Road Trip! Car Ideas to Keep Your Kids Entertained! (Screen Free!)
Summer is winding down, but vacations are year round! If you have a road trip in the near future you may want to check out these tips & tricks on how to keep your kids entertained…screen free!
One Tip- bring a cookie sheet for each kid. These can easily be stored underneath the seats when they are not in use. They also can be used for all of the activities listed below. The lifted edge makes it easier for items to stay on the sheet and not fall onto the floor, causing tears- which we don’t want. 
- Hidden Pictures/Crosswords- You can buy these from Amazon or Walmart. You can choose according to the age of your kids.
- Audio Library Books- Audio books are so fun for the whole family. Try choosing a classic story that everyone will enjoy. While you’re at the library grab a few books for each kid so they can also read when you need some quiet time.
- Molding Clay- Make sure you get the kind that is clay and NOT playdoh. Playdoh tends to become sticky and messy in the heat and could cause problems on your seats. Molding clay is easier to play with and not a mess. Have each kid make something they see out the window. Or, use toy cars and build roads and streets. This is where your cookie sheets come in handy! Amazon has the Crayola Molding Clay which is great.
- Melissa & Doug Water Wow! – Have you guys seen these? You can buy them on Amazon or Walmart. These are so fun and so clean! It only involves water. So even the messiest of kids can play with this in the car. There are different ones to keep a variety of kids entertained. Maybe buy a few and have the kids switch so they get more. So fun!
- The Alphabet Game- Everyone who is playing, looks out the window and tries to find the letters. Start at A and go through Z. You can either play individually as a race or together and say it out loud and try to get to Z all together.
- Name that Tune- Make a playlist of Disney songs or popular songs your kids know. Play a short piece of it and the first person to name the song gets a small candy or reward.
- Healthy Snacks- When you ride in the car, tummies can become upset pretty easily. Try to pack healthy snacks instead of sugary ones. When you aren’t moving around a lot, these healthier choices will keep you feeling good.
- Quiz Time! – Bring Flash Cards. This could be math cards, states and capitals or even colors (for little kids) Give each kid a white board or piece of paper. Hold up a flash card and have them write down the answer and hold it up. You can make a reward system or just give them a small treat. This will keep their brains thinking!
- Draw the Map- Buy a map of where you are going for each kid. Have them trace the path as you drive it! Talk about landmarks and other special attractions. Great way to teach about Geography and the world around you.
- Surprise Stops- If you buy a map (#9) you could have stars on certain spots that you will be stopping. When you are at those stops, have a small toy or something for them to do in the car and give it to them. (Ideas- Melissa & Doug water wow (#4), dollar store items, candy/treat, or even search for a bakery or ice cream parlor at that location.)
Road trips can be super fun if you take some time and plan ahead. Hopefully these tips and ideas will keep you and your kids happy. Then maybe you can enjoy your road trip a little more. 
Any other great ideas that can keep kids entertained besides screens? Comment and let us know!
Save Money on Fuel with These Tips
Most of us spend a lot of time in our cars. Whether we are driving to work day after day or driving our children to school and sports constantly, we are putting a lot of miles on our vehicles. A lot of miles on our vehicles means a lot of gas through the tank. That means that we are spending a fortune at the tank.
There are several things that we can do though to ease up the cost of fuel. These are simply small changes that don’t cost much (if anything), but can save you a lot!
Properly inflate your tires
Having your tires properly inflated is one way to make your vehicle as fuel efficient as possible. For every one pound drop in your tire’s air pressure, you are losing ⅓ of a percent on fuel economy. Keeping your tires inflated properly can save you up to 9 cents per gallon.
Maintain Your Car
Proper maintenance is the single most important thing you can do to preserve your car and to sustain the best fuel economy from your vehicle. A simple tune up doesn’t cost much (especially if you do it yourself!) and can save you a significant amount of money on gas costs because your car will be running more smoothly, therefore losing less gas.
Clear the Clutter
You know what I am talking about. I’m talking about the bags of stuff you have been toting around in your trunk for months, the gym bag in the backseat and the list goes on. All of the extra weight from the stuff you are carting around with you weighs your car down which decreases its fuel mileage. So clean out your car!
