Reusable Green Tea Bags

There are two ways how to reuse your green tea bags. One way is to simply let it steep twice.
The second way is to save the tea bags after the first usage and then dry and collect them. Once you have accumulated about 5 bags, they can be sewn up in a cheese cloth and then used to bathe in. Yep, particularly green tea is very good because antioxidants can also be absorbed through the skin.

Other highly recommended herbal teas are:
Raspberry Leaf
Peach
Chamomile
Apricot
Ginger

Lotions, Shampoos and other Cleaning Gadgets

I have made a pledge to not buy any more soaps, lotions, conditioners, chap sticks, shampoos, body washes, toothpastes, shaving cremes, make-up, lipsticks, eye liners, hand cremes etc. until the last drop and bitty bit is used up. We are probably looking at the year 2020...

Stand-By Electricity Usage

All electric appliances that have a remote control or have a digital display are on stand-by of some sort and still draw up to one third of their electric supply while in "hibernation" mode. This refers to TVs, DVD players, microwaves, laundry machines, etc. It is a good idea to plug appliances into a power switch and to turn it off completely when not in use.

The Day The 18 Month Old Dryer Went on Strike

Well, this is new. A dryer that heats but refuses to blow air and turn. Hence a heater, not a dryer. A Whirlpool that was. I had to say it. Repairs and parts nowadays easily cost more than buying an entirely new dryer. What to do, repair or buy another new electric dryer? While debating I chose the 3rd option. I invested a few bucks in a laundry line and started air drying our clothes in the basement. I guess that's what basements and attics were for in the old days. Never have to worry about a dryer going on strike again. Good for the environment, good for the electricity bill, nice exercise. I think we have a winner.

Along that line I can only recommend the Whitney Design 5147 Indoor Folding Drying Rack, Chrome for $25.30. It is sturdy and can be used inside as well as outside.
Or just get an old-fashioned Lehigh RC20 20-Foot Retractable Clothesline ($10.42)





My mom always used the Crawford-Lehigh LA84P-1 Large Capacity Deluxe Parallel Clothes Dryer and loved it ($47.99). This model is probably more for outside usage.

Roasted Flour Soup or Dinner for Less than a Buck

5 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion sliced in rings
4 coups bouillon (chicken, vegetable or beef)

Optional (but then the soup will cost a bit more... but taste much better):
croutons-32 oz bag
grated cheese

Brown flour in pot while continuously stirring, then when nicely browned, let it cool off slightly. Add the butter or olive oil and stir with the flour. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes. Pour in the bouillon and bring to a boil while stirring. Lower the heat and let cook for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Season with pepper if necessary.
Serve in pre-warmed plates with croutons and grated cheese. Enjoy!

ZipLoc and Other Plastic Bags

Who said Ziploc storage bags bags can only be used once?
They are made out of plastic after all and can be turned inside out, washed, dried and reused. Personally, I prefer the plain no-name brands offered by Target or Aldi.

Small plastic grocery bags can be used as in-liners for small trash cans. Larger plastic bags (e.g. from Target) suffice as trash bags for your regular kitchen trash. Remember to recycle, it keeps the actual amount of trash to a minimum. Most plastic containers can be recycled these days.

There's no need to pay for something that most stores are giving away for free.

Save a Buck at Starbucks

For the longest time my office buddy and I would go to Starbucks and order each the same type and tall size coffee. Every day, every morning.
Now we order the venti size in two cups. We pretty much cut the costs of coffee in half.
Yearly savings: 5 * 1.70 * 48 = 408 dollars.
Well, you could just brew your own. However it might not always be that easy in an office setting. This nice Voltage Valet Quick Café II (Travel Coffee Maker) for $40.00 seems to offer an alternative when there is limited space available.

Credit Card Dept

Always pay off credit cards with the highest interest rate first (not the ones with the largest balance)! Always.

The interest/balance ratio stays the same regardless of the initial balance ($1000 versus $2000) on a card. However the interest/balance ratio increases SIGNIFICANTLY as the interest rate increases.

1) Pay off card 4 as soon as possible, then 3, then 2 and finally 1.

2) If card 1 isn’t maxed out, transfer the balance from card 4, then 3, then 2 to card 1.

3) Repeat until all your balances are on the lowest rate you can possibly get. Some cards offer 0% APR on balance transfers for up to 6 months, some even 12 months (http://www.creditcards.com/balance-transfer.php). Transfer the balances and then lock that card in a drawer and don’t touch it for purchases! Just pay the monthly bills.

4) Keep shifting until all is paid down.

5) Don’t get yourself into that mess again. If you don’t have the money in the bank the moment when you make the purchase… YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT!

Any little change will make a huge difference in your life. You work hard for your money, don't waste it on credit card companies.

Dave Ramsey however recommends the dept snowball. Paying off your dept starting from the smallest amount and working your way up to the largest amount. If you need more information about how to pay off your dept as fast as possible, his The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness is a great read.