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Other Great Uses For Toothpaste

Posted by Shirleyon 19 May 2014

As with most products in your home you can almost always find other uses for them that aren’t listed on the directions. Take for instance toothpaste, we did some research and couldn’t believe all the different tips. We picked a few that we want to try.

None of the following tips say it but, we wouldn’t advise using whitening toothpaste unless of course the item you want clean is white.

Burns: Place the affected area under cold water to quickly bring down the skin temperature. After the acute phase is over, smear non-gel toothpaste thickly over the burn until the skin cools permanently and the sting is gone. And then apply a healing agent, such as aloe vera.

Carpet Stains: Squeeze toothpaste directly onto the carpet stain and scrub it with a toothbrush. Then rinse and repeat the process until the stain disappears.

Coffee Table Water Rings: Simply rub some toothpaste into the irritating ring with a soft cloth and wipe dry with a clean, damp cloth.

Clothing Stains: Apply the toothpaste directly to the stained area with a bit of water and rub hard before popping in the washer. This may not work on all fabrics or stains but it’s quite effective on ink and shirt-collar stains.

Crayon on Painted Walls: Gently rub a damp cloth and some toothpaste on your child’s masterpiece, then rinse with a wet cloth and dry (do a small test spot first to make sure your paint can handle it.)

Leather: Put a dab on leather scuffs, rub in with a soft cloth, and rinse with a damp cloth. Works well on shoes, purses, coats or anything else made of leather.

Piano Keys: Rub each key gently with a damp, cotton swab and a touch of paste. Wipe dry and buff with a clean cloth. It takes time, but you’ll be stunned by how nice your keyboard looks at the end of the project.

Clear Up Pimples: Place a small amount of toothpaste on the pimple, and it should be dried up by morning. The toothpaste dehydrates the pimple and absorbs the oil.

Bug Bites: For mosquito and other small bug bites, apply toothpaste to sooth itching and cool the skin. This can be used on bee stings, as well.

Diamonds: Use an extra toothbrush, apply toothpaste and brush your diamond ring to make it sparkle. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Hand Deodorizer: Do your hands smell like onions, fish, garlic? Scrub your hands with toothpaste. Apply lotion after to keep your hand moisturized.

Do you have a different use for toothpaste? Leave us a comment below!

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Airline Bumping: Voluntary vs Involuntary

Posted by Missyon 17 May 2014

I can’t remember the last time I traveled and didn’t hear: This flight has been overbooked, we are looking for 10 people blah, blah, blah.

According to Delta.com the reason behind overbooked flights is that every major airline accepts more reservations for flights than it has seats available. This practice is known as overbooking. Flights are overbooked because a certain percentage of passengers are expected to be “no-shows.” This means they change their travel plans but do not cancel their reservations.

If airlines only booked reservations according to the number of seats on a plane, then flights would leave with empty seats and people who would have wanted those seats would be left having to find other options. To avoid this situation, the airline industry monitors no-show trends and books reservations to meet the expected passenger load. But even with the best forecasting techniques, sometimes more customers show up than were expected. The result is an oversold flight.

There is voluntary bumping and involuntary bumping and we are going to give you suggestions for both situations.

If you don’t want to be involuntarily bumped here are a few good tips on your best chance of securing your seat:

Get an advance seat assignment: Even if the airline only has a middle seat left to confirm, be sure you take it. Passengers with seat assignments are typically only bumped if they arrive late and their seat assignment is released.

If you do not have an advance seat assignment, or you want to change your seat assignment, check-in online. Most airlines allow you to check-in online within 24 hours of departure. Seat assignments that were not available at the time of ticketing may be available, including unblocked frequent flyer seats and seat assignments of flyers upgraded to first class. Many airlines automatically upgrade premium flyers within 24-72 hours of departure; at which point their coach seat assignments may be released for pre-assignment.

Get to the airport early: Some airlines reserve a portion of their seat assignment inventory for airport check-in. Also, make sure your name is placed on the “standby” seat assignment list. While your ticket may say “confirmed”, if you do not have a seat assignment, you will be treated by the airline as a “standby” customer. Seats that are held by no-show passengers or passengers that upgrade at check-in to first class are usually distributed to standby passengers in check-in order.

