Travelling light ! (something I never do but wish I could)

There are so many reason why this is practical for some people : travel, walking /jogging/ small purse,  no purse just jeans pocket...whatever.  It's just a cool concept courtesy of Real Simple.

Book "marker"

Some ideas are so simple and obvious they make you feel stupid that you didn't already think of it. For the next few days I'm going to post some of my favorite "Dang I should have thought of that"  ideas from Real Simple.

Just a simple return address sticker...DUH!!!

Your own cyber style file

Here is a really cool site that I just found. It has a buzzilion interior/exterior design photos on the site. Click on the style you prefer and have fun poking around the photos. When you see photos you particularly like, you can create (takes 2 secs) a style file on this site for your current or future projects. It's easier than creating files within your "pictures" folder on your PC or I photo on a mac.  I like having files on another server.

When these types of sites first came out, you had to subscribe and pay for them and now they're free!

I think I'm going to create a virtual dream house.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks

Cheap Hair Detangler!

This is an "Oh my gosh, that makes so much sense, why didn't I think of that" idea. If I had thought of this years ago,  my daughters wouldn't wouldn't have a twitchy aversion to wet hair and combs!?!  When the girls were little I bought bottle after bottle of pricey Infusium hair detangler for shampoo time. I wish I had known to just do this...

Simply put 1 Tablespoon hair conditioner in a small spray bottle of warm water and detangle away! Easy peasy and costs pennies.

Skin care: drugstore steals

Click here for a great little video. Paula Begoun's favorite Beauty products. She is a long time expert in this field. and gives you the straight scoop. I bought her first book about 20 years ago.

Paula Begoun, author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, has spent more than 25 years testing cosmetics. Now, she's sharing a few of her face, hair and feet favorites with you. Drugstore steals, high-end brands and everything in between!

25 ways to save a bundle

...from Oprah's 25 ways to save a bundle. There are some great ideas and links here.

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/omagazine/200907-omag-save-money/9

Blog to Book ...finally !!!!!

This really is the coolest thing!!

I've been waiting for this!!!!

http://buzz.blogger.com/search/label/10th%20Birthday

One idea leads to another...

So, remember the post about the best recipe book ever?...my cyber recipe book? Well I got to thinking the other day about the whole free searchable data base thing. (I really love my cyber recipe book by the way!)   So, I was straightening up a little work area I have in the family room. I like to be in there when family is there but I also like to get paper-y projects done, so I sit at a little work table and fiddle away.

I was looking at a project that had been waiting for me to get to it for a long time. It was just sitting there taking up valuable real estate in my shelf.

I have a really long and jam packed "quote file"; one of several actually. (This photo here is generic). I'm an obsessive collector of thoughts and ideas and sometimes its tricky to find them immediately.  I don't remember how I was going to organize it originally, but it dawned on me that I could save all this on my own "Quote blog" that is just for my use and then chuck the index cards. It's a no brainer project that's perfect to work on when the guys are watching some shoot em up tv show that I don't care about watching. 

It's searchable, so in the search box, I type "simplify, or faith, or style etc, and all the posts that I've tagged with that label pop right up.

Now I'm wondering what other "just for me" blog I can do next. Any ideas??

The Store Brand Taste Test Challenge: They're as Good as Big-Name Brands

read the whole article here

The October issue of Consumer Reports asks these sorts of questions and more while putting store brands in head-to-head competitions with national brands, using trained taste-testers to decide when—if ever—it's worthwhile to pay more. The conclusion: "Switching to store brands can be a painless way to cut your grocery bill."

Cool Clips

I'm starting something new...clips of money saving ideas from newspapers and blogs that are of interest to those who want to ...duh...save money. I think I'll do this an a weekly basis. If you're interested in the title, clip on it to read the whole story.

8 ways to save money, and go green
ttp://www.bellinghamherald.com/thriftyliving/story/1049733.html Bellingham Herald 

By Supriya Doshi - redeye I'm always talking about how going green can save you money. And it's true. If you're trying to cut back on expenses, ...


Cloth wipes help save money

http://www.examiner.com/x-12741-Newark-Cloth-Diapering-Examiner~y2009m8d31-Cloth-wipes-help-save-money
Cloth wipes have great money-saving potential whenever families start to use them. For one child, three dozen wipes is sufficient. ...


In today's tough economic state, questions abound in a majority of America's households over the inflow and outflow of family funds. ...


Saving Money By Saving Food

I'd be willing to try it again, see if it saves a little money.” The green bags retail at about $10 to $12. and claim to be reusable. ...


It's a Deal: Free Kids' Dinners at IHOP


From now through September 17, IHOP is hosting a "Kids Eat Free" dinner promotion. Between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., families will get one free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée at participating IHOP locations.