Home Made Remedies For Summer Time Problems

 We all love summer and the fun that it can bring, but with the fun of summer comes the inevitable bug bites, sunburn, poison Ivy and even tick bites.

But with the coming of summer times problems comes frugal home made solutions to take the bite of out of your discomfort. Here are a few that I have managed to collect.

Top 5 Sunburn Remedies

One of the most common summer time complaints, there must be at least a 100 remedies for sunburns. Some remedies are very common and well heard of, others are pretty off the wall. I have compiled a list of five remedies that seem to get the most praise from readers.

1. Vinegar – Surprisingly this came out as the number one remedy for burning, itching sunburn. Use either white or apple cider vinegar they both seem to work equally well, spray it on or apply it with a cotton ball and let dry. It takes away the itching and burning and helps your burn not to peel quite as much.
2. Aloe – No sunburn list would be complete without Aloe on the list. Long known for its healing properties this is the remedy that most of us are familiar with. Simply apply aloe juice, gel, or direct from the plant and leave it.
3. Tea or tea bags – Tea will reduce the burning as well has help your burn fade a bit faster than it otherwise would.While many people suggest applying tea bags directly to the burn if you have a large burn this could be a bit difficult. You can brew your tea let it cool and use a rag to apply the tea directly to your skin. Use this remedy two to three times daily till the pain stops and the redness fades. Especially good on severe burns.
4. Ice – Removes the burn and pulls the heat out of your skin, ice will also help to reduce any swelling that might occur from severe burns. Best if combined with other remedies. You can use ice cubes, ice packs or put a wet towel in the freezer and let it freeze.
5. Mustard – while this might sound a bit gross, and truthfully it is the first time I had heard of it many people swear by it. Smear the burn area with mustard and let it dry. Remove by washing it off, it takes away the sting and will prevent blistering from occuring.

Other off the wall remedies people have used for sunburn include preparation H ( recommended by a nurse) vagisil ( this from a desperate person) Noxema, Shaving cream,and a yogurt paste with barley and turmeric.

Bug Bite Remedies

From spiders to bees, we all end up with our share of bug bites in the summer time, not all remedies work the same since each bite you get is a bit different but here is a list of the best remedies and what you can use them for.

1. Ice -Perhaps the best all around remedy for bug bites is ice. It constricts the blood vessels slowing the toxins and keeping histamines from reaching the skin, easing the itch and any mild allergic reaction you may have to the bite.
2. Tobacco – Again it may sound gross or turn you off (I know it does me) but it really works well for bee or wasp stings. Any sort of tobacco will work, simply wet it and put it on the sting. Will stop the pain and swelling.
3. Baking Soda – An age old remedy for an assortment of stings, it helps to relieve the pain.Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the sting site, once it dries it can be washed off and reapplied.
4. Toothpaste – If you are in a pinch and having nothing else toothpaste is great for taking the sting and swelling out of a bug bite.
5. Aspirin – make a paste of one aspirin and water and apply it to the site. Will relieve the sting and swelling.

Assorted other home remedies

1. Poison Ivy – For poison ivy the most commonly used remedies are bleach, rubbing alcohol, inside of a banana peel, baking soda in your bath, a mixture of vinegar and table salt, and dawn dish soap mixed with white vinegar.
2. Tick Removal – Pert plus shampoo will cause them to release their hold and then they can be removed easily, a hot needle to the back of the ticks neck, or simply use a pair of tweezers to pull the tick straight off, the disease of the tick resides in its body so do not worry if you do not get all of the tick.

Fun Frugal Picnics to Share with Your Family

Summer is for picnics, and what is more frugal than packing a lunch, gathering up some outdoor toys and heading to the lake for a picnic. But can picnics get boring? Perhaps if you pack the same old food and do the same old thing every time.

If you are looking for something to do that is not going to cost you a bundle, here are some ideas for your next frugal outing.

You Don’t Need a Lot of Equipment to Enjoy a Picnic

The thing that makes picnics so great is you just do not need a lot of equipment to make a great picnic and have it be frugal too. Here is a list of what we take on our picnics and few frugal ideas to help keep costs down.

Ice Chest – this is pretty much mandatory, with hot summer days, perishables go bad quickly so do not take any chances be sure to pack your foods in one of these. Ice chests are pretty affordable starting at around $10 they will last thru countless picnics and pay for themselves over and over.

Ice – Of course you will need ice for your ice chest but do not buy it, and don’t think you need to freeze all your own ice cubes to keep your food cold. Save beverage containers such as plastic milk jugs and juice containers,fill them full of water and place them in the freezer. They make the perfect ice pack and are reusable too.

Utensils – We use plastic plates, cups and forks and spoons. All of which are reusable making them a frugal choice. No need to buy fancy just go to your local Wal-Mart.

Napkins – You can go with disposable for this since everything else is reusable or you can make cloth napkins. It is on my to do list but for now we use paper.

A Few Blankets and a Table Cloth – We have a couple of old blankets and a plastic table cloth that are set aside just for this purpose. This way if there are no picnic tables available we have blankets to sit on the ground with. Sometimes that is more fun anyway

Drinks – We just use old drink containers from juice or milk and take our own water or other drink.

Optional

There are few optional things you might want to take along with you

Portable Barbeque – These can be a lot of fun and are usually inexpensive too. You will need to take charcoal with you too, so this can up the price, but if barbeque is your thing then this can add a bit of fun and flavor to your picnic.

Games and Toys – No picnic would be fun without some games to play so take the baseball, Frisbee and squirt guns.

Shoes for Hiking – Many of the state and federal parks have hiking trails and this can be a great way to walk off a fantastic picnic meal.

