The Domestic Diva 123

Welcome to Green Tips & More!

30 Ways To Reduce Your Spending

The times are oh-so-bad and recession or depression or a slowdown (whatever you may call it) is upon us. Well, this world is all about survival of the money savers and so, save we must - here are 30 practical ways of cutting expenses and saving big:

1. Save on energy costs - use power-saving CFL lights, monitor and change your thermostat's temperature as required during daytime and night and don't leave lights/appliances on when you don't require them.
2. Go for a matinee show on weekdays. Avoid weekends.
3. Want to spend some time with friends? Instead of going out have a fun night of coffee, cards and good conversation.
4. Carry your lunch to work.
5. Carpool to work whenever possible.
6. Save money on drugs with generics whenever possible.
7. Do you see a good sale for a product you use anyway? Stock up whenever possible! If you have coupons for the sale item you can save even more.
8. If you make a lot of long distance calls then it may pay to go with a plan that offers free long distance. Otherwise, limit calls to nights and weekends when rates are normally cheaper.
9. Start saving your spare change. You will be surprised at how fast it adds up.
10. Buy clothes off season when you can get the best prices. I stock up on kids clothes a year in advance and just buy a size or two larger depending on the age of the child.
11. Can anyone really afford cigarettes anymore? For the sake of your budget and your health now is a good time to quit.
12. Save water - keep your showers short.
13. Save money by working out at home. Rent or borrow an exercise dvd before buying to make sure you like it.
14. Keep your vehicle well maintained. That way you will hopefully get many more miles out of it well after it is paid off.
15. Shop discount stores. But be careful, sometimes you can still find the items cheaper on sale somewhere else.
16. Get out from underneath credit card debt by making more than the minimum payment each month.
17. Eat out less. Try to keep stocked up on the ingredients for quick meals to keep from going through the drive-thru on days you are just too tired to cook.
18. Always bargain at shops and look at a few options before making a purchase. If you're buying fancy stuff like jewelry, buy it from a pawn shop.
19. If you're paying a high rent, move to a cheaper place.
20. Try Freecycle.org for getting and receiving unwanted items for free. One man's trash is another man's treasure!
21. Stick with basic cable. Your family might balk at the idea but your wallet will thank you.
22. We all like to splurge once in a while on things like manicures but if are trying to save money consider doing this yourself.
23. Start a savings account just for emergencies. Start small like $5.00 per week.
24. Dry cleaning can eat up a large portion of your monthly budget. Try to add more items to your wardrobe that you can wash yourself.
25. Shop around for cheaper car insurance, homeowners, etc.
26. Cut back on soft drinks. Water is a much healthier alternative.
27. Reduce clutter and earn some extra money with a garage sale.
28. Pay bills on time to avoid late fees and higher interest rates.
29. Plant a vegetable garden. If you don't have a lot of space you could try container gardening.
30. Don't be afraid to splurge once in a while. If you cut back here and there you deserve to treat yourself once in a while. Just make sure you plan for it.

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United States bottled water sales are growing close to 10 percent annually and the trash from the tossed containers is skyrocketing just as quickly. The irony here is that the United States has some of the best public water supplies worldwide. Not only that, but bottled water sold in the United States is not necessarily cleaner or safer than most tap water.

At the end of July beverage giant PepsiCo was forced by public pressure to explain on its Aquafina bottled water that the contents inside come from the tap.  Yet the public still consumes four billion gallons of water a year in individual-sized bottles.

The Earth Policy Institute states that it costs the United States 1.5 million barrels of oil yearly to produce the plastic bottles used for water. And if you add the energy that is required to transport it -- especially premium water imported from France, Italy, or even the Fiji islands -- the negative impact on our environment rises quickly. Do we really need all that bottled water?

* There is nothing evil about bottled water. Sometimes it is more convenient to buy a bottle of water then spend time looking for a water fountain. But is it necessary to buy two or three brand new individual bottles everyday?   Occasionally I will buy a bottle of water, I will save the bottle, and re-fill it with tap water from home.  I always have a few bottles of ice cold water in my fridge that I haven't paid a cent for, and it's just as easy to bring one with me in the car whenever I'm out and about rather than buy more bottled water.

