Dog cookies are dog treats that look like cookies. Most dog treats look like they are made for dogs- they are brown colored and shaped like a dog bone. Some dog treats are tube-shaped and filled with meat flavored filling- obviously not something that would be confused with a cookie. But some dog cookies look just like real cookies.
Dog Cookies at the Pet Shop- I would eat something that looks like this!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
What is the Difference Between Dog Cookies and Regular Cookies?
The ingredients are the main difference between dog cookies and regular cookies. Dog cookies do not contain chocolate because chocolate is harmful to dogs. Sugar and corn syrup is also not included in dog cookies- these ingredients are bad for a dog's teeth since dogs do not brush and floss their teeth like people.
There are varieties of dog cookies that are gluten free for dogs that are sensitive to wheat products. You can also buy or make vegetarian dog cookies that use flavorings like peanut butter or sweet potato instead of beef or chicken.
Tray of Dog Cookies- these look like real cookies!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
What is in Dog Cookies?
The base of most dog cookies is eggs and flour. Dog cookies may also contain oat and rice ingredients such as oatmeal or rice flour. Flavoring for dog cookies may include peanut butter, beef broth, chicken broth, or other flavors that dogs like.
These Dog Cookies Look Like Ginger Snaps
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Dog Cookie Recipes- Make Dog Cookies at Home
You can make dog cookies and homemade gourmet dog treats at home. Below are links to a couple dog cookie recipes to make your own dog cookies with ingredients you can easily find at grocery stores or around the house:
Make Your Own Dog Cookies and Gourmet Dog Treats at Home
Image Courtesy of Rebecca Paliwoda via Wikimedia Commons
Are Dog Cookies Ridiculous?
My first impression when seeing the dog cookies at the pet store was that dog cookies are ridiculous. Do we really need dog treats that look like cookies? Do dogs care what their treats look like? But after further thought, I realized that dog cookies serve mostly to make humans happy. People have fun giving their dog treats that look like real cookies. This is sort of like giving your dog a collar with a cool design- the dog doesn't care what their collar looks like, but giving the dog a stylish collar makes the owner happy. I think dogs would enjoy treats of any shape or design. If making dog treats that look like cookies makes people happy, then why not?
Clearance Sales and Doorbusters- Surviving the Crowds
Tonight Walmart had a Black Friday Doorbuster event at 6pm on Thanksgiving evening. Even though I enjoy getting a great deal, I usually avoid such events. The crowds are not only annoying, but things can get tense as people jostle for spots in the parking lot jostle in the store to get to the items on the shelf. The lines are another source of tension- people are always trying to cut into the long lines for the checkout.
Crazy Doorbuster Sale Store Crowd at Walmart Black Friday Sale. This line goes all the way around the store in both directions!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
I could get an iPad mini for $299 and get a $100 Walmart gift card in the deal. That brings the price of the iPad down to $199 since I can use the Walmart for everyday items or for other gifts. My wife has been wanting an iPad for years and with this deal I can finally get one for her. They also had a new Xbox video game that was recently released for $20 off. Also a great deal. There was also a guarantee in place that if they ran out of items, you could get a raincheck and get the item for the sale price in time for Christmas. I decided to head for the big clearance sale event.
When I arrived at the Walmart parking lot, I could tell what kind of shopping experience I would be having. The parking lot was completely full. I had to park in the parking lot of a nearby store and walk about a block just to get to the Walmart. With the delay in parking, I arrived at the store at 5:59pm.
Walmart Doorbuster Sale Ad- These deals were too good to pass up!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
Store Crowd Survival
Inside the store, things got considerably worse. People were sort of lined up all over the place, some pushing carts full of stuff. It was not clear if people were trying to stand in line or if they were trying to shop. I was glad not to have a cart, so I could at least move around fairly easily to see what was going on. I headed to the electronics department to find the iPad mini. After winding my way through the crowd for about 10 minutes and reaching the electronics department, I found that there were no iPad minis in sight.
I found out that there was a method to the madness. I talked to a store employee who had a map. The special deals were set up at specific locations in the store. The iPad minis were in the automotive department. The video game special was in the deli department. This must have made sense to someone.
At the automotive department, you could wait in line for a wristband, and then wait in line to get an iPad mini. However, they were out of wristbands by the time I got there- this meant that the supply of iPad minis would be exhausted. I was able to pick up a card so that I could pay for the iPad mini and still get the special price and $100 gift card. Well worth the effort.
Next, it was off to the deli to find the video game deal. The line here wasn't too bad, and I picked up a game disc. I had both of the items I wanted, all that was left was to checkout.
The checkout line turned out to be huge. The people with carts loaded with stuff that seemed to be milling about were in a sort of checkout line that snaked all around the store and doubled back in places. It took awhile for me to figure this out, even after asking people in line and store employees. No one seemed sure what the lines were for or where the lines started. It took more than an hour to make it out with my two items.
