Super Tip Monger

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Use a Pencil as an Emergency Flashlight

Turn A PENCIL Into A LIGHT ! - video powered by Metacafe

Friday, June 8, 2007

10 Quick Tips to Lose Weight

Want to lose weight, but find it hard to stick to a diet? Or is it that there are so many different diets with conflicting advice that you just don't know what to, or not to, eat anymore? For someone who can't afford the sometimes pricey Mediterranean Diet, or cringes at the thought of a carb starvation diet, here are ten quick tips using general knowledge to help you shed weight, even if you can not hold to a regimented diet.

If you drink a lot of soda, stop! For many people who drink soda, switching to water alone may be enough to lose up to twenty or more pounds in a year. The average can of soda contains 150 calories. Even if you stop drinking one a day, that's 54,750 calories in a year. That's 15 ½ pounds of calories, not to mention sugar, or the fact that the carbonated water makes your body keep on water weight. Dump the soda.
Drink lots of water. Aside from reducing liquid calories (which for some people make up 1/3, or even ½ of their calories in a day), drinking five glasses of cold water in a day burns about 50 calories. It's not much, but it is about 5 lbs in a year. If you switch from one or two pops a day to five glasses of water, you are actually making over a twenty pound shift in one year! It's just that easy.
Walk. Walking is one of the best ways of burning calories and moving up your metabolism. Walking is low impact, and fifteen to forty-five minutes a day not only burns some extra calories, but it simply makes you feel better!
Replace "bad fats" with "good fats." Bad fats are especially found in junk food, processed foods, and red meat. Good fats are found in nuts, fish, and olive oil. While you do not want to go to a high fat diet, the fats found in nuts, fish, and oil tend to fight the bad fat and bad cholesterol, and generally contain less calories than beef, for example. Lighter meats are generally better than dark.
Use the stairs. Everyone likes an elevator, but a few flights of stairs can be muscle exercise and aerobic exercise all at the same time. Since more muscle equals a higher metabolism, walking stairs can have benefits well after you finish.
Fruits and Veggies. Fruits and vegetables are the best because they contain vitamins, have very low amounts of calories, but also fill you up. A steak fills you up, so does a large dish of broccoli, cauliflower, or musk melon. Care to guess which one puts on less weight? They also are pretty much non-existent fat wise, another added bonus.
Don't eat before bed time. This food is less likely to fully digest, meaning it goes straight into fat storage.
If possible, take a long leisurely walk right before, or right after, a meal. This is a good practice, and is most effective in burning the calories as you eat them, or right after. This will give your leisurely exercise maximum effect.
Drink Green Tea. Other than ice water, there is no better drink. Green tea is full of anti oxidants, it helps your organs run more efficiently, and your body requires calories to burn it. For those people getting off the soda, this can also ease caffeine headaches and other withdrawals.
Eat slowly. Many people grab seconds after wolfing down a first plate. If you are used to taking two or more plates and you eat slowly, you may be surprised after half an hour to realize that you aren't quite done, but you're already full!

Thursday, June 7, 2007

5 Tips for Writing Great Headlines

The most important tip is to spend a lot more time and thought on headline writing. Learn how to do it. Check out what others recommend about writing great headlines. Study blog posts for their content and their headlines.

1. Be Descriptive. The biggest headline mistake is not being descriptive enough. If I don’t have an idea about the subject of your blog post from reading the headline, there’s a very good chance I won’t read it. Don’t worry if your post titles end up being longer. Many people seem to go for 2-3 word titles, which are very hard to make descriptive.

2. Use Powerful Words. A headline is a sales pitch. Every blogger is a salesperson, and your headline is the best tool you’ve got. Engaging, powerful words draw readers in. Think: Top, Free, How, Secret, You. Think about action words that encourage people to do something.

3. Be Personal. People need to feel like you’re speaking directly to them. Being more personal in a headline can help. An example: 5 Phrases You Never Want To Hear In A Presentation. Not 5 phrases someone else doesn’t want to hear, but 5 phrases YOU don’t want to hear. I’m talking to you.

4. Be Bold. More than the use of powerful, engaging words, being bold is about taking a stand with your headline. The headline is the perfect place to state an opinion. It’s the perfect place to make it clear that you’ve just written the BEST post ever on your subject matter. Be brave and claim ownership of something great.

