1. The dishes are not being rinsed properly.  For most modern dishwashers, you do not have to completely rinse your dishes – doing so is actually a waste of hot water and a waste of your time.  (Isn’t having a dishwasher supposed to save you time?)  That being said, there are a couple of types of food that do need to be completely rinsed off before going into the dishwasher.  Oatmeal, rice, beans – anything in the grain or legume family or dried on dough.  Experience tells me that you can wash a wooden spoon with dough on it 40 times and it still won’t come off.
2. The dishwasher is not being loaded properly.  I saw a picture the other day of someone’s loaded dishwasher.  It looked like she held all of her dishes 10 feet above the rack and just dropped them all in.  There were way too many dishes in the racks and there was no rhyme or reason to how they were in there.  She claims they come clean, but I have my doubts.
   • Don’t overload the dishwasher.  If you have that many dishes, do two loads or wash part of them by hand (or save the leftover dishes for the regular load the next day).
   • Point the dishes toward the center so that the spray can get to them.  Don’t put large items like cutting boards or cookie sheets in the center where they can block the spray.
   • When loading glasses, do not allow them to touch.  This can trap food between them and can also cause them to crack.
   • Point part of your silverware up and part of it down.  This helps keep them from sticking together and trapping food between them.
   • Make sure your items are secure so they don’t tip over during the wash cycle and fill with dirty water.
3. The water is not flowing like it should.  This can be due to the water pressure being too low, blocked holes, the blade not turning, or the water not draining.  A quick visual inspection of the bottom of your dishwasher should let you know if any of these are true.  Check all the holes where water comes in or shoots out of the blade to make sure there is no debris in them.  Also check the very center to make sure the contraption that shoots water onto the upper rack is able to move up,  down, and rotate.  Give the blade a turn and make sure it’s not caught on anything.  Lastly, make sure your drain at the bottom is not clogged, otherwise you make be circulating dirty water.  Clogs can also occur at the drain in your sink where the dishwasher hose is run.
4. The rinse aid is low or missing.  Not all homes will require a rinse aid, but we have hard water here and not using a rinse aid leaves my dishes disgusting.  If you have a dispenser, keep it full.  You can use commercial rinse aids or plain vinegar.  If you do not have a dispenser, you can get little hanging baskets at the store or you can add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Hopefully these little hints will help you to eliminate the need for rewashing dishes that come out of the dishwasher and save some frustration.

• In the summer, set your thermostat to 78°. To keep things from getting too warm, turn on a ceiling, box or oscillating floor fan.
• Pay special attention to the windows that face the sun. In the summer, keep the blinds or curtains closed and in the winter, open them as soon as the sun shines through them.
• Make sure to check the filters in your central air unit and change them as often as the manufacturer recommends. Not only does it let air flow more efficiently, but it’s also better for your health. This is an easy task to forget, so mark it on your calendar.
• Look into a programmable thermostat. Many times you can even get a rebate on them through your local utility provider.
• Weatherization is key to preventing drafts. Check around windows, doors, electrical outlets, places where plumbing enters the house, and fireplaces. If you feel air, there are several ways to prevent it. Learn to caulk, insulate and use weather stripping.

You’ll be surprised to see what a difference just a few simple tips can make. Not only will you be more comfortable with the temperature, but you’ll be more comfortable paying your utility bills.

In November our electric bill was $59.31.  This probably seems low to some of you, but for us, this is rather high for the winter months.  Our last bill decreased to $42.75 and our current bill was the biggest shock of all – $32.62!  There aren’t any other significant changes we’ve made to our electricity habits, so I will contribute the majority of the $27 decrease to our use of the CFL bulbs.

Not bad for a $6 investment!

Jitterbug Phone

First of all, there are just two basic phones – a one touch phone and a standard phone.  Additionally, they come in two colors – black and white.  I think this is great because I know the older people in my life become very overwhelmed when they have too many options.

Next, they’ve physically designed the phones for older users.  The ear piece is larger so that the sound is more clear, the display is larger so that it is easier to see, and the buttons are large and easy to read.  The downside is that the phones are about $150.  The upside is that there are no contracts because you pay full price.