Carpool
Do you live close to a coworker? Do your kids participate in activities with the neighbors’ kids? Start carpooling during these times to save money. Many people will be receptive to the carpooling idea, because they too, need to save money.
Drive Carefully
Driving recklessly (swerving, driving too fast, constantly braking) is not only dangerous, but it really does affect your gas mileage. Driving 55 mph as opposed to 75 mph would save you 25% in fuel consumption.
Avoid Rush Hour (if you can)
Do all that you can to avoid rush hour traffic. When you are stuck in traffic you are idling and your car is getting 0 MPG. I don’t think that needs any further explanation.
8 Different Things You Can Literally Cut in Half to Save Money!
Whether you’re in a financial crunch or just trying to live within your means, we’re all trying to pinch our pennies and save money where we can. So why not make the things you already have last longer. Here are a few different things you can literally cut in half to make them last longer and save money!
Sponges – cutting these in half will allow you to use less of one. You won’t even miss it and you’ll get double the life out of it. This includes the awesome magic erasers! Just cut them in half before you start to use them and set one aside until the other one is not longer usable.
Dryer Sheets – If you use dryer sheets, tear them in half before you stick one in the dryer (or better yet, you could get rid of them all together!).
Hand/Dish Soup – Start by filling your dispenser only halfway with soup. Then fill the rest with water and tip it back and forth until it’s mixed together. (Try not to shake it, this will cause bubbles to fill the bottle)
Laundry Soup – Depending on your machine, you should be able to only use ½ of what the suggested amount is on the bottle. Give it a try on a load and see if you notice a difference.
Shampoo, Conditioner and Toothpaste – Think you could be using less? Really all you need is a tiny amount of toothpaste to brush your teeth with. And why not see how little you can use to wash your hair with (it all depends on the length and thickness of your hair).
Paper Towels & Napkins – Often times when you reach for a paper towel, it’s to clean up a little spill. So why not rip it in half before you use it and save the other half for another time. (Or, you could get rid of them and use rags and fabric napkins that you could wash and reuse again.)
Juice – When you have 100% juice to drink, you really could water it down to make it last longer. Start with just ¾ juice to ¼ water and then see if you can get it down to ½ and ½. I bet your kids won’t even notice a difference.
Water – I’m not talking about the water you drink here but the water you use when showering, taking a bath or watering the grass. You could be using less than what you are now and save money on your water bill. So make sure when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving in the sink, you turn off the water instead of letting it run.
What are some things you “cut in half” to save money at your house? Do you miss it or notice a difference when you cut them in half? Let us know in the comments below so we can all save more money together!
Date Night On The Cheap
When was the last time you and your honey had a night out alone?
You know that it is important to spend some kid free time, but you just don’t do it. Why? Is it your budget? The thing is, you can actually have some pretty great dates on a super slim budget.
Here are just a couple of ideas of things that you can do that won’t hurt your budget!
- Take a Romantic Walk. One of these nights after dinner, grab your honey’s hand and head out the door for a nice romantic walk in your neighborhood. The cool evening air and exercise are both good for you and it provides a great opportunity to chat.
- Go for a Drive. When was the last time you went for a drive just for the fun of it? My hubby and I like to go for moonlight drives just to spend time together. This is one of our favorite date night activities and costs nothing more than a gallon or two of gas.
- Groupon. Check out Groupon for any local deals! We have been able to buy dinner for the two of us for $10 and another time we spent $8 on bowling just by taking advantage of Groupon deals.
- Plan a picnic. A picnic can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it and it can be a very romantic date. Pack a meal, bring a blanket and sit in the grass with your special someone.
- Head out for a hike. Chances are you have quite a few hiking trails within an hour’s drive (or less) of you. Find one with a waterfall or a good viewpoint and adventure together.
- Go stargazing. You don’t even have to leave home for this date night idea! Bring a blanket into your back yard and lay out with your honey watching the stars. The beautiful night sky will provide a romantic atmosphere for your evening.
- Hit up a Matinee. Movies are generally expensive, but many theatres have matinee day and times where your movie will only cost $3-$5. Avoid the snacks and drinks and your date will still be just $10!
There are so many ideas of fun dates you can do with your special someone! It may seem like you have to spend a lot of money to date, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Target Has Changed It’s Coupon Policy! See How This Affects You!
