20 Ways To Be Happy Without Spending A Dime

As the Beatles said: “Money can’t buy me love”, and you don’t need it to be happy either! There are plenty of ways to have a wonderful time and just relax and be happy without spending a dime. Check out these 20 excellent ways to keep your wallet in your pocket and a smile on your face!

1. Listen to goofy music.

2. Dance like no one is watching.

3. Lay out in the sun (Vitamin D is proven to boost moods!)

4. Go to the airport and watch friends and families reconnect.

5. Do something nice for somebody else, example - go play cards with old people!

6. Give a dollar to somebody who needs it.

7. Give away a hug.

8. Call your mom and say, “Thank you for having me." Thank your dad for being awesome.

9. Go to a pet store or animal shelter, find an animal that hasn't had attention in a long time and cuddle it.

10. Hike a mountain and read a book at the top.

11. Eat healthy food and read all the benefits you're giving your body!

12. Draw a mustache on yourself – if you have one, shave it off!

13. Take a bath – or soak in the river! Water is cleansing and healing.

14. Take a nap; get good sleep.

15. DRINK plenty of water.

16. Help an old lady across the road.

17. Introduce yourself to your neighbors.

18. Make a puppet out of found household items, then put on a show.

19. Play with children – they're the best at creating fun activities!

20. Share your talent for free! Everyone loves to be great at something – give a backrub or paint a picture and brighten someone else's day with a gift.

Full article here: http://bit.ly/WM7tDu

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Congratulations to Loving Vegan!

Well we all knew it was good, but Loving Vegan’s Vegan Sushi is #1! PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) published a “Top Ten Restaurants for Vegan Sushi” article, and the top of the list was none other than our local Loving Vegan. Congratulations to them, maybe we’ll pop by later and check out this ‘Best Vegan Sushi’.

1. Loving Vegan

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Note: all vegan!

Our top honors go to this all-vegan sushi spot in the Southwest. A self-titled "Asian Fusion Cuisine" restaurant, Loving Vegan gets rave reviews from vegans and nonvegans alike! Loving Vegan earned our top prize as PETA's number-one vegan-sushi restaurant because it truly proves that any food can be made deliciously and healthfully without animal products. Cheers and congratulations to Loving Vegan—this number-one award is well deserved!

Top Picks

• Yummy Roll: vegan shrimp tempura, faux crab, avocado, cucumber, kampyo (dried gourd), and spicy egg-free mayo inside with sweet sauce on top
• Crunchy Vegan Salmon Roll: vegan salmon tempura, avocado, cucumber, and spicy vegan mayo inside with tempura flakes and sweet sauce on top
• Crunchy Vegan Squid Roll: the same as the vegan salmon roll but with vegan squid tempura instead
• Vegan Spicy Tuna Roll: made with cucumber and gobo (burdock root)
• Loving Vegan Roll: green-chili tempura, avocado, cucumber, vegan lobster, and vegan cream cheese inside, deep fried, served with spicy mayo and sriracha, and topped with sweet sauce
  
  
  Read their full Top 10 here: http://bit.ly/10x5LUO

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DIY Drink Identifiers

Are you having a St. Patrick's Day Party, or are you attending one?  These DIY Crafts are super easy to make, and they will help you figure out whose drink is whose.  All you need is some different color card stock, scissors, and straws.   You can follow the directions below and make the straws in different colors.  This way you know what drink belongs to everyone.  For more great DIY St. Patty's Day crafts, you can click on Martha Stewart.



As a nod to Saint Patrick's Day, let your kids create their own luck with four-leaf-clover straw toppers. Shamrocks fashioned from green card stock make for an instantly festive table.

Tools and Materials

Card stock
Scissors
Bendable drinking straws, in green

Shamrock Straw Toppers How-To

1. Cut card stock into 5-inch squares.
2. Fold each square in half diagonally, creating a triangle, and then fold in half once more to make a smaller triangle. Trim off outer points as indicated.
3. Unfold paper halfway, as shown. Cut a small V at the bottom, in the center.
4. Unfold shamrock, and crease diagonally, reversing the direction of the fold; repeat to make another diagonal crease. Slide card-stock shamrock onto one end of a green straw. Make a wish, and have a sip!

