Cleaning your skin with OIL

Thank you for your interest, but this post has been moed to http://diyrainbowwarriors.com/

Amy: Home Management Makeover

The transition back into the home after working for the last 4 years has been different.  For the first few weeks it felt like a vacation.  Staying in my sweat pants all day, snuggling my son, spending quality time with my daughter, and enjoying naps during the day.  But a vacation can only last so long before the work starts to pile up, and in my case, it really did!

In the months leading up to my son's birth, I had done a lot of reading about home-management and tips for creating and maintaining an organized and healthy household.  We're making a lot of changes and are about to make a lot more.  Not only is our house getting an overhaul, so is our family.  Below is my plan to a healthy family and home, I call it my Home Management Makeover.  I put all the info into my Home management binder (Click HERE for Melody's Post on making your own Home Management Binder!)

• Step One: PURGE
• Take the time to go through all the clutter in your home and ditch anything you don't need, don't have room for, or don't need.
• PROTIP: Take all the clothes hanging in your closet and hang the hangers backwards.  When you wear a garment, hang it back up facing the correct way.  At the end of a year go through and purge anything that's still hanging backwards.
• Step Two: ORGANIZE
• Make sure that everything has it's place.  If it doesn't have a place, make one.
• PROTIP: Clear Shoebox containers are only $1.00 at target and make a great container to organize small toys, craft and art supplies, etc.
• Step three: CLEAN
• Getting everything in your home clean.  A clean home is a happy home!
• PROTIP: Try a cleaning plan.  Clean your house in cycles, aside from the small things that need to be done every day or once a week (dishes, laundry, vacuuming, etc.) things like scrubbing finger prints off the walls, cleaning baseboards, and cleaning ceiling fan blades usually only need to be done in a 2-3 month cycle.  Divide your house into 8-12 Zones or sections (e.g. Kitchen, Bathroom, Living room, etc.) chose one zone for each week.  For each zone, break down that zone into seven separate areas to do one small area each day (you can also break it down to a smaller number to give yourself days off during the week.

MY CLEANING PLAN

• Zone 1/Week One: Living Room
• Area 1/Monday: Cat's Corner (where we keep our cat-tree, cat beds, and the cats' toys)
• Area 2/Tuesday: Entertainment center
• Area 3/Wednesday: Bookshelf
• Area 4/Thursday: Kari-Lynn's Nook (a space under our stairs where our daughter keeps her toys.)
• Area 5/Friday: Couches/Behind the couch
• Weekend Off
• Zone 2/Week Two: Kitchen
• Area 1/Monday: Cabinets
• Area 2/Tuesday: Drawer
• Area 3/Wednesday: Stove/Oven/Microwave
• Area 4/Thursday: Fridge/freezer
• Area 5/Friday: Sink and counters
• Weekend Off
• Zone 3/Week Three: downstairs Bathroom
• Area 1/Monday: Catbox
• Area 2/Tuesday: Sink 
• Area 3/Wednesday: Mirrors
• Area 4/Thursday: Toilet
• Three Day weekend!
• Zone 4/Week Four:Stairs and Upstairs Hallway
• Area 1/Monday: Stairs Landing
• Area 2/Tuesday: Stairwell
• Area 3/Wednesday: Bookshelf in hallway
• Area 4/Thursday: Wall of Fame (we use the walls in our hallway to display Kari-Lynn's Awards, achievements, and artwork along with chore lists, calendars, and family business.)
• Three Day Weekend!
• Zone 5/Week Five: Upstairs Bathroom
• Area 1/Monday: Vanity
• Area 2/Tuesday: Cabinet
• Area 3/Wednesday: Shower/Tub
• Area 4/Thursday: Floors/Walls
• Area 5/Friday: Toilet
• Weekend Off
• Zone 6/Week Six: Kari-Lynn's Room
• Area 1/Monday: Closet/Dresser
• Area 2/Tuesday: Barbie Corner
• Area 3/Wednesday: Under the bed
• Area 4/Thursday: Bookshelf
• Area 5/Friday: desk/behind the door
• Weekend Off
• Zone 7Week Seven: Andrew's Room
• Area 1/Monday: Dresser
• Area 2/Tuesday: Changing Table
• Area 3/Wednesday: Shelf
• Area 4/Thursday: closet
• Three Day Weekend!
• Zone 8/Week Eight: My Room 
• Area 1/Monday: Closet
• Area 2/Tuesday: Desk
• Area 3/Wednesday: Nightstand
• Area 4/Thursday: Bed Drawers
• Three Day Weekend

 So there you have it, how I manage my happy healthy home.  How do you manage your home?  Do you keep a home management binder?  I'd love to hear your tips on how you run your home!

Check out our other post that Melody made about her Household Management book!

Monster spray

This post has been moved! Please go to DIYRainbowWarriors.com for more info!

Amy and Melody's Newborn Essentials

Ok guys, its my personal honor to introduce to you a new partner in crime on here =) She will be making posts randomly, as I do so look out for her super cool articles.

From time to time we will be making JOINT posts - this being our first. To keep you from getting uber confused in this post any writing from AMY will be BLUE and Any writing from MELODY will be GREEN!

Please keep in mind that this is just our perspective on what works best. we both have done this twice now, with one boy and one girl and trust me - the second one is only SLIGHTLY easier, haha.
Drum roll PLLLLLLEEEASE! 
TADA

Hi! I'm Amy, a friend of the owner of the blog. She and I have discussed my writing some guest spots on the blog about my DIY journey and some helpful hints, tips, and tricks of navigating through the mommy life. I have a 7 year old little girl and a 1 month old baby boy and have just committed to staying home full time with my son and caring for my family. 

 It's been quite some time since I've had to do the newborn thing so I feel like a Newbie at this again! One thing I found incredibly helpful in the weeks before our little guy made his arrival were the blogs and videos about what some new moms considered their essentials. I decided it would be a good idea to compile a list of what I found absolutely essential in these first few weeks along with a few new things that I didn't have or know existed my first time around that have made life just that much easier! 

1.) Bath Cozy or Bath Buddy. I had NO idea these even existed until about a week before I went into labor. I was at a baby shower for a member of my family who was due just after me. She opened what I thought was just a cute little animal shaped washcloth until I heard another mom speak up "oh those are GREAT for newborns!" I had to ask. What they told me was that it was a bath cozy. It's basically a cute little washcloth type thing, usually in the shape of an animal. You soak the cozy in the warm bath water and drape it over baby while you're bathing them. It keeps them warm and calm! I immediately HAD to have one and found this cute little monkey with a guitar.  This was pretty much amazing. My little guy just LOVES it, and we didn't get any first bath blues like we did when his big sister had her first bath!

