Free Databases, Manuals at Public Libraries

While attending a free library event, I checked out valuable information resources that could save time and money. Free car repair manuals, do-it-yourself roof repair guides and language lessons are all available with a few keystrokes, according to Ellen Book, branch manager of the Pinecrest Branch Library.

That free database is not unique. Across the country, public libraries offer vast collections of research and information.
''We try to find what's most useful,'' Book said.

You'll need a library card to tap into most systems. ''Sites like ours are hidden from search engines,'' Book said. "A library card is the gatekeeper.''

For my local system, the link to the database is on the home page and I must enter my card number before gaining access. If you are overwhelmed by the quantity of information, request an online tour from your librarian. Once you're familiar with it, you'll be able to access the database from home, an Internet café or any computer with an Internet connection.

Here's a guide to some of the bytes and bits of information available at most libraries:

• Auto repair center. Do you need information about a specific car model? Illustrated auto guides are available by model and year. There is also advice on specific types of repairs with do-it-yourself instructions.

• Homework help. Encyclopedias, newspaper articles, magazine features and academic journals are available online through the library. I also took an electronic tour of a biography resource center, a census database and an ''Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center,'' with links to a variety of political and social essays, which are ideal for school debates. For high school and adult students, there are guides to help you prepare for college and professional exams.

• Home repair center. Check out the illustrated home center guides, featuring topics from A to Z. For example, the roof installation section is popular and matches a demand that standard books can not fill, Book said. ''We can't keep enough roofing books on the shelf,'' she said.
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Honey, Eggs & Olive Oil: Home Day Spa Treatments

A home spa experience is tucked into the family kitchen. I'm 50 years old, wrinkle-free, and some of my favorite beauty products are stored in the refrigerator and food cupboard.

Here's the logic: A lot of expensive facial products use fruit acids, honey and olive oil to promote the removal of dead skin and minimization of fine wrinkles. But why pay a fortune for skin care products spiked with food, when you can opt for do-it-yourself recipes without the harmful preservatives and chemicals that are bundled into some personal care products.

With the following ingredients, I have created home spa treatments for my face and hair.

• Tomato and citrus fruits. Slices of tomatoes, oranges and grapefruits promote external and internal health. I slice and eat a bit of the fruit. Step 1: I rub a few of the slices on my face. Step 2: I leave the fruit pulp and juice on my face for 20 minutes. Step 3: Rinse with warm water. Fruit acids brighten the complexion and help your face shed old cells. Test the fruit on a small patch of skin before applying to the entire face.

• Honey and eggs. Whether mixed together or applied separately, honey and raw eggs make a great facial mask. Honey tightens pores and moisturizes the skin. And there's nothing like egg or egg whites on your face. Let the food harden and then rinse with warm water.

• Olive oil. This oil is a wonder product for beauty treatments. I dab olive oil around my eyes and rub it into my hands. Additionally, warm oil is a great hair conditioner. Indeed, many expensive personal care products feature olive oil. I prefer to buy my supply at supermarkets or gourmet food store for a lot less.

• Aloe. One of my favorite home spa treatments comes from the garden on the balcony. I pluck and open a plump leaf from one of our aloe plants. I smear the inner goop on my face and let the green film stiffen for 15 minutes. When I remove the aloe film from my face, my skin feels smoother and tighter.

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Sell Your Home Faster with DIY Home Staging: Make Your Home Look Like a Hotel

If you want to sell a home, look at a hotel. Most specialize in depersonalized and clutter-free areas designed for mass appeal. That concept is a winner in residential real estate, say home stagers.

''Staged'' properties sell about 50 percent faster than homes stuffed with quirky collections, unique interiors and personal photographs. Many professional tricks are easy and affordable.

• Create curbside appeal. An unkempt lawn, dying plants and a dirty walkway will discourage sellers, says Angelina Perez, owner of Bertone, a home-staging company based in Aventura. She recommends sprucing up the lawn with affordable plants, fresh mulch and the use of a pair of clippers.