Target shoppers and couponers, listen up! If you haven't heard already, you might want to know about the small Target coupon policy update for 2016. These recent changes are an effort to make sure that coupon discounts are applied accurately to to products and, one would imagine, cut down on coupon fraud. Not that any of you commit coupon fraud, I know, but it still does happen from time to time!
It's not a huge change, but it may affect some of you. Here are the changes from the Target coupon policy update and cash register software updates this month, and how they might affect you...
No More Coupon Overages
The value of a coupon will be applied up to the reduced price of the item and any excess value will not be applied to the transaction total.
We do not give cash back nor do we apply any overages to the remaining items in the transaction if the value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item.
This basically means that some coupons may not be accepted at the full face value. Instead, coupons will be adjusted down to match the price of the item if the value of the coupon is higher than the price of the item. While technically the previous Target coupon policy did not allow for overages before, some lucky shoppers were able to—knowingly or unknowingly—circumvent this rule. We never got cash back at the register, like we might at Wal-Mart, but sometimes, the overage on a coupon was applied to the rest of the transaction. A new software update in the Target registers, however, automatically adjusts down the value of a coupon when this happens now, making those small overages a thing of the past.Coupons Will No Longer Be "Pushed Through"
The second Target coupon policy update that might affect some of you is the inability to "push through" coupons. Actually, this isn't a policy update, but more of the result of the cash register software update. Before, cashiers were able to override the register and "push through" coupons that the system didn't automatically accept when scanned. You know...the dreaded BEEP? Well, this newest software update eliminates that. Now, when a coupon doesn't scan, the cashier might still be able to override it, but with a catch. The coupon and discount must be applied to a specific product and not just a product by the same manufacturer. If there is no product that matches the specified products on the coupon, the coupon will be denied and returned. This is actually not a bad change for couponers on the up and up, as it cuts down on coupon fraud.Only Coupons With GS1 Data Bar
We accept manufacturer coupons with a scannable GS1 data bar. We do not accept UPC-A coupon barcodes.
Keep an eye on your coupon barcodes, ladies and gentlemen! The Target coupon policy update now specifies that only coupons with a scannable GS1 data bar will be accepted, and coupons with the shorter UPC barcodes will no longer be accepted. Not sure what the difference is?
This change shouldn't really affect any couponers, actually. The old UPC style barcodes have been pretty much phased out for a while anyway, and I haven't seen a coupon with just a UPC barcode in quite some time.
So, to answer the burning question here, the new Target coupon policy update and register software updates are highly unlikely to really affect you. As long as you're using coupons properly, you shouldn't have any problems.
Earn Extra Money With These Fun Side Jobs!
So, you want to make extra money, but you don’t want to take on a traditional job or second job . How exactly can you accomplish that? Is it even possible?
Let me answer those questions for you: Lots of ways and YES!!!
There are many side jobs that you can do for money. Like seriously, there are probably hundreds of side jobs out there and many of them can be based on what you enjoy and what you are good at.
Let’s look at a couple of ideas, shall we:
- Babysitting. Do you like kids? Why not offer babysitting services? You can either offer this to friends and family or you can expand a little and become state certified (better pay, but you do have to put money toward certifications and trainings, etc). This is actually a great option if you have children at home already. You are bringing in extra kids each day for your kids to play with!
- Arts and crafts. If you are a crafty person, you can sell your crafts via etsy, Craigslist or other sales sites or at craft fairs and farmers markets.
- Lawn care. Do you have green thumb and lawnmower and lawn tools? Why not offer your lawn mowing services in your neighborhood? The money you make will more than cover your fuel costs.
- Fiverr. Fiverr is a website where you can offer your services (Anything from proofreading to copywriting to web design) for prices starting at $5 and rapidly expanding. I have heard of quite a few people who make a full time living working on Fiverr.
- Be a Plasma Donor. You can earn up to $150-$200 per month just for donating plasma. Not only are you earning extra, but you could be helping to save a life!
- Dog Walking. If you are a canine lover, you can offer your services walking dogs for others. Not everyone has time to take their furry friends out for fresh air, and they are willing to pay to have it done.
