Keep a spare phone book in your car. That way if you can't quite find the place you're looking for or if you need to make an emergency call, you can without expensive 411 calls. Last year's will do just fine.

¶ 892 Posted at 10.35 AM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

To freshen your sponges and make them last longer, send them through the dishwasher once week. After you take them out, microwave them (sodden) for about a minute. They should be steaming and hot to the touch when they come out. You can do the same to sterilize wooden spoons and cutting boards. Flip over your cutting boards to get both sides. In all cases, watch carefully to make sure they don't burn, at least until you figure out the right times for your microwave and items.

¶ 901 Posted at 12.03 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

Jeans wrinkle too. Don't iron them like you would other pants, though. You'll get much better results turning them inside-out first. I suggest you should let them cool before turning them back inside-in. Iron them on "hot" like other cottons.

¶ 908 Posted at 02.18 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

Important numbers to keep in your cell phone's memory:

• Non-emergency local police.
• Tow truck service.
• Cab company.
• Animal control.
• Your primary care physician.
• 24-hour medical hotline (often part of health insurance benefits).
• In Texas, 1-800-456-SMOG to report smoking vehicles.
• Your home and your work.

Note that some of these are for the benefit of someone who finds your phone or who finds you incapacitated. Got more?

¶ 968 Posted at 01.13 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

When you buy some fancy gizmo, file its manual. Put all your manuals in the same place. Attach to the manuals the warranty papers (if separate) and your purchase receipt. If it has a manual, it's worth keeping track of the warranty, because if it has a manual, it can break a half dozen different ways.

¶ 1040 Posted at 04.48 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

If you're connecting two extension cords, tie the ends together before connecting the plug and socket. That way, they won't disconnect when you tug on them.

¶ 1132 Posted at 12.59 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

If you anticipate that you may have a baby in your next house, I suggest you look for a few things:

• The master bedroom and the baby's bedroom should be close together. Ours are on opposite sides of the house, which has some advantages, but is overall a minus. If one or both parents are light sleepers, you might not want them too close.
• There should be a full bathroom pretty close to the baby's room. Ideally, it would be immediately adjacent, perhaps separating the master bedroom from the baby bedroom. This is handy for baths and cleaning up after diapers.
• There should be a second full bathroom elsewhere in the house in case your baby is a light sleeper.
• The baby's room should be away from the living room, kitchen, and other noisy parts of the house.
• The master bedroom should be large enough that you can fit a bassinet comfortably. It's likely that you will want the baby in there at least to start.
• Following the above, make sure your master bathroom has a door between it and the master bedroom. Ours does not, which made things kind of stressful for the first few months when Uma was in with us.
• Make sure that the baby's room is big enough for a crib, a dresser, a rocking chair, a changing table, and a twin bed.
• If you have rambunctious pets, you'll want to be able to close off part of the house so they can't disturb the baby. Dogs scratching themselves at night can be surprisingly loud, especially with metal tags (which I suggest taping together anyway).
• See how comfortable the baby's room is with the door closed and the AC and heat on. Uma's room is small, and we have forced air heat, which makes it alternately hot and stuffy or cold and dry with the door closed, especially since there's no thermostat. As a result, we leave her door open at night. That works well, but it means she's not isolated from noise, and we have to keep the dogs out of that part of the house. Radiators and radiant floor heating are apparently much better for this.
• If you're doing cloth diapers and washing them yourself, you'll want the washing machine to be close to the baby's room so you don't have to lug so much stuff back and forth. Even if you're not washing your own cloth diapers, you're still going to be doing a lot of laundry. It may be worth it to pay extra for energy efficient appliances, including a front-loading washer, assuming you have to buy new ones. It's not worth it if you already have inefficient ones. And, of course, having a laundry room inside the house is better than having to go out to the garage. That's true without a baby, but you're going to be doing a lot of laundry.
• Wood flooring is your friend. Tile is hard and not appropriate for many rooms, while carpet gets dirty easily and is a pain to clean. Your baby will be spending a lot of time on the floor. Laminate flooring should be fine, also.

