Fertilizer from Starbucks, Cheap Anti-Cellulite Cream & Other Uses for Coffee Grounds

Who Knew? Coffee grounds are good for home repairs, gardening, and beauty. Here are a few tips that I've collected, including tips that I've tried or heard about from a friend.

My latest ode to coffee was inspired by the October 1, 2007 issue of First for Women magazine.

1. Plant food: Dump used coffee grounds on plants. A grandmother of one my friend's always did this with her old coffee and tea grounds. Used grounds "refreshen soil elements," according to First magazine. A thin coat over dirt helps to fertilize your garden and "precipitation will release nitrogen from the coffee grounds into the soil," the magazine reports. This also enhances new plant growth.

You can also get free used grounds from some Starbucks cafes.


2. Meat tenderizer: First offers a recipe that calls for coffee grounds as a "tasty marinade."
I eat mostly vegetarian, but I will try this recipe when we have steak.

a. Mix in a bowl: 1/3 cup of coffee grounds and 1/3 cup of pepper (coarsely grounded)
b. Lather steaks in olive oil
c. Dip steaks in coffee mix
d. Refrigerate steaks for half-hour before grilling.

The reasoning behind the seasoning: "The tannic acids in the coffee break down tough muscle fibers to make the meat more tender," the magazine reports. Also the coffee beefs up the flavor in the meat

3. Hair dye: Yes, I have tried this and yes, it sort-of works. Cooled coffee, when poured over the hair, actually deepens hair color. After my coffee treatment, my hair was richer, darker and java-scented.

Here's is the First recipe:

1/4 cup of coffee grounds
3 cups of hot water
steep the coffee in the water
Let it cool!
Dump the coffee (strained?) over your hair
Let it sit for a few minutes
Rinse your hair with warm water

Here's how it works: The "tannins" in the coffee serve as a natural hair dye: "This dark dye also conceals gray hair between touch-ups."--source: First magazine.


4. Prevent clogged drains. (Disclaimer: This procedure is not recommended for pipes that are fully clogged or backed up.)

1/2 cup of used coffee grounds
4 cups of warm water
pour the grounds into the drain
use this procedure once a week to prevent clogged sink pipes.

The process: "As the grounds move through the tubes, friction against the internal walls dislodges stuck food to keep the pipes clear and running smoothly." source: First

Other uses for coffee grounds:

• eliminates/reduces odors in refrigerators: On a bottom shelf, leave a bowl of filtered coffee grounds in your frig over night.
• furniture repair: Mix 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds in four ounces of hot water. Let it sit for five minutes. Using a cotton swap, apply the coffee mix to nicks in dark furniture. "The tannins in coffee act as a dye to darken scratches, making the marks less obvious," First reports.
• cellulite cream: apply this mixture to dimpled skin: 1/2 cup of used or fresh coffee grounds and 2/3 cup of olive oil. Massage this coffee-olive oil paste into your cellulite patches for 2 minutes before rinsing with warm water. For tight skin, take this action twice a week. The How: The coffee with caffeine "dehydrates fat cells." The rough texture exfoliates the skin! Hmmmm?

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How to Prep & Pack for a Yard Sale: Tips from Fire Finance

A successful yard sale outing depends more on planning and less on shopping, according to the folks at Fire Finance (www.firefinance.blogspot.com/), a top-rated personal finance blog written by Amalendu Haldar and his wife, Hoimonti Basu, a pair of engineers from Boston. Using maps, power tools, paper towels and ropes, they hunt down yard sale deals for their home. Here are some of their tips:


Create a wish list. The Fire Finance team maintains a list of items needed around their home. ''We keep a simple notebook and pen on our kitchen counter. When we need something, we write it in this notebook,'' they told me during a recent online interview.


Establish priorities. Not every item on their wish list falls into the must-have/must-buy category. After a one-week cooling-off period, the engineers evaluate each item on the basis of need vs. want. ''We wait and see if we can really do without it,'' they said.


Get out the maps. After sorting through the weekly list of yard sales, the husband-and-wife team spends time mapping out the shortest route, with the help of Google, Yahoo! and AAA.com. This step saves time and gas, they say. They use the mileage estimate provided by the online trip-planning services to eliminate sales that are too far. (They will, however, travel 50 to 75 miles if a garage sale advertises a big-ticket item from their wish list.)


Pack your bags. The duo packs power tools, a rope, paper towels and a measuring tape. These items are used for dissembling, cleaning up, carting away or measuring purchases.
And you might want to pack food: Well-fed shoppers make smarter decisions.

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

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How to Avoid Double-Billing at the Supermarket: Another Tale of the Tape

It's an honest mistake, but we almost paid for it. At supermarkets, some cashiers accidentally, but frequently ring up the same merchandise twice. Yesterday, we were billed twice (a total of $7.10) for a container of Florida Brown Crystal Sugar. My husband caught the error and had the cashier fix the double-billing.



Here's what happens:



1. While making a gesture with her hands, the cashier accidentally waved the sugar over the electronic eye, which registered the price.

2. Unaware that the item had already been added to the tally, she rang it up a second time.



3. Bottom line: We were hit twice for a single item.



"I can't tell you how many times I've caught them doing that," my husband says of the double-scanning cashiers. "They don't do it on purpose. But it does happen a lot."

Everyone makes mistakes: People are busy; stores are crowded; mistakes happen. It's our job to watch the tape.

It's another entry for my $2 a Day Savings Challenge.

