123 Tips

Coat area liberally with lotion. Rub with the back of a cold spoon vigorously for as long as you can stand to, changing out spoon for new cold one every 10 minutes. Recommended time for this treatment is 45-60 minutes.

Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup warm water, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup baking soda in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Pour this paste under the running water while drawing the bath. Very soothing to dry, itchy skin.

This trick works like magic and kids love it.

Aluminum foil
Baking soda
Salt
Very hot water (can be boiling if you like)
Combine the above ingredients in a clean kitchen sink. Put your tarnished silver and silver-plated items into the sink and let set for a few minutes. Watch as the tarnish disappears from the silverware and reappears on the foil. This is a natural chemical reaction, and a great way to teach the kids some science!

Note: This trick works so well that it will clean out the nooks and crannies that give some silverware the “aged” look, so you may only want to do this occasionally.

When you redecorate a room, it’s a good idea to take a piece of poster paper and staple a sample of the fabric you have used, a piece of the wallpaper and the paint chip that you’ve used in that room. Also, list on the posterpaper the dimensions of the room and even the measurements of your furniture. This way, when you find something you think may work in that room you’ll have everything at your fingertips, whether its a new slipcover (you’ll have the furniture measurements), or a new pillow (you’ll have the color), etc. Keeps you organized and a time saver!

PVC, Vinyl, Aluminum, and Chain Link Fence Installation

If you are lucky enough to have a chest freezer, the best way to organize is to make one stack for each of pork, hamburger, steaks, roasts, chicken, etc. And, always keep them in the same spot. You can put frozen veggies and such in the baskets. This should save time having to rummage around through your freezer looking for what you want.

Even if you don’t have a huge kitchen you can still have   pantry. Look around your house. Do you have a basement, garage or even a closet? Decide on a place and use it! Hang more shelves if you need. But use it for when the bulk items at the store or the pots and pans you use only once a year.

Clear the clutter. Look around your house. Has the clutter–the junk–taken over? Do you waste valuable hours rearranging the clutter? Pitch it instead! Set aside an afternoon to concentrate on de-cluttering one area of the house (don’t try to do it all in a single day!) Set a timer and do it 15 minutes at a time so it doesn’t become so overwhelming. Then, hold a yard sale, give it to charity or simply throw it out!

Coordinate your shopping trips–make one trip to three or four stores at the same time rather than three or four separate trips. This not only saves time, it means less time in stressful traffic.

The Earned Income Tax Credit is for people who work, but have lower incomes. Here are some things you may not know about the EITC.

1. A quarter of all taxpayers that qualify don’t claim the credit. The Earned Income Tax Credit is money you can use to make a difference in your life. Just because you didn’t qualify last year, doesn’t mean you won’t this year.  As your financial situation changes from year-to-year you should review the EITC eligibility rules to determine if you qualify.

2. If you qualify, it could be worth up to $4,800 this year. If you qualify, you could pay less federal tax or even get a refund. The EITC is based on the amount of your earned income and whether or not there are qualifying children in your household.

3. Your filing status cannot be Married Filing Separately. Your filing status must be married filing jointly, head of household, qualifying widow or single.

4. You must have a valid Social Security Number. You, your spouse (if filing a joint return) and any qualifying child listed on Schedule EIC must have a valid SSN issued by the Social Security Administration.

5. You must have earned income. This credit is called the “earned income” tax credit because you must work and have earned income to qualify. You have earned income if you work for someone who pays you wages or you are self-employed.

6. Married couples and single people without kids may qualify. If you do not have qualifying children, you must also meet the age and residency requirements as well as dependency rules.

7. Special rules apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces in combat zones.  Members of the military can elect to include their nontaxable combat pay in earned income for the EITC. If you make the election, the combat pay remains nontaxable, but you must include in earned income all nontaxable combat pay you received.

8. You can visit the IRS Web site to estimate your credit online. It’s easy to determine whether you qualify for the EITC. The EITC Assistant, an interactive tool available on IRS.gov, removes the guesswork from eligibility rules. Just answer a few simple questions to find out if you qualify and to estimate the amount of your EITC. You will see the results of your responses right away.

9. E-file programs will figure the credit for you. If you are preparing your taxes electronically, the software program you use will figure the credit for you. If you qualify for the credit you may also be eligible for Free File. You can access Free File through the IRS Web site at IRS.gov.

10. Advanced Earned Income Tax Credit. You don’t have to wait until you file your tax return to receive your EITC. Advance EITC is a portion of the EITC that qualified workers may be able to receive in advance payments, added to their wages throughout the year. For more information, see Form W-5, Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate.

Make a list of who to call when you need repairs or maintenance. Having it available can save a lot of aggravation and money.