Save Some Energy If You Are Sick

I am writing this post sick in bed. I posted on my Facebook that I was sick. A few of my friends have kindly emailed me suggestions on how to get better faster for various types of sicknesses. So I thought I would share them with you.

Umcka Care

My friend at work, Kristie suggested Umcka Care, a homeopathic medicine that helps reduce the severity of colds, coughs, sore throats, etc. The pharmacist (and the box) said it is a traditional South African treatment made from daffodil extract, pelargonium sidoids 1x. Turns out, that what I have was not something this could help, but if you use it and like it, let me know. I'll keep it in mind for the next time I get a cold and let you know, either way. The pharmacist was super nice and also let me take photos of her cute shoes (I work in fashion, so even sick I could not resist).

The pharmacist's cute shoes!

 Garlic Cinnamon

My friend Claire suggests mixing cinnamon with garlic to help reduce a cough.

Red Wine Hot Toddie

I like to make a hot toddy of hot water, red wine, lemon juice, red pepper, and maple syrup. Boil everything up except for the red wine- add that last and don't let it boil or you will lose medicinal value. As for the amounts of what you should put into it- the old family saying goes if it taste good, its a cocktail, but if it doesn't taste good its medicine. Make it accordingly. The only drawback is this is not good for someone with acid reflux or stomach issues like an ulcer.

My friend Aidan suggested these tips:

If you have a throat infection: "Eat garlic cloves straight to coat your throat. It burns really bad for a few moments, but it provides long lasting relief. Garlic has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
(Selena's Note: I did this before when I needed to and it burned pretty bad at first and made my stomach hurt a bit, but my throat started to feel better an hour later).
For sleep, take melatonin, which balances the circadian rhythm with a natural healthy boost to your immune system.
Drink meals of raw fruits and vegetables for the living enzymes they provide that rebuild and strengthen our bodies; drinkable meals save energy normally used on digestion.
There are some good CDs out that help you learn to easily adjust your brainwaves and fall asleep easier. You basically listen to light static noise or some other soothing sound while you fall asleep."
Of course there are prescriptions too and the above suggestions are only in addition to your doctors orders. Consult a doctor to make sure the above are safe for you.

Do you have any homeopathic or homemade remedies?

Related post:
I made decorations for Kristie's baby shower:
http://savingwithselena.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-make-giant-bows-for-decoration.html?m=1

Blossoms in Bloom: An Interview with Jenn Z

Blossoms 

In 

Bloom

An Interview with 

Jenn of Jenn Z Floral Designs 

The following is an interview I did with the very talented florist, my dear friend, Jenn Z of Jenn Z Floral Designs. I had hoped to post this around the holidays, however sometimes time just sweeps you away. Nonetheless, I think these tips are useful for any time of year, and the photos of her arrangements are beautiful! Now that it is SPRING in the Northern Hemisphere, I thought it would be a perfect time to post this. Thanks to Jenn for taking the time out to do the interview.

Jenn, center

Selena: How long have you been a floral artist?

Jenn Z: I started at a flower shop in 2005, but had taken floral arranging classes through 4H throughout childhood. I began my freelance business in the summer of 2009.

Selena: Do you have any basic tips for someone creating their own flower arrangements?

Jenn Z: When making a round arrangement, create triangles. Start out filling the bottom, then add the top flower, then fill in making smaller triangles. This will guarantee that you have a more balanced looking arrangement. Don't forget to space out color evenly too, unless you are purposely blocking colors in the arrangement.

"When making a round 

arrangement [start by] 

creating triangles." 

- Jenn Z 

Selena: What are some good, more affordable flower options? 

Jenn Z: White pom daisies are great for people on a tight budget who love flowers. Pom daisies are not expensive compared to roses and can last up to 3 weeks! Also since several blossoms come on a stem, you can really just trim, and put into a vase if you are intimidated by designing. Spray paint a glass jar red or silver and add a bunch of white pom daisies for a fun holiday arrangement!

"White pom daisies are 

great for people on a 

tight budget who

 love flowers.

 Just trim and put into

 a vase!"

