Salt is an amazing mineral. It is used in greater quantities and for more applications than any other mineral on earth. Besides making our food taste good, it’s believed there are more than 14,000 uses of salt, and our grandmothers were probably familiar with many of them. Most of these uses were for simple things around the home before the advent of modern chemicals and cleaners. Americans typically consume more than 16 tons of salt during their lifetimes. That’s about 402 pounds a year for each living American. However, only a small percentage of that huge amount of sodium is ingested as food.

I thought you might like to know more about some of these fascinating applications of salt. Using salt instead of other household chemical will help you save money, and protect the environment from harsh toxins:

Kitchen

Boiling Water – Salt added to water makes the water boil at a higher temperature, so you reduce cooking time. However, it does not make the water boil faster.

Peeling eggs – Boiling eggs in salted water will make eggs peel more easily.

Poaching eggs – Poaching eggs over salted water helps set the egg whites.

Testing egg freshness – Place the egg in a cup of water to which two teaspoonfuls of salt has been added. A fresh egg sinks; a doubter will float. (more…)

The real estate game has changed. This guide can help you play to win.

Feel like you're getting nothing but lemons? Allow us to introduce nearly two dozen recipes for lemonade.

Gas, food and medical costs are all up - and higher prices may be on the way. Time to get a strategy.

You know a lot of children really don’t like the lunches served at school, and end up either not eating lunch or buying ala carte items that are not only unhealthy but rather expensive. Getting proper nutrition is important for kids at all stages, so having some chips and ice cream for lunch is just not good for your kids.

A good alternative to get your children to eat a nutritious lunch, and to save money at the same time, is to pack their lunches. While it may take you a little more time, it can be well worth it. We suggest packing lunches the night before, rather than waiting for the morning rush.

Here are some tips and suggestions for school lunches that will have your kids anticipating lunch: (more…)

Before you throw out your “junk”, take a careful look at it. Is it something that someone else may like to have? Are you just bored with it, or is it no longer to your taste?  It’s possible to supplement your income or replace your income when you work from home selling online.

You can make money online by selling your used clothes, shoes, household items and more. It’s fun and easy! You can list your items on auction sites like eBay.com, or classified sites like CraigsList.org. Of course, there is an art to selling online, but people who have learned the basics often earn full-time incomes online in no time.

Before you start selling, consider viewing the tutorial videos at eBay.com, where they take you step-by-step through the basics:

1. What to sell and how to find items to sell
2. How to register
3. How to photograph your items to their best advantage
4. Packing and shipping
5. Selling your item
6. Getting paid fast

You may be surprised at what you can sell.  Do some research.  Take a look at listings that interest you at eBay.com.  What is being sold?  How many bids do the items have on average, and what’s the final sale price?  All of this information will help you not only determine what you can sell, but also at what price.

So, clean out your closets, have some fun and make some money!

Full table of contents from the September issue.

If you routinely shop every fall season for new clothes for yourself or your family, here is a great way to save. Before you shop the malls and discount stores, first shop your closets. Yes, shop your closet.

Most of us have so many items in our closet that we don’t use for one reason or another. Here are some tips for saving as much as 75% on your fall shopping:

1. Go through your closet piece by piece. Throw out or donate anything that does not fit, has defects or problems that can’t be fixed.
2. Now, look at each item of clothing carefully. Take time to see how many different outfits you can create. If you are not that creative, and have problems deciding what goes with what, ask a good friend with fashion sense to help. You’ll have fun in the process, and your friend will be flattered that you asked for help.
3. Look for summer items that can be layered with other pieces in colder weather, etc.
4. Look at shoes carefully. They may not have to be replaced. If they only need new heels or other small repairs, take them to the shoe repair shop and have them fixed. Or, they may only need a good polish, so go for it. Shoes are expensive, and shoe repairs can help you save $$ rather than purchasing new pairs.
5. After you have done all of the above, make a detailed list of those items that you truly will need. Then scour the Sunday newspaper for sales on those items that you need, and look online for sales.

When you shop, consider checking out consignment shops, and thrift stores before hitting the retail outlets.  Don’t hesitate to look at stores such as Target, Old Navy, and the Gap first.  You may be surprised at what you will find for great prices.  Shop online too.  Some stores have extra sales and discounts online that are not available in the store.

But remember, never shop without a list, and don’t buy anything that’s not on your list!  Good luck!

Fancy coffee drinks, eating out, satellite dish TV, the latest cell phone — you may enjoy these things, but everything has a price. Do you have any idea how much life’s little pleasures are costing you? Did you know that you only have to spend an average of $27.40 a day on things you don’t need to throw away $10,000 a year? Believe it or not, it’s easy to do.

The Digerati Life has compiled a list of 15 “money drains”, along with their annual cost and a break down of how much you would have in 10 years, if you were to give up that habit and invest your money instead.

Many people routinely go out for lunch with their buddies from work, spending an average of $9 each day, depending on your geographic location it could be much more. That adds up to $2,350 each year, and a whopping $35,857 over a 10 year period! Add in daily snacks, bottled water, and purchases for other frivolous items that are not really necessary, and it is easy to spend an average of $27.40 a day.

Here are some tips to help you plug up the money drain:

1. Consider taking your lunch and other snacks to work at least 4 days a week, and go out with your friends one day each week as a treat.
2. Before you purchase that  new pair of jeans, that cute pair of shoes, the latest and greatest cell phone ask yourself – “do I really need this?” We are often taken in by the big sale signs, or the status of having the newest items, but is it really worth it? It all adds up, and if it is something that will be sitting in your closet a year from now gathering dust, you probably don’t need it.
3. If you have an expensive habit, such as smoking cigarettes, consider getting help to break the costly habit. You’ll not only save money, but improve your health and extend your life expectancy.
4. Look for ways to save on transportation costs. Car pool, take the bus or train to work to save on gas and parking expenses.
5. Are you a member of a gym or have other memberships that you don’t really use? Either cancel your membership or use it.
6. Watch out for impulse purchases. Don’t go food shopping if you are hungry. Whenever you shop for anything, make a list and stick to it, so that you don’t end up with things that you don’t really need, such as extra tubes or lip gloss, or other small items that really do add up.
7. Analyze all of your monthly expenses. Do you really need the satellite TV dish when your neighborhood has free basic cable? Are you getting the best deal on your cell phone rates? Take the time to shop around.
8. After analyzing your expenses, make a budget and stick to it. Include in your budget the monthly expense to pay down any debt, and how much you will add to your savings or investment accounts. When you see your debt decreasing and your savings and investments rising, you’ll be happy you implemented the frugal lifestyle.