Odd Cents

Uses of Witch Hazel

2013-01-20T10:10:06Z

There are several used of witch hazel [Image Credit]

Growing up I could remember one of my cousins professing the greatness of witch hazel. I can vaguely remember my grandmother keeping a bottle of the stuff on her nightstand. I can only imagine that she was well versed on the uses of witch hazel, but I was not interested. I was not a very inquisitive child, so I never investigated the contents of the bottle. But then again, with a name like “witch hazel” I would have been turned right off, scared of what might have happened if I dared to touch.

However, I’ve come to discover that the witch hazel that most of us are familiar with is a derivative of the witch hazel bush. There are different types of witch hazel plants, but the species generally grows between nine to twenty-six feet and in extremely rare cases, thirty-nine feet. The plants are used for ornamental purposes, but some types are grown for their leaves and bark which is used to produce the astringent known as witch hazel oil.

Witch hazel is used in many health and beauty products in one form or the other and can be used in the following ways:

Natural astringent. One of the most popular uses of witch hazel is as a natural astringent. It has been used to treat skin conditions, specifically acne. I can remember seeing my cousin pouring the liquid onto some cotton wool and applying it to her skin.
Treats bruises, sprains and cuts. Witch hazel has been known to speed up the healing time of bruises, sprains and cuts. It can also relieve the pain due to these injuries and is often combined with other ingredients like rubbing alcohol to aid in treatments.
Anti-Itch Treatment. Similarly to calamine lotion, witch hazel can be used for the treatment of itching caused by chicken pox, poison ivy and sunburn.

So, the next time you walk through your supermarket or pharmacy and you see a bottle of witch hazel, think of these wonderful benefits. You’ll probably be surprised when you see how reasonable it is, especially with its many uses.

For additional information on the uses of witch hazel, please visit:

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Benefits of Renting a Home

2013-01-03T10:06:17Z

A few benefits of renting a home [Image Credit]

It’s an argument that has been around for ages. Is it better to rent a home or buy one? I believe that the answer to the question lies with the person who is asking the question. A number of variables can go into providing an answer – location, property prices versus rental prices, age, etc. But you should note that renting might be better for some, whilst purchasing might be better for others. This article looks at some of the benefits of renting a home.

1. No maintenance responsibilities– Because your landlord owns the place, he or she is responsible for maintenance of the property. This includes anything from landscaping, burst pipes and leaky toilets. You are still responsible for keeping your apartment or home clean and tidy.

2. Little or no utilities – Although you might have the basic electricity and water utilities, many landlords include at least one or both of this in their rental fee. If you’re really lucky, you might get cable and solar power to power your home and heat your water too!

3. Added amenities – Depending on the area that you’re renting in, you might be able to benefit from some cool amenities like pools, gyms and entertainment areas. It might be a bit pricey to build your own home and include these luxuries.

4. You can move – If for some reason you don’t like the area that you’re renting or you want to move closer to work, you can easily give your landlord notice, pack up and move. This is a bit harder to do when you’ve bought a home.

5. Low up-front cash needed – When you’re renting a home, most landlords require a first and last month’s rent payment or a security deposit. This is usually minor when compared to the larger amount of cash required when making a deposit on a home.

Some people really don’t have a choice but to rent and in some situations it would be the smarter thing to do. Before you make a hard and fast decision about if you should buy or rent a property, do some simple calculations and go from there.

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A Look Back at 2012

2012-12-31T10:00:58Z

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Here is a quick recap of the posts written in 2012:

Thank-you for your support during 2012 and I wish you and your families and friends all the best for 2013!

Candied Apple Recipe

2012-12-27T10:02:31Z

Candy apples make a great gift for children. [Image Credit]

Whilst on vacation, I came up with the idea to make candied apples, decorate them and give them away to children at Christmas. This candied apple recipe fits into the affordable recipes category because the base ingredients are easy to find and they do not cost a lot. I found a great tutorial on Instructables, by scoochmaroo. There are photos, explanations and directions on how to make your candy apples successfully.

You will need:

6-8 Apples (of course!)
½ cup light corn syrup
2 cups of sugar
¾ cup of water
A few drops of food dye – This is optional, but it gives the apples a nice pop of colour.
Toppings of your choice (optional)– This is where you can let your imagination run wild. Toppings can include nuts, sprinkles, gummi bears, chocolate chips and everything in between.
Sticks – Skewers, popsicle sticks, or whatever you want to use to stick into the apples
Candy thermometer (optional)
A pot
Baking sheet or plate lined with wax paper

Directions:

Before starting on your candy, insert the sticks into the apples
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat and stir in food coloring.
Holding each apple by its stick, turn the apple in the syrup, to coat it evenly. Let the excess drip off into the saucepan.
Dip the apples in your desired toppings and then and then place on the baking sheet/ plate covered in wax paper to harden.

