Thanks to the acidity in vinegar, it has more uses than you might imagine. For years frugal folks have found numerous ways to save money using it. From health benefits to use as an environmentally-friendly cleaning product, vinegar is a versatile substance that every household should have on-hand.

Here’s a look at ten uses for vinegar that you’ve probably never thought of before.

1. Control Your Cholesterol

In May 2006, a study by Japanese researchers published in The British Journal of Nutrition showed that lab rats fed with acetic acid, which is the primary ingredient in vinegar, had much lower harmful cholesterol than the control group. Additionally, the rats eating the acetic acid also had lower blood pressure and other health benefits. Although the same study hasn’t been performed yet with humans, the results seem to indicate that regular intake of vinegar, whether in salad dressings or other means, is a great natural way to lower cholesterol and other risk factors in heart disease.

2. Control Your Diabetes

It’s not just people at risk for heart disease who benefit from a little vinegar in their diet; several studies in the 1990s and 2000s have shown that a few tablespoons of vinegar added to a meal can reduce the glycemic index of carbohydrate food. By reducing the glycemic index, people with diabetes can reduce the amount of medicine they need to control the disease. Experiment for yourself by adding a little vinegar to your salad or to season other food you normally eat.

3. Get Windows and Coffee Pots Squeaky Clean

Vinegar is a great cleaning agent on glass. From fingerprints on your windows and picture frames, to mineral deposits in your fish tank and your coffee pot, use vinegar to remove stains and mineral deposits. Diluting vinegar with a little bit of water will prevent a strong vinegar smell and keep the vinegar from damaging the surface.

4. Frost-free Car Windows

Speaking of vinegar on glass, if you’re expecting a hard frost, coat your car’s windows with vinegar the night before. Use three parts vinegar to one part water, and the frost will stay off your car.

5. Deter Cats and Ants

Neither your cat nor your local ant population is overly fond of vinegar, so spray it wherever you don’t want these creatures to be. For cats, a little vinegar spray on your sofa or bed will keep them off; for ants, spraying vinegar across a window sill or doorjamb will keep them from crossing.

6. Reduce the Risk of Infection

Since the time of Hippocrates in the fourth century BC, vinegar has been used internally and externally to fight infection. However, the Greeks only got it half right on this account: vinegar works as a disinfectant in bathroom and kitchen surfaces, but the idea that it can be used internally to fight off warts or lice turns out to be nothing more than an old wives’ tale.

7. Grow Pretty Flowers

Some flowers, such as azaleas, appreciate a little extra acid in the soil. Mix about two tablespoons of vinegar in with a quart of water when you water your azaleas, then watch them flourish.

Weeds, on the other hand, can be killed with vinegar. For someone interested in organic gardening, use pure, undiluted vinegar on weeds instead of a chemical herbicide. It’s better for the environment, not to mention cheaper.

8. Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden

It’s no good growing beautiful, acid-loving flowers if the rabbits come in and chew everything to pieces. Soak cotton balls in vinegar, then put them into 35 mm film container. Use an awl or ice pick to punch a hole in the top of the container, then place in your garden. You might need to make a few of these rabbit repellents, depending upon the size of your garden.

9. Wash Vegetables

With the rabbits out of your vegetable patch, you’ll have a bumper crop of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, squash, and other veggies. It’s easy to wash fresh vegetables, whether they come out of your garden or out of the grocery store, with a light vinegar spray. Mix just one tablespoon of vinegar in with a quart and a half of water and put it into a spray bottle.

10. Clean Stains with Vinegar

Bleach is a harsh, poisonous chemical; why not use vinegar to help with the laundry instead? Vinegar is useful in removing red spaghetti, mustard, barbecue, and ketchup stains, perspiration stains, smoky smells, and making dingy whites bright again.

These ten uses for vinegar are really just the tip of the iceberg. A versatile substance in your garden, your kitchen, and your medicine cabinet, vinegar is a cheap and effective way to get a wide variety of jobs done.

What do you use vinegar for around the house?

When my wife and I purchased our first home a few years ago we needed a lawn mower for our small yard. I ended up buying an electric lawnmower that fit our needs.

Whether you use a traditional gas mower or an electric like me you will run into maintenance issues. With a traditional gas mower these include air filters, engine oil, topping off the gasoline, and mower blades.