It may sound like we're a little excessive with keeping things quiet. We're slowly getting more cavalier with making noise, as she is getting better about sleeping through noise and falling back asleep if she wakes up. However, if you have problems with your child's sleep, you will be desperate to avoid anything that might disturb her.

¶ 1187 Posted at 02.15 PM ⇒ No Comments ( house | tips | babies )

I rarely avoid punching through the bottom of the cork when opening wine, so I get these little bits floating in it. Sometimes, you can pour them out of the bottle, but it's hard. Try this: get a straw, and do that thing where you dip one end and cover the other with a finger. Do it so the cork bits are trapped at the bottom in a drop of wine and then release it in the sink. Rinse and repeat until all cork bits are gone.

¶ 1232 Posted at 09.52 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

I just found a friend I hadn't seen nor heard from since freshman year in high school by using the Amazon wishlist feature. If you're looking for someone, maybe that'll work for you.

¶ 1352 Posted at 08.25 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

If you're in a hurry to get some water hot, fill up four pots each with ¼ of the water and heat them all at the same time on separate burners. When they start to boil, (carefully) combine them into a single pot.

¶ 1372 Posted at 03.28 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

If you'd like to get on this whole weblog thing, go right ahead. Just don't tell anyone about it until you know you're going to stick with it. A weblog with just one post is worse than no weblog at all. A common pitfall is that you have a lot to say, but don't realize that's years worth of expression that's all been bottled up. Once you've gotten all that out, what are you going to do? There are no doubt millions of weblogs that lasted a week or even a few months, ending once their creators ran out of things to say 1 . Make sure you give it a couple of months and a few dozen posts before you even think about telling people about it. And above all, do not make your first post about starting a weblog.

¶ 1550 Posted at 11.20 AM ⇒ No Comments ( tips | web )

Use a wire whisk instead of a fork for mashing avocadoes.

¶ 1621 Posted at 10.17 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips | food )

I've gotten a lot of mileage out of Craig's List. Here's what I've learned:

• Always deal in person and in cash.
• The phone is quicker than email.
• To get the best deals, you have to respond fast. You also have to invest your time and watch the list for a while before pouncing.
• There's someone for just about anything if it's free, whether it's broken floor tiles, used peanut oil, or ancient computer parts.
• On the other hand, for things that cost money, it's generally a buyers' market.
• You should never buy appliances, consumer electronics, children's clothes, toys, some tools, and some computer parts at retail. Even the Austin list, which is probably no more than a medium-sized one, has a lot of pretty decent items. I scored an excellent dishwasher for just $100.
• You get extra for things that are "new in box."
• When buying gift cards or store credit, meet the seller at the store in question so you can verify the quantity. In some cases, like with Whole Foods, you can just call a 1-800 number and verify, but since you need to meet the seller somewhere anyway... Gift cards usually go for 85 cents on the dollar, but it can be less for more obscure retailers (or from more desperate sellers; today I got $100 of J. Crew gift cards for $50 from an unemployed seller).
• Whenever possible, put up a picture of the item for sale. Unless you're selling a generic commodity like an icemaker hose, people are going to want to know what it looks like.
• In your subject, state what the item actually is (blue jeans, a drill, a microwave, etc.). It seems obvious, but people often forget it. Also include the two or three key attributes of the item, whether color, manufacturer, or function.
• Describe the item thoroughly. Don't just say "Dishwasher $75." Where applicable include the manufacturer, model, color, size, condition (cosmetic and functional), count, expiration date, whether necessary parts are included.
• Always make sure you include a way to contact you; I suggest using their email forwarding to a secondary email address that you check frequently.
• If you have multiple items of a similar type to sell, like toddler boy clothes, list them together. If they're significantly different, like a hand mixer and a rocking chair, post separate listings. This is true even if you have 20 items (though you might want to stretch it out). I have little interest in scanning through a posting that says "Lots of stuff for sale;" there are enough posts in a day that I just read the titles.
• Manufacturers are mostly interested in selling their current product line; it can be hard to find specifications and manuals for items even 2 years old (like my dishwasher). That's just the way it is.
• The literacy level is appalling.
• People will flake out. You'll get an inquiry and then never hear from that person again.
• When arranging a meeting, go beyond just picking a place to meet. Specify (say) which entrance and exchange physical descriptions (including clothing). Always get a cell phone number.
• Make appointments for a specific time rather than a rough time range, even when people are coming to your house. You can loosen this for free things that you're going to leave in front of your house, but you still want an idea so you don't have a box of broken tiles sitting on your lawn for a week.
• Sometimes people will try to change the deal when you meet, figuring that you'll give up $5 or whatever when you're face-to-face with a willing buyer. These people are jerks. Don't bend, and definitely don't try it.
• Make sure you have the exact amount in cash before buying. If selling, make sure you have plenty of small bills for making change. You don't want your buyer to have to go somewhere to get change; she might not come back. This doesn't apply when meeting at retail stores that can make change, of course.
• Keep a record of your transactions. Note down what the item was, the cost, the other party, the date, the location, and the time (if you feel like being especially complete).
• Respond to every inquiry, if only to say "Sorry, it's gone."
• Respect first-come first serve unless you explicitly stated "best offer."
• When selling, try to stick to multiples of $5.