Clearance Sale Crowd Outside Kohls Store
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
Was It Worth Fighting the Crowd at the Store?
Overall, it took about 2 hours to purchase the clearance items and I saved about $120. This works out to about $60 per hour for the extra effort to get a good deal. I would say that for me, it was worth the trouble. It is stressful not knowing how long it would take. While I was in the giant line for the checkout, there were times I thought I would be stuck in line until after midnight. But I got out of the store by 8pm after two hours of shopping excitement.
How to Survive Store Crowds at Clearance Sales and Doorbusters
Figure out how much money you will save, and decide if it is worth fighting the crowds or not. If you are saving $50 or more per hour, this would be worth it for most people. You can skip the sale if it will not be worth your time.
Prepare for other shoppers to be pushy, rude and cut in front of you at times. There is not much you can do about this, it is part of the clearance sale experience. Try to focus on all of the people who are not pushing you or cutting in line. Some of the people in the crowd were actually pleasant to talk with and helpful to figure out what was going on.
Stop and talk with a store employee as soon as you arrive to figure out how things work. This would have saved me some time that I wasted fighting my way back to the electronics department when the items I wanted were set up in the automotive and deli departments.
Prioritize the items you want to buy at the sale. If you start running out of patience, you can cut your shopping list short and go home early.
Have everyone in your shopping party carry a cell phone in case you get separated. You can have one person wait in the long checkout line with the cart and others can retrieve items and bring them to the cart, all coordinated via cell phone and text messages.
Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are a construction material that replaces traditional framing, insulation, and sheathing for walls and roofs. The Structural insulated panels consist of a sheet of oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood on the outside with a layer of rigid foam insulation in the middle and another layer of OSB or plywood on the other side of the foam insulation. The result is a panel that is structurally very strong and that has excellent insulation properties. The R-value of the SIPs can be increased by using a thicker layer of rigid insulation. The thickness of structural insulated panels typically ranges from 4.5 inches to 12.25 inches depending on the SIP manufacturer. The R-value of panels of this thickness typically ranges from R-16 to R-48.
Structural Insulated Panels- A layer of structural sheathing, a layer of rigid foam insulation, and another layer of structural sheathing
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
What Are the Advantages of Structural Insulated Panels over Traditional Construction Methods?
One advantage of SIPs is that they provide an airtight envelope for your building. This reduces cold air from coming in during the heating season, and improves the energy efficiency of a building. Since the SIPs are manufactured indoors in a factory setting, the quality and consistency of SIPs is very good. Traditional wall construction may leave rounded corners and gaps that allow air flow. Fiberglass insulation that is used in traditional construction loses some of its R-value at lower temperatures due to convective air currents in the insulation. SIPs do not lose R-value at low temperatures.
SIPs can be delivered that have chases for electrical wiring in the rigid foam layer. This eliminates the need to drill through studs to route wiring. SIPs come in various sizes ranging from 4 foot x 8 foot panels up to 4 foot x 16 foot panels to facilitate a variety of building plans. SIPs can be used in wall construction and in roof construction.
SIP construction usually results in buildings that are strong, quiet, and energy efficient.
Do Structural Insulated Panels Cost More Than Traditional Construction?
The material cost for SIPs tends to be higher than the material cost for studs, fiberglass insulation, and sheathing. However, the labor cost may be lower since the panels can be installed quickly, and there may be less material waste since the panels can be ordered in the desired sizes.
For a rough idea of the cost of SIPs, you can buy a 4 foot x 8 foot SIP that is 4.5 inches thick for about $125. A panel of this thickness provides an insulation value of R-16. You can get a panel 8.25 inches thick that provides R-32 for $150. Different manufactures of SIPs use different types of material and different quality material, so it is useful to check structural insulated panel specifications and prices from more than one manufacturer.
The energy savings from using SIPs may offset any increased cost of construction. The R-value and vapor barrier qualities of SIPs are considered to be very superior to traditional construction. Since the interior of the SIP consists of a solid material, there is no opportunity for air leakage or convective air currents though the structural insulated panel.
Structural Insulated Panels at a Construction Site: R-14 and R-18 SIPs
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
What Are the Disadvantages of Structural Insulated Panels?
As with any new technology, SIPs cost a bit more than traditional building materials. Another drawback is that it may take some work to find construction contractors who are experienced with SIPs. There are some special tools and methods required if you need to modify SIPs on the job site.
There are some considerations for installing cabinets into a structural insulated panel wall instead of a traditional wall with studs. Plywood may need to be attached to the SIP wall behind the cabinets, or additional fasteners may need to be used to attach cabinets directly to a SIP wall.