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Goodwill Operates eBay Style Auction for Thrift Shopping

Many of us love thrift shops, but lack the time to hunt for treasures at second-hand stores. Goodwill addressed that problem with http://www.shopgoodwill.com/, an eBay-style electronic marketplace and auction platform. The merchandise, including antiques, is posted with photos by 71 Goodwill organizations around the country, according to Joan Dornbach, vice president of marketing for Goodwill of Orange County in California.

''People don't expect Goodwill to be on the cutting edge of technology,'' Dornbach said.
Items sell anywhere from $1 to $165,000 for an oil painting by Frank Weston Benson, an American Impressionist (1862-1951), said Ryan Smith, the Internet database architect for shopgoodwill.com.

''My favorite thing to search for there is art,'' according to a post from Modern Roost, a blogger (http://www.modern-roost.blogspot.com/). ``You can really find some amazing stuff. I have to admit, it's a little bit of a crap-shoot. Luckily, for me, that's what makes thrift shopping fun. The competition for the goods is every bit as fierce as on eBay, but all of the proceeds go to a very worthy cause.''

In August, shopgoodwill.com posted more than 55,000 items and sold 45,000 from inventory that includes antiques, collectibles, clothing, electronics, books and musical instruments, which are arranged according to category. Online shoppers spend an average time of 20 minutes buying items on the site.

''You get to find unique items that you don't normally see on eBay and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are supporting a good cause,'' Smith said.
As an online flea market, shopgoodwill.com has pulled in $46 million in revenue since January 2000, including more than $10 million last year.

Here are tips for using the site:
• Buyer registration is required but free.
• Purchases are not tax deductible. Review the shipping and handling fees.
• Know the categories. Auctions listed in the ''Going, Going, Gone'' category are due to end in five hours or less. Those featured as ''Ending Today'' are auctions with a 24-hour shelf life.
• Contact the seller. Buyers with questions about a specific item can contact the individual Goodwill store. E-mail links are posted with the description for each item.
• Payment is accepted in many forms, including major credit and debit cards, money orders and personal checks.

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



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Grad Money Matters Bust 82 Financial Myths

Grad Money Matters has posted: Campaign Against Financial Myths: 82 Myths Busted! The series examines "popular myths and misconceptions on several different topics related to finances such as debt, credit cards, investing, mortgage, frugality etc. "

Here are a few of the myths that caught my eye:


"Myth: “Money = Happiness” While money can certainly make life a lot easier, several surveys have reported that rich people are not necessarily happier than the poor people.

Myth: “I could be hit by a bus and die tomorrow. So why bother to save?” Yes, you could be hit by a bus and die tomorrow – so make the best of today. But just in case you don’t get hit by that bus, make sure you have some savings to tide you along.

Myth: “I bought the plasma TV/designer boots/widgets during a sale, so I saved a lot of money.” Unless you really needed the plasma TV/designer boots/widgets, you are only fooling yourself by thinking that you saved money by buying these items - be it on sale or not. "


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How We Saved $375 on a Digital Camera

After toting around a huge digital camera that is held together by tape, my husband and I were overdue for a new digital camera. (An important tool for both of us).


Over the course of one year, the Sony digital camera that we wanted to buy has dropped from the original price of $510 (in 2006) to the current price of $135.

My husband purchased the camera today at Office Depot, which was having one of its big clearance sales. It's pretty sleek and works better for us. Our old camera (purchased in 2002) is about the size of a brick and is now the property of my 9-year-old daughter, who is appreciative of her new gadget.

So that 's my entry for the $2 a Day Savings Challenge.
Today's tally: $375.




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My Favorite Picks from the 92st Festival of Frugality

No Credit Needed (NCN) has hosted the 92nd Festival of Frugality. It's an excellent lineup and with so many great posts, it was hard to pick favorites. But here are a few posts that caught my eye:

From Blueprint For Financial Prosperity: Financial Goals & Frugality

From Five Cent Nickel: High Electric Bills and the Battle Against Increasing Energy Costs

From AskDong: Pouring a last glass of Gatorade for a while

From Mom Advice: A His & Hers Gift to Remember

From Gather Little By Little: Using Craigslist to earn money.

From Raising4Boys: How to Build a Double (or Single) Desk on the Cheap

From Everything Finance: Saving on homeowners’ insurance.

From The Digerati Life : Gracious & frugal house guests.

Thanks to the host for compiling such a great festival and including my post:(tips for buying refurbished items.)
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Almost Cheated by the Cash Register: A Battery-Charged Story

Cash register tapes can lie, deceive & cheat. Therefore, it's important to speak to the store manager when you need a price check. Those are the lessons I picked up from a recent shopping trip for double-A batteries, which my middle son needed for a project (don't ask). Of course, we were out. Even our life-in-Miami, hurricane-emergency supply drawer was depleted.



So I walked to CVS. Big mistake. Sometimes, that chain has great deals, fabulous deals on merchandise. But not on that specific trip. I thought I had stumbled into a gift shop in the lobby of a South Beach hotel or at a theme park! I was shocked by the prices for a package of AA batteries. Even the no-name brand batteries were a copper-coated fortune.



So I walked to Walgreens, which had batteries that seemed affordable. I found a package for under $3, but when I got to the register, the computer scanned in $6. I approached a manager, who kindly escorted me to the battery section.



The problem: I had picked up one of the store's "last chance" orange-ticket markdown items. Unfortunately, the discounted amount was not yet keyed into the computerized scanning system. So my bargain evaporated under the red beam of an inflated digital scan.



The manager escorted me back to the cash register and told the cashier to manually override the system. I thanked him and recorded another entry for my $2 a Day Savings Challenge.