I love this Idea! We just use a regular washcloth to lay over her chest, but its always fun to have cute things for your baby. For me this isn't essential but its definitely a nice addition just like those cute little clothes you drape your babe in =)

2.) Bouncer. Pretty sure this is no secret, but bouncers are pretty much amazing. I wouldn't get a lot done without mine, and our little guy sleeps in his most nights because he gets pretty gassy and may have a touch of reflux and keeping him slightly upright while he sleeps is SO helpful! Our bouncer has sounds and vibration like most and also has a cute little mobile (I call it his monkey friends) We rarely use the sounds and vibration anymore though! 

This is DEFINITELY an essential. You cant hold your little one 24/7 and a bouncer is the best way to have them at the right angle without being afraid they may fall or squish up when you aren't looking. If you get a nice compact bouncer you can take your baby with you. I ALWAYS had my bouncer on the kitchen counter with me when I cooked and both of my kids stayed happy for a long long time since they not only could see me, but me moving around like a whirling dervish was extremely fun to watch haha.

3. Wall Decals or other fun wall decorations. I have discovered that my little guy is far less likely to scream through his whole diaper change if he has something fun to look at. I purchased some wall decals for his room and placed some on the wall behind his changing table to give him something fun to look at. We chose a large black and white pirate flag and some cute little peel and stick pirate decals.  He is extremely interested in that pirate flag.

For this I am glad we have decorated ceilings and rainbow fans! My baby LOVES fans, especially the colored ones. Whoever invented mobiles was no fool!

4. Sling/Wrap/Carrier. When my first child was born Baby wearing was the furthest thing from my mind, but in the years since her birth and the years spent trying to conceive, I had done some research on baby wearing. While there are tons of benefits for baby (such as being close to mom, skin-to-skin, etc.) I have to admit, I purchased my sling for purely selfish reasons...I HAD to be able to get stuff done, especially as a mother of two! I opted for a Seven Sling (Click Here for their site) I had received a promo code for a free sling (just pay shipping) so When it arrived I immediately tried it on. My son loved it, and so did I. It really helped me get things done in those early weeks when he was awake every two hours.

I think every mom will attest to the miracle that is the sling!

5. A Boppy or other nursing pillow. Even if you're not breastfeeding, a nursing pillow is absolutely essential. My little guy is on the "hefty" side. Meaning feedings KILL my shoulders when I hold him. I utilize the boppy in my lap to rest him and my arms on. This makes the whole experience a lot more pleasurable for us both. It's also great to have for propping baby while they spend those few precious hours a day awake so you can engage with them and play.

I AM breastfeeding and I LOVE it. Can you say HANDS FREE FEEDING? Im a chronic multi-tasker and I think I would die if I was stuck sitting doing nothing for the 16 hours a day Im feeding her. My husband even uses it to prop her up.

Well that's my short list of newborn essentials, just a few things that have made life a little bit easier the second time around for me.  Please comment below if there is anything you'd like to add to the list, or something you found essential when you had your little one, we can all help a first time mom, or one who is starting all over again can!

Also, are there any items you purchased or received as a gift that you found really useless?  When my daughter was born, someone got me a wipes warmer...I don't know how much they paid for it, but a few packages of diapers probably would have been a lot more useful!



Thanks Amy! Now on to my list. I was a little more practical and tedious about my list. I even surveyed some people who were absolutely not helpful haha (The number one answer for an ESSENTIAL when having a new baby was boobs....)

So lets get real. If you are about to have a baby here are the seemingly obvious things to not miss (I wont mention the things about that were mentioned):

• Diapers (If you have a diaper raffle at your baby shower, you could end up having a long long time before you have to buy them!  My son is 8 weeks old and we are STILL using diaper raffle diapers, and we still will for a few more weeks!)
• LOTS of wipes
• A diaper bag/backpack/huge purse for leaving the house.
• Lots of blankets! Youll always need a backup when one gets poop, puke, beverages, etc on it. Sometimes I use a second to prop up babies legs so she still thinks Im holding her.
• Which also means lots of towels/burp rags (I have found that pre-fold cloth diapers make the BEST burp rags!)
• Lots of different sized clothes (And don't get crazy - you'll be lucky to get a month out of any one garment in the first year!)
• Car seat and Stroller
• A bath - I have to say that with our first we had one that went in the tub, and it was more a pain than anything to kneel and hold him and wash him and lean over and get slippery.. ugh. This time we are Sinkin' it and I havent been happier. My back,patience, and baby appreciate it.
• Binkies - Remember that some babies LOVE them, some HATE them with a fiery passion, and some go through phases. Both of mine happen to like them and they really do their job. If my baby is tired I put that sucker in there and baby is instantly pacified, and passes right now! Please use responsibly! ;) Say what you want about pacifiers, but they greatly reduce the risk of SIDS, and my baby has been sleeping through the night since 8 weeks old! (make sure to get a few different types of binkies to try out!  Babies have strong preferences about what type of paci they use!  My daughter strongly preferred the NUK brand orthodontic pacifiers while my son will only use the soothies.  Breastfed babies tend to prefer the MAM binks because they are flat and feel closer to the breast in their mouths)
• Small bottles (even if you are breast feeding youll want to have a couple around if you EVER want to leave the house for more than an hour without your child - and there will be days your sanity depends on it.)
• With bottles youll need nipples. Probably different types because some babies are really finicky and usually new babies dont like those cheap hard nipples. Mine doesnt care, but it doesnt hurt to have variety on hand if you are desperate at 4AM)
• Nail clippers - Those new baby nails cut like hot knives through butter on their own little faces, but imagine laying in bed resting soundly snuggled up to your precious spawn and all of a sudden youre woken up to something ripping your face, lips, and even gums apart. upon opening your eyes you see a sweet little face looking back at you wondering why you look so scared... and then theres your boobs hen you're nursing!  (I have found that even with nail clippers, my son finds a way to give himself some pretty severe scratches, you may try filing baby's nails, but you could also opt to use baby mittens.  They also help to prevent babies from becoming over-stimulated which can cause them to become really fussy)
• Soap and lotion (lotion only really for a lavender smell to help sooth the little one) (I'm not usually a brand loyalist, in fact I tend to prefer generics over name brand because of the cost, but the bed time lotion I received at my shower was "sesame street" brand and was very thin and watery and absorbed really fast, which made our bedtime massages a lot more difficult, so I bought a bottle of Johnson & Johnson which is much thicker and creamier and lasts a lot longer during massage time, sometimes the name-brand is just better)

And the NOT so obvious stuff I found absolutely important:

• A night light - We use a salt lamp. You want something so you can see your baby at night without having to turn lights on and disturbing your spouse. My baby actually will wake up if I turn the lamp off and before we figured to use the lamp we were leaving bathroom or closet lights on - a huge waste of electricity and money, plus it wasnt as ambient and comfortable for any of us. 
• LOTS of hand soap - remember that baby is BRAND new, try not to touch her after blowing your nose, washing dishes, cleaning your older childs butt, etc! I washed my hands so much in the first month or so its not even funny. Not just for the kid, but because I didnt wanna touch my own face or food after being pooped, puked on, etc. (My personal preference is to stay away from anything that is antimicrobial or antibacterial when dealing with baby.  You certainly want to keep clean because of how sensitive baby is, but I try not to use too much hand sanitizer or anti-bac.  Overuse of these things can weaken baby's defenses)
• Food that is incredibly easy to cook. Crock pots are awesome for dinners, but even a health conscious mostly vegetarian like me had to eat frozen pizzas, bagels, and frozen dinners in times of desperation throughout the day when my husband was working. (we weren't prepared  to have baby for another two weeks so we didn't have any of these things on hand and did a LOT of eating out and ordering in after baby was born and it cost a LOT of money, so this tip is SO important!)
• Caps for your bottles (They are usually called "sealing disks" or something like that) - People who love me gave me packs of dozens of these things cause they get lost like crazy. I use them to store milk in the fridge, freezer, in diaper bags for travelling.. a LOT. These get overlooked I think. I seriously use at least 3 a day for various reasons. They look like this, or just flat discs:
  
• Gripe water - They told me that a breastfeeding baby doesnt get constipated. That may be true but she doesn't poo for days sometimes, maybe even weeks (I cant tell, I dont sleep anymore) and her gas and tummy cramps get CRAZY. Im going to make a whole post about gripe water coming up so look out for a recipe as well as things to AVOID when buying it from the store. This stuff can get expensive in the store, and Im over it!
• A noise maker - This can be anything. Babies sleep better with white noise. We have an air filter, but soft music, noise machines, even a baby monitor hum can greatly increase your chances of soothing them. (there are white noise apps that you can use if you have an extra phone or tablet that you can have on while baby is sleeping!  There are also you tube videos with "womb sounds" that can help keep baby asleep just a bit longer!)
• Breast pads, especially for the first few weeks after having the baby, ESPECIALLY if youre breast feeding - you're gonna be leaking all over any social situation you get yourself into and wake yourself up drenched if you dont take my advice! ;)
• This one is a big one, and I Think its the most essential of all: Support - someone to hand the baby off to for at least 10 minutes while you regroup, hide, cry, or whatever you need to do in order to get back in the game. This stuff gets dicey sometimes and no one stays totally sane through the whole thing. (I literally count down the hours, minutes, seconds, until my husband gets home from work so I can run upstairs to write a blog, watch youtube videos, nap, facebook, whatever so I can keep my sanity!)
• With that said another very important thing you need is PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE.  (Double this if you are breast feeding) Like I said... it gets rough at times but remember every day is a little easier.. and then harder.. and then easy again. You're awesome. Every time you want to scream or cry remember that you're awesome, and you created that bundle of joy out of thin air, grew it, then popped it out. Its a huge deal and Im really proud of you! Now hand that baby to your husband and go do whatever you need to do to remind yourself that you're a human being and not a milk making slave!

Specifically and ESPECIALLY for breast feeding moms:

We already mentioned nursing pads, bottle stoppers, Boppy, a pump... but theres more!

•  LOTS of water
• Soy Lecithin - This one might not be ESSENTIAL, but it was for me the second time around. I almost got mastitis so many times, and I owe this little pill a lot. Getting clogged ducts is not a fun game to play! This thins out your milk so its easier to unclog your ducts, and makes them less likely to clog in the first place.
• Bottles for storing.. or bags if you prefer.
• Nipple cream. The first few weeks of feeding with both of my kids I spent crying quite a bit until they werent hugely engorged... I have a friend whose kid literally ate off her nipples BEFORE she had teeth. Breast feeding an be a war zone, stay moisturized!

• IB Profin - I had my baby at home for one, no pain killers and no hospital. I didnt think Id need it but I did. I ESPECIALLY needed it when breast feeding became a war zone (see above) and I literally dont take any types of pills except vitamins. 

Speaking of Breastfeeding...EPing (exclusively pumping)

I wanted so badly to breastfeed my son, but circumstances in the hospital made it near impossible and he wouldn't latch, so I tried to exclusively pump for him.  EPing is a LOT of work.  You have to pump for an hour at a time every two hours around the clock.  If you skip just one session your supply will drop a LOT.  The kicker is that the most important session is 2-6am as you tend to produce more milk at that time of day (thanks hormones!)  Well I didn't stick to the strict schedule and slowly I dried up.  After 4 weeks my sessions were so non-productive that we decided to switch to formula and our stock of pre-pumped breastmilk.  But the few things I found helpful...

1. Pump (duh, right?) you will absolutely need to have a medical grade pump, preferably an electric one and one that has dual capabilities.  Luckily due to the Affordable Care Act that went into effect this year, insurance companies are required to pay for a medical grade dual electric pump for their insured mothers.  Usually you will have an option to either buy a new one or rent one from the hospital all on your insurance company's dime.
2. Multiple pump parts and bottles to pump into.  I had a c-section which made it hard to go up and down the stairs to wash bottles and pump parts, so I kept a "bus bucket" (one of my daughter's old Easter buckets to be specific.) for my husband to wash for me when he got home from work, so I had to have extra everything!  **HELPFUL HINT**  If you're recovering from a c-section and have stairs like I do, a cooler and lots of ice packs or a mini-fridge if you have one is absolutely necessary if you have to wait all day for someone to take it to the fridge or freezer for you at the end of the day.
   

Eat like a fancy pants on the cheap!

Ok, so the title of this one is "Eat like a fancy pants on the cheap" but what should be tagged on to the end of the sentence is "the Japanese way:" because this episode of "how to make your life a little more awesome for less" is brought to you by RAMEN!

Whether or not you've been to college I'd put money on the fact that your early twenties was spent eating like you were trying to afford it. And why not? at 15 cents a meal (which happens to actually be delicious) its hard to beat. Then later on your got a little smarter and learned about nutrition...

You probably know now (or will learn soon) that Ramen is just carbs, sallt, and fat - and while you can get full and happy on about a dollar a day (on average) you are gonna burn out soon, and all of that thinking you like to do throughout the day will because pretty monotone.

For not much more you could actually be eating like a pro, and still have a deliciously quick and easy meal going for ya! I put all of my effort, money and work into dinners for my family. With a husband set like a lumberjack and 2 kids I dont have a lot of time but need to come up with a lot of food, and WAY too often I forget to feed myself throughout the day. Here are some of my "Ramen Hacks" that keep me and my son fueled through the day while enabling me to continue on my journey to actually having a clean house:

AS I WRITE THIS Im actually eating some AMAZING ramen. I took a package of beef ramen, cooked the noodles with an egg (like egg drop soup) some chopped green onion, a sprinkle of garlic powder, and a LOT of fresh spinach (about 2 cups - when that stuff cooks it doesnt go very far) When its done I poured a good amount of liquid out, added the flavoring powder, and then dug in! No one even missed me while I was feeding my own face - THATS how quick it was! It was SOOOO DELICIOUS that I fed it to my husband (as a way to brag about how lucky he is to have such a great wife that saves him money and feeds him nutrients) and he was impresssed!


So it isnt rocket science - and there is no recipe per se - its all up to you, but consider just keeping some staples around the house when you think you'll be broke for a while, or if you just feel nostalgic.... or really hungry for sodium.

Try some Spices like salt, pepper, garlic, powered turmeric, steak grilling seasonings.. I dunno, this is YOUR adventure!
Try these Veggies (Just toss them in the water while the noodles are cookin):

• Spinach
• Lettuce/Cabbage
• Sprouts
• Beans
• Scallions/Green onion
• Broccoli/Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Any frozen veggies you have inthe freezer.. even corn would be an adventure!

Try some MEAT! Any meat cooked, cubed, chopped, sliced, etc would make a FINE addition to your ramen. even if its pepporoni slices!

Try some EGGS! They are a cheap and easy way to add protein and a lot of other vitamins. This has always been the easiest way to get it into my little boy too!

(I took the following "Level system" on ideas for eggs from THIS link)

• Level 1: Hard boiled eggs are the easiest—just add the eggs to a pot of cold water, bring it to a boil, then drop in your noodles. The egg should be pretty perfectly hard boiled in just about the same time that it takes to cook the ramen through.
• Level 2: Soft boiled eggs are a tad trickier, because they involve a time. Drop them into the pot after it's come to a full boil, start a timer, and pull them out after 3 minutes for super-soft, or 5 for a fully-set white and semi-liquid yolk. I like to cut the eggs open and stir the yolk into the broth as I eat it.
• Level 3: The egg-drop method creates small curds of egg blossoms that float in the broth and coat your noodles. Lightly beat an egg in a small bowl. Once your noodles are cooked, swirl the noodles and hot broth gently around the pot. While the broth is moving, slowly drizzle in the beaten egg. It should set into fine ribbons.
• Level 4: Poached eggs will never come out perfectly shaped, but who really cares? Just cook the noodles until they've just started to separate from each other (about halfway through their total cooking time), pull the pot off the heat, break a raw egg into the center, place the lid on the pot, and let the whole thing sit for a couple minutes until both the noodles and eggs are cooked.
• Level 5: Fried Eggs require the use of an auxiliary pan and heat source. This is hyper-advanced stuff, and not to be trifled with until you've mastered all of the first-level egg techniques.*

And REMEMBER - theres no reason to stay in the orient for this one. The following link has recipes for ramen Pizza, soups, salads, casseroles, omelettes, chimichangas, snack mix, even shephards pie utilizing our 15 cent buddy! CHECK IT OUT, Its actually kinda ridiculous: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/27-better-ways-to-eat-ramen

Need help getting veggies into your kids?

My almost-4 year old makes it pretty impossible for me to get vegetables into his body, and this is obviously a notorious problem with almost all parents. Until I figure out how to convince him that this entire diet cant consist of fruit and bread Ive been resorting to tricking him for years.

This recipe is flawless and allows you to get veggies into them in a delicious and healthy way. Best of all this recipe is entirely customizable, where you use a few necessary ingredients, but other than that you decide what your kid needs the most! Plus, as a bonus theres a quality to this recipe that makes being a mother so much easier - its fast and brainless. Nothing needs to be EXACT, so don't stress! Just dump a bunch of things into a bowl and mix it up!

So I give you.... *drum roll*
THE HOLY GRAIL OF MUFFINS!

(The number of muffins depends on the tin your using)

2 cups whole wheat flour (or what you have on hand)

about 1/4 cup flax meal (optional)

1/4-1/2 cup whole oats (optional)1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
about 1/3 cup brown sugar (or other sweetener if you prefer)
2 -3 tablespoons honey (optional - but really adds to the texture and taste)
1 egg
about 3 cups vegetables - Use anything you like, its gonna be blended together. (I use carrots, zucchini and spinach regularly, but you can even use banana, applesauce, berries, etc.)

1 teaspoon vanilla
2-4 teaspoons cinnamon (depending on your preference)

I throw a little turmeric in there too.. just a small amount. It adds color, cancer fighting properties, and a million other great things into the body.

Like I said, mix it up - different veggies, different additives like the flax or oats just to add nutrients. If your kids like nuts Id suggest almonds, too!

• None of this has to be in any specific order, either....
• Get the butter out and throw it in a bowl so it will soften up while you get the rest of the ingredients in there!
• First you want to Puree any of the non-basic ingredients. The veggies, oats, nuts, etc. I even put the brown sugar in the food processor just to make sure it gets broken up. Put it all in there. Puree it until its the consistency of baby food or applesauce.
• Put the processed food into a bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients.....
• Heat the oven to 350.
• Get our your mixer and blend it all up!
• Fill the cups in a muffin tin to about 2/3 full
• Bake for 25 minutes!

VOILA! Yummy muffins for pesky children! Good luck getting them to want anything other than muffins after this though....

Don't throw em away! Uses for Used tea bags

Yeah, You got me... I don't like to just throw things away...

At least I'm not a hoarder...

And at least I have the decency to let YOU know what you can do to be more frugal in your life too.

And here is where I would normally explain to you why going green and being a frugal mommy dont really stray far from each other - but I would be digressing, and neither of us would really be benefiting, right?

I'll just get right down to it. DON'T JUST THROW EM AWAY.... but don't hang on to them for too long either... eww. Mold and mildew would love for you to, but you're smarter than that - and after this post you're gonna have way too many fun uses for those bags. You''ll be making and drinking more tea just to feel prettier and smarter! Leave a comment later, thanking me - if you ever have time!

Uses for uses (black) tea bags.
(remember that the tea has to be caffeinated unless otherwise specified- this tea contains "tannins" which will be mentioned quite a bit!)

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

1. Plantar Warts! Just press a wet, warmed tea bag directly on the area for ten to fifteen minutes and let the skin dry naturally. Repeat this daily in one to two weeks that bad boy should be gone! (Let me know if this works, I've never actually had a wart but I've read in a lot of different places that this is a GREAT remedy)
2. Any kind of tea can soften your skin (the antioxidants in green tea are particularly effective) so throw some tea bags in the bath and soak in that delicious goodness - PLUS, I think you'll smell great after!
3. The tannins in the tealeaves will stimulate blood circulation and diminish the bags and dark circles under your eyes. Rest either warm or cold bags on your eyes for a few minutes and check out the results! When I get around to it Ill ad a before and after to this post. (Im a great tester since I just had a baby and rarely sleep)
4. A facial toner!? VOILA! The astringency absorbs greas, so quickly wipe a tea bag over your trouble zones and then blot with a clean towel.
5. Soothe razor burn and relieve nicks and cuts by pressing a wet tea bag to your skin. Not only will the tea take some of the sting out, it will also stop the bleeding.
6. Warm up a brewed tea bag, take the leaves out of it, roll them in a scrap of fabric, and use as a compress for a painful toothache, canker sore, or fat lip
7. Drain a blister or abscess without pain by covering the affected area with a wet tea bag overnight; you'll see results by the time you wake up the next morning.
8. Tea bags will bring comforting relief if you have a bruise, sunburn, bee sting, mosquito bite, run in with Poison Ivy, or cold sore, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. Put a cool, damp tea bag on the affected area and use like a compress.
9. The antioxidants and tannins in the tea will tighten your pores, reduce puffiness, and leave your face glowing! Put the used tea bag in a bowl steaming water, place a towel over your head and let your face soak up that tea-steam!
10. Alleviate sore or bleeding gums by putting a cooled, used tea bag over the problem spot. Tannins constrict blood vessels, which will stop the bleeding, and they reduce the swollen tissues that cause soreness.
11. Give your feet a daily tea bath that calms and restore. Toss 3 or 4 bags in some hot water and let it steep for about 15 minute (or long enough for the water to cool to a good temp for your footsies.) Then soak for 20-30 minutes. This also gets rid of stinky feet!
12. Rinse your hands with water and a brewed tea bag to remove food odors like onions and fish!