- Jenn Z

Selena: What is a good way to get more bang for your buck when it comes to buying flowers? Are there any secrets?

Jenn Z: Many people are disappointed when they grab roses at the grocery store and they wilt the next day. You can tell if they are older by feeling the blossom or head of the rose. If it feels soft, it is older and will wilt quickly. If it feels firm, it is fresher. Some stores mix in bunches of newer flowers with older flowers to trick consumers into getting the older flowers. Also, rose stems should be cut at a diagonal for optimal hydration.

Selena: Any tips or warnings about certain flowers or flowers to avoid?

Jenn Z: Flowers that have browning edges are usually older, no matter what variety. Try to steer clear of flowers that look older.

Selena: Do you have any tips for decorating your holiday table using flowers?

Jenn Z: Keep table arrangements no taller than 14 in. so that people can see over the arrangements. You can use evergreens in floral arrangements for a holiday feel, you might be able to get free evergreen trimmings from places that sell fresh Christmas trees- it doesn't hurt to ask! Don't forget that jewel tones like dark pinks and purples are beautiful during the holidays, you don't have to just stick to red and green!

To hire Jenn in the Indianapolis, IN area contact her at: jennzdesigns@gmail.com or visit her Facebook fan page.

P.S. In case you were curious about her beautiful photos, she's also a model! All photos courtesy of her Facebook business and personal pages.

Here's an arrangement idea that doesn't require flowers or water: How To Make A Wishing Tree

Check out another plant related blog here: Saving Money Saving Seeds

Working on a wedding? Try this: How To Make Cheap Shoes Look Expensive

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Dried Vegetables

 

I have been spending a lot of my time lately testing out different ways to dry vegetables. in the past two weeks I have dried mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, and  potatoes. However my favorite has to be onions. Although the preparation left me with tears streaming down my face, in the end I had some pretty tasty onion chips.which I could crumble to make my own onion spice.

The easiest and quickest way to dry vegetables is to use a dehydrator. If you are like me, you don't have a dehydrator. I found that you can do this in your oven too. I just set this on my lowest temperature available.

I've heard people suggest 100-150 degrees Fahrenheit, but my oven only goes down to 200 otherwise it shuts off.At 100 degrees it takes about 12 hours, so at 200 degrees it only took about 6 hours.

I first came up with this idea when I found out my friend Michelle does not use onions after a certain time since  they have been cut (something about onions absorbing toxins if left out in dry air). -This one is for you Michelle-now you have a way to save your onions! Once dried any toxins that would have been in the vegetable would now be gone.

Ingredients: Onions

Directions: Heat Oven 150-200 degrees. Place vegetables on a pan (crinkled foil works best) in the oven until dried. Leave oven open a crack to encourage air circulation.

Drying button mushrooms.

Drying carrot chips!

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How to Be a Super Mom: Part 3: Growing, Growing, Grown!

The following is the second in a guest post series by Krystal Taylor my good friend and “Super Mom” of three...

A few months after her second and third children were born (surprise, twins!), her husband got laid off so she had to go back to work. Here are a few of the life saving tips that she uses to balance work and home life.

Growing, Growing, Grown :-(

Somewhere along the line of being a parent I started to become crafty. I also realized by me being crafty, I could save money and have something fun to do. I decided one say that I wanted growth charts for my kids. Well, we got paper ones and they were ripped down the first week. I need something more durable. I looked on Etsy.com but to buy three I was going to pay close to $300.00! So I made my own! I

1.        I purchased three pieces of wood from a local hardware store

2.       Then purchased about 10 samples of paint (the small containers at the store with the paint samples, that’s all I needed) its latex paint I paid about $2.75 per container. If you don’t want to buy paint, you could also use leftover paint from painting your house.

3.       Then I went to town! Painted whatever I wanted! The kids love them and so do I! We measure every six months! I can keep these forever and I only spent about $10.00-15.00 per chart  : )

That’s a savings of over $255!

Tips:

-          Don’t forget when adding the inches on the side to start at two feet. Then hang it two feet off of the ground.

-          I also take pictures every time we measure. I keep a zip lock bag on the back and put the dates on each picture. It’s fun to see how much they grow in just six months!!!