• Hire or rent a pressure cleaner. Clean the driveway, walkway and exterior walls. Consider new paint for the facade. And look out for small handprints or paw prints on doors and windows.

• Depersonalize. Remove personal collections, one-of-a kind accessories and even family photographs, says Mark Baratto, a certified home stager and real estate agent at http://www.binnovational.com/, a South Florida-based home staging company.

• Streamline. Too much furniture and clutter detract from the basic bones of a home. ''If you can't see it, you can't sell it,'' Baratto says.

• Hit the sales. Baratto recommends buying vases, candles and generic art from the sales section of Pier I and other retail chains. Look for generic items. ''You gotta think hotel,'' Baratto says. Also keep an eye out for lightly scented candles, especially those that smell like just-baked apple pie or chocolate chip cookies.

• Spruce up the bathroom. Toss out the old shower curtain and replace unmatched, thread-worn towels. Shop for looks and don't fret over the quality of the towels, Perez says. ``It's more of a show. You're showcasing your home.''

• Clean, clean, clean. If you're not a competent housekeeper, hire a professional crew to do your dirty work. Rent a carpet cleaner or hire a professional.

It all goes back to the hotel-room concept. If a room appears dirty or untidy, hotel guests promptly check out and leave.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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Previous Posts

Yesterday:

My Mom Fired Her Holiday Presents
Insights on Suze Orman & Other Links I Liked: My Weekly Reader

Jan. 1: New Financial Aid Season for Students Begins: Tips for 2008

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach:How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere! , which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Frugal Gift Guide: Pretty DIY Baskets (Last-Minute Specials)

Pre-packaged gift baskets: $45 and up. DIY: $10 and under. I once made gift baskets that were placed in a little gift shop in an area hospital and a little boutique. I kept my day job, but I learned a lot about gift baskets.

BTW: This post was prompted by a post called: Lack of Time = Crappy Christmas Presents? From Make Love Not Debt .

Cheap, Easy and Pretty Gift Baskets

(aka Last-Minute Gift Ideas):

1. Pick a theme: Movies? Home Spa? Cheese 'n Fruit? Candy? Coffee and Tea? Gardening?

2. Shop for ideas. Get visual tips from magazines, catalogues, floral shops and online.

3. Buy inexpensive baskets: Dollar stores have festive baskets for a buck a piece. Thrift stores also have lots of baskets (new or in good condition) for super cheap prices. Also craft stores have periodic sales on baskets.

4. Shop the sales. Hit the clearance section for high-end treats at low prices. For example, at Marshall's I've found gourmet coffee beans, candies and designer bath supplies at super cheap prices. These items look elegant and expensive when arranged in a pretty basket. Also shop the sales at high-end gourmet food shops and natural food stores. Even Starbucks has discounted mugs and trinkets at the sales table.

Other specialty stores also feature rotating sales of chocolates, wines, cheeses and other gourmet treats that are perfect for holiday baskets.

6. Consider the recipient. If a friend is really into baking or gardening, create a special basket with accessories or treats based on their hobby. For instance, for a gardener: seed packets, garden supplies, gardening gloves or a small-how to book on gardening.

7. Buy pretty wrapping supplies: Cellophane paper, ribbons and tags (homemade or otherwise) can really make or break a gift basket. It's not hard to make it look pretty and professional. I have found super cheap wrapping supplies on eBay.com

8. Set up an assembly line: When we make gift baskets, we line up the supplies on our dining room table and set up an organized system for filling, stuffing and wrapping. This division of labor is efficient and everyone gets very professional about filling their specific function.

Here's a proposed shopping list for a bath spa gift basket:

1. Basket $1

2. Pretty soaps: $1-$3. On amazon.com, I spotted gift soaps with prices starting at 72 cents. I have also found great deals at Walgreens, CVS and Marshalls.

