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For many of us, moms use-it-up, make-it-last, wear-it-out mantra was our introduction to thriftiness”a traditional value that has largely been kicked to the curb due to a more materialistic lifestyle.

But the truth is, most of our common throwaway items have not yet reached their full potential. Here are a few smart re-uses that will help keep junk out of landfills and make our life a little easier:

Banana peel as silver polish. Run the peel through the blender with enough water to make a paste. This makes a great silver polish when applied with a washcloth and rinsed off with water.

Citrus peels as freshener. Burnt smell in the oven? Freshen the air by baking a few orange peels for a few minutes at 350 degrees. Or throw a few peels in a jar with some white vinegar. In a day or two, youll have a great-smelling and effective all-purpose cleaner. Lastly, lemon peels that are run through the garbage disposal not only neutralize odors but clear out any greasy build-up.

Ketchup bottle as bakers aid. Clean out that empty ketchup bottle with a plastic squeeze tip and use it as a frosting dispenser. Its a great way to decorate a cake and a lot more stable to use than cutting a corner off a plastic bag.

Toothbrush as kitchen helper. Disinfect an old toothbrush by running it through the dishwasher and use it to remove those pesky silk strings from ears of corn. You can also use it to clean the grout in your kitchen or the dirt from any other hard-to-reach places.

Drycleaners bags for storage. Those big plastic bags over your dry-cleaned clothes are great for covering sweaters, blankets and comforters before you stow them away in the summer.

Cooking water for plants. Hard-boiled eggs and steamed vegetables leave nutrients in the water you use to cook them. Use the water for your indoor and outdoor plants”they will love it.

Aluminum foil as a pot scrubber. Crumple up that fairly clean, used sheet of foil and use it to scrub the stubborn food residue from pots and pans.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If your partner brings poor credit to the relationship, it can be an issue you should probably fix together.

A spouses poor credit score wont hurt yours, and credit reports for both people dont merge when they get married, but continued poor credit habits by a partner can affect each persons credit score if they have joint accounts together, such as a shared credit card.

Here are some ways to help your partner improve their credit score without jeopardizing yours:

Check Credit Reports
You first need to know how big the problem is before you can fix it. Start by helping your partner pull their credit report, check for errors and report them so they can be fixed.

Youre entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three credit reporting companies. Free reports can be ordered at annualcreditreport.com or you can call 1-877-322-8228. Your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth will be needed to verify your identity.

Tackle Debt
Paying off student loans, credit cards and other forms of debt can improve a credit score, especially if your partner has made late payments in the past. Paying bills on time is one of the best ways to improve a credit score.

Create a family budget and look for ways that both of you can cut expenses. Reducing debt and not taking on more can give your financial lives some breathing room and will ultimately make it easier to buy a home or meet other financial goals together.

Get a Secured Credit Card
For someone with middling credit, a secured credit card can help them improve their credit score without going into debt.

Secured credit cards only allow the user to spend as much money as they deposit in the account. The cardholder puts down a deposit thats usually as big as the credit limit. If they default on payments, the bank keeps their deposit.

Like a regular credit card, payment activity on secured credit cards is reported to the credit bureaus. A consistent payment history will steadily improve a credit score.

Share Credit
There are a few ways to add your spouse to your credit card without hurting your credit score.

One is to apply for a credit card together. The card issuer will review both of your credit histories. Each person will be required to have their own income, so dont expect a large income from one person to be enough for approval.

Another option is to add your spouse as an authorized user on a credit card you already have. Then, the accounts history will appear on your spouses credit report, so make sure the card you have has a good credit history.

Whichever way you share credit, discuss with your partner how theyll use the card, payment limits and payment habits so that problems dont crop up.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you’ve recently moved into a new home, you might decide to change out the carpets in the house either to expose the wood flooring underneath or to add in a newer rug or carpet design.

The challenge is, once you start ripping out the carpet, you’ll notice glue marks that are stuck due to years of working to keep the carpet in place. These problematic remnants are often more challenging to get rid of than the actual carpet itself.

Thankfully, some elbow grease combined with the following basic DIY instructions will help.

Are you an expert on glue? Probably not, which is why you need to figure out the type of glue you are dealing with before you begin. You see, there’s a bunch of different carpet glues and removing the various kinds requires different solutions and steps.

In the simplest terms, tar-based adhesives are dark brown or tan, while yellow-looking adhesives signify a carpet was glued down with a more general adhesive. Knowing the difference will make your job much simpler.

With that in mind, go to your local Home Depot or hardware store and buy the best materials to get the job done. For tar-based glues, mineral spirits are required, while general adhesives are best removed with some basic adhesive remover. Both will require some hard scrubbing.