5. Ask Questions. Question headlines work because they draw people in to get an answer. It’s a great format for a headline, but the same tips above still apply. Make the question as engaging, brazen, powerful and descriptive as possible. And answer it in your post…

Don’t Ignore Your Blog Post Headlines

Failing to write a great headline is tantamount to ignoring your audience. Even if your blog is extremely personal in nature, a journal only your friends read, and search engines or digg are not of real concern, it doesn’t matter. Great headlines are about people, whether you have an audience of 5 or 5,000,000.

Great headlines will help with search engines.

Great headlines will help with digg.

But those aren’t the reasons you should focus on great headline writing. Gaining advantages in search engines and digg are just benefits of writing great headlines for people.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Stop Smoking Right Now!

In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.
In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood
stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal.
In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have
decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste
and smell will return to a normal level.
In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase.
In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.
In 3 to 9 Months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.
In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.
In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

50 Ways to Save Money on Grocery Shopping

Check the weekly sales flyer. Usually the items on the front page is where youll save the most. I mostly try to shop the sales and for a few things that I really need. It seems when I shop this way, I dont need as much stuff because Ive stocked up when the items were on sale.
Make a list. Include the sale items on your list. Making a list will help keep you focused and help you not to splurge on other things that you dont need. If I dont make a list, then chances are I will forget something. When I forget something I end up going back to the store to get that item and then I spend more money.
Eat before you shop. If you shop on an empty stomach you will more than likely spend at least $20 (maybe even $50) more than you had planned.
Go alone. You know youll spend more if the husband and kids are with you.
Use coupons. Some people are embarrassed to use coupons and I cant figure out why. Its like cash in hand. I remember times when I went to CVS with my manufacturers & CVS coupons and saved more than I spent. Use coupons!
Buy store brands. There are some name brands that I must have. I must have my name brand ketchup and tea bags, but for other things, such as crackers, buy store brands. I buy the Wal-Mart brand graham crackers for my kids and save over $1 a box!
Avoid buying check-out items. Those magazines and candy are there to entice you. Dont spend 85 cents for a pack of gum when you can get a multi-pack for just a little more.
Check the prices per pound on items. Just because its a larger size doesnt mean it ends up being cheaper. FYI, I get really annoyed when some grocery stores tell you the price of Heinz ketchup in ounces, but the Hunts ketchup price in pounds. It certainly makes it hard to compare.
Dont buy toiletries and health items at the grocery store (unless theyre a good deal). Sometimes medicines, hairsprays, razors, etc can be a couple dollars more per item. Sometimes you can find toiletries buy 1 get 1 free, but that is the exception.
Stay away from convenience foods. Prepared foods can be very costly.
Look below eye level. Usually the cheaper brands are on the lower shelves.
Buy meat when its on sale and store it in the freezer. About once a year I pay full price for meat and about makes me sick. I buy my boneless chicken breasts when they are less than $2 per pound. All my meat is bought on sale and frozen with the purchase date written on the freezer bag.
Get a raincheck for out-of-stock sale items. I probably have 10 rainchecks in my purse right now. I have one for hamburger for 99 cents/lb. Im waiting to use the raincheck for when I need it.
Check out the dollar stores. Sometimes you can find some pretty good stuff in there. I found some really great volumizing shampoo and conditioner at our local Dollar Tree. Later, I saw the same brand at a drug store and it was expensive.
Shop during off-peak hours. I get so annoyed when the grocery store is busy. I cant find what I need, I cant seem to comparison shop because of all the people, and then I usually forget something (which means another trip to the store which costs more gas and more buying).
Buy produce from local farmers. These are usually cheaper unless your local store is having a good sale. Check the sales paper.
Check sales papers on-line if you dont get the paper. I do not subscribe to the paper, so I check the weekly CVS flyer on line. (Im looking for a good diaper sale.) I also subscribe to the weekly Food Lion flyer.
Try to buy your produce when it is in season. Yes, I know there are some things that you have to have, but otherwise buy the produce when its the cheapest. If strawberries are buy one get one free, then freeze them for a cake.
Pay attention to the banners/signs above each aisle. Avoid aisles that dont have something on your list. Ive been trying this one lately. It seems to be working for me.
Make mental notes. When shopping I make mental notes of how much my regular items cost. I know that at Food Lion the applesauce is $1.99, but at Wal-Mart it is $1.35. I avoid buying applesauce at Food Lion and then when I make my rare trip to Wal-Mart I buy 3 packages of applesauce. (FYI - Food Lion is my store of choice. They have great sales.) Making mental notes keeps you aware of what a good buy really is.
