September 2010
1 post
Meet the First Plant That Requires Facebook Fans...
Well this is interesting…
Most plants require sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to survive. We’ve found one that requires Facebook fans and wall posts.
Meet Eater is a “real garden that feeds on social interaction.” It is an experiment in human interaction and design, focused on rebuilding the connection between human being and plants.
Here’s how it works, according to its creator:
...
August 2010
7 posts
Gmail's New Mind-Reading Inbox
Google is adding a new feature in Gmail that will automatically spotlight important e-mails and separate out the ones you can wait to read later.
The tool, called “priority inbox,” works like a spam filter, except instead of filtering e-mails that you definitely don’t want to see, it moves the ones you really want to the top. Google said the feature will help users sort...
How to Save on Last-Minute Travel
Hit the road (on the cheap). If booking a plane ticket is too pricey, try taking the bus. (Yes, you heard us right.) New “premium” coach companies, like Megabus.com and BoltBus (boltbus.com), combine low prices with amenities such as onboard Wi-Fi. Travelers can land fares for as low as $1 (!) for a one-way ticket from New York City to Boston...
Save Money All Year Long
The Savings Plan
Things always seem to be expensive exactly when you need them. A bikini in May? Zero percent off. A tank of gas before your Saturday errands? Not cheap. That January vacation in the Caribbean? No one would call it a bargain. American women spend trillions on consumer goods and services every year, and a lot of them pay...
The Best Mac and Cheese
Best White Cheddar: Rising Moon Organics Organic Shells & White Cheddar No clumps here: Kids and adults found this mild, not-too-salty sauce irresistible. A tasty white-cheese alternative for those who don’t cotton to a bright orange dinner. To buy: $3 for 6 ounces, Whole Foods Market.
Best Frozen: Trader Joe’s Mac ’n Cheese The good-enough-for–grown-ups blend...
How to Negotiate Anything
Medical Bills
Consider this: To maintain cash flow, “many doctors will knock 5 or 10 percent off if you pay up front,” says Rocky Fredrickson, M.D., a former chief medical officer for Providence Health and Services. Uninsured patients can get even bigger discounts (“50 percent or more,” says Martin Bashir, M.D., a gastroenterologist in...
New Uses for Old Things (Summer Edition)
Aluminum Foil
Really hot grill bars equal dramatic grill marks on your meat. To concentrate the heat and keep it from escaping, lay a sheet of foil over the grill for 10 minutes. Peel the foil off just before cooking, scrunch it into a ball (it cools fast), and use it later to scrape any residue or ash from the bars.
Antacid...
Organizing Your Digital Photos
Online Albums
If You Want Prints
Kodak EasyShare consistently turns out high print quality and excellent color, and you can retouch under- and overexposed shots. The online albums are pretty basic: a collection of pictures against a white background. Bear in mind: The EasyShare Gallery lives up to its name. The site is clean-looking and easy to navigate. If You...
July 2010
8 posts
It's That Time Of Year!
Makes 12 muffins Hands-On Time: 10m Total Time: 40m
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups blueberries
...
5 Money Saving Fans
Zippi Fan by Vornado
At nine inches high, this pint-size model features cloth blades and is ideal for cooling off tight areas, such as a desk or a kitchen counter. Plus, it collapses for handy storage. Available in seven colors, including raindrop (shown). To buy: $17, vornado.com
Otto Fan by Carlo Borer
Made of strong steel and fine-grain African sapele...
Cut Your Energy Costs
Cut Heating and Cooling Costs
Seal your house: Close the fireplace damper; install a timer (available at hardware stores) on the bathroom exhaust fan; seal ductwork.
Cool your home naturally: Open windows on cool summer nights. Use energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs (they emit less heat). Hang washing out to dry, and ...
Photos for Thought: Creative Space Saving Designs!
Finding Flea-Market Savings
A must-read guide to treasure hunting at your local Flea Market.
Get on the vendor’s good side. If you regularly shop a market, visit the same booths over and over, says Chip Cordelli, a collector and a prop stylist in Brooklyn: “Once you develop a relationship with a seller, you can get better deals based on repeat business—and they’ll put ...
3-Ingredient Summer Recipes
Shrimp with Ginger Sauce
Directions
In a small saucepan, cook ¾ cup apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt over medium heat, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes.
Place 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 16) on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the apricot sauce, and season with ¼ teaspoon each kosher ...
5 Handy iPhone Apps for Home Improvement
Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap
It goes without saying that the color representations (or matches) on the iPhone will depend on the quality of the light, and the paint may not be exactly the same as you’ve been seeing on your phone’s display. But it’s a free, high-tech alternative to endless sample strips, and a great way to record a favored shade on the go and match it to real-life products.
KAD...
How to Save on Cell Phone Plans
If you send or receive more than one text a day: Sign up for a texting plan (prices start at around $5 a month; most companies have comparable plans) and you’ll avoid the average 20-cents-per-text charge. Have a teenager who texts at least six times a day? Enroll her in an unlimited-messaging plan.