IN THE KITCHEN

1. Cook an incredibly moist turkey by adding a brewed tea bag and a cup of water to the pan. The tannin in the tea is a natural meat tenderizer and adds a unique, delicious flavor.
2. Soak grungy dishes overnight with hot water and a few brewed teabags and the tannins from the tea with break down the grease by morning.
3. A brewed tea bag will do the same thing as baking soda in your fridge and sucks up odors!

AROUND THE HOUSE

1. Deodorize stuffy rooms by pouring one quart twice-brewed tea and four tablespoons lemon juice or your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle.
2. Clean dark leather shoes by wiping a damp tea bag in a circular motion.
3. Put a wet tea bag or the leaves from a wet tea bag into your ashtray. When someone ashes into the tray the wet leaves will hold the ash and absorb some of the smell from the smoke!
4. Just sprinkle the dried out contents of a brewed tea bag into kitty litter and the tea will help neutralize the smell!
5. If you sprinkle the damp tea leaves from a brewed tea bag over the ashes in your fireplace before cleaning it out, the tea will keep the ashes from rising and making a mess when you lift them out.
6. Wipe cast-iron pots and pans with a brewed tea bag to remove and prevent rust.
7. Empty the dry contents from several brewed tea bags onto smelly carpets or pet bedding, allow to settle for ten or fifteen minutes, then deodorize the area when you vacuum and leave the refreshing scent of tea behind. This will also deodorize the vacuum cleaner bag at the same time.
8. Your grandma probably taught you THIS one! Make your mirrors sparkle and shine by using cooled, twice-brewed tea as a cleaner. Just dip a soft cloth in the tea and use it to wipe away dirt and grime, and then buff dry.
9. Use the teabags to rub furniture and floor scratches to make them disappear.
10. Carefully spray diluted black tea on the carpet to kill dust mites. Color-test the tea first in an inconspicuous spot.

OUTDOORS

1. Acid-loving plants like citrus, ferns and roses LOVE Tea! Especially in Arizona, since the ground is dutifully lacking in acid. The tannic acid and other nutrients will be released when you water the plants, spurring their growth.
2. And for healthier potted plants, place a few brewed tea bags over the drainage hole at the bottom of the planter before potting. The tea bags will retain water and leach nutrients to the soil.
3. Speed the decomposition process and enrich your compost pile by pouring a few cups of strong, twice-brewed tea into the heap. The liquid tea will hasten decomposition and draw acid-producing bacteria that will create acid-rich compost. If you remove the staples first you can just toss those buggers in your compost pile whole!

If you know of any more leave a comment! Thanks! I hope This info helps!

Teaching kids colors

Heres a fun little game that doesnt take very long or very much effort that teaches your kids how to make colors! My 3 year old loved it!

What you'll need:

*Either food coloring or paint (in red, blue, and, yellow)
*6-9 shot glasses or small cups/glasses/liquid receptacles (clear prefered for maximum visuals!) (9 required for brown which is optional if you dont have enough glasses)
*2-3 larger glasses (3rd is for brown)
*a towel to put it all on
*something to mix with, I used a paintbrush

Lay out the towel, and line up 3 rows of 3 shot glasses (3 rows of 2 if youve opted out of making brown)
I then put the bigger glasses between the colors like in the picture. The third is farther out just because it needs all of the colors.

In this picture I have the 3rd glass for brown, but only 6 shot glasses, because when I used paint there was a fair amount of residue at the bottom. I used that residue to make the 3rd batch for the brown

So basically what I did is very simple:
I went with red first. "Oliver, what color will the water be if I pour this into the big cup?" To which he answers, "RED!" And I have him pour it in the bigger glass on his own.

Then I went with the yellow shot glass; "What happens to the water when I add this one?" To which he replies, "I DONT KNOW!" and giggles. 
**Try to get them to name each color- even if they know all of their colors and are very smart children-  make them come up with the colors as much as possible so they remember how to make the new colors!**
He then excitedly pours the second color in and voila! "OMIGOSH OLIVER! What color is it now!?" And he exclaims with joy, "ITS ORANGE MOMMY!"

Go through this process with each combo:
Blue and yellow = green
Blue and red= purple
Red and yellow = orange
Blue yellow and red = brown

Wow! 3 colors make every color in the world! How cool!!

The aftermath

Dear Reader, Your Life could be better!

I was recently invited to a friends birthday party where she asked for us to bring a "pearl of wisdom" to help her through her next year of life - which is an amazing idea. Im going to steal it for my birthday, I think! I actually stole the idea for this post, because it opened up a whole thought process for me. My friend is amazing and beautiful and I love her dearly - She is the reason I know have the same advice for you.

I digress...

I sat long and hard. I thought about it every day until the party. What pearl of wisdom could I, a young mother in my twenties - provide to another twenty-something to help her year go smoothly? How could I give advice that is generic yet profound that could really impact another person? Wisdom? Am I wise?

And then the answer came to me: The best piece of advice I can provide to another person is so profound, so dignified, so AMAZING, that I had to type it up! I have to confess that my little pearl of wisdom is essentially this: Nothing.

Thats right folks. You read that right... but let me explain. by nothing, I mean everything! I mean that there is nothing any one can tell you that is going to improve your life or make it any easier.

Dear Reader,

You have all of the answers inside you. You are the embodiment of God, Life, the Universe, and Everything. You are 42. Only you can decide that your day was good or bad or is something is fun or a total bummer. Only you have the perception and perspective you need to get through this world. Every one of us has an inner knowing that we really dont seem to appreciate as often as we should!
If you really need SOMETHING to get you along I have 3 quotes for you that will push it along a little, but again - they cant do justice to the advice you have hiding inside yourself.

1) "This too shall pass" - This line has been handed down for thousands of years. Its in almost every culture. Its not extremely profound in that it is extremely profound, RIGHT? Every moment of your life is a vapor. See, you just read that last line and now its already a memory. You cant hold on to anything, and at the same time every bad thing that ever happens to you is gone as fast as it came. Just remember that tomorrow today will be yesterday. One moment everything seems dire, and the next you are forgetting it even happened. Make right now everything you want it to be. Appreciate this moment because good or bad it will be gone short- oh there it went!

