Connect with us

Health

Microwaving Your Sponge Can Save You Money, and 4 Other Cost-Cutting Tips From Experts

Published

on

Microwaving Your Sponge Can Save You Money, and 4 Other Cost-Cutting Tips From Experts

The cost of everyday necessities (from the gas in your car to laundry detergent) can be overwhelming — the more often you use them, the more you spend on replacing them. And because you rely on these things daily, it’s hard to rationalize cutting back. Thankfully, you don’t need to break the bank, since our hacks will let you stretch these staples — and cut your costs in half. Keep reading to learn the clever ways to save money on the things you use every day.

Save on sponges with a quick ‘zap.’

Because you use sponges so often, they wear out quickly, meaning they constantly need replacing. The first step to getting twice the life out of your kitchen sponge is to cut it in half when you buy it — the smaller size is more than enough to get the typical dishwashing job done. Another trick? Microwave a damp sponge for 30 seconds every few days, says home and family expert Brenda Kosciuk of PaperHeartFamily.com. “This kills mildew, making your sponges last longer.”

Boost gas mileage with a slow pump.

Filling up your gas tank likely isn’t your favorite chore, but rushing through it may cost you. While squeezing the gas pump tightly can speed the filling process, the pressure leads to some gas turning into vapor, leaving you with less than you paid for. Instead, insert the nozzle into your tank and set the handle to the auto-pump groove, a slower speed designed to prevent vapor. Also, try filling up in the morning, when it’s cooler out — gas gets denser in colder temperatures, so you’ll get more bang for your buck.

Help candles burn longer with a snip.

Candles add so much ambiance and fragrance to your home, but when you burn them often, they melt away quick — and end up costing you more. To add 30% more burn time to candles, just trim the wicks, say Kosciuk. “Cut them to be about ¼-inch long. This will allow them to burn more slowly and evenly, prolonging the life of the candles.”

Extend the life of printer ink with this setting.

Ugh! You go to print out a document, only to discover you’re low on ink. The fix: Cue up “draft mode,” says organizer Jeniffer Smith of UrbanHomeCorner.com. On some models, this is labeled “fast/quick,” “green” or “economical.” “It uses half the ink of normal mode,” says Smith. “The font won’t be as crisp, but unless you’re printing a photo, you won’t notice the difference.”

Advertisement

Make laundry detergent go further with baking soda.

Laundry detergent isn’t cheap, but you’ve got to have clean clothes. The solution? Stretch your soap further. The easy key to doubling your detergent, says Kay Escobia of laundry service Liox Clean: “Simply reduce the recommended amount by half, then add ½ cup of baking soda,” she says. “Not only does this stretch my supply of detergent but my clothes also come out fresher because baking soda is a natural deodorizer.”

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

ARNICARE FOR PAIN AND BRUISES!
Powered by Arnica montana, Arnicare® is designed to treat muscle pain, swelling, and discoloration from bruising. The unscented gel cools on contact and absorbs quickly into your skin, leaving no sticky or greasy residue, and provides you with the relief you seek. Learn more at Arnicare.com.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Health

Water for Weight Loss? How Much You Should Drink to Shed More Weight

Published

on

Water for Weight Loss? How Much You Should Drink to Shed More Weight



How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight? MD Shares Tips | Woman’s World


































Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.


Use escape to exit the menu.

Continue Reading

Health

Ivanka Trump stays fit with this self-defense practice: ‘Moving meditation’

Published

on

Ivanka Trump stays fit with this self-defense practice: ‘Moving meditation’

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

Ivanka Trump, the daughter of incoming President Donald Trump, has been known to lead an active life.

As the mother of three kids and a lover of outdoor sports, the 43-year-old is always on the move, recently adding jiu-jitsu to her mix of physical activity.

Advertisement


In a recent appearance on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her podcast, Trump shared how her daughter, Arabella, expressed interest in learning self-defense when she was 11.

IVANKA TRUMP SHARES THE FITNESS ROUTINE THAT HAS ‘TRANSFORMED’ HER BODY: ‘SAFE AND STEADY’

“I’m just so in awe of [her],” Trump said about her daughter. “She came to me and said, ‘As a woman, I feel like I need to know how to defend myself, and I don’t have a confidence level yet that I can do that.’”

Ivanka Trump plays with her daughter, Arabella Rose Kushner, in the Rose Garden during a Congressional Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House in June 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump responded, “At 11 … I was not thinking about how to physically defend myself, and I thought it was the coolest thing.”

Advertisement


After researching self-defense options, Trump enrolled Arabella, now 13, in jiu-jitsu (martial arts) classes with the Valente Brothers in Miami, Florida – and soon the whole family joined in.

STAY SAFE WITH 4 SELF-DEFENSE TIPS FROM EXPERT RENER GRACIE: ‘NOT AN EASY TARGET’

“[Arabella] started asking me to join – I joined,” she said. “Then my two sons wanted to do what their older sister was doing. Then my husband joined … It is good for everyone.”