If your phone usage spikes after...
June 2010
10 posts
How to Organize Bills
1) Sort and corral unpaid bills
Designate a box, basket, or folder specifically for bills. As soon as the mail comes, separate the bills from everything else and open them, throwing away the outer envelope and any inserts. Corral them in your designated spot until you’re ready to pay them. Tip: Instead of keeping bills...
7 Ways to Spend Smarter
Swap Flowering Plants for Cut Flowers
If you spend $20 a week on fresh flowers, that adds up to $1,040 a year! We suggest you buy flowering plants instead.
Share a Babysitter With a Neighbor
If you spend hundreds a month on childcare, consider splitting the services with a friend or family member. Maureen Dempsey, a 34-year-old mother in Brooklyn, saves about ...
Check out the line for the new iPhone!
Happy Summer!
Avoidable Travel Fees
‘Tis the season for traveling, trips, and good old fashioned vacations. No one wants to spend money they don’t have to… So make sure to follow these simple rules!
The MiniBar
Why you’re being charged: Some mini-bars are on weight sensors. When an item is lifted or just moved, the sensor is triggered and registers with the front desk. The cost: A...
Build a Better Family Vacation
Share a Rental With Another Family
Sharing a house or a condominium can keep costs down. It gives you more room to spread out than a hotel room does, plus a kitchen to cut down on restaurant meals. And the extra vacation-mates provide kids with built-in entertainment (other kids! Uncle Jimmy!) and supervision.
Figure in Child Care
If...
The Best Potato Chips
It’s officially summer. You know what than means- fun, sun, pools, beach parties, and most importantly barbecues! But what is a barbecue without the most delicious snack…(drum roll please) the potato chip! Out of 223 different kinds of chips, these take the cake!
Best Crinkle-Cut
Best Barbecue
Best Salt and Vinegar
Best Salt and Pepper
Best Jalapeño
Best Cheese
Best...
First Time Home Buyer Tips List
1) Know what you are looking for in a first home
Write down a list of what you really want, what is nice to have and what you don’t really mind having in your first home. This is how you will be able to set priorities and buy the right house to suit your needs. Think about the number of rooms, the neighborhood, equipment such as a garage or a pool, etc.
2) Know the amount of mortgage you...
Some Awesome Treehouses You Wish Lived In.
Washington, USA
Japan
British Columbia, Canada
Japan
Seattle, Washington
Costa Rica
Washington
May 2010
9 posts
What NOT to Say During a Job Interview!
Don’t say: “My current boss is horrendous.” Why: It’s unprofessional. Your interviewer might wonder when you’d start bad-mouthing her. For all you know, she and your current boss are old pals. Instead say: “I’m ready for a new challenge” or a similarly positive remark. Don’t say: “Do you think I’d fit in here?” Why: You’re the interviewee, not the interviewer. Instead say: “What do you...
Have a hard time remembering names? Try this:
Problem: You have a hard time remembering people’s names. You’re not alone. “When I teach preventive memory classes to healthy adults, 90 to 95 percent of participants say they’re not good at recalling names,” says Edgerly. The problem may be storage (you weren’t paying attention when you met the person), retrieval (you can’t call up the...
Going away for Memorial Day? 8 Easy Packing...
Follow These Eight Easy Steps
1 Gather your clothes
Gather all the garments you may need on your trip, then edit down your choices so you don’t overpack—a common mistake. Put back at least half of the items you think you need. Tip: Pack double-duty garments, like yoga pants that moonlight as pajamas. A sarong can double as a wrap.
2 Roll your...
Keep Your Room Clean in Just 6 Minutes a Day
Make your bed (2 minutes). Even a fluffy down comforter pulled up over messy sheets will look polished.
Fold or hang clothes and put away jewelry (4 minutes). Even better: Resist the urge to toss them somewhere in the first place! Put them away as you take them off.
Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds). Take last night’s water glass to the kitchen, stow your reading...
“The secret to becoming wealthy isn’t how much you make, but rather, how much you...”
How to get rid of pesky grout!
1) Spray on a mildew stain remover
Wearing rubber gloves, spray the grout area well with mildew remover. (Be sure to use a cleaner specially formulated to tackle mildew: Ordinary cleaners won’t make a dent in mildew or mold, and the ammonia in them may yellow the grout.)
2) Scrub the grout
Using a grout brush or an old toothbrush, scrub tile in...
5 Great Ways to Save Space!
Problem: You have tons of devices but no power strip.
Solution: A power strip lives inside the ReSource Power Station. Plug in charger cords to rejuvenate phones, cameras, and the like. (Adjustable grips hold devices in place.) Or use the three-socket strip to provide juice to a computer, a printer, and a desk lamp.
Problem:...
April 2010
11 posts
Sidewalk Smarts: Road Rules
Use the same rules you use on the road…when walking!
“You walk on the right and pass on the left,” says Charles Purdy, a columnist for SF Weekly, in San Francisco, and the author of Urban Etiquette: Marvelous Manners for the Modern Metropolis.
“And keep in mind that people shouldn’t walk more than two abreast”, says Sheryl Shade, author of As a Lady Would...
Natural Cleaning Tips!
When life hands you lemons:
De-odor the garbage disposal by grinding up ice cubes with lemon or grapefruit seeds.
Tea:
To scour rusty garden tools, brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth.
Clothesline It:
Take advantage of the warm spring breeze and hang laundry out on the line in the fresh air...
Save on Yard Care!
Service your mower (no procrastinating!). Putting off that annual tune-up, typically priced at $60 to $100, can cost you big. Repairing a neglected machine can run two or three times that amount, says Ed Cole, a spokesman for Toro. Help your plants thrive. If you are over- or underfertilizing, the costly flora you buy may not live to see the fall. Have a local...
3 Ways to Avoid Getting Audited
Out of the approximately 141 million tax returns filed in 2009, almost 1.43 million were flagged for an audit—that’s about one in every 99 returns. Here’s how to reduce your odds of attracting IRS attention.
Report all your income. You must tell the IRS about every penny of income that you make, including stock dividends, cash payments, gambling...
Planning a Yard Sale? Here's a Checklist!
Collect all the components. It’s important to include all the pieces when selling games or other products with many parts.
Make everything look like new. Wash and iron clothing, polish silver, remove visible stains, vacuum a used couch, and so on.
Remove names anywhere they’re written. Especially in books or on clothing. That may mean removing tags that have permanent...
The Best Times to Buy
The Best Time to Buy Furniture: February
Why: New furniture designs debut in spring, so retailers are clearing out old styles to make room, says Dan Butler, vice president of retail operations at the National Retail Federation. Scour showrooms for “as is” floor samples in good condition offered at deep discounts.
The...
Is It Better to Pay Off Credit-Card Debt or Build...
Q: I want to reduce my credit-card balance to lower my interest payments and save some money. But I’m worried that, since I don’t have cash stashed away, I may have to use credit to cover any unexpected expenses. What should I do? A: If you don’t already have an emergency fund, pay just the minimum on your credit-card bills and start one now, says Nancy ...
How to Save on Your Grocery Bill
Purchase oranges, onions, and potatoes in bags rather than individually. You’ll pay roughly half the price, says Kati Neville, coauthor of Fix, Freeze, Feast. Even Real Simple’s food editors do this, since those items are staples that will get eaten before going bad. Don’t buy nongrocery items at the supermarket. Health and beauty goods are usually cheaper at mass-market retailers, like...
The New Credit Card Rules
More Time to Make Your Payment
You now have at least 21 days from when your bill is posted online (or mailed) to pay before you are charged a late fee.
More Notice for Rate Increases
In most cases, card companies must give you 45 days’ notice when raising interest rates (previously, it was 15 days). Consumers can cancel the card and have five years to pay off the...
Recession Saving Rules
Old rule: Keep your current mortgage if the balance is greater than the value of your property. New rule: Refinance if the amount owed doesn’t exceed the home’s market value by more than 5 percent. Why: The government recently introduced the Making Home Affordable program, which is aimed at helping home owners with declining property values whose loans are owned...
Travel on a Budget
1. Check fares regularly. Why? They are finally going down. “In 2008 airlines cut capacity so they were able to survive without discounting fares too much,” says Brett Snyder, an airline-industry veteran and the founder of the blog CrankyFlier. “But because of the current economy, we’ll see some price cutting.”
2. Explore non-U.S....
March 2010
24 posts
How to Save Money when Entertaining!
Drinks
Serve bubbly cocktails. You already know that opting for Prosecco or Cava instead of Champagne can save you about $20 to $30 a bottle. So why not stretch your dollar even further by mixing your bargain bubbles with fruit juice? Add cranberry juice to make a “poinsettia,” or pomegranate juice for a “pomegranate...
Check List: Organizing your Bedroom
Your bedroom should be a haven, an oasis of calm. Keep it that way with a few simple organizing tricks.
Arrange the night table. Display items that look good and make sense: an alarm clock, reading glasses, a water carafe and/or glass, a vase, a book (or a small stack of books), and small framed photographs. Gauge the space, though: You don’t want it...
Homemade Salad Dressing in Six Easy Steps!
Making your own salad dressing is healthy, delicious, and cost efficient!
Find and clean a reusable container
(If you don’t have a traditional dressing shaker, a mason jar or a peanut butter jar work just as well.)
Add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Add 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Add 6 teaspoons olive oil
(The ratio of oil to vinegar should be 3:1)
Add salt and pepper to taste
A...
Six Spring Paint Colors Gaurenteed to Boost your...
Benjamin Moore Aura in Peau de Soie
Farrow & Ball Stony Ground
Benjamin Moore Aura in Grasshopper
Benjamin Moore Aura in Pear Green
Benjamin Moore Aura in Grasshopper
Sherwin-Williams Iceberg