Krystal's Other Guest Posts:

How to Be a Super Mom: Part 1: What's For Dinner?

How to Be a Super Mom: Part 2: Morning Routines

How To Set Up A "House Account" Guest post by Krystal Taylor 

Looking for some more money saving How-To's? Check these out:

How to Save Over $3000 A Year On Groceries

How To: Make A Wishing Tree Vase

How to Peel Fruit to Save Citrus Rind

How to Make Cheap Fruit Cleaner

Want to hear more from Krystal? Look out for the next installment of her guest posts and check out her blog at: Quest Of A Crazy Mom!

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Math Is Fun & So Is Saving Money!

For all of you math and savings nerds like me...

Thanks buzzfeed.com

How to Be a Super Mom: Part 2: Morning Routines

Krystal's three beautiful children...

 
The following is the second in a guest post series by Krystal Taylor my good friend and “Super Mom” of three...

 A few months after her second and third children were born (surprise, twins!), her husband got laid off so she had to go back to work. Here are a few of the life saving tips that she uses to balance work and home life.

Getting ready for school…..the battle of the sleepy kids! My son, like most five year old children, much rather play then to get ready for school. Since I realized (late in life) that being organized and managing time is important I wanted to start teaching him the same thing. I made him a chart he is responsible for each and every morning. Every day he completes his tasks he gets a sticker. He can use them for small rewards (choosing a movie on movie night) or save them up for larger ones (getting a new game or book)

Karson and his morning routine chart

Other Posts By Krystal: 
 Miss How to Be a Super Mom Part 1? Check it out here: What's For Dinner?
Here's some sound financial advice: How to Set Up a House Account

Check out Krystal's Blog: Quest Of A Crazy Mom

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How to Be a Super Mom: Part 1: What's For Dinner?

The following is the first in a guest post series by Krystal Taylor my good friend, “Super Mom” of three, and blogger…

Krystal, and her beautiful family. Photo courtesy of questofacrazymom.com 

Our family first began with one beautiful little baby boy. We were blessed and happy, life was easy. Around the time our son, Karson, was about one, my husband and I decided we were ready for another baby. Boy, oh, boy did life change! All I can remember from the day of the ultrasound was my doctor saying, “Congratulations, you are having twins,” and my husband saying, “Now we need a minivan.” All I wanted to do was cry! I was happy, sad, overwhelmed, and scared all at once; what a rush of emotions. Time went on and I soon go to meet my two precious babies. Life was good, staying at home raising my children.

Then a few months later, my husband got laid off! As if life with three children was not time consuming enough, I had to go back to work. This meant I had to do everything at home and manage a job. Well, to my pleasant surprise, my husband was a big help.  I also learned that in order to be somewhat successful at this parenting thing, I was really going to have to get organized and manage my time better. Every parent knows how hard being a parent is…. but I thought, “What if I can make my life easier?” so I tried. Here are a few things I have learned along the way. They may not work for everyone, but they sure are life savers for me. J

Krystals DIY Meal Planning Chalkboard

What is for dinner!!?!?!?  
Even if you don’t have children, this is something most people don’t know until a few hours, or even one hour before its time to eat. So I decided to plan ahead with a menu for the whole week. It’s easy…no thinking necessary! I first shop for whatever meat is on sale (I buy in bulk). I then plan my meals around the sales and figure out side dishes! I cannot tell you what I lifesaver this has been for me!

To help keep my family organized and informed, I made a chalkboard to hang in my kitchen so everyone knows what’s for dinner- and it helps me!

Here's the best part: I made it for only $10.00!!!

I bought a cheap framed picture for $6.00 from the store. Used chalkboard paint to paint over the glass. I simply use the kid’s sidewalk chalk to write on it ;)

~__________________________________________________________~

Want to hear more from Krystal? Look out for the next installment of her guest posts and check out her blog at: Quest Of A Crazy Mom!

Looking for other posts like it?

How To Set Up A 'House Account' - Guest Post By Krystal Taylor

Saving Money Saving Seeds

February seed starting is just around the corner!

Now is the perfect time to start a seed train!