* If your tap water tastes funny to you, why not install a water filter on your sink at home. A faucet mounted water filter can be as inexpensive as $40 and will remove 96-99 percent of chlorine, 92-99 percent of lead, and between 95-99 percent of at least a half dozen other chemicals and impurities from your tap water.

* Your filtered tap water will not only be much cleaner than bottled water but a lot cheaper. Filtering your water with a faucet mounted filter will cost you about 20 cents per gallon, versus more than a dollar for one pint of bottled water.

* Don't want to bother with a screwdriver to install a faucet mounted filter? You can buy a pitcher-type water filter for as little as $25. It will not filter quite as well as a faucet mounted filter but your water will be just as clean as what you will get from bottled water.

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Here are a few great tip for those of you that have a dishwasher

Dishwasher rinse agents help to get your dishes cleaner but they sure cost a lot. Here is a cheaper alternative, use vinegar.

Making the Switch to Vinegar:

1. Finish using up any commercial rinse agent that remains in your dishwasher.

2. Pop the cap from the dishwasher's rinse agent dispenser, then fill the well with white vinegar.

3. Replace the cap, and run the dishwasher as usual.

4. Refill the dispenser as needed.

Benefits of Using Vinegar as a Rinse Agent:

There will not be any water spots on cups and glasses, your dishes will be drier and cleaner. There are no harsh chemicals which means good for the environment, and ultimately your dishwasher will be cleaner.

BONUS TIP: Dishwasher looking dirty on the inside? Fill the detergent dispenser with vinegar (no detergent at all), and run it through a cycle. Voila! A cleaner dishwasher.

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11 Items You Don't Have to Buy Organic

The best way to get the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without lending yourself to potentially harmful pesticides is to choose organic produce whenever you can, especially those varieties which are more likely to be contaminated. But if organic produce is cutting into your budget, it's okay to buy non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, they tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. Make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking, to remove dirt and bacteria.

Asparagus

Avocados

Bananas

Broccoli

Cabbage

Corn (sweet, frozen)

Kiwi

Mangoes

Onions

Pineapples

Peas (sweet, frozen)

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Here are five simple things you can do to help protect our environment and save our planet.

I am personally trying to incorporate some of the suggestions that follow below. I do follow four out of the five tips here. Can't eliminate or ease off the driving, as I live too far from major grocery stores or shopping in general. I do however, plan my route as to where I go, so I will conserve on using gas.

1. Drive Less, Drive Smart

Every time you leave your car at home you reduce air pollution, lower, improve your health and save money. Walk or ride a bicycle for short trips, or take public transportation for longer ones. In 30 minutes, most people can easily walk a mile or more, and you can cover even more ground on a bicycle, bus, subway or commuter train. Research has shown that people who use public transportation are healthier than those who don’t. Families that use public transportation can save enough money annually to cover their food costs for the year. When you must drive, take a couple of minutes that is needed to make sure your engine is well maintained and your tires are properly inflated.

2. Eat Your Vegetables

Eating less meat and more fruits, vegetables and grains, will help the environment more than you know. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products contributes heavily to global warming, because raising any animals for food consumption produces many greenhouse gas emissions than growing plants. A report by the University of Chicago found that by people adopting a vegan diet does more to reduce global warming than switching to a hybrid car. Raising animals for food also uses enormous amounts of land, water, grain and fuel. Every year in the United States alone, 80 percent of all agricultural land, half of all water resources, 70 percent of all grain, and one-third of all fossil fuels are used to raise animals for food. Making a yummy salad doesn’t take any more time than cooking a hamburger and it’s better for you—and for our environment. To protect your vegetables and fruits, use a Veggie Wash which is specifically formulated as a safe, effective alternative for cleaning fruit and vegetables protecting produce from damage during storage or transport and extending produce shelf like by 2 to 3 times.

3. Switch to Reusable Shopping Bags

Producing any plastic bags uses a lot of natural resources, most ending up as litter that has an eerie effect on landscapes, clogs waterways, and kills thousands of marine mammals that mistake those plastic bags for food. Worldwide, up to a trillion plastic bags are used and discarded every year—more than a million per minute. The count for using paper bags is lower, but the cost in natural resources is still extremely high—even though there is a better

alternative. Reusable shopping bags, which are made of materials that don’t harm the environment during production and don’t need to be discarded after each use, reduce pollution and save all resources that could be put to better usage than making plastic and paper bags. Reusable bags are best for our environment, they are convenient and come in a variety of sizes and styles. Some reusable bags can even be rolled or folded small enough to fit into a purse or pocket.

