I'm confused...why is it embarassing to use the last dollar or two of a gift card? Just use it and then pay the rest with cash or a debit card. Almost every store automatically takes multiple forms of payment. Just give the smallest one first and then a new total is calculated. Then give the next highest one, and so on until you have to pay the balance with real money.
Trust me, cashiers could care less how you pay and they aren't making judgments. ;)
Just seems like a very long post for a very short solution.
I have been using this for at least six months now and my hair feels great. Several tips:
1.DO NOT WASH your hair EVERY day. Even if you use regular shampoo - it is just stripping the natural oils from your scalp - which makes the scalp try to produce more oil to compensate. This one reason it takes some time - more like several weeks rather than one - to allow for the hair and scalp to adjust. RINSE it, if you like (my hair likes to be wetted down to look its best)
2. Why are you using strong smelling apple cider vinegar? For heavens sake, use the distilled white vinegar you ought to have on hand for cleaning anyway. The smell is not nearly so strong and it is just as effective!
3. This one is just personal preference. I make the baking soda and water into a loose paste and rub and massage it through my hair. When I feel like it is thoroughly worked through, I use the vinegar rinse - FOAM AWAY! BTW, and old soft-type (squeezy) water bottle is a great delivery mechanism for the vinegar!
I think it's a great idea for someone who is young and up-in-coming in life, such as myself, as it helps them gain some perspective of their life and what they want to achieve.
My only worries with this exercise was that possible people who are much older write this list, I guess you would need to be in a certain frame of mind, would realise all the things they haven't/cannot do and that would upset them.
I hope they will realise that there will be much left on their list that they can do and they should get moving.
Ha, I worry too much. Guess I should add 'Worry less' to my list.
Great exercise though. Thanks for making that 20 minutes worth it.
I tried it last year and gave it up. I have very fine hair and it just looked gross. Also my hairdresser made fun of me! (I didn't go back to them). I do want to give it another shot sometime.
On a related note, I've started using baking soda to wash my face. It's a cleanser and scrub in one. I use witch hazel for a toner, and follow it with pure rosehip oil as a moisturizer. I used to use moderate-to-very expensive cleansers (I've tried it all, from Clinique to Origins to expensive chemical peels to Cetaphil) and this works just fine.
one of my favorite posts has been the Top Seven Reasons Why I Use My Credit Card for Everything. we hear everyday on the news about the problems americans have with their credit cards. but when used responsibly, there are so many benefits. i have been doing this for a couple of years now and enjoy the benefits year round. but at christmas when i am able to use my credit card points towards gifts for friends and family, i am reminded of the fact that sometimes credit cards can even keep you out of debt!
Shopping "European-Style" only works when you can shop early in the day. I live in Europe and work full-time. By the time I get to the store after work, it seems as though all the housewives in the country have bought the freshest of everything. The grocery stores around here do not stock until the next morning.
Claire, I've been using baking soda water to wash and a.c. vinegar water to rinse for about 8 months now, and I. will. never. go. back. My hair is so full and manageable. True, I don't have that silky sheen, but my guess is hair isn't supposed to. I'm also down to 2 haircuts avg per year, because I don't have the split ends, even with blow-drying. AND, I only wash my hair every other day. That's right, this former-oily-haired gal can get away with that now, since there's no more shampoo spurring the oil glands in my scalp!
The cherry on top is the cost, and the environmental factors (I guess that would make it "cherries"). I buy the giant box of baking soda because I use it so many other places (a paste of soda and water is awesome at cleaning my ceramic cooktop stove), so it's ridiculously cheap. And it makes me happy to know that I'm not schlepping more chemicals into the sewage system. :)
Every contributor to Wisebread brings something special to the whole. (You can't see it, but I'm smiling as I think of each of you individually.) Your varied perspectives encourage me to continue thinking outside the box. Tackling our needs within our means. And every writer lives what they write. Thank you all.
