Can you spot the fake? fairfaxcounty / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Even if you’re not in the market for designer bags or clothes, knowing how to spot counterfeit merchandise is a must to avoid getting duped. This is especially true since common targets include cosmetics, perfumes, computer software, jewelry, and more! The latest issue of ShopSmart lists tips to learn how to spot a fake and what to do if you’re sold inauthentic merchandize. I summarize them below.

Beware of too-good-to-be-true deals. Seems obvious, but many fall for the “bargain.” Finding products at steep discounts can be a sign that it’s a fake.

Become a counterfeit detective. Research online to see what the differences are between the real and fake product. Trust me, there are some dead giveaways for some of these things. Many designers have information on their websites about detecting and avoiding knock-offs, so start there.

Skip shopping online. There’s just no way to inspect products before they arrive and you have to rely on photos that may be phony. If you like the convenience of shopping online, it can be done, but it takes a few more steps.

Check out a sellers reputation. Unless, you are shopping on a trusted retailers website, check the seller’s reputation. A quick search for the seller’s name and words like “rip-off” or “complaints” can spare you a headache later on. If you’re shopping on sites like Amazon and eBay, consider the seller’s ratings.

Use an escrow. ShopSmart suggests using an escrow service like Escrow.com where your payment will he held until you can inspect the merchandise. Skip this step by using sites like eBay that promise to refund your money if you end up with counterfeit products.

Swipe your credit card. One of the best ways to protect yourself is to use plastic. Like this you’ll be able to dispute charges.

If you end up with a fake, here’s what to do:

Demand the real thing. By law you’re entitled to the real thing. The retailer’s return policy doesn’t apply.

Get your money back. If you can’t get the real thing, you’re legally entitled to a refund.

File a complaint. Let authorities know you were sold a fake by contacting your state consumer officials.

Have you ever been sold fake merchandise?

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Amber325 / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

I have lost several nice shirts due to stains — it happens when you’re the family cook. Aside from wearing an apron now, I’ve also learned to combat spots without the use of expensive store bought stain removers. Below I share my tips to help you save money on laundry and clothes!

Before tackling any stains make sure to read the cleaning instructions of garments. Also, test the solutions in an inconspicuous place like the seem to check for colorfastness.

Grease – Work dish washing liquid on the stain. Then use white vinegar to rinse it out. This works best with clear dish washing detergents that cut through grease. I’ve found the ones with color sometimes stain clothes. Launder as usual.

Egg or blood – Gently lift up any egg that’s left behind making sure not to work it in. As for blood, run the stain under cold water to get rid of excess blood. Then use diluted dish washing detergent on the stain, and let it sit. After a few minutes, work the detergent and rinse in tepid water. If the stain remains, treat the area with an enzyme detergent. (Make sure not to use this on wool as it will damage the garment!)

Grass – Use a solution made up of one part white vinegar to two parts water. Then use a toothbrush to work the liquid into the area. Wash as usual preferably with an enzyme detergent.

Ink – Hairspray works well on this! You can also put glycerin on the spot. Then treat with your regular detergent and very little water. Gently rub to form suds and rinse.

Mud – I’ve had to remove mud from my sister’s Tom shoes several times. Instead of diving right in to clean them, I allow the mud to dry. Once completely dried, I brush off the mud. Then I work in detergent to clean the area. You can just toss items in the washing machine.

Coffee – I’m notorious for coffee stains. A friend even gifted me a stain removing pen that I carry with me. To remove coffee stains just flush the area with lemon juice or white vinegar. Launder as usual, but use an enzyme detergent if you had your java with milk.

Lipstick – Use a spoon to remove excess lipstick. Make sure not to rub in the lipstick as it will make it harder to remove. Then kiss the stain goodbye with hairspray. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Use a damp cloth to remove. Launder as usual.

Have wine, wax, or chocolate stains? Bobbi shows you how to get rid of them in her secrets of holiday stain removal post. What are your techniques for removing stains?

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Craft service menu on a TV shoot. AverageJane/flickr

A friend of mine recently asked me, “So, where can I get free food?” Of course, this was just too good of a challenge for me to just let go.

The fact is that there are lots of ways to get free or deeply discounted food. I will start with deep discounts and work my way down to free.

