by Vinny on July 19, 2010
(This is a guest post from my friend Jerry who has a very successful website on cleaning tips)
Having a clean house is a now a luxury more than a necessity. This is because it is quite hard to maintain a clean house these days. Let’s face it; we are too busy to be bothered with cleaning the house. Also, cleaning tools, materials, and chemicals are extremely expensive nowadays that if we want to keep our homes really clean, we would have to spend a lot.
You are not alone regarding this problem; almost every household in the country is or has experienced the same set of troubles you are currently facing. While it is true that there are a lot of cleaning agents and chemicals out there that promises to make you house sparkling clean, they will still cost you. And with the situation of the economy today, money should be better spent on more useful items aside from carpet shampoos and laundry detergents.
Fortunately, there are still some old home remedies that have been taught to us by our grandparents that work in cleaning the house. We just don’t take notice of it since we rely on chemical cleaners nowadays. For example, cleaning that toilet using denture cleaning tablets or using vinegar for carpet stains work wonders; they are as effective as expensive cleaning agents but have minimal costs when compared to them. There are tons of things we take for granted or simply do not know of! That is why if you really want to save up on the cleaning expenses it would be beneficial to know them all.
You can see more tips on http://www.cleaningtips.com
by Vinny on June 24, 2010
(I wrote this article on Bed Bugs for an Ezinearticles post but am sharing it here also as it contains some good information about bed bugs.)
Bed bugs are hard to control. Once they have entered a house, they have been means to insert themselves to wardrobe as good as this can outcome in transferal to adjacent apartments. The trouble is that disinfecting a building will not get rid of bed bugs as an infestation is not caused by being unclean. Bed bugs have been nightly parasites as good as have been occasionally active in day time. Bed bugs have been not well known to broadcast diseases as good as their punch usually formula in tiny red welts which dermatologists infrequently incorrectly brand as being scabies or hives.
There are a lot of pesticides that can kill the parasite, but it is advisable that you consult a pest control expert to control and exterminate bed bugs. You could end up wasting a lot of money if you try to get rid of them yourself. Half the battle is finding out where they came from in the first place. If you can spot these bed bug signs in the first place you can beat them before they get into your mattress or linens. Once bed bugs move in they are really tough to get rid of so you want to avoid them getting into your home or apartment in the first place.
The number one sign of bed bugs can be found on your sheets. Knowing what you are dealing with however, is the first step in acquiring a successful treatment. Overnight stays in new locations like hotels offer bed bugs a perfect opportunity to hitchhike a ride into your home. Adult bed bugs can be seen with the naked eye. If neither bed bugs nor fecal matter is present on the surface of the mattress you should still continue searching in order to verify if they are present or not.
Bed bugs are not just a problem in the Untied States. They are also on the rise in Canada, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Australia. Some signs that you have bed bugs are the little red dots the bugs make when they bite you. You can do a lot of things to get rid of bed bugs but if you live in an apartment building they will only find their way back into your apartment from a neighbors space.
Birds, dogs, cats, in short, every mammal that can come into contact with the infested bed or surroundings can be affected by these bugs. The belief that these bugs only bite humans is wrong. The bugs are usually colored deep brown or cream to white. Adult bugs can last more than a year without sucking blood. That is a long time so even though you think you solved your infestation problem they are still around.
There are numerous ways that bring these bugs to you. Buying a used mattress or getting one free off places like Craigslist can get you more then you bargained for. Odds are the people giving away the mattress are doing so because they are infested also. Now it becomes your problem too. You may have a newer mattress then what you had but now you have a problem that you didn’t have before. One of the biggest problems in New York City are that people in lower income apartments are either buying cheap mattresses from undesirable locations or getting them free and spread the bugs into their apartment complexes. Like I have said above once they get in they are hard to get rid of them so stopping them before they start is half the battle. Getting new sheets or linens won’t help as the bugs lay their eggs in the mattress.
Don’t let the bed bugs bite you. Stop them before they get into your living space. You will be much better off in the long run. Don’t waste money on new sheets until you are sure your problem is solved. You can buy a mattress topper that is designed against the spread of these bugs but I have not seen them first hand to tell if they work or not. Some people try it as a cheap alternative but they are usually not happy with the results. Once again it is the lower income people that try this method, hence the spreading among the apartment buildings they live in.
by Heather on June 4, 2010
I have been a bargain shopper my whole life. My parents aren’t really sure why – I certainly didn’t learn it from them! From making the most of my back to school clothing budget as a teen to finding free entertainment for my girls now, I’ve learned a little something along the way. I can write dozens of articles each month and share money saving tips every day, but here’s a big secret for you – it all boils down to the same, basic advice.
Plan ahead.
That’s it – really.
From matching coupons & sales at the grocery store to a weekly menu that keeps you out of the drive thru, a little advance planning goes a long way. Buy your winter clothes at the beginning of the spring, store school supplies until August and save your money until that cute pair of shoes gets marked down. Everything goes on sale eventually. I promise.
However, in the interest of full disclosure, here are a few of my favorite insider secrets:
Target clearance has a pattern & fixed schedule. Holiday clearance goes to 50% off immediately after the big day, followed by 75% then 90% off. The Valid Dates on the sale tag will reveal when the next discount starts. If you want to stock up on decorations without breaking the bank, pick through what’s left at the best discount. For year round clearance, when a price ends in the number 4 (i.e. $3.64) that is the absolute lowest price before they “salvage” the item. You’ll find it for sale at Goodwill for triple the price next month.
Costco membership cards may be used by 2 people – and you do not need to share an address. Split the cost of a membership with a friend, and you’ll both save big! Just keep in mind buying bulk isn’t always the best deal. Coupons & sale items often create the best value from smaller items. However, splitting a huge bag of apples, sharing office supply costs and dividing warehouse packages of paper goods can make it affordable.
Most grocery stores have a clearance or manager mark down section. There is typically nothing wrong with the items, but store policy often dictates that merchandise be moved before an arbitrary deadline. To get around it, department managers will deeply discount items to make room for new merchandise. Don’t forget to check the meat & produce department for deals you can freeze or work into the evening’s menu plan.
Hopefully, these tricks will help you on your quest for bargains. What other shopping secrets have you discovered?
Heather Sokol is the married mother of 3 beautiful, active girls. Each week, she shares
miscellaneous mom secrets and her tricks for doing it all
inexpensively.