I'm hard pressed to choose one article, however Philip Brewer's offhanded mention of "Possum Living" got me to read the book online, then get it through interlibrary loan, and finally ask for it this Christmas. (It was reprinted this year.) This one thing may have had the greatest impact on our current lifestyle. (No, there aren't any rabbits in our cellar.)
hard to think of a favorite, but I do read your newsletter every day -- I guess I like your roundup of five deals you post - it's very succinct and there's always at least one thing I didn't know about.
Freezing is legal in most areas that allow you to make beer or wine. You simple freeze your mash, then strain it. Hang it in the freezer in a cloth sack to let it drip off. We went over it before with Apple Jack. It works best if you can freeze and then thaw it out, without mixing it, a few times. You can use a salad spinner if you like, or just let it drip in the freezer once it is frozen. This will concentrate the flavours too, so expect INTENSE taste.
The kettle sounds great. You can tap the lid for the thermometer. You may not need it at all if you will be watching it.
My kids like chunky applesauce, which means you peel the apples first before cooking. Instead of tossing remains into the compost pile as usual, I made my first batch of apple peel jelly. Not only did it taste great, it turned this lovely pink peach color. Pretty enough for gifts. I'll have to look for hidden stashes of over the edge produce. Good lead. Thanks.
I subscribe to this post and all of the articles in one of form have changed my mind set regarding money and how i deal with my single parent household.
I've been thinking about making a still from a 3L kettle with no lid, just a spout. I'm sure that I can simply plug the spout with a stopper or a cork and run the tubing into that, but I would also like to install a deep frying thermometer. Where should I install the thermometer, in the stopper, or somewhere in the body of the kettle? The kettle is stainless steel with a copper bottom, which seems ideal.
I loved,loved,loved this article. I think sometimes we focus too much on those who reach success, and not what leads to failure. It's just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do. I've been reading this blog lately that deals with similar issues, such as balancing a work-family balance while running your own business http://blog.greensherpa.com/index.php/personal-finance/pitfalls-of-perso...
Fellow readers, I hope you can get out as much out of this as I can!
I loved this article, so helpful! I'm looking for any tips that can help me manage my crazy day to day life. If any other readers are looking for some similar blogs I would recommend checking out this one http://blog.greensherpa.com/index.php/personal-finance/pitfalls-of-perso... It's written by a COO/mother that is facing challenges in balancing her work-family life just like the rest of us.
This was a great read. A lot of us will have to face whether to do what's practical or do what we deep down, truly want to do. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do at all, whether it's practical or not. I've also been following this blogger that talks about the struggles of balancing her dream job with her family life/financial situation http://blog.greensherpa.com/index.php/personal-finance/pitfalls-of-perso... I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
As a big proponent of the fact that anyone can be a philanthropist regardless of income, I really enjoyed the articles around the holidays about how to be charitable (and the importance of it) even if you are trying to save money. Giving Back to Those Not Necessarily on Your Christmas List was a good one that springs to mind.
I agree, but...
it depends on your commute. I used to pass by a Ralph's and CVS and Trader Joe's everyday on my way home from work. Commuting time is often lost time, but if you use it pick up some quick groceries on the way home you can reclaim some of that time.
Be sure to put any coupons or sale circulars in your car so you have them on hand.
We are new to frugal living. I am learning more and more about using coupons to save money. Your website had an answer for my question, "What are Catalina's?"
6 Slick Tools to Save Money on Car Repairs. I like the article on Target perimeter shopping as well. That was the first article that introduced me to Wisebread.
Perimeter shopping at Target. I have passed along this article to family and friends. I shop at Target all the time and the tips in this article were right on!
No way I could pick just one! I love the Frugal Living Posts. I love all of the Wise Bread followers, although I sometimes find that Linsey Knerl has posts that might be more applicable to my life. The most recent one about using sub-par produce was super helpful!
I'm confused...why is it embarassing to use the last dollar or two of a gift card? Just use it and then pay the rest with cash or a debit card. Almost every store automatically takes multiple forms of payment. Just give the smallest one first and then a new total is calculated. Then give the next highest one, and so on until you have to pay the balance with real money.
Trust me, cashiers could care less how you pay and they aren't making judgments. ;)
Just seems like a very long post for a very short solution.