- Housesitting. Lots of people go on vacation and do not want to leave their homes empty.
As you can see there are plenty of ideas for making a little extra spending money without signing up for a 9-5!
Good luck!
Find Famous People you are Related to with These Simple FREE Steps!
Did you guys ever watch the TV Series “Who Do You Think You Are”? Each episode a different celebrity would take a journey to trace his or her family tree. It was really fun for them to discover their roots and who their ancestors were. Some were shocked to find out where and who they came from.
Did you also know that you can do that exact same thing? There are a few programs available that cost money to make a family tree, but Relative Finder is absolutely FREE!
Here are the simple steps to get you going:
- Log in or create a Family Search account: Click on Free Account if you don’t have one
- Create your family tree: This is where it may take some time. But it’s super fun. Enter in your direct family members. Any information about LIVING family members that you input can only be seen by you (the person putting in the information). Information about deceased people will be show in the database so others can connect with you. The goal here is to make it back far enough on your family tree that the system will pick up your deceased family members. Once the system picks up the names, you can go to Relative Finder and pull up TONS more relatives. There may even be famous ones!
- Relative Finder: Once your family tree is far enough along to be picked up by the system. You can scan all of your distant relatives. Look at the categories like Authors/Poets, Movie Stars, U.S. Presidents and more! Did you find anyone famous??
Create a Group: Have you ever wondered how you are related to certain people? Like long lost cousins? You can set up a group of your own too.
Once your are in Relative Finder, Use these steps:
- Go to the heading labeled Groups
- Click Create, and form a group named something like “Mary Jones’s Cousins,” using your own name.
- Once you’ve created your group, go to the Groups link.
- Click Manage.
- Choose the cousin group you recently created.
- Find the heading labeled “Add a Deceased Person.”
- Add the descendant’s Personal Identification number (PID) from Family Tree. This will add the person to your group.
- Click View All Relations.
- From the headings, click Relation to Friend.
- If you want to see how the descendant is related to famous Americans, or European royalty, click View Ancestors.This same cousin group could be shared with family members working on common lines.
This is a fun way to see where you come from and who your ancestors are. Plus, with the groups option, it would be fun to see if you are somehow related to your neighbor or friends. You never know!
**If you have questions about Relative Finder, You can check out the FAQs on their site. You can also contact them directly.
Celebrate Pioneer Day With These Family Fun Activities & Crafts!
Pioneer Day is coming up on July 24th which is next Sunday! Many will be celebrating on the 25th but no matter what day you decide to celebrate (and whether you’re in Utah or not) here are some great ways for you to make memories with your family while celebrating those who came across the plains in search of religious freedom, better farmland or even gold!
Share Pioneer Stores – whether it’s stories of your own family or of others who came across the plains, this is a great way to celebrate pioneer day. Your kids will start to learn and understand how the pioneers survived and made the trek here.
Go on a Pioneer Trek – Gear up and take your family on a trek. You can talk about how long the pioneers traveled (over 1,000 miles) and the different trials they faced while traveling (Indians, floods, death, cold, hunger, etc) and how excited they were to finally make it to their destination. You could even plan your trek to end at a local ice-cream shop.
Do Pioneer Crafts – There are so many ideas of things you could create with your kids. Here’s just a few ideas with links to give you an idea of how to create these crafts:
Visit a Local Farm and Try to Milk a Cow – this is a great activity to do with the kids. If you don’t have anyone you know that would let you milk their cow try doing a quick google search. For all the Utah readers, you can milk a cow at Wheeler farm for a small fee or you can watch it at Thanksgiving Point.
Cook a Meal Over an Open Fire – if you don’t have an open fire in your yard you could reserve a camp site for the evening and enjoy a campfire dinner. Or plan a fun BBQ if that’s more your style.
Go to a Shooting Range and Learn How to Shoot – the pioneers had to shoot their food and gather it. What better way to experience this for yourself than at a shooting range.
Play Pioneer Games – Although there was lots of work to do they had to make time to have fun but they didn’t have all the electronics and games that we have now. So why not take you kids into the past and play some fun pioneer games like stick pull, hoop roll, marbles and spinning buttons. You can find instructions to play all these games here.
