Archive for November, 2008

Laundry Tips: Save Money and Clothing.

How often do you wash clothes? Laundry is a huge ‘money sucker’ and I am not just talking about the energy costs. The more often you wash something, the more wear it gets. It isn’t just having clothes on that ruins them, it is the detergent and drying action. Yes, even line drying can add wear and tear.

Fading, missing buttons, zippers that won’t zip, and ruined decorations. Yikes! All of this just from washing alone.
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Posted in Clothing, Daily Living | No Comments »

The 2008 ‘10 Worst Toys List’ For Christmas

While checking out my favorite blogs I saw that former Family Resource blogger, Jennifer Chait has posted links to the W.A.T.C.H. 2008 top ten Worst Toy List.

Jennifer states that there are some pretty suspect toys out there this year. For more on her post and for a link to the list, visit her blog, Tree Hugging Family. You will also find tons of green living news, perfect for those of you who are very eco-conscious.

When choosing toys for your children:

Check the age appropriate information. Never buy any toy for a child under 3 with small parts. If your child is older and still mouths items (some special needs children do this) do the same check. Remember, if it can fit into a toilet paper tube, it can fit into your child’s mouth.

You get what you pay for. Sometimes the plastic in low cost toys have chemicals (like lead) that are harmful. If you can afford it, stick with name brands. Even a visit to the thrift store if you are low income will bring better results than brand new, low quality toys.

eBay, Amazon, and Overstock dot com are great places to find holiday deals. Amazon offers used items. Do not be afraid to buy something used if it is in excellent condition. Often these items were not really used, just purchased and not wanted.

Gift cards for kids can be a great idea. Kids get to carry their own credit card’ and choose their gift. If you are buying for a relative’s child, check out all of the really cool decorated gift cards out there. Some are really neat!

Above all, have fun. Do not stress over gifts. The more love you put into your gift, the more important it feels to the child. Years later they will remember the thought, not the toy in the junk box.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Top Toys For Tots, Christmas 2008

It is almost Thanksgiving, but the media has been saturated with Christmas marketing. This year the onslaught has been a little earlier, probably due to the state of the economy. If the retailers advertise longer, they stand to possibly break even this year. Or so it would seem.

Here are my top picks for young children this Christmas. Look for more post on top gifts according to age, coming soon.

Fisher-Price Elmo Live
Elmo is always poplar with the littlest ones. Red, fuzzy, friendly, and so curious, what’s not to love?

Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera
Kids love taking pictures. This tough camera is perfect for any kid who is tough on toys. As a mom of small ones, I can verify this toy will save your camera and make your little one happy.

Little Tikes Giddyup N’ Go Pony
No barn? No problem! This guy doesn’t eat, clomp up your hardwood floor, or leave behind little ‘presents’.

Playskool Kota My Triceratops Dinosaur
Much like the Little Tikes pony, this guy doesn’t leave you a pile of dino poo to clean. That is a plus in any era, Jurassic or not.

KidKraft Large Play Kitchen
A wonderful, sturdy kitchen. The appliances are separate, unlike many play kitchens on the market in this price range. Colorful and nicely sized.

Posted in Activities, Parenting, Relationships, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Scams: Real Checks, Real Money, Bad News.

In the past year or so a very popular scam has hit the United States, targeting anyone who checks their mail. The scam involves a check so real that even banks do not catch on. The checks almost all have identical numbers on them, depending on the account they have been ‘drawn’ off of. The account numbers are real, the companies are real, and the money is even real, if you can get away with cleaning out your account before your bank freezes it.

Basically, if you take one of these checks to the bank, it will clear. But, you will be responsible for paying back any of it you spend and face possible jail time if you do not. The letters accompanying the check states you need to deposit the check into your bank account, let it clear, and then mail the company listed in the letter a handling or processing fee.

You would be amazed at how many people actually do this. So many that the Federal Trade Commission was astounded! (At least, the representative I spoke with). Most of the letters and checks are coming from individuals in Canada, so at this time the FTC has been having trouble pursuing the case.

Much like any scam, if you or a loved on gets a check in the mail with a letter asking you to deposit it and send back a small processing fee, get in contact with your postmaster. Do not, under any circumstances, deposit it into your account!

Posted in Arts and Crafts, Finance, Holidays, Smart Buying, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

When Free Samples Aren’t Free

We have all been suckered into clicking on the really amazing ‘free’ offers that pop up online. From a year’s worth of diapers to free computers, it is out there. Who would not want a free year of something or other? I know that I would. In fact, the very first time I saw the diaper scam, I jumped right in and went all through the rigamarole of clicking what seemed like 5 million offers. Page after page of more junk kept popping up.

I kind of figured after the first page I had made a mistake.

So, what do you do when you see a free sample that seems to good to be true? Skip it. Seriously, most of these pages just want your email so they can spam you to death. All the spam filters in the world are not going to catch every single one of the mails you will receive.