The DOT regulates compensation for involuntary bumping. You have rights when you are being involuntarily bumped:

The airline should arrange substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination (including later connections) within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.

If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (between one and four hours on international flights), the airline must pay you an amount equal to 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination that day, with a $650 maximum.

If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, $1300 maximum).

If your ticket does not show a fare (for example, a frequent-flyer award ticket or a ticket issued by a consolidator), your denied boarding compensation is based on the lowest cash, check or credit card payment charged for a ticket in the same class of service (e.g., coach, first class) on that flight.

Voluntary bumping occurs when a passenger with a confirmed seat assignment agrees to give up his seat for negotiated compensation. This compensation is not regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT): The airlines give employees guidelines for bargaining with passengers, and they may select those volunteers willing to sell back their reservations for the lowest price.

Know what questions to ask before you volunteer to give up your seat:

*Can you confirm me on a later flight with a seat assignment and what is the schedule?
*Does the voucher or other compensation have an expiration date by when it must be used or redeemed?
*Are there any ‘blackout dates’, such as holidays, when I can not use the voucher/ticket?
*Can the voucher or other compensation be used for international travel?
*Can I make a reservation using the voucher and how far in advance can I make it?

This year I have several trips planned and I am going to voluntarily give up my seat and I will let you know how it works out.

Leave us a comment below and tell us about your flight bumping experiences and suggestions.

Our information comes from Delta, smartertravel.com and travelsense.org.

How to Make Fresh Cut Flowers Last Longer

Posted by Missyon 12 May 2014

We hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day! If you received flowers from your loved ones we have some DIY tips on how to make them last longer.

Pop: Don’t throw away those last drops of your pop! Pour about 1/4 cup into the water in a vase full of cut flowers. The sugar in the pop will make the blossoms last longer. If you have a clear vase and want the water to remain clear, use a clear soda, like Sprite or 7-Up.

Hair Spray: Just as it preserves your hairstyle, a spritz of hair spray can help your cut flowers look fresh longer. Stand a foot away from the bouquet and give them a quick spray, just on the undersides of the leaves and petals.

Aspirin: It’s a tried-and-true way to keep roses and other cut flowers fresh longer. Put a crushed aspirin in the water before adding your flowers. Also, don’t forget to change the vase water every few days.

Bleach: In addition to the food, adding a tiny amount of bleach to the water — 1/4 tsp. per quart of water — will also help keep the water clean and clear and prevent harmful microorganisms from taking over. But please don’t use too much or you’ll damage the flower you’re trying so hard to preserve!

Listerine: Add 2 ounces of the mouthwash to every gallon of water will act as plant food and create a bacteria-fighting environment for the flowers. It’s also acidic like many of the other solutions, which helps water move up cut stems.

Thank you to our favorite flower shop: Moss Rivers Flower Studio in Hudson, WI for providing us with the beautiful photos. Check Moss Rivers out on Facebook and show some love!

Tips from Readers Digest

Happy Mother’s Day Contest: $50 Target GC Giveaway

Posted by Missyon 11 May 2014

Happy Mother’s Day! In honor of all you wonderful mother’s we are giving away a $50 Target Gift Card on Weve Tried It Facebook page today (Facebook only.)

Rules: Must post a photo of you and your mother or you and your child/children in the comment section on our Facebook page under the contest photo only. Winner will be selected at 10pm (central time) tonight 5/11/2014. The gift card will be awarded and mailed to whomever has the most likes on their posted photo. In the event that there is a tie, we will put the names in a hat and draw a winner.

To enter you must be following WTI on Facebook. Be sure to tell your friends and family to come over to our page and like your photo. GOOD LUCK and have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day Expectations Survey

Posted by Missyon 9 May 2014

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

How To Rid Your Smartphone of Bacteria

Posted by Missyon 6 May 2014

Germs and bacteria are everywhere, but you can imagine how many are on your cellphone! We set out to find the best way to rid your cell phone of any and all germs.