Full price of the batteries: $5.99

Sale price: $2.79



My savings $3.20

The lesson: Priceless! (Sorry, Mastercard.)





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How to Buy Refurbished Products

When shopping for electronics and appliances, you can save 30 percent to 80 percent by purchasing refurbished products.

Robert Silva, a California-based electronics expert, recommends these tips for buying refurbished DVD players, televisions, computers and home entertainment systems, but they also apply to kitchen appliances.


• Know your terms. Refurbished goods include returned items, new merchandise in damaged boxes, floor models, repackaged overstock or clearance items. The category also includes items that have been slightly damaged during shipping and assembly line rejects that have been repaired. The condition of ''refurbished'' appliances greatly varies, depending on the store.


• Speak to the manager. The sales staff may not know details, but the manager or the store buyer may provide insight about a product's history, Silva said in a phone interview. He is the author of an electronics guide (hometheater.about.com) and the home theater expert for About.com, an affiliate service from the New York Times.



• Look for authorized sellers. They may offer attractive warranties or return policies for refurbished products. In contrast, dealers who are not authorized sellers may sell refurbished appliances on a no-warranty, no-return basis.


• Check the warranties. U.S. online buyers could inadvertently purchase refurbished merchandise with warranties that are worthless in this country. Silva recommends that online shoppers inquire about U.S. warranties (ask for 15 to 90 days).


• Ask about extended warranties. It doesn't matter if you plan to actually buy an extended warranty. Your goal is to find out if the store or manufacturer has enough confidence to offer an extended warranty for a rehabilitated product.


• Know your prices. Take note of the brand name and model number of the refurbished item. Go online and check out the price of a comparable model in mint condition.

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


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Links I Liked: My Favorite Posts for the Week

Here are a few of my favorite posts from other bloggers filed over the past week:

From The Frugal Law Student: Save over $1440 A Year By Brown Bagging It

From Single Ma's Fabulous Financials: Misconceptions About Saving Money

From Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge: UGH. My Teeth are KILLING ME

From Chief Family Officer: Saving $480 per year vs. Full freedom of choice

From Frugal For Life: 10 Ways To Save An Emergency Fund

From Adult ADD And Money: Is your ADHD to blame for your money issues?

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My Favorite Picks from the 91st Festival of Frugality

Stephanie at Stop The Ride hosted the 91st Festival of Frugality. (Excellent hosting!) Here are my favorite links from that festival:

Rest is a Frugal Activity from Unclaimed Money

What Would You Give Up To Save Some Money? My Two Dollars by David at My Two Dollars.

11 Things Buffy Taught Me About Frugality And Simplicity by Mer at Living Behind The Curve.

12 Meals that are Easy, Cheap, and Healthy at The Frugal Law Student.


Monday Saving Monday Tip #8 - Buy Items At the Right Time at Gather Little By Little.


Creating your own game at Frugal Underground.

Thanks to the host for putting together a great festival and including my post in the mix:
Bad Vitamins & Other Dollar Store Duds to Avoid.


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How Saving $2 Fixed My Brain: Happy New Year

I've never been diagnosed as ADD of ADHD, but if I could still for the battery of tests, I'm pretty sure they'd declare me a poster child for adult attention deficit, hyper-style. Or maybe I just multi-task too much or move too quickly. I'm too busy to really evaluate those issues or to pay someone lots of money to tell me what I already know: My creative brain is organizationally-challenged and overloaded with commitments.



But my $2 a Day Savings Challenge has delivered a new order to my hyper-drive brain waves. Here's how:



1) Better housekeeping skills. I count the small change. In short, I've tapped into the value of hyper focus. Quite frankly, some days I'm not really sure if I have honestly met my $2 a day savings target.



So then I walk around my house trying to collect $2 worth of change and in that driven pursuit of loose metal, I also tidy my house. For instance, when I pick up a quarter near the bar, I might also straighten up the newspaper pile or toss out the old store flyers. On my dresser, I've collected dimes and put away the folded clothes.



It's like collecting small tips for housework.



2) Improved diet: Confession: I'm a size 2. But this summer after working on a book project (The Frugal Duchess of South Beach; Spring 2008, DPL Press), I've gained a small bit of weight. I still wear a size 2, but only the size twos that are sold in expensive stores, where they flatter you into thinking that you are a size 2, when maybe you're a 4 or a 6 or 8 & up.



Now before the $2 a day challenge, if you asked me how I gained this weight, I would have been clueless. I do yoga and I eat tofu. But I eat lots of donuts, chips and ice cream. And that's why I can't fit into my real size 2 skirts anymore and have to wear those bigger size twos. I spend too much money on junk food! Bottom line: By trying to save an extra $2 a day, I realized that I am a junk food addict and have improved my eating habits.



3) Better organization: We lost my son's dress pants before my parents' gala 50th anniversary celebration in late August, when relatives and friends from five states were in Central Florida to meet my kids for the first time. And my teenage son only had his below-the-no belt line, below-the-knees, hip-hop shorts (very cute) to wear and it was really my fault. If we were better organized, we would not have had to purchase last-minute black dress pants and shirt for about $40 at Target.



The push to save $2 a day has made me realize that my chronic disorganization has cost us a bundle. What's more, we almost broke my mom's heart because her grandchildren almost looked like poor orphans and thugs at a major family event. The story has a happy ending because we all looked picture perfect and happy at the party.



4) Self-edit: I talk too much. I should save more and talk less. And on that note, I'm going to hit the self-edit button and say that saving $2 a day has made me slow down, pay attention and keep better track of words and money.



I'm off this line through Saturday night to Celebrate Rosh HaShanah (The New Year!).
Greetings to all!



