Blog Posts by Kaboodle.com

Employ easy ideas to save money

Saving money on your electricity bill doesn't mean skimping on heat or air conditioning, sitting around in the dark, and hanging all your clothes to dry. But there are a few simple adjustments you can make to help keep your monthly bill down. Here we reveal eight ways to save money on your utility bill.

1. Use fans sparingly
Try not to use bath, kitchen and other ventilating fans if you don't have to. Did you know you can blow away an entire houseful of heat in just three hours using ventilating fans? If you must use one, turn it off as soon as the job is complete.

2. Keep drapes open during the day
This might be obvious, but make sure you keep all your drapes and shades open during daylight hours. It allows the sunlight to help assist in warming your home. And don't forget to close them at night-it helps buffer the cold air.

3. Check for air leaks
Test your windows and doors for tightness-if you can feel a draft, they aren't tight

Common items spoil faster than you think

You might be surprised to learn mayonnaise should be tossed from the refrigerator three months after opening it. Same with salad dressing. And did you know that eggs are good for up to five weeks? The shelf life of different foods can get confusing so we did some research (thanks, WebMD!) and mapped out some guidelines to make it clearer. Not only is some food going bad before you think, some is good much longer than you've probably assumed!

Milk

Milk should be dumped no more than five days after the sell-by date (and sooner if your nose tells you differently).

Cream Cheese
Cream cheese can be used for two weeks after opening before going bad and sour cream can last up to 21 days (though we suggest doing a smell test-some brands only last seven to14 days.) Remember, once a package is opened, sell-by dates don't apply.

Butter or Margarine
Butter lasts one to three months (longer in the freezer!), while margarine can hang out four or five months.

Cheese
Love

Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is delicious in cookies and on sandwiches, but its uses go beyond the kitchen. The tasty mixture of roasted nuts can do everything from removing grime to preserving garden tools. Discover the most unexpected uses for PB now!


Remove Sticky Labels
Everyone has bought a glass or dish with a stubborn sticky price tag on it. You can soap and scrub it for ages and still leave gummy residue behind. Instead of scrubbing until you scratch the surface of the glass, put a glob of peanut butter on the label. Let it sit for a few minutes, to let the oils sink in, and wipe it--and the label--away.

SEE MORE: The Weirdest Products EVER!


Get Gum Out of Hair
Accidentally getting gum stuck in your hair is almost a childhood rite of passage. Instead of cutting off a chunk of your kid's mane, grab the jar of peanut butter. Spread a spoonful of PB on the hair stuck to the gum and rub for a while. Eventually the gum should slide out of the hair with ease.

SEE MORE: The Best Nude Sandals

Organizing your home isn't as overwhelming or boring as it sounds. There are plenty of cute and clever ways to clear the clutter in the kitchen, organize your jewelry, and arrange your medicine cabinet. Here are eight ideas to help punch up your organizing efforts this spring.

Hang Things on the Insides of Kitchen Cabinet Doors
If your kitchen is crowded with gear and gadgets and you think you've maximized space, think again. You probably haven't taken advantage of the inside door of the cabinets! Throw a few hooks up and you can hang measuring cups there. Or if you have metal cups and spoons you'd like to stash for easy access, attach two magnet bars inside the door and just pop on the pieces. Plastic utensils can be hung with wood strips and hooks to hang them.

Use a Lazy Susan to Cure Kitchen Counter Clutter
|One quick and cheap way to de-clutter your countertop of often-used ingredients, such as salt and pepper shakers, vinegar, olive oil, honey, sugar

Pastel

From Kelly Osbourne to Lauren Conrad to the New York Times' T Magazine, we've been seeing a lot of pastel-colored hair lately. And now that spring is quickly approaching, we're expecting to see a lot more of it! Soft, beautiful, and eye-catching, pale hair colors offer something unique without going overboard, usually in pale shades of pink, purple, and blue. If you want to try the trend with subtle streaks, you can achieve those on your own through temporary sprays and clip-ins (such as those showcased below). But if you want all-over color, we suggest going to a pro. (Especially if you have dark hair, as you'll need to lighten it a lot before coloring.)

The New York Times featured a slew of colorful coifs

Tell us: What pastel shade would you want to try?

Pastel
Manic Panic Mystic Heather Hair Dye, ($13.65)

Pastel
Charlotte Russe Pastel Synthetic Hair Extensions, ($3.50)

Pastel
Jerome Russell B Wild Temp'ry Hair Color Spray Lynx Pink, ($5.99)

Pastel
Lauren Conrad image from thebeautydepartment.com

Adding a pop of color to your wardrobe with bright accessories is one of spring's hottest trends. If you want to play with the look without dropping a ton of cash, check out the following statement-making accessories-each of which is under $40.


Bow Belt
Anthropologie Belle Bow Belt
Belting a dress or blazer is an easy way to add visual interest to an otherwise simple outfit. Anthropologie's turquoise bow design ($38, also available in yellow) is so cute and feminine, we want to cinch our waists with it every day this season!

SEE MORE: The Weirdest Products EVER!


Colorblock Booties
Charlotte Russe Three-Strap Sueded Heel Bootie
When we first set eyes on Charlotte Russe's booties we couldn't believe they weren't designer shoes. The shape is great and the colorblocked faux suede is totally on trend for spring. Best of all, they're only $38.50-and right now Charlotte Russe is offering a deal where you can purchase a second pair of shoes for just $15.50!


Menswear Watch
Urban Outfitters Vibrant Menswear Watch
Oversize menswear watches have proved to be a here-to-stay look for stylish women. This

Some things should not go in your cart.

While most grocery store products are perfectly fine to buy, there are a few things you should avoid due to poor quality or exorbitant pricing. Here we reveal nine items we recommend you buy elsewhere.

1. Pre-ground coffee
It sounds crazy, but buying pre-ground coffee can really put a dent in your grocery-shopping budget. The markup is tremendous! Luckily, many supermarkets offer great deals on whole coffee beans that can be ground right there. Another option: hit the nearby big-box store for some large cans. That's where you'll get the best bang for your buck.

2. Hardware
Nails, extension cords, batteries, and light bulbs are considered specialty items at the grocery store. Not only will the selection be limited and in short supply, the prices will be jacked way up. Make the extra trip and go to the hardware store for these items.

3. Cosmetics
As you probably know, the makeup selection at the grocery store is extremely limited. But

The convenience and functionality of smartphones was unthinkable ten years ago, but now we can hardly remember how we lived without email, texting, music, the Internet, and a camera constantly at our fingertips. But as awesome as our mobile phones are, they can still benefit from the following five accessories, which make them even more useful.


POPA Camera Button
POPA
Anyone who has tried taking a picture with an iPhone knows the button at the bottom of the screen can be tricky to hit while you're trying to hold the camera still. The POPA ($80) plugs into the bottom of the phone and gives you a nice sturdy grip and a big red button to press to snap your photo. It also allows you to mount the phone to a tripod, should you need to. Genius!

SEE MORE: The Weirdest Products EVER!


Bluetooth Keyboard
Bluetooth Keyboard
As cool as iPhones are, their keyboards can leave a bit to be desired. The Bluetooth keyboard add-on ($35 from ThinkGeek) attaches like a basic phone case but slides out to reveal a wider