*******************************************
HAVE A PARTY!
Enjoy gathering with women and doing girl stuff?
Want to make a few dollars while you have fun?
Check out the new HomeSpa Party Plan. Make
household cleaners, deodorizers and bath and
beauty products with essential oils.
http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialspa.html
*******************************************
THE FRUGAL LIFE NEWS
Published Weekly by Randal Watkins
https://www.thefrugallife.com
November 4, 2002
*******************************************
The Frugal Life News is sent to subscribers only. If you would like to
unsubscribe from this newsletter, please DO NOT reply to this email. Please
see the bottom of the newsletter for instructions.
**********************************************
REFER US TO A FRIEND – If you enjoy what you read today, please forward this
to your friends and suggest they subscribe! It’s how we grow!
**********************************************
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the large volume of email we receive from The Frugal
Life site and response from the more than 20,000 subscribers, we cannot
reply to your questions and suggestions, but we will try to post all of them
as time and space permits within the context of this newsletter. This is a
caring and sharing newsletter, so feel free to participate.
**********************************************
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE:
A NOTE FROM RANDAL
Radiant Heat
Leaves Changing
FINANCES
This Is So Depressing It Gave Me An Ulcer
GARDENING
Fire Ants
FOCUS ON FUN
Themed Scavenger Hunts
FRUGAL TIPS
SHARING WHAT YOU KNOW
ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS QUESTIONS
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
SUBSCRIPTION INFO
***************
A NOTE FROM RANDAL
Hello Everyone,
We are in the process of making decisions on what kind of heat to put in the
house. Do any of you have any experience with radiant heat? Particularly
when the power source is electricity. If so, please let me know what I
should consider in making this decision.
Here in Virginia the leaves are changing and the colors are magnificent.
Our weather has begun to turn cold and the leaves are dropping. I hope you
are able to see the change of colors like we are.
I appreciate all your contributions and comments regarding the The Frugal
Life News. Please continue to tell your friends about our service. It’s how
we grow!
Until next time!
Randal
*****************
FOCUS ON FINANCES
THIS IS SO DEPRESSING IT GAVE ME AN ULCER
“Prescription drug sales surge for 4th year in a row.”
This headline is based on a study conducted by the National Institute for
Health Care Management Research.
And the top selling prescription drug category of 2001…?
Antidepressants!
To the tune of $12.5 Billion.
Why so depressed? Living in the richest country in the world, the most free
government on the planet, with the mightiest military in this star system….
why the long face?
“Nearly half of the people who have problems with debt are experiencing
symptoms of depression…”
according to Steve Rhode, president of Myvesta, a financial crisis and
treatment center.
So, paying off your debts is not only good for your financial health, but
your mental health as well.
It’s just one — or maybe a dozen — less things to worry about.
Rhode also found that debt is closely correlated with stress…
“Almost 50 percent of the respondents said debt caused their stress level to
be high or very high.”
Given this information, can you guess the number 2 selling drug…?
Yep. Anti-ulcer drugs.
$10.8 Billion worth.
And just this week, the Consumer Confidence Index fell to its lowest level
since 1993:
— Those rating current business conditions as “bad” increased… — Those
rating current conditions as “good” decreased… — Consumers reporting jobs
are hard to get rose… — Those claiming jobs are plentiful declined… —
Consumers’ expectations for the next six months, which had improved last
month, fell in October.
Lots of doom and gloom, but I can’t help but believe that this whole drugs
and confidence situation would be much improved if we weren’t quite so
terrified of the prospect of losing everything that’s important to us if our
income stream was temporarily disrupted.
To your health!
————-
Payoff All of your Debts in 5-7 Years using the money you
ALREADY make!
Greg Moore is the author of the Debt Freedom Course, “DebtIntoWealth —
Lessons from My Journey to Debt Freedom”. For your FREE Lesson 1 of this
course, CLICK HERE: http://www.debtintowealth.com/frugal.html
*******************
FOCUS ON GARDENING
FIRE ANTS
For a good article on how to get rid of them go to
https://www.thefrugallife.com/fireants.html
href=” https://www.thefrugallife.com/fireants.html “>
*****************************
FRUGAL TIPS – From Our Subscribers
I have recently discovered a way to use the boxes my bath soap comes in.
They smell great for quite a while after taking the soap out to be used, so
why let all that pretty fragrance go to waste, put the empty boxes in your
lingerie or undergarment drawer. You can do the same for your husband, when
he opens up a new bar of soap put his empty box in his t-shirt, sock, or
underwear drawer,plus you don’t have to worry about him not liking the
fragrance or thinking it is too feminine. have a great day – dawn
***********
Regarding the sulfur smell problem in the last issue. Another solution
would be to install a “burper” on the water line. Any good water filtration
company can supply the necessary information. The device is installed
in-line and allows the sulphur smell to be dispersed. It will get rid of
most of the smell. Be sure and place the device downwind from the house’s
prevailing wind currents.