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How To Set Up A "House Account" Guest post by Krystal Taylor

The following is a guest post by Krystal Taylor, my good friend and “Super Mom” of three...

Here is one of her life saving tips that she uses to balance work , money matters, and home life.

Oops, I forgot to pay the bills!!

Yes, I have done this many many times! Thankfully we still have good credit, lol! Anyway, I have since changed that! Here is my plan…..and it has worked miracles for me! One less thing I have to worry about!  This works easiest if you have direct deposit.

1.       Open a separate bank account (at the same bank you already bank at). It is always nice to wait for those coupons they send- the ones where you get $100.00 for free just for opening an account! Chase does them, not sure where else does.

2.       Figure out all of your bills for the month.

3.       Divide those bills by how many times you are paid per month (ex: we are paid twice per month. Say your bills are $3,000 per month your total will be $1,500…etc.

4.       Have that $1,500 AUTOMATICALLY transferred into that other account (we labeled ours "house account") at every pay period.

5.       Set up as many things as you can on auto bill pay.

6.       DO NOT USE THIS OTHER ACCOUNT FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN BILLS!

7.       Every month your bills will automatically come out of your “other” account. The money will already be there because it was AUTOMATICALLY transferred!

8.       Honestly, you have no idea how much time, stress, and phone calls this has saved me, not to mention money….because my bills are being paid on time!

Suggestions:
- Make sure to load the account with the full amount for the first month to avoid any overdraft fees!
- Remember to read the fine print! Make sure the new account you are adding does not have any additional fees.
- Is it too late? Need to talk your way out of a late fee? Here's how to talk your way out of any late fee!
- For an easy way to build your credit and earn rewards from your credit card, stack Krystal's idea with the credit building idea to see the most rewards while still saving you a ton of time!

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How to Save Over $3000 A Year On Groceries

Couponing 101: Build Your Coupon Binder!

Supplies Needed:
- 3-4" Binder
- Scissors
- Clear binder sheets
- Baseball card holder sheets (located at the front of your local big box grocer, usually near magazines, baseball cards, and/or As-Seen-On-TV merchandise) or 8.5" x 11" clear photo divider pages
- Calculator
- Binder Organizing Pages --> I use this one:
 http://thekrazycouponlady.com/wp-content/uploads/kclcouponbinder.pdf?7db95a
- Store Coupon Policies (Print from store websites)

- Sale Ads for all local stores (for price matching when possible)

- Computer with administrator rights
- Printer
- Printer Paper
- Printer Ink Cartridges

Optional Supplies:
- Pencil cases for 3 ring binder
- Smartphone ( for calculator and/or internet use in store for coupon match-ups)
- Notebook
- Mini pair of scissors
- Envelopes
- Paper clips
- Pen/marker
- Clear Tab dividers

Basic Directions:
1. Obtain Coupons: Purchase multiple Sunday newspapers. Separate the coupons by page and stack them up with like pages. Print coupons from the internet, facebook, and other coupon sites.
2. There are 2 methods for detailed coupon organization. You can store them uncut and cut them as needed. Or you can organize them by coupon for easy retrieval in store.
3. Match coupons with sales for the lowest price possible. Stock up based on your need until the next sale cycle begins.

Since I don't consider myself a coupon blog, I will not go into the step by step details, but I will tell you this: There is a plethora of resources out there that makes couponing very easy. Once you get yourself organized, it will become second nature.

Resources:

Beginner Couponing:
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/beginners/   <-- This is where I learned how to coupon.

Coupon Match-ups:
www.thekrazycouponlady.com
www.passionforsavings.com
www.iheartthemart.com

Printable Coupons:
http://coupons.walmart.com/
http://coupons.target.com/
http://walgreens.shoplocal.com/walgreens/default.aspx?action=entryflash&storeid=2489450&pretailerid=-99389&savezone=Y
www.smartsource.com
https://www.recyclebank.com/join/earnpoints

** Coupon match-up sites will list links. I just follow those links, unless it is a site I have not heard of before. Make sure it is a reputable source.
This is what I use most:
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/print-coupons/