Check your receipt before you leave. As soon as I check-out I look over my entire receipt before I leave. I cant begin to tell you the number of times I have been overcharged. I try to watch as my stuff is being rung up, but with all the MVP stuff, sometimes it is hard to know whats going on.
Buy your candy and chocolate after a holiday when its really cheap. Stock up so you have enough until the next after-holiday sale. Who cares if the M&Ms are red and green?
Check to see if your favorite store offers price matching.
Look in the discontinued or reduced carts. Sometimes you can find some really good deals there. Sometimes the store manager will make a deal with you if you buy all of the cereal that is in the reduced cart. Recently I had a grocery store manager offer me a deal on some things he saw me buying from his cart of reduced items. Usually, they just want to get rid of the stuff.
Freeze leftovers and use them for lunch. Ive done this with pintos, spaghetti sauce, soup, etc. You can freeze a lot of things.
Look for double and triple coupon sales. If your store has one, then make sure you go at the beginning of the sale week before they run out of the items you have coupons for.
Pay attention to expiration dates. Sometimes you can find an item that has a shelf life of 6 months longer than the others.
Buy store brand milk. I cant imagine paying 50 cents or more per gallon for a name brand milk. Check your gas station for milk prices. Sometimes gas stations have the best prices on milk.
Keep your emotions in check. Sometimes people buy things just because it feels good. Stick to your budget and your list. If you have to, find an accountability partner.
Try to limit your grocery shopping to only 1-2 stores. Driving around costs money. If youre only saving a few dollars, then its probably not worth your gas and time to go to another store. Plus you know if you step foot in another store youll probably buy some other things not on your list.
Stock up on paper items while theyre on sale. I never buy my toilet paper or paper towels from Sams. I get those items when they go on sale at the grocery store. I buy enough to last me a while.
Look your cart over before you leave to make sure youre not being excessive with your purchases. Do your kids really need a bag of chips, pretzels, and Doritos?
If youre only shopping for a few items then get a basket and not a cart. It will be hard to overshop this way.
Plan your meals according to whats on sale. If taco shells and lettuce are on sale, then you know well be having tacos.
Plan your meals ahead. Put your meat in the refrigerator to thaw 1-2 days before you need it. If your meal is already planned then you avoid stopping by the store and paying full price for something.
Call food companies. If you get something thats bad, then call them and let them know. Theyll send you a replacement coupon. If you get something thats great, then call them and give them a complement. Sometimes theyll send you some coupons for that too.
Check the produce to see if its in good condition. Dented and scratched produce will go bad faster.
Dont buy more produce than your family can consume within a reasonable amount of time.
Store perishable foods properly to avoid them going bad faster.
Shop with cash. You can only spend what you have and youll definitely stay in budget this way.
Consider how youre going to use the item. If youre making a stew, then you can buy a cheaper cut of meat. If youre making a meatloaf, then you can use the generic brand of crackers or cereal.
Know what you have. How many times have you bought a jar of Miracle Whip, but already had a jar at home? Miracle Whip doesnt have a long shelf life.
Try not to shop when youre tired. Chances are youll buy chocolate and other carbs that will make you feel good.
Avoid your weak spots. If you have a weakness for junk food, then stay away from that aisle. If your weakness is expensive cheese, then stay away.
Avoid pre-packaged snacks. I just cant bring myself to buy these, even when theyre on sale. Im thinking in my mind, Oh, these are on sale for $3.99. Well, even at $3.99 that makes these snack packs about 35 cents each. Geez, I can buy several boxes of cheese crackers for that amount and just put them into baggies.
Try to cut back on your beverage bill. Filter your water instead of buying bottled. Make your own kool-aid instead of buying those individual bottles. Add your own sugar to your kool-aid instead of getting the kind with sugar. Buy generic soda. Comparison shop. Buy whats on sale.
Look for reduced meat sales. Most grocery stores reduce their meat the day before its sale-by date. Sometimes I use this opportunity to get meats that are already seasoned or things that I normally would not buy. I get a splurge item at a sale price. Of course, I use the item right away.
Bigger is not always better. Sometimes economy size packages do not save you money. Even if they are cheaper, you need to decide if its worth the extra money. If youll use it then its a good buy, but if it will go to waste you need to rethink your decision.
Dont buy something just because its on sale or because you have a coupon. Sometimes its easy to get on a bargain high and buy things that we just dont need.
Shop at bag-it-yourself stores. We just got one here. The stores dont have to pay baggers and they dont buy bags, so the food is cheaper.
Just remember your mental notes. Always know if something is a good price.
Get creative with leftovers. If you have corn left over, then mix it with green beans to have another night. If you have leftover grilled chicken, then have grilled chicken salads.