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Organized Office At Home and Work

Do you like to keep an organized off and work area?  These tools are designed to help you maximize your space, and it will help you keep everything in the proper place.   Keep reading and check out apartment therapy for more organization tips.
  

The perfectly coiffed office doesn't have to cost a fortune. Some of the best storage solutions — the ones that keep office clutter sorted, numbered and at-arms-reach — are right under your nose (or a short drive away). Here are our favorite finds from popular retail chains across the country.

KVISSLE
It holds your pens, rulers, cell phone, binder clips, mail, and anything else you can find space for on your desktop. Here's your one-stop command station.
KVISSLE desk organizer, $5.99, IKEA

FLYT
Organize magazines, books, user manuals, warranty info, or any other pamphlets or paperwork into these holders. They're so inexpensive you can afford to fill up your shelves with dozens of them.
FLYT magazine rack, $1.99/5-pack, IKEA

Multiples Pencil Holder
Don't let the name mislead you. This colorful desktop piece can corral more than pencils. Stash other tools and trinkets in here, or roll up paperwork that you need at an arm's reach. And you can always leave a tube or two open for a fresh bloom. Organization can be pretty, too.
Multiples Pencil Holder, $48, Anthropologie

SPONTAN
Mount this on the wall to catch magazines and mail as they come into your workspace. Or keep it propped against the side of your desk to keep current docs or reference materials handy. The metal surface means you can also tack up notes and memos with small magnets.
SPONTAN magazine rack, $9.99, IKEA

Box Box
Storage boxes will always rule supreme in office organiztion. And these mismatche Scandanavian paper boxes are gorgeous enough to leave out on the shelf.
Box Box Small, $56/7 boxes, Design Within Reach

KASSETT
If it fits, it stores. Keep paper, cords, computer peripherals, photos, printer ink, extra tape and staples—literally anything!— out of sight but top-of-mind with these easily-labeled colorful storage bins.
KASSETT box with lid, $6.99/2-pack, IKEA

Chalkboard Office Accessories
Keep paperwork, periodicals and pencils in perfect order with these conatiners. This file box, magazine holder and pencil cup are covered in a chalkboard surface, so you can label, erase, and then label again.
Chalkboard Office Accessories, $4.50-$39.95, CB2

ALGOT
Four deep drawers, plus an extra desktop surface area. If you need a one-stop office storage solution, this is it. The Algot system is endlessly customizable, too, if you ever want to add-on or switch pieces out.
ALGOT frame with 4 mesh baskets and top shelf, $42.99, IKEA

Bounce Doodad Cup
These cylinders with stackable red silicone bases make quick work of organizing a desktop or drawer. And glass sides mean that you can see everything inside at a glance.
Bounce Doodad Cup, $4.95, CB2

Tag Store Bins
Plastic bins? Old news, we know. But they're still one of the best tools for keeping your office—or any other space—organized. These stackable, color-coded bins from Crate & Barrel feature a small dry-erase panel on the front for easy labeling.Tag Store Bins, $6.50-$19.95, Crate & Barrel

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DIY Art Hangings

Did you ever want to have art pieces hanging around your house?  Now you can do it for a low price.  Check out this easy step by step tutorial about how to make art pieces out of posters.  Please see apartment therapy with any questions you might have.

This tutorial is inexpensive, easy, and best of all: low-risk. I was in need of some art for our bathroom, and it needed to be rather large and until I can afford what I've really got my heart set on — rather cheap.

I decided to take a poster that I liked (picked up at a craft store for around $10) and skip the large expensive frame. Instead, I made it look like a wrapped canvas, using a cheap old thrift store canvas I had lying around. Warning: this project is not for the perfectionist! If you're looking for large-scale art on a budget, and can accept some minor flaws, this is the project for you! I completed this project in less than 20 minutes.