This year make some memories with your family and turn off all the electronics including the lights and spend time talking, telling stores or playing games. There’s no better way to show your family you love them and are grateful for them then by spending time together.
5 Best Websites to use When You Want Sell your Stuff Online
Are you looking for a way to earn a little extra money? You should consider selling some of the stuff that you never use! The internet is a fantastic resource for decluttering and making money off of stuff that is just taking up space.
Do you have a savings goal in mind? Do you want to build your emergency fund? Save for a vacation? How about pay off some bills? The good thing is, you can sell pretty much anything online to save up for these goals, the question is. Where?
Here are 5 of the best websites to use for selling your stuff:
- Amazon. If you are looking to sell your books, movies or CDs, Amazon is the place to do it! This can be done via your Amazon Trade In account. Click on “Your Account” at Amazon and choose Trade In account. From there, you can enter the information of what you are looking to trade. You will receive Amazon Gift Cards in exchange for your item.
- Ebay. The world’s biggest online auction site! If you have more unique items that won’t cost a lot to ship, Ebay is your best bet for selling online. Ebay takes a small percentage for auction fees, but you have the ability to set a reserve and determine how much your stuff sells for.
- Fiverr. Are you selling your services? Head on over to Fiverr and get to work! There are people who legitimately earn a full time income working on Fiverr. At Fiverr you put your services (just about any service) up for sale for $5 and you can charge for extras (expedited work, etc).
- Etsy. Are you selling your creations? Etsy is the place to go to sell handmade goods. It is a great marketplace to sell in because there are many people that love to buy handmade items.
- Facebook. Don’t deny it, you are on FB all day, right? Why not use Facebook for more than just killing time. Throughout Facebook there are “For Sale” groups that allow you to sell your items. This is more of an online/in person sales tactic, but it works great! Unlike CL, it is not anonymous. People can see your name and face in your negotiations, so you are far less likely to run into the no-shows that many often deal with on Craigslist.
Find Extra Savings at Amazon
We all know how great Amazon is! You can shop for just about anything you need without ever leaving the house! We all also know that Amazon also often has some really great deals, but there are a couple of things you can do to save even more and make sure you are getting the best price.
- Become an Amazon Prime member. There are many ways in which Amazon Prime can benefit you. If you shop at Amazon, you can get free 2 day shipping. If you like to read, you qualify for thousands of free ebooks. If you like to save money, Prime members are often offered member-only prices. If you like to stream your movies and TV shows, there are thousands available on Amazon Instant Video, many of which are free for Prime members. Amazon Prime costs $99 per year. That is approximately $8.99 per month for all of those benefits!
- Take advantage of Amazon coupons. Using coupons doesn’t always mean searching the paper and clipping coupons, just to stand in line and have the customer behind you in line at the grocery store roll their eyes. Amazon has hundreds of coupons available for you to virtually click and use on your product purchases!
- Check out the Amazon Deal of the Day & Lightning Deals. Amazon offers super low prices on several of items each day on their Gold Box Deal of the Day page. In addition, on this same page you will find Lightning Deals which are constantly changing and last only hours (or until supplies run out).
- Use Amazon Family. Are you a parent or caregiver? If so, then you automatically qualify for Amazon Family. Sign up here and you can save an extra 20% on all diaper orders, plus more savings on care-giving related items.
- Find Subscribe and Save deals. If you order household goods, food or beauty items, you have likely seen Subscribe and Save deals offered on Amazon. This subscription option gives the shopper an automatic savings of 5% and free shipping (regardless of Prime member status). If you subscribe to 5 or more items, your savings will rise to 15%. Subscribe and Save is a no commitment program because you can cancel your subscription at any time.
4 Ways to Lower Your Monthly Expenses
We can all shop sales or use coupons in order to cut back on our expenses, but what about those expenses that aren’t up to you? Like your insurance, your phone, etc. Those are just set amounts, right?
Well as it turns out, these expenses can be lowered too! All it takes is a little bit of patience and a phone call or two and you can likely drop these prices significantly!
Lower Your Insurance
When looking to lower your insurance costs, first and foremost call around and compare. Several insurance companies offer comparison shopping, so you don’t even need to call too many companies.