For SIP roof construction, some asphalt single manufacturers will not honor the warranty if singles are installed directly on a structural insulated panel roof. The roof can get slightly hotter and may reduce the life of the shingles. There are construction techniques to add a cool layer above the SIP, or you can use a different roofing material to avoid asphalt shingles.
Structural Insulated Panel Recommendations
Consider SIPs for your next construction project to reduce energy costs
Get an estimate from a contractor who has experience building with SIPs
Structural insulated panels are one of the preferred construction methods for building super high energy efficiency homes and commercial buildings
Windshield water repellent makes water bead up on your windshield, increasing visibility when driving in rain or snow. This is similar to the effect that you see with freshly waxed metal surfaces on your car. Visibility problems occur when water spreads out over the surface of your windshield. Water repellent makes water try to minimize its contact with your windshield. The result: water pulls into tight droplets that don't interfere as much with your visibility. Another benefit: water will blow off of your windshield without even using your windshield wipers. Water repellent also makes it easier for your windshield wipers to push water off of the windshield.
There are two ways to get the benefit of water repellent for your windshield: Rain X or car wax.
Windshield Water Repellent with Rain X or Car Wax
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Rain X Windshield Water Repellent
Rain X Windshield Treatment
There are a couple of Rain X products that you can put on your windshield to repel water to improve visibility in rain or snow. After application of Rain X, water beads up on the windshield instead of spreading across the windshield. I found that I don't need to use my windshield wipers unless it is raining fairly hard. Water stays beaded up and even blows off of the windshield while driving.
Rain X Windshield Treatment provides the water repellent treatment for your windshield. This liquid compound is applied to the windshield like car wax. After it hazes over, it wipes off and leaves your windshield water repellent for a few months.
Rain X 2 in 1
Rain X 2 in 1 Glass Cleaner and Rain Repellent sprays on and wipes off just like glass cleaner such as Windex. Like the original Rain X formula, Rain X 2 in 1 also leaves your windshield water repellent for better visibility in wet weather.
Use Car Wax as Windshield Water Repellent
When I used the original Rain X formula, it reminded me a lot of car wax. In fact, the effect of Rain X on a windshield is very similar to the effect of car wax on metal. I decided to try applying car wax to my windshield to see if it would provide the same water repellent effect as Rain X. My bottle of Rain X was long empty, and my windshield was making it very hard to see if there was any rain at all.
Use Synthetic Car Wax as Windshield Rain Repellent
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
I was a little nervous about trying car wax on my windshield. My fear was that the wax would get hazy and then be very hard to remove from the windshield. This turned out not to be the case- the wax went on easily and came off easily. I used Meguiars Tech Wax 2.0, which is a full synthetic wax.
I pulled my car in the garage with the windshield damp from driving in a light rain. I placed a small amount of synthetic car wax on a clean cloth and applied it to one half of the windshield in the same manner as waxing a car. I added a bit more wax to my rag and waxed the other half of the windshield. I had a light coat of wax evenly over the entire windshield. I allowed the wax to try and haze over for about 10 minutes. The wax came off of the glass windshield even easier than it comes off of the metal of the car body. It was very easy to remove the wax and it left the windshield looking very clean. The windshield felt very slippery to the touch.
How to use car wax as windshield water repellent:
Step 1. Clean your windshield and moisten it with a little water
Step 2. Apply a light coat of car wax to your windshield
Step 3. Let the wax haze over for about 10 minutes
Step 4. Remove the car wax with a clean cloth by hand- use a circular buffing pattern
Of course, I had to take the car for a drive in the rain to see how well car wax works as windshield water repellent.
Windshield with Water Repellent from Car Wax
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
The car wax worked great as water repellent. The water beaded up and blew off of the windshield without even turning on the windshield wipers. What an improvement! The result is very similar to using Rain X.
If you are using car wax on your windshield, avoid using any wax that has abrasives to avoid making tiny scratches in your windshield. Also, I would recommend buffing lightly by hand rather than using a power orbital buffer. Again, this is to avoid scratching your windshield. A final note, if you have small rock chips or scratches in your windshield, the wax can fill these in and turn white, making these imperfections more noticeable.
My windshield is in good condition, with only one very minor windshield rock chip. Overall, I think the results of using car wax as windshield water repellent worked very well.
Synthetic Motor Oil- Mobil 1
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
Conventional motor oil (also called regular motor oil) is refined from crude oil pumped out of the ground. Crude oil contains hydrocarbon chains ranging from very short (thin liquid) to very long (thick liquid or gel). During the refining process, the crude oil is separated into different thicknesses to create products for specific purposes. Even though the refining process creates petroleum products of similar consistency, there is still a lot of variability in the hydrocarbon chains that are contained in regular motor oil.