¶ 1632 Posted at 09.02 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

I have found that dabbing a little bit of petroleum jelly into paper cuts and similar injuries makes them sting a lot less. I use a cotton swab to make sure I don't spread it too widely, and then I put a bandage over it to make sure the jelly doesn't rub off. It especially helps on hands because they can get dried out and the skin flexes a lot. I got some fierce slices in my palm from ripping off laminate countertops (sharp edges), and this made it feel a lot better.

¶ 1653 Posted at 12.59 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

I am increasingly cynical about the way medicine is practiced in this country. The economics and politics are all messed up, and create incentives for the wrong things. You need to protect yourself, both in body and in wallet. I've devised a simple script to follow in case your doctor recommends a prescription drug1, surgery, or other significant medical intervention:

1. Can I do nothing? If not...
2. How long can I put off doing something? If the answer is not very long...
3. Can I address the problem with diet or lifestyle changes, or some kind of behavior modification therapy? If not...
4. Can I treat it with over-the-counter nutritional supplements? e.g., iron for anemia, cranberry extract for bladder infections. If not...
5. Can I treat it with over-the-counter drugs? e.g. ibuprofen (works just as well as Vioxx or Celebrex for most people), Benadryl (works as well as any other anti-histamine for most people, so if it doesn't make you drowsy, you're good). If not...
6. Is there a generic drug to treat? That's not just about cost; generified drugs have been around longer, so they're more likely to be effective and safe. If not...
7. Can I treat it with an older, more established prescription drug? If not...
8. When all else fails, ask if there large-scale, rigorous, long-term studies that demonstrate that this is significantly better than alternatives?2

I left off a last question because both it and the desired answer may vary. In some cases you can substitute surgery for a drug or vice versa. There are many kinds of surgery with varying risks and impacts. Ditto for the many kinds of prescription drugs. You'll have to make your own call about asking about substituting one for the other. Devices like stents or pacemakers are similarly ambiguous. Are there any questions I missed?

I don't expect this to blow your mind. Instead, I wanted to compile a complete list so that you don't have to think about the questions to ask when you're on the spot. More importantly, I want you to understand that you are in charge of your health, and that you cannot trust our medical system to do what's best for you. The individuals involved may have the best of intentions, but the system is broken. Even in the best of situations, there is rarely a single best course of treatment. There are always tradeoffs, and some of them can be pretty tricky 3. You have to make up your own mind about what's best. Only you can know what's best for you.

