Toothpaste is more than just for teeth!

As I started couponing, I found out that getting toothpaste for free was a simple task. I also follow a couple different blogs that lets me know what the latest coupon deal is and sometimes get some great insights. Thanks to TheKrazyCouponLady, I now know that there's more things to do with toothpaste than just brushing my teeth. I've picked out the ones that I found interesting and useful. Feel free to read her entire blogpost.

Remove Scuff Marks. Just a dab of toothpaste can remove scuff marks from your favorite pair of leather shoes. Just stick a little on the scuff marks, rub the area with a soft cloth, and wipe clean with a damp cloth. You will keep them looking like new.

Clean the “burnt goo” Off Your Iron. Avoid those nasty burned gunk marks that make you throw away your clothing items! Non-gel toothpastes contain a mild abrasive, which is just what you need to scrub the “gunk” off the plate of your iron. Apply it to your iron while it’s cool and unplugged, scrub with a rag, then rinse well.

Baby Bottle Deodorizer. After a lot of use, baby bottles can begin to smell like sour milk. Toothpaste will remove this odor! Just put a little bit on the bottle brush and start scrubbing. Be sure to rinse the bottle out well with hot water.

Mirror Defogger. Hate coming out of the shower to a fogged up mirror? Next time spread a little non-gel toothpaste onto the mirror and wipe it off before stepping into the shower. When you’re done with your shower, you will step out to a clear mirror!

Shine Your Chrome. Smear toothpaste on your chrome items, polish the chrome piece with a soft, dry cloth, then wipe clean to a brilliant shine. Sure, there are chrome cleaners out there, but this way you are avoiding the cost as well as the chemicals!

Clean Your Bathroom Sink. Non-gel toothpastes work just as well as any other bathroom cleaner when it comes to cleaning out your sink. Toothpaste is always handy in the bathroom. Just dab some on a sponge, scrub, and rinse clean.

Clean Crayon Marks Off Walls. When your children decide to act like Monet on your kitchen walls, just grab a tube, a rag or scrub brush, dab a little on the wall and start scrubbing. The fine abrasive in the toothpaste will take away the crayon marks. Rinse well with water.

Hang Posters on the wall. I love this toothpaste tip! Just put a little dab in each corner of the poster and a few in-between on the edges. Put your poster up and it will stick like glue. When you get ready to remove it, it will come off easily with no holes or damage to the paint or walls.

Fill holes in the wall. An old but a great tip! Do you have ugly nail holes showing? Just a little white toothpaste will fill in the hole instantly. Let it dry, and you can paint over it.

This has been a guest post by Katie from South Bend, IN

Something for the earth... (step 5)

And we're here! The last step from an article in earth911.com's newsletter that I got from recyclebank! I never really got into freezing things until I met my boyfriend's mother. It's a smart way to extend the life of fresh food and event a great tool to plan. On top of that, when I find mean that is cheap because it's going to expire soon, I find it as a useful tool to have it last a couple days longer. As I've stated before, knowledge is power, but it's only 20% of the battle. Enjoy!


Store it smarter

Storing your food properly is the No. 1 way to reduce spoilage in your kitchen. Always store perishables in an airtight container, and know when to move foods from the fridge to the freezer.

Always freeze meats that you don’t plan to use within two or three days. Make sure meat is patted dry and placed in an airtight container before freezing to reduce the risk of freezer burn.

If you don’t plan to use fresh vegetables or fruits within the next week, you should also consider freezing to prevent them from going to waste. Not sure how to freeze fresh produce yourself? Check out our freezing and canning guide to get you started.

For product-specific tips, consult this detailed guide from the Colorado State University Extension, which includes preparation instructions for more than a dozen vegetables. For fruits, check out this helpful freezing fact sheet from the University of Wisconsin Extension.

READ: 5 Ways to Keep Food Fresh

5 Simple Steps to a quicker clean

I'm all about efficient and effective action. Spring is around the corner and that typically has me start Spring Cleaning. Thanks to RightatHome's newsletter, there gave me 5 spring cleaning shortcuts that I thought you would appreciate.

1. Remove dust now.

 Household dust is made up of tracked-in dirt, sloughed-off skin cells, pet dander and dust mite excrement and corpses. For a thorough dusting, work your way from top to bottom so you don’t have to go over surfaces more than once.

2. Master microwave messes now.

 Boil a cup of water in the microwave. The steam will help loosen dried-on food particles so you can easily wipe them away using a paper towel. 

Keep it mess-free later.

