Keep nail biting (and vampires!) away with garlic

My mother put an end to my nail biting using this inexpensive trick. She simply rubbed a freshly cut piece of garlic onto my nail tips. Whenever I would be tempted to nibble my nails I would get a raw garlic taste in my mouth. Gross! It didn't take me long to be cured!

Tap into the answer to no nail biting

If you are a nail biter, you may find the solution to quitting the habit by working on the sub-conscious mind. 'Tapping' is also known as the Emotional Freedom Technique. More information is available at www.thetappingsolution.com They are the best I have found. They have some free videos you can watch and follow along online, as well as books which you may find at your local library. Worth checking out!

All new parents love this gift

When someone you know has a baby, it can be hard to choose a gift that will be appreciated – but this gift is always well received!

I like to give new parents the gift of dinner for a week, which is delivered each night. In the weeks leading up to the due date, I cook and freeze meals that will feed my family and theirs. It gives the new parents one less thing to worry about as they are settling in with their baby, and ensures they are not living on takeaway food.

I make things like pasta sauce, casseroles, soup and garlic bread. Roast dinners and chicken salads are easy to make fresh in large amounts and I also bake cakes and biscuits so they have something to offer their visitors. If they have school age kids, I even give them food for their lunchboxes such as slices of cake, sandwiches, pizza rolls and muffins.

This may not be as spectacular as a large gift with a bow, but all my friends say that it was their best gift, as they are so tired by the afternoon that the last thing they want to think about is cooking dinner.

Baby oil keeps showers clean for months

Keep glass showers sparkling clean for months at a time by using baby oil. First, clean the glass on the inside of the shower well, then dry off. Next, take a soft cloth and smear a small amount of baby oil. I stress a SMALL amount to ensure no oil runs down to the base of the shower, creating a potential hazard. Pay extra attention to wiping the edges and bottom of the glass. Once you have done this, the glass will look smeary and quite awful really - until you have the next shower! The hot water heats the oil and smooths it out on the glass. I have never had the problem of any oil running down onto the floor, even after heating it. You'll find a very small amount goes a very long way. Basically, the soap scum cannot attach itself to the glass, which stays clean and clear for at least three months at a time. By needing to re-apply the baby oil only every few months, this adds up to a huge saving in expensive bathroom cleaners!