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!