Alexandra Oliveira's comments

Do Reusable Coffee Filters Save Money? - Blog Entry

15 Mar 2007 11:42 AM

Here are some tips for iced coffee:

1- Save the morning coffee in the refrigerator in a pitcher 2- Fill tall glass with ice cubes 3- Pour the coffee and either milk or soy milk, sugar to taste

Iced mochas are the same thing but first coat the bottom with chocolate syrup. If you really want a special treat: blend it in a blender that can slush ice.

Make sure if you use sugar to sweeten things, that you remember that the glass is tall and that ice makes you think you need to sweeten more than you do. I use splenda or stevia.

Coffee syrups like hazelnut also make the coffee feel fancy but at a much lower cost. You can find coffee syrups online and in supermarkets including sugar-free versions. I also have put in a drop of vanilla or a bit of mint leaf in the blender.

What you should NOT do: keep the coffee in the burner heating for a long time. This makes the coffee bitter and the bitterness is especially accentuated when the coffee is cold.

What of the Best Things About a Home Business--Fewer Meetings - Blog Entry

15 Mar 2007 11:23 AM

So true!! I have some rules for meetings: 1- One on one meetings are much more effective. You should try to talk to your employees/employer one on one more often. My favorite meeting strategy is walking around. It helps your ideas flow, no one can eavesdrop, and you are not sucked into eating another danish with a large coffee. It's a break, yet productive. 2- I don't have meeting without outlining the purpose/goal of the meeting. It sets the tone and the tone should always be: get things done (whatever things may be) 3- No eating during meetings. If you care about your company you shouldn't have to be persuaded to come to meetings. They are part of your duties. Also, it slows down the pace of things and makes people lethargic. 4- Sharing the status of things: wikis... Learn about them, use them. Great tool to have everyone on the same page and skip those first 30 minutes of "catching up." You can google "wiki" and a lot of examples will come up. 5- If things aren't moving forward, adjurn. There is no point in polarizing people further. Accept that nothing can be done at this time and come up with a plan that will keep you from reaching a dead end the next time.

I'm happy you can avoid them almost altogether Alex

Save on Laundry - Blog Entry

12 Mar 2007 02:22 PM

Great post! Two additions:

1- detergent companies put that line on the cup just to get you to use a lot of detergent. You will see that it is a lot better to use less not only to save money but to keep your family members from having allergies (sometimes it's not the detergent, but the amount left over on the clothes)

2- don't use static sheets. I know they are great but they are full of chemicals and can be very harmful for baby/toddler/sensitive skin. And anything that would cause major static should be air dried anyway.

Thanks again for the post.

Make Your Own Bathroom Cleanser - Blog Entry

12 Mar 2007 02:19 PM

Also, to keep the showers clean in between real scrubbing days, I use white vinegar. In fact, white vinegar is a great way of cleaning a lot of things. It is safe and takes out stains and doesn't have chemicals. And I agree with the baking soda. It is really underused.

Btw, the smell of vinegar disappears very quickly, so don't worry about that. Thanks for the recipe.

Do Reusable Coffee Filters Save Money? - Blog Entry

10 Mar 2007 10:01 AM

After having worked in a coffeehouse, I have stuck to metal filters. Still, making sure that you drink your coffee at home already saves so much money. This is another tip that can save you some. Don't waste leftover coffee. I always will make a certain amount (making too little in a coffeemaker will really waste roast) and then whatever is leftover I will put in a pitcher and leave it in the refrigerator until I want an iced latted. This only works for the day the coffee was made. But I am pretty sure many of us have more than one coffee a day...

Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls - Blog Entry

04 Mar 2007 07:27 AM

Wow. I'm so impressed you are homeschooling your children. I am one of five and I already thought my mom was a saint for making sure we all got to school and back in one piece. Anyway, have you tried different fillings/toppings for this? It's a great recipe and I wanted to maybe use it with lemon/orange flavors. Do you think that would work?

Six Free Online Storage Solutions - Blog Entry

04 Mar 2007 07:24 AM

Thanks. These are great. One other service that some people may be interested in is personal wikis. Google just bought JotSpot which I had been using to organize my school life for a while. It can store a lot of files and can also serve as a homebase outside of your home. Another good personal wiki is backpackit They are both very easy to learn

Is Student Loan Debt a Necessary Evil? - Blog Entry

04 Mar 2007 07:20 AM

I'm also in NC and we are in a particularly good place to get the best bang for your buck in education. I am attending a private school, but I wished somebody would have reinforced the idea that you can get a great education in many places with the right attitude. It's also true that you can get a terrible education at the best school if you don't seek out the best classes/best professors. I think more important than just the school, is how you prepare your kids to take advantage of what a college has to offer.

Best way to do that? Have your daughter/son look on facebook for alumni from their school who have attended the colleges she or he is interested in and email them asking the scoop. Good things to ask are: "how do you feel about the education you are receiving?" and also "how has the undergraduate financial aid office helped you during your years?". Also, a relationship with the college advisor in high school will save you time and money. Making an informed decision is the best way of saving money in college.

Once you are in college, being friends with everyone in the financial aid office will make your life a lot easier. Everyone, from the assistant to the director can be helpful.

Three ideas for quick cash. (Help me with more ideas please!) - Blog Entry

04 Mar 2007 07:07 AM

Oh, and do a coin run. Just pick up any coins in the house. It may not seem like a lot, but 15 dolars is 10% of what you need.

Finacial Pitfalls: Gym Memberships (That You Never Use) - Blog Entry

03 Mar 2007 08:29 PM

Another note: if you have already signed up for the gym and would like to break the contract, keep in mind there will probably be a fee for doing so. Make sure that you will be saving money by quitting and not losing. Let's say the breaking fee is $50 and you have a monthly fee of 9.99 and six more months until it ends. If you stick with it, you will be at around $60.00 dollars spent. At the same time, the financial blow is not all at once, but spread. Sometimes it's just better to wait it out.