Different Ideas to Make Picnics New and Exciting

Explore all the Parks in your Area – There is no reason to go to the same park every picnic that you pack. Make it a point to explore every park in your driving area. All you will be out is the cost of gas, and you will have a chance to sample the unique view of different parks and the reasons they were built.

Do no Limit Yourself to City Parks – City parks are great, most have walking paths, play areas, and many have swimming areas as well, but there are a vast number of state and federal parks in every area of the country to be explored. What better way to get to see and know more about the area you live in than to take a picnic and explore?

Create a Theme for Your Picnic – Traditional picnic foods are great, but they can get boring after a while. Explore new ideas such as having a Mexican picnic, and a Japanese style picnic where all the foods are finger foods. You can also do a bit of research on the park you are visiting and perhaps plan a menu around that. For instance if you are visiting a park that was an old quarry, learn more about the people that used to work in the quarry, and fix foods like they may have taken with them to eat while they worked. This is great way to teach your children a little bit about the diverse cultures of our country.

Don’t Forget Your Back Yard – You do not have to drive to have fun and some of the best picnics can be had right at home. Stretch a bit and break out the tent, yard toys, and hose and make it into an adventure, the kids will have more fun than they could have driving a hundred miles.

I hope this gives you a few ideas about what you can do to plan a fun and frugal summer day. There are so many places to go and things to do you should not limit yourself to staying at home in front of the TV when the weather is warm. Get out and make your own adventure it is free!

For some great recipes visit the Thrifty Hearts Forums and check out the recipe files.

20 Frugal Summer Fun Ideas for your Kids

Frugal Summer Fun

Summer break is almost here, and with that comes the need to keep kids busy during the summer months. If you are like me you like to find new ideas that will not only keep your kids busy but make good memories for them along the way. Here are 20 ideas for things to do with your kids that will not break the budget.

1)      Check your community for free festivals or concerts – Most communities have a summer concert series and various festivals throughout the year. If you not your community then check out neighboring communities to see what they have going on.

2)      Have a Water Party – Kids love water so set up a water park in your back yard. Set up a wading pool, a slip and slide (can be store bought or homemade) some sprinklers and a water table with bowls and cups for your own mini water park. Have a picnic lunch and lay out on beach towels for a fun and cool day.

3)      Look for Dollar Days at your local amusement parks - Many amusement parks have discount days either every week, or one or twice during the summer season. Some parks even have free days once or twice per year.

4)      Spend time out at the lake - If you have a lake near your home this is a perfect way to spend some frugal time with your family, pack up the bathing suits, towels, and lunch and head out for a day of swimming and fun!

5)      Make a photo Journal of your travels – If you hike a lot, go to different parks or other recreation areas take lots of pictures and make a photo journal of your summer fun.

6)      Side walk Painting/ chalk – draw a city on the patio, play a game of what is it, make roads, and write secret messages. Check out this homemade sidewalk chalk recipe here.

7)      Scavenger hunt - Set up a scavenger hunt in your backyard, ask your children to find items such as rocks that are a certain color or shape, a flower, a certain type of leaf, a blade of grass. Give the winner a prize.

8)      Hit a bargain matinee - Once the kids are out of school, most theaters have bargain matinees for a couple of dollars in the afternoons. Much cheaper that regular movies this is a great activity for really hot days to get out of the heat and cool off a bit.

9)      Join a summer reading program – Most libraries and some book stores such as Barnes and Noble have summer reading programs for your children. Many of them will offer a prize such as a free book or coupon to a favorite restaurant if your child reads a certain number of books over the summer.

10)   Plant a Butterfly garden - Plant Asters, Black Eyed Susan, Butterfly Weed, Daylilies, and Golden Rod in a garden. Have your child help plant and care for the flowers. Over time keep your eyes out for the butterflies!

11)   Make bird feeders – Kids love to watch birds, so to attract birds make your own home made bird feeders  either from pine cones stuffed with peanut butter and rolled in bird seed, or with a piece of yarn thread thru a straw and cheerios strung on it. Hang them up in the trees and wait for the birds to show up.

12)   Local tours - many factories and other businesses offer free tours. Ever wondered how cheese was made, or how root beer came to be? Find out what businesses in your area offer tours and make a point of visiting some of them.

13)   Out of the way Museums - We all know and love the big museums but what is more fun is to find all the smaller out of the way museums in your area. Most areas have at least a few of these and they are generally very inexpensive and often they are free. In our area for instance we have a car museum and a railroad museum.

14)   Be a tourist - Find places in your area you have never been before and take time to visit them. Take your camera and act just like a tourist.

15)   Explore your state parks - If your area has a lot of state parks like our area does then the time to visit some of them. State parks are usually free, and all have something different to offer.

16)   Have a water balloon fight or squirt gun fight - There is nothing more fun that having a water fight on a really hot day, gather up your squirt guns, squirt bottles, and balloons and see who can get the wettest.

17)   Volunteer at the local animal shelter - Most kids love animals and will appreciate the time to spend with a variety of dogs and cats and you will all have the satisfaction of helping out. Take shelter animals for walks and play with them.

18)   Go for a family bike ride - Many states have bike trails, this is a perfect adventure for a cooler day, pack a lunch, grab the bikes and camera and go for a long ride.

19)   Have a book reading adventure - Choose a book to read to your child or children and craft a set of activities to do around the book.  Include things such as nature hikes, historical tours, crafts and meals that could reinforce and help them experience what they have read.

20)   Build a fort - collect old lumber, blankets, and other items and set up a fort among the trees and bushes. Hang out and have lunch or read a good book while you are there.