house cleaning products that they won't work unless their loaded with harsh chemicals...NOT true !
These natural cleaners will do just as good a job "if not better" than any store bought, prepackaged product on the market.
What do you think our grandparents used befor there was oxyclean and windex?
Start with vinegar , now this stuff smells to high heaven but wears off when it dries.
Vinegar can be used as a multiple or all pupose cleaner.
Vinegar costs about $2.00 per GALLON and can be used for thousands of cleaning jobs.
Vinegar should be dilluted and used in a test area for some jobs.
Use vinegar in the…
Bathroom -
Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops.
Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings.
Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down.
Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim.
Scrub down the bowl.
Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution.
The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile.
Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin.
Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)
Use vinegar to clean wood floors or mock wood floors.
Spray vinegar from a spray bottle to remove most odors from fabric and the air, including ciggarette smells.
Rubbing alchohol
Rubbing alchohol costs .50 cents a bottle and cleans the dickens out of windows and other glass surfaces.
shines sink and bath faucets.
Baking soda
Costs about .75 cents - $1.00 per box
A box or small bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator, freezer, or any cupboard will keep away unpleasant odors.
Baking soda will keep away garbage odors; sprinkle the bottom of the pail, and then sprinkle again after you put a new bag in.
Grease fires can be put out by sprinkling them with baking soda.
Clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
Remove stale smells from food containers, rinse out with hot water and baking soda. If the smell persists, let the container soak overnight in the baking soda and water mixture.
Clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
Remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
Remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
Avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
Remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
If there is a smoker in the house, put baking soda in the bottom of each ashtray to keep away some of the stale smoke smell.
Baking soda in the litterbox will help prevent odors.
Quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
Help remove spills, blot as much as possible. Then clean as you normally would. When finished, sprinkle with baking soda. Vacuum. This will decrease the chance that some of the spilled item will remain in the carpet and cause unpleasant odors later.
Children's toys can be cleaned using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
Remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
Pretreat diapers in their pail with baking soda. This will keep odors from becoming overpowering between washings.
Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
If you keep a laundry hamper, add some baking soda every day to keep the hamper from smelling between emptyings.
Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
The children's pool can be cleaned and have mildew removed by washing with baking soda in warm water.
Before packing away your camping gear after a trip, sprinkle with baking soda.
Hope this helps with your cleaning chores and saves you some money in the process.
Total cost for these cleaning products $3.50
Take a challenge and use these cleaning products for 6 months.
You'll never go back to spending all that hard earned cash on fancy cleaners again.
Recession 2008 - Saving money on laundry costs
First of all let me say that I hate hate hate doing laundry !
It never ends !
My children think they need a clean towel for every extension from their bodies.
Here are some tips to cut the costs of doing laundry.
Trust me you won't believe the savings !
1.) First of all have a talk with your children and spouses.
Explain how and why it is gonna be important for them to help you with cutting these costs.
Of course that talk is gonna go threw one ear and out the other so your gonna have to make a point to stick to your guns with them on all of the following laundry rules.
2.) Make sure they understand that re-washing clean clothes is out of the question.
It won't happen - period.
My kids used to throw everything into the floor, then into the laundry on the day they are forced to clean their rooms, then complain because I wasnt able to do 29 loads of laundry and their missing their red basketball jersey on game day .
Ummm Duh !
3.) Try to convince them to re-wear the same pair of pajamas or shorts to bed the entire week instead of throwing them into the laundry every night.
My children understand that I won't wash them, I will put them back into their stacks of clothes.
4.) If they will go for that idea then try to also convince them to re-wear their jeans a second day if they werent smelly or dirty.
If their home on the weekends and the house is warm, see if they will wear shorts or their pajamas instead of jeans (less bulk in the washer means more room).
Of course shirts, socks and underwear can't be worn more than once ... we tried it lol
5.) Hang all of your clothes to dry either inside or outside then pop them into the drier with 1/2 a drier sheet for 10 minutes.
Taa-Daa their drier fresh and soft ...noone will know the difference !
If you like the stiffness of line dried clothes or dont mind it then you'll save even more by not drying them in the drier for 10 minutes, either way your gonna save a bundle.
6.) Make your own LONG LASTING fabric softener sheets.
Fill a spray bottle with fabric softener, designate a rag, spray the rag up to 10 times with fabric softener and throw it in with the laundry.
Clothes will smell fresh, soft and have no static electricity.
Respray for the next load.
This should allow a refill bottle of fabric softener to last about 6 months to a year.