If you already have the lowest rates you were able to get, the next step is to look at whether or not you can trim costs on your existing policy. Is your vehicle paid off? Is it worth carrying full coverage on? If your vehicle is worth less than $4000 many experts suggest carrying liability only. Oftentimes just raising your deductible from $500 to $1000 can lower your costs significantly.
Slim Down Your Phone Costs
I recently saw my exact phone (factory refurbished) for $120. It then occurred to me that for the last year I have been paying $8 per month in insurance, that still requires a $50 deductible. Since my contract still has another year so that’s another $96 that I’ll have to pay. So overall I will have paid $192 (plus the $50 deductible in the event that something happens to the phone) for something that I can replace for $120! You may want to look into your phone expenses to see if you have the same expensive insurance coverage. Also keep an eye out for subscription services that you may not realize you have.
Cut the Cable
Cancel your cable or television service. The average cable bill is around $90 per month. That’s a big expense. If you are not ready to be without cable service, consider paring down to just basic cable with minimum channels.
Refinance your Mortgage
What interest rate are your carrying on your mortgage? If you are not at today’s low rates, you may consider refinancing your mortgage. Of course you need to take into account all loan fees, to see if it would be worth it, but you may be able to score a lower monthly mortgage payment.
Stay Safe this Summer with these 5 Water Safety Tips!
These summer days are HOT! Spending your time near a pool, lake, ocean, or splash pad is a great way to stay cooled off. However, it could also be dangerous. These 5 tips might be a good refresher for you to help stay safe. Maybe there will be something new that you haven’t thought of before.
- Educate your kids on your location. Most kids are oblivious with where they are at. They just know there is a pool or ocean to jump in and swim. When you first get to your location, make sure they are aware of depth, drop offs, and other rules like no diving or running. A lake will have different rules than a splash pad. So make sure the kids are aware of those before they start playing.
- Wear appropriate Life Jackets/Swim Wear. It’s always a great idea to have your kids in a Life Jacket the whole time when there is an open pool around. If you are looking for a good Life Jacket, check out these Puddle Jumpers. F2D Readers have loved them! With your Life Jacket, check the weight for the jackets to be sure your kids are in the appropriate size. Otherwise it may not do it’s job. Also, you can dress your kids in bright clothing/swim wear. This will help you spot them easier in a crowd.
- Stay in tune with the weather. Weather patterns can change fast and you don’t want to be caught off guard in the water when lightning strikes. Check forecasts, and just be aware of your surroundings. Especially if you are out on the lake or ocean, you will want to move quickly to get to shore. Storms can move fast. Stay on shore or inside until the storm passes. It’s better to be safe than sorry with weather.
- Make sure a Lifeguard is present. Most community pools have Life Guards on duty and will help with keeping you and your kids safe. However, Oceans, Lakes, and private pools may not have one. One good idea is to have 1 adult at all times in charge of watching the pool. If you are having a big get together with neighbors and friends, you can get easily distracted and may take your eyes off your kids in the water. Having at least 1 adult at all times watching the water could help with those accidents that may happen when there are a lot of people around.
- Take Breaks! Water and sun will make you super tired…fast. So it’s a good idea every hour or so to get out and drink some water. Apply more sunscreen and just relax. Get out of the sun for a bit and into the shade. Your body and muscles can rejuvenate and help you stay a strong swimmer.
We hope you all have a wonderful and safe summer!
How To Grow Your Own Herbs in Water & Save Money!
Buying fresh herbs can get pricey but if you happen to grow your own you’ll have the convenience of not having to run to the store and you’ll save money! Maybe you’re thinking “well I don’t have a green thumb”. Well, did you know you can grow some herbs right in water? It’s easy cause you can see how much water is in there and when it needs to be refilled. So there’s no guessing if you’ve over watered it or haven’t given it enough! Here are the herbs you can grow, right in water:
Oregano
Basil
Sage
Thyme
Rosemary
Stevia
Peppermint
To get started you’ll need to find a container. The best choice is to find a glass container that is colored or opaque. That way the roots aren’t getting to much sunlight but the plant is. (roots are sensitive to sun and too much can cause them to die.) You’ll also want your herbs to stand upright so either look for a narrow mouth container or cover the top with net, chicken wire or tape.
