Category: Beauty and Fashion Tips

In the United States, anywhere between 80% to 90% of women have pierced ears. Learning how to clean earrings the right way will help you stay clean, healthy, and stylish all at once.

Not cleaning your earrings properly can cause bacterial infections. The only way to avoid getting an infection is to create a cleaning routine based on your needs.

Keep reading to learn the best way to clean earrings:

How to Clean Earrings: Wash Your Hands

Always wash your hands before you start cleaning earrings. There’s no point in sanitizing your earrings if you’re going to touch them with germ-ridden hands afterward.

Using hand sanitizer will also do the trick. Better yet, play it super safe by always wearing disposable gloves while handling/cleaning earrings.

Pick a Cleaning Solution

After washing your hands, select the pair of earrings you have in mind. While you’re at it, learn all about the types of earrings out there and how to choose ones that enhance your everyday looks.

Knowing how to clean earrings at home means selecting the best cleaning solution available. Always choose a sanitizing solution based on what kind of earring you’re cleaning. Take the earrings’ metal and gemstone(s) into consideration while choosing a solution.

For instance, you can clean sterling silver with baking soda and water. However, it’s better to wash gold with dish soap and water or rubbing alcohol. A mild liquid detergent cut with water is good for cleaning diamond earrings.

Submerge Your Earrings

Drop your earrings into your chosen cleaning solution and let the sanitizing fun begin! Most earrings need to remain submerged for at least half an hour to become sanitary.

The amount of soaking time required changes depending on the earrings’ metal and the cleaning solution you choose. For example, if you’re using white vinegar and baking soda to clean silver earrings, they’ll need to soak for around 2 to 3 hours.

Gentle Scrubbing

After soaking, retrieve your earrings from the solution and gently scrub them with a toothbrush. This removes the oil, dirt, and bacteria from any hard-to-reach places your earrings might have. Make sure you have a toothbrush that’s specifically reserved for earring cleaning purposes.

Be extra gentle when scrubbing off soft stones like opal, pearl, and turquoise while learning how to clean your earrings. In fact, pearls can only handle being delicately wiped with a damp washcloth after each time you wear them. Harsh chemicals, water temperatures, or handling methods damage pearls.

Make Your Earrings Dazzle Like Your Personality

Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson advises parents to wait until their child is at least 6 months old to pierce their ears. If you do this, teach children how to clean earrings as soon as they’re old enough to handle the responsibility.

It’s best to clean your earrings on a weekly basis, but other earrings need more frequent washings. Develop a cleaning schedule that’s convenient for you so you’ll be able to stick to it.

Make your whole life sparkle — read more of our cleaning articles. You’ll be surprised by the amazing tips you’re missing out on.

If your teeth need straightening, braces are the only solution, right?

Most people with crooked teeth probably think that they need braces to solve this dental issue, but that’s not always the case. Braces should be viewed as a sort of last resort for tooth conditions that aren’t fixable.

Today, we’re going to tell you how to straighten teeth without braces because it is possible and you can sometimes do it without a dentist’s help. Of course, it depends on the situation you have in your mouth, so read on and see if you can course-correct your teeth by yourself.

How to Straighten Teeth Without Braces

There are a few common conditions that are fixable without the costly and time-consuming help of braces. If you’ve got limited overcrowding, other malocclusions, or an underdeveloped palate that is making your teeth crooked, you can fix them with the help of retainers and other, less-invasive devices.

Overcrowding

Limited overcrowding is when your teeth are slightly crooked because they’re crowding in too small a space within your mouth. It’s the most common condition that (often) requires braces, but that’s not always necessary. 

Many cases of limited overcrowding can be solved with a fixed or removable retainer. A fixed retainer is mounted behind your teeth with luting cement to prevent them from moving for a period of time. A removable retainer has the same function as a fixed one, but you can take it out when it becomes uncomfortable.

Malocclusion

Overcrowding is a form of malocclusion, which is any kind of misalignment of the teeth. Other forms are crossbites, over and underbites, and open bites. Depending on which class of malocclusion you’ve got, you may be forced to get braces or Invisalign to get straighter teeth.

In more minor cases, retainers will once again come into play. In class 2 or 3 malocclusions, it might be more beneficial to insert a device to adjust the jaw.