Thankfully with an electric mower the maintenance issues are minimized. There is no oil. There is no gasoline. I need to look as I’m not sure if the thing even has an air filter (because there is no need for air to mix with gasoline in the engine).

However, we did run into one maintenance issue recently: mower blades. And that makes sense — all mowers have blades, right?

(Photo by somegeekintn)

Comparing Cost of Replacement Vs. Sharpening Mower Blades

Did you know you can have your lawn mower blades sharpened? A lawn mower blade is a piece of metal like a knife. Over time through continual use it becomes dull. Dull blades don’t cut grass as well as sharp blades. Cutting with a dull blade is also not great for your grass.

The cost of a new blade for my mower is $17 through Amazon. That’s not bad, and I actually plan to purchase a second blade. (More on that in a moment.)

I called around to a few lawn mower shops (Google: “lawn mower sharpen” and your city) and found a shop that would sharpen the blade for $8.

That’s an easy comparison: $17 for a new blade versus $8 for a “new” used blade. I could sharpen my current blade twice for every new blade I needed to buy.

Rotate Two Blades

As I mentioned above I plan to buy a second blade. At the end of the day having two blades makes life a lot easier than owning just one blade.

Take me, for example. I discovered my mower blade was quite dull the last time I mowed. I determined I needed it sharpened, but didn’t have a spare handy. This would seem like an easy fix: just go to the store and buy another blade, and get the original blade sharpened. Since I had purchased an electric mower online my properly sized replacement blades were only available online. (Just my luck.)

Having a second, sharp blade on hand makes life easy because you can take the old blade off and get it sharpened at your leisure. The new blade should last for quite a while giving you and I time to procrastinate on finding a sharpening shop while not sacrificing the quality of our mowing.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have this leisure and had to hurry to find a shop, get the blade off the mower, and have my wife take it down to the shop to get it sharpened. The sharpening took an hour and was back in our hands the same day.

Safety First When Changing Lawn Mower Blades

I can’t finish this article without clarifying some safety issues. As a general rule mowers are dangerous and have full capabilities to remove an unhealthy chunk of your body from you.

Safety first:

• Disable your mower in as many ways as possible. With gasoline mowers make sure you disconnect the spark plug. With plug-in electric mowers make sure the mower is not plugged in. (For battery mower users, I can’t help you. No idea how they work.)
• Blades are sharp. Be careful. Wear gloves or use a towel to hold the blade while you are loosening/tightening the socket that holds it in place. And make sure that when it comes loose that you haven’t been pushing too hard with your arm — you could push the blade into your hand as it comes loose.
• Always use a proper sized and balanced blade. If your mower takes a 19″ blade, get a 19″ blade. If you get the blade sharpened make sure that it is still in balance. To do this just balance it on your finger or some other device to insure one side isn’t higher than the other — an unbalanced blade will shake the mower and generally isn’t a good thing to operate with.

You also have the option of sharpening the blades yourself with tool files. While I’m sure this is a relatively easy skill to learn I’d rather not deal with the hassle of doing it wrong or ending up with an unbalanced blade. The $8 spent is already a savings of $9 over the regular blade cost. That’s frugal enough for me.

Trust TruGreen for your lawn care, lawn maintenance and landscaping needs.

Photo courtesy of Mish Bradley

How Often Should I Water My Lawn?

Some of this depends on how well-established your lawn is, and the kind of conditions you live in.  For new lawns, it is recommended that they get daily watering (or at a minimum, every other day) until the lawn has established a strong root system.  Older, more established lawns, should only be watered two or three times a week to encourage roots to dig deeper for water sources, which leads to a healthier root system.

What’s the Best Time Of Day to Water My Lawn?

The best time of day to water your lawn is early morning, just before sunrise. The temperatures are relatively cool, so no worries about evaporation. Watering in the heat of the day can be counterproductive because much of the water will evaporate when it hits the surface of a hot lawn.  Watering in the evening can lead to fungus and grass disease because the lawn blades do not have adequate time to dry before nighttime.

How Short Should I Cut My Grass?

Mowing height depends on a variety of factors, such as the type of grass, your climate, etc.  Generally speaking, grass should be cut relatively short early in the year to discourage weed growth. As the spring wears on, and the temperatures begin to rise, it is recommended to raise your mower blade slightly as well.  A taller lawn will withstand periods of extreme heat and be more drought-tolerant than a lawn with shorter grass.