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Is it OK to Read Magazines in Stores? Companies Answer!

Is it ethical to go to a bookstore and read magazines in the aisles or in the store cafe? That's the question that was posed to me when I wrote this post about saving money on magazines.


A few people wrote in with tips and Financial Diva asked if free-reading (with coffee) at a bookstore is an accepted practise.

"Financial Diva said...
I find my local bookstore frowns on people taking magazines
into the coffee shop area and reading them for free. Do you just take them
anyway (I am always the good one!) or read them in other parts of the
bookstore?"

Good question. I usually sit down with my selection of magazines and read. I pay for the coffee; I might make a purchase. And I'm not alone; other readers are equally armed with coffee and periodicals. Are we wrong? I called around and asked a few questions and this is what I found.



"We encourage our customers to spend time in our stores," said Kolleen O’Meara, a spokeswoman for Borders (http://www.borders.com/).

Kolleen told me that the average Borders customers spends about one hour at the bookstore. And browsers are encouraged to retreat with magazines into the store-run coffee shop: "Usually our magazines are by the cafe," Kolleen said.



Likewise, it's the same story from the staff at Books & Books--a small regional and independent store in Southern Florida. Here's my conversation with a staffer from the Coral Gables branch of the Books & Books.



Q. Is it okay to read magazines in the store?



A. "Right now there are three people outside reading magazines. Lots of people come in and read.



Q. But what about retreating with magazines and coffee at your cafe?

A. Yeah, of course.



Here's a snippet of my conversation at another bookstore:

Q. Is it okay to read magazines in the store?

A. "It's hard to say yes or no. It depends. We have people who come in all day. They stay for a little while and that's fine.



Q. Browsing & reading magazine?

A. "People browse and look through magazines all day long and that's fine. But if they're here all day long and don't buy anything that's different."



During my own travels (Florida, Utah, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, etc), I've often chilled out at Barnes & Noble and independent stores with coffee & magazines in the lounge chairs in or near the cafe/newsstand.



But many drugstores have clear signs: "Do not read the magazines." So I guess the rules are store-by-store. It doesn't hurt to ask.

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Homework Help: Frugal Organization for the School Year

During the school year, students often have special assignments that demand time, energy and money. Fortunately, with a few time-saving steps, homework duties can be less stressful and time-consuming.


Sort home supplies. Take the divide-and-conquer approach when stashing home supplies, said Suzy Wilkoff, owner of Tasks Unlimited (http://www.tasksunlimited.com/), which is based in South Florida. She recommends separating pens, pencils, erasers, tape and staples into plastic containers or storage boxes of different colors. Use labels. In my house, school supplies are sorted into clear, vertical drawers. Having supplies on hand reduces the need for late-hour shopping trips on deadline.


Use a bookshelf. These are ideal for storing supplies, paper, notebooks and tablets.


Create a homework center. Whether it's the dining room table or a formal desk, homework needs a designated site.


Make a file box for each child. Wilkoff recommends establishing a file box for each child with color-coded or labeled files for each subject and after-school activity. ''It is very important to continually go through papers and discard what is nonessential,'' Wilkoff said, suggesting a monthly review.


Use a bulletin board. School notices, invitations and other announcements can be posted in chronological order and removed after the event is over. A wall calendar and a dry erase board are also helpful.


Color code events -- games, tests, tutoring sessions -- with a different marker for each child. While computer calendars and electronic reminders are great, a large family calendar or bulletin board keeps everyone up to date.


Give each child a manila folder. Too often important notices and letters from school get lost in backpacks. A manila envelope is 'a great way to keep the `pertinent' paper-type items organized inside a book bag that may have a habit of getting messy,'' Wilkoff says. Just be sure to check the envelope weekly.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.
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The Donut Downfall: $2 a Day Savings Challenge

The $2 a Day Savings Challenge continues, but I'm not sure how to count the coins today. We spent about $6 for breakfast: (Croissants, donuts and muffins). But after that expense, we were quite tightfisted:



Leftovers for lunch: rice & cheese: ( from the frig into the microwave, with olive oil, tamari and spices.)

Free food dinner: Come-on-over invitation from friends. ( no expense)



Bottom line: If it weren't for the breakfast treats, we would have had a zero expense day.

Lessons:

1. Menu planning should begin with breakfast. Don't start the day with a sugar rush.
2. Don't underestimate the financial power of a well-stocked frig.
3. Small-ticket expenses always slip under the radar. In fact, I had planned to write a post about my zero-cost, free-food day and then I remembered the donuts and had to re-write this post to reflect reality.






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Favorite Picks from Bean Sprouts' 90th Festival of Frugality

Bean Sprouts has done an excellent job hosting the 90th Festival of Frugality. Here are a few of my favorite picks:

BeingFrugal.Net presents One Must be Organized to be Frugal

car sharing clubs posted at plonkee money

Going Kosher... Naturally posted at Fish Creek House - INNside Innkeeping,

How’s Your Health Been Lately? posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket

Frankendress: How to make play dresses from recycled t-shirts using only one seam posted at Juggling Frogs.

Voluntary Simplicity - The Path to Happiness? : Slow Down Fast Today! posted at Slow Down Fast Today!.

Renting versus Owning posted at My Wealth Builder.

McMansions and the Carbon Tax posted at Queercents.