2) "Follow Your Bliss" - Joseph Campbell. Again, its very simple! Why are yo wasting time doing something that doesn't make you shine as brightly as possible? I understand that some things you do even though you don't want to and thats just the way it is - but make sure that the something you are toiling through is worth it - make sure it gets you closer to your greatest goal of being the best version of yourself possible. Have hobbies. Have a job that makes your life better. DONT WASTE TIME BEING UNHAPPY WHEN HAPPINESS IS SO EASY TO COME BY!! Refer to this video when times get tough:


Or you can READ it here: http://consumerimnot.blogspot.com/2012/01/party.html

3)The last isn't really a quote, its a principle - Occam's Razor. Basically this means that the simplest, most obvious answer is most likely the correct one. Dont over think things. In all of my time on earth between learning and researching and over-thinking, and being logical I have learned one very disappointing thing - The further I got into one subject or problem the more I realized that all of my time and hard work was a waste of time because in the end it really didnt matter. In the end I knew the answers. In the end I realized that there really was no point doing all of that work. This is the same with information about dinosaurs or you trying to rationalize a bad break up. Stop it. Just go outside and play and I promise things will be a lot easier. Figure out what you wanna be when you grow up (Even if you are currently 80 years old) and work toward that goal. Don't get discouraged or side-tracked.

Its EASY, dear Reader. I'll throw another quote in there if you still aren't convinced - "Don't worry, Be Happy!"

Everything and nothing

You see this picture? You cant tell from just looking at it. It means nothing unless you were there really. To yo it is probably just a crappy image of some lights that cant even be distinguished. When I look I see a party. I see all of my friends dancing and hooping and laughing. I see a really great time I had. My perspective doesnt even have to work hard to get all of that, I just have to APPRECIATE what I am looking at!

So Anyways, whoever you may be out there in cyber-space reading this and wondering what in the world you could do to make your life better, remember that I love you with all of my heart and soul. I think you're beautiful and I truly mean that! I KNOW you are. When I look at you I see the whole universe in all of its splender. Billions of atoms and molecules that evolved and formed to create such a wonderful creature smiling back at me -THATS YOU!

I love you!

Love,

Melody!

Another LEGITIMATE way to make money: Mystery Shopping

I've always heard of mystery shopping as a legitimate way to make money for years now, but just like everything on the Internet it always seems like a scam and seems like too much work to figure out which companies weren't going to screw you over.

You should already know this, but never get a job with a company that I asked you for money up front. Classic internet scam situation.

WHERE DO I SIGN UP?

If you go to Volition.com it lists every LEGITIMATE mystery shopping company. Feel free to research, which I did A LOT to get actual testimonies in comments and blogs that said what companies they tried and what their experiences were.

Remember that even though none of those companies are scammers it doesn't mean you're going to get a lot of good jobs. You actually have to sign up for about 10 different companies in order to get a good number of shops. most shops are very specific on what they're asking for a really good number shops aren't even worth the money. After you sign up for these companies it'll be up to you to determine what would be best for you. Also you'll get emails alerting you about some opportunities, but to find shops you'll have to regularly check their websites, and the jobs are first come first serve.

Also, keep in mind this is not a way to make a lot of money. Sometimes you make $5 and sometimes you'll get 20. I've seen some for $45 but you have to have really specific criteria. Not all of the shops are mystery shops.some of them require you to actually reveal yourself and talk to managers and employees. I've done a few shops in a couple of months and made maybe around $100. And make sure you take into account distance, gas, and amount of actual work they want you to do for the shop.

AND DONT FORGET: You pay up front. The REIMBURSE you. make sure you have the money out of pocket first! (it could be anything from $1 to $45 that you need to spend

I took my roommates truck in to get a free oil change plus got 20 dollars. I've eaten food but spent more than I was reimbursed because of what they asked me to purchase. I've done shopping for clothes and got reimbursed, and I've gone to office max and I told them I was inspector for HP printers and had to check out there display line for the printer section.

sometimes you can get to do shops that you don't get to complete like the business is closed or they don't sell that product anymore and you still get paid.

Allso keep in mind that signing up for these companies is a lot like filling out a normal job application. A good number of them were very tedious and require you to write essays to prove that you have good writing skills.

I first learned about these companies here: http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/10/31-ways-to-earn-extra-cash-before-christmas-become-a-mystery-shopper-day-8.html

If you read through the comments at the bottom you'll see a lot of people talking about their experiences and what companies that used this is where I got most of mine.

Here is a list of legitimate companies that I have used:
Please keep in mind that the more companies you sign up for the more complicated you can make it for yourself. I recommend getting a special email account or a special folder in your email account SPECIFICALLY for these companies emails! (every company is different and almost all of them make different logins for you)
Bestmark: This company sends a check out twice a month but for me opportunities have been scarce. In my area they pretty much only have car dealerships that need someone to get an oil change for a SPECIFIC make of car. I ended up spending more for an oil change than was in the reimbursement amount because the truck needed an extra quart of oil and they still gave me the extra money plus the payment promised so I didnt miss out on anything. They have actually called me and asked me to do specific shops to help them out since there was no one else to do it in my area. This company also comes highly recommended all over the web, and Im pretty happy about them after just receiving a $70 check!
Trendsource: They deposit money directly into your account twice a month and I've been paid pretty quickly a few times by them. I've done a few different types of shops, some revealed some not. They have an easy-to-use website and have a good amount of variety!
Jancyn: Ive just recently done 2 for this company so I have not yet been paid by them, but they called me asking to complete it. I went shopping for them at DD's discount and pretty much should get half of my bill paid for and I got a lot of cool stuff, and we also went out to eat at a small pita joint where we had to order what they wanted us to, and didn't get paid very much- but its kind of like getting reimbursed for part of a meal just because! It was pretty close to our house.
Shoppersview: I have yet to do anything for this company because there is nothing in my area, but I've seen good reviews about them.
AboutFace: This company has some really good shops and a LOT available - but all of them that I have seen so far are for glasses or prescriptions, neither of which do I have or need, so I haven't been able to take advantage of them.
Second To None: I haven't been able to take advantage of this company yet, as the only thing in my area is REALLY BAD deals (no reimbursement, low pay, and requires you to purchase a very specific meal that would cost as much if not more than the pay) and "formal events" which sound like time share presentations that they want to pay you to sit in on.

Please feel free to comment on your experiences and share companies that have or haven;'t worked for you - As well as any more questions you may have!

Natural DIY Protein treatment for your hair

This recipe was taken from a friend of mines blog. Her blog is dedicated solely to curly hair and keeping that main naturally beautiful! Go check it out at http://www.ohmycurls.com/

Ive actually used recipes similar to this to fix my frizzy hair (my hair is so curly my family calls me Lammy) and let me tell you - Olive oil, yogurt, and eggs are all miracles for hair!

