Have you heard of Groupon? I first became aware of this organization about 5 months ago, when a reader from New York mentioned it.  As it was very focused on only a few cities, I passed on reporting it at the time.  But now, it’s expanded to over 30 cities, so it’s time to let all my readers in on it.

Groupon, and other organizations like it, put people together to harness the power of volume buying.  It’s a deal-a-day thing, city specific, where, if they get a certain number of people to sign up for it, everyone gets the deal.  (If not enough people buy, the deal is cancelled and you get a refund.  But this seems to be a rare occurrence.)  The deals are for spa treatments, bars and restaurants, amusements and the like. It’s a great way for businesses to build their customer bases, and for consumers to get awesome deals, sometimes up to 82 per cent off retail!  Plus, they’re brilliant at growing their own customer base, urging readers to sign up their friends so they can create a big enough demand for each offer, and offering referral bonuses in Groupon cash for each member registered.

Groupon now serves 35 metro areas, and they’re actively growing, so if you live in or near any major city, it’s worth a look. www.groupon.com.

For more ways to save on lots of great stuff, click here.

SO, where were we…oh, yes, simple, natural recipes for all that ails you.  Last post, we spoke about scrubs, bath stuff and the like.  Now, a quick look at natural cures, and then on to the more fun stuff, aromatherapy.  

There are so many categories where natural cures come in that I thought I’d just give you some sites that I like:  try 

www.natural-homeremedies.com

www.home-remedies-for-you.com

www.homemademedicine.com

These sites are full of recipes, great info and lots of interesting bits of trivia, i.e. Did you know that 6 cherries have the same effect of 1 aspirin? Plus cherries are filled with antioxidants!.  (That’s from site #3 above).

And now, breathe deeeeep, relaxxxxxx, and read on about aroma therapy.  Scientists have long known that smell is one of the most powerful, although I think maybe most underrated, of the senses.  Think about the scent of fresh bread as you pass a bakery, or the sizzling scent of pizza.  Even more, though, it’s really funny how a smell can take you back — for me, when I smell patchouli oil, I’m a teenager in the ’70s again!

So, will aromatherapy make you (or me) younger?  Doubtful. But there are a ton of aromatherapy treatments for just about everything else, particularly for moods — pick-me-ups, calm-you-downs,and physical stuff like sleep, sex, even weight loss!  And you don’t need to buy those expensive mixes in the pretty jars.  Make them at home to spend less and know what you’re getting.  Again, easy, cheap and good for you. 

These recipes come from www.gainvitalhealth.com. Although they are selling their own brands of these items, you can and should use what you have on hand, i.e. massage lotion and hair conditioner, before buying more. As for the oils, you may get lucky and find them in the dollar store (I have). Or your local drug store. Or flea market. Or head shop. (Oops, back in the ’70s again.)  Here’s a few recipes:

Healing Spray

• 10 drops of Tea Tree oil
• 10 drops of Lavender oil
• Fill a 1 oz. spray bottle with Mouthwash 
• Spray on sores, infected areas and fungus.

Energy Booster

• 3 drops Orange oil
• 2 drops Wild Rosemary oil
• 1 drop Peppermint oil
• Massage Lotion

Mix oils with Massage Lotion in a 1/2 ounce container. This is a great pick-me-up hand and body lotion. 

Shoo-Fly Insect Repellent Spray  (I can’t wait to try this one!)

• 5 drops Tea Tree oil
• 5 drops Lavender oil
• 5 drops Geranium oil
• 5 drops Cedarwood oil
• a drop of hair conditioner

Mix in a 1 oz. spray or lotion bottle and add distilled water to fill.  Shake well.

Here’s one for Bath Salts from www.essortment.com

In order to create your own aromatherapy bath salts, start with a base recipe, by mixing 3 parts epsom salts, 2 parts sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and 1 part rock crystal salt or sea salt. 

Simply measure out portions in a large bowl and mix with your hands or a large spoon. Then you are ready to add your own scents and colors. If you plan to make several different scented bath salts, you can create the base in bulk and divide the recipe, then add your other ingredients.

If you’d really like to pursue this, I recommend buying a book — “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils” is often mentioned as a guidebook, with all the information you need in one place.  Look for them new or used here at Amazon.

Hey, these would be perfect for an at-home spa day!  Read about that and more I LOVE A GOOD BARGAIN spa ideas here. Now, breathe deep, ahhhhhhhh.

But this time, it‘s personal.     

eCindy Stein-Wall, a fabulous photographer and friend in New York (check out her site, http://www.ecindy.smugmug.com/) is looking for freebies and bