Home Remedies

This list of home remedies was emailed to me by a family member.  It's full of great ideas using things you probably already have in your home.

ACHY MUSCLES: Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

ARTHRITIS PAIN: Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

BLISTERS: To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine ... a powerful antiseptic.

BOILS: Cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

BRUISES: Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

BUG KILLER: If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

BURNS: Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

DOG ODOR: Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

FLEAS: Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

HEADACHE: Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

KEEPING SCREWS IN YOUR GLASSES:To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

RUST REMOVER: Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

SKIN BLEMISHES: Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

SORE THROAT: Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

SPLINTERS: Just pour a row of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

STUFFED UP NOSE: Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

TOENAIL FUNGUS: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS:  Use Alka-Seltzer . Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly even though the product was never been advertised for this use. (Note: Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine is not the same..and contains aspirin, which can cause stomach bleeding if you have ulcers.)

A few good websites to find free items that you may need

One of the first things I discovered in my quest to save money were the freecycle groups, http://www.freecycle.org/.  These groups consist of people in your area who list items that they are looking to get rid of for FREE.  That's right for free.  You can set your membership settings to email you everytime a member posts something to the group, then you reply to the posting if it's something you are interested in having.  You set up a time and place to pick up the item and it's yours.  You can also list items that you want.  If there is a member out there that has the item and they're looking to get rid of it, they will email you and arrange pick up.  It's very simple.  I have seen so many different kinds of items listed.  It's great if you have kids and are ok with getting used clothing for them.  I have seen people list toys that their children no longer play with, small appliances that have been collecting dust, left over building materials, appliances, and even food.  The possibilities are endless.  Quite a few members in my area will list the leftovers from their garage sales in the summer. 
Another great website that is almost exactly the same as freecycle is called http://www.reuseitnetwork.org/.  I moderate a group here in my area.  The only difference between this group and the freecycle group is that the rules are a little more lax.  Both groups rules and etiquette differ from city to city.  But with ReUseIt you will see postings for pets, coupons and different things that most freecycle groups discourage people from listing.
Both of these website require a yahoo ID (which is also free) to join.  I have met lots of other penny pinchers like myself through these groups, so check them out. 

Here We Go

What is the definition of a penny pincher?  Thefreedictionary.com list the defintion as, "extreme care in spending money; reluctance to spend money unnecessarily".  This has sort of become the theme of our household.  After having three kids and becoming a stay-at-home mom, saving money became a huge priority in our family.  I had to become creative and find ways to scrimp and save.  I thought I would create a blog where I could pass along all the tips, tricks and ideas that I've learned over the years.  Hopefully there will be someone out there that will find it useful.