I used to go to the local drug store (CVS, Rite Aid, etc.) one a month and spend $100 or more on beauty products such as razor blades, depilatory cremes, hair conditioner, deodorant, lotion, facial cleansers, makeup removers, foot softening creme, eczema treatment, and more.

At the time, I thought these items were necessities, now I know better. There are some better (and cheaper) options!

People usually want to clean their home in the shortest amount of time possible.

As a professional house cleaner, I've whittled my best speed cleaning tips down to 7.

Hopefully, these tips will help you get your cleaning chores done quickly, while still doing a good job.

If you rent an apartment (or a house), then you're probably wondering if you should buy renters insurance or not.

My first introduction to renters insurance was when I worked as a property manager right out of college.  We had an apartment flood (due to no fault of the owner), and the tenant demanded reparations. 

I had to explain to the tenant that this is why it was suggested that they buy renters insurance when they moved in.  But the tenant did not understand why they were not covered by the property owner’s insurance. They were not happy, and I got my first taste of the downsides of property management.  In the end, the property manager sent the company cleaners to the apartment to clean all that they could, and the tenant had to deal with the rest. 
 
So, who really needs to buy renters insurance?  Here's what you need to know about insurance for renters.

If you are like me then you have probably tried several different types of silver polish.

Most of these types of products do work but they also can smell bad and be harmful to your hands.

Let's say you don't have anything to clean your silver with, or you are just looking for a simple cheap way to polish your silver. Try chalk! Here's a before and after shot...

 

Most of us have had to pack up and move at least once in our lives. And, as you know, this is not always the most fun experience. Plus, it can be downright expensive to move.

I recently moved myself, and I learned a few interesting things along the way -- some of them the hard way. So, if you're like me and you don't have the extra money to pay movers to come and pack up your stuff and move it for you, then you'll appreciate these tips.

Here are some ways that you can save money and ensure that your belongings arrive at your new home in one piece...

I was recently given a Kill A Watt electricity usage monitor, so this weekend I decided to try it out.

I've always wondered how much energy we're wasting in our home. And if there's a way to save money on electric bills, then I'm all for it!

Plus, we've been trying to be more 'green' these days. Maybe this fun-looking little gadget will help.

Well, we did our good deed for the day and gave our trusty old weight bench to someone who will hopefully use it more than we did.

We got some nice feedback from the new owners over on the Freecycle site:

"Thanks soooo much to the couple that gave us the weight bench. It is wonderful and in GREAT condition. We want to express our deepest appreciation. God Bless!"
-Laura and John

Freecycle is the site we used to find a new owner for our weight bench.

Freecycle is a grassroots project where people are giving (and receiving) stuff for FREE in their own towns.

It's like a mini-eBay, only it's categorized by regions, so you "join" the group that's in the same city or county as you. (That way, it's easy to GIVE or GET items to one another.)

Two of my most recent shopping discoveries have been the Kohl's online department store and Goodwill retail stores (& online auction sites).

Here's why I like them...