That equalls BIG savings.
7.) Towels will be the death of me !
Allow your children one towel per week, or every other day, to dry off with.
If they washed themselves properly then all that will be transferred to the towel will be water.
If they dont hang their towel to dry then it will smell musty .
Believe me they will hang it to dry the next time !
8.) Use 1/2 as much laundry soap as the box or bottle calls for.
Detergent companies are in the business to make money, their not gonna tell you that a full cup is overkill and a half cup does just as good a job.
Also use the cheap store brand of detergent.
Gain smells fresher longer but dollar store brand cleans just as well.
It never ends !
My children think they need a clean towel for every extension from their bodies.
Here are some tips to cut the costs of doing laundry.
Trust me you won't believe the savings !
1.) First of all have a talk with your children and spouses.
Explain how and why it is gonna be important for them to help you with cutting these costs.
Of course that talk is gonna go threw one ear and out the other so your gonna have to make a point to stick to your guns with them on all of the following laundry rules.
2.) Make sure they understand that re-washing clean clothes is out of the question.
It won't happen - period.
My kids used to throw everything into the floor, then into the laundry on the day they are forced to clean their rooms, then complain because I wasnt able to do 29 loads of laundry and their missing their red basketball jersey on game day .
Ummm Duh !
3.) Try to convince them to re-wear the same pair of pajamas or shorts to bed the entire week instead of throwing them into the laundry every night.
My children understand that I won't wash them, I will put them back into their stacks of clothes.
4.) If they will go for that idea then try to also convince them to re-wear their jeans a second day if they werent smelly or dirty.
If their home on the weekends and the house is warm, see if they will wear shorts or their pajamas instead of jeans (less bulk in the washer means more room).
Of course shirts, socks and underwear can't be worn more than once ... we tried it lol
5.) Hang all of your clothes to dry either inside or outside then pop them into the drier with 1/2 a drier sheet for 10 minutes.
Taa-Daa their drier fresh and soft ...noone will know the difference !
If you like the stiffness of line dried clothes or dont mind it then you'll save even more by not drying them in the drier for 10 minutes, either way your gonna save a bundle.
6.) Make your own LONG LASTING fabric softener sheets.
Fill a spray bottle with fabric softener, designate a rag, spray the rag up to 10 times with fabric softener and throw it in with the laundry.
Clothes will smell fresh, soft and have no static electricity.
Respray for the next load.
This should allow a refill bottle of fabric softener to last about 6 months to a year.
That equalls BIG savings.
7.) Towels will be the death of me !
Allow your children one towel per week, or every other day, to dry off with.
If they washed themselves properly then all that will be transferred to the towel will be water.
If they dont hang their towel to dry then it will smell musty .
Believe me they will hang it to dry the next time !
8.) Use 1/2 as much laundry soap as the box or bottle calls for.
Detergent companies are in the business to make money, their not gonna tell you that a full cup is overkill and a half cup does just as good a job.
Also use the cheap store brand of detergent.
Gain smells fresher longer but dollar store brand cleans just as well.
Low cost recipes - Stretching the grocery dollar - Frugal lifestyle 2008
Here are a few recipes that will get you started on your way to saving some money at the grocery store for 2008.
Lets start with homemade biscuits.
Before you hit the back button first read on , their not as complicated or messy as grandmas were...as a matter of fact even when grandma did it there were still nly 24 hours in the day .
Biscuits aren't just for breakfast anymore !
They can be served along with almost any lunch or dinner, In place of that second more expensive cut of meat.
Bread costs are almost $2.5o per loaf - this is a nice cheaper alternative.
Homemade biscuits
3 c. flour
6 oz. shortening
2 c. buttermilk - whole milk - skim milk or prepared powdered milk
1/3 c. water for texture
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. sugar (for browning)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder for fluffiness
Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and shortening into fine crumbs.
Add buttermilk and water gradually until light and tender.
Turn out onto a floured surface.
Knead well.
Cut out and place on greased pan. (cookie sheet)
Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until brown.
SAVE$$$ and time ! - Double the batch , cook half and freeze the second batch by placing the entire cookie sheet into the freezer untill they are frooze.
Remove each biscuit from the pan, place in a ziplock bag and freeze (working quickly so they dont thaw)
Take out as many as you need , allowing time to thaw , Bake and serve.
___________________________________________________________________
Here's one for the kids , before school, it's quick and easy for them and will save you tons of money !
Homemade pancakes
2 Eggs (seperated)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup oil or applesauce
1 cup milk (regular milk, powdered milk or butter milk - adds some consistency)
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla (opt)
Beat egg whites until stiff - set aside.