Synthetic motor oil is made in an industrial process. The specific length of the carbon chains can be controlled by the manufacturing process to create a more consistent motor oil. The result is that synthetic motor oil can withstand higher temperatures and is more slippery than regular motor oil. It takes a lot of energy and processing to make synthetic motor oil in a factory- this is why it costs more than conventional motor oil.
Advantages of Synthetic Motor Oil over Regular Oil
Regular Motor Oil / Conventional Motor Oil- Pennzoil
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
Synthetic motor oil is carefully formulated to function well for lubrication and heat transfer in the harsh environment on an automobile engine. Regular motor oil breaks down more quickly under the high temperature in an engine. Synthetic motor oil lasts longer- it continues to deliver effective lubrication and heat transfer to an engine longer than conventional oil.
The longer life of synthetic oil means that you could go longer between oil changes, potentially making up for the higher cost of the oil. This also has the advantage of contributing less waste to landfills and recycling centers. If you can go twice as long on an oil change, you are throwing away half as much used motor oil and half as many used oil filters.
Another advantage of synthetic motor oil is improved gas mileage. Synthetic oil is really slippery stuff and retains excellent lubrication properties for a long time compared with regular oil. Better lubrication means that you waste less energy on friction and get more efficiency from your engine using synthetic oil.
Disadvantage of Synthetic Oil
Sometimes Conventional Oil is Better...
In the early days, synthetic oil caused problems in many engines. The additives that condition seals inside the engine were not the same as in regular oil. Seals dried out when running on synthetic oil, and even newer engines would start leaking oil. This problem has been overcome by advancement in the formulation of additives to synthetic oil.
However, oil leakage is still a problem with older engines. Synthetic oil is so slippery that it leaks more easily in older engines than regular oil. My Honda Civic with about 170,000 miles had been running great on full synthetic oil- then it started leaking oil. After some research, I decided to switch from full synthetic to regular oil. The oil leaking completely stopped after changing from synthetic oil to regular oil.
Cost of Synthetic Oil vs Regular Oil
Synthetic oil costs about $8 per quart for name brands like Mobile 1. Regular motor oil costs about $5 per quart for name brands such as Pennzoil, Valvoline, and Quaker State. So, a rough estimate is that full synthetic oil is about twice as expensive as conventional oil.
What about Cheaper Synthetic Blend Oil?
Synthetic Blend Motor Oil- Motorcraft
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
Synthetic Blend is a mixture of synthetic oil and regular oil. The main advantage of synthetic blend is that it costs less than full synthetic oil. The cost of synthetic blend is about $6 per quart. The performance of synthetic blend oil is intermediate between full synthetic oil and conventional oil. You get some of the benefit of synthetic oil and pay some of the extra cost.
Is It Worth Spending More on Synthetic Motor Oil?
Synthetic Oil Recommended For Newer Cars and Highway Driving
My opinion is that if you drive a newer vehicle and drive mostly highway miles, using full synthetic oil is a good value. You get better protection for your engine, you get slightly better gas mileage, and you can go a bit longer between oil changes. All of these benefits are possible because of the increased performance of synthetic oil relative to regular oil.
The extra cost of synthetic oil can be largely offset by going slightly longer between oil changes than you would if you were running with conventional oil. For example, the oil change interval for my Honda Civic is 10,000 miles. If I am running conventional oil, I might go in for an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. With full synthetic, I would be comfortable going the full recommended oil change interval between oil changes, reducing the number of oil changes I would need.
Synthetic Oil Not Recommended For Older Cars or Severe Driving Conditions
If you do stop-and-go city driving, or short trips that do not fully warm up your engine, you might want to consider more frequent oil changes. Your oil will need frequent changes due to increased contaminants from your engine accumulating in your oil and from faster break-down of your oil under severe driving conditions. The need for frequent oil changes makes synthetic oil less attractive. Conventional oil might be a better option if you are doing frequent oil changes anyway.
The life of the oil filter is another important factor. Oil filters consist of paper filters and have a pretty limited life. Even if your oil can go a long time, your filter is a limiting factor on how long you should go between oil changes. Severe driving conditions can shorten the life of your oil filter as well as your oil.
If you have an older engine, synthetic oil may tend to leak more. If your car is leaking oil you may want to avoid synthetic oil.
Can You Save Money Using Conventional Motor Oil?
Conventional oil is less expensive than synthetic oil. If you change your oil frequently, you can save money by simply using conventional oil since it is less expensive. You can save $20 to $30 per oil change using conventional oil rather than synthetic oil. The value of synthetic oil is that it can last longer and offer better protection for your engine. Conventional oil is adequate for normal driving conditions if you change the oil frequently enough. Using a synthetic blend is an option to get some of the benefits of increased protection and oil life without paying the cost for full synthetic oil.