Thanks to the host for constructing a great festival and for including my post (Feed Flowers Sprite & Other Frugal Tips for Cut Flowers) in the roundup.
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Links I Liked: My Favorite Posts for the Week

Here are a few of my favorite posts for the week:

From No Credit Needed:Planning For A Trip With The Kids

From Give Me Back My Five Bucks: Breaking down the cost of taking a vacation

From DealBook: Debt Chill Could Last, Banker Says

From Money, Matter and More Musings: A Little Pizza Problem and Stop Going Crazy With Birthday Parties For Kids

From Consumerism Commentary: Accidental Landlords

From Zen Habits: 72 ways to simplify your life. (recently featured in: Consumerist)

From Consumerist: Hardballs: Get Your Complaint Resolved By Posting It To The Company's Stock Forums

From My Two Dollars: Book A Trip Through Expedia, Only Pay Half?

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Cutting Costs on Magazines: $2 a Day Savings Update

I've hit the $2 a Day Savings Challenge target by cutting my reading costs by $21. One of my favorite magazines is Poets & Writers. With informative articles about the craft of writing and leads about grants, prizes and other income-producing writing opportunities, this publication is a must-read/must-have for me.

Bottom line: I pay $6 every two months for each edition. (There is a free on-line version, but not all of the articles are available online.) So as part of my daily savings challenge, I have paid $15 for a one-year subscription vs. the $36 ($6 x 6) for newsstand costs.

Here are other ways that I save on magazine expenses.

1) Go to the public library. Despite recent budget cuts, many neighborhood public libraries have a great selection of magazines and journals.

2) Visit bookstores. Many high-end bookstores have tables and comfy chairs for reading. Sometimes, I splurge and buy a cup of coffee. But for $3, I can hangout and read about $20 worth of magazines.

3) Accept hand-me-downs. My family, friends and neighbors often pass on their magazines to me.

4) Go on-line. Most publications have free websites. Not all of the print content is posted, but there's enough to enjoy.

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Sales Insanity & Honesty: $2 a Day Savings Challenge Update

Don't borrow kiddie piggy bank savings! Don't count money like Enron. Those are 2 of the honesty in savings rules I've developed for my $2 a Day Savings Challenge. These rules, I've discovered, apply not just to my daily savings target, but also to my efforts to save for bigger goals. Here are my rules so far:

• Don't count money like Enron: It's so easy to write down phantom savings. This dubious money plan works like this: I didn't really need two new printers, but I stumble upon a buy-one-get-one half off/free offer. But honestly, if I don't need new printers, I haven't saved money by taking the BOGO offer. In fact, I've wasted money. The same applies for clothing sales, shoe sales and office-supply sales. If I buy a sale item at a bargain price, it's a waste if I buy more than I really need. Therefore, my $2 a day savings plan will not include temporary sales insanity.
  



• Kiddie Savings: My children have become excellent savers and shoppers. And I've helped them to figure out if a deal-is-really a good bargain. Through our joint efforts, we've saved money. But is it fair to count kiddie cash savings in my total? Nah! That's like a writing teacher taking credit for a student's poem. The teacher may have helped but the credit goes to the student. Bottom line: My children' s piggy bank savings can't be merged into my challenge total.



• The stay-at-home shopper. I'm browsing through the Sunday paper store flyers and I'm clicking through the Internet. I've even made a list of every item I want to buy, but I wisely change my mind. So does this non-activity count as a savings? That depends: If I have my credit/debit/cash card out and I change my mind just before the transaction, I have really saved money. And almost daily, I have stopped myself--money in hand--before buying junk food, expensive coffee and other non-essentials. But If I'm just making a wish list, with no plans to buy, then those savings aren't real.

My $2 challenge, therefore, has made me a better shopper and saver. But more importantly, I've become more honest about how much I'm really stashing away.

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Bad Vitamins & Other Dollar Store Duds to Avoid

I like dollar stores, but there are some real duds in the bargain bins. In the Aug./Sept. issue of ShopSmart, a Consumer Reports publication, there is an informative list of items to avoid at dollar stores:

• Vitamins: Consumer Reports found that some of the dollar store vitamins had truth gaps. Not every ingredient listed on the label was actually used and the vitamins weren't properly absorbed in a test. Best Buy: ShopSmart recommends name brands: Bayer One A Day or Centrum. "In our tests, those brands dissolved properly and had all the claimed nutrients," ShopSmart said. Or read labels for verification from U.S. Pharmacepia and NSF International.

My personal pet peeves: vitamins with artificial colors. I purchased one drug store brand and was surprised and annoyed to find Yellow and Red dyes on the label. Yuck. Now, I look for brands with no dyes or harmful chemicals. So it pays to read labels at standard stores as well.

• Electrical Products: At some dollar stores there are electrical products (holiday lights, fans, and extension cords) with bogus safety labels. That's dangerous because "undersized wiring" could spark electrical fires. Look for: certification from Underwriters Laboratories and make sure the certification is real by checking for a hologram on the UL logo. UL also has a link (http://www.ul.com/) where we can check out product certifications.


• Toddler Toys: Beware of imported items with small or sharp parts.


• Name Confusions: For example, beware of "Dinacell" batteries, which are packaged like name brand Duracell. Bogus or almost-name brand products are usually counterfeits. And it's more than a name game, ShopSmart found some bogus batteries that leaked acid.


• Vinyl lunch sacks: Some dollar AND DEPARTMENT STORES sell vinyl lunch boxes with traces of lead. Best Buy: soft sacks lined with nylon instead of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ShopSmart recommended.

I highly recommend ShopSmart. It's a smart read and very entertaining.