Other Ways to Receive Coupons:
- Newspaper subscription/ in store newspapers (check for all coupon inserts)
- "All You" Magazine
- Sending emails/letters/phone calls to companies
- Join Customer Review sites or P&G sites which send periodic coupon mailings
- Social Media "Likes" & contests
- Contests
- Visiting recycling centers
- Collect from friends/ start a coupon swap

Money Saving Mindset:
http://pennilessparenting.com/
My new blog: www.savingwithselena.blogspot.com (I don't post coupon match ups, but I will post basic couponing how-to's and resources to other sites as well as other ways to save money and get into the money-saving-mindset)

Food Waste: A Global Crisis

I would like to share a video that talks about a topic that is very near and dear to my heart. Food waste contributes to world hunger and I believe that by reducing food waste in my own home, I can help to reduce the global food waste problem. This Ted Talks is a really eye opener and I hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me.

Tristram Stuart: The global food waste scandal

Here's Tristram's bio from Ted.com:

"Western countries waste up to half of their food. This is an injustice Tristram Stuart has dedicated his career to fixing. In his newest book, Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, Tristram shows how changing the systems that result in food waste could be one of the simplest ways to reduce pressure on the environment.

The winner of the international environmental award The Sophie Prize in 2011, Tristram is the founder of Feeding the 5000, a consciousness raising campaign where 5000 members of the public are given a free lunch using only ingredients that otherwise would have been wasted. Held in Trafalgar Square in 2009 and 2011, the event has also been held internationally.

In addition, Tristram works with a range of NGOs, governments, and private enterprises to tackle the global food waste scandal."

"Waste is certainly one of the most important environmental books to come out in years. But it is more than that. It is an indictment of our consumer culture that should make us all feel deeply ashamed. "

The Financial Times

Do you have any stories of food waste? Have you worked in the food industry or have you seen this issue first hand anywhere else?How would you work to reduce food waste to help solve world hunger?

Saving Money Saving Seeds

One of the best ways to save money on fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs is to grow them yourself. Typically the cost for garden supplies is less than the cost of purchasing the same yield of the items fresh from the supermarket shelves. Also, when you grow it yourself, it cuts out shipping and is much more eco-friendly. Plus, you know exactly how fresh it is when you pick it yourself!
You can purchase plants or buy seeds at regular price, but to save big bucks, you need to plan a year ahead. About this time of year- starting in late July, most stores will severely mark down their seed prices to get them off the shelves by the end of the season.

Resurrecting ancient plants?

Although germination rates (% of seeds that will sprout into plants) will decrease over time, seeds can last A LOT longer than we ever imagined. In fact, according to the Alaska Dispatch, scientists who recently resurrected an ancient plant “in Siberia, successfully germinated a flower from an ice-age seed which is about 32,000 years old.” The Millenium Seed Bank Partnership is a project aimed to save 25% of the worlds seeds by 2020.

Seeds as currency?

I met a very interesting man this weekend while shopping for seeds at my companies associate store, who said he thinks it is possible that seeds could become a new tender in the future, since the world-wide economy is so bad. What do you think of that? It reminds me a little bit of my bartering blog from a few weeks back.

Over 95% Savings!

We got some great deals on seeds at 10 cents a pack! These packages range from $0.97- $3.49 so when I added up the final savings, I saved over 95% from the original price and now I have enough seeds for the next few years, and then some to give to friends. I chit-chatted with the seed-as-currency man while digging through the treasure bins and bins of Burpee, Ferry-Morse, and always organic Seeds of Change seeds. He said most packaged seeds can last about 5 years, or longer if frozen. We estimated that Ferry-Morse “seeds guaranteed to grow” brand has a shorter sell-by date simply due to the decreasing germination rates over time (which happens to all seeds). Seeds don’t technically expire at that time and are simply packaged for a certain ideal season.

Keep in mind:

- How many seeds are in the packet?

This will give you an idea of the final price per seed.

- Is it organic?

It might be worth a little more if it is because it was grown from plants without any pesticide trails, cross breeding, or genetic modification.

- Avoid hybrids for seed saving.