All types of adult tricycles have a big advantage over bicycles- you don’t need to worry about balancing. Since tricycles have 3 wheels, they are stable even when you are moving very slowly up a hill, or even when you come to a complete stop. You can stay comfortably seated on your three wheel bike, even at a complete stop.
Recumbent trikes are much lower to the ground than bicycles. This is a disadvantage in terms of visibility when riding- both for seeing traffic and being seen by drivers on the road. However since recumbent bikes are so low to the ground, falling off is not much of a safety concern.
If you want to use a human-powered cycle for hauling, an adult tricycle can be a good option, especially for hauling bulky or large items that may affect your balance on a bicycle. Adult trikes can be outfitted with a toolbox or cargo bed for hauling. Adult bikes and recumbent bikes can pull trailers or carts to increase hauling capacity.
Comfort is another advantage for tricycles over bicycles. On an adult tricycle, you can ride in an upright posture. On a recumbent trike, you can sit comfortably in a supine position which reduces back and neck strain. Many people find three wheel bikes more comfortable to ride.
Types of Three Wheel Bikes for Adults
Appropriately enough, there are three main types of three wheel bikes for adults:
Adult Tricycle
Adult Tricycle with Basket
Image courtesy of Joe Mabel via Wikimedia Commons
Adult tricycles look much like tricycles for children, only they are sized for adults. Adult tricycles are ridden in an upright seated position and are easy to get on and get off of. Many have a step-through frame design so you don’t need to raise your leg very high when getting on or off. Adult tricycles are good for older riders to ride on bike trails. This can be a good way for someone who can no longer ride a bike to be able to continue to participate in family bike rides.
Recumbent Trikes
Recumbent trikes are low to the ground and are ridden in a seated supine position. It may be more challenging for older riders to get on and off a recumbent trike.
You can find models that have over seat steering (OSS) and under seat steering (USS). Over seat steering is said to be easier to get the hang of quickly, while under seat steering may be more comfortable for long rides.
There are two types of recumbent trikes: Delta Recumbent Trike
A delta recumbent trike has one drive wheel in the front and two other wheels in back. The peddles are between the front wheels and back wheels, inside the frame of the trike. Delta trikes are relatively long from front to back.
Delta Recumbent Trikes (left) and Tadpole Recumbent Trikes (right)
Image courtesy of Cacou via Wikimedia Commons
Tadpole Recumbent Trike
A tadpole recumbent trike has one drive wheel in the back and two other wheels in front that are used for steering. The peddles for a tadpole recumbent trike are out in front of the cycle. I suppose the name tadpole comes from the idea that like a tadpole, a tadpole recumbent trike has the one tail in back that is driving it and 2 legs in front for steering.
Tadpole Recumbent Trike- Drive Wheel in Back, Peddles in Front
Image courtesy of Chonk via Wikimedia Commons
Which Type of Three Wheel Bike is Best?
Choosing the best style of three wheel bike depends on how you plan to ride as well as your riding preferences and abilities. If you plan to ride on the street, a recumbent trike might be the best choice. Recumbent trikes typically have gears for hill climbing and can reach much higher speeds than adult tricycles.
If you plan to ride mostly on bike trails and would have trouble getting on and off of a recumbent trike that is only a few inches off of the ground, an adult trike may be the best choice.
Accessories for your Three Wheel Bike
Three wheel bikes can be outfitted with all sorts of accessories to improve their utility. Here are some of my favorites:
Fairing: You can equip recumbent trikes with a fairing. A fairing is a covering that goes over a recumbent bike. This makes cold weather riding more comfortable and also decreases wind resistance. You can get fairing that is sort of like a windshield that goes in front of the trike, or you can get a full fairing that covers most of the surface of the trike- this makes it look sort of like a very small car.
Trailers and Carts: You can build or buy a trailer or cart for either adult tricycles or recumbent trikes to haul gear such as tents and camping equipment. Some trailers are water resistant, which keeps your gear dry when riding through the rain.
Cargo Bags: Trikes can be equipped with cargo bags for hauling books, clothes, and other small items on your trip. I once saw a recumbent bike with a pouch underneath for hauling a small dog along on rides. Both the rider and the dog seemed to like this accessory!
Riding three wheel bikes on a bicycle trail
Image courtesy of Chonk via Wikimedia Commons
Where can you find a used three wheel bike for sale?
It is easy to find used three wheel bikes for sale. I have seen adult tricycles for sale at garage sales for under $150. I have looked for a couple years, but have not yet seen a recumbent trike for sale at a garage sale. You will likely need to check a bike shop, craigslist, or eBay to find a used recumbent trike for sale. Used recumbent trikes seem to start at nearly $1000 depending on the brand, condition, and what accessories are included.
What Car Maintenance and Auto Repairs are Worth the Money?
