What do you think? Archives • Using Time Wisely

What Do You Think?: Disposing of Your Own Trash

July 28, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

Around the blogosphere, many bloggers share their perspective on life. As I contemplate these many ideas (and some are really out there), sometimes I’m not sure what I think.

During this week of What Do You Think?, I share a topic and give you my 2¢. Please share your opinion.

The topics chosen will follow the posting schedule. Thanks in advance for your contributions on this journey to Using Time Wisely!

What Do You Think about Disposing of your own Trash?

Tracy’s 2¢: If you are on a shoestring budget and every penny counts, then you might consider using time wisely to dispose of your own trash rather than paying the city garbage bill. Knowing how fortunate our family is to live in a city where our taxes cover our garbage pickup, we do not write that $60 check each quarter for this service.

When I first read this Take Out the Trash: Reconsider the Cost of Garbage Service article, I thought how gross. But then I saw the price tag of $60 and understood the reasoning behind Audrey’s choice. For me, taking our family’s trash to the dump or recycling center is not worth the money, energy, and time.

Using our curbside service does not cost me more than dumping my own trash. I will still pay city taxes whether I use the service or not. So, in using time wisely, I choose to put our garbage at the curb each week. However, if you are seeking creative ways to stretching your dollars, then disposing of your own trash may alleviate a payment.

Is disposing of your own trash going too far or a viable option? What do you think?

What Do You Think?: Establishing a Designated Family Night

July 27, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Around the blogosphere, many bloggers share their perspective on life. As I contemplate these many ideas (and some are really out there), sometimes I’m not sure what I think.

During this week of What Do You Think?, I share a topic and give you my 2¢. Please share your opinion.

The topics chosen will follow the posting schedule. Thanks in advance for your contributions on this journey to Using Time Wisely!

What Do You Think about Establishing a Designated Family Night?

Tracy’s 2¢: Our family does not have a single night dedicated to family night. I know of a family that declines all invitations on Monday evening to honor their family night. This arrangement works for that family, and I applaud them for building their family unit.

If you have a designated family night, how do you determined what you will do together? My children would choose a movie or play a game. However, my choice would lend more to a theme.

For example, with the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics occurring tonight, I would choose an Olympic theme complete with games, like this long jump contest or online scavenger hunt, medal cookies, puzzles, and mazes.

At this time, our family incorporates weekly outings into our schedule, but the day, time, and activity changes from week to week. I often wonder if establishing a designated family night would help in planning and investing in our family relationships.

Though each family operates differently, I would love a designated family night. However, our schedule changes from week to week. What do you think?

What Do You Think?: Using Bananas Past Their Prime

July 26, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Around the blogosphere, many bloggers share their perspective on life. As I contemplate these many ideas (and some are really out there), sometimes I’m not sure what I think.

During this week of What Do You Think?, I share a topic and give you my 2¢. Please share your opinion.

The topics chosen will follow the posting schedule. Thanks in advance for your contributions on this journey to Using Time Wisely!

What Do You Think about Using Bananas Past Their Prime?

Tracy’s 2¢: I peel and freeze our overripe bananas for a baking day. Since bananas sweeten with age and banana bread makes great gifts for teachers and friends, I add the defrosted past-their-prime bananas to my banana bread dough for a sweet loaf of bread.

In reading Five Ways to Use Overripe Bananas, I loved the idea of freezing the bananas in cube sizes, and using them to chill a smoothie. When using ice, the consistency changes from thick and smooth to a watery texture. The frozen banana keeps the smooth consistency while chilling the smoothie.

Might try the shoe polish suggestion, but will definitely test the banana’s medicinal effects on a wart (directions listed in the comments). My kids get planter’s warts from the pool at the water park. The over-the-counter wart remover took 2-3 months to cure the wart on my son’s foot last summer. The banana option is worth my time and energy, not to mention that I usually have bananas around the house.

As bananas ripen past their prime and become too soft to eat, do you toss them, bake them, or find another use like shoe polish or wart remover? What do you think?

What Do You Think?: Washing Clothes Periodically

July 23, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Casey Fleser)

Around the blogosphere, many bloggers share their perspective on life. As I contemplate these many ideas (and some are really out there), sometimes I’m not sure what I think.

During this week of What Do You Think?, I share a topic and give you my 2¢. Please share your opinion.

The topics chosen will follow the posting schedule. Thanks in advance for your contributions on this journey to Using Time Wisely!

What Do You Think about Washing Clothes Periodically?

Tracy’s 2¢: As you know, I’m all about saving money, energy, and time, but this article about being a chronic over-washer was a bit funny to me partly because I do both. Since I am not an all-or-nothing type of person, I adjust to the situation.

For example, if the outfit I wore today did not get dirty, then I will put the outfit aside and wear it another day. On the other hand, I will gather all the clothes on laundry day to wash, even if that pajama set was worn for the first time last night.

During the school year, my kids go through two outfits every week day since I have them change out of their school uniforms into play clothes. I do not worry about whether their clothes are clean or dirty; all their clothes go into the hamper. So, I wash my kids’ clothes after every wear.

Towels are another story. I like to wash our towels once a week. We do reuse our towels unless it gets left on the floor. When that happens, that family member gets a new towel. Since our visits to the water park come once or twice a week, I choose to wash towels when we arrive home from the water park. This option eliminates wet items on the floors.

On a side note, I do wash wet disposable swim diapers one or two times before tossing them in the trash. Of course, *dirty* diapers get tossed immediately. But, if my toddler only wets the swimmy, then I toss it in the laundry. I do save money, but I weigh the situation.

Do you wash clothes after every wear, evaluate the outfit to see if it needs cleaning, or launder periodically? What about disposable swim diapers? Does that gross you out? What do you think?

What Do You Think?: On-line Bill Managing Tool

July 22, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Manilla

Around the blogosphere, many bloggers share their perspective on life. As I contemplate these many ideas (and some are really out there), sometimes I’m not sure what I think.

During this week of What Do You Think?, I will share a topic and give you my 2¢. Please share your opinion.

The topics chosen will follow the posting schedule. Thanks in advance for your contributions on this journey to Using Time Wisely!

What Do You Think about Using an On-line Bill Managing Tool?

Tracy’s 2¢: My bill paying routine consist of logging due dates on a calendar and sending the balance due amount via on-line transactions. I only have two set payments setup on bill pay through our credit union. Every other payment is made manually.

Hearing and reading reviews of Manilla.com, I wonder if this tool would save time and energy. Do you use it? Would you recommend it? What do you think?