If you need more than these written instructions, please take a look at the following YouTube videos:

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Merry Christmas!

2012-12-25T14:17:07Z

From all of us at Odd Cents, to you, your friends and family, Merry Christmas!

What is Investing?

2012-12-25T14:17:57Z

Some of the more popular types of investments are stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate. [Image Credit]

What is investing? Investopedia gives the best definition of investing that I’ve ever read. It simply says that “investing means putting your money to work for you.” The intricacies are entwined in the ways that you put your money to work. There are several ways to invest your money or types of investments. Some of the more popular types of investments are stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate.

Stocks (equity)

Stocks are types of securities that are founded on equity. Investopedia defines a stock as a share in the ownership of a company. The more shares you own, the greater your ownership in the company is. By being a shareholder, you are entitled to a share of the company’s earnings (and losses). Shares are riskier than bonds because their value can fluctuate.

Bonds (debt)

Bonds are types of securities that are founded on debt. Investopedia explains that when you purchase bonds, you are essentially lending your money to an institution which is usually the government or a company. In return for you lending them money, they pay you interest on top of what they pay you at a pre-determined point in time (e.g. after 7 years)

Mutual Funds

Investopedia defines a mutual fund as a collection of stock and bonds. When people buy mutual funds, their money is pooled together and then invested in a mixture of stocks and bonds known as securities. These securities are managed by a mutual fund manager who acts on the clients’ behalf and purchases the securities.

Real Estate

When people invest in real estate, they hope to make money on their investment. Some of the ways to do this is by renting or selling the property. However, this can be complicated because of mortgages, property taxes, lawyer fees as well as maintenance costs. However, buying property at the right time can prove to be financially rewarding.

There are several other types of investing, but these are the ones that you will probably hear the most about. There are also options, futures, FOREX and gold investments, but these are a bit riskier and more complicated. For additional reading please visit Investopedia’s Investing 101.

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How to Teach Children Using Puppets

2012-12-25T14:18:37Z

You can master the art of using puppets to teach children [Image Credit]

Sesame Street, one of the stalwarts in educating young minds, has mastered the art of using puppets to teach children. I grew up on Sesame Street and I’m hoping that my children will benefit from the show and its many lessons. Over the years, the Sesame Street producers and actors have tackled many issues that children face.

Homosexuality, bullying, death and divorce are some of the more important concepts that come to memory right now. If you’ve ever noticed, most of these concepts have been taught using puppets. Elmo, Oscar the Grouch and Grover (these are the ones that I remember) are all puppets, controlled by talented human beings. You too can use this same method of puppetry to get ideas across to children.

I found a great article on Ehow entitled “How to Teach Using Puppets”. It lists the following steps, which I thought were extremely informative and a good starting point for those interested in puppetry:

Choose a theme that the puppets can teach – e.g. counting, manners, overcoming fears
Name your puppets based on what you are teaching – e.g. Happy Hank, Courageous Carl, Nice Nick, Mannerly Maria
Create voices for your puppets – e.g. larger puppets can have big voices, and smaller puppets can have smaller voices
Design an area for your puppet shows – e.g. make a puppet area or designate a specific area of the room
Use the puppets when teaching songs
Provide repetition with the puppet shows – e.g. Designate certain songs to certain puppets
Have fun when using the puppets – e.g. you can show children how to create their own puppets or let them use the ones that you have created

One of the things that I like about using puppetry to teach children, is that you can make your own puppets using the simplest materials. I can remember making my own puppets out of socks and drawing their faces using markers.

Inexpensive Entertainment Ideas

2012-12-09T15:15:12Z

A few inexpensive entertainment ideas for adults and children [Image Credit]

I’m always asked for inexpensive entertainment ideas for adults and children alike. People want to spend less, but still have fun. They want their children to have memorable experiences, but on a smaller budget. Is it possible to do this? If I’m cutting back on my spending, there is no way that I can squeeze out some extra pennies. Or is there?

Here are a few ideas that I’ve come up with, which can save you some money, but still create the “wow” factor.