Beat egg yolks, add sugar and salt, beat in.
Add baking powder, beat until just mixed in well.
Add flour, milk, and oil.
Beat until smooth(not too much otherwise the baking powder won't react correctly) add vanilla.
Add egg whites to batter and FOLD gently.
Let batter sit for 15-30 minutes prior to cooking.
You can either use the recipe above and make them home made or buy the cheapest store brand of pancake mix and make the whole box.
Why ?
Well your gonna pre-cook and freeze them in large batches.
I have 4 teenage boys and one teenage daughter , I precook and separate them into stacks of 4 small pancakes.
Once cooled I put them into sandwich sized ziplock bags and freeze them, removing as much air from the bag as possible before freezing them.
Each morning they have a very low cost - healthy breakfast before school.
Now mind you im only slightly awake at 6:00 AM and a hot breakfast is simply out of the question on school mornings so this really beats the other altenative of cold cereal which is very expensive in itself, not even including the $5.00 a gallon milk.
It takes me about 2 hours, once every two weeks, to make enough pancakes to last them for two weeks.
For pancake syrup - Of course I dont have my ancestors patients to milk my own maple trees lol
I buy the cheapest store brand of pancake syrup , I even water it down slightly once some is gone from the bottle to stretch it even further.
Thats not gross !
I was a waitress for 20 years and The resturaunts do it every day.
My children also love strawberry preserves on their pancakes instead of syrup.
Lets start with homemade biscuits.
Before you hit the back button first read on , their not as complicated or messy as grandmas were...as a matter of fact even when grandma did it there were still nly 24 hours in the day .
Biscuits aren't just for breakfast anymore !
They can be served along with almost any lunch or dinner, In place of that second more expensive cut of meat.
Bread costs are almost $2.5o per loaf - this is a nice cheaper alternative.
Homemade biscuits
3 c. flour
6 oz. shortening
2 c. buttermilk - whole milk - skim milk or prepared powdered milk
1/3 c. water for texture
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. sugar (for browning)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder for fluffiness
Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and shortening into fine crumbs.
Add buttermilk and water gradually until light and tender.
Turn out onto a floured surface.
Knead well.
Cut out and place on greased pan. (cookie sheet)
Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until brown.
SAVE$$$ and time ! - Double the batch , cook half and freeze the second batch by placing the entire cookie sheet into the freezer untill they are frooze.
Remove each biscuit from the pan, place in a ziplock bag and freeze (working quickly so they dont thaw)
Take out as many as you need , allowing time to thaw , Bake and serve.
___________________________________________________________________
Here's one for the kids , before school, it's quick and easy for them and will save you tons of money !
Homemade pancakes
2 Eggs (seperated)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup oil or applesauce
1 cup milk (regular milk, powdered milk or butter milk - adds some consistency)
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla (opt)
Beat egg whites until stiff - set aside.
Beat egg yolks, add sugar and salt, beat in.
Add baking powder, beat until just mixed in well.
Add flour, milk, and oil.
Beat until smooth(not too much otherwise the baking powder won't react correctly) add vanilla.
Add egg whites to batter and FOLD gently.
Let batter sit for 15-30 minutes prior to cooking.
You can either use the recipe above and make them home made or buy the cheapest store brand of pancake mix and make the whole box.
Why ?
Well your gonna pre-cook and freeze them in large batches.
I have 4 teenage boys and one teenage daughter , I precook and separate them into stacks of 4 small pancakes.
Once cooled I put them into sandwich sized ziplock bags and freeze them, removing as much air from the bag as possible before freezing them.
Each morning they have a very low cost - healthy breakfast before school.
Now mind you im only slightly awake at 6:00 AM and a hot breakfast is simply out of the question on school mornings so this really beats the other altenative of cold cereal which is very expensive in itself, not even including the $5.00 a gallon milk.
It takes me about 2 hours, once every two weeks, to make enough pancakes to last them for two weeks.
For pancake syrup - Of course I dont have my ancestors patients to milk my own maple trees lol
I buy the cheapest store brand of pancake syrup , I even water it down slightly once some is gone from the bottle to stretch it even further.
Thats not gross !
I was a waitress for 20 years and The resturaunts do it every day.
My children also love strawberry preserves on their pancakes instead of syrup.
Cutting grocery expenses costs budgeting
If you are not one of those frugal driven spenders and savers, you need to be - period, end of story.
Cutting grocery expenses and eating habbits will take some time and adjustment, but lets get started.