However, the process itself is easy. Simply begin by scraping off any spots you can, but don’t dig in too deep as you can damage the floor. Next, add the adhesive remover, spreading it out evenly. Read the instructions carefully to ensure you keep it on the correct amount of time. Also, since many of these can be toxic, be sure to wear gloves and keep the windows open to allow ventilation inside the room.

Next, take a plastic putty knife to scrape any glue away as this won’t scratch or scuff thefloor like a metal tool will. If the glue isn’t completely wiped away, follow the instructions again and add more remover to the spot. This time use an old towel to wipe away the remaining glue.

Once all the glue is gone and the floor has dried, vacuum the area so no glue particles remain. Buy some floor cleaner and polish up the wood floor and you’ll have a floor to remember and make new memories on.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Mold inside a house can cause serious health problems, including sinus irritation, congestion, headaches and respiratory difficulties. The health effects of mold are more serious in children, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with respiratory problems.

Mold can grow in any moist environment, which makes a home a perfect breeding ground. Mold spores can accumulate on surfaces and travel through the air in a house. Here are some strategies to control the level of moisture in your home and prevent mold from taking hold.

Reduce Moisture Levels in Your House
Walk through your house and look for areas where moisture tends to accumulate. The bathroom is an obvious one, but moisture is also often found in the kitchen, laundry room, basement and around windows.

Remove laundry from the washing machine quickly to avoid the growth of mold. Hang bath towels to dry, and avoid leaving containers in the shower where they can accumulate moisture. Wipe down the shower after each use to minimize the amount of moisture in the bathroom. Vacuum and clean carpet and furniture to remove mold spores. If a surface or piece of furniture is contaminated with mold and cannot be cleaned, discard it.

Keep the humidity inside your home at a moderate level. You can buy a meter to monitor the amount of moisture in the air. You can reduce the level of moisture in your home by using a dehumidifier or fans. Clean and inspect your air conditioner and dehumidifier to make sure they’re not producing moisture. If you notice water accumulating around windows or on walls, open the windows to dry out the room.

Ventilation can reduce or prevent the growth of mold. Turn on a fan or open a window when taking a shower. Appliances that produce moisture, such as the dryer and stove, should be vented to the outside.

If any part of your home experiences water damage, dry it out as soon as possible. Wipe up spills immediately. If there is a roof or plumbing leak or flooding, remove wet carpet and have wet furniture professionally cleaned. Have the roof or plumbing problem repaired quickly to prevent future growth of mold.

Water that accumulates around your house can lead to mold. Make sure the ground is pitched in a way that allows water to flow away from the house. Clean your gutters regularly to keep them free of blockages so water can flow freely to the downspouts.

Protect Your Family
Mold is a serious threat to your familys health. You can protect yourselves by making a concerted effort to control the level of humidity in your home and by removing sources of water as soon as you find them. By being vigilant and proactive, you can prevent the growth of mold.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Music is an integral part of life from an early age. Parents sing and play soothing music for babies to help them fall asleep. Music can help with intellectual development. When children begin preschool, teachers sing songs to help them learn about letters, colors, animals and a host of other topics. Music can help children express their emotions in a positive way. Dancing to a song can help kids develop motor skills. An early love of music leads many children to later take music lessons and join a band, which offers further benefits.

Benefits of Music Lessons
When children are old enough, they can start formal music lessons. Learning to play an instrument can help with development in several ways. Children can learn about the mechanics of how an instrument works and develop hand-eye coordination. Many instruments require children to learn to use both hands independently while maintaining the correct posture. This can help them develop coordination that can help in other tasks.

Studying music can help children learn mathematical concepts, such as fractions and recognizing patterns. This can help them more easily pick up advanced mathematical ideas later.

Learning to play an instrument teaches dedication, patience and perseverance. This is because practicing an instrument requires children to focus intently, often for hours at a time. This can help them when they are facing academic challenges or other hurdles, and help them succeed in any of their future endeavors.

The study of music can help children understand and appreciate other cultures. They can learn about people from around the world and see how similar ideas can be expressed in different ways.

Taking music lessons with other children requires them to listen to each other and give and receive constructive criticism. They also need to work together and do their part to contribute to the overall performance.

When children have gained enough skills, they can join a band. That can offer opportunities to make friends, learn from each other and work together toward the common goal of putting on a successful performance.

Help Your Child Develop a Love of Music
Exposing a child to music early on can create a spark of interest that can lead to a long-term passion. Enrolling a child in music lessons can help with intellectual development, encourage social engagement, and teach skills like teamwork and perseverance that will help throughout life. If your child has expressed an interest in music, consider enrolling them in lessons.

Published with permission from RISMedia.