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Ever wonder what to do with this amazingly popular stuff?! Coconut Oil that is…it is an amazing product that you can use for a LOT more than just cooking. It’s also extremely good for you so be sure to try and get in as much as you can. 😉 You can pick some up here on Amazon too!

Check out the ideas below:

#1 – Shaving Cream: If you are one of the Robertsons (of Duck Dynasty fame) who somehow got their hands on this list, you can ignore this step entirely (as we all know those beards aren’t coming off anytime soon). However, if you don’t own a successful duck call business, this part might serve you pretty well since the rest of us all need to shave once in a while. Coconut oil can serve as a pretty fine substitute for shaving cream when you’re getting ready to go to work in the morning. Also, if you rubbed the electric razor a little too hard on your skin, coconut oil can also serve as a fine after shave lotion.

#2 – Leather Cleaner and Protector: Alright, Dad’s going through a mid-life crisis. He’s gone out and bought a Harley, got his hair all spiked up and, most horrifying of all, he’s bought a tacky leather jacket. Now, as much as you love him and respect his choice of lifestyle, you are more than a little angry he has no knowledge about caring for that new jacket of his. Thankfully, he also bought several tubs of coconut oil in his lifestyle changing haste, and these tubs will now (unfortunately) save your dad’s  new jacket, as coconut oil serves as a fine leather treating substance.

#3 – Oil For Wood Bowls and Boards: If one doesn’t maintain their woodware properly, the consequences can be rather irritating. Some pretty serious stains can settle in, and smells can linger a lot (I’m not joking; you can be eating a nice salad and you have a chance of catching a whiff of that fish from last week). Coconut oil can serve as a great way to get these tough stains and smells out of your favorite wood bowl and off your usual cutting board. Just use it as you would any other wood treating oil; a fine, thorough rub into the wood and your woodware is fresh once again.

#4 – Lubricant: Ok, if you remember our dad from back at #2, he came home with a Harley-Davidson that’s seen better days. The thing squeaks so much, you’d think he brought rats home with him in that spikey hair of his. Now, the problem is, the police are finally getting on you about these claims of “noise pollution” coming from the garage down in the basement; so you have to clean the thing up because your father’s not here because he’s hanging out with bikers who are half his age. Well, forget the WD-40, as coconut oil serves an extremely effective lubricant, which is just what you need to keep things quiet while your father continues going through this James Dean-esque phase (DISCLAIMER: “Rebel Without A Cause” was a pretty good movie).

#5 – Impromptu Neosporin: Accidents happen a lot around the house in this day and age. Little Jimmy can scrape his knee playing on the play set in the backyard, Frank can give himself a little cut playing with the engine block of the family minivan, etc. Thankfully, coconut oil can keep those minor scrapes from developing into worse things, like infections. Just dab a little of it over any cut, scrape, or scratch and put a Band-Aid on top of that injury. An added bonus is that it smells a lot better than anything you could pick up at the drugstore on the corner.

#6 – Mouthwash: Just ask your children, Agent Cool Blue isn’t the tastiest thing in the world, and even you can attest about the taste of the Listerine on the counter. Now, what if you had something that generally didn’t taste terrible, what if you had something that might actually taste pretty GOOD while your swishing it around in your mouth, getting all the gunk and goo cleaned out? Coconut oil my friend; just toss it around in your mouth for a good 10-15 minutes in the morning to clean your mouth up a bit. When all is said and done, just rinse the leftovers out with water and spit.

#7 – Deodorant: (DISCLAIMER: I’m seriously starting to expect that anything in this world can be used as deodorant; I could honestly write an entire list of all the stuff I’ve seen that can be used as deodorant.) Now, here’s something really unique you’d never expect out of coconut oil; it can also be used as deodorant! Who would’ve thought, huh?! In all seriousness, though, coconut oil is an extremely effective tool that can keep your son’s pits sweet-smelling, and if used in conjunction with baking soda, it can be even more effective. Just massage it in and things will smell a lot less like a gym locker room on a bad Tuesday.

#8 – Moisturizer: While some of the moisturizers we buy at stores smell pretty good, some smell like someone just scooped up some sludge from a pit in Mexico. Some of us don’t want to pay the high prices for the expensive moisturizers. Luckily, most people like the smell of coconut, the mere scent of which invokes images of Hawaiian beaches and Caribbean shores. Thankfully for you, coconut oil is a nice, natural moisturizer that you can use on anything from dry elbows to chapped lips!

#9 – Energy Supplement: Energy drinks lift us up, but they eventually bring us down even lower than when we started. Sometimes a real pick me up is needed to get us through our busy lives. This is where our fine palm-tree-borne friend comes into play. Coconut oil has been proven to give men and women alike nice bursts of energy when things are getting pretty darn droopy-eyed. So, when that heart-attack inducing (It’s been proven by science, can’t argue with that) energy drink starts eyeing you from across the desk, remember to try and slip yourself a small bit of coconut oil and see how that works out (Hey, at least it probably won’t send you to the ER).

#10 – Athlete’s Foot Combatant: You know, with the amount of products that claim to keep Athlete’s Foot at bay, you’d wonder how all of those fancy foot cream companies aren’t out of business these days. Coconut oil also works well at keeping Athlete’s Foot away. A quick massage of the stuff on your foot and you’ll be good for a while.