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Generally, car maintenance and auto repair is an expense- not an investment. An expense is a cost of operating that you pay without expectation of getting a return on your money. For example, paying the electric bill would be considered an expense. If you paid twice as big of an electric bill, that does not double any aspect of your future income or earnings. It is money that is simply gone after it is spent.
An investment is money spend that has an opportunity to make a profit, also called a return on investment. Typically, the bigger the investment you make, the bigger return your potential return. An example of an investment would be buying stocks or real estate. Historically, these types of investment have average return on investment of 8%. At 8% return, you could invest $1000 and have $1080 after one year of growth.
Most car maintenance is in the same category as paying your electric bill- it is an expense. But car maintenance is not optional, just like paying your electric bill is not optional if you want to continue using electricity. If you want your car to keep running and be reliable, you have to spend money on car maintenance. But as with most expenses, you want to minimize how much this expense costs you.
What car maintenance and auto repairs are worth the money?
Most car repairs are in the same category as home improvements. For example, home improvement projects such as remodeling a kitchen or bathroom add about 75% of the cost of the project to the value of your home. This means that you are actually losing money by doing the project, but it does hold some of its value over the long term and you get to use the resulting project which has value to you.
For example, you might have a car that is worth $5,000 based on its make, model, mileage, and condition. But the car is in the shop and won’t run without major repairs. You could sell the car as-is for let’s say $2,500 to a salvage garage, or you could spend $3,000 on car repairs to get it in good working order. But even if you spend $3,000 on auto repairs, the car will still only be worth $5,000. If you spend $3,000 to repair the car, you’ll spend more than the car is worth.
How Much Money Should I Spend on Auto Repairs?
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The reason to spend money on car repair is not usually to increase the value of the car- the reason to put money into repairing a car is so that it will run well and you can use the car instead of spending more money to buy a different car. It is the same concept as spending $25,000 on a kitchen remodel that will only increase the value of your home by $20,000. You may choose to do the remodel even though you will lose money on the project since you can enjoy the kitchen, and it may allow you to stay in your current home instead of moving.
Top 10 Most Cost-Effective Car Maintenance and Auto Repairs
Here is a list of the top 10 most cost-effective car maintenance and auto repairs. These car maintenance items will keep your car running smoothly and improve fuel efficiency, saving you money on gas. The auto repairs on the list are things that don’t cost much, but improve your car’s safety and reliability. You will save money in the long run if you can keep your old car running for a long time without spending much money.
10. Oil change and lube ($30). For older cars, use conventional motor oil, not synthetic. My Honda Civic with 180,000 miles was leaking oil when I was using full synthetic oil. The oil leak stopped when I switched to conventional oil, which is thicker and less likely to leak in older engines.
The proper oil change interval is a subject of much debate on the internet. A safe way to go is to follow the oil change interval recommended by the maker of your car for your driving conditions. For most vehicles, this would be an oil change every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.
9. Check tire air pressure every fill-up (free). You will get better gas mileage with properly inflated tires, saving you money on gas. The proper inflation level is listed on a sticker inside the driver’s side door. You can get a tire pressure gauge for under $5. Tires will also last longer when fully inflated, preventing premature tire replacement.
8. Rotate tires every 10,000 miles ($30). Rotating your tires will help extend the life of your tires, preventing uneven wear.
7. Repair windshield chips or a cracked windshield ($65). The windshield is an important structural component of your vehicle. Windshield chips can grow into cracks, and cracks greatly weaken your windshield. A rule of thumb is that chips or cracks smaller than the size of a dollar bill can be effectively repaired. The cost to repair a windshield is typically $65, the cost to replace a windshield is typically $300 or more. You can save money and make your car safer by repairing windshield chips before your windshield cracks.
6. Touch up paint chips and wax your car ($20). You can keep your car looking good and prevent most rust by touching up paint chips and then putting a good coat of wax on your car. I have been using synthetic wax lately, which provides great protection and comes off easily.
5. Restore the lenses on your headlights ($20). There are several good headlight restoration kits available- these kits will make your old yellowed headlights look almost new again. You will also be able to see better at night if you restore your headlights.
4. Change your timing belt ($800). This auto repair is a bit painful. Changing a timing belt costs a fair amount of money, but if your timing belt breaks while you are going down the road, it could ruin your engine. Some cars have “interference engines”- this means that valves or pistons can get tangled up if the timing belt breaks, ruining your engine. If your maintenance schedule calls for a new timing belt- typically at 100,000 or 120,000 miles for many vehicles- consider taking care of this to prevent major problems.
Ask the mechanic to place a sticker near the timing belt indicating that the timing belt was changed and the mileage and date. This will help a lot if you sell the vehicle. You will be able to easily show that you have completed this expensive repair, improving the resale value of your vehicle.
3. Change your windshield wiper blades ($20). Having windshield wipers that work well make your car safer by greatly improving visibility in rain, snow, and muddy driving conditions.