The water filtration unit that is currently in place is designed to remove
the minerals, etc., in the water, not gaseous items. In fact, the water
filter could be contributing to the cause by absorbing the smell and, in
time, would be adding to the problem.
Because the water is heated, the gaseous smells are released into the air
easier. In addition, depending on the water demands of the house, the water
is in a contained, heated environment causing the smells to be more
pronounced. When the hot water tap is opened, the gases are going to be
released first, since they are lighter than the water. – JBB
***********************************
**IS YOUR PET EATING DEAD FOOD?**
You really need to know! Choosing a healthy
pet food avoids many vet bills and heartache.
100% GUARANTEED or YOUR MONEY BACK!
http://www.theherbsplace.com/frr.html
***********************************
SHARING WHAT YOU KNOW
Q. The walls above my showers are painted and now the paint is beginning to
crack and peel. Is there ‘waterproof’ paint or something I can do other
than put up tile to fix this problem? I rent my apartment and am not
looking to invest a huge sum into the project since I will move after my
lease is up. Thanks, SW
Q. A thick, sticky coating has developed on several of my pots and pans.
I’ve also noticed the same residue on a couple of my cabinet doors and on a
small section of my kitchen counter. How can I remove this, and is the
product or recipe safe for wooden cabinets? Does anyone know how it
develops so I can possibly prevent it from coming back? Thanks in advance
for your help! Tracy
Q. I appreciate all the helpful suggestions in The Frugal Life, and the
emphasis on happiness not depending on wealth. Here’s my question: What
are frugal, healthy ways of caring for one’s face/skin? There is a huge
face-care industry that makes women feel behind-the-8-ball if they don’t use
all kinds of potions and creams, and if they don’t spend all kinds of money
on facials, spas, etc. In the long haul are these things healthy for one’s
skin? I’d like to hear some ideas on this. Thanks. Lillian
Q. I have a new home with a ceramic sink and there are some minute
scratches in the bottom of the sink. Is there any way to remove those
scratches without using touch up paint? – Thanks Editor
All questions and responses are now posted on our new bulletin board.
Go here
for more details.
************
ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS QUESTIONS
Q. Can anyone help me with an idea about how to get the moldy caulking off
my shower tile? We put the caulking around the shower basin where it meets
the tile a year ago. It was supposed to be mildew and mold resistant but
proved not so. We would like it gone, but it is stubborn and won’t give up
it’s grip on the seam. Any ideas? Thanks – Don
A. To remove mold, mildew around tub or showers, mix bleach and water (40%
bleach and 60% water) and use toothbrush to scrub. Magic. – Betty
A. I had the same “moldy caulking” problem in our shower stall. I simply
poured straight bleach on it and let it sit for about an hour and then
scrubbed the area with a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar (equal
parts) and rinsed. It worked beautifully! We now have a very white, clean
shower stall. Good luck! SCH
A. IN response to the caulking problem having mildew and mold, I use
OxyClean for almost everything and it works amazing so….let it sit for a
few minutes and rinse…no scrubbing..hope it helps!
A. BLEACH! – Plain bleach will do the trick. You can just put some in a
spray bottle and spray it directly or sponge it on straight. If liquid is
too problematic, I sometimes make a paste with baking soda and bleach and
put that on moldy areas. I’ve been using a little bleach on the toilet for
years and never have problems. I also scrub it into tile grout and still
years after, my tile grout looks brand new! – Rachelle
A. I had great luck using a steam cleaner I borrowed from a friend (I think
it was called Steam Buddy.) I hadn‚t intended to remove the caulking in my
shower, but it came off using the steam and a putty knife. I was then able
to clean it well, let it dry and apply new caulking. It sure looks a lot
better now!! – Diane
************
Q. Can anyone give me ideas or information for at home jobs? My daughter
is 5 1/2 months pregnant with a 2 1/2 year old boy. She is a high risk
pregnancy and had to take leave of absence from work because she has been
having contractions and been hospitalized several times. Her husband left
her a month ago. She is left with a house payment, car payment, utilities
and everyday expenses. She has applied for assistance, but it will not come
close to covering her expenses. Her husband has paid some bills but he was
in a car accident and will not be able to work for a couple of months. My
husband and I are doing what we can, but we will have to pay for her divorce
attorney. We both work full time and not able to take on a second job. I
am a crafter and working hard to create items for local craft shows to help
her out. I am just needing some great ideas for this young mother to work
from her home. She knows she will probably loose her home, but she wants to
hang on for as long as she can because she will have felt the husband took
everything from her. She has no money for investing into products and
because of her high risk pregnancy will not be able to work physically hard.
Babysitting for others is out because she may have to go to the hospital
unexpectedly. Any ideas will be truly appreciated. – D.J.
