It's time again for a few tips that may save you time, money, or both. Saving money is almost as good as earning it!

• Washing dishes. Wash dishes as you dirty them so you don't have a huge load of them later. One simple trick is to keep a sponge that has the green scrubbie backing on it handy all the time. Mix a few drops of dishwashing detergent and water in a small bowl. Keep that next to your sink. Then, every time you dirty a plate, glass, or cup, just wash it up right away. Of course, wash pots and pans the usual way to rid them of grease and other food particles.
  
• Laundry. Many people I know of make the bed first thing when they arise in the morning. While this may seem laudable, why not try leaving it turned down while you get your shower or get dressed for the day? This airs out the bedding instead of trapping all the odors inside the bedding. When you go to bed at night, again let the bed air out before getting in it. You'll find the bed stays fresh smelling and clean a lot longer.
• Floors. Using a dust mop daily on hard floors helps keep down the dust, pollen, and other things that fly up into the air when you sweep. This will help reduce allergies and sickness. Spray your dust mop with something like Endust so it will trap those things. Then, you can toss the mop head into the washer to get it clean.
• Hard surfaces. Use a single cleaner for all hard surfaces. I use a "scrubbing bubbles" wannabe for everything from counters to stove to vents to walls. Test an inconspicuous area on the wall first to make sure it's going to be ok to clean it with the bubbles. I also use it to spot clean carpet and have even used it on my leather sofa with no ill effect. This product cleans, disinfects, and removes odors everywhere. And you can buy it for only $1!
• Vacuuming. One of the easiest and lightest vacuum cleaners to use is a stick-vac. It's not much heavier than a broom and it's ideal for both carpeted and hard surface floors. It doesn't need bags, so you save money there. It's also less expensive to purchase. I have back problems and this kind of vacuum cleaner works the best for me. I can even use it on upholstered furniture, drapes, and stairs because it has a few attachments.
• Wet towels. After your shower, hang your wet towel over your shower rod. This helps prevent it from mildewing. Also, if you think about it, the towel really isn't dirty. After all, didn't you just dry off your clean self with it? You can probably get another use from it before you toss it into the laundry.