I have been using this for at least six months now and my hair feels great. Several tips:
1.DO NOT WASH your hair EVERY day. Even if you use regular shampoo - it is just stripping the natural oils from your scalp - which makes the scalp try to produce more oil to compensate. This one reason it takes some time - more like several weeks rather than one - to allow for the hair and scalp to adjust. RINSE it, if you like (my hair likes to be wetted down to look its best)
2. Why are you using strong smelling apple cider vinegar? For heavens sake, use the distilled white vinegar you ought to have on hand for cleaning anyway. The smell is not nearly so strong and it is just as effective!
3. This one is just personal preference. I make the baking soda and water into a loose paste and rub and massage it through my hair. When I feel like it is thoroughly worked through, I use the vinegar rinse - FOAM AWAY! BTW, and old soft-type (squeezy) water bottle is a great delivery mechanism for the vinegar!
My original source for this method is Green Upgrader: http://greenupgrader.com/8662/what-the-heck-is-no-poo-anyway/
Good luck all!
I think it's a great idea for someone who is young and up-in-coming in life, such as myself, as it helps them gain some perspective of their life and what they want to achieve.
My only worries with this exercise was that possible people who are much older write this list, I guess you would need to be in a certain frame of mind, would realise all the things they haven't/cannot do and that would upset them.
I hope they will realise that there will be much left on their list that they can do and they should get moving.
Ha, I worry too much. Guess I should add 'Worry less' to my list.
Great exercise though. Thanks for making that 20 minutes worth it.
=]
Liam
I tried it last year and gave it up. I have very fine hair and it just looked gross. Also my hairdresser made fun of me! (I didn't go back to them). I do want to give it another shot sometime.
On a related note, I've started using baking soda to wash my face. It's a cleanser and scrub in one. I use witch hazel for a toner, and follow it with pure rosehip oil as a moisturizer. I used to use moderate-to-very expensive cleansers (I've tried it all, from Clinique to Origins to expensive chemical peels to Cetaphil) and this works just fine.
one of my favorite posts has been the Top Seven Reasons Why I Use My Credit Card for Everything. we hear everyday on the news about the problems americans have with their credit cards. but when used responsibly, there are so many benefits. i have been doing this for a couple of years now and enjoy the benefits year round. but at christmas when i am able to use my credit card points towards gifts for friends and family, i am reminded of the fact that sometimes credit cards can even keep you out of debt!
Shopping "European-Style" only works when you can shop early in the day. I live in Europe and work full-time. By the time I get to the store after work, it seems as though all the housewives in the country have bought the freshest of everything. The grocery stores around here do not stock until the next morning.
Claire, I've been using baking soda water to wash and a.c. vinegar water to rinse for about 8 months now, and I. will. never. go. back. My hair is so full and manageable. True, I don't have that silky sheen, but my guess is hair isn't supposed to. I'm also down to 2 haircuts avg per year, because I don't have the split ends, even with blow-drying. AND, I only wash my hair every other day. That's right, this former-oily-haired gal can get away with that now, since there's no more shampoo spurring the oil glands in my scalp!
The cherry on top is the cost, and the environmental factors (I guess that would make it "cherries"). I buy the giant box of baking soda because I use it so many other places (a paste of soda and water is awesome at cleaning my ceramic cooktop stove), so it's ridiculously cheap. And it makes me happy to know that I'm not schlepping more chemicals into the sewage system. :)
Every contributor to Wisebread brings something special to the whole. (You can't see it, but I'm smiling as I think of each of you individually.) Your varied perspectives encourage me to continue thinking outside the box. Tackling our needs within our means. And every writer lives what they write. Thank you all.
I'm hard pressed to choose one article, however Philip Brewer's offhanded mention of "Possum Living" got me to read the book online, then get it through interlibrary loan, and finally ask for it this Christmas. (It was reprinted this year.) This one thing may have had the greatest impact on our current lifestyle. (No, there aren't any rabbits in our cellar.)