1.  Grocery store clearance. Fresh & Easy grocery stores discount food on the day of expiration. They discount up to 75% off and place them in a clearance section of the store. More ways to save on groceries.
2. Vendors at Farmer’s Markets offer deeply discounted fresh fruits and veggies in the last 15-30 minutes of the market.

3. Become a coupon expert. With a good knowledge of couponing, one can get extremely cheap or free items. The trick is to make sure that you are getting things that you actually need/want. It is not a bargain if you don’t really want it.
4. Join a food coop. Find a coop near you. It’s almost always cheaper to buy in bulk and get rid of the middle man.
5. Coordinate your friends and neighbors to cook potluck style. Get your friends to each make a big dish of something and put into individual containers. Then trade. With a group of 7 people, if each person makes one large entree (like a stew or soup), then each person could end up with a full week’s worth of food.
6. Go dumpster diving. If the Bargain Babe can do it, so can you. The fact is that lots of perfectly good food gets tossed into dumpsters every night. (Note, check in your state if this is legal.)
7. Work on a film or tv shoot. If you happen to be in an area of the country that has film productions (and most of them do now), get yourself booked as an extra. They always feed the cast. Sometimes they feed the cast really well. Sometimes you will even get paid a bit of money. Look at your local Craigslist under gigs and search for “extras” or “casting.”
8. Get a job working in a place that serves food. One of the perks of such a job is that you get to eat. If you don’t want a job every day, then hook up with a catering service. Then you can pick and choose your availability. However, you don’t have to be wait staff to get fed. You could work the door, security, parking, entertainment, etc. They all get fed.
9. Get invited to parties. Hey, there is always food at parties. Become a social butterfly and get yourself invited to parties. Make sure you learn how to be a great guest.
10. Food banks and soup kitchens. Every state in America has some sort of food bank program. You can use the food bank locator to find one in your area. There are tons of links to other programs listed on the FeedingAmerica.org site. Perhaps you need a meal or perhaps you want to help others receive meals. Help feed the homeless and then eat dinner with them. It’s good in so many ways.

OK, so some of these ideas might not be for you, but believe me, I left off some ideas I had, like “crash a wedding reception” or “pan handle.” What ideas for free or deeply discounted food do you suggest?

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EvelynGiggles/flickr

My kids recently went to see “The Lorax” and when they came home, my son proudly told me that he discovered a great bargain. From opening until 11:59 a.m., tickets for any movie are $6. After noon, the price jumped almost twice as much.

This got me thinking about the various ways to save money on movie theater tickets. Yazmin also has 12 easy ways to save money at the movies.

1. Go during discount times. Besides the above stated $6 before-noon discount, there are other discounts. Some theaters have special “senior” days. AMC is currently running a special Student Day discount on Thursdays. It is worth checking the theater website for special pricing before deciding on the show you are going to go to. Going to an earlier or later show could cut your ticket price in half. Note, many theaters don’t raise their prices until late afternoon.
2. Wait a few weeks until the movie is at a discount theater. Some theaters only run movies that have been out for awhile. Ticket prices are as low as a couple of dollars. You won’t be the first to see the movie, but you’ll have extra money in your pocket.
3. Look for package deals. The Academy Theater in Pasadena has a Wednesday date night package – 2 tickets, 2 sodas, and 2 popcorns for $10. Check your local theater for similar deals. Hint: mid-week bargains are more likely.
4. Buy your tickets in bulk. Warehouse stores typically sell bulk movie tickets. Prices vary depending on where you live, but they are always cheaper than buying tickets individually. Take note that you will probably have to pay a surcharge for 3D or IMAX shows.
5. Buy tickets with your credit card points. Credit card reward programs often can be exchanged for movie tickets. The ones I get through Discover have two tickets and two coupons for popcorn. These make great presents.
6. Get invited to screenings. There are lots of ways to find out about movie screenings (scroll down). Sometimes people hand out flyers for screenings at local farmer’s markets. You can search for “movie screenings + name of your city.” You can also talk to the manager of a local theater that shows screenings. They may know how to get on a screening mailing list.
7. Work at a movie theater. If you really love movies and spend a lot of your time and money going to see movies in theaters, then perhaps it is your calling to work there. Seeing movies for free is one of the perks of working at a theater. Note that one of the drawbacks is that you will smell like popcorn.
8. Wait until the movie is on DVD and borrow it from your local library. My favorite bargain of all time is the local library. Some libraries will even let you order the movie online and get it shipped to your local library. The one drawback is that movie rental times are usually short and the fines are steep. The selection is also limited. However, the price is right.