Underdeveloped Palate

Sometimes you’ll need to adjust your palate to make room for your teeth. This is most common with children whose jaws are too small for their permanent teeth. In the old days, an orthodontist would perform an extraction to accommodate the teeth, but now we have something called rapid palatal expansion.

With RPE, a device is fitted into the mouth that gradually expands the palate (roof of the mouth) so that it can fit those permanent teeth that are coming in. The process usually takes between a few weeks and a few months to complete.

Take Care of Your Teeth

While retainers and other devices are meant to help you avoid getting braces, sometimes it’s the only way. Going down the path of learning how to straighten teeth without braces should only happen with the help of a dental professional.

Most people associate having straight teeth with being more confident about their appearance, but there are practical benefits as well. The biggest is that it’s much easier to catch food and particles when you’re brushing. Crooked teeth can also put pressure on your jaw and lead to chronic headaches.

Did you find this article helpful? Come back and visit us again for more on family life and frugal living. 

It’s no secret that much of the fashion industry isn’t too concerned with environmental consciousness. Almost three-fifths of clothing will wind up in an incinerator or landfill within a year of production. In 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that 12.8 million tons of textile waste were in our landfills. 

What’s an environmentally-conscious fashion lover to do when their closet no longer brings them joy, then? Upcycle clothes, of course.

Reusing your old articles of clothing and breathing new life into them is both wallet-friendly and better for the environment. You won’t need to take trips to the mall or online shop when you have an infinite amount of options already in your closet. 

If you’re wondering how to upcycle clothing, keep reading. We’ve outlined seven unique ways to repurpose the clothes in your closet. All you need to bring is your creativity, an open mind, and a few craft supplies.

1. Bring out the Bleach

One of our favorite ways to upcycle clothes is by taking a little bit of bleach and getting artsy. 

There are several techniques you can use to bleach your clothing. If you love drawing, you can buy a bleach pen and draw designs on your old shirts or pants. Think spiral designs, inspirational phrases, animals, or whatever else your heart desires.

If you’re less artistically inclined, pair your bleach with any stencil from Hobby Lobby or Michael’s. Stencils come in all shapes and sizes so the skies the limit here.

One thing to keep in mind before taking bleach to your clothing is the fabric. Natural fibers like cotton and silk will be easier to customize with bleach than others. 

2. Raid Your Significant Other’s Closet

If your husband or boyfriend has a closet full of clothes he never wears, they’re fair game for you to upcycle. 

All you need is an oversized shirt, a pair of scissors, and a bit of creativity and the possibilities are endless.

Their side of the closet is especially fun to raid if you have little ones to dress, too. You can turn a large men’s shirt into a little girl’s t-shirt dress with some scissors and a sewing machine. 

3. Upgrade Your Denim

Jean anything is timeless. Though what’s on-trend may change with the seasons, it’s always a good idea to have some denim in your closet.

If you’re handy with scissors and a sewing machine, you can create almost anything from your old denim. Turn last season’s jeans into a make-up or tote bag. 

If you’re particularly fond of your jean jacket, consider upgrading instead of upcycling. Turn it into a jean vest if you’re feeling punky. You can use the bleach trick above or even buy some iron on patches to give your jacket a new life, too.

4.  Get Lacy

Leftover lace or fabric scraps from other upcycling or craft projects can help transform your old clothes. Sew lace to the hem of a dress to make it more modest while adding vintage flair. 

Add lace trim to your jeans or on the sleeves of your jean jacket to uplevel your denim. If you have a pair of holy pants destined for the trash, sew lace into the holes for a sexy peekaboo effect. 

 5. Reuse Blankets

Upcycling isn’t a practice reserved just for clothing. Do you have an old blanket collecting mothballs in a closet somewhere in your home? It’s time to repurpose that beauty into something new and fashionable.

With an old wool blanket, you can create a homemade coat perfect for those cold winter months. You’ll be looking fashionable and staying warm with a few cuts of fabric and several stitches. 

Blankets can also be repurposed into things like Christmas stockings, tote bags, throw pillows or winter hats.