3. Bath crystals: Available for under $1.50 in pretty packets.

4. Bath oils (see photo): I found a set of 12 for $3.75 (use all or split up the package and use for several baskets).

5. Bath brushes & other trinkets: Here's a pretty set for $5.25 and I have seen lower prices.

6. Scented candles: $1 . We once found a great sale on scented votive candles for 20 cents each.

Other gift ideas:

1) a mixing bowl packed with fresh baked cookies, recipes and assorted kitchen tools.

2) a large clear cosmetic bag stuffed with body creams, elaborate soaps and other day spa treats.

Recent Posts

Today:

Permanently Parked: How & When to Ditch the Old Car

Yesterday:
What's More Than a Hummer, Beemer or Mercedes? Why We Ditched Our Old Car

Don't Shake & Eat: A Holiday Health Guide to Save $500 & Up
Financial Points from D-Wade's 31-Pt Eclipse of the Suns

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Home Repairs: When to DIY; When to Hire a Pro

When our sliding glass door gets stuck, my husband blasts the track with WD-40, a popular lubricant. But not all home repairs are so simple. Home improvement experts offer these guidelines.

There are a number of basic repairs that homeowners should master, according to Stefano Bello, manager at A1 America's Handyman in Miami. ''A normal person should be able to patch a wall,'' Bello said. Painting and pressure-washing of outdoor walls are other simple tasks.

EASY REPAIR PROJECTS
Here are some additional DIY projects:
• Fix a loose or stuck toilet handle. The online how-to library at Lowe's (http://www.lowes.com/) has an extensive and illustrated primer on the mechanics of different repairs. To repair a toilet handle, for example, Lowe's outlines these steps: 1) Take off the tank cover; 2) Remove any buildup or residue from ''the mounting nut,'' which is inside the tank, just behind the handle. Apply vinegar with a brush to remove limestone crust from the mounting nut. 3) Check the tension in the handle chain. Loosen or tighten the chain by hooking the chain on a different link.

• Basic drain repairs. Consumers should be able to clear drains with a plunger or replace drain traps. For those tasks and other basic plumbing projects, Home Depot has a step-by-step guide at http://www.homedepot.com/, click on "know how" guide.

READ THE BOX
For these next three projects, follow directions that come with the product. If you still have questions, call the toll-free number or ask for help at a hardware store:
• Change door knobs and locks.
• Remove and replace a sink faucet.
• Install a sink stopper.

Consider A Pro
Attempt these intermediate-level jobs if you have the necessary skills, knowledge and equipment:
• Insulation installation. A novice should not attempt to handle and install fiberglass insulation in walls or a roof. ''You have to know how to protect your hands and your eyes,'' Bello said.
• Bathroom tiles.
• Tub installations.
• Low-voltage installations. Home Depot offers an online guide for installing a telephone extension and a jack for cable television.

Hire a Pro
• Installation of windows or glass sliding doors.
• Electrical installations of major fixtures or wiring

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.
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Free Online Tools for Creating Your Own Floor Plans & Designs

Forget hammers and nails. Help for design projects is online. A number of free or fee-based ($15 and up) software programs enable consumers to create floor plans for the home or office.
Even if you're hiring a decorator, the programs can streamline the consulting process and avoid costly misunderstandings by providing a full-color sketch of your tastes.

Here's a sample of design programs that arrange furniture, fixtures and other accents:
• http://www.seemydesign.com/: This free design program guides you step by step. Step one: Select colors from an online paint chart. Step two: Customize a basic grid by providing room dimensions and selecting furnishings from a broad selection of items. Step three: Rotate and arrange the furniture. The program provides floor and fixture selections and names of retail and wholesale outlets that sell the items you select. You can save, print and e-mail your floor plan to a designer or yourself.

• Online "Room Planners'': A few retail chains offer free online programs that let you design a floor plan using furniture from their showrooms. Two such chains are Ethan Allen at EthanAllen.com and Thomasville at Thomasville.com. Within 30 days, Carls plans to introduce an online design program at www.carls.com.