4. Change Your Light Bulbs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are much more energy efficient and less expensive to use than the traditional incandescent bulbs invented by Thomas Edison. As an example, compact fluorescent light bulbs will use around two-thirds less energy than the standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light, and will ultimately last up to 10 times longer. Compact fluorescent light bulbs generate 70 % less heat, so they are safer to operate and can reduce energy costs associated with cooling our homes and offices. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, if every U.S. household replaced just one regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, it would prevent 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the equivalent of taking 7.5 million cars off the road. On top of that, for every Incandescent bulb you replace with an approved compact fluorescent light bulb, you will save consumers $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

5. Pay Your Bills Online

Many banks, utilities and other businesses now offer their customers the option of paying bills online, eliminating the need to write and mail paper checks or to keep paper records. By paying your bills online you can save time and money, lower the administrative costs of companies with which you do business, and reduce global warming by helping to prevent deforestation off. Signing up for online bill paying is easy and painless to do and doesn’t take much time from start to finish. You can either choose to have certain bills paid automatically each month or elect to review and pay each bill yourself. Either way, you will receive outstanding returns on your small investment of time.

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Here is a great microwave tip

Put away all your toxic cleaners and use plain water. Fill a small micro-safe bowl with water, and nuke it for two minutes. You can use a microfiber cloth to dip into the water, then wipe the food off the walls of the microwave. The food will come right off and the best part is that it safe to the environment and you won't break your arm by scrubbing off the grime. This really does work, due to heating up the water which steams all the gunk off the walls. The use of as microfiber cloth will clean the microwave to a 99.94% bacteria free surface. You can use a microfiber cloth everywhere. By using it, you eliminate the need for any all purpose cleaners, which are bad for the environment. If you don't use bleach or fabric softeners to maintain the microfiber cloth, the cloth will last a long time.

Caution: The water needs to cool a bit otherwise it will be extremely hot. Please wear gloves to protect your hands while wiping the food off the microwave walls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kitchen Tip: Washing Produce Rinse whole produce thoroughly under clean running tap water just before you use it--not when you store the item or items. Rub as needed to help remove surface contamination. Before washing, discard the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage. Wash fruits and vegetables (such as oranges and melons) even if you don't eat the rind or skin. When you cut into fruit or vegetable, any bacteria that is on the outer surface can be transferred to the inner flesh. Do not wash fruits and vegetables with detergent. Fruits and vegetables can absorb the detergent. Detergent is not intended for use on foods and can make you sick.
Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Six Tips For Safer Salads

1. Always rinse packaged greens, and don't purchase greens that are past their “best if used-by” date. Even greens that look fresh can harbor bacteria, especially greens in plastic bags.

2. Loose or unpacked greens should be washed three times under cold, running water to remove sand, dirt and any bacteria that may be present.

3. All vegetables and fruits should be scrubbed under cold, running water before being used.

4. Do not put raw bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts in your salad - the risk of toxins, E. coli or salmonella from these sources is high.

5. If using tofu in salad, purchase it in packaged form only - avoid buying it in bulk out of open barrels, which may harbor unwanted organisms.

6. At a salad bar, make sure the vegetables are well chilled (kept over ice) and that the food is properly shielded with a sneeze guard or hood. Avoid any items that look old or dried out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kitchen Tip: The color of meat and poultry

I’ve just opened a package of fresh chicken and the skin looks blue. Is it safe to use?

My package of ground beef is dark in the center. Is this old meat?

The turkey was cooked according to directions, but the breast meat is pink. Will it make us sick?

These are just a few of the many questions received at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline concerning the color of meat and poultry. Color is important when meat and poultry are purchased, stored, and cooked. Often an attractive, bright color is a consideration for the purchase. So, why are there differences in the color and what do they mean? Listed below are some questions and answers to help you understand the color differences.

1. What factors affect the color of meat and poultry? Myoglobin, a protein, is responsible for the majority of the red color. Myoglobin doesn’t circulate in the blood but is fixed in the tissue cells and is purplish in color. When it is mixed with oxygen, it becomes oxymyoglobin and produces a bright red color. The remaining color comes from the hemoglobin that occurs mainly in the circulating blood, a small amount can be found in the tissues after slaughter.