 Use a microwave food cover to keep your microwave clean and free from food splatters. Most covers cost between $2 and $10 and are dishwasher-safe.

3. Tackle laundry now.

 Spring-cleaning brings loads of extra laundry. As tempting as it may be to try to get the job done quicker, don’t overload the washer or dryer. Clothes need to move freely in the machine to come out clean and wrinkle-free.

Lighten the load later.

 Enlist the help of family members by divvying up laundry chores like loading, folding and ironing. 

4. Clean window treatments now.

 Window treatments are often overlooked when cleaning, but dirt and dust can build up over time. Give them a thorough cleaning using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner or wash according to the label directions.

Keep them clean later.

 To avoid dirt and dust buildup, open and close your window treatments often and gently shake them. Give dust a few minutes to fall to the floor so you can easily wipe it up with a dust mop or towel.

5. Banish bathroom grime now.

 Wash your shower curtain according to its label and replace the shower curtain liner, which can harbor mold and grime. 

Keep it at bay later.

 Traditional bar soaps have binders that are the main cause of soapy residue. So try switching to a liquid shower gel or glycerin bar soap to help prevent soap scum buildup. 

Something for the earth... (step 4)

We're almost done! Here's the next step from an article in earth911.com's newsletter that I got from recyclebank! This step is looking at reusing your leftovers with a twist that will cause you to want to eat it! Not the same old same old stuff that makes it somewhat painful to eat... so get creative!

Finish the leftovers

A half-eaten casserole isn’t always the most appetizing meal option. So, try giving your leftovers a facelift to make them seem a bit more appealing to the family.

Toss leftovers like roasted meats, vegetable sides and cooked pastas into a crockpot for soups or stews. Wrap last night’s dinner up with some eggs in a breakfast burrito. Or make a sandwich using your Friday fish-fry.

For more recipe ideas, check out Lovefoodhatewaste.com, which provides a database full of delicious leftover-based recipes from top Scottish chefs, or download the free Love Food, Hate Waste app for iPhone and Android for on-the-go meal planning.

READ: This App Has Recipes for Your Leftovers

If you missed the first 3 steps or don't want to wait for the last step, you can read the rest of the article here. 

A scheduling tip that prevents anxiety

I don't know about you, but I love to schedule things in my calendar! I schedule everything, when I'm doing grocery shopping, getting a certain task done and especially my meetings. In the beginning of my entrepreneurial career, I've always found myself rushing from meeting to meeting therefore creating a lot of stress and anxiety in the process.

Now, I don't. I make sure to schedule when I should leave for the appointment and when I would arrive back. Basically, I include the travel time in my calendar. For example, if I'm meeting someone at 10:30, I'll enter the appointment starting at 10 and have it end at noon, assuming it is an hour long appointment.

This simple action gives me peace of mind and it forces me to plan ahead. It takes away the opportunity for stress to show up. It's the little things that we do in our preparation that make all the difference!

What do you to do take away the opportunity for stress to show up?

Something for the earth... (step 3)

We're halfway there! Here's the next step from an article in earth911.com's newsletter that I got from recyclebank! Again, it's great information that I believe should be passed along because knowing something is 20% of the battle. Next is to be conscious and present to our actions. Which is perfect for this next step about understanding expiration dates. As a couponer, I've stocked up on a lot of things and what I didn't do in the very beginning was pay attention to the expiration dates on my products. Now I'm talking about the everyday products: mouthwash, toothpaste, OTC Drugs and cereal. When I decided to look online, I found out that a lot of the expiration dates really didn't matter. You can use OTC drugs years after they expire, cereal will be fine until you open it and toothpaste can last. That is huge in terms of throwing away unused products because they "expired" and spending money to buy new ones. It's even more wasteful when we're talking about food because it can be confusing. Thanks to earth911.com for taking the time to clarify it for us.

Understand sell-by dates

A staggering amount of food is wasted due to customer confusion about “sell-by” labels, the U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) found last year. DEFRA published detailed guidelines for food and drink makers to relieve confusion in the U.K., but the “sell-by” date mystery affects shoppers worldwide.

Almost always, “sell-by” dates tell retailers when they should stop displaying goods on shelves. Wary of foodborne illnesses, many shoppers are quick to throw items away after this date. But if stored properly, goods are often safe for several more days.

“Even if the [sell-by] date expires during home storage, a product should be safe, wholesome and of good quality if handled properly and kept at 40 degrees or below,” said the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Consult their handy home storage chart to make the most of your perishables and get answers to all your food-safety questions.