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Feed Flowers Sprite & Other Frugal Tips for Cut Flowers

My 9 year-old daughter received beautiful, but short-lived red stem roses for her recent star turn in a Playground Theatre Summer Camp Production. Had we talked first to Donn Flipse, we could have extended their ''vase life.'' Chief executive of Field of Flowers, a chain of flower superstores, Flipse offers these tips:


• Let them drink Sprite. Believe it or not, Sprite, a citrus-flavored soft drink, is good for cut flowers. The sugar supplies nutrition and carbonated water serves as an anti-bacterial agent. The drink's citric acid provides a low PH environment.
''Flowers like to be in a solution that is slightly acidic,'' Flipse said. His Sprite recipe: one part soda to three parts water. ``We've tested it and it works pretty well compared to the commercial flower food solution that we sell.''

• Consider frugal solutions. Most cut flowers come with a free packet of flower food. Use it. Commercial preparations may be more economical than Sprite if you use cut flowers frequently. A bottle of flower food solution sells for $3.50 and can be used to make gallons of solution. Homemade or commercial solutions can double the vase life of your arrangement.

• Buy long-lasting flowers. The following plants have a long vase life:
Two weeks: Chrysanthemums (mums), oriental lilies and carnations. To keep the lilies fresh for two weeks, carefully remove the yellow (and messy) pollen as the flowers open.
10 days: Hybrid delphinium, hydrangea and bouvardia.

• Clean the water. After four or five days, most arrangements need a tune-up. The short cut: Empty the vase, then refill the vase with the correct ratio of water and flower food. But if you have more time: Remove flowers from vase. Rinse and trim the stems. Remove spoiled foliage. Clean the vase.

''You want the container to be clean enough to drink out of,'' Flipse said.
Then refill the vase with the water/flower food solution and enjoy.


This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.
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Have You Been "Scraped?" Seeking Advice

Thank you Mapgirl. In this comment she let me know that I had been "scraped." I didn't know what it was. Maybe, I thought, "scraped" was like one of those online tag games, which are fun. But noooo. I went to the link and was surprised to see my blog entry: Copied. Hmmmm? Is this flattery or just theft?

So I am seeking advice. What is this? Have you been scraped and what have you done about it?

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My Favorite Picks from the 89th Festival of Frugality

Here are some of my favorite picks from the 89th Festival of Frugality at FILAM Finance.
Congrats to the host for putting together such an excellent festival with great categories.

Everything Finance presents High Energy Bills? Try out this simple ideas.

Millionaire Mommy presents How to Treat Affluenza: Spend Less, Save Our Earth and Live a Happier Life


Money saving tip: Bust open a 12-volt battery posted at Chief Family Officer.

An $8.00 Bottle Of Soap That Cleans Your Entire House…Including You. posted at My Two
Dollars.

Best airfares now delivered directly to your desktop posted at Fire Finance.


Don’t break your budget buying baby stuff posted at Raising4boys.com.

Working Hard Does Not Produce Success posted at Productivity Planner.
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Links I Liked: My Favorite Posts for the Week

Here are some of my favorite links for the week:

From My New Choice: Resist The Temptation
From The Digerati Life: Nope, Not Selling Our House. Not Even For 1000% Rate Of Return In 2 Years!
From The Simple Dollar: Is An “Entertainment” Coupon Book Worth It?

From The 100 By 30 Project: Luxury in price only

From Blueprint for Financial Prosperity:5 Ways Paperless Personal Finance Saves You Money

From Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge: Savings Guidelines

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11 Tips for Cutting Grocery Bills from Consumer Union

"Avoid store fake-outs," is one of 11 money-saving tips for grocery shoppers in the Aug/Sept. issue of Shop Smart, a publication from Consumers Union/Consumers Report. Here's a summary:

• Shop at cheap outlets: The stores with the lowest prices include: "Aldi, Costco, Market Basket, Slater Bros., Shoppers Food Warehouse, Trader Joe's and Walmart." The downside: fewer choices at stores like Trader Joe's and Aldi or shoppers must make bulk purchases at Costco.
• Be wary of circulars: Featured products in circulars often see a spike of up to 500 percent in sales volume. So stores like to highlight lots of items in their weekly circulars. The catch, says Shop Smart: "Not all items in circulars are on sale [at a discount]."
• Watch product placement: ("Avoid store fake-outs) Look out for products placed in bins at the end of shopping lanes, in "island displays," or in the middle tier of a shelving unit. Those eye-catching locations typically contain higher-priced goods.
• Ignore colors: Marketers play head games with color. The concept: certain colors are more apt to gain your attention. So play your own games with the marketing gurus and ignore their color codes.
• Cut your own fruit/Slice your own cheese: Don't pay extra for pre-cut, pre-frozen, pre-sliced fruits and cheeses. Slices of Jarlsberg cheese, for example, were priced at $7.99 per pound at a deli counter, compared to $3.99 per pound for a block. Likewise,the shoppers at the magazine found a chilled 16-oz beverage for $1.19, but the same bottle was 50 cents cheaper when it was stored warm on a shelf.
• Buy store brands:The quality of store-brands is often comparable to name brands and the price can be 50 percent cheaper.
• Use price guarantees: Many chains or stores will match competitors' prices on promotions and sales.
• Shop alone: You may spend more if you shop with your kids or your spouse.
• Skip the impulse purchases: Make a list and stick with it.
• Use store cards: Many stores offer frequent shopper cards, which entitle you to different perks, including unadvertised specials.
• Check out the scanners: 70 percent of the participants in survey reported finding mistakes made in the checkout line.
  
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Junk Food Delusions: What I've Learned by Saving $2 Daily

I don't eat a lot of junk food, but when I do it really kills my budget. That's the first major insight from my $2 a Day Savings Challenge. The junk food tally has caught me by surprise. With my house stocked with organic veggies, herbal teas and tofu, I've never thought of myself as a junk food queen. I do yoga! I walk miles!