When Is The Best Time To Put Down Weed Killer and Fertilizer Products?

The best time to put down weedkiller is before weeds appear. In early spring, before the weather begins to warm, putting down a pre-emergent weed killer can significantly reduce the number of weeds in your lawn.  Once weeds appear, treat them with a “weed and feed” product that acts as both a fertilizer and weed killer, or spot treat with a liquid weed killer. Take care in selecting the type of weed killer to use to be sure it is safe for your type of lawn.  If you are unsure, ask a local nursery, landscaping company, or agricultural extension. Click here for all natural pesticides from Gardens Alive!

Inspect Lawn Sprinkler Systems and Sprinkler Heads

If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, spring is a good time to run it through all the various zones to make sure sprinkler heads are properly adjusted.  If you discover a broken sprinkler head, pick up a replacement at a home improvement store.  Though most sprinkler heads are simply threaded onto the PVC pipe running below, take care removing them or you could pull a pipe joint loose somewhere downstream and have a bigger mess to clean up.

Putting these spring lawn care tips into practice will help you establish a beautiful, green lawn for many seasons to come, improving your curb appeal and the value of your real estate property.

Ways To Make Spaces Around Your Home More Productive

Convert spare bedrooms, garages or back porches to a home gym.
Our neighbors recently closed in a garage and added some gym-quality exercise equipment.  They now have a full squat rack, Smith machine, an elliptical machine, bike and treadmill.  To say I was a little jealous would be a major understatement.  I’ve always wished I could lift weights at home, mostly because I don’t care for the social setting at most gyms.  While I don’t think I’ll be able to close in the garage, I could put a weight bench with a bench press rack on the back porch.  I could also add a small set of dumbbells, a used exercise bike (for rainy days), and a heavy bag.

Create a home office with just a feet of empty wall space.
When I started writing here at Frugal Dad, I recognized quickly that I would need to carve out a quiet area to do most of my writing.  My requirements were simple:  a door, enough room for a table to hold my laptop and a few notepads, magazines, books, etc.  Finding a spot with a door proved to be the hard part.  That is, until I got creative.

Our washer and dryer are in a large utility room.  We have a rolling metal rack in there to hold canned goods, along with a spare freezer to store meats and vegetables we occasionally find on sale and stock up on.  The room may have looked full to the “unfrugal” eye, but I saw an opportunity.

I set up a four-foot folding table and small rolling task chair with no arms.  My laptop, a small lamp, a couple bookends to hold five or six of my favorite books, and a scratch pad for making notes all fit perfectly on the table.  The chair easily pushes up to the table, and is out of the way when doing laundry.

Plant vegetables in a table top, square foot garden on your balcony or porch.
Who says you have to have a ton of green space to grow a beautiful garden?  Consider building a square foot garden, or planting in containers, on your balcony or other outdoor space. I had a friend who grew beautiful tomatoes and a variety of other salad vegetables on his balcony.  Before dinner, his wife would pluck a few tomatoes to slice and eat along with their meals.  She also maintained a variety of herbs and flowers.

Turn your formal dining room into a den, study or playroom.
How often to you eat dinner in your formal dining room?  If you are like us, probably not that often.  Maybe a few times a year we gather there to host Thanksgiving dinner, or a similar occasion. But, for the most part it sits empty as a placeholder for our dining table, chairs and hutch.  Consider converting this space to a den, a playroom for the kids, or perhaps a study or home office (the latter may require adding a door or two).

One word of caution:  I once pitched the idea of replacing the dining table with a pool table.  I was half kidding (only half), but let’s just say it didn’t go over very well.

Create a reading and meditation nook.
I’ve frequently heard this advice, but it really stuck when listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer once describe how everyone should have a little “nook” where they can go to get lost in their thoughts.  It could be as simple as a quiet corner of a bedroom, or as large as an unused guest room.  The point is to create a quiet corner in your home, surrounded by things with positive energy such as pictures, drawing, motivational posters, etc.

When thinking about rearranging your home, keep in mind that any configuration changes you make may not be desirable to future homeowners.  Unless you plan to stay put forever, think long and hard about knocking down (or adding) any walls, hanging doors, etc.  For the most part, consider enchancements to your home’s space that do not require any structural modifications.  But don’t be afraid to get creative, and don’t be afraid to make the space work for you and your family.  After all, homes are meant to be lived in.

