Ten Tips to Save Time, Money and Energy

Down to the Last Drop!  When you think you have squeezed out all the contents of plastic tubes, you can be sure that there is still more in there - more than you imagine!  Try cutting plastic tubes of hand cream, makeup, etc. across the middle with scissors and be surprised!   I often find more than a dozen days' worth of makeup inside a tube, or lots more hand cream or toothpaste that was unable to be squeezed out. Usually there's lots more product on one end of the tube. The empty end will slip right over the end with more contents (with just a tiny overlap) so the leftover contents won't dry out before getting used up. For chapstick, when you can no longer get anymore out, dig out the remaining half inch or so with a sharp, narrow knife and insert it into another tube!  There's no use in tossing out before the contents are all used up!

Ginger Paste ~ Save lots of money and make your meals tastier and healthier with your own homemade ginger paste!  It builds up your immune system.  Peel and chop ginger, then drop it into a powerful blender.  Add enough oil and/or water to make it easier to blend up, and process until smooth and creamy.  Store it in small amounts in the freezer, but keep some in your fridge for adding to meat dishes, salad dressings, and many other dishes.  I store mine in Tupperware midget cups.  You could even freeze and use it as tomato paste in the next tip!

Tomato Paste Savvy ~ Many recipes call for a small amount of tomato paste, and what remains invariably turns moldy in the fridge, right?  Try this instead!  Open both ends of the can with a can opener.  Remove and discard one end of the can, but leave the other end in place.  Wrap the entire can in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.  When frozen, use the remaining metal end of the can to push out the frozen tomato paste.  Discard the can, and tightly wrap the tomato paste in plastic wrap, and store in the freezer.  Slice off only as much as you need for recipes.

Clean Tough Areas of Refrigerator or Microwave Overnight ~ Saturate a terry cloth dishcloth with hot water.  Pour about a tablespoon of liquid castile soap such as Dr. Bronner's onto the cloth.  Rub together and lay over a tough, gooey spot in your fridge.  Let set for an hour or overnight.  The goo will wipe off with little effort.    

Boredom on the Treadmill or Stair Climber ~ At gyms everyone watches TV while they use the exercise machines, so if you have one at home, why not do the same? You can make a firm "table" across your treadmill to hold your Kindle or laptop computer.  During this time I enjoy reading or listening to the Bible, praying through my prayer list, memorizing scripture verses, or watching sewing and quilting videos.  It takes my mind off of this necessary activity.

Make Your Own Birdhouses  (Recommended Diameters for Birdhouse Entrance Holes):
Wrens - 1 1/8"
Nuthatches, Chickadees and Tufted Titmice - 1 1/4"Bluebirds - 1 1/2"

Make Your Own Peanut Butter Suet to Attract all the Birds Listed Above (and More)!  These are the birds I've seen eating our tasty homemade suet: Bluebirds, Carolina wrens, nuthatches, chickadees, tufted titmice, downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, yellow-bellied woodpeckers, mockingbirds, house finches, goldfinches, white-throated sparrows, and more!   Mix together inexpensive peanut butter and shortening with a mixer until creamy.  Add flour and/or cornmeal (a great use for even buggy flour or cornmeal).  Mix with electric mixer until it is the consistency of play dough.  Form it into suet cakes and wrap in plastic wrap and store in waxed cereal liners to keep the grease from seeping through. If you have night predators like raccoons or bears, I'd advise bring it inside at night, unless they are unable to get into it at night.  http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com/search/label/Birds%20-%20Suet

Frame Your Own Nature Photography ~ My husband built a shelf on our sundeck, directly in front of our kitchen window.  By setting a custard cup full of peanut butter suet in front of our kitchen window (raised up), I've been able to get lots of closeup pictures of our beautiful birds!   An adorable Carolina wren is feasting there right now!  Off he goes, and now a bluebird!  There is so much beauty in God's creation to photograph and frame for your home.

Spring Flower Arrangement ~ For a beautiful spring floral arrangement, make a bird's nest vase by wrapping grapevines around a basket!  Insert a real vase  inside the nest if using fresh flowers.  If using silk flowers, use floral foam inside the basket and insert the stems in a symmetrical manner. This was seen on Martha Stewart's website.  For a picture and more ideas, go to http://shout.lt/rnTp.

Now That You've Saved All that Time, Money and Energy  ~ Take a break and enjoy some delicious tasting tea that I recently discovered at the grocery store!  Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea with no caffeine!