6. Turn Tees Into Tanks

You don’t need to be a whiz with a sewing machine to make upcycling clothes a hobby. There are countless ways you can repurpose old t-shirts into tank tops with a pair of scissors and some ribbon. 

The first step to transforming any tee into a tank is taking off the sleeves. Once the sleeves are off, you’ll need to decide what width you’ll want your new tank top straps to be. Don’t forget to determine how big you want the armholes to be, too. 

The next steps will be different depending on what style tank top you’re going for. You can cut off the bottom two inches of the shirt and use this strip of fabric as a tie to make your tank a racerback.

Not a fan of the racerback silhouette? Maybe a crop top is more your style? That’s an easy DIY that’ll only take a few minutes to complete. 

7. Give Your Sweaters a Second Chance

Just as with blankets, your old sweaters can be repurposed in infinite ways.  

One of our favorite sweatshirt upcycle ideas is to transform them into other winter attire. Since sweaters are already designed for warmth, using them as a winter-specific upcycle is a logical choice. You can make them into warm hats, leg warmers, a mug cozie, a cowl, or even a pair of mittens. 

Another great thing about repurposing sweaters is that their second life can extend beyond clothing. Make an autumn wreath by wrapping the fabric around a wreath ring. Wrap a vase for a chic take on winter table decor. 

Do Your Part and Upcycle Clothes

Making clothes out of old clothes can be a fun way to spend your spare time. Not only are you helping the environment by not contributing to textile waste, but you’re also sharpening your crafting skills.

When you upcycle clothes, your closet will always feel fresh, and you won’t need to spend a dime. Repurposing clothes allows you to contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry that’s better for the world.

If you’re interested in learning more about sustainability in the industry, be sure to keep browsing our page. We’re raising awareness about ethical fashion and need help spreading the word. 

The average family spends just shy of $2000.00 per year on clothes. That’s enough money for most Americans to take a vacation to Disney World!

We get that clothes take priority over Mickey Mouse photo ops and fun rides but understand that you don’t have to be spending anywhere near $2000.00 on clothes on an annual basis. There are a number of clever strategies that everyday people like you use to save extraordinary amounts of cash on everything from shoes to shirts.

Curious to know what these awesome savings strategies are? Well, you’re about to find out.

Below, we share our top tips on how to shop for clothes without breaking the bank!

1. Be Open to Hand Me Downs

When you were a kid, you probably dreaded getting your sibling’s or your cousin’s hand me downs. As an adult, you should be more open to digging through people’s used clothes to see if there are any good pieces in the pile.

After all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, right?

Let people that are roughly the same size as you know that you’re always looking for interesting pieces of clothing to experiment with and that you’d appreciate it if they’d drop their bags of used garments on your doorstep before they go to the dumpster.

You can even sweeten the deal by saying that you’ll donate anything that you don’t use!

2. Go Thrift Shopping

Every how to shop for clothes affordably guide is going to recommend that you go thrift shopping. That’s because thrift shopping rocks!

You’d be shocked by how many high-end pieces get donated and go on a $2.00 rack at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army store.

Also, most thrift shops donate proceeds to charitable causes. That means that you can upgrade your closet for pennies on the dollar while improving someone else’s quality of life. Talk about a great deal!

3. Go to Overstock Stores Before Outlets

There are overstock stores and there are outlet stores. Understanding the difference between those two places is instrumental to you saving big time on clothes.

Outlets, for the most part, aren’t a very good deal. Most outlets advertise insane markdowns but those markdowns are based on MSRP which doesn’t always turn out to be a better deal than you’d get at a standard mall. Also, many outlet malls have lower quality clothing that were produced specifically for outlet retailers which won’t last you long.

On the other hand, overstock stores are an excellent value! Overstock stores like Marshalls or Ross legitimately get name brand retailers to sell them their overstock inventory at a discounted rate. They then pass those discounts onto you.

Consequently, you can find high-quality garments at overstock stores for prices that will make your jaw drop!

4. Hit the Sales Rack

Any time that you walk into a store, go straight to the sales rack. Sure, most items on a sales rack won’t be what you’re looking for. Occasionally though, you’ll bump into an incredible deal that you would have missed out on if you hadn’t of looked.

Can’t find the sales rack at your local store? Don’t be afraid to ask a store associate where you can find it.