Color is also influenced by the age of the animal, the species, sex, diet, and even the exercise it gets. The meat from older animals will be darker in color because the myoglobin level increases with age. Exercised muscles are always darker in color, which means that the same animal can have variations of color in its muscles. In addition, the color of meat and poultry can change as it is being stored at retail and in the home. When safely stored in the refrigerator or freezer, color changes are normal for fresh meat and poultry.

2. Does a change in color indicate spoilage? Change in color alone does not mean that the product is spoiled. Color changes are normal for fresh product. With spoilage there can be a change in color often a fading or darkening. In addition to color change, the meat or poultry will have an off odor, be sticky or tacky to the touch, or it may be slimy. If meat has developed these characteristics, it should not be used.

3. If the color of meat and poultry changes while frozen, is it safe? Color changes, while meat and poultry are frozen, occur just as they do in the refrigerator. Fading and darkening, for example, do not affect their safety. These changes are minimized by using freezer-type wrapping and by expelling as much air as possible from the package.

4. What are the white dried patches on frozen meat and poultry? The white dried patches indicate freezer burn. When meat and poultry have been frozen for an extended period of time or have not been wrapped and sealed properly, this will occur. The product remains safe to eat, but the areas with freezer burn will be dried out and tasteless and can be trimmed away if desired.

THE COLOR OF MEAT

5. When displayed at the grocery store, why is some meat bright red and other meat very dark in color? Optimum surface color of fresh meat (i.e., cherry red for beef; dark cherry red for lamb; grayish-pink for pork; and pale pink for veal) is highly unstable and short-lived. When meat is fresh and protected from contact with air (such as in those vacuum packages), it has the purple-red color that comes from myoglobin, one of the two key pigments responsible for the color of meat. When exposed to air, myoglobin forms the pigment, oxymyoglobin, which gives meat a pleasingly cherry-red color. The use of a plastic wrap that allows oxygen to pass through it helps ensure that the cut meats will retain this bright red color. However, exposure to store lighting as well as the continued contact of myoglobin and oxymyoglobin with oxygen leads to the formation of metmyoglobin, a pigment that turns meat brownish-red. This color change alone does not mean the product is spoiled.

6. Why is pre-packaged ground beef red on the outside and sometimes grayish-brown on the inside? These color differences do not indicate that the meat is spoiled or old. As discussed earlier, fresh cut meat is purplish in color. Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form a bright red color usually seen on the surface of ground beef purchased in the supermarket. The interior of the meat may be grayish-brown due to the lack of oxygen penetrating below the surface.

7. A beef roast has darkened in the refrigerator, is it safe? Yes, it is safe. The darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage.

8. Can cooked ground beef still be pink inside? Yes, ground beef can be pink inside after it is safely cooked. The pink color is due to a reaction between the oven heat and myoglobin, which causes a red or pink color. It can also occur when vegetables containing nitrites are cooked along with the meat. Because doneness and safety cannot be judged by color, it is very important to use a meat thermometer when cooking ground beef. To be sure all bacteria are destroyed, cook all ground beef products to an internal temperature of 160°F throughout.

9. What causes iridescent colors on meats? Meat contains iron, fat, and other compounds. When light hits a slice of meat, it splits into colors like a rainbow. There are various pigments in meat compounds that can give it an iridescent or greenish cast when exposed to heat and processing. Wrapping the meat in airtight packages and storing it away from light will help prevent this situation. Iridescence does not represent decreased quality or safety of the meat.

10. What causes grayish or green color on cured meats? Exposure to light and oxygen causes oxidation to take place, which causes the breaking down of color pigments formed during the curing process. Chemicals in the cure and oxygen, as well as energy from ultraviolet and visible light, contribute to the chemical breakdown and microbial spoilage of the product. Cure, such as nitrite, chemically changes the color of muscle. Curing solutions are colored in order to distinguish them from other ingredients (such as sugar or salt) used in fresh and cured meat products. For example, cured raw pork is gray, but cured cooked pork (e.g., ham) is light pink.

THE COLOR OF POULTRY

11. What is the usual color of raw poultry? Raw poultry can vary from bluish-white to yellow All of these colors are normal and are a direct result of breed, exercise, age, and/or diet.  Younger poultry has less fat under the skin, which can cause the bluish cast, and the yellow skin could be a result of marigolds in the feed.