68 Kitchen Tips to Brighten Your Day

When liquid dish detergent container appears empty, add small amount of water to it and you’ll have enough for a few more washes.
Add a bit of vinegar to your dishwasher. This will cut the grease, allowing you to use a cheaper brand of detergent.
Put one tbsp. of bleach in your water when washing dishes. It kills germs.
One tbsp. of bleach in the dishwater will keep the dishcloth clean and smelling fresh.
Use hot water for washing dishes, but make certain you wear rubber gloves.
Brighten discoloured enamel ware with a paste of salt and vinegar.
Use baking soda to clean Corning-type dishes.
If you have burned food on the bottom of a cooking pan, let sit overnight with vinegar and Comet covering the burned area. It wipes out easily the next day.
To give burned food the brush off, let a mixture of half water and half vinegar soak in the pan overnight. The burned food comes off easily the next day with a light scouring.
When you scorch a pan, try sprinkling dry baking soda over the scorch. Let stand awhile and clean as usual.
To remove burned-on food stuck to enamel saucepans, place a strong salt solution in the pot and let soak several hours. Cover the pot, place it on the stove and bring solution to a slow boil. This usually removes the burned food safely.
A few drops of bleach in lukewarm water will remove tea stains from cups and teapot.
A paste of baking soda and water will remove coffee and tea stains from porcelain and china.
To clean a coffee pot, use one denture tablet in cold water and soak overnight.
To remove coffee film from thermos bottle, pour in one tbsp. raw rice and one cup of warm water. Shake well and rinse.
To remove brown grease marks from pots, chrome burner rings, etc. soak in ammonia overnight.
To remove rust from baking pans, dip a raw potato in any cleaning powder, then scour the pans.
Rust can be removed from a knife blade by plunging it into an onion and leaving it there for an hour or so. Work blade back and forth a few times and wash in soap and water.
To remove food stuck to a casserole dish, fill with boiling water and add two tbsp. baking soda or salt.
When purchasing meat wrapped in plastic mesh, save the mesh. Wrap the mesh in a ball, secure with a plastic garbage bag tie and use as a pot scrubber.
To preserve plastic pot scrubbers, place them in plastic mesh grape bags. Twist and slip the mesh bag back to double it and tie a knot in the end. The pot scrubbers will last twice as long.
A small ball of tinfoil works well to clean your pans inside and out.
Keep a toothbrush in your kitchen. It’s great for cleaning small areas such as beaters and graters.
Steel wool soap pads into four pieces. It lasts much longer because using the whole pad causes it to rust before the next use.
Cut an SOS pad into four pieces. It lasts much longer because using the whole pad causes it to rust before the next use.
Fill soap cups in dishwasher only half full. This saves on dishwashing soap and your glasses will not get water marked and scarred.
Use equal amounts of dishwasher soap and baking soda in your dishwasher. Your dishes and silver will be cleaner and so will the machine.
To remove scum from glassware, add 1/2 cup bleach to wash cycle in dishwasher and 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse. The vinegar neutralizes the bleach.
If your dishwasher or dishes become stained from hard water, just run a package of Tang orange juice crystals through the dishwasher with the stained dishes in it.
If your dishwasher needs cleaning, use powdered laundry bleach instead of dishwasher detergent in an empty machine. This will clean and disinfect the dishwasher.
To remove lime buildups in your dishwasher, put 3/4 cup laundry bleach into empty dishwasher and run it through first wash. After this drains, add two cups vinegar and run through the rinse cycle, but not the drying cycle. Reset the dishwasher for a full cycle, using dish detergent.
If the inside of your dishwasher is discoloured due to iron deposits, run washer through a cycle using 1/4 cup of Oxalic Acid Crystals (can be purchased at the drugstore). Then run through a second cycle with just water.
When water discharges from a portable dishwasher into the sink, a fine spray splashes over the sink and sometimes onto the floor. To prevent this, cut out the bottom of a quart-size milk carton and slip this on the discharge pipe of the dishwasher. The water will flow directly through the carton into the drain.