Floor managers sometimes tuck sales racks into the back of their stores to let their more expensive merchandise enjoy the limelight.

5. Click the Clearance/Sales Tab on Websites

Do you like shopping online? If you do, you’re not alone. About 10% of all sales are generated over the internet. As it turns out, your how to shop for clothes at discounted prices ambitions can be achieved over the web if you know where to look.

Our recommendation is to head over to the “clearance” or “sale” tab on clothing sites like Lulu & Rose which should either be at the top or bottom of a homepage.

There are usually several excellent deals in online clearance sections that you can’t find in a store’s brick-and-mortar locations.

6. Buy out of Season Fashion

Don’t buy cute coats in late November. Don’t buy sexy swimsuits in May. Instead, buy swimsuits in the winter and coats during the summer.

While that may seem counterintuitive, retailers try to clear out fashion that’s not in season to make room for more relevant inventory by offering huge discounts. Stock up on all of the cheap, out of season fashion that you can get your hands on and debut it to the public once the appropriate weather blows into town.

7. Sell Your Old Stuff to Save on New Purchases

While this isn’t a way to explicitly save money while buying new clothes, it achieves the same end. If you have clothes that are in good condition but don’t fit you anymore, you can actually sell those garments and use the money to discount the new stuff that you buy.

Popular places/platforms to sell your old fashion on include Poshmark, The Buffalo Exchange and eBay.

8. Never Shop Without Coupons

There’s a coupon for just about anything that you buy in life. Especially when you’re shopping online.

Before you check out that shopping cart on Amazon or on Nike, scour the web to see if there’s a coupon that you can apply to your purchase to bring down your price. To make things even easier, you can use applications like Honey which will source coupons on your behalf.

9. Take Care of Your Threads

If you buy a shirt for $15.00 and you ruin it in one year, that shirt cost you $15.00 per year to own. If you bought the same shirt, took care of it and it lasted you four years, it cost you $3.75 per year to own.

Most people don’t think about clothing prices that way but you definitely should. Take better care of your threads and they become cheaper to own over time.

10. Be Honest About When You Need to Go Shopping

Another way to bring down the amount of money that you spend on clothing is by being honest about when you need to shop. We get that shopping can make for a great release after a stressful workweek. But how about finding another way to take the edge off like exercising?

We’re willing to bet that if you need a new outfit to wear, you could mix and match old pieces to create a fresh look. If that’s true, get creative instead of pulling out your credit card.

11. Don’t Buy Pricey Workout Clothes

Niche clothing outfits like “yoga clothes” or “workout clothes” are some of the biggest scams of all time.

In reality, you could use any large shirt and comfy sweats/shorts to work out or do yoga. Since that mindset isn’t going to make retailers money, they’ve constructed this idea that everything you do requires a specialized outfit.

Ditch that nonsense and stop being so concerned about how you look all of the time. If you can take a more pragmatic attitude when it comes to the kinds of outfits that you wear, you’ll save a boatload of money.

12. Check the Men’s Section

Ladies, we’ve got some bad news for you… Your clothes tend to be a lot more expensive than men’s clothes.

Why is that? A number of reasons, some of which have to do with how much women are willing to pay for clothing in comparison to men. The good news is that there’s no reason why you need to buy lady’s clothing!

If you’re looking for something androgynous like sweats, a hoodie or a shirt, mosey over to the men’s section to see what they have available. We’re willing to bet that you’ll find something that looks great for at least 20% off of what you would have paid in the women’s section.

Now That You Know How to Shop for Clothes for Less Money, Start Saving!

You can read about how to shop for clothes for less money until you’re blue in the face. Until you put forward the effort that’s required to enjoy deals though, you’re going to overspend on threads and waste cash that you could have spent on a vacation or other fulfilling purchases.

Remember, there’s no shame in getting a great deal. Get out there, start shopping smart and start enjoying the extra cash that you’re going to be building up in your wallet.

Can’t get enough of our savings-related content? If you’re craving more tips and tricks on all things money, dive deeper into the newest content that we have up on our blog!

Believe it or not, nearly 91 percent of adults have some degree of tooth decay. But getting that decay treated comes at a cost.