A. For some good ideas go to https://www.thefrugallife.com/workathome.html
Editor’s Note – Our other website has some good work at home ideas at http://www.theherbsplace.com/busop.html
************
Q. I ran an article last issue on composting. Composting is something I am
very interested in but I am wondering if I can do it at my new place. Here
is my dilemma, we have bear in that area and I need to know if any of you
have composting experience where bear are known to come around. I have
thought several years about getting a ComposTumbler and particularly wonder
if that is designed to not attract the bear or if a bear can get into it or
not. Any ideas will be appreciated. – Editor
A. Didn’t think it really does the job that a pile of hot stuff on the
ground does..If the handle gets bent, you tough it out, if you have small
hands, and not much umph in the shoulder and arm muscles..I sold mine to a
man who retired from teaching and haven’t heard how successful it has been
for him..The door is shovel wide, metal, and just 2 clips like on a tackle
box?maybe? A bear could take a quick swipe and tear it off..Bears are
scavengers and love smelly greasy stuff, like ham bones and bacon drippings
and you don’t put animal stuff in your compost..anyway…just leaves, and
more leaves and dirt, and maybe grass..You have to purchase a packet of
compost stimulator from your local nursery that is supposed to help heat up
the works to break the leaves down in shorter time..Heat is what does the
work, and anerobic bacteria..You could build one with timbers, and bolt them
together, and cover with a tarp to keep it moist and heat it up…You can
turn it with your garden fork, to give the bacteria, and worms more
munchies..Coffee grounds enrich it for the worms and the soil it eventually
becomes…..I think it takes very patient gardeners to get a few
wheel barrows of compost..I prefer to let the leaves fall, mow over them to
chop up, and pile them at the edge of the yard…they will waste away..Very
acid, so could add lime, maybe? I mulch with pine needles, and old leaves
left where they fall, and in spring pull away from the heads of the
perennials and let them go naturally..Soon it looks like they were part of
grannys garden.. but then I don’t care for the immaculate garden anyway..so
that it looks like I hired a hand to work everyday out there..I have a dump
truck of old barnyard dirt dumped and wheel barrow to the plants I want to
enrich. or put in the hole before the perennial plant..Sow alfalfa on tilled
soil, let it take root, and come up GREEN..till it under in the fall or
leave it for the deer to dig under snow and nibble..Long tap roots bring up
many nutrients so the eaters get all the known vitamins and minerals in the
soil…Tilled under makes the soil much richer for the next garden..You can
do that with Oats, barley,wheat, etc, just till it under next
spring…otherwise mow it..for rich colored lawn… Carol
A. You can make your own tumbler. Get an old metal barrel cut a hole in it
to put in the compost. Cut it in a square leaving one side still attached
to the barrel. Put rubber around the edge with magnets attached to seal it
shut when closed or when you tumble the mulch. Attach a handle for turning
with screws and put on a frame to hold the barrel. You could rent a torch
and melt the handles and frame to the barrel. Do a web search if need
better directions. Key words, compost tumbler design, might work. I once
saw a design about 10 years ago in an organic gardening magazine. Cost
should be under $30.00. You could get a glue drum from a furniture making
business. Cut a door add metal strips to the barrel with screws and use
the magnet idea. Use the ends of an old swing to hold the barrel or
something else, add a handle and turn the mulch regularly. I gave you these
ideas since I really don’t know if a bear could get in or want to get in a
composting drum. These drums would be cheaper than buying one in case they
would try to get in. Do a web search and ask some manufactures about this
issue. Your local animal control agency might also know the answer. From
CSinbad
************** Advertisement from Randal ***************
DON’T PAY RETAIL FOR QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS
Buy at Member Prices: 35-40% OFF!!
Nature’s Sunshine allows Members to order direct from their warehouse at
35-40% OFF retail. There is NO SIGN-UP FEE if you place a $40 or more order
(at Member pricing) at the time you sign up. No monthly minimums to purchase
– you never need to order again. You can sign up on the telephone if you
have a credit card.
Read more: http://www.theherbsplace.com/whsl.html href=” http://www.theherbsplace.com/whsl.html “> Member Pricing
***************
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Information in The Frugal Life News (TFL) has been derived from sources
believed accurate and reliable. In no event shall *The Frugal Life,* Randal
Watkins, or the TFL staff be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting
from any action arising in connection with the use of information herein.
TFL does not knowingly accept ads from advertisers deemed detrimental to
TFL’s readers, however, publication of an ad in TFL does not constitute an
endorsement for such product or service.
There is no remuneration for suggestions, tips, or ideas submitted by
readers. All suggestions, tips, and ideas, submitted for publication in The
Frugal Life, become the property of The Frugal Life, notwithstanding similar
rights of the reader submitting such suggestions, tips, or ideas. TFL
publishes readers’ names with their suggestions, tips, and ideas unless a
reader requests otherwise at the time of the submission.