When it comes to “expiration” and “use-by” dates, use your senses before throwing something away. If food looks, smells and tastes normal, it should be safe to use even if the expiration date has passed. But once it starts developing these characteristics, it’s time to throw it out, the FSIS said.


If you missed the first 2 steps or don't want to wait for the next 2 steps, you can read the rest of the article here. 

One thing to always do...

As a Speech Coach and an Entrepreneur, I go to a lot of events where people have to introduce themselves or talk in front of the room. I will admit that there are times when I'm listening to someone give their 30 second pitch, I come up with a couple tips that would help them better present themselves.

I'm not saying that I'm a pro, but I've been there. And what's worse is doing the same thing over, expecting a different result and not get any business from it. It turns this money making activity into a dreadful opportunity that then becomes and ineffective use of time.

As I'm all about making sure that my time is used to the best extent possible, I've come up with one thing to always do when you're talking to someone new. It's not easy, but it's the best thing you can do for yourself. Are you ready?

Be yourself.

Well how do you do that? Everyone has an idea of what a great speaker or presenter is. What they would do, how they would respond, and even what they would say. You may even have an idol of your favorite speaker. You take that idea and you let it go. Trying to be someone that you are not or comparing yourself to someone is a pit fall. There's a gap and there will always be a gap. Instead, get that how you are - nerdy, shy, independent, dry humor or sarcastic, is what needs to be in front of the room. The moment you are comfortable with yourself up in front of the room, your audience will be comfortable and they will actually start listening to what you're saying.

I promise you, it will not be easy to do at first, but with practice, you'll get the hang of it. Sooner or later, your attendance at networking events will turn into money making events.

Something for the earth... (step 2)

Continuing from the same newsletter from earth911.com which I found through recyclebank, step 2 is all about using your produce to the fullest! I know that I recycle paper by using the back of it and I sometimes tape my paper strips together to create a full sheet to print my coupons, but I never thought of using that technique with food. Cooking from scratch is always a win win situation.

Use it up

When you’re working with whole meats, veggies and fruits, the best way to reduce food waste is to use the whole thing. Try leaving the skin on veggies like potatoes and cucumbers, and incorporate meat bones and vegetable scraps into stocks, sauces and gravies.

Think you don’t have time to make stock from scratch? Think again. Save all your vegetable and meat scraps in a reusable container in the freezer until you’ve accumulated enough to make a large batch of stock (at least 8 cups of scraps).

On a lazy weekend afternoon, consult our simple tutorial and whip up some homemade stock with less than 10 minutes of prep time. Use equal portions of flour and olive oil or butter to thicken your stock for gravies and sauces. Finished stocks, gravies and sauces can be stored in the freezer for up to two months.

For fruit scraps and other leftovers you don’t want to use for stock, check out our handy reuse guide for food scraps, and use your throw-aways for everything from cleaning the kitchen to shining your shoes.

READ: 5 Tasty Recipes for Overripe Produce

If you missed step 1 or you don't want to wait for the next 3 steps, you can read the rest of the article here. 

5 Simple Steps

Personally, I've noticed that there are projects that are taking a little longer to take off or deadlines are  sneaking up on me to get done. Be it procrastination, the attraction of video games or simple just forgetting, I know that I'm not the only one that has this experience. It seems that it's always plagued me since high school. However, through the years, I've mastered being efficient and effective in what I do, therefore allowing me to do more. Here are the 5 Simple Steps to make it all happen.

1. Work Backwards. Start your plan from the finish line and come up with several milestones till you reach to today.

2. Delegate. If there are things that you can hand off to people to do, then do. However, the pitfall is either to micromanage them or don't communicate with them until the deadline and get mad when things aren't complete. Continue to maintain communication so you know what is happening and place additional steps, tasks or people as necessary.

3. Write it down. Pencil or electronically works, whatever works best for you. Anything you can think of that relates to the project needs to be written down. Once the ideas are taken from your brain and written down, you can then have a clear head.

4. Schedule it. Schedule the tasks and items on your calendar. When you're going to spend time on the project, when the deadlines are and when to expect things back from people you've delegated to. If it's not in the calendar, it doesn't get done.

5. The most important step, take the action! You've planned your work and now, work your plan! All of this pre-planning is great, but it doesn't do anything if you don't follow it. Following it will ensure that your work gets done. Deviating from it will ensure that you'll stress out because you forgot, you procrastinated or that life is just happening and you're overwhelmed.

That's it, 5 Simple Steps I follow to be effective and efficient in what I do. Now you can too!