But while trying to save $2 a day, my daily savings candidates have often come from the junk food department: Chips, ice cream, & candy. I'm stunned and the savings were real. In nearly every case, the money was in my hand before I veered away from the cash register.

Of course, I was traveling last week and earlier this week. But still, I see a disturbing pattern.

Here's what I've learned so far from my daily $2 a Day Savings Challenge


1. Hunt down your delusions. On some level, we all periodically lie to ourselves. From shopping rationalizations to bold lies about our savings accomplishments, we aren't always honest about our money and consumption. If nothing else, my little $2 a Day Challenge forced me to realize that I was lightening my wallet and thickening my waist by spending money on junk food.



2. Pack carefully when traveling: I thought I was a careful packer. But while on the road, we overspent because we failed to pack or misplaced a few necessary items. For example, when we switched hotel rooms, somehow we lost my son's dress clothes and spent a tidy sum on a new dress shirt, pants, and black socks. Thankfully, he looked great for the evening anniversary party.


We should have also packed more snacks for the road and the hotel room. Packing more of our own treats would have prompted us to spend less at the Super Target near my parents' home. I'm embarrassed to report that on one mini-shopping trip, we spent $92* and I'm not quite sure exactly what we purchased. (I'm seeking advice about this expense. See below.)


The good news: I felt guilty about our over-sized bill. Therefore, when I walked over to the Starbucks counter at Target, I couldn't bring myself to order a Latte. I put the money back into my wallet and stepped away from the friendly Starbucks server.



Bottom line: saved $3 @ Target
Spent: $92 @ Target

My $2 Daily Savings Challenge

Day 6 Aug. 24: (away from home)

$2.58: daily portion of $500 telecommunications savings
$3.00: skipped Starbucks coffee (drank the free coffee from the hotel)

But overspent @ Target

Day 7 Aug. 25: (away from home)

$2.58: daily portion of $500 telecommunications savings
$3.00: skipped Starbucks coffee

Day 8 Aug. 26: (away from home)

$2.58: daily portion of $500 telecommunications savings

I also found steep Florida resident discounts for a water park, but someone else paid the total bill, so I can't claim the savings.

Day 9 Aug. 27: (traveling )

$2.58: daily portion of $500 telecommunications savings

Day 10 Aug. 28 (back home)

$2.58: daily portion of $500 telecommunications savings

$5.44: saved on mini notebooks from Walgreens. Full price: $1.29 per book. Sale price 20 cents each. I really use those little books, so purchased five for $1.

Subtotal Days #6 - #10: $23.34

Year-to-Date Total: $201.00*

*By the way, I'm torn about the $92 Target splurge. Should I deduct the amount spent during that -unscripted, undisciplined shopping trip from my daily savings challenge total? Any advice?
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Avoid Email Away Messages & Other Safe Travel Secrets

I've recently returned from a family vacation to celebrate the 50th Wedding Anniversary of my parents. Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!!!

While we were traveling, my mom shared her stash of Bottom Line Personal publications with me and I came across this bit of safe travel advice in a February 15, 2006 issue. The tips are from Randall Spivey, director of Safe Travel Institute, http://www.yoursafepassage.com/. My favorite tips are the suggestions about traveling with two wallets and skipping the standard "away on vacation" automatic email notice that are common on our home and work accounts. Here are the tips:

• Travel with two wallets: Carry around a second wallet packed with expired credit cards and a small sum of cash. If -- heaven forbid -- your mugged, hand over the wallet with the expired cards and the tiny wad to the thieves. (I imagine that you would still have to worry about identity theft, however.)
• Leave costly jewelry at home.
• Request hotel rooms on floors 2 through 7. The rationale: Ground level rooms are easier targets for thieves, but lower floors are easier for fire truck rescues during a fire.
• Skip the away message. Email and voice messages that announce your vacation absence or return date can make you a magnet for criminals. You don't want your automatic email responses to offer too much information."Thieves who send an email to your account and receive the automatic response may use your email address to figure out where you live and then rob your home while you are away," according to MastermindLounge.com as quoted in a Feb. 15, 2006 issue of Bottom Line Personal. Security experts recommend generic information on work or home voice and email accounts.

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Converting Sneakers into Plant Holders & Other Recycling Tips

Finding new uses for familiar items is a creative way to save money and resources, according to Jeff Gold, senior scientist in the Southeast regional office of World Environmental Organization.
''When it comes to recycling, the most important thing is to try to reduce consumption,'' Gold says. Here are tips for organizing and decorating your home by finding new uses for your old possessions:


• Holiday greeting cards. Old cards can be recycled and used as wrapping paper, Gold says. With scissors, I've also refashioned greeting cards into postcards and gift tags.


• Old sneakers and shoes. World Environmental Organization recommends using old footwear as unusual plant holders. For creative ideas for cast-off products, such as old phones, gym bags, auto floor mats and hairbrushes, go to http://www.world.org/ and select the ''recycling database'' option.


• Muffin tins. Cupcake compartments are ideal for sorting, stacking and storing trinkets, buttons and other small items, according to the editors at Woman's World magazine.


• Toothbrush holders. In glitzy chrome or delicate ceramic, toothbrush holders make great flower vases, according to Real Simple magazine. The slots in the toothbrush holders are ideal for holding and arranging stems. My husband has found a variety of toothbrush holders at affordable prices at high-end boutiques and dollar stores.


• Votive candle holders. After the wax has melted away, short, glass votive candle holders are perfect for stashing toothpicks, especially during parties, according to Real Simple magazine.