Of course, this just saves money on the tickets. The other expense involved is the food. Do you sneak food into the movies? What’s your favorite way to save money on movie tickets?

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sean dreilinger / Flickr

I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.

Living the frugal life – Donna Freedman shares why frugality is the right choice. (MSN Money)

Moving on a budget – Moving? Check out this guide to cutting packaging and moving costs. (MoneyCrashers)

Financial disaster – Learn how to deal with divorce from a financial standpoint. (Bargaineering)

Money 101 – The Silicon Valley Blogger shares a basic financial plan for those starting out. (The Digerati Life)

Save money on your wheels – The Thousandaire shares ten ways to stop wasting money on your car. (Thousandaire)

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rachel_titiriga/flickr

I live in Southern California, the land of the lemon tree. With so many donations from friends, I have found tons of uses for the mighty little lemon.

Here are ten of my favorites:

1. Lemon juice and salt on your copper bottom pans make an instant cleaning miracle. Just sprinkle the salt on the copper bottom, then squirt on some lemon juice and give a gentle scrub. Your copper will shine like the day it was made. This works on any copper surface, not just pot bottoms.

2. Put lemon juice in a spray bottle and go for a little sunbath. Spritz the lemon juice on your hair and let the sun do its job. You will end up with a summer blond look.
3. Turn those lemons into lemonade. The very best lemonade that I ever had was at a yard sale. The little boy who sold it to me was proud to tell me that the lemons came from the tree in his backyard. Lemon juice + filtered water + honey + ice = yummy lemonade
4. After shampoo rinse. When I was little, my mom used to pour lemon juice over my hair as an after shampoo rinse. Some people don’t use shampoo or conditioner at all – only water and some lemon juice.
5. Deodorize your garbage disposal. After you are done squeezing the juice out of the lemon, cut it up into strips and put down your disposal. Not only does it help break up the grease and gunk on the blades, but it leaves a pleasant lemon scent.
6. Keep guacamole from turning brown. Avocado turns brown when exposed to air, so your wonderful homemade guacamole can look yucky while still tasting great. Spritz the top of your guac with lemon juice to keep a bright green.
7. Similar to the avocado, apple slices will also turn brown when left out to the air. Dip the slices in lemon juice to keep them nice looking. The taste of the lemon compliments the apples.
8. Help soften elbows and heels by rubbing a squeezed lemon rind on them. Make sure you don’t have any cuts in your skin or they will sting.
9. Lemon and honey in hot water is good for a sore throat or a cold. If nothing else, the honey tastes good and the heat soothes.
10. Kill weeds in the cracks in your sidewalk. Much like the tip that Bargain Babe gave us with vinegar, it turns out that lemon juice also kills weeds. Soak the area with lemon juice instead of toxic chemicals. You will definitely want a friend with an overloaded lemon tree for this tip.

I know that there are tons more uses for this great little fruit. What are your favorite uses for lemons?

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Soft, soft cashmere - photo by Bobbi Burger Brunoehler

I just scored a cashmere sweater for 99 cents at the 99 cent store. Yep. A cashmere sweater for less than a dollar! This unbelievable discount got me thinking about my Bargain Hall of Fame.

I find bargains every day, but sometimes my finds are special. Here are my personal top 10 best buys:

1. Brand new original Leatherman tool for $1.50. Retailed for $50 (but it is retired and you can’t even buy it anymore except as a collector’s item).
2. Sewing machine (like new) for free on Freecycle.
3. Large box FULL of jewelry (including a gold ring) for $20. My daughter had a field day taking the jewelry apart and redesigning it. I often wonder if the man that sold me this box of jewelry got in trouble with his wife.
4. Three giant garbage bags full of clothes at swap-o-rama-rama. Entrance fee was a bag of my clothes and $5. My favorite way to get new clothes is at a swap.
5. Wooden swing set with slide, fort and two swings for $200. Retail cost $2,200. We got years of fun out of this swing set in two different States. We finally sold it to someone else for $150.
6. The afore mentioned cashmere sweater for 99 cents – retail price $255 at Nordstrom. It’s a super soft sweater as you can see from the picture.
7. Hundreds of dollars worth of fake flowers for $15 at an estate sale. I later used these flowers in a craft tent at a huge children’s festival.
8. A David’s Bridal bridesmaid’s gown for $20. Retail $220. This gown is now part of my daughter’s costume collection.
9. Fixing my car horn, cruise control and air bag for free under factory recall. Savings of at least $500 dollars.
10. Buying my home in a short sale for half of what the previous owner paid for it. BIG savings.