Hybrids are created from two types of plants. So, typically if you save seeds from your plants for next year, you may or may not yield the same results. Or you might not get any fruit at all. Or it could be genetically modified in a way that might harm you (we don’t know all the effects yet of genetic modification).

- Remember the flowers.

When planning a garden for food, don’t forget the benefits of flowers and companion planting. Stock up on marigolds, which help keep pests away, or borage which attracts bees who pollinate your plants. Lavender can be used as an herb and Nasturtiums are edible flowers- great for adding color to salads.

- Consider trading seeds with friends.

Start/join a seed train group online. Add seeds to the “train” and take a few of the ones you want, then mail them on to the next person. It’s a great way to add heirloom seeds to your collection and share what you don’t need or wont use. The next year you will have so many seeds you won't know what to do with them. This is what to do with them!

- Label your packets.

Remember one plant yields many seeds once it has grown and produced fruit. Save as many seeds as you can, and always label them so you know what you have next season. If you can, add any notes about characteristics you noticed. Was this variety the only one that didn’t get a bug infestation? Was the fruit sweeter? Did it handle the cold/heat better than other varieties?

- Negotiate with the store.

By clearance time, many stores just want to get rid of the seeds so they don’t have to ship them back or throw them out.  You might consider speaking with the manager and kindly asking if they are willing to negotiate a lower price for take-all of the seeds they don’t sell.

- Up for a mystery?

By clearance time, there will often be loose “mystery” seeds at the bottom of the store bin, which the store will simply throw away. Ask your store associates if they would let you have them for a small price or free when they clean up the seed containers. It never hurts to ask and you can toss these out or plant them at your leisure in a “surprise” section of the garden, or grow them in small pots and identify them by their leaves early on.

- Don’t forget, you can get seeds FREE…

if you get them from organic fruits and vegetables that you buy from the supermarket or if you gather them from plants in public parks.

*Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for your actions. It is up to you to find out what is legal in your park/city/state.*

What do you think? How do you save seeds? Have you ever joined a seed train? Do you think seeds could become currency in the future? What sort of companion planting do you do? Have you ever planted “mystery” seeds or gathered seeds from your grocery bought food or local parks?

Saving With Selena on Social Media!

 "Like" the Facebook page here:

Saving With Selena

Saving With Selena is a blog dedicated to helping teach people tricks on ways to save money and time, and live a more zero waste sustainable life!

Follow me on Twitter:

@selenamarie318

For fashion, style, home decor, savings and more, follow me on Pinterest:

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Link with me: 

http://www.linkedin.com/in/selenamarienorris

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http://about.me/selenamarienorris

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What Size To Buy: Price Per Unit

Most people think that buying food in bulk will save them money. When I talk with friends and store associates about finding the lowest cost items, they are often surprised to hear that sometimes the bulk buys are actually not the best deal.So here’s a quick run down of how I calculate which size to buy so I can get the biggest bang for my buck.

Warning: This will involve using your brain and flexing your math muscles. Come on! You can do it!

Tip of the day: Compare prices per unit.

Don’t compare price per item because some packaging makes it difficult to tell how much product you are getting. If you factor in the size of the product, the material it is made from (glass, plastic, paper, etc), you’ll start to realize that some items take up the same shelf space but they don’t have the same amount of product.
So when you go to the store, pull out your calculator and do a little math.

Price / # of units = price per unit

If you have a coupon for a specific item, you will want to factor that into the equation:

(Price – coupon value) / # of units = price per unit if you have a coupon.

Sometimes items without coupons are cheaper and the coupons might not actually save you money. Keep this in mind!

Real life application:

Say for instance,  you have a coupon for $1 off of any Dr. Pepper 12 pack and the sale price at the store is 3 packs of any soda for $10.  This is the equation you will do:
$10/ 3 packs = $3.33 per 12 pack
or
$10/ 3 packs/ 12 cans = about 28 cents a can!

With a coupon your equation will look like this:

($10- $1 coupon) / 3 packs/12 cans =
$9 /3 packs = $3 per 12 pack
or
$9/ 3 packs/12 cans = exactly 25 cents a can!