Dental appointments are expensive. Even a simple cleaning can set you back more than $100. So, what do you do if you need to schedule an appointment but can’t afford dental work?

Should you forgo getting treatment? Absolutely not!

Try these strategies to help you get the dental care you need without blowing your budget to smithereens.

Look for Dentists That Offer Financing

When you think of going to the dentist, you probably assume you have to pay the full amount up-front after your treatment. While this is the case with some dental practices, it’s not true for every single one.

Some dentists offer in-house financing or payment plans that allow you to pay for your treatments over time.

Most of these plans function much like a loan. You apply for financing through the dentist’s office. If you’re approved, you repay your treatment cost plus any interest accrued. They will check your credit score and determine an interest rate based on that score.

The higher your score is, the lower your interest rate will be.

But if you’re lucky, you may be able to find a dentist that offers a simple payment plan through their office. In some instances, you may not even have to pay interest — you just pay off what you owe in monthly installments.

Take Out a Personal Loan

If your dentist doesn’t offer financing, you can always take out a personal loan to cover the cost of your treatments.

You apply for personal loans on your own and can do it prior to receiving any treatments. During the application process, you’ll need to provide proof of income and authorize the lender to run a credit check.

The lender will then determine how much of a loan you’ll qualify for based on your income and credit score. In most cases, it will be more than enough to cover the cost of your dental work.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to borrow the full amount. View this page to learn about the types of treatments you might need and borrow only what those treatments cost.

The last thing you want to do is borrow more than you need. It hurts your credit score and you’ll end up paying more in interest over the life of the loan.

Search for a Dental School Near You

Dentists have to learn how to treat different conditions and different types of patients. And they do this by getting hands-on experience in their dental school programs.

Most dental schools over low-cost treatment options if you’re willing to receive the treatment from a student. Every treatment, no matter how minor, gets overseen by a licensed and experienced dentist. But the student does most of the work.

Sound risky? It’s not. Before they can start seeing patients, the students have to prove themselves in the classroom. And since there’s always an experienced dentist in the room, you’re in great hands.

The end result is an affordable treatment option. You’re helping aspiring dentists learn their trade and, in return, get a great discount for each appointment.

Shop Around

Believe it or not, different dentists charge different prices for their services. This means that if you can’t afford treatment at one office, you may be able to afford treatment at another.

Don’t be afraid to shop around and get prices from several dentists. You can do this even if you don’t have insurance.

By comparing the prices they offer, you’ll be better prepared to choose the best option for your needs.

Ask About Discounts

When you can’t afford dental work, it’s important to look for ways you can save money wherever possible. But most people don’t realize that you can always ask your dentist about current promotions or discounts.

Throughout the year, many dentists offer discounts on regular cleanings and basic dental work. Often, these discounts coincide with the start of the school year. Other times, it could be a discount marketed to new patients.

If you ask, you may qualify for those discounts, even if you’re a returning patient.

They may also be able to save you money based on how you pay. If you’re paying cash up-front, you’re sparing them the cost of the credit card transaction. Often, they’ll pass those savings onto you.

Save Your Spare Change

Every little bit can make a huge difference, so start saving the little stuff.

Anytime you make a cash purchase, save the change. Put it in an envelope or jar and use those savings for your next dental visit. If it’s not enough, you can always combine it with another form of payment — think credit cards or personal loan — to decrease how much you’ll have to pay off.

Over the course of the year, you’ll feel surprised at how much you can save by just tossing your extra coins in a jar.

Make Regular Cleanings a Priority

Preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid costly dental appointments. And it almost always begins with dental cleanings.

Make those cleanings a priority and schedule them twice a year like clockwork. When you consistently clean your teeth and practice good dental hygiene throughout the rest of the year, you’ll have less tooth decay to deal with.

With less decay, you’ll need less dental work, saving you hundreds of dollars each year.

Don’t Panic If You Can’t Afford Dental Work

When you can’t afford dental work, it’s easy to panic and avoid scheduling an appointment altogether. But doing so puts your health and your wellbeing at risk.

Take a deep breath and try these tips if you find that money’s a bit tight. If you’re patient and determined to make it work, you’ll be able to find a dentist you can afford to see more than once every few years.

Looking for more tips to help you save money? Check out our latest posts.