Once you have your jar you’ll need your plant. You can use the ones you buy in the store. Just wash them and cut them to about 6 inches and put them in the water filled container. The herbs that are more woody stem like rosemary, take more time to start so don’t get discouraged.
Your herbs will also need food, not just water. You can check with your local nursery for food or they sell some on Amazon as well. You’ll simply mix it in per manufacturer recommendations. Remember more is not always better so make sure you follow the directions.
Starting your own herb garden weather in water or soil is a great way to save money. So think about the herbs your use more often and start with those. Remember, if you start to get an abundance of herbs, you can also dry them and store them long term.
Weird Things You Can Sell on Ebay
If you need to declutter the house and you are looking for ways to make money, you have come to the right place! I know we all have random stuff clutter up our homes to some degree. Did you know that you can actually make money off of this weird stuff? Yep, leave it to Ebay buyers to find uses for just about anything.
Check out some of the strange things that are known to sell on Ebay:
Paper Towel and Toilet Paper Tubes – This is one that surprised me the most. People actually pay for these? Of course they need to be clean and dry, but you can sell a lot of 30+ for upwards of $10! That is $10 for something that you were literally going to throw in the garbage anyway. Start keeping a bag in the house to toss these in to keep them clean and dry while you save them up to sell.
Junk Drawer Items – Who knew that someone wanted that old remote that you have been storing in the junk drawer for years? Clean out your junk drawer and do a quick Ebay search. Chances are you will find stuff to sell in there!
M.A.C. Containers (Empty!) – Do you use M.A.C. makeup? If so, don’t throw out those empty makeup containers. M.A.C. has a trade in program and people love their M.A.C. makeup. There are quite a few buyers out there willing to spend several dollars per container buying these on Ebay to use as trade in later. I have literally never considered saving my old makeup containers, but I am rethinking that now!
Pine Cones – Artists love to create with things from nature and they need to buy their supplies somewhere. Pine cones sell for a decent amount on Ebay, so go clean up your yard and make some money!
Empty Egg Cartons – Here’s another item that artists and crafters love, egg cartons. The material that your egg cartons are made from don’t matter as long as they are clean. Keep in mind too that no one is going to buy a single egg carton, but they will buy a stack of them. So next time you finish a dozen eggs don’t toss the container, just keep it aside until you get 15 or more. Then put them up for sale on Ebay. You will definitely get some of your egg money back!
A good sized stack of cartons often sells for $10 and up!
So, as you can see, you can sell some random stuff on Ebay! So next time you go to throw something away, give it a second thought and see if Ebay may be a better place for it.
Do you buy or sell on Ebay? Have you seen any other weird things sell?
All About Pokémon GO: Safety Tips & Etiquette
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ve probably heard about Pokemon GO. This augmented reality game is the newest craze in mobile gaming. Unlike most other mobile games, you really can’t get ahead by sitting on your duff with Pokemon Go. You really have to get out in the world and catch you some Pokemon…thingies! Yeah, that’s right—it’s like the ’90’s all over again and I’m revisiting my childhood, but with a modern mobile twist.
Let’s first take a quick look at how the game works…
How to Play Pokemon GO
First things first, right? To start playing Pokemon GO, you’ll need to download the app onto your mobile device. Android users will need to head over to Google Play and Apple users will need to beebop on over to the App Store. Once the app is downloaded and installed, you can start it up and do all the normal initial game stuff, like run through a quick tutorial, read a backstory, and customize your character with a shirt and hat. None of this takes long at all, and you should be ready to go Pokemon GO in no time!
Now comes the fun part! You get to go out in the world and do all sorts of Pokemon…stuff!
You can progress through the game by capturing Pokemon characters, visiting Pokestops for supplies, and participating in gym battles with rival players. The modern technology built into your mobile device, like the camera and GPS, will help you accomplish these tasks. A digital map in the app will help you locate areas you need to visit to capture Pokemon characters and locate Pokestops and gyms.
Most of the places you will need to stop will be public places, like churches, libraries, and popular landmarks. That’s not always the case, however, which is where some of the problems with Pokemon GO are starting to crop up.
Pokemon GO Concerns
Sure, it’s definitely a fun game and its gets both kids and adults out and about running around, but the game is not without its faults. Some people are starting to have some concerns about the game. More specifically, there have been some safety concerns.
