Author: Bruce and Jeanne Lubin

Looking to save money on gas? We’re all pinching pennies where we can, and gas is a big expense. The following are all myths you’ve probably heard regarding saving money on your gas and car maintenance. Restarting your engine uses more gas than idling If you are waiting for longer than 30 seconds in your car, turn off the engine. You use more fuel idling after 30 seconds than you use to restart your car. Your car needs to warm up in winter If you have a newer car, you can skip the long warm-ups, even in winter! Today’s cars are…

Kitty First Aid If you accidentally cut your cat’s claw too short, and it bleeds, fill a small bowl with cinnamon, and dip the paw in really quickly. The cinnamon acts as a coagulant and the cat will clench its paw tighter and help stop the bleeding. Then go to the vet. It’s easy for cats to get hurt. They are curious creatures always getting into mischief. This is why we love them, of course, but it also means that they can endanger their own safety in the course of innocent play. It’s important to know the dangers, and even what…

First steps when bees strike When you’re stung by a bee, carefully grasp the stinger and pull it out as fast as you can. The less venom that enters your body, the smaller and less painful the resulting welt will be. Ice the area immediately to reduce the swelling. Curry-ous cure To reduce the pain from insect bites, make a paste of curry powder and water. Apply it to the bite and let dry, then wash off. The spices in the curry powder will relieve discomfort and swelling. Turn the tide on mosquito bites Rub liquid laundry detergent on the…

Rehydrate, replenish, recover Your #1 priority when recovering from a hangover should be to rehydrate. Non-caffeinated sports drinks like Gatorade and Vitamin Water replace the valuable electrolytes you’ve lost to alcohol, so drink up ASAP—or better yet, before you even go to sleep. In the morning, juices packed with vitamins, like orange or tomato juice, can also help give you a boost of momentum. Consume water as often as possible, while drinking, after drinking, and the moment you wake up. The Nutrition Diva podcast has recently cleared up some common misconceptions about alcoholic beverages and reviewed some new research on…

Sometimes the best fertilizers for houseplants are homemade. Care for indoor plants with these six unexpected fertilizers and keep your plants alive and well.

Stomach pain, bloating, heartburn … the discomfort of ulcer symptoms is no joke! If you’d like to try some simple home remedies for ulcers, here are seven to help soothe the fires within. If you’re experiencing severe ulcer symptoms such as vomiting, dark bloody or tarry stool, faintness, trouble breathing, appetite changes, or unexplained weight loss, it’s important to seek help from a medical professional. Onions Stock up on onions! They might give you gas, but they also prevent the growth of ulcer-causing bacteria that can increase your risk of gastritis (stomach inflammation) and, over time, lead to stomach cancer.…

Binder Clips If you’re anything like us, your electrical cables can become a tangled, knotty mess. We’ve discovered an easy storage solution that utilizes—what else?—binder clips! Untangle your cables and collect (or coil) them into organized batches; then clip them together to keep them organized while stored away, or attach them to a desk, table, or shelf. Spiral Notebook Rings It may be hard to watch your child’s notes on the conservation of matter go into the recycling bin, but when it comes time to part with school notebooks, save the spirals. They work great to collect stray cords and…

As the saying goes, “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” These pesky creatures are the bane of our skin’s existence, but there are plenty of methods you can use to effectively repel them when the need arises. How to Get Rid of Mosquitos DIY Bug Spray Another DIY Bug Spray Lemon Eucalyptus Peppermint Rosemary and Sage Egg Cartons and Coffee Trays Garlic Water Let’s dive further into each. 1. DIY Bug Spray Use this (almost) all-natural insect spray to repel mosquitoes as well as other insects like flies. Chop one small…

Common household items can help you remove pesky warts and keep them from coming back. Tea Tree Oil Apply straight tea tree oil to any wart to kill it. Repeat several times a day until the wart is gone, usually in a few weeks. For best results keep the area covered during treatment. Garlic and Oil Sliced garlic and extra virgin olive oil are the secrets to your Nonna’s famous Sunday gravy, but they’re also the key to getting rid of a pesky wart. Rub a thin film of olive oil on the wart, add the sliced garlic, and cover…

Tomato Paste Boils, or skin abscesses, are pimple-like skin infections that can swell into large, pus-filled sore-to-the-touch growths. To treat a boil before it gets too big and painful to handle without a doctor, try this easy home remedy that uses tomato paste. (Yep, tomato paste!) Apply a coat of tomato paste over the boil, and the veggie’s acids will lessen the pain and encourage the boil to “come to a head”—meaning, it’ll soften and be ready for popping. Don’t attempt to pop a boil until it’s soft and you can see a small yellow dot of pus at the…