Posted on 11/21/2014 7:52:29 AM PST by SeekAndFind
I spend a lot of my time mulling over the large purchases in my life.
And for good reason.
Still, I tend to forget about the small, everyday things that matter most and have the power to make life a whole lot easier.
The following household items are extremely useful and — better yet — each costs less than $10.
1. Chip clips I don't know why it took me so long to purchase a set of inexpensive chip clips for our kitchen. We end up using them for far more than just sealing bags for freshness. Use magnetic clips to stick to-do lists and bills up on your refrigerator — you'll save the $10 you spent to buy them in avoided late fees.
2. Reusable coffee filter If you're a coffee-addict like my husband, you'll want to invest in a reusable coffee filter to make your morning brew. You can find one fit most coffee makers on the market for less than $5. In other words, it'll pay for itself in a couple months of use.
3. Compact fluorescents Haven't yet switched your bulbs to compact fluorescents? Now's the time. These bulbs use far less wattage than traditional lights, yet they give off the same amount of glow. They'll last longer, too (the ones in the link are guaranteed for nine years!).
4. Plastic jar lids I'm that person who uses Ball jars for absolutely everything. I can tomatoes in them, I drink from them, I store bulk foods in them, I organize bathroom items (like cotton balls) in them, and I even started freezing foods in them. These plastic jar lids are extremely useful for all these purposes and easy to clean.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
And if they break you are exposed to toxic mercury vapor.
I thought Parks was going to reverse the manufacturing ban on incandescent bulbs if Boehner made him head of the EPA committee?
Funny, we had one too and we also thought it was a pain to use and not worth it.
All cloth towels in the kitchen.....and not to presume “happy home-maker”
Ever tried wiping water off a counter and just been pushing around smaller and smaller drops? Between the sizing chemicals to make colors bright and fabric uniform, and dryer sheets, cotton is not nearly absorbent as it can be.
Cheap, all cotton, white towels....soaked in strong bleach mix, washed with plain (no softeners) detergent and hottest water (removes food fats which also affect absorbancy), and line dry (a dryer that has used dryer sheets is a dryer sheet dryer...??).
Flour sack towels are preferred.
KYPD
LOL! I can't even remember the last time I saw one.......
Put a basic flashlight on your shopping list today. Too many of us realize we need one when the lights go out. It's a cheap addition to your home's emergency kit, and even a small one will light your way just fine.
Read more: http://www.wisebread.com/16-home-purchases-for-under-10-that-are-well-worth-the-money#ixzz3Jj5JKiwv
Stay out of Malibu, deadbeat!
Chip Clips don’t kick Dan Rather’s ass.
A donation to FR can be as little as you like!
Three on body with two in backpack.
Keeping your powder dry!
Cheers
Paper towels have a purpose. Cloth towels can get drab and discolored, so you still need paper towels for spills. Also, cloth towels need time to dry. Nothing worse than trying to dry you hands on a wet towel that just dried the lettuce.
hot glue gun (number one most useful thing for under $10.00)
large bottle super glue (good for liquid bandages)
earbuds to listen to PC without disturbing others
PC hands-free headset for my computer consulting business (the cheap Panasonic one is WAY better than expensive Plantronics)
generic neosporin from Walmart
megapack of zip ties from Harbor freight when on sale
megapack of bungee cord tie-downs from Harbor freight when on sale
old fashioned box cutter that uses single edge razor blades
100 pack single edge razor blades from harbor freight
ReliOn digital thermometer from walmart
packs of LED flashlights when on sale at Costco
(BTW, I think reusable coffee filters suck.)
1. Plastic zip ties have replaced velcro as my favorite invention to use in the house, outside the house and with all types of outside sporting activities.
I use the zip ties (all different sizes) for inside the house, outside, in my wife’s gardens areas, to attach her roses and other taller plants to plastic growing stakes driven into the ground.
Zip ties enable me to do a lot different things with our two kayaks. Some stay doing their thing, until they age, wear out or break, and others may only stay for one outing. I can attach various pieces of equipment/electronic gear needed for one trip or several trips. Sometimes after attaching something, I decide to remove it or place it some where else on the yak. So I just cut the strip and remove or move the gear.
