Blog Posts by GALTime.com

By Mary Schwager, GALTime.com Consumer Watchdog

elecplug

Something that can take you minutes could up saving you big money each month with your utility bills. Some of the best tips are even buried inyour appliance instruction manuals--but of course, who likes to read those? Angie's List did the sifting through those "font size 4 manuals" for you and has these tips:

"Homeowners don't have to look far to find savings. The four fattest energy hogs in the average home are heating and cooling systems, major appliances, water heaters and lights." says Angie's List Founder Angie Hicks. "Be more efficient in these areas and you'll pile up monthly savings in a hurry."

by GALTime.com Home Expert Tina Gleisner
First impressions are critical. This is true when it comes to buying a house. Too often, buyers who do not like the appearance of a property at curbside will refuse to even look inside. Here is what you can do to motivate all potential buyers to step inside.

House Exterior - The house should appear to be well cared for, i.e. buyers today want a house that is ready to move into with little or no repairs needed. They want to focus on the move process versus fixing up a new house. If you are consistent in repairing and maintaining your home, you won't have to much work to prepare for selling your house. If not, roll up up your sleeves and prepare to work to increase your chances of selling and the price you will get.

• Make sure all exterior trim (shutters, window sills, corner boards and trim around your doors/windows) are in good repair.
  • Check shutters, window sills and trim around the windows
  • Inspect the

By GALTime.com Style Expert Kerri Winick of Celebutante Sisters

When it comes to grooming our lady parts, women wax, shave and trim. Now, there's a new trend in below the belt beauty…you can vajazzle your vajajay!

Vajazzling is a form of bikini wax. After hair is removed, stick-on Swarovski crystals are applied below the belt. Whether it's a special occasion, or you just want to get your glow on, many salons offer an assortment of designs for your jewels. Shimmer and shine with hearts, butterflies, flowers…and more! Or, place your own pattern "down there" with an at-home tattoo.

Even celebrities are decking out their girly parts. Jennifer Love Hewitt spilled the beans about her love affair with these crystal creations on the George Lopez Show.

So…how are those teeny tiny crystals applied? How long will these daring designs last? We went straight to the experts! Completely bare spas (based in New York City) have been vajazzling for years with their completely bare

by GALTime.com Parenting Pro Michele Borba, Ed.D.
After almost a decade of a decline in teen drug abuse, a new survey out this month shows a marked and troubling upswing in youth substance abuse. While there are some encouraging stats, the overall findings should make every parent keep an even closer eye on their child and not only in our own homes. Case in point, this little factoid: The study found that the place where teens are most likely to encounter drugs is at parties and other social situations. While that may not seem shocking, what concerns me is that kids tell us that many parties are not adult supervised and in some cases it's the adults who are the suppliers.

The survey was done by The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and called the "MetLife Foundation Attitude Tracking Study." involving hundreds of Americans teens. Here are highlights that every parent should know:

Alcohol, ecstasy, and marijuana use are increasing:

• Number of teens in grades 9-12 that used

by GALTime.com's Camilla Saulsbury
ADDING MORE NATURAL PROTEIN: (1) Soy powder (e.g., Bob's Red Mill All Natural Soy Powder: Add up to 1/2 cup to the recipe. It adds 3.3 extra grams protein per bar, no added fat or carbohydrates; (2) Nonfat dry milk powder: The bars are still vegetarian, but not vegan, with this addition. Add up to 2/3 cup to the recipe. It adds 1.3 extra grams of protein per bar, not to mention added calcium and vitamin D (for a mere 13.3 calories, 0 g fat, and 2 g carbohydrate per bar).



2 cups raw almonds (skins on)
1 pound pitted soft dates (I used 2 8-ounce bags Sunsweet Pitted Dates)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch process) OR raw cacao powder (for strictly raw eaters)
1/4 cup raw wheat germ (toasted is fine if you are not strictly raw)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds (flaxseed meal)

Place almonds in a medium bowl. Fill bowl with cold water (preferably filtered, but tap is fine) to cover the almonds. Let the almonds soak for 3 to 4 hours. Drain the

By GALTime.com Contributor Tamara Walker, MomRN

Sneeze, sneeze, sniffle, sniffle, cough, wipe nose, and repeat. So begins the annual allergy season. Springtime is here and for many kids that means a few months of runny noses, teary eyes, sneezing, and coughing. Springtime allergies are caused by the increased pollen in the air from grass, weeds, trees, and flowers blooming back to life after being dormant all winter. Pollen may help bees make sweet honey, but pollen is anything but sweet for kids who are allergic to it. For allergy sufferers, the body responds to pollen with an overproduction of mucous, itching, and inflammation of the nasal passages and sometimes the lungs.

Springtime allergies can often be mistaken for a late winter cold and parents can have a difficult time distinguishing between the two. But there are some important differences that can help you determine whether your child has a cold or allergies.

Cold symptoms generally include these symptoms:

By GALTime.com Contributor Tania Reuben, Pure Natural Diva

It's been a long, cold winter. Are you getting ready to tackle your winter dust bunnies? In just a few minutes, you can mix up your own cleaning solutions with ingredients you likely have in your pantry already.

You'll save a lot of money, reduce your toxin exposure and be kinder to the environment.

ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
This recipe will make 4 - 28 oz bottles.

13 1/4 cups of Water (1 hot)
1/4 Cup of Dr. Bronner's Castile Liquid Soap - I like Citrus for the All Purpose Cleaner.
1/4 Cup of Borax
1/4 Cup of Vinegar
Mix the hot water with the borax until it dissolves. Add the remaining water, vinegar & Castile Soap. Use a funnel to pour the solution into the four bottles.

GRANITE CLEANER
This recipe will make 2 - 28 oz bottles.

6 cups of Water
1/3 cup + 1 tsp of Alcohol denatured or regular
1 Tbs of Castile Soap - I use almond.
20 Drops of Essential Oil - Citrus

by GALTime.com Contributor Jeannie Hanson

My dad was a backyard farmer, as was his father before him and my Irish great-grandfather before him (although he had an actual farm!). I remember my grampa's deep, narrow lot in San Francisco where he grew corn. My dad grew asparagus and planted fruit trees and corn in Southern California; my mom canned. My brother and I sold avocados door to door. Small wonder I fancy gardening. It's my heritage!

Now, farming is a highly practical activity … you grow something you can use at home or sell at the marketplace. It's a straight-up activity. Gardening for fun, however, is another thing. My dad had strong opinions about roses … too hard, too fussy! Well, as I've become a more experienced gardener, I've found that this isn't true. Sorry, Dad. Roses are actually quite hardy, having strong root systems that can keep them growing thru quite a bit of abuse. Treated smartly, they can be quite disease resistant. They are also incredibly