Lately some of the freebie scammers have gotten smarter. They do not offer the big deals all the time. You may see a full size bottle of shampoo, a compact disc, or something similar. Not too ostentatious. There are also the ‘poll free offers where you choose your favorite star, singer, or even beverage. Steer clear of any of those! If you are redirected to a large colorful page that asks for your email only, close it!

When searching for free sample offers, stay with websites where the webmaster has either typed a good description or has stated they have used the links themselves. Taking the time to write a good description means that the webmaster has done a bit of research and checked out the free offer themselves most of the time. (Not always, but this is a good sign)

I rarely go for offers that need shipping and handling paid. You can find some offers that are worth it. Before paying for shipping check out the retail value of the product. If an item retails for much more than the shipping and handling fee, it is usually worth the charge, but only if this is something you know you will use.

Have you found something free that really rocked your world? Have horror stories of spam? Share!

Posted in Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Publice Service Murder?

Last night I was watching Criminal Minds. Something one of the characters said struck me pretty hard. I haven’t been able to get this out of my mind. This is a subject I feel very strongly on, but I want to know what you think.

In the show, a young boy had been murdered some twenty years before. A child predator had sexually assaulted him, then stabbed him repeatedly. Later, the same pedophile was making advances towards another boy who grew up to be one of the FBI agents. The Agent had vague memories of the situation. His parents had covered up the entire incident and the Agent had blocked much from his mind.

It turned out that the Agent’s mother had found out about the predator making moves on her child and informed the father of the murdered boy. This all happened about a year after thee unsolved murder. She pointed out the predator, who had also been seen with the murdered boy not long before he had been killed. The boy’s father beat the pedophile to death with a baseball bat.

This ‘crime’ had remained unsolved because no one noticed that the predator disappeared. He had a history of exposing himself to young children and the police in not one, but two states did not readily pursue the case of his murder, even when they found a bit of evidence that would have led straight to his killer. One of the characters, a police officer, asked the FBI Agents if they really wanted to pursue and prosecute someone who had performed a ‘Public Service Murder’.

That has really gotten to me. Though I do not feel we have a right to act as a god and choose who lives or dies, when a crime of this nature has been committed, is it really a crime? Removing from the population a predator such as a pedophile, child molester, child murderer, or any serial killer…should we ardently chase down a suspect? Should a father or mother who kills someone who hurt their child in a manner that will scar the child for life or take away their young life, be prosecuted. In this instance, hypothetically let’s say the parent knows without a doubt who the perpetrator is. There is no doubt whatsoever.

Is it wrong? Is there such a thing as Public Service Murder? Please, offer your thoughts.

Posted in Activities, Exercise, Exercise, Health, Healthy Living, Mental Health, Outdoors, Stress Management, Uncategorized, Weight Management | No Comments »

Crayon Stains: Get The Wax Out!

Crayon stains are the bane of many parents and teachers around the world. More than once a crayon has found its’ way into the dryer, staining not only the original garment but often the entire dryer load. The clothing is salvageable, even with some old, set in stains.

Thanks to the invention of the sponge-like erasers on the market today, removal of crayon stains from surfaces other than fabric is easier than ever. At one time, it took a lot of elbow grease to get crayon off of walls and other areas. To remove crayon from painted walls, just use one of these ‘magic’ erasers with light pressure. With a soft touch, you may also use them on leather furniture to remove crayon stains.

If you do not have one of the eraser tools on hand, you can use a normal pink rubber eraser to remove crayon from some walls. This works much better than a washcloth or regular sponge.

There are many suggested methods of removing crayon from clothing and other fabric items. Before following any of the instructions or recipes, check your fabric label. Some items cannot be soaked with any liquid, others need a certain tempature to avoid damaging the fabric.

Methods:
1. Clothing with fresh crayon marks can be treated with a solution of one cup Ivory Snow detergent and one cup of baking soda in the warmest wash possible. Repeat until the stains are gone.

2. WD40- The Crayola site has a .pdf available with suggestions on how to remove stains from many of their products. WD40 is a lubricating spray available in most grocery, hardware, and discount stores in the U.S., other countries more than likely have similar sprays that will work in the same manner. Visit : The PDF page for more details.

3. Tough stains: Mix one cup dishwashing liquid (some swear by blue colored Dawn), one cup oxy cleaner, one cup color safe bleach, and one cup powder laundry detergent. Dishwashing liquid is known to remove grease, may help remove crayon as well.

This is for clothing that has been through the dryer with a crayon and the stains are set by the dryer. Many people swear by this recipe, though I suggest using it only if other methods have failed and you are going to throw out the item. For this formula, use the hottest water possible and dissolve one cup each dishwashing detergent (powder for dishwashers) and colorsafe bleach. Soak the item in the solution up to over night, then launder as usual.

If possible, try to catch stains before drying. All of the above methods can be used on clothing that have had a run in with crayons in the dryer, though.

Posted in Home and Garden | No Comments »