First of all keep in mind that coupons only save you money if they are brands and types of foods that your family is accustomed to.
You can always begin transforming what your family is used to eating...I would make this change slowly.
Don't go out to the grocery store and drop a mint on a whole new grocery list that your family wont eat.
Start with less.
How about this...
Start with snack foods.
1.) Instead of buying packaged premade snack foods make your own from scratch.
You are on the internet , make it work for you, get your moneys worth out of all this information at your fingertips.
Here are some low cost recipe sites for baked goods and desserts. ( there are thousands of recipe sites online)
http://www.thriftyfun.com/Recipes_833.html
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Cookies/Main.aspx
http://www.grouprecipes.com/s/cookies/recipe/1/relevancy
Make your own chocolate chip cookies - Peanut butter cookies - twinkies - Cakes - Pies etc.
The savings will be wonderful and if you bake double batches you will save even more.
Sounds strange huh?
Well its not, you can always buy ingredients when they are on sale, freeze the second batch and bring them out during a time when the kids want something sweet.
There's no reason to pay for packaging that your ultimately gonna throw into the garbage can.
There are also sites online that give free famous resturaunt recipes
http://www.copykat.com/
http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/home.asp
Now you can make KFC at home and I'm sure cheaper than 16 pieces of chicken for $20.00 or McDonalds big macs.
2.) Make a grocery list and stick to it ...Thats the most important money saving tip I can offer with groceries.
My problem is going shopping hungry ...don't do it !!!
My grocery bill is usually $20.00 higher per week when I shop hungry , then three days later Im kicking myself for not buying more chicken with that $20.00 because we ate that $20.00 worth of junk 2 hours after we got home with it.
Stick to that list and eat before you go !
3.) Find the cheapest grocery store in your area.
If your estimated savings is $50.00 then it makes alot of sense to drive the extra 5 or even 10 miles to the discount grocery outlet.(even with gas prices being high)
4.) Don't take the kids if you can help it.
Another of my down falls is that I have a 2 year old.
If it's outta site , it's outta mind and he would never miss the fruit roll-ups or the lunchables, but when I take him along he MUST have it or else.
Try to get a family member to babysitt during your grocery shopping trip.
5.) Keep in mind that a sale isn't always a sale.
Many grocery stores have terrific sales , if you buy only whats on sale.
Don't buy anything else except whats on sale and always look for an even cheaper store brand.
Chances are the store brand is even cheaper by 10% - 20%, than whats on sale.
Buy it ! Again dont buy the fancy packaging unless you plan to frame it and display it as home decor.
6.) Don't forget to buy the staples needed to make things from scratch instead of prepackaged foods.
7.) Now that you've done your grocery shopping it's time to inform the family that eating is no longer a free for all.
Gone are the days when the kids can come in from school and eat an entire meal before dinner or a whole box of Ho-Ho's.
They will need to know that you will provide after school snacks for them and where they can be found.
They will need to know that there will be 3 meals cooked each day and that they better wise up and start eating when it's cooked.
Sounds drastic but really it's not as long as you stick to your guns.
They won't starve and will probably become much healthier in the long run.
Okay so get started on that grocery list !!!
Cutting grocery expenses and eating habbits will take some time and adjustment, but lets get started.
First of all keep in mind that coupons only save you money if they are brands and types of foods that your family is accustomed to.
You can always begin transforming what your family is used to eating...I would make this change slowly.
Don't go out to the grocery store and drop a mint on a whole new grocery list that your family wont eat.
Start with less.
How about this...
Start with snack foods.
1.) Instead of buying packaged premade snack foods make your own from scratch.
You are on the internet , make it work for you, get your moneys worth out of all this information at your fingertips.
Here are some low cost recipe sites for baked goods and desserts. ( there are thousands of recipe sites online)
http://www.thriftyfun.com/Recipes_833.html
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Cookies/Main.aspx
http://www.grouprecipes.com/s/cookies/recipe/1/relevancy
Make your own chocolate chip cookies - Peanut butter cookies - twinkies - Cakes - Pies etc.
The savings will be wonderful and if you bake double batches you will save even more.
Sounds strange huh?
Well its not, you can always buy ingredients when they are on sale, freeze the second batch and bring them out during a time when the kids want something sweet.
There's no reason to pay for packaging that your ultimately gonna throw into the garbage can.
There are also sites online that give free famous resturaunt recipes
http://www.copykat.com/
http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/home.asp
Now you can make KFC at home and I'm sure cheaper than 16 pieces of chicken for $20.00 or McDonalds big macs.