10 Ways To Make Your Groceries Last Longer

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10 Ways To Make Your Groceries Last Longer

No matter how or when you grocery shop, everyone is always looking for more ways to save money and make our budgets stretch further. Another way we try and save money is to make our produce and grocery items last longer on a single shop. That is not always an easy task, but luckily there are ways to make your groceries stretch farther at home with a few helpful tips! Check out the ideas below for 10 ways to make your groceries last longer:

1. Whole Fruits & Vegetables: One great way to keep fruits and veggies fresh for longer is to avoid cutting and slicing. If you keep your produce in full form, it won’t go bad or mold nearly as fast!
2. Bread Care: A really great way to keep bread in the house for longer is by freezing it! If you are buying a few loaves of bread or even buns, freeze what you won’t use right away and put what you will use in the fridge. This will help bread stay fresh and you will always have a freezer supply of bread whenever you need it!
3. Seal & Care: For any leftovers, cut produce or any extra items you want to save, place them in air tight containers or mason jars. This will keep them alive for a few extra days and you will be able to see into your containers to avoid any waste.
4. Isolate Bananas: If you notice your fruit dying quickly when surrounded by bananas, there is a reason this happens! The bananas give off gasses that will kill produce faster, so when you can keep them separate do so or even better use a banana hanger for maximum freshness and air circulation.
5. Bottle Storage: Items like green onions and chives can go bad quickly! To avoid this, cut up the produce and place in an airtight plastic bottle. These items will keep for a few weeks and because they are pre cut it will make seasoning super easy!
6. What You Need: It’s really important when shopping to only buy what you need. Make sure to pre plan what you need to make it through till the next grocery shop and avoid overbuying items that may be wasted. This is especially important when it comes to fresh produce.
7. Clean Fridge: When it comes to making food last longer, your fridge plays an important role. If you load groceries into a fridge that has had any type of mold or leftover food in it, it can actually get to your fresh groceries and kill them faster. So make sure to give your fridge a quick clean with a gentle cleaner before you load new groceries in.
8.   Cover Herbs: Herbs are usually one of the first items to go bad! To avoid this make sure to cover your herbs with a plastic bag and a rubber band. This will keep them fresh for up to a few weeks.
9. Bad Apples: Did you know that one apple can make the whole bunch go bad? If you notice you have a bad apple in the group, remove it right away. One rotting apple can take down a whole bunch if you’re not careful!
10. Paper Towel Lettuce: When storing lettuce, it is best to add a piece of paper towel or two. By doing this you will remove the moisture in the lettuce and keep it fresh for up to a few weeks longer.

6 Ways To Use Wine Corks

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6 Ways To Use Wine Corks

Do you love to have a glass of wine at the end of a long day? Most of us do, but do you ever think about saving the cork? Wine corks actually have some pretty great, practical uses and it doesn’t take long to collect them. Once you start collecting corks you can use them in the kitchen, in DIY projects and even around the office! Check out the list below for 6 ways to use wine corks:

1. Spout: If you need a spout for a fast pouring bottle, try using a wine cork! Simply, cut a small slit out of your cork leaving just enough room for liquid to come out. Fit the cork the bottle and you’ll have full control on how much your pouring at once!
2. Card Holder: If you want to make a cute and easy card holder, try this quick DIY project.  Simply choose your favorite wine cork and slice it halfway through. For more stability you can shave off a little on the bottom as well. Now you have a business card or place card holder to use in the office or at dinner!
3. Doors & Furniture: Slice wine corks and attach them to the feet of your furniture to avoid scratching your wood floors when moving items around.
4. Cupboard Slam: To avoid the dreaded slam of cupboard doors, use wine corks! Similar to above, slice your corks into small rounds and attach them to the inside of your cupboard door. This will prevent them from slamming and won’t cost you anything to create.
5. Garden Mulch: For easy DIY garden mulch use old wine corks and your food processor! Simply grind up the corks with your processor and spread the corks around your garden beds. This will help the beds retain moisture and grow strong!
6. Vase Filler:  If you are looking for ways to decorate with wine corks, try using them as vase fillers. Whether you are using them in the bottom of a cut flower arrangement for height or using them to fill decorational jars up, they look so great and it won’t cost a thing!

DIY Screen Cleaner

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DIY Screen Cleaner

We all love our electronics and most likely use them on a regular basis. But after a while they start to get covered in dust, pet hair and fingerprints and eventually are ready for a clean. But what is the best way? Well, there are some cleaners on the market that work great but come in a small bottle and cost upwards of $8-$15 dollars. For most that is just not a feasible add in when you are trying to budget, so what is the next best option? Not so surprisingly you can make your own DIY screen cleaner at home and you can save a ton of money! Check out the instructions below to create your own DIY screen cleaner:

Ingredients:

• Rubbing Alcohol
• Distilled Water
• Microfiber Cloth/Soft Cleaning Cloth
• Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. This might be the simplest DIY yet! Simply, pour equal parts of the isopropyl alcohol and distilled water into the spray bottle. Secure the spray top.
2. Mix the solution slightly and it will be ready to use! Make sure to spray the solution on your cloth first and then wipe down any electronic screens for a sparkling result!
   **Please note: This solution is not suggested for Apple products. Also please make sure your device is turned off before cleaning.