• 1 egg
• 1 cup of Greek plain yogurt
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• mix in a large bowl
• separate hair into sections and coat onto each section of  hair
• Take plastic wrap, shower cap, or a plastic bag from the food store and wrap saturated hair into bag. Let treatment sit on your head for 45 mins- an hour and rinse. Depending on your hair texture you may only want to do this treatment once a month.
  

*Side note from Melody: Ill actually go outside (I live in az so its usually sweltering) and let the natural heat open the pores and follicles of my hair to help it absorb those oils and proteins!

Her post with this recipe can be found at http://www.ohmycurls.com/homemade-protein-treatment/

More ways to make money online

This is a favorite on the internet among people who enjoy doing tiny things every day just to make some money. You get paid in gift cards (Mainly Amazon, but can also get pay outs for Wal Mart, Through Paypal for cash, Itunes, BestBuy, etc.) and its real! I myself Earned $5 in a couple of days and now after 2 weeks Ive earned $10 in gift cards.. I have yet to cash out yet. You earn as much as you do, some people make 100 Swagbucks a day, and some make 5. 450SB can be redeemed for $5 in Amazon gift cards for example.
There are a LOT of ways to earn Swagbucks - Some include:

• Filling out surveys
• Using their search engine (Which is powered by both Bing and Google, so its prtty good.)
• Completing offers - often for free samples and free stuff, soits really a win win.
• Playing games
• Taking their daily poll
• Bonus SB rewards, like just finding a code on the site and entering it in the code spot.
• Sweepstakes (bet SB to win more)
• Watching short videos - which include cooking, gardening, movie previews and sometimes news. They are actually really awesome videos. Some center around Hollywood, and some center around being a mother!
• Referring friends can get you %10 of everything they make for life! (which reminds me, if you wanna try it out do me a favor and do it by going here: swagbucks.com/refer/modlovecat

All in All its worth it! And actually kinda fun. Ive looked ALL over the internet and there are people that just save up points and SB pays for all of their Christmas, or people that just use it for bills.. whatever you choose to do, you're missing out on something if you aren't Swagging!
Click here to visit Swagbucks!

I have to say right out of the gate that I absolutely love Jingit. I've been a member for 9 months now and have earned a LOT of actual money by essentially doing nothing. I go to their website, I watch a commercial or 2 - bam, 50 cents. I downloaded the app, which has sponsors like Target or Safeway or Wal Mart and when you go to those stores you earn even more money! This can be done by either scanning products that it lists OR buying featured products. Sometimes I buy sausage for 3.00 a pack and Jingit instantly gives me 1.75 back. i was gonna buy it anyway! Same with toilet paper. I got some toilet paper I was gonna buy any way and they gave me 5.00 right away!

The other day the MOST AMAZING THING HAPPENED. I bought that sausage I always buy, but it was apparently part of some bonus blitz thing. I bought $3.00 sausage and they gave me my 1.75 back, then when I went to the website they asked me to fill out a survey about the sausage - which was literally one question: "Did you plan on buying this product ahead of time or did you make a special trip for it?" They gave me 10.00 for checking a little box. I was so excited I told every one about it!

Now at the start you have a limit of $10.00 a week. This can be increased by referring people. My limit after 2 or 3 referrals is 20.25 - which honestly I don't think I can go much higher than. There isn't THAT many videos to watch and the amount you can earn is based on how many clients or sponsors they have.

They USED to give you an actual debit card and you could just spend the money one whatever you wanted, wherever, but about a month ago they changed it =( Now they give out giftcards, which isnt awful, but I sure loved it being the ONLY thing I could find that gave me actual money directly into my pocket without waiting!

I LOVE Jingit. Do yourself a favor and just have it. Its free and it can go on your phone to earn you money that you just wouldnt have before.
Click here to visit Jingit


Amazon Mechanical Turk
There isnt much to say about this one. You do menial tasks and are paid pennies at a time. Sometimes a dollar, depending on the task and what they want to pay you. I really enjoy just tagging photos for them, or labeling images. Its just another small thing to do to earn some side cash. I don't make abutt load on it, but when Im bored I can make like a dollar and that makes me feel good.
This image really explains it:

A freebie!

I just thought I'd share this little freebie with you!

You dont have to pay shipping, just enter your address and enter a VERY short survey on your coffee preferences. BOOM. in 4-6 weeks you'll be fancy for a day!

Get paid for knowing what youre talking about. 8 Websites to help!

I love answering questions. My dream job would be to actually BE Siri... but I digress already...

Wouldn't you love to just be able to talk to people about stuff you know and get paid to do it? Here's some websites I've found. Some weren't a great fit for me, and a few I've actually tried. Heres what Ive researched and got for ya:

https://clarity.fm/
Clarity is a website for BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS. If you know how to launch a business/brand/company and know something in any of the following fields then jump over to this website and get paid (per minute) to talk to people on the phone who need you! You set your prices! Good luck! Im not experienced in this field, so if you have any more info about this site please let me know in the comments!

Business

Career Advice, Branding,Financial Consulting,Customer Engagement,Strategy, Sectors, Getting Started, Human Resources,Business Development,Legal, Other

Sales & Marketing

Social Media Marketing,Search Engine Optimization, Public Relations, Branding,Publishing, Inbound Marketing, Email Marketing,Copywriting, Growth Strategy, Search Engine Marketing, Sales & Lead Generation, Advertising,Other

Funding

Crowdfunding, Kickstarter,Venture Capital, Finance,Bootstrapping, Nonprofit,Other

Product & Design

Identity, User Experience,Lean Startup, Product Management, Metrics & Analytics, Other

Technology

Wordpress, Software Development, Mobile, Ruby,CRM, Innovation, Cloud,Other

Skills & Management

Productivity,Entrepreneurship, Public Speaking, Leadership,Coaching, Other

Industries

SaaS, E-commerce,Education, Real Estate,Restaurant & Retail,Marketplaces, Nonprofit,Other

Other

The other stuff ... not business related, but still interesting and from our amazing business experts.

http://www.aceyourcollegeclasses.com/ Ok honestly, I can't figure this one out. Its not very well laid out but SOME people have figured it out and they are making money with it! Heres what it says about making money with them in their FAQ:
"Here is an example, let’s say you’re a math whiz, log in to your AYCC account and browse for questions that involve math. Create a tutorial that will guide the student and post it. We will show a preview of your tutorial to the student, if they like the preview, they purchase it. From there you earn the price of the tutorial minus our 25% fee.

AYCC recommends that you do not post short answers. Post tutorials that are good and has a great deal of information. Students will like that and this in return will make them come back to you for more help! More help means more money for you! Get paid within 24 hours after your withdrawal!

When you sell a tutorial you will earn 75% and AYCC will take the other 25%. All tutorials will remain on the site and can be sold over and over again. This means you make more money! There are no fees to withdraw your money earned and for adding funds."