2.) Make a grocery list and stick to it ...Thats the most important money saving tip I can offer with groceries.
My problem is going shopping hungry ...don't do it !!!
My grocery bill is usually $20.00 higher per week when I shop hungry , then three days later Im kicking myself for not buying more chicken with that $20.00 because we ate that $20.00 worth of junk 2 hours after we got home with it.
Stick to that list and eat before you go !
3.) Find the cheapest grocery store in your area.
If your estimated savings is $50.00 then it makes alot of sense to drive the extra 5 or even 10 miles to the discount grocery outlet.(even with gas prices being high)
4.) Don't take the kids if you can help it.
Another of my down falls is that I have a 2 year old.
If it's outta site , it's outta mind and he would never miss the fruit roll-ups or the lunchables, but when I take him along he MUST have it or else.
Try to get a family member to babysitt during your grocery shopping trip.
5.) Keep in mind that a sale isn't always a sale.
Many grocery stores have terrific sales , if you buy only whats on sale.
Don't buy anything else except whats on sale and always look for an even cheaper store brand.
Chances are the store brand is even cheaper by 10% - 20%, than whats on sale.
Buy it ! Again dont buy the fancy packaging unless you plan to frame it and display it as home decor.
6.) Don't forget to buy the staples needed to make things from scratch instead of prepackaged foods.
7.) Now that you've done your grocery shopping it's time to inform the family that eating is no longer a free for all.
Gone are the days when the kids can come in from school and eat an entire meal before dinner or a whole box of Ho-Ho's.
They will need to know that you will provide after school snacks for them and where they can be found.
They will need to know that there will be 3 meals cooked each day and that they better wise up and start eating when it's cooked.
Sounds drastic but really it's not as long as you stick to your guns.
They won't starve and will probably become much healthier in the long run.
Okay so get started on that grocery list !!!
2008 recession - Frugal record keeping
Some of you may need to keep a journal of your spending while others know where their "leaks" are located and can concentrate on those areas alone.
In my case, we have several "leaks" !
In my case, we have several "leaks" !
I keep a daily journal of all money paid out.Start your journal with what you can remember spending last week.
For example:
Vehicle gas expenses
Vehicle maintenance
Childrens school expenses
Childrens clothing expenses
Recreational expenses
Credit card expenses
Grocery expenses
utility expenses
Mortgage
etc.
You might also write down some details from day to day as a reminder of for example:
Why your gas expenses were so high ...the kids had multiple basketball practices.
Gas to the school is $2.97 per gallon at this time so it took 2 gallons per trip.
Or grocery expenses were higher this month due to Thanksgiving dinner costs.
This will give you something to compare to in the coming days, weeks, months and years.
You might also want to write down in your journal what your savings are at the begining point.
Trust me in 6 months you will wanna congradulate yourself and your family in the areas you were most successful with, and know where your families "leaks" have moved to.
2008 and beyond - The new great depression/recession
Pssst ...Pssst ... Have you heard about the 2008 recession?
{ Are you talking to me ?
Transforming your lifestyle into that of a frugal consumer won't be an easy task....but thats exactly what you should start doing if you plan to survive this recession.
First of all you will need to decide for yourself if "spending more" is what you want to do or if "saving more" is the road you will need to take.
If you choose "spending more" then you will probably stop reading at this point , although you will probably return in the future , you are welcome back at any time, and we look forward to seeing you!
Then read up on some of the articles out there on what to expect during this recession, you will have to decide for yourself if what you read seems far fetched or a dramatic reality.
I am a married mother of 6 children ages 2 thru 21 so I have never been able to just spend what little my family makes without good reason behind it.
If your here and reading then i'm sure your values must be similar to mine if not the same.
In the coming posts I will share with you many ideas, tips and tricks to saving money from the basic to the extravagant.
Some ideas may not be for you, as some will be extremely frugal while most will be ordinary changes that you can adjust to your lifestyle and that of your family without feeling as though you are depriving anyone of anything.
These ideas and tips have been used in my family firsthand, handed down from generations of frugal family members, and donated by readers and others who are of the same lifestyle.
Please feel free to donate any ideas to the readers of our blog, we will post your ideas, thoughts and comments and who knows maybe your suggestions will provide a way for someone to save a few bucks.
You can comment on the blog or email me personally at ussearch.Auctions@yahoo.com
In advance I would like to thank everyone for reading, posting and commenting on our blog.
Be sure to save us to your favorites.
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