Probably the Pokemon GO incident that has garnered the most attention is the string of armed robberies near St. Louis. Apparently, the game allows players to add beacons to lure players to a specific spot. These particular criminals have since been apprehended, but that doesn’t quell all of the Pokemon GO safety concerns, as that’s not to say someone else won’t try this in the future.
Another big Pokemon GO safety concern is the possible problems that can occur from people roaming around with their faces buried in their phone screens. Not paying attention to what you’re doing while walking around (or, gods forbid, driving!) can result in accidents and injuries.
Finally, there’s the issue of people’s private residences becoming popular stops for Pokemon GO enthusiasts. One Massachusetts man woke up one morning to discover that his home, which was once a church, had become a Pokemon GO gym. While Boon Sheridan has been a pretty good sport about it all thus far, that’s not to say other home owners will be quite so understanding or accommodating.
Which finally brings us to…
Pokemon Go Safety Tips and Ettiquette
Now that you know some of the Pokemon GO safety concerns, it’s time to take a look at some Pokemon GO safety tips. And, since I’m a bit old fashioned when it comes to manners and common courtesy, I’m going to slip in some etiquette tips as well.
- Don’t Pokemon GO and drive! I’m pretty sure that I don’t have to tell most of you this, but I’m just gonna throw it out there. Chasing Pokemon characters is exhausting work, but put that phone away if you decide to use wheels! Not only is this dangerous for you and others around you, it also pretty much defeats the entire purpose of the game—getting out and exploring on foot.
- Stay away from dark alleys. And pretty much anywhere else where nefarious characters of the human variety might be lurking. You might want to rethink heading down a dark alley at night or into an abandoned building at any time, for instance, to capture an elusive Pokemon. There could be more than a fictional character lurking in that alley, and no Pokemon is worth getting robbed (or worse!) over.
- Watch where you’re going. Watching someone walk into a tree, parking meter, or oncoming traffic while chasing after a fictitious creature might seem hilarious to some people, but in reality it can actually be pretty dangerous. When you’re out and about, let the phone run in the background and keep it in your hand, pocket, or backpack and your eyes in front of you. The game will buzz when you’re near a Pokemon, and you can keep your eyes on your surrounds and watch for hazards.
- Don’t let kids play alone. Before you let your kids wander off to chase Pokemon characters, be sure to lay down some ground rules. First and foremost, it’s really not a good idea to let kids wander around and play this game alone. There’s safety in numbers, so only allow them to play in groups. You’ll also want to lay down rules regarding boundaries and types of places that are off-limits.
- Keep the weather in mind. Remember that it’s the middle of July, the sun is out, and it’s HOT! Carry a water bottle with you to stave off dehydration and don’t forget sunscreen and a hat!
- No trespassing. Not only is trespassing rude, but it’s also illegal. And, in some areas, by trying to catch that elusive Pokemon in someone’s backyard you might find you at the business end of a shotgun. Not cool, man. Not cool at all. Keep in mind that not all homeowners are as understanding and cool about things as poor Boon Sheridan.
- Stay juiced up. Like most apps and games running in the background, Pokemon GO can use a lot of juice and drain your battery if you aren’t careful. Consider carrying a portable power bank with you to recharge your phone in case it gets low. This way, you’ll be sure to have enough juice to make an emergency phone call or use a GPS map to find your way is searching for the little creatures leads you too far astray.
- Remember basic social etiquette. From what little I’ve played Pokemon GO (for research purposes, of course!) I can see how easy it would be to get engrossed in it and even a little addicted. But that’s no reason to toss common courtesy and social decorum out the window. Don’t forget your manners when playing! That means move out of the way to catch your Pokemon in crowded places, skip Pokemon spots that may be inappropriate (like memorials such as the Holocaust Museum, perhaps?), and maybe wait until after your wife gives birth to nab a Pokemon. Also, keep in mind that Pokemon GO is just a game, not real life. Don’t forget to basic greetings and pleasantries for the people you may encounter in your Pokemon GO travels!
Have any of you played Pokemon GO yet? What did you think of it? Feel free to add any of your own Pokemon GO safety tips and etiquette in the comments below!