12. What causes differences in color of raw ground poultry? Ground poultry varies in color   according to the part being ground. Darker pink means more dark meat was used and a lighter pink means more white meat was included (or skin was included). Ground poultry can contain only muscle meat and skin with attached fat in proportion to the whole bird.

13. What causes dark bones in cooked poultry? Darkening of bones and meat around the   bones occurs primarily in young (6-8 weeks) broiler-fryer chickens. Since the bones have not calcified or hardened completely, pigment from the bone marrow seeps through the bones    and into the surrounding area. Freezing can also contribute to this darkening. This is an aesthetic issue and not a safety one. The meat is safe to eat when all parts have reached at least 160° F.

14. What color is safely cooked poultry? Safely cooked poultry can vary in color from white to pink to tan. When the temperature of the poultry as measured in the thigh has reached 180° F, there is usually no other site in the bird lower than the safe temperature of 160° F. Check the temperature in several locations be sure to include the wing joint. All the meat, including any that remains pink is safe to eat as soon as all parts reach at least 160° F.

15. Why is some cooked poultry pink? Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh. Older animals have a fat layer under their skin, giving the flesh added protection from the gases. Older poultry may be pink in spots where fat is absent from the skin. Also, nitrates and nitrites, which are most often used as preservatives or may occur naturally in feed or water supply used, can cause a pink color.

16. If fully cooked smoked poultry is pink, is it safe? Poultry grilled or smoked outdoors can be pink, even when all parts have attained temperatures well above 160° F. There may be a pink-colored rim about one-half inch wide around the outside of the cooked product. Commercially prepared, smoked poultry is usually pink because it is prepared with natural   smoke and liquid smoke flavor. Federal regulations require all processed poultry to be cooked to at least 160° F instantly, or to an equivalent level of safety attained by this minimum temperature requirement. For additional information about meat, poultry, or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1 (800) 535-4555; Washington, DC (202) 720-3333; TTY:1 (800) 256-7072. It is staffed by home economists, dietitians, and food technologists weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time, year round. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone. Food Safety & Inspection Service, U S Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                  Kitchen Tip:   Opening Stuck Jars
To open a jar that just won’t open, put on some rubber/latex gloves used for dishwashing or cleaning. They give you a tight grip that won't slip, and the jar should open more easily.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Kitchen Tip: Putting out Kitchen Fires
Keep some baking soda handy near an electric stove. If a fire should start, dumping baking   soda on it will put it out. It's also a good idea to keep a small fire extinguisher handy in your kitchen. Purchase one that will put out all type of fires.                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                        KitchenTip:  Making Smooth Hard Boiled Eggs                                                                                                                                                                                  To ensure the shells on your hard-cooked eggs are smooth, add a little salt to the water before hard boiling. This helps prevent the shell from cracking or splitting. It can also help the eggs peel more easily. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          KitchenTip: The following fish have mild flavor and moderate texture:

* Crawfish
* Lobster
* Rockfish
* Sheepshead
* Shrimp
* Tilapia
* Walleye
* Pike
* Orange Roughy

Source: The National Fisheries Institute                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                      When you are trying to save any money, use the Five R's:
Repair, restore, reduce, reuse and recycle - following the five R's will save you a lot of money. Try this tip for a month or two just to see how much you actually do save. New necessarily isn't always better!