What You Need

• poster
• canvas just a bit smaller than the poster
• adhesive such as mod podge
• brush
• staple gun or stapler

Instructions

1. Lay out your poster.



2. Place canvas on top to be sure you have enough room to fold the edges around.



3. Spread out your adhesive.





4. Starting at the bottom or top, carefully press your poster onto the gluey canvas, taking care to smooth out air bubbles. Note: I didn't photograph this step because I needed both hands — and you will too!

5. Flip the whole thing over and smooth it out.



6. Flip back over and use your fingers, a dry towel, or a brayer to smooth out any extra wrinkles.



7. Flip back over, and carefully wrap the edges around to the back of the canvas. Secure in place with staples.



8. Fold corners neatly like wrapping a present and secure with staples.





10. Hang, and enjoy!

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Homemade Energy Bars

Do you eat a lot of energy bars?  Did you know that you can make your favorite energy bars at home?  Check out these great recipes below to make your own energy bars at home.

I am a huge fan of chewy, nutty, fruit-filled energy bars of the sort made by Lärabar. These little bars are enough to spur me on to an afternoon work-out and keep The Hangry at bay. It was looking at the ingredient list of my favorite Cherry Pie Lärabar that made me first consider making them myself. The ingredients were just dates, almonds, and cherries. So simple. So incredibly mind-blowing.

I tinkered with ratios a bit, but in the end, I decided to take the most straight-forward path: equal parts dried fruits, nuts, and pitted dates. Whizz them together in a food processor until they combine into a thick paste, press into a square, chill, and chop into squares for snacking. Done.

My favorite is still cherries, almonds, and dates (which are pictured here), but you can swap out the cherries and almonds for any dried fruit or nut. Keep the dates, though. They act as a binder and also sweeten the bars without needing sugar.

You can also play around with adding other ingredients into the mix: a few tablespoons of chia seeds, a handful of coconut, even some chocolate chips. Again, keep the same ratio of the base ingredients (1 part dried fruit : 1 part nut : 1 part dates), and add the extras a bit at a time until you get a taste and texture that you like.

Making energy bars really is that simple. You'll never need to buy them again.



How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home

Makes 8 large bars or 16 small square-shaped bars
What You Need

Ingredients
1 cup nuts
1 cup dried fruit
1 cup (12-15 whole) dates, pitted


Equipment
Food processor
Plastic wrap or wax paper
Sharp knife
Instructions
 
Roast the nuts (optional). Nuts can be used raw or roasted; roasting will add a toasty, nutty depth to the bars. If desired, roast the nuts at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Allow to cool before using. (See: How to Roast Nuts in the Oven)
 
Combine the nuts, dried fruit, and dates in a food processor. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse a few times just to break them up. Separate the dates if they start to clump together.
Process continuously for 30 seconds. By this point, the ingredients should all have broken down into crumb-sized pieces. Scrape the edges of the bowl and beneath the blade to make sure nothing is sticking.
 
Process continuously until a ball is formed, 1-2 minutes. Continue processing for another 1-2 minutes, until the ingredients clump together and gather into a ball.
 
Press into a disk and chill. Lay a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper on your work surface and dump the power bar dough on top. Press the dough with your hands until it forms a thick square disk, roughly 8" x 8" in size. Wrap and chill for at least an hour or overnight.
 
Divide into bars. Unwrap the chilled power bar dough and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 8 large bars or 16 small squares, as desired. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap or wax paper.
 
Store the bars. Store the bars in the fridge for several weeks or in the freezer for up to three months. The bars can be eaten straight from the fridge or freezer and will be firm, but chewy. 

Room-temperature bars are perfectly fine to eat and can be kept in a lunch bag or backpack all day, but will be more soft and paste-like.
 
Additional Notes:
Energy Balls: The power bar dough can also be shaped into small balls. Refrigerate until firm, then wrap in plastic for longer storage.
Try These Combinations! Cherry-almond, apricot-almond, cranberry-pecan, apple-cinnamon-walnut
Try These Add-Ins! Shredded coconut, chia seeds, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, cocoa powder, crystalized ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cardamom, lemon zest, lime zest

For more information see The Kitchn.