Those are my Bargain Hall of Fame nominees. How about you? What are your best bargains ever?

Jasonwoodhead23/flickr

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.

Per Southern California Gas Company, home heating is 65% of a residential gas bill during the winter months. (That’s what it said in my bill insert this month.) Wow! If that is true in Southern California, what is it in actual cold parts of the country?

With so much of your utility budget going toward keeping your home warm, anything that you can do to retain heat in your home or keep the heat from leaving is a money saver. Here are 5 tips that will help you to lower your heating bill:

1. Open your drapes when the sun is shining into the window. This allows the sun to heat your home. Close your drapes (the heavier the better) when the sun is not shining in the window. This will help to hold the heat in the space and keep it from literally going out the window. Follow the tips in the winterize your home video to keep those windows from being drafty.
2. Clean or replace the filters in your heating system. Ensure you do not have furniture or storage in front of your heating vents, especially if you have floor vents. Remember heat rises and it can’t rise if it is covered by your sofa.
3. Get an annual inspection for your furnace.  Yes, heating systems need to be maintained just like your air conditioner. An annual servicing of your furnace can not only save you money but it can also prevent a fire by cleaning out lint build-up and ensuring that your system is operating properly and efficiently. Per the Chicago Tribune, if your system is only 60% efficient, then that means that you are loosing 40 cents on every dollar!
4. If your health will allow, wear more clothes and lower the temperature a few degrees. Place lap rugs around your house so that you can place one over your legs or over your shoulders to keep you warm. If you are in Southern California… it’s time to take off the flip-flops and put on socks and shoes.
5. Wear a hat.  Remember how Scrooge had on a sleeping cap when he went to bed in every version of Charles Dicken’s Christmas classic? Scrooge was saving money by not heating his house. So, he wore a hat to keep him warm. You don’t have to be Scrooge to wear a comfy sleeping night cap. They really do keep you warm.

Hummm. All this writing about the cold is making me want a nice mug of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. Another great way to keep warm.

Four years ago, Dove beauty products ran one of the most successful viral video campaigns of the time. It graphical showed that our perception of beauty is twisted by the ability of makeup and graphic artists to make the human body look drastically different than it actually is. In the hands of an expert, Photoshop graphic software can drastically change the way that anybody looks.

These constant visual illusions set the stage for cosmetic companies to sell overpriced and unnecessary products to young and old, male and female, rich and poor. Do we really need toxic chemicals from cosmetics added to our skin and our budgets? No.

The best beauty is natural beauty. It is lasting. Really.

Here are 8 tried and true simple steps you can do to bring out your natural beauty.

1. Drink water. Pure, clean water. Water is what the body uses to flush out the toxins that accumulate and cause unwanted and unbeautiful conditions like pimples, wrinkles and bags under your eyes.
2. Get a good and restful night’s sleep every night. I know that this is very hard for many people to do, but you can help yourself by turning off the computer or tv and going to sleep early enough that you can get a good 8 hours of sleep. For those of you with young kids… sorry, I know that probably isn’t possible.
3. Avoid eating sugar. Wow. Yep. Sugar is not good for your beauty when eaten, but it can be used as a sugar scrub to exfoliate your skin.
4. Eat your dark green veggies. Your mom was right. Green leafy vegetables are really good for you.
5. Avoid and/or release stress. Figure out what that means for you. Perhaps you need to do yoga or take some walks or run the marathon. Perhaps reading a book relaxes you are getting a massage.
6. Get rid of negative people from your life. If you feel worse every time you are with a certain someone, then you probably shouldn’t hang out with them. If it is a family member, that is kind of hard, but if it is a friend, then perhaps it is time to let go of that friendship. A great saying that is floating around facebook goes something like: “Before you decide to take anti-depressants, find out if you are just surrounded by jerks.”
7. Find work in life that you enjoy. Living tends to take up all of your time, so it is best to be doing something that you like.
8. Make your own all natural beauty products or buy them from a company that only uses ingredients that you can pronounce. Return to Beauty is a great book devoted to homemade beauty recipes.