First we took a look at UV Sanitizers for your smartphone:

Violight UV Cellphone Sanitizer, 14-Ounce: Uses proven germicidal UV light to safely destroy 99.9% of surface bacteria on your phone.
Dual UV Bulbs Eliminates up to 99.9% of Germs Strep, E.Coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Pseudomonas. This product is about the size of a hand soap dispenser, the device sets up unobtrusively on a nightstand or desk.

Here’s the thing, this sounds great but unless you are able to test for bacteria afterwards – how would one ever know if it works. There are many different brands, models and prices and they can be fairly inexpensive. The one above is $65.22 on Amazon, we did find them as low as $20.

Can you use cleaning solutions:

Do you dare use cleaning spray on your device? Sanitizing your iPhone can kill the spread of germs but Apple warns that using cleaning fluids on the iPhone can cause permanent damage to the screen’s coating, which could void your phone’s warranty.

Apple suggests the following steps:

Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, and similar items may cause damage to the item.
Disconnect your Apple product from any external power sources.
Disconnect any external devices and other cabling from the product.
Keep liquids away from the product.
Don’t get moisture into any openings, and don’t use aerosol sprays, solvents, or abrasives.
Do not spray cleaners directly onto the item.

We have read several sites that say if you are using a bacterial spray on your phone or iPad that you should spray it on a soft cloths, just enough to make it damp and then to wipe down your phone.

Finding the perfect case to protect your devices:

Our home uses Otterbox Defender Series. One would have to imagine with the enclosed case that most of the germs would stay on the case. Meaning that you can take the case off your phone and disinfect it without having to worry about wrecking your phone.

Tell us how you clean your cellphone and tablet in the comment section below.

How To Make AAA Batteries Work As AA

Posted by Missyon 5 May 2014

This is the best tip we have seen in a long time! If you run out of AA batteries but have some AAAs laying around and some tinfoil you’re in luck.

Wrap up a ball of foil and stuff it into the case of your device where the battery’s positive terminal connects (we read you can do it both ways, but we only tried positive.) As long as you have enough foil to fill in the gap and make it tight, it should work.

This of course isn’t a permanent fix but should get you through until you can get to the store.

Streaming Media Comparisons: Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime

Posted by Shirleyon 5 May 2014

We have been asked by one of our readers to compare the most popular streaming media services.

After doing some research and speaking to a few people we have come up with the following information.

The three most popular streaming media companies right now are Netflix, Hulu Plus & Amazon Prime. The costs are pretty similar, Netflix and HuluPlus both run $8.00 per month for basic service which is streaming only. With Netflix you can add an additional service for dvd delivery for $7.99 – $11.99 per month depending on how many dvd’s you would like to be able to get at a time. Amazon prime is billed annually at $99.00 which comes out to $8.25 monthly. Your Amazon prime service give you the additional benefit of free two-day shipping for any Amazon purchase.

Netflix has the largest selection of movies and shows, but not all their movies are available for download, so to see their entire collection you have to subscribe to both services. They have licensing contracts with 4 main networks as well as Starz, BBC, Sony and DreamWorks so you have the ability to watch your favorite network shows. Another benefit of Netflix is they do not play any ads.

HuluPlus comes in second when it comes to selection of movies and shows. HuluPlus has licensing deals with Fox, NBC, Disney, MTV and many other cable channels. HuluPlus is known to update its library more frequently which means you can catch up on your favorite shows more quickly. The biggest draw back that I have heard is the ads. You must watch multiple advertisements with each download, and if you rewind to catch up on a part you have to watch the ad again.

Amazon Prime is the newest to the media service market. They have a smaller library, but are expanding it quickly. Their biggest sell seems to be the free 2 day shipping. With Amazon Prime you are making a 1 year commitment as it is billed annually.

All three do offer a free trial, with Netflix & Amazon Prime offering a 30 day trial and HuluPlus offering only a 1 week trial.

There are some great options available to help lower or eliminate a pay for tv bill. It’s nice that you can give each one a try and see what works best for your tv viewing preferences.

We currently use Netflix and are very happy with it. Paying monthly with the option to cancel at any time. Let us know what you use and if you are satisfied with it!

Category : Random