OK so the bathtub or sink is clogged with hair and soap scum gunk and you need to get it unclogged cheaply but without using harsh chemicals. Here is what you need to do:

1. Remove the stopper on your sink or tub (these usually screw off)
2. Dump about 1 cup of baking soda into the drain and make sure you get it all in there.
3. Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar into the drain on top of the baking soda and quickly plug up the drain with a wet washcloth to hold in the bubbly science project in your drain.
4. Wait about 45 minutes to let the stuff do it’s job.
5. Remove the wet washcloth
6. Get a big pot of water (the bigger the better) boiling on the stove then carefully dump the boiling water into the sink or tub and this should flush the remaining bits of the clog away.

If this solution does not work, run off to your nearest hardware store and get your self a plumbers snake. They cost right around $10 to $20. Work the snake into your drain to remove the clog.

To prevent clogs in the first place, run a brush through your hair before bathing or showering to remove some of the loose hair that will end up in the drain, remove the stopper from the tub or sink about once a month or more frequent if you bathe dogs or have lots of hair in your drains and pull out any hair that you can reach with your fingers. A crochet hook with a larger sized end and hook can also be handy to use to pull hair out of drains too (I keep one in my cleaning supplies)

Tags: Baking Soda, Boiling Water, Clogged Drain, Drain, Household Tip, Vinegar, Water
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Contributed by member SwapSavers owner of www.swapsavers.com

Cook your own meals: The only way to truly know the calorie content of what you eat is to prepare the meals yourself. By cooking your own meals you can substitute for less fattening or lower calorie choices when necessary. Most recipes list calories, fat grams and other useful information to help you keep track of your daily intake. When you eat at restaurants or fast food places you eat more calories and fat grams since the portions are typically larger then what you would have at home. Furthermore it is difficult to keep track of calories or fat gram intake. Cooking at home is significantly less expensive then eating at restaurants or fast food places.

Drink Water: Tap water is free and free of calories. If you were to only drink water for a week you could probably save at least $20 or more depending on your current drinking choices. Most drinks contain 200 calories or more, whereas drinking water has zero calories. Water has numerous health benefits. By drinking water you eat less since people tend to think they are hungry when they really need water. Water helps your body to break down fat which increases fat loss.

Turn off the TV: If you eat meals while watching TV, you are often unaware of how much you eat. Research by Eliot Blass found, people eat between 31 and 74 percent more calories while watching TV. Most people watching TV are motionless which burns few calories. In terms of energy consumption, watching TV will cost you about $100 per year in your electric bill and your cable bill about $600 per year.

Workout with a friend: Working out with a friend will help you stay motivated and provides extra support or new ideas to keep your workouts interesting. You can carpool with your friend to the gym to save on gas.

Tags: Cooking, Loose Weight, Meals, Motivation, TV, Water, Weight Loss, Workout
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Dining out can be a nice treat once in a while but the cost of beverages can really blow the budget. Ordering water with your meal instead of a soft drink or alcoholic beverage can really save you a lot of money. The average cost of a soft drink at most restaurants is around $3.00. Figuring that you can purchase an entire 2 liter of name brand soda for $1.50 non-sale price is that cup really worth it? If you must have some soda, stop by your local grocery store and pick up a 2-liter bottle and the entire family can have a glass at home for half the cost of just one persons soda at a restaurant. The mark up on alcoholic beverages is even higher than soft drinks. So consider skipping the Margarita or glass of wine in favor of water, you will not only save a few bucks in your pocket-book but also a few calories!

Tags: Beverage, Dining Out, Frugal Living, Frugal Tip, Quick Tip, Soda, Soft Drink, Water
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