2. Shocks and struts ($800). Replacing shocks and struts is another fairly big auto repair item. Your car will ride a lot smoother and quieter if you replace shocks and struts that have worn out. This also improves the safety of your vehicle, keeping your tires firmly on the road and giving you maximum control for steering and braking.
1. Give your car a tune up ($200). Replace your spark plugs, adjust your timing, and get your engine to peak performance. A tune-up will make your car run better and get better gas mileage, saving you money on gas.
Gold Bond Lotion- Gold Bond Ultimate
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The lotion I usually use is the free stuff that you find in hotel rooms. Whenever I travel and stay at a hotel, I take a free small bottle of lotion every night and put it in my suitcase to bring home. I ended up with a drawer full of free lotion, so I never need to buy lotion. The cheap lotion is greasy and has a strong chemical smell. If I get my hands near my eyes after applying lotion, it makes my eyes water and burn.
Cheap lotion also leaves something to be desired in terms of effectiveness. It makes your hands slippery for awhile, but doesn't really make your hands soft or help if your skin is chapped. But free is hard to argue with. I would have been happy to keep using my cheap, free lotion until I accidentally tried Gold Bond.
How To Get All of the Lotion Out of a Bottle
My wife came to me with a problem. She had a bottle of lotion with a pump dispenser. The pump was not dispensing, and there was still quite a bit of lotion left in the bottle. She took the lid off of the bottle and tried to shake lotion out. Even that didn't work. She wanted to know if I had any ideas to get the rest of the lotion out of the bottle.
There are basically four ways I can think of to go about getting all of the lotion out of a bottle:
Use the pump tube to dip lotion out of the bottle- sort of like a dip stick
Remove the lid and shake the bottle violently to try to get lotion out
Warm up the lotion by placing the bottle in warm water and try to pour or shake it out
Cut the bottle open and directly remove the lotion from the bottle
My wife already tried options 1 and 2. Even after doing these things, there was still a considerable amount of lotion left in the bottle. I considered option 3- heating up the lotion and pouring it out. I could heat a bowl of water in the microwave, then place the bottle of lotion in the water for a few minutes- this would make the lotion less viscous and easier to pour. However, I was worried the lotion would not be the same again after heating it up and cooling it down. Also, I didn't know where I would pour it. I though about pouring it into a Tupperware container, but that seemed like a lot of work.
I decided on Option 4- cut the bottle for direct access to get the remaining lotion out of the bottle. I used a retractable box cutter and carefully cut around the edge of the bottle. I left a "hinge" several inches long that was uncut. This worked pretty well. The bottle became sort of like a little treasure chest to hold the lotion. You can easily open the bottle along the cut for easy access to the remaining lotion and press it closed again for storage.
Cut Lotion Bottle To Get Lotion Out. Leave a flap along one side to act as a hinge.
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
How to Cut a Lotion Bottle to Get Lotion Out
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
I would estimate that about 2oz of lotion was left in the bottle. Since the price for a 14oz bottle is about $14, this amounts to about $2 of lotion that I was able to get out of the bottle.
There Was About 2oz of Lotion Left in the Bottle!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher
Of course I tried accessing the lotion after I cut the bottle. I opened the lid and dipped a bit of lotion out to make sure this woud really work to acces the lotion. Easy enough. When I rubbed my hands together, I expected Gold Bond lotion to be similar to my cheap lotion, but it was nothing like it. I found that the Gold Bond lotion actually made my hands softer and less chapped. Instead of feeling greasy and slippery, my hands felt soft and just slightly moisturized. The Gold Bond lotion also lasts a really long time and only requires a small amount of lotion to make a big difference.
Gold Bond Ultimate: The Best Lotion
The specific type of lotion I tried is the Gold Bond Ultimate with Shea Butter. I would feel more comfortable if it came in a camouflage bottle or something, but I have to say this stuff really works! I think a good plan would be for my wife to use the lotion while the pump works and to let me have the bottles to cut open when she can't get any more lotion out of the bottle.
Things to Sell to Make Money
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Selling unneeded items from around your house is a great way to get cash quickly. If you have items you have accumulated but are no longer using, why waste space storing them? There are several easy ways to sell things quickly to get cash. Here are my favorites:
eBay
Some items are best sold on eBay. You can potentially reach millions of people, so eBay works well to sell items that may not have many local buyers. Using the auction format of eBay can also help prevent you from pricing your item too low- the market will decide the price in an auction. You will get the most money for your item that anyone is willing to pay. The typical fee for selling an item on eBay about 15% of the selling price. A typical auction lasts one week. A seven day auction covers one weekend, giving
One nice thing about selling on craigslist is that it is free. Another nice thing is that you don't need to deal with shipping your items. You can find local buyers who will pick up your item at your house, or you can meet at a mutually convenient location to complete the transaction. One downside of selling on craigslist is that you will be dealing directly with strangers yourself, and you may need to deal with someone who is unreasonable or unpleasant. You will need to take time to meet with potential buyers to show them your craigslist items for sale.