I hope these above tips help you. You can also check out these frugal beauty tips from Yazmin. Have you ever made your own beauty products?

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Soda bottle lantern/Things Deb Loves

I LOVE holiday crafts! They are so sparkly and fun to make with kids of all ages.

Here is a list of 8 of my favorite holiday crafts.

1. Soda bottle lanterns. Cut the top off a 2-liter soda bottle. Take off label. Decorate with tissue paper put on with watered down Elmer’s glue. Punch two holes on top and string wire or string for a handle. Put a battery operated tea light or glo-stick inside. This is more beautiful than you can image.
   
   
2. Tongue depressor/Popsicle stick snowflakes. Buy the sticks from a Dollar Store or craft supply store. Paint them white. Let dry. Glue together in a star shape. Decorate. Can be used as a unique party invitation or decoration.
3. Recycled wreaths. You can make a wreath out of just about anything from an old bicycle tire wrapped in garland and lights to red buttons glued onto a round piece of cardboard.
4. Hang tags. Repurpose last year’s holiday cards into this year’s name tags for your presents. Just cut off the side with the message and put a hole into the picture side. Tape to present to use ribbon through a hole to hang.
5. Heart house ornament. Another use for last year’s cards. Make a beautiful house shaped tree ornament. Clever idea.
6. Victorian Christmas crackers.  These aren’t the crackers that you eat. These are the crackers that make a popping noise with a toy inside. Make these delightful small gifts out of toilet paper rolls and tissue paper.
7. Paper bag Santa. This is a super easy and cheap craft that kids love. Just takes a paper bag, crayons, scissors, glue and a cotton ball.
8. Paper chains. Cut some red and green construction paper into strips and start connecting those circles. Kids love making paper chains and it is a cheap project. I found a nice paper cutter at a yard sale several years ago and I love it and use it all the time.

These craft ideas along with my earlier Frugal and homemade holiday gifts should keep you all busy making all sorts of holiday creations. Have I forgotten something that you love to make during the holidays?

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Romantic Crafts/flickr

I love homemade holiday gifts the best. Anyone can go to the store and buy something, but it takes time and thought to give someone a gift that you made.

Here are 7 unusual frugal and homemade holiday gifts. For more gift ideas, check out the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide.

1. Firewood. With all the recent storms, it is possible that you are now in possession of lots more wood than you need. Bundle it up and give it as gifts to those you know with fireplaces. Include a couple of mugs, hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.
2. Truffles. I received a small box of two gold paper-wrapped homemade truffles once. They were given and received like the best gift ever. Delicious. Here is a truffle recipe.
3. Lessons. If you are an expert at something, offer a set of lessons to someone as a gift. Perhaps you are a good cook, photographer, artist, or handy man.
4. Personalized stationary. Create a hand drawn or digital graphic that represents the recipient. Find wonderful paper at a yard sale. Transfer the graphic onto the paper. You can even make handmade envelopes for a real personalized touch.
5. Fabric covered boxes. My sister-in-law gave me one of these the first time I met her and I still have it.
6. Make a secret family recipe book. Get each family member to write up the recipe of the dish they make that is loved the most. It can be as simple as getting recipe cards and taping them into a note book or you can get carried away in photoshop with pictures. Make a copy for each family member. Believe me, years from now this will be a cherished book.
7. Chunky yarn bracelets. This is a super easy craft that can be done with any kind of yarn, but looks best with the new Martha Stewart Mambo Yarn. You can make this craft out of any old cheap bangle covered by any kind of fabric.

Do you have favorite handmade gifts?

Check out these related posts:

How to make homemade gift tags

Homemade gift envelopes

Recipe for homemade sugar scrub gifts

Homemade gift ideas (picture frame earring holder, memory jar, candles)

Gifts that keep on giving

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Keng Susumpow/Flickr

I love presents! I love waking up on Christmas morning to a tree drowning in presents. My family spends the day opening presents, watching movies, eating good food and talking to friends and relatives on the phone. Heavenly.

However, creating that pile of presents without breaking the budget and without gathering ANY credit card debt is a trick. A trick that I have pulled off for many years, by the way.