Some of you might say, well 3 cents a can is not really that great of savings. However if you have one can of soda every day for a year and can save 3 cents per can, you’ve saved about $11 on soda alone. Now imagine you follow this same tip for all groceries and personal care products that you buy. Every penny adds up! Once you get this process down, it will come naturally.

No Calculator? Look at shelf tags:

If you forget your calculator or you are in a hurry, or have no coupons, look at the price tag on the shelf. Usually it will be listed as a price per unit. Watch out for similar products that are measured by different units. This can make one product appear to be cheaper than the other one.

This is a great tip, even for those of you who don’t clip coupons. If you follow this tip alone, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars per year.

I hope this helps break down one of my basics for how to find a great deal at the grocery store! This time, I hope you’ll grab whichever one is truly the best deal!

How To Talk Your Way Out of A Late Fee

Eeek! I committed one of my very own Budget Breakers! (Insert embarrassed "oops" face here). With the stress of being sick, and moving to a new department at work (I get to work on itty bitty baby clothes! Yay!), I completely forgot about my electric bill until I did my budget yesterday and realized it hadn't posted yet. I thought, "Oh no! I got a dreaded late fee!"

 Can you hear the scary music and my thriller scream?

Fear not, I found a way to use my skills of persuasion to get the late fee removed and stop me from committing a Budget Breaker. I worked in a call center while I was at college, asking friends and family of Purdue to donate money to help improve the school. I learned a thing or two about "selling" and communicating ideas to encourage the other person to help you. I also learned what call center people hate to hear.

So without further ado...

How To Talk Your Way Out of A Late Fee

Here's what I did and here's how you can do it too:

Step 1: Schedule autopay.
After I saw the problem, the first thing I did was schedule autopay directly from my bank account on the service providers website. If you schedule autopay you will never have to pay another late fee (unless for some reason your bank account balance is negative). Nip that problem in the bud before it happens and you wont have to waste your time with steps 2 through 7 ever again.

Plus this gives you something to talk about in step 5.

If it is an option, you can also set up the autopay on the phone when you talk with the service provider.

Step 2: Call the service provider.
When you finally get through the automated system and find a button to press to get a live person, very carefully follow the next few steps.

Step 3: Be nice.
I know you are probably angry at this point from all the automated systems and the waiting. But remember there is another person on the other end of the line and they are just doing their job to put food on the table for their family. They have reasons of their own to be nicer to people who are nice to them. You'll understand this more when you get to step 7.

Tips from being a telemarketer:
 - Remember to smile while you talk. This sounds crazy and feels crazier but trust me. It makes you sound friendlier, which makes people more likely to like you and help you out.
 - No matter how upset you are about the late fee, remember that it was probably your fault.
 - Even if it wasn't your fault, it certainly wasn't the fault of the little guy on the other line answering phones who probably gets paid somewhere in the range of minimum wage for a job that is hard work. Being nice can be the difference between them rushing to get you off the phone, or taking the time to look into things and answer your questions to ultimately meet your goal of fee removal.

Step 4:  "Say my name, say my name..."
Beyonce knew what she was talking about when Destiny's Child wrote that song. It's a scientific fact that...

people like to hear their own names. 

So make sure to ask the company representative their name right away. Write it down. Throughout the conversation, whenever it is natural to say his or her name, make sure to do it- but only for positive things. If possible, do this a few times, especially to show gratitude when they help you with something.

"Great, that makes so much more sense after you explained it to me. Thank you,  (insert name you wrote down)!"
 
Step 5: Ask questions to build rapport.
Since you just set up your autopay, now you can ask questions about how it works. For instance:
 - "What day does the auto draft occur?"
 - "Can I set up the autodraft to be on a certain day?"
 - "If the autodraft is due on the 15th, does the payment post on the 15th or does it post before or after that date?"

Questions like this show engagement and will assure the representative that you are sincerely sorry for your blunder and want to make sure you get it right from now on.