Before you buy something, ask yourself the following questions:
---Can I live without the item?
---Do I need the item? Or merely want it?
---Do I already have something that I can use instead?
---Can I borrow the item from a friend or family member?
---How long will I have to work to pay for the item?                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                   Here is a great kitchen tip:                                                                                                                                                                                                         Use parsley as a deodorizer. Parsley is a natural deodorizer. Munching on a very small bunch of fresh parsley will cleanse your breath. When you chop strong-smelling vegetables (such as garlic or onions), follow up by chopping a small bit of parsley to get rid of the smell from the cutting board.                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                             Finding a Store with Lot's of Perks
Try finding a store to shop at that has perks.   For instance, a store that doubles or triples    manufacturer coupons, accepts competitors coupons, has a loyalty card, buy one get one or 10 for $10.00 items.  If this store is more expensive than others in your area, it wouldn't be worth it to shop there.  This is something you will need to figure out for yourself.                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When it Rains Go Shopping
If you go to yard sales or garage sales frequently, you may need to think about going when it's raining. You will have a better chance of getting a better deal or a great bargain.  A lot of people won't consider going to a yard sale when it's raining, and people that are hosting the yard or garage sale realize that. Therefore, you have much more leverage room to bargain.                                                                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                     Using Toothpaste as a Natural Cleaner
Save money on expensive cleaners, all you need is a tube of toothpaste to help along the way. You can use toothpaste to clean and polish items made of silver or gold, it will help you to remove crayon marks from your walls, will aid in removing ink spots from clothing, will release odors from smelly hands, remove scuffs from shoes and will fill smallish holes in your walls.                                                                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cotton Balls
You know those cotton balls that come in some aspirin containers or over the counter medications, well, Instead of throwing out the cotton that comes in a bottle of pills, put it to good use. Save it with all of your regular cotton balls, in that way you will remember to use it the next time you need a cotton ball. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Money Saver Tip                                                                                                                                                                                                       If you use a lot of ground beef, purchase it in large family-size packs when on sale to save a few dollars. Since ground meats are more perishable than whole cuts, wrap well in butcher's paper and refrigerate in small batches for up to 2 days. Or double-wrap beef and freeze for up to 3 months.    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Summertime Makeup Tips:

Here is a known fact, hot weather will make you sweat.  It dissolves make-up, will increase the skin's oil production, which has been known to cause your face to shine like chrome in sunlight.

To prevent a shiny face, carry blotting paper with you at all times during the summer months You can pick these up at any drug store and they are not at all expensive. Press the blotting paper onto your t-zone area over your make-up to keep your finished look. If you don't like to wear make-up, you can use them to keep your face shine free...

Apply loose powder first to your face before applying your make-up.  Models use this trick to keep their faces as fresh as possible under the hot lights.

During the summer months use lighter make-up colors. Using neutral shades of makeup won't look as visible when they "melt". Darker shades are likely to gather in the crease of your eyelid and look much more noticeable.

Use less make-up.  Heavy foundations don't need to be worn in the summer heat. A little bit of a concealer to even your skin tone and hide slight imperfections is all you need. Follow up with a light dusting of powder, plus waterproof mascara on your curled lashes, using no more than one coat on top and bottom of the lashes.

Always powder your lips before applying lipstick.  By doing this step, the powder will make the lips matte and help keep your lipstick on longer in the heat.

Set your eyeshadow with pressed powder. If you will gently press some powder over your eye shadow using a firm powder puff, your eyeshadow will stay fresher and have less chance of creasing. Loose powder won't work as well.

Always put your lip and eye pencils in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before you sharpen them so they won't crumble and be easier to use. If your lipstick has melted in the heat, freeze it to save it. If you are nowhere near a freezer, just dab it with your finger or a cotton swab. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Colors to Suit Your Mood                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Many colors can boost or alter our moods. To boost your mood check out the list below to have a colorful day!

By wearing:

Light Blue you bring out a peaceful mood, bringing out sincerity in others.

Magenta/hot pink will bring forth your creativity.

Orange brings out your happiness and success.

Turquoise will refresh you and makes you feel cool.

Bright blue is a tranquil color and when worn, you are thought to be trustworthy.

Lavender makes you feel romantic.

Red is a passion color and also gives you energy.

Light pink is a friendly color, by showing compassion and faithfulness.

Purple will give you a spiritual feeling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                                                                        Leave The "Heavy" Foot At Home:
Your car will get about 21% more gas mileage at 55 mph then driving at 70 mph. Better planning will reduce the need for speeding, to get to your destination in time. Also, if you don't speed, you won't have to worry about getting a speeding ticket - which can be quite costly. Keeping it at 55 or 60 mph will help save a lot of money on gas, which is a big thing nowadays, since gas is $4.00 or more per gallon in many places.  Have a super summer, keep those seat belts buckled for everyone's safety.

Bonus Tip: Inflated Tires
Always make sure to keep tires properly inflated to avoid premature wear and tear, as well as mileage loss. Under inflated tires can waste anywhere from 5%-10% more fuel and cause tire blow out, which can ultimately cause an accident.      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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