Inexpensive Home Remedies to Soothe Your Sun Burn

Even though the official start of summer is still about three weeks away, the number of people in area lakes and pools this past Memorial Day weekend was a strong indication that summer activities are in full swing in North Texas. Of course, when you’re out in the Texas sun, you risk getting a sun burn, even when you wear sun screen. I would be one of those people. At least I was yesterday.

I normally am covered in SPF 50 because of my tendency to fry like bacon. Yesterday, I must have gotten distracted, and my legs are paying for it today. After about an hour in the sun, I could feel my legs cooking. I did apply sun screen many times, but it was apparently too late.

Once our skin gets to a certain temperature, it continues to cook, even when we remove it from the heat. That is why the burn sometimes looks even worse the next day. If this happens to you and you need relief, do not spend a lot of money on creams or ointments. Use these items that are already in your home. I have not tested all of these personally, but if you already have them in your home, you have nothing to lose by trying them.

Cold Compress

This is as easy as soaking washcloths in cold water and setting them on the burnt parts of your skin. For deeper burns, put the wet washcloths in the freezer first to let them get extra cold. When they get dry or warm, repeat and reapply.

Vinegar

Pour white vinegar or apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle and spray directly on the sun burn. Let the vinegar air dry. Do not pat it or wipe it with a towel.

Mustard

It makes sense that if vinegar works, mustard should, too. I decided to experiment with this one, and it works fabulously. I applied it like lotion and the sting went away instantly. My leg also feels cooler, which tells me it removing the heat from the burn. Now I just need my husband to stop telling me I smell like a hot dog.

Tea

Make an extra strong pot of tea, then ice it down with the tea bags still in it. When the tea is completely cold, you can either apply the tea bags to the burnt area or soak washcloths in the cold tea and apply them to your sun burn.

Tomatoes

I am told the acid from the tomatoes is what takes the sting out of the burn. Cut a tomato and it rub on the burn, cut side down.

Cucumbers

I don’t know if cucumbers take the sting away, but they are a natural cooling agent that will help remove the heat from the burn. Just apply cucumber slices to the burnt areas.

What other home remedies do you use to soothe your skin after a day in the hot sun? Please leave a comment here and let’s continue the discussion so all members can benefit from the information.

 

Cell Phone Apps That Help You Save Money

The evolution of the cell phone can do wonders for your budget. No, phones aren’t always cheap, but look at it this way. If your mobile carrier is going to require you to have a data package, you might as well use it to your advantage. Here are some apps that can help you save money:

RedLaser --lets you shop smarter, faster and cheaper. Use it to compare prices on the same item at multiple locations by scanning the barcode on the package. Select whether you want price comparisons from local stores or whether you want online price comparisons, too. If you don’t have to by it immediately, and the online price is that much better, buy it online. Or, if you find a better price at a nearby store, purchase it online and have it waiting for you when you get there. If it’s a food item you are searching for, RedLaser also will provide information on allergens. Available on iPhones, Windows and Android phones.

Cellfire is digitizing the coupon craze. Are you tired of spend hours clipping coupons only to forget them when you head to the store. Search for and store coupons on your phone or load them to your store club card. When it’s time to pay the cashier, present your store card or your mobile phone to use the coupon. It will be taken off your total instantly. Use Cellfire for entertainment discounts, as well. Available for just about any phone on the market.

The magic of Groupon has gone mobile. Now, get daily deals through the Groupon mobile app. The mobile app often gives deals not available from the Groupon website. Available for just about any phone on the market.

The Coupons app puts coupon savings at your fingertips. Find coupon savings and shopping deals at your favorite stores, restaurants and even gas stations. Plus, find the cheapest gas prices near wherever you happen to be. The Coupons app also offers daily deals. Available on Android and iPhones.

Tired of toting around a keychain full of barcodes for every store where you have a loyalty card? CardMobili, is a smartphone app that lets you store your cards and coupons. Simply flash your phone at checkout. Available on most smartphones.

What are some of your favorite apps for saving money or time? Please leave a comment so all members of our credit union family can benefit from the information.

 

Larger Isn’t Always Cheaper, Cheaper Isn’t Always Better

When I was growing up, my mom always bought the biggest package of everything – cereal, laundry detergent, peanut butter, etc. Back then, it was pretty much a given that you got more for your money by purchasing the “economy” size. Today, that’s not always true. Larger isn’t always cheaper, and cheaper isn’t always better. That is never more apparent than when I send my husband to the store (and you’re about to see why those trips are as infrequent as possible).

My husband loves to shop the meat counter of a grocery store. He’s always looking for something to smoke or grill. I can’t tell you how many times he has come home with a piece of meat that was “on sale.” He didn’t look at factors like fat content, which determines how much the meat shrinks, or the price per pound, which sometimes is insanely high. As with most things, it’s not necessarily the flat price you have to look out. With food, it’s the price per pound, ounce or other unit measure. With sheets, it’s the thread count. With clothes, it’s many things, including the quality of fabric.