“It’s almost like a moving meditation.”

Trump, who is now a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, described that she likes how the sport “meshes physical movement.”

“It’s almost like a moving meditation because the movements are so micro,” she said. “It’s like three-dimensional chess.”

Advertisement


“There’s like a real spiritualism to it … The grounding in sort of samurai tradition and culture and wisdom.”

During President Trump’s first term in the White House, Ivanka Trump noted that she had very little focus on fitness, only taking weekly runs with husband Jared Kushner and “chasing the kids around the house.”

WHAT IS RUCKING? THIS POPULAR FITNESS TREND GOES BACK TO BASICS FOR BIG GAINS

Trump shared that she was “never a gym person,” but always loved sports, which still holds true today.

She said she enjoys skiing, surfing and racquet sports like padel tennis (a hybrid of tennis and squash) and pickle ball, which she described as “fun and social.”

Advertisement


Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are seen out for a walk

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are seen out for a walk with their children on Dec. 10, 2022, in Miami, Florida. (MEGA/GC Images)

‘Elevating awareness’

On the podcast, Trump said she was drawn to jiu-jitsu because it combines physical fitness and philosophy.

It also focuses more on how to extract yourself from a dangerous situation before having to harm someone who’s a threat, she noted.

MARTHA STEWART, 83, STAYS FIT AND FLEXIBLE WITH THIS ROUTINE

“Having these skills makes you less likely to get into a fight, not more likely to,” Trump went on.

“Once you have the confidence that you can sort of move out of a situation, there’s a real focus on elevating awareness.”

Advertisement


ivanka trump waves

Ivanka Trump waves as she arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for US President Donald Trump’s departure on Jan. 20, 2021. (ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Rener Gracie, head instructor of jiu-jitsu at Gracie University in California, stressed that the only truly reliable skills are those that have been “mastered into muscle memory.”

This occurs through extensively practicing self-defense methods like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which are “leverage-based and don’t rely on you having a physical advantage over the subject,” he noted.

“Having these skills makes you less likely to get into a fight, not more likely to.”

“And by that, I mean strength, speed, power and size — because in almost every case, the attacker is going to target someone who they feel is physically inferior to them.”

KATE MIDDLETON EATS THIS HEART-HEALTHY ‘SUPERFOOD’ FOR BREAKFAST EACH DAY

Gracie, whose family created Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), shared that jiu-jitsu is “highly sought after” because it only takes weeks or months for someone to “develop the core skills that could keep them safe in a violent physical encounter.”

Advertisement


‘Transformative’ strength training

In addition to mastering self-defense skills, Ivanka Trump recently revealed a shift in her fitness routine to include weightlifting and resistance training.

On Instagram, Trump posted a video displaying different exercises with various equipment in the gym, noting in the caption that she used to focus primarily on cardio, yoga and Pilates.

“Since moving to Miami, I have shifted my focus to weightlifting and resistance training, and it has been transformative in helping me build muscle and shift my body composition in ways I hadn’t imagined,” she wrote.

“I believe in a strength training approach built on foundational, time-tested and simple movements – squats, deadlifts, hinges, pushes and pulls. These are the cornerstones of my workout, emphasizing functional strength for life.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Advertisement


Trump added that prioritizing form is “essential” to ensure results before adding on weight.

“This ensures a safe and steady progression while maintaining the integrity of each movement,” she continued. “I incorporate mobility work within my sessions to enhance range of motion.”

Ivanka Trump workout

“I believe in a strength training approach built on foundational, time-tested and simple movements – squats, deadlifts, hinges, pushes and pulls,” Ivanka Trump wrote in an October Instagram post. (Ivanka Trump/Instagram)

“Weightlifting has enhanced not just my strength but my overall athleticism and resilience,” she added.

Trump said she dedicates three to four days a week to strength training, including two solo sessions and two with a personal trainer.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Advertisement


She also said that increasing her protein intake has also been “critical” to her progress.

“I now consume between 30 and 50 grams of protein a meal,” she said. “It works … I’ve never been stronger!”

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump in miami

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are seen arriving at the beachside eatery on May 2, 2024, in Miami Beach, Florida. (MEGA/GC Images)

Trump also still enjoys weekly yoga sessions, spending time outdoors with her children and playing sports with friends, she said.

“I also incorporate a couple of short (10-minute), high-intensity interval training sessions (such as sprints) each week to keep my cardiovascular fitness sharp and dynamic,” she noted.

Advertisement


“This balanced approach has infused new energy into my fitness routine and yielded great results.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Ivanka Trump for comment.

Continue Reading

Health

Semaglutide Pills and Injections Vs. Drops: Experts Weigh In | Woman's World

Published

on

Semaglutide Pills and Injections Vs. Drops: Experts Weigh In | Woman's World



Semaglutide Pills and Injections Vs. Drops: Experts Weigh In | Woman’s World


































Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.


Use escape to exit the menu.

Continue Reading

Trending