• Glasses and bowls. Tea light candles -- sold in packages of 50 lights for $3 -- look especially attractive in glass bowls and cups. The arrangement creates instant atmosphere and unusual centerpieces at small dinner parties or large events.


• Discarded plastic bottles. Empty beverage bottles can be used for a wide assortment of things, even, when properly cleaned, for storing water as a hurricane approaches. Trent Hamm from TheSimpleDollar.com uses empty bottles to create toddler-friendly bowling pins for his young son, a coin bank and a salad dressing container, in addition to a old-school water bottle.

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



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Links I Liked: My Favorite Posts for the Week

Here are a few of the links that caught my eye this week. On Sunday, I'll have a recap of my $2 a day Savings Challenge.

From Frugal For Life: Libraries Are 'Hot' Again!

From Pro Bargain Hunter: Does plug-in hybrid car really save money?

From Blogging Away Debt: Credit Scores - Apparently They Are Growing in Importance

From Canadian Money Blogs Reviewer: link: 20 timeless money rules from CNNMoney

From The Paranoid Brain: Frugal Housing - Can you Save by Building Yourself?


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Update #5: Saved on Gas, Water & Candy: $2 Savings Challenge

Minor savings today in the $2 a day challenge.

1. We saved on gas. Without driving out of his way, my husband found gas for $2.89 a gallon or $36 total. A competing station charged $3.17 a gallon, which would have cost us $39.48 for the same amount of gas. Total savings: $3.48.

These links are helpful for finding local gas: gasbuddy.com is great for locating the best prices in a zip code. Fuel calculator will help you figure out the amount/cost of fuel for your road trip.This Top 10 list is one of my favorite links for saving gas. I also wrote this post about saving money at the pump.

2. Water bottles. For long car rides, my husband keeps a case of water in the car. The price: 14 cents a bottle versus $1-2 a bottle at gas stations.

3. Sweet savings: My son opted to buy a small piece of candy (individually wrapped) at a gas station for about 5 cents rather than buy a larger box of Lemonhead candies for about 75 cents--thereby saving his teeth and his money. Since he used his own money, this frugal move is not included in my total. But I feature this example to show how my family has rallied behind the $2 a day savings challenge. Everyone is trying to do something for my daily report. It's a healthy competition and with everyone buying into the challenge, we're finding new ways to save more.

Day 5 Recap of the $2 Daily Savings Challenge
$2.58: daily portion of $500 telecommunications savings
$3.48: saved on the gas bill.
$2.58: savings on three water bottles (Based on $1 per bottle price.)

Day 5 Savings: $8.64
Year-to-Date Total: $177.66

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Top 10 College Financial Aid Tips from Sallie Mae

The folks at Sallie Mae sent me their list of 10 college financial aid tips. Some of the items are common sense, but others are insightful. Here's the Sallie Mae Tip Sheet.

"Sallie Mae’s Financial Aid Top 10 Tips

1. Know your budget
In order to determine how much financial aid you will need to cover the full cost of attending a college or university, you should develop a budget. Tuition and room and board are not the only expenses you will incur – books, lab fees, transportation and personal expenses should all be factored into the equation.

2. Know your deadlines
Deadlines for applications and financial aid forms vary by school and state. In addition, some schools require applications in addition to the FAFSA, (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), check with your target schools to make sure you have completed and submitted everything. Know the difference between grants, scholarships and loans.

3. Know what your family’s contribution will be
The expected family contribution, also known as EFC, is the amount that the federal government and your college or university expect your family to contribute toward your education expenses. The EFC is calculated based on the information you submit on your FAFSA.

4. Know that parents can help
PLUS (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students) loans are federally insured loans for parents of dependent students. Unlike Stafford loans, PLUS loans allow individuals to borrow up to the full cost of the student’s education, less any other financial aid received.

5. Go for the free money first
Unlike student loans, scholarships and grants do not have to be repaid. To search for scholarships, use a search engine like the one at CollegeAnswer.com.

6. Know what your exact interest rate will be and how it can change
The interest rate on federal Stafford loans issued after July 1, 2006 is fixed at 6.8 percent. Interest rates on private student loans can vary so check with your lender. Also, interest rates can change depending on your payment history so make sure to always pay your monthly bill on time.

7. Know the details or your repayment plan and what your monthly payment will be
Lenders offer a variety of repayment plans that allow you to manage your monthly payment amount. You can make standard payments of principal and interest, pay on a graduated basis or pay as a percentage of your monthly income. In addition, Sallie Mae offers benefits or incentives that allow you to reduce your interest rate or receive cash back in reward for successful on-time payments.

8. Know the difference between deferment and forbearance
Deferment entitles federal student loan borrowers to payment relief by postponing payments in certain circumstances for specified periods of time. In some instances, the federal government pays the interest that accrues during the deferment period. Eligibility is outlined in federal law. A forbearance is also an authorized period of time when a borrower does not have to make payments; however, a forbearance is granted at the lender’s discretion. During forbearance, interest accrues and the borrower has the option of paying it quarterly or it will be capitalized.

9. Know that you can deduct tuition and interest on your income taxes
In many cases, you may be able to deduct up to $3,000 in tuition and education-related expenses from your taxes. In addition student loan borrowers may be able to deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid on education loans. More information is available at CollegeAnswer.com.

10. Know your loan counselor
Students with federal educational loans are required to receive counseling before they receive their first loan disbursement and before they graduate or withdraw, during which the borrower’s rights and responsibilities and loan terms and conditions are reviewed with the student."

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