I keep all sizes of Zip ties in my yaks, in my truck, my wife’s car, in my wife’s garden tool area and in our house.
2. Band Aid scissors with the round tip on one blade and rubberized finger slots are used daily to open the damn packages that are hard/impossible to open. We keep a set in our master bath, laundry room, inside tool area, my outside tool area, kitchen and my wife’s garden tool area. The rounded tip keeps from harming what is inside the bullet and human proof wrapping. They last forever, and I sharpen the cutting blade on and inverted ceramic coffee mug.
3. Sturdy and good size ceramic coffee mug with a good size handle. See #2 above re sharpening the band aid scissors. Every sharpener we have bought or been given just doesn’t work.
I learned how to sharpen knives with an inverted coffee mug from a fishing guide. I sharpen every cutting tool from expensive knives in sets, special boning/fillet knives and pocket knives. Go to YouTube and check out sharpening knives with an inverted ceramic coffee cup. It is easy, fast and safe to use an inverted ceramic cup to sharpen your knives.
4. White and black hard rubber mallets. Use the white one inside to avoid marking stuff and the black one outside. Outside I use the black mallet to drive the hard plastic or wooden stakes into the ground to support roses to lemon trees. To even up things to satisfy my wife’s OCD re uneven items. The rubber mallets are safer to drive or straighten items than a regular metal hammer. They come in great when assembling new items that need a tap or two to get everything straight and in the right place.
5. The new adjustable push button Vise Grips with the yellow and blue handles. They can adjust to tighten or loosen small stuff to big stuff. We keep a pair in the kitchen, my inside tool area and in the back of each vehicle. We got them on sale for less than $10. They are more efficient re putting the power on to loosen or tighten bolts and similar items. They are easier on your hands, wrists and forearms than regular ViSe Grips
6. Craftsman adjustable crescent wrenches and multi socket wrench. Again you can get these on sale for $10 or less. The sets and a the new Vice Grip stay in our vehicles and my main tool area. They have basically replaced any other wrench.
7. Sturdy/ adjustable screw cap and jar lid opener for the kitchen.
8. Wooden Clothespins to hang or secure cloth or plastic.
9. The zip shut clear plastic bags which hold new linen and other cloth items. They are free and can be used for a lot of things. Recently we attended a game at Levi Stadium, which limits carry in items to a clear plastic bag no bigger than a certain size. We couldn’t find the official bag here, the Official bag costs over $15. We took two of our free bags, and now a lot of people will be using them. I use them to store various seasonal outdoor sporting good items. I can see what is in them with opening a container that I can’t see through.
10. The tennis ball size laundry drying balls with the little knobs on the exteriors, mentioned in this article. Besides cutting down on drying time with the heavier damp items, we use them to exercise the bottoms of our feet. Both sides of our families get plantar fascia problems. This works, when we roll them on the bottom our shoe less feet over a rug or carpet, a couple of times a day. At first I was laughed at by my family. Now everyone who has pf problems uses these balls. After a week or so of using them, just throw them in the washer with the towels and stuff, wash everything and throw it all in the dryer. Then the balls are clean and ready to use for another week or so.
Some nice tips. Thanks for posting.
Thanks. I will continue to buy the old fashioned bulbs until I can’t.
We will start using LEDs in hard to replace bulbs and where they might be on for several hours at a time.
(1) If you haven't used the plastic bags for diapers or cat poop, you can take them back to the store and toss them in the handy recycling bin.
(2) Freep the environment and the Manbearpig it rode in on.
I milk my cat and use the milk in my coffee. Tastes kind of wierd, but saves money.
Depends on your lighting needs.
I use 6500K CFL’s in the kitchen and bathroom. The cold clinical white light lets one get tasks done faster.
I want warm light in my living and bedroom. I find for the living space a mix of white LED lamps, 4100K and 3600K lamps work very well. Its a light yellow that’s instantly relaxing without the dingy yellow produced by 2700K light bulbs.
I absolutely cannot stand Reveal CFLs - at 2500K they throw off a harsh pink light that’s just unbearable to look at for even a short period of time.
In my bedroom, a mix of 4100K and 5000K seems like the best balance of yellow and daylight lighting.
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