Safety Tips Around the House

Before traveling, contact your local law enforcement agency and ask to have your home placed on “vacation watch.”  Most municipalities offer this service.  The nearest patrol officer will ride by your home for a safety check once during their shift.  Be sure to notify authorities when you have returned.  Note, please do not call 911 to discuss this service.  A non-emergency number should be listed in your phone book. 

Try to make your house look lived in while you are away.  Consider picking up some inexpensive timers for lights and radios, and have them come on at times when you are normally home.  I even suggest staggering the timers so that living room lights come on and off early in the evening and bedroom lights come on later.  This is consistent with most schedules, but adapt it to fit your family’s routine.

Do not broadcast your plans to everyone.  You may be proud that you are taking your family on a week-long cruise over the holidays, but don’t brag too much.  You never know who might be taking note of your travel plans.

Leave a spare key and emergency telephone number with a trusted neighbor or friend.  In an emergency it may be necessary for someone to enter your home (water heater busted, etc.), so it is a good idea to leave a key with someone local. 

Pay someone to rake up leaves and/or blow off your drive way.  Tall grass in the summer and down leaves in the winter are a sure sign of an unoccupied house.

Silence the ringer on your home telephone.  One trick of the criminal trade is to stake out a house and call the phone number.  If the phone rings and rings with no answer it is a safe bet no one is home. If the phone doesn’t ring at all, crooks may suspect they are dialing the wrong number, or someone is home and using the phone.  Do not mention your travel plans on voicemail or answering machines.

Remove garage door openers from cars parked in the driveway.  It is a good idea to leave a second car parked in the driveway, but be sure to remove the garage door opener.  Burglars can easily bust out a window and open your garage with the click of a button.

Lock garage entry doors.  If you live in a home with an attached garage, lock the door from the garage to the home when leaving for Christmas vacation.  Garage doors have been known to malfunction, or be manually forced up, allowing access to your home.

Trim shrubbery and trees close to your home.  Overgrown shrubs provide the perfect cover for a burglar working to pry open a window.

Do not leave remnants of Christmas morning by the curb.  Large appliance boxes and containers are a sign Santa was really good to someone in the neighborhood!  They are also a sign to theives that the house just got a new plasma television for Christmas.  Break down boxes and put them in cans or black garbage bags to conceal the products that were inside them.

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Use the buddy system.  It is always a good idea to shop in pairs as theives are less likely to target two or more individuals. 

Lock your gifts in the trunk.  An electronics store bag filled with goodies sitting on the back seat in plain view is tempting for a smash-and-grab burglar.

If shopping at an outdoor mall or outlet stores, consider moving your car when you drop off presents.  No one likes to lug around too many items from store to store, so most people return to their cars several times to drop off purchases and resume shopping.  When you do this, consider moving your car a few lanes away.  Thieves like to stake out parking lots for people leaving purchases in their car and returning to stores.  If they see you get in and drive away they will likely assume your shopping trip is over and look for another target.

Ask for a security guard escort.  If you approach your car and see an unsavory character staked out nearby, return to the store and ask for someone to walk you to your car.  Most store security personnel are used to this, so there is no need to feel embarrassed.  Besides, better to be safe than sorry!

Have keys ready, and don’t take your time getting in your car.  There is nothing I hate to see more than a single woman approaching her car while digging through a purse for her keys.  With her head down and her attention diverted she is such an easy target.  Find your keys before you leave the store and have them in hand.  Walk quickly and confidently to your vehicle, and unlock, enter and lock the doors in quick fashion.  Once safely inside you can verify receipts, store away purses, etc.

Park in well-lit areas.  If you know you will be shopping for a long time, anticipate coming out into a dark parking lot and look for light poles to park under.  Besides providing light, light poles also serve as a reference point in a crowded parking lot to remind you where you parked your car.

Parents, park next to the shopping cart return area.  When you are finished shopping it is nice to put Junior in the car seat and return the shopping cart one lane away, rather than walking fifty feet away with Junior alone in the car, or you toting him and three bags of groceries.

These are just a few things to keep in mind while out and about this holiday shopping season.  Actually, they are good tips for any time of the year, but especially during times when criminal activity is high. 