Events for Children

When planning events for children, it’s important to note the things that children like. If you’re working with a tight budget, consider limiting the number of your invitees. Some popular inexpensive entertainment ideas for children are:

Sleepovers – You can invite a few children. Remember to make a note of any ailments and allergies.
Movie Nights – You’ll need a few movies and popcorn
Scavenger Hunts – Hide a few items around the house and award the winner of the hunt a cool prize
Picnics – An outing to the beach or nearby park is always a good idea
Games and Crafts – Children love to use their hands.

Events for Adults

When planning events for adults, it’s important to plan your event carefully. Events with the potluck element added can reduce your costs considerably.

Games Evenings – Bring out the Taboo, Bingo, Monopoly and Scrabble.
Barbeques – If you have a grill, you can cook anything from veggies to meat for your guests
Sporting Events – Attending a sporting event in a group is a great idea, especially when each person brings a dish.
Limes – The ultimate cool out event. All you need is some music, drinks, tidbits and good company.

The trick to inexpensive entertainment is to be creative. One of the best pieces of advice is to host your event “close to home.” Instead of taking your event outside, host it on your premises or at a friend. By not renting a facility, you can save hundreds and probably thousands of dollars.

Go from Inexpensive Entertainment Ideas to Frugal Lifestyle Tips

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Health and Beauty Benefits of Drinking Water

2012-12-09T15:09:14Z

There are several health and beauty benefits of drinking water [Image Credit]

Some of us take drinking water for granted. When we get thirsty, we prefer to drink a carbonated drink or some other sugar loaded beverage. Drinking water has long been touted as one of the best, healthy practices you can undertake. From personal experience I can tell you there are several health and beauty benefits of drinking water.

Water Hydrates The Body

Have you ever been in a situation where you were working extremely hard until your lips felt dry? You might not know this, but dehydration can set in really quickly when there is a lack of water in your body. Your organs need to be hydrated with the right liquids to function. When we sweat, our bodies lose water and it has to be replaced. Experts contend that drinking eight glasses of water a day will keep you hydrated and your organs in good working order.

Water Can Help With Acne

I had a medium to severe acne problem which I found difficult to cure. I would use all of the cleansers, toners, face washed and acne medication that I could find, but they all proved futile. I used to drink lots of sodas with my lunch and I decided to cut back on the sodas to save money. What happened was that my skin cleared up and I’ve been breakout free ever since. I later came to understand that water hydrates the inner layers of the skin whilst the products that I was using were hydrating the external layers only.

Water Flushes Out Toxins

The more water that you consume, the more toxins that can be flushed from your body. Our bodies are designed in such a way that they can get rid of those elements that can cause harm. Phenomena such as sweating, crying and urinating are ways that the body cleans itself. In order for the body to carry out these activities effectively, there needs to be water in our bodies. By drinking water, you are essentially helping the body to fight against any bacteria that might be lingering.

Because water can help to hydrate the body, clear up acne and rid the body of harmful toxins, one should be convinced of its benefits. Drinking water regularly should be complemented by a healthy diet, exercise and good habits.

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Growing Vegetables at Home

2012-11-30T14:03:26Z

A beginner’s guide to growing vegetables at home [Image Credit]

Growing your own vegetables is not as difficult as some might think. After all, many of us were hooked on Farmville and spent hours on end tending to our virtual crops. We would plant crops and time when they should be ready for harvesting. Maybe it’s time to turn some of that time and energy into growing vegetables at home.

Where to Grow Vegetables

The best thing about growing your own vegetables is that you don’t need a lot of space. If you have a little area outside of your home, you should maximize it as well as possible and get some stuff planted. If you live in an apartment, you can use the ever popular container garden. Growing vegetables in pots is the “in-thing” and you benefit because you have a manageable garden that can give you the right amount of crops.

Planning Your Garden

Before you rush out and buy seeds and seedlings, you should take some time to plan. The type of garden that you can accommodate at your home will help determine the type of vegetables that you can plant. Where your live will also be a determinant because all plants do not thrive in all areas. Also, you should decide whether you will be using seeds or plants that are already hatched. Remember to plant vegetables that you and your family eat, and consider the quantities to be planted.

How to Care For Your Garden

Using the right soil from the beginning is critical to the success of your garden. You should also have the basic tools which include a spade, fork, trowel and watering pot. These will be used throughout the life of your garden. You should tend to your garden regularly. This includes watering, weeding and using methods to control pests and insects.

I’m not saying that growing vegetables is an easy task, but it is rewarding and fulfilling. Not only can you feed your family, but you are guaranteed that your crops are pesticide free. There is also the added benefit of giving yourself a little workout as you tend to your crops.

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