Each program differs, but here are the basic steps. The room planner option is typically on the main page of the website. You will have the option of selecting either a ''prebuilt'' layout or creating your own floor plan. You can then arrange the floor plan with furniture and accessories from the store's showroom. On the Icovia Room Planner offered by Thomasville you can alter walls, redefine corners and resize furniture by clicking on icons or dragging the mouse. (The link to the room planner is on the upper right hand corner of the main page.)

To access a greater range of online design features, Thomasville requires online registration. Registration allows you to save floor plans and to e-mail your designs to others.

Home Depot offers a variety of do-it-yourself home design software at affordable prices. Design packages include a three-dimension floor-plan design program for the entire home for $19.95 or design programs for specific indoor or outdoor projects, including bathrooms, garage doors and decks. Most of the programs cost $15 to $30.

That's my latest column from the Miami Herald.

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The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store

Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues
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Home Dry-Cleaning Kits...Do They Really Work?

I have a home-dry cleaning kit sitting in the bottom of my linen closet. And yes, it works fine for some laundry tasks: freshening up skirts and some suits.

But I've had mixed success with other clean-up tasks and some stains. Often, clothes laundered through my DIY efforts still need to be pressed when coming out of the dryer. In fact, I have a friend who really saves on her dry cleaning bill by either using the kits or hand-washing some items and then sending those clothes to the dry cleaner for a professional ironing. Iron-only service is far cheaper than a total professional dry cleaning bill.

Of course, I could skip the dry-cleaning bill (and chemicals) altogether by only wearing machine washable clothes and I know people who do this.

But meanwhile, this chart and fact sheet from the International Fabric Institute (IFI) has great tips about how to get the most from your money when using dry cleaning kits.

Here's a sample:

What can you expect [from DIY Kits]?

"In general, most of the products work well on freshening or removing odors such as smoke. Therefore, these products can be successfully used to freshen garments; for example, removing odors from sweaters after winter storage.

In terms of stain removal, IFI found that most of the products work well on water-based stains such as cola. Stains that are oil-based (ketchup, lipstick) presented more of a challenge for the home dry cleaning kits. In some cases, these products caused the stain to spread, which created a bigger stain. None of the products removed ground-in soils, which consumers typically see as "ring around the collar" or dirty cuffs." -- source: IFI

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Lessons from Harrison Ford's DIY Home Project

Harrison Ford did his own remodeling on his old home in Hollywood Hills, which is now reportedly selling for $1.3 million, according to the Dec. 11 issue of Us magazine.

The Star Wars and Indiana Jones star is apparently taking on another fixer-up project, according to Us, which offers this photo of Harrison Ford (third picture down on the left) with a cart of hardware store supplies.

"Carpenter turned actor Harrison Ford picked up drywall supplies in L.A. November 18." --Us Magazine.

My husband is also big into DIY home projects and we have a few rules about our own fix-up efforts.

1. Be realistic about the time commitment. If you don't have time to finish a project (like a kitchen or dining room), hire someone to do the job right. A prolonged kitchen makeover, for example, could lead to expensive takeout meals or empty-calorie meals like instant soup.

Figure out how much time & money, the project will cost you in terms of your hourly wage rate. Unless you really, really enjoy DIY projects, hire someone else if the cost of your time/lost income outweighs the expense of a professional.

I imagine that Ford must do his handy-man act during gaps between movies and other entertainment production projects.

2. Be honest about your skills. Harrison Ford is a former carpenter. He has the right technical skills to do his part with the hammer and drywall. But if you lack the right skills or tools, the do-over may be more expensive. Both Lowe's and Home Depot offer DIY courses on line and in their stores.

Here's a link to an earlier post about free DIY classes



Also my husband loves Ready Made magazine, a hip publication with lots of cool DIY projects.

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