**It is important not to skip step 5. Building rapport with the representative will softens them up for the big important question.**

Step 6: Save the late fee for the last question, unless they bring it up earlier.
After you've had all your other questions answered and have been really nice and thankful throughout the conversation, they will try to close with a final question. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

That's when you say, "Yes, (insert name you wrote down) I was wondering, could you waive the late fee for me just this once?" Or throw in casually "now that I think of it, (insert name you wrote down) would you by any chance be able to remove this late fee just this once? Now that I have autopay, I know it won't happen again."

Unless you are a repeat offender (tsk, tsk!), they will likely say, "Sure. I can remove this late fee as a one time courtesy for you."

Poof! 

Late Fee Vanished!

Budget Breaker Averted! 

Step 7: Close nicely and thankfully.

Phone representatives get scored on random phone calls. Help them get a better score for helping you out! After you write down the confirmation number, don't forget to say, 

"Thank you so much, (insert name you wrote down). You've been such a great help. I really appreciate it. That will be all and have a great day!"

Yes, it really works!

Click here to see a real Budget Breaker: Food Waste.

Have you ever gotten a late fee? What did you do?

Green and Clean: Home Made Windex and Disinfectant

 Everything make me sneeze except this!

I wouldn't suggest drinking it because of the essential oils...

I get sick a lot. I've been tested for allergies and the doctor always tells me that I don't have any! Yet, sometimes when I smell a strong cologne or cleaner, I have trouble breathing and my asthma flairs up. :( 
Not good.


Of course, there are millions of chemicals we come in contact with every day. So to reduce the amount of toxic material in my life, I've started looking for "greener" ways to clean. 

One of the cheapest safest germ killing disinfectant and degreasing agents is vinegar. Now before you scoff at the acrid scent, I promise there are ways to use vinegar as a cleaning product AND get the fresh and clean scent you like with out the harsh chemicals.

Vinegar is a common ingredient in salad dressing and pickle recipes (or you can try my "lazy pickle" recipe here).

I've developed this vinegar cleaning product recipe based on my stockpile of essential oils, mixing and adding, and spraying and smelling until I got it right. Of course if you have any allergies to these scents, you can replace them with any essential oil you'd like. I want to try lavender and lemon oil next.

Selena Marie's "Clean Scented" Vinegar Disinfectant Recipe: 

This recipe is for 28 oz. of cleaner. You will need a clean, empty spray bottle and 30 total drops of essential oil. If you don't have essential oils, you can consider bartering or split the cost with a friend.

*It is very important that you DO NOT reuse a spray bottle from another cleaning product. Mixing chemicals (even residue) is a big, unhealthy, unsafe "no, no."    

At least if you tell your kids that, maybe they will help with cleaning? It's worth a shot! ;)

1. Fill the spray bottle with 22 oz. of white vinegar.

2. Add:
   -  6 drops fennel oil
   - 4 drops tea tree oil (another natural disinfectant)
   - 10 drops geranium oil 
   - 10 drops peppermint oil

3. Top it off with 6 oz. of water if the vinegar smell is still too strong for you.

4. Shimmy Shimmy, Shake Shake!

*Remember oil and vinegar don't mix, so this will be a bit like a vinaigrette dressing- shake it before each use. *

For counters and glass tables, I like to let it set for a few minutes to kill germs and remove grease more easily.

Tip: Old News Is New News:

Did you know? Newspaper works great to clean glass surfaces like your bathroom mirror or big picture window. Spray the window, and crunch a ball of newspaper up to use it like a paper towel. I never buy paper towels any more since I already get the newspaper.

 It's pretty much a free cleaning tool since I am reusing something I already have- and who doesn't like that? 

 Scrunch, spray, wipe away! :)

Viola!

 **Sparkly windows.**

Grab a new piece if the paper starts to get mushy or gray...
You are cleaning, not making paper mache art projects
 ("Paper mache?" you say. Another blog, another day).

This is only one of the many uses for vinegar. With so many different uses for vinegar, you may want to stock up! When you purchase your vinegar, don't forget what size to buy: price per unit.

More Green and Clean news will follow soon...  My next home cleaner recipe blog will be laundry detergent! It's loads of fun! (I'm so punny right ?)

For another post relating to sustainability check out my article on saving seeds. 

Do you have any home made cleaning recipes? Have you tried making something like this? What do you think of it?