NLP means great nails for me!

If nail biting or picking is an issue for you or someone you know, you may like to consider Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). I had just one session and it made a fantastic difference for me. I was sceptical throughout the session, until the end of the session when the problem had completely gone away. I was really surprised and completely pleased! Would definitely recommend.

Replace nail biting with horsetail herbal capsules

A tried and true way to prevent nail biting is to take horsetail herb capsules. Nail biters seek silicone and this herb supplies it. I am a naughty nail biter from way back (and still do because I am hopeless at taking pills!). However I swear horsetail capsules work and my nails grow like wildfire whenever I remember to take them!

Anti-pimple treatment that works!

I save over $50 per month on skin care preparations for my children's teenage skin. With four of them, I have spent a fortune over the years on pimple creams, Panoxyl at $12 a tube and the latest Diprovan cream at $52 per month.

Once, we ran out and in exasperation I advised my daughter to use bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice. It works! Cut a lemon in half and save one half covered in the fridge for later use. Rub the other half on affected areas and use as a cleanser. Rinse, then cut a slice off the top, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge. Then mix one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with a small amount of water to make a paste. Dab onto affected pimples and leave for half an hour. Then rinse off. (Perfect for evenings when doing homework!)

The lemon acts as an astringent and is antibacterial. The bi-carb dries up the excess oil causing the pimple.

For a cheap and effective moisturiser we use Vaseline Intensive Care at $8.00 a bottle, which lasts six months. A total cost of $26 (lemons from the garden) per year and my daughter has recommended this to all her friends. Much better than $600 spent at the chemist each year!

Greener household cleaners

Making our own cleaners has saved us a fortune over the years and we have saved the environment a little too. '1001 Greener Household Hints' by John Schluter is full of simple household cleaning ideas and we went straight out and bought some five litre bottles, spray bottles and some of the suggested basic cleaning ingredients. The following instructions are from the book:

Air freshener: Mix one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with one tablespoon of white vinegar. Add two cups of water. Store the mixture in a pump spray bottle. Add scented oils for fragrance.

Spray and wipe cleaner: Mix two tablespoons of cloudy ammonia, a half cup of white vinegar, two tablespoons of washing-up detergent and four litres of warm water. We stored this in large labelled bottles and used in spray bottles as needed.

Bathroom disinfectant liquid: Dissolve 12 drops of eucalyptus oil in 1ml of methylated spirits and then add eight cups of warm water. We used this in spray bottles also.

We paid $5.00 for the book but have saved hundreds in the years since we began making our own cleaning products.