Here are my top 8 No Debt Santa Claus secrets:

1. Shop all year long. Yep, you start shopping the day after Christmas. Grab up those very last 90% off clearance wrapping paper and store it for next year. Christmas DOES come once a year whether you plan for it or not.
2. Determine a “secret hiding place” for gifts that you collect throughout the year. When my kids were little, I kept boxes in the attic. Now, everyone knows where the secret place is and agrees not to look.
3. Buy gifts for yourself and give them to someone else to hold onto until the holidays. I don’t know about you, but I really am the best person to buy gifts for myself. I know what I want and I am out shopping for everyone else. When I see something that I like that is a great buy, I snatch it up and give it to my daughter to store for me. Then, I “forget” about it until I open my gift. One of the advantages of this tip is that I don’t have to return my gift because it is already the perfect present.
4. Buy gifts at yard sales. I have gotten some of the very best gifts at yard sales. I bought a $200 beaded lamp for $20. My daughter and I were both there and so we both “forgot” about it.
5. Redeem credit card points for gift cards. I do not have credit card debt, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t use my credit cards. I pay off my cards in full when I get the bill every month and I use the points for gift cards. My family particularly likes the movie passes and book store gift cards.
6. Make homemade goodies to give as gifts. It is well known that I make chocolate covered pretzels during the holidays. My hubby’s co-workers have been asking for them all year. These are a great way to give a little something to many people without breaking the bank. I purchase the necessary ingredients throughout the year when I see them on sale.
7. Learn how to create unique gift wrapping. The fact is that you can get gift wrap and tags super cheap at the 99 cent store. I use gift bags with tissue paper quite a lot. However, along with keeping to one’s budget, you also want to have the holidays be a time of creating beauty and memories with your family. Making handmade gift tags is a wonderful activity to do with your kids. Teaching them how to wrap a beautiful present is a lifelong skill.
8. Find out what your friends REALLY want as a gift. Perhaps what you mom really wants from you is a mother-daughter day of baking, shopping or just taking a long walk. Maybe your best friend would love to have you coming and help her reorganize her closet. Perhaps you co-worker would like to have a lunch together to talk about something other than work. Many times the very best gift is just your time and attention. Don’t under estimate the value of YOU as the best gift.

What do you think? Did I miss something important?

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ekkmanz/flickr

Some of the most expensive items that anyone buys in their lifetime besides a house or a car are kitchen appliances. Repairing that new washer, dryer or refrigerator is a hidden cost that you can drastically reduce by making the fixes yourself.

The best refrigerator I ever had was at least 20 years old when I paid $25 for it. Nothing ever broke on that beast. I had to leave it on one of my moves and I replaced it with a younger, more breakable, model, which quickly taught me about repairs.

The first thing that broke was

the ice maker. I LOVED my ice maker. When I contacted the manufacturer about the cost, it was more than I paid for the fridge in the first place. I then went on eBay and found the exact replacement – brand new – for 50% of what the manufacture was charging.

Next, the little plastic piece broke off the water dispenser in the door. Getting cold filtered water out of my fridge is soooo great! A liquid luxury. Again, I checked with the manufacturer and they wouldn’t even quote me a price. Just said to contact a repair person. Even with a home warranty, it is going to cost $55 to have a repair person come to the house.

That is when I discovered my new favorite money saving website: Part Select.

This site is FABULOUS! I mean it. If one of your major appliances breaks, you put in the make and model number and all the possible parts come up with pictures and diagrams. They have installation instructions and online help.  You can even find the part based on the size and shape of it. The Bargain Babe herself found Fixya and ReliableParts helpful, too.

Instead of just getting rid of your appliance because it doesn’t work and buying an overpriced new one, you can just fix the old one. Most repairs only require a screw driver and some common sense.

Just in case my enthusiasm for my new HUGE savings strategy isn’t enough to turn you into your own handyman, then check out these average repair charges for fixing a washing machine as listed by the Major Appliance Service National Price Guide. $121 to replace a fabric softener dispenser cap??!!

Disclosure: my husband is very handy. He helps me with these repairs – ok, he does the repairs. But, I find the parts at deep discount. Even if I didn’t have a handy hubby, I could probably learn to do these repairs by watching YouTube videos or setting up some sort of barter with someone else’s handy hubby.