Thrift stores and consignment stores will sell your items for you. The downsides are 1) they charge a fee, typically 60% of the item's sale price and 2) it may take a few weeks or more to sell your item. The advantage is that the thrift shop or consignment store does all the work- you just drop your items off and pick up cash later.
Garage sales are another free way to get money for your items. However, it takes a bit of work to organize a successful garage sale. A garage sale works best if you have a lot of items to sell. Garage sales are more successful at certain times of year, especially spring. If you have things to sell in January, a garage sale may not be very successful. You may be better off selling some of the items on craigslist individually and other items at consignment stores.
Sell old Cell Phones and Electronics for Quick Cash
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I recently took my old cell phone to Best Buy to sell it. They said it wasn't worth anything, but they offered to recycle it for me. I said no thanks to that offer and investigated further. I ended up selling the phone on eBay for $100! I have sold other cell phones for $35 each at Best Buy for store credit. You can also sell cell phones to buy back services and at ecoATM kiosks for cash. You can also sell old tablets and laptops to get quick cash.
Every once in a while, my wife goes through the closet and thins out clothes that are no longer worn. I take these to a consignment shop to sell. The consignment shop sorts through the clothes and keeps the ones that they think they can sell. I take the rest to Goodwill and come back in a couple months to pick up cash for the old clothes. If you want to get money for old clothes faster, you can try selling them at a garage sale. You may be able to sell some of your clothes at a garage sale, and you can take any that do not sell to a consignment shop.
Sell Old Musical Instruments
Musical Instruments Sell For A Lot of Money
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I have sold several old musical instruments, and I am always surprised how much these sell for! Older instruments seem to be generally high quality and people are willing to fix them up and play them again. New instruments cost several thousand dollars, so you might be able to get hundreds of dollars for an old instrument. I have sold a violin, french horn, and soprano saxophone on eBay for quick cash.
Sell Lawn and Garden Equipment
Spring is a great time to sell extra or unneeded lawn or garden equipment. People are looking for rototillers and lawn mowers of all kinds. I once sold an old rototiller on craigslist for hundreds of dollars, and I had two buyers that were competing to buy it. Check craigslist and eBay to see what similar items are selling for so you know where to set your price. Lawn and garden equipment can also sell at a garage sale if you have other things to sell as well.
Sell Furniture
Sell Furniture on craigslist for Quick Cash
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I have had good success selling old furniture on craigslist at any time of year. Take lots of pictures and post them with your ad. New furniture is so expensive in furniture stores that your old furniture may be worth quite a bit more than you think.
Sell Textbooks
Most used books are not worth very much, but used textbooks can sell for $50 or even $100 if they are still in use. If you have recent textbooks sitting around that you do not intend to look at again, you might have a lot of potential quick cash. Years ago, I sold textbooks on amazon and made a lot of money. There are other places online now that pay cash for textbooks. Here are the details on how to sell textbooks online and get the most money.
Sell Sporting Goods and Exercise Equipment
Some local stores buy and resell used sporting goods and exercise equipment, but I have found the prices offered to be too low most of the time. I would recommend using craigslist to sell your old gear and get cash. Things like treadmills and weight machines that are sitting unused can be turned into cash. Smaller gear like roller-blades, golf clubs, and baseball gloves can also sell well.
Sell Extra Bikes
If you have bicycles that you don't use, you have a source of cash. Used bikes sell well in the spring, especially name brand bikes in good condition. Craigslist is a popular place to list bikes for sale. You might consider eBay if you have an exotic bike to sell.
Sell Antiques and Collectibles
You can sell antiques and collectibles on eBay for quick cash. I think the auction format is useful to make sure you don't set your price too low. Descriptive information is valuable to include in your listing- describe any printing, dates, markings, etc. on the item. Background of where the item came from can also be valuable to buyers.
Sell Weird Stuff!
Sometimes you find odd things in your garage or attic that you that you don't really need. You could easily throw these things away without realizing that you can get quick cash by selling them.
A few months ago, I discovered a set of new floor mats for a car I had already sold. The floor mats had never been used and were still in the original package. They were too nice to throw away, so I did some research and found out that the set of floormats sells for around $120 new. I listed them on eBay with a starting price of $30 and they ended up selling for nearly $100!
Once, I replaced the original tires and inner tubes on a 40 year old vintage bike that I ride. I thought the tires looked too good to throw away. The tires had some nice labels on the tires that were still readable. I tried listing them on craigslist so I wouldn't have to deal with shipping them, but no one was interested. I ended up listing them on eBay and they sold! I made money selling something that most people would just throw away.
