Great Buys

If you're like me, you like to get the most for your money. It doesn't matter what I'm shopping for, I always comparison shop. I even compare online. What I've found on occasion is that you can get the best buy at Buy.com. I've found some really great things there, especially for my home and garden. Buy.com is one of the first places I check when I'm interested in buying something.

Buy.com also has a great electronics selection. I recommend checking them out before making a purchase any where else.

Pet Stain Removal

In order to remove pet stain, you do need to react quickly to it. The enzymes in the stain will work quickly to cause discoloration and odor. The longer this is left on the carpet or flooring, the harder it will be for you to get the stain out fully. Quick work is in order any time that it is possible for that to happen.

Clean Effectively

There are many things that you can do wrong to cause that stain to set in your carpeting. Therefore, it is essential for you to get through the stain as quickly as possible and to do it the right away. Here are some basic steps for a basic level of cleaning.

Use a dry terry cloth to blot the stain to remove any liquid possible.

Remove any loose debris carefully, without rubbing it into the carpeting or flooring more so.

Use a solution of 50% water to 50% vinegar on the stain. Spray onto it.

Blot the stain with a dry, clean terry cloth to remove the stain.

Repeat as necessary.

If the vinegar solution is not effective at removing the stain, another solution is to add baking soda to the mixture and apply to the area. Just a few teaspoons are all that you need for a successful cleaning. This will cause a chemical reaction with the vinegar and together they will reactivate stains that have been sitting for too long to remove them completely.

If after the carpeting dries, you still smell odor, sprinkle the area with baking soda and let it sit overnight. In the morning, vacuum the area. The baking soda will have pulled all the odor out of the carpet completely.

Are You Covered?

Summer is just around the corner, and we're just now entering that time of hear when storms and hurricanes are our number one concern when it comes to our homes. Are you covered in case a tornado brings your house to its foundation? Do you have enough coverage to pick up the pieces if a hurricane should hit?

Don't take these things lightly. Don't think these things couldn't happen to you. It seems there are more and more storms producing damage lately, and you can't take for granted that your home will make it through.

When it comes time to renew your home owner's insurance, be sure to check out HomeInsurance.com for home insurance quotes . Don't be left out in the cold should tragedy strike.

Younger Looking Skin

Limit sun exposure and protect your skin with sunblock when in the sun.

Use a mask to tone and tighten your skin. The tightening effect is cosmetic and temporary, a mask has other benefits such as cleaning out your pores, and conditioning your skin.

Brighten droopy eyes by grooming eyebrows. This gives the illusion of lifted lids, and having more skin showing at the brow bone opens up the entire eye.

Instant Eye Lift by curling your eye lashes.

Downplay wrinkles by applying highlighter to creases.

Don't use face powder, it can collect in creases and make wrinkles more prominent.

Put your hair in a ponytail. It’s a youthful hairstyle, and Bangs do a great job of hiding forehead wrinkles.

Use a good moisturizer to hydrate and plump up your skin cells.

Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine makes it very unlikely that the skin cells will ever pick up enough water, even if you drink a gallon of water a day.

Avoid Yo-Yo dieting. Yo-Yo dieting will cause your skin to stretch and become less elastic.

Reduce or eliminate dairy. Dairy products are for many people difficult to digest and mucous-forming. Try soy or rice milk as substitutions.

Try not to frown. Over time, the frown lines will become more visible.

Avoid cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke exposes you to damaging free radicals that will accelerate the aging process by damaging the micro capillaries in the skin.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid refined sugars, flours and processed foods.

Exercise regularly.

Lap Band-Is It Right For You?

If you've been struggling with your weight for years, losing two pounds here, only to gain five pounds there, then you might be interested in the Lap Band.

And if you're in the Tampa area, you can check out lap band central florida for more information. This is a program brought to you by JouneyLite.com. The program guides you through every step of the journey. From the evaluation process to determine if the Lap Band system is right for you to the aftercare following your surgery. Each step is specifically tailored with your success in mind.

Vacuuming Dos and Don'ts

Vacuuming is one of the easiest chores you do, and should be common sense. But, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it efficiently and effectively. Follow these tips to keep your floors looking as good as they can.

Vacuuming Dos

DO vacuum regularly. Once a week is good. Twice a week is better.

DO move furniture. If you're not moving and vacuuming under everything except the heavy furniture, you're leaving behind dust that accumulates and could cause problems in people with allergies or asthma.

DO "edge". That crevice tool that hangs from the vacuum isn't just there for looks. Take it out and use it to get into place the vacuum can't reach.

DO use the other tools, too. That's what they're there for.

DO replace filters periodically. A clogged filter will diminish suction power.

Vacuuming Don'ts

DON'T rush. Every time you make a pass with the vacuum, you are pulling more and more dirt out of the carpet. Make as much as five to ten passes over high traffic areas.

DON'T let the bag/canister get too full. The fuller the bag/canister, the less suction power your vacuum has. Change or empty regularly.

DON'T vacuum hardwood floor with the brush on. It could damage the floor. If you can't turn the brush off, avoid using the vacuum on these types of floors.

DON'T neglect your vacuum. Vacuums need regular maintenance. Belts wear out and brushes wear down, making you think it's not performing the way it should. Most vacuum stores offer maintenance services.

Term Life Insurance

You may be in perfect health, and the thought of how your final expenses will be taken care of is the furthest thing from your mind. But, it's never too soon to start thinking about taking care of your family should you pass. How will your home be paid? And your unpaid credit card bills? What about your burial expenses? Will your family be able to take care of all these things themselves?

If you don't know where to start, let me make a suggestion. Globe Life offers term life insurance starting at $1 for $50,000 in coverage to start. For children, $1 gets you $20,000 in coverage to start. There are no medical exams or waiting periods.

It couldn't be easier or cheaper than that, and it's well worth the peace of mind. You'll be glad you did it, and your family will be, too.

Tips to Get Rid of Those Pesky Pests

It's that time of year again when those buggy bugs start invading our homes, trying to take over and make a home for themselves. I have a list of remedies that can naturally deter these unwanted visitors from coming inside.

Ant Control:

Spread some ground cinnamon where you think the ants are coming in to the house.

Basil repels flies and mosquitoes. To deter ants, use catnip. Sprinkle it in their paths.

Make a mixture of 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and 2-3 Tablespoons dish soap. Spray where the ants are marching.

Natural Mosquito Repellents:

Splashing plain rubbing alcohol on yourself and allowing it to dry will deter mosquitoes from biting you.

Rub Vick's Vaporub® on your pants and legs to ward off ticks.

Use half vanilla (has to be pure vanilla) and half water and for a mosquito and tick repellent.

Dab lavender oil on your pulse points; it smells great on you but repels insects.

For Mouse Control:

Place USED kitty litter from a litter box in small tubs in several places around the garage. Mice think... "it smells like a cat--must be a cat - I'm outta here!". (Now, I've never used this method myself, and I don't know about the smell, but it might work.)

Buy a mesh/net laundry bag that you would use for washing nylons and 5 boxes of moth balls. Put the moth balls in the bag and hang it in your garage near the door to get rid of mice, birds, and bugs.

To prevent mice from gaining entry to your garage, stop up any openings with steel wood pads. Mice will not chew through these!

Sprinkle ground cayenne pepper around the garage (inside & out), and especially near entry holes. Pests don't care for the smell of it.

Mice hate the scent of peppermint extract. Simply sprinkle *pure* peppermint extract on the items in your garage you don't want the mice in or on.

Live in Luxury

I am always looking for ways to make my home more inviting. It's easy to furnish a home, and it's easy to slap some pictures on the wall and call it decorated. What is hard is making everything come together to create a welcome, warm, inviting place for the people that live there and anyone who visits.

I spend quite a bit of time on the Internet and in the household section at the store looking for just the right "thing" to add to my decor. I like interesting. I like luxurious. I like different.

I found a great website called Upside Living. They have a wonderful variety of the "things" I'm always looking for. Not only do they have products for the home, they have wonderful pieces for in the garden, too. This is a big plus for me since I have a big flower garden behind my house that I spend quite a bit of time in. I like every aspect of my house to shine.

Upside Living also has quite a section for gift giving. A lot of the gifts are unique. Definitely the place to go for something different for the person that already has everything. Guaranteed, they won't have something from Upside Living.

In my garden, I'm a wind chimes collector. I have them hanging everywhere, and Upside Living has some really beautiful chimes on their site. My favorite is the hummingbird set.

List of Tips

This list of tips covers a variety of health related topics.

1. Pain Relief - Mix 3 tbsp. in boiling water and drink. Honey has natural pain relieving qualities.

2. Quit smoking - Lick a bit of salt with the tip of you tongue every time you have an urge for a smoke. This is said to break the habit within a month.

3. Arthritis - A daily serving of fish or fish oil capsules will help give relief of arthritis pain.

4. Asthma - Mix 1 tsp. honey with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and take at night before going to bed. Avoid aspirin as it may invoke an attack.

5. Bruises - Slice a raw onion and place it over the bruise. Do not place over broken skin.

6. Gum in hair - Soak hair with gum stuck in it in Coke. It should wipe out easily.

7. Insect bites - combine cornstarch and water to make a paste. Apply it to the bite. This works to draw out the poison. This mixture is also good for diaper rash.