Jitterbug Service

The service plans are a little more complicated to figure out, but if you know how many minutes you need, it is a bit easier.  You can either set it up like a prepaid phone service and add minutes or set it up like a standard phone service and once you use up your monthly minutes you pay overage charges.  The rates are pretty typical for a cell phone company, so no surprises here.

Additionally, you can add other family members or friends to your plan for just $15 and share your minutes.

My Opinion

Overall, I think this is a great product.  This type of service is great for the person who wants to have a cell phone “just in case” and only uses a small amount of minutes each month.   Especially wonderful is the easy to use phone – I know that trying to operate some of the modern cell phones has been very difficult for my grandparents.

We put them into our most commonly used lamps: the boys’ bedroom, the living room, the bedroom and the porch light. I was so impressed that we got a second pack of them and added one in our walk in closet. Where the last three wind up remains to be seen, but I’m quite glad we got these because they are beneficial for many reasons.

CFL Bulbs Save Energy

They use up to 75 percent less energy than a regular bulb.

CFL Bulbs Save Money

If you’re like me, you may be turned off by the initial cost. However, they more than pay for themselves due to the fact that they last up to 10 times longer than a regular bulb. Secondly, they use up to 75% less energy than a regular bulb. A 75 watt CFL only uses 18-25 watts.

CFL Bulbs Save the Earth

CFL bulbs produce less greenhouse emissions which can help reduce global warming.

The Downside

One of the only downsides is that CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury which means you cannot dispose of them in the trash and you have to take special precautions if one of them breaks. EnergyStar has a great article on how to properly dispose of and clean up spills.

1. Keep the air conditioner/heater turned down.
2. Use less water by installing a low flow shower head.
3. Air dry clothes when I can (especially large blankets & jeans which take forever to dry).
4. Keep my dryer filter clean and my change my furnace filter regularly.
5. Turn off lights/appliances when I’m not using them (just today I had go around after my husband and kids and turn off SEVEN lights).
6. Keep the tires on my car inflated to the proper level.
7. Use the air conditioner in my car sparingly.
8. Keep my car tuned up.
9. Use the cruise control whenever possible.
10. Try not to let my car idle anymore than I have to.
11. Shop at the Dollar Store BEFORE I shop anywhere else.
12. Catch movies on video rather than in the theater.
13. Buy books from thrift stores for a buck.
14. Get magazines from retailers who give me an extra 10% off.
15. Order fast food off the dollar menu.
16. Make my grocery list based on which foods are on sale that week.
17. Make my own snack packs by putting cookies and chips into small snack bags.
18. Make lunches out of leftovers from the night before.
19. Drink water instead of soda (ok, I wish I could do this more, but I’m an ADDICT).
20. Eat fruits and veggies that are in season.
21. Save Starbucks for special occasions
22. Split a meal with my kids when we eat out.
23. Clean everything with vinegar and water (the stuff is amazing!).
24. Recycle all of our plastic, glass and aluminum.
25. Regift anything that I receive and don’t need.

Water conservation is a great example. Here in Southern California we are in a drought and I hear countless ads on the radio urging people to conserve water. I don’t think that is going to be enough to get people to ration their water more wisely – but we’ll see.

Here are 10 ways to save water (and therefore money!):

1. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
2. Run your washer or dishwasher on a shorter cycle. (Nine times out of 10, your stuff will come out just as clean)
3. Fix all leaks – it usually will just take a washer to fix it. They are very inexpensive and a novice can replace one.
4. Replace your showerhead with a low flow showerhead. Again, a simple fix.
5. Rinse all of your dishes at once instead of letting the water flow while you wash others.
6. Check to see if the flap on your toilet leaks. Put a couple of drops of food coloring into the tank and see if the color leaks to the bowl. Flaps are super cheap and super easy to install.
7. Water your lawn less – 5 minutes will do just fine. Even more important – turn your sprinklers off when it’s raining!
8. Put containers out when it rains to collect water for watering plants.
9. Install faucet aerators to your faucets to restrict their water flow.
10. Don’t let the water run while you’re washing your car.