When you look at shopping in those terms, you learn very quickly that bigger is not always cheaper. Last week, I needed laundry detergent. I’m not loyal to a brand so much as I am to anything with no dyes and perfumes. When comparing two different sizes and brands, I realized that by purchasing four smaller bottles, I was get a whole lot more soap for a lot less money and still paying less overall. I did the same thing with cereal. When I compared the sale price, per ounce, of the smaller size box to the price per ounce of the larger size box, it was cheaper to buy two smaller boxes. Sometimes it works the opposite way. Most of the time, the stickers on the stores shelves give you a price per ounce, even on the sale sticker or signs. Otherwise, do the math. I remember shopping for peanut butter once and learning that the sale price on the largest jar (which happened to a good price for that size), still was not cheaper than buying two smaller jars.

How does this translate to clothes? I have learned that you get what you pay for, most of the time. In other words, if you’re not willing to spend a little more, you may be compromising quality. Compromised quality means your garments may not last as long. Of course, sometimes you’re paying more for the brand name. Ms. Me jeans are often $100 or more. Does that make them better than the significantly cheaper brands like Levis or Old Navy? That’s when you have to look at fabric quality and thickness to make that determination. If the only thing redeeming about a pair of jeans are their name, you may want to save your money.

Being a bargain shopper means finding the best value, which often is different than the best price. Look at the unit size or the quality of something to make that determination.

 

Denial Can Be Expensive

My son’s teacher sat down next to me the other day and said something that still makes me cringe. She told me that her husband’s salary had declined significantly over the past three years. During that time, they didn’t want their teenage kids to know, so they continued living the lifestyle they were accustomed to. Both of their children play competitive sports, and in three years, their denial about their financial situation has resulted in a mountain of debt.

My heart hurt for her. It still does, not just because of their financial decline, but because they let something in their control get completely out of control. Please don’t let this happen to you!

As a parent, I am a firm believer that your kids should not have to deal with adult problems. That doesn’t mean you can’t be honest with them in a way that doesn’t make them worry. My son is eight years old. My husband is out of work. We are not struggling financially, but we also have cut back on things like eating out after church on Sundays and other small luxuries that add up over time. My son also has to limit his summer camp choices this year. If my husband gets a job soon, we may give him more options, but for now, the distance and cost of camps are big factors in determining whether or not he can go.

Even if you don’t have kids, or a spouse for that matter, you have to be honest with yourself about your financial situation. When your income decreases, so should your expenses. If you are using credit cards to buy things you know you can’t pay for any time soon, you are living beyond your means. If you are spending money on entertainment instead of paying your electric bill, you are living beyond your means. Stop now while you still have control over you money. Cut back on luxuries, even if it means seeing the matinee movie instead of the evening movie or stopping for coffee twice a week instead of every day. Shop around for cheaper auto insurance. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Those small expenses will save you more than you think.

Last summer, my sister-in-law was complaining that she and my brother can’t afford to take a vacation with their kids. She was telling me this in the car while she was picking up her daily cup of ice coffee for $2.65. Yes. She even buys it on weekends. A year’s worth of coffee costs her $967.25, plus the cost of gas to drive back and forth every day. That’s her vacation, and she doesn’t see it.

If this sounds like you, don’t let denial steal your financial freedom. Be honest with yourself and your loved ones while you are still in control of you money. If you don’t, it will end up controlling you.

Should You Save Money or Pay Down Debt?

A lot of people are drowning in debt. They have so much debt that saving money doesn’t even seem possible. I have been there, and I am here to tell you that it is possible to turn it around.

Obviously, paying off your debt is important. If you don’t pay off your debt in a timely manner, you could lose your house, or your car or whatever it is you owe money on. There’s also your credit report. If you default on your loans, it will kill your credit, which could affect your ability to buy a house, rent an apartment, secure car insurance or even get a job. You have to pay your debt, but does that mean you can’t also save?

I am a product of the Dave Ramsey approach for building wealth while beating your debt. His method includes seven baby steps. The first one is saving $1,000 for an emergency fund while continuing to make the minimum payment on your debt - even if you can only save $10 a pay check. Here’s why.

If you pay down your debt but have nothing saved for emergencies, what will you do when an unexpected expense like a car repair or health scare? Mostly likely, you’ll charge it on the credit card you’ve been working so hard to pay off. An emergency fund helps you avoid that.

There are other schools of thought that believe you should focus on paying off your debt first, because in most cases your debt costs you more money than your savings makes you. Many credit cards have interest rates higher than 20 percent APR. In today’s economy, you’re lucky to earn as much as one percent APY on a typical savings or money market account. Of course, if you only make the minimum payment and your debt is substantial, it will take decades to pay off your debt. If you decide to focus on debt first, be sure to pay more than the minimum payment on your loans and credit cards.

Deciding whether to save money or pay down debt is a very personal decision. Unfortunately, we can’t make that decision for you. We can, however, give you tools and advice that help you make the decision that is best for you. Start with our online education center for personal finance called BalanceTrack. You will find all kinds of information on just about any topic related money. Next, check out our BALANCE program, designed specifically to help you break the debt cycle.

NCU is here to help, but we know there are lots of other resources out that. How have paid down your debt while saving money? Please leave a comment so others can benefit from your information.