¶ 1671 Posted at 06.01 PM ⇒ No Comments ( health | tips )

There appears to be a world of difference between cheap drill bits and the expensive ones. Maybe I'm just abusive.

¶ 1694 Posted at 10.25 PM ⇒ No Comments ( fyi | tips )

Tivo, Netflix, and/or Bittorrent + DVD burner.

¶ 1697 Posted at 09.21 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )

There's not much difference between clothes dryers. You've got energy source, size, noise, and whether there's a moisture sensor. They all use the same methods and the same amount of energy; Consumer Reports doesn't even bother rating them on energy usage. Broadly speaking, if you have a working dryer, a new dryer is a waste of money. Where they get you is this idea that washers and dryers come in matched sets. There are all these pretty, sleek, colorful sets out there. You buy a new washer, and they try to take you for a ride on a completely unnecessary dryer. The internals of washers vary. There are lots of reasons to get one washer or another, or to replace the one you have. Dryers are basically all the same. Matching is nice, but is it really worth $500 or $1000 just to get a shiny new box around a machine nearly identical to the one you already have?

¶ 1701 Posted at 10.56 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips | money )

As you might have guessed, we got a new washing machine. Two kids in cloth diapers means doing a lot of laundry. It cost $700 regular price (same price at Lowe's and Best Buy). All told, it cost us less:

• -$35: On sale. Lucky us.
• -$50: I asked. Mind you, I am a terrible negotiator. However, I have two things going for me that help a lot. One, I'm willing to ask. Two, I know what I'm willing to pay, and I'll walk away if I don't get my price. The corollary is that I'm ready to buy if I do get my price; I'm not just playing games, and I want the salesman to know that. Apropos, the NY Times just had an article about negotiating at big box stores (the gist is: you can). I told the sales guy: "This can be the easiest sale you make all day. Take $50 off and I'll buy it now."
• -$60: Free delivery and installation promotion (in-store only). Luckier us. I did ask if we could skip the installation for a discount, but no dice.
• -$85: I bought gift cards at a discount ranging from 8% to 20% on eBay, Craig's List, and Card Avenue.
• -$50 (forthcoming): City of Austin water rebate for buying a high-efficiency washer.
• -$50 (forthcoming): Texas Gas Service rebate for same.
• -$50: sale of our old washer, which was perfectly good, just not very efficient. Best Buy offered to take it away for free; while convenient, that gets no moneys.

Note that you can also use coupons. Sometimes they have restrictions, so make sure they're valid for what you want to get. You can get these coupons on eBay or elsewhere. Little known fact (even to employees): some stores will take competitors' coupons; I've saved about $60 over the last few weeks using Lowe's coupons at Home Depot.

Overall, our net hit will be something like $380, after figuring in taxes and such. We're currently on a rate of 2-3 loads of laundry per day. High-efficiency front-loaders save you money by using less water, but they also save money because your clothes are less sodden when you put them in the dryer. In the current economy, getting a 5% yield on a safe investment is pretty good; 10% is great. I estimate we'll save between $60 (very conservatively) and $120 (more likely) each year, which is a yield of 15%-30%.

We're also saving money by getting our detergent 1 through Amazon's "Subscribe & Save" thingie; that gets us down to $0.15/load2 (which still costs more than we were paying before, but that's because we were using the super-cheap (and quite good) Purex).

¶ 1704 Posted at 08.58 AM ⇒ No Comments ( money | tips )

Use a vegetable peeler to get very thin slices of hard cheeses. They'll have to be narrow to fit the peeler, but hopefully that won't be a problem.

¶ 1709 Posted at 01.40 PM ⇒ No Comments ( tips | food )

Don't drink water when you're coughing unless you're coughing because your throat is dry. If you've aspirated food or water, the last thing you need is to try to sneak something else past your airway. I always see people urging coughers to drink water when they've inhaled something, and it drives me nuts.

¶ 1740 Posted at 08.44 AM ⇒ No Comments ( tips )