Like I said, its not the most straight forward system, but if you are the person that loves to write essays and just dont have any good reason to keep em around, SELL 'EM and someone else can graduate college! You also set your own prices in this one, although its a bit more labor intensive.


http://www.justanswer.com
To join this site you have to actually have credentials to back yourself up. Any profession you have a degree in and have worked at for 2 or more years gets you access to making money with this site. We are talking Doctors, Lawyers, etc. 

To join the community of professionals, you will need to:

Complete an online application and online profile

Take a short subject matter test

Verify your credentials

• Requirements:
• Any license or certification,
• 2+ years of research-related employment (e.g. librarian, analyst),
• Or a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• 
  

• JustAnswer in the News:

http://kgb.com/
Ok, so this one I actually worked for a while back and just applied to work for again. You can actually make money doing this and its for real! You wont make enough to change your life but you could make anywhere from $30-$100 bucks a month of extra cash by just Googling things for people. Again, you wont be rich but its pretty much my dream job, haha. KGB is a text answering service. People text their question to them and then an agent responds to it, kind of like ask.com or the thousands of other things you see around the internet but never knew you could be a part of. You get .10-.15 cents per text. They charge .99 per text.. but thats besides the point. =)
You have to work a minimum of hours per week. I cant remember what it is right now but its something like 10. If you go under the threshold you will be fired. Its an actual job, and you set your own schedule and work as hard as you'd like.
If you want to work for them you first have to pass an assessment test found here: http://beginkgb.com/challenge/
You can take it as many times as you'd like, but you have to pass all 7 sections in order to be considered at all. Once you pass you send your info in and basically fill out an app. within 5 business days you should get an email letting you know if you've been accepted!

http://www.chacha.com/
Basically the same thing as KGB only the payment is different and they arent hiring as often.
Heres their description about the jobs they offer: http://becomeaguide.chacha.com/why-become-a-guide/
They hire at this link so check it out and see if there are any positions available: http://becomeaguide.chacha.com/


http://webanswers.com/
If you want to make money with Webanswers be ready to be in for the long haul with little payout. I like it because its just something to do and I feel like Im getting SOMETHING out of it.. but that something is minuscule.
"How do I get paid for answering questions?
WebAnswers.com uses Google's AdSense contextual advertising program to generate revenue for the the users that have been "awarded answers" by the people asking the questions. Once an answer you have posted is selected as the best answer for the question, you will earn a percentage of the revenue generated by that question from Google AdSense."
Basically in lamens terms what that means is that the website is laid out like a forum. People ask questions and others answer extremely similarly yahoo answers. The person asking the question gets to pick the best answer. The person awarded as giving the best answer gets the page - meaning they can gain revenue based on the number of hits the URL of that question gets... meaning as little as .00001 cent per 1000 views. Its all based around Google adsense.
Its fun to do but don't expect for it to be a "job." If you already use Google in this way with your own website like I do then there's no reason why not if you just like answering questions cause it just gets added to your paycheck from Google (Google doesnt pay you until you've made $1000 worth of income by the way, so just using webanswers can take like 100 years to show results. =)


http://www.keen.com/
This one is probably of most interest to my friends and schoolmates. Ive signed up for it, but not all of the way because I dont know how ready I am! This one is the most different of all of the sites I've listed. THis one actually caters to Life Coaches, Psychics, Astrologers, and the like or similar. You get set up with a phone number, tell your price per minute, then get listed on the website as a person that clients may call for advice in your area of expertise. Then they pay you!

Ready to start earning? Get set up in no time.
Start for Free Whether you specialize in psychic readings, tarot, love or other offerings, listing your psychic services on KEEN has many benefits. There are no set-up fees, we don't earn money until you do, and we provide you with a rich set of tools and features for you to manage and grow your psychic advice business.

Create Your Psychic Advice Listing

It only takes a few minutes to set up your account, your live psychic listing and be part of the KEEN community. Creating a listing enables customers seeking psychic advice to easily find you through KEEN.com, 800-ASK-KEEN, KEEN partners and campaigns, mobile sites, and major search engines.

Get Your KEEN Number and tools

When you sign up, you get a free KEEN toll-free phone number that forwards customer calls to your private number (which is never revealed to consumers, not even on caller ID). You also get tools to manage customers, sell your services, promote your psychic business, and get paid.

Set Your Rates You set your rates for phone calls and/or selling digital content through e-mail. How much are your time and psychic guidance worth? $2.99 a minute? $25 per email report? You decide.
Manage Your Availability Quickly set your own hours, arrange appointments and only take calls when you want. You never have to worry about receiving calls during your off hours. Even when you can't take calls, you won't miss out on any opportunities.
Track Your Business To help you analyze your business and maximize your results, KEEN offers a suite of reporting tools. Easily get details on all your individual calls, paid e-mails, transactions and time sold.

...and so on!


http://www.ether.com/
This one sounds a lot like Keen! This website will provide you with a unique contact number which your clients can use to call you and take advice from you. You can set any price for you call per minute and get paid to answer questions. For some reason this one makes me feel more confident then Keen, and since Im a Hypnotherapist and Life coach this one feels more professional (instead of being centric around psychics and readers.) Heres what their website says about their system: Go to their website to see a higher quality visual.

We all have something valuable to say.  Whether you're an accountant, a computer expert, a blogger, or a good gossiper, you can earn money selling what you say to others over the phone or through email.

1. Get your free Ether Phone Number

Sign up for your Ether Phone Number: 1-888-MY-ETHER with an8-digit extension that is unique to YOU. Set it to forward calls to your actual phone number - your cell, home, work, or any other number. It takes 2 minutes to set up and it's free.

2. Set your rate

How much is your time worth? $75 an hour? $15 for 15 minutes? $30 per call? Whatever you like. People will only be able to call you when they've prepaid your rate. 

3. Take calls only when you want to

Your phone will never ring when you don't want it to. Just set the hours when you want to take calls by adjusting the automatic schedule - currently set so you don't get calls at night. Or, turn your Ether Phone Number on or off with the click of a mouse or by using your phone. Learn about what happens on a call. 

4. Market yourself

Put your Ether Phone Number on your business card, website, blog or wherever people can find you. Your actual phone number is kept private. 

Click to Call. You can also get an Ether Button for your blog or website that lets customers know whether you're available to take calls. Clicking on your button guides them through the payment process with a simple web form. 

5. Phone me the money

Your phone only rings when people prepay your rate. Ether bills their credit or debit cards and sends you your money via direct deposit or check. Ether 's commission is 15%, with no monthly fees, no setup fees, and no connection fees.

	Earn money via email. You can sell any digital content, such as reports, photographs, podcasts, videos, etc. Simply send an Ether Mail with the contents you'd like to sell and set the price you're charging. People will only be able to view the contents when they pay your price.
	Sell content on the web. You can also sell digital content using an Ether Buy Now Button you can place on your website. Simply set up a Buy Now button with the contents you'd like to sell and set the price you're charging. People will only be able to view the contents when they pay your price.