When using the automatic dishwasher, open the door and turn the cycle to off when the washing cycle has finished and let the dishes air dry.
For a sparkling white kitchen sink, place paper towels across the bottom of your sink and saturate with household bleach. Let sit for at least a half hour.
For fragrant, clean sinks, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda, followed by one cup vinegar, down the drain. Let bubble 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Instead of expensive cleaners, use baking soda to clean your stainless steel sink.
Club soda can be used to shine a stainless steel sink.
To remove alkali corrosion around taps, etc., use straight vinegar.
Kitchen taps can be kept free of water spots if you polish them with a coat of liquid wax.
Stainless steel sinks may be brightened by using a cloth dampened with vinegar.
To get rid of rust marks on stainless steel sinks, rub with lighter fluid.
Clean rusty sinks stains by using cream of tartar and a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.
A cloth dampened with vinegar will remove rust stains caused by leaky faucets.
Place a marble in your tea kettle to prevent the kettle from scaling.
White vinegar works well as a scale remover for electric kettles and steam irons.
To clean inside of teapot, if scales gather in the pot or spout, pour 1 1/2 to two tbsp. of Spic and Span into empty pot. Fill to brim with boiling water, let stand until cool and rinse well.
Run a piece of paper towel through the cutting mechanism of your electric can opener. It will absorb the grease and grime.
A damp cloth dipped in cigarette ash will clean the bottom of your electric frying pan.
Nail polish remover will take off any plastic which has melted on the toaster.
Dry baking soda and a damp cloth will remove stains from chrome appliances.
Use baking soda to clean chrome and the glass door of oven.
Sprinkle soda generously on the bottom of your oven, let sit for one hour and wipe clean.
If your oven isn’t too dirty, a saucer full of household ammonia placed in the oven the night before cleaning will soften the residue. (Beware of the vapours when cleaning).
To clean oven racks put in bathtub with 1/2 cup dishwasher detergent. Soak for 30-45 minutes. No scrubbing required.
To easily clean a broiler pan, sprinkle the hot pan heavily with dry laundry detergent. Cover with a dampened paper towel and let sit for a while.
To clean oven and barbecue grills, put in bathtub with ammonia and water.
Put an open container of ammonia in a plastic garbage bag with your barbecue grill. Set in the sun for a couple of hours. Take out grill and rinse clean.
To clean barbecue and oven grills, place in bathtub with dishwasher soap and hot water.
To clean your whole stove from top to bottom, put all removable parts from your stove and oven into a large garbage bag and pour in a couple cups of ammonia. Seal the bag with a twist tie and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Rinse clean with warm water.
Put tinfoil, shiny side down, on your gas grill. Turn on high for 10 minutes. When cool, remove foil and the grill will be clean.
If something catches fire in your oven, sprinkle the fire generously with salt or baking soda. This will stop the flame and smoke immediately.
Place wax paper under ice cube trays in the freezer so they won’t stick.
To clean a stained bread board, sprinkle with salt and rub it all over with the cut side of a lemon.
To remove onion smell from breadboard, sprinkle board with baking soda and scrub.
Once every six months cover your chopping board with vegetable oil and let stand overnight. Then, wipe off the oil. The board will last indefinitely.
To keep wooden salad bowls from drying and cracking, wipe them inside and out with a paper towel soaked with cooking oil. Do this in the evening and in the morning wipe off excess oil. Repeat about once a month.
To clean counter tops scrub with a paste of baking soda and water. Let sit for 1/2 hour and wipe with a wet sponge.
Ammonia and water cleans grease from cupboards. Use one-part ammonia to five-parts water.
To prevent rust stains under your metal canisters when water is spilled on the counter, keep your canisters sitting on plastic container lids. The lids will raise the canisters about 1/2 inch off the counter.
Keep the top of kitchen cabinets clean. Unroll clear plastic wrap and cover the cupboard top. When cleaning time comes, simply roll up plastic wrap and throw in the garbage. Replace with fresh wrap.

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