I hope I have inspired you to save money on fixing your own appliances. Of course, if the problem involves electrical, make sure you follow all the safety cautions. I’m expecting you to be frugal AND smart.

Have you fixed your own appliances? What happened?

Cuca de lllum/flickr

When I was little, the only color nail polish that a “nice” girl wore was clear. And we knew how to use that clear goo in many ways. Here are my top 10 favorite uses for clear nail polish:

1. Stop nylons from running. Remember we wore hose ALL the time. Even in the snowy winters of New England during the mini-skirt fashion craze. You just COULDN’T bear to have a run in your stocking. A little dab of clear polish would stop the run. Of course, it would also stick to your leg, so you have to kind of pull the nylon away from your skin until it dried.
2. Polish the inside of the yarn you have wrapped around your “steady boyfriend’s” class ring.The fuzzier the yarn the better. But if you put a coat of clear nail polish on the inside, it kept the yarn from unraveling. This entire procedure – wrapping yarn around your boyfriend’s ring- was repeated every night while you talked to your girlfriends on the phone.
3. Coat the end of a piece of thread so that it will go through the eye of a needle easier. We sewed a lot more than people sew today. I sewed on my girl scout patches, my cheerleader letter on my sweater, and the hems on my skirts every time the fashionable length changed.
4. Keep the ends of shoe laces from unraveling if that little plastic thing came off. Plain white tennis shoes with white laces. That was what we wore for gym class and they HAD to be clean. Washing the shoes in the washing machine not only ruined many washers but also caused the lace ends to disappear into the great washing machine void (along with one sock that always gets lost.)
5. Keep the metal shaving cream cans from rusting. The bottoms of the cans rust when left in the shower. Coating the bottom edge with clear polish keeps the rust from forming.
6. Use instead of glue on paper. A dab on the edge of a note keeps the paper sealed but can easily be torn away.
7. Coating a picture to give it a glossy look. This works well on color pictures from magazines, but not with pictures from ink jet printers.
8. Use to coat pictures inside bottle cap art.
9. Coat the inside of a cheap ring or earrings to keep the metal from reacting badly or irritating your skin.
10. Put an additional coat of clear polish on your new manicure and/or pedicure when you get home from the nail salon. This will add another layer of protection and keep the polish from chipping. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time for this to dry before you go to bed or you will end up with lines in your lovely polish.

Are there uses that I am forgetting?

We all make good and bad financial decisions. Overall, I am pretty happy with mine. They have allowed me to live the kind of life that is important to me. I get to be an at-home mom and have been there to raise my kids. The trade off? Used cars and no fancy address.

Looking back at my choices, my worst financial decisions have been:

1. Not buying a house 30 years ago. I knew that I would be moving a lot, so I didn’t want to buy a house. But in fact, I always stayed longer in each place than I meant to and with the rising housing market all those years, I would have made a lot of money on each turn over and I’d own my house now.
2. Not putting money into

   a weekly investment account. There just never seemed to be any left over, but even if I had just put “something” aside each week it would have grown.

3. Not learning more about how to effectively grow money. I wish I had learned this very early on.
4. Not marrying a millionaire. Well, that would have been a good financial decision, but I love my non-millionaire hubby.
5. Not asking my dad more questions about finance and his experience and learning in the subject before he passed. My dad knew a lot about business and money, but he never got around to teaching it to me and I never tried hard enough to get the information. Sad.

The best financial decisions I made are:

1. Paying off my credit cards in full each month. I might not know how to grow money, but I’ve accomplished something perhaps as difficult. Not growing debt.
2. Balancing my checking account statement each month. This one process forces me to look at my finances with a fine tooth comb at least once a month. Doing so gives me great control of my finances and I highly recommend it to everyone. I don’t care if you think that “the bank knows what they are doing.” That is not the point. The point is – do you know what YOU are doing!
3. Keeping good track of our expenses and setting-aside money for various expenses that always come up. Doing No. 2 above allows me to do this step. Having money set aside means that I don’t have to worry about how I will pay the bill when an unexpected expense arises.
4. Only buying cars we can pay for in full. New cars are expensive, long story short. I have never had a car payment and I never want one.
5. To always live within the means of my husband’s paycheck. Even when I was still working and before we had kids. This meant that we did not have financial obligations that would make it impossible for me to stay home and raise our kids.

What are your best and worst financial decisions?