I’d like to hear from you.  Please add any additional holiday safety tips in the comments below.

Vinegar foot soak to remove dry skin.  This was a new one for me, but one I learned while visiting my mom in the hospital recently.  Nurses came in and asked if she wanted a vinegar foot soak. They poured up a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water, and dipped two bath towels in the vinegar solution. After wringing out the towels, they wrapped them around my mom’s feet and let them “soak” for about twenty minutes.

When they removed the towels and wiped her feet down with a fresh towel the dry skin practically fell off, leaving her skin smooth. I think she still deserves a nice pedicure when she leaves the hospital, but I was impressed by this frugal solution to dry skin.

Substitute for expensive rinse aids in dishwashers. I learned about this vinegar tip from Amy over at MomAdvice.com.  Skip the Jet Dry and simply put some vinegar in the rinse aid compartment of your dishwasher.  Dishes will come out “squeaky clean” and without streaks. If you are skeptical of this one, note the primary ingredient in commercial rinse aids is, what else, vinegar!

Clean trackball computer mouse.  I use a Logitech TrackMan Wheel mouse at home and my lone complaint about the device is that over time dust and lint accumulates under the trackball and impedes its movement.  Disconnect the mouse, remove the trackball and use a soft cloth dampened in a 50/50 vinegar-water solution to wipe off fingerprints, dust and accumulate grime from the trackball itself.  Then use a cotton swab or Q-tip moistened in the same solution to clean out the little chamber the trackball is housed.  Let parts dry about two hours before replacing the trackball and plugging the mouse back in.

Removing mildew. We recently had some mildew build up in a hard-to-reach corner of our shower, and instead of using a costly commercial bleach cleaner, I had success with white vinegar. Simply apply a solution of equal parts vinegar and water to the mildew (for heavy build up you may need to try full strength vinegar). The nice thing about using vinegar is you don’t have the ventilation or skin irritant concerns you have when using commercial cleaners.

Remove stickers and window decals.  Vinegar is great for removing stickers and decals. Apply full strength vinegar to the sticker and let it sit for a few minutes.  Then scrape the sticker off using a credit card (preferably one you paid off!).

Make your car windows frost-free. In the winter I spend a few minutes each morning scraping frost from my windshield.  Inevitably, the later I am for work, the heavier the frost!  I am implementing this tip to save myself some time, and from potential frostbite on my right hand.  Spray windshields with a solution of three parts white vinegar to one part water. Each application can last up to several weeks.

Remove bad odors.  Have you ever had this experience?  We recently found a three-month old container of tuna fish in the very back of the refrigerator.  The smell was almost bad enough to peel paint from our kitchen walls.  Even after running it through the dishwasher it still smelled like seaweed rotting on a beach in July.  We soaked a slice of white bread in vinegar and left it in the container overnight.  Voila, no more bad smell!

Disinfect cutting boards and counter tops.  After chopping up chicken for tonight’s dinner, it is a good idea to disinfect your cutting board and surrounding counter tops to remove bacteria and bugs such as Salmonella.  Wipe them clean with full-strength white vinegar. The acetic acid in vinegar is an excellent disinfectant.

Freshen up your garbage disposal.  After a few weeks, garbage disposals start to smell a little like that old container of tuna fish as foods rot and bacteria grows.  Instead of buying those expensive disposal deodorizing tablets, make your own at home.  Mix equal parts vinegar and water and freeze in an old ice tray.  Drop a few cubes in the disposal once a week and flush with cold water.

Remove cigarette odors from suits and coats.  Ever been trapped in the same room with a smoker for a couple hours?  Chances are your coat or suit jacket now smells like cigarettes.  To eliminate the odor, fill a bathtub with the hottest water your water heater will produce and pour in one cup of vinegar.  Hang your suit or coat on the shower curtain bar and close the bathroom door overnight.  The smell should be gone by morning.  Warning, lock the bathroom door, or avoid this tip altogether if you have small children as a filled tub presents a potential drowning hazard. I keep this tip handy on trips, and have used it to remove wrinkles from clothing after unpacking my suitcase.

As I stated in the opening, this is only a partial list of the many household uses for vinegar.  Please share with us your frugal vinegar tips in the comments below.