Thanks again, Philip, Paul, Lindsey, Myscha, Nora, Jubliani, WC, Will, Julie......
hard to think of a favorite, but I do read your newsletter every day -- I guess I like your roundup of five deals you post - it's very succinct and there's always at least one thing I didn't know about.
Freezing is legal in most areas that allow you to make beer or wine. You simple freeze your mash, then strain it. Hang it in the freezer in a cloth sack to let it drip off. We went over it before with Apple Jack. It works best if you can freeze and then thaw it out, without mixing it, a few times. You can use a salad spinner if you like, or just let it drip in the freezer once it is frozen. This will concentrate the flavours too, so expect INTENSE taste.
The kettle sounds great. You can tap the lid for the thermometer. You may not need it at all if you will be watching it.
For the egg whites, I would consider these items: http://www.bcawa.ca/winemaking/fining.htm
My kids like chunky applesauce, which means you peel the apples first before cooking. Instead of tossing remains into the compost pile as usual, I made my first batch of apple peel jelly. Not only did it taste great, it turned this lovely pink peach color. Pretty enough for gifts. I'll have to look for hidden stashes of over the edge produce. Good lead. Thanks.
I subscribe to this post and all of the articles in one of form have changed my mind set regarding money and how i deal with my single parent household.
I love em all, but you have one of the best "roundups" out there.
Great stuff-esp. the articles that are not necessarily directly PF-related
I've been thinking about making a still from a 3L kettle with no lid, just a spout. I'm sure that I can simply plug the spout with a stopper or a cork and run the tubing into that, but I would also like to install a deep frying thermometer. Where should I install the thermometer, in the stopper, or somewhere in the body of the kettle? The kettle is stainless steel with a copper bottom, which seems ideal.
I loved,loved,loved this article. I think sometimes we focus too much on those who reach success, and not what leads to failure. It's just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do. I've been reading this blog lately that deals with similar issues, such as balancing a work-family balance while running your own business http://blog.greensherpa.com/index.php/personal-finance/pitfalls-of-perso...
Fellow readers, I hope you can get out as much out of this as I can!
I loved this article, so helpful! I'm looking for any tips that can help me manage my crazy day to day life. If any other readers are looking for some similar blogs I would recommend checking out this one http://blog.greensherpa.com/index.php/personal-finance/pitfalls-of-perso... It's written by a COO/mother that is facing challenges in balancing her work-family life just like the rest of us.
This was a great read. A lot of us will have to face whether to do what's practical or do what we deep down, truly want to do. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do at all, whether it's practical or not. I've also been following this blogger that talks about the struggles of balancing her dream job with her family life/financial situation http://blog.greensherpa.com/index.php/personal-finance/pitfalls-of-perso... I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
As a big proponent of the fact that anyone can be a philanthropist regardless of income, I really enjoyed the articles around the holidays about how to be charitable (and the importance of it) even if you are trying to save money. Giving Back to Those Not Necessarily on Your Christmas List was a good one that springs to mind.
BTW I think if U really want 2 get the truth U need 2 go 2 their headquarters and get the facts, not by ur own analogy ...
I agree, but...
it depends on your commute. I used to pass by a Ralph's and CVS and Trader Joe's everyday on my way home from work. Commuting time is often lost time, but if you use it pick up some quick groceries on the way home you can reclaim some of that time.
Be sure to put any coupons or sale circulars in your car so you have them on hand.
We are new to frugal living. I am learning more and more about using coupons to save money. Your website had an answer for my question, "What are Catalina's?"
6 Slick Tools to Save Money on Car Repairs. I like the article on Target perimeter shopping as well. That was the first article that introduced me to Wisebread.
Philip Brewer writes very enjoyable articles, and that is what keeps me coming back to this site.
Perimeter shopping at Target. I have passed along this article to family and friends. I shop at Target all the time and the tips in this article were right on!
No way I could pick just one! I love the Frugal Living Posts. I love all of the Wise Bread followers, although I sometimes find that Linsey Knerl has posts that might be more applicable to my life. The most recent one about using sub-par produce was super helpful!