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The Cleaning List

Everyone can get super busy during the week, and then cleaning a home can get put on the to do list.  Check out this cleaning schedule for you to keep up with your cleaning every day of the week.  These simple tips and tricks will help your apartment stay clean throughout the week, instead of just once a month.

Home Cleaning Schedule

Daily
Every morning when I get up, and right before I go to sleep, I have a routine that I stick to. It really doesn't take up much time, but doing this can help speed things along. Although this is not included in the 20 minutes, this takes no more than 10 minutes a day, and easily can become second nature. I've put these cleaning tips in order of how I accomplish them during my day.

Make bed - 30 seconds
Put away clothes and jewelry from night before - 30 seconds
Swipe toilet (I only clean out the inside if it looks dirty) -30 seconds
Wipe bathroom mirror with Windex wipe -15 seconds
Wipe bathroom sink with GreenWorks Wipe -15 seconds
Spray shower with shower spray - 5 seconds
Wipe fingerprints off table in living room - 5 seconds
Wash, dry and put away dishes -5 minutes
Sweep floor - 1 minute

The longest part of this list is obviously washing the dishes. If you are severely pressed on time, you can always use paper. I've found the easiest way to keep the dishes in control is to wash them as you use them. Otherwise, by dinner time, you can wind up with a big, uninspiring pile.

Second Nature
Some parts of my home cleaning schedule, are things that I don't really think about, but just do. These also help to cut down on clutter and allow you to spend only 20 minutes a day cleaning.

As I mentioned already, wash the dishes as you use them
Wash laundry on the go (either throughout the day over the week, or all at once at a laundromat)
Pick up your stuff whenever you leave the room
Sort the mail as soon as you get it

These are all a part of my daily routine. As for weekends, sometimes I do them, sometimes I don't. I enjoy sleeping in on the weekends, and generally have found my home cleaning schedule to get in the way. Home cleaning can be enjoyable, and even a bit Zen-like, but there are so many fun things to do. Who wants to clean all the time?

Weekly & Monthly

Okay, here come the biggies, my Weekly and Monthly home cleaning schedules. For the week, I have my days divided like this:

Monday-Home Sprint
Tuesday-Special Room(s) Day
Wednesday-Bills
Thursday-Home Sprint
Friday-Declutter

As you can see, Saturday and Sunday are not here. Why? Because I don't like cleaning on the weekends. Monday thru Friday, I organized my home cleaning so that I only need to spend 20 minutes to keep my home sparkling. You can too! Let me explain what each day means.

Home Sprint
Monday and Thursday are my Home Sprint days. On each day, for 20 minutes, I focus on completing ALL of the following:

Cleaning the Fish Tank
Dusting
Wiping all mirrors with a windex wipe
Wiping all door handles and light switches with a GreenWorks wipe
Wet Swiffering the kitchen floor
Emptying the trash
Watering the plants
Vacuuming

In only 40 minutes a week, I can race through all of these. I bet you can too!

Special Room(s) Day
Every Tuesday is Special Room(s) Day. This is actually my entire monthly schedule, right here! Each Tuesday of each week, I focus on a different section of my home, for a total of four sections.

Week 1: Porch & Kitchen
Week 2: Bathroom & Study
Week 3: Living Room
Week 4: Bedroom

For 20 minutes, I'll focus some particular parts that need a deep cleaning, like the inside of the kitchen trash can, or polishing the silver in the living room. For busy people who have more rooms, you don't have to just limit yourself to 4 Weeks, take a few extra if you need. The idea here is to only clean for 20 minutes and then STOP. You'll be surprised at how much of a focused home cleaning you can do in just 20 minutes. If you need a more in depth list on how to clean these areas, check out Flylady.net. She talks about something called "Zone Cleaning" which is similar to this idea, and she has detailed cleaning lists and cleaning tips that are great for people that aren't sure where to start.

For more information see Yahoo.

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