Photo courtesy of geocam20000

Indoor Winterizing Tasks

1.  Have chimneys cleaned and inspected.  Blockages and buildup in chimneys can lead to dangerous conditions such as fires and inadequate ventilation.

2.  Consider a thermal insulating blanket for your hot water heater.  Hot water heaters are often the least-efficient appliance in your home.  This is especially true if your tank is store in an outdoor storage room or garage (as ours is).  When temperatures drop the tank has to work extra hard to keep the contents warm.  Consider adding a thermal insulating blanket for your hot water heat to insulate the water from surrounding temperatures.

3.  If your windows are not made of newer insulated glass, consider installing storm windows.  New, energy-efficient windows often two layers of glass with insulating air in between.  Older, single-pane models allow cold air to more easily seep in and make rooms feel cooler.

4. Add insulation to attics and crawlspaces.  Inadequate insulation in attics allows heat to rise up and out of your home, forcing heating systems to work harder to keep your home warm.

5. Install a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats allow you to automatically create a heating/cooling schedule for your home.  At night you can allow inside temperatures to drop down a bit, but warm things up just before the alarm clock goes off. Similarly, you can allow the temperatures to drop inside your hours when it is empty during the day, but warm things up before you arrive home from work. Here are some thoughts on the ideal thermostat setting for winter.

6. Arrange for a professional inspection of your furnace.  Just like automobiles require periodic maintenance, furnaces require servicing by a professional.  It’s worth the cost of a service call.

7.  If you vacation during the winter months, leave your heat on and set it to 55 degrees.  This will help reduce the chance of interior pipes freezing.

8. Install a carbon monoxide detector.  Gas-log fireplaces and furnaces can give off toxic carbon monoxide gases.  Follow manufacturer recommendations on placement of monitoring device.

9. Install fresh batteries in all smoke alarms.  We change the batteries in our smoke alarms twice a year, around daylight savings time changes.  It’s a good idea to periodically test alarms to be sure batteries are still working properly.

10.  Inspect fire extinguishers and recharge if necessary.  Replace any extinguishers older than ten years.

11. Insulate water pipes that may be exposed to freezing temperatures.  If water in pipes freeze, chances are the expansion will cause them to burst and you’ll be stuck with a huge bill from a plumber.

Outdoor Winterizing Tasks

12.  Caulk around windows to prevent cold air from seeping in around cracks.  If you are not sure your windows needed additional caulking, try the candle trick.  On a windy day, light a candle and place it near your window with indoor cooling/heating systems turned off.  If the flame flickers when a gust of wind picks up it is an indication air is seeping around your windows.

13. Clean gutters. A clogged gutter can lead to a flooded basement when snow melts and the water has no where to run off.

14. Drain garden hoses and turn off any outdoor water faucets.  Remove nozzles or sprayers from the end of garden hoses and be sure to drain any water left in the line.

15. Add some antifreeze to the base of portable basketball goals filled with water.  During winter months the water in the goal’s base can freeze and expand, cracking the base.  Purchase a brand of antifreeze that is safe for kids and animals just in case.

16. Inspect driveways and pathways.  Patch cracks with a cement or asphalt kit to prevent water from entering the cracks, freezing, expanding and creating even larger cracks.

17. Make sure you have a snow shovel, rock salt, sand and other tools for dealing with snow and ice on your property.

18. Stock up on firewood.  Store it at least 50 feet away from your home to prevent fire and termites from coming too close to your home.

19. Bleed the valves on any hot-water radiators.  Open slightly until water appears and close again.

20. Be sure there are no flammable materials stored close to your furnace.  This one seems obvious, but many fires are started during the winter months because of flammable items being stored too close to furnaces.

21. Inspect fireplace damper to make sure it is opening and closing properly.  One year, in our old home, the damper wasn’t opening properly, but we did not discover it until we lit a fire and the living room filled with smoke.

22. If you installed summer screens on doors and windows, replace them with the glass equivalents stored during the summer.  Adding the extra pane of glass back to storm doors will ad a layer of insulation against colder temperatures.

23. Drain gas from lawnmower and store for the winter.  It’s also a good idea to store the lawnmower or tractor indoors during extremely cold temperatures.

24. Consider a tune-up on snow blowers and other snow removal equipment.  A little preventive maintenance goes a long way for winter equipment.

25. Apply sealant to decks. Sealant helps prevent wood damage from extreme freezing/thawing cycles.

26.  Move potted plants inside, or closer to the home to prevent damage from freezing temperatures. The temperature near your home’s exterior walls will be a little warmer than out further in your yard.  It also helps to cover outdoor plants with a sheet to insulate them from sub-freezing temperatures.

27. Clean patio furniture and store it away from winter.  In some areas winter storms are often accompanied by high winds.  During these storms, outdoor furniture can be scattered about your yard (and your neighbor’s yard).  Since you won’t likely be using it, look for a place to store it until spring.

28. Check with manufacturer to determine if spare refrigerators or freezers stored in unheated garages are safe to operate at extremely cold temperatures.  Extra refrigerators and freezers are great for stockpiling grocery deals, but if the temperature drops below the inside setting of your refrigerator or freezer it can cause the unit to operate inefficiently.

29. Seal areas around dryer vents, cable outlets and mail chutes with a caulking gun. Look for cracks or holes around outdoor fixtures such as vents and outlets as these spaces allow cold air from outside to enter your wall space and make indoor heating less effective.

For additional tips, check out this post on preparing your house for winter.

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Although they may not be your largest monthly expense, your utility bills can certainly make life tough — particularly in the summer months when we seem to use more water and blast the air conditioner. Since things are heating up right now, it is a good idea to prepare for rising costs. Below are 10 simple ways to save money every month on your utilities.

1. Turn off the light as soon as you leave a room.
2. If you will be away from the house for more than two hours, turn off the air conditioner.
3. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
4. Water your lawn at dusk or after dark, as the heat of the sun will evaporate the water.
5. Use energy-saving, fluorescent light bulbs.
6. Hand wash large, bulky dishes to save room in the dishwasher.
7. Use cold water to wash your clothes. Cold-water detergent is now available in all major grocery stores.
8. Don’t linger in the shower.
9. Keep the thermostat at a reasonable level. Using ceiling fans can help the comfort level.
10. Don’t use an automated sprinkler system. Instead, only water your lawn when it looks thirsty, preferably with a soaker hose.

While the tips above won’t make you a millionaire, they will help you save money on rising costs this summer. Much of this advice can be applied to your life year round. However, it is during the warmest months that most of us really start to resent the incoming utility bills.

It is cheaper than Roundup. Many people are unaware of sawdust’s weed-killing prowess, particularly dust made from walnut and cedar wood varieties. The sawdust not only suppresses weeds similar to mulch or other cover products, but as it decays it creates soil conditions that are not conducive to plant life – even weeds. Carefully sweep sawdust into crevices you don’t want weeds or grass to grow, such as expansion joints in concrete or in between stepping stones in your backyard.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.  Around the holiday season a small pile of sawdust can be mixed with some glue and a little white paint, and used to coat your favorite holiday crafts to simulate snow. Add some glitter for a special holiday sparkle. This also works particularly well when creating a snowy ground for a small nativity scene or similar Christmas display.

Make your own sawdust briquettes to use as firestarters. Have you ever used those soap-like bricks of highly flammable gel to get a fire going? With sawdust and a few other products found around the house you can make your own fire starter briquettes. First, melt some wax in a large Teflon pot – candle wax will do the trick. Begin slowly adding sawdust until the mixture becomes less pliable. Pour up the hot wax/sawdust mixture in some non-stick muffin or cupcake pans and allow them to cool. Slide out the “cake” mixtures and voila, homemade sawdust briquettes guaranteed to get your wood-burning fire going.

Sawdust is super absorbent. Sawdust has fantastic absorbent quality, and soaks up just about any home spill, from motor oil to a bucket of paint. Stash some in your garage and throw it out over a spill if you kick over a can of motor oil. Push it around the spill with an old mop and watch it soak up the spillage.

Trade in those snowchains. This tip is particularly relevant for drivers that must battle snow and ice on their daily commutes. Sprinkling some sawdust in a snowy rut can help your car’s tires gain traction, and prevent the snow and ice underneath from growing further compacted. As a side benefit, it is biodegradable so you are not hurting the environment by throwing out some synthetic, commercial mixture.

The next time you create some sawdust, remember these tips before sweeping it up and trashing it.  You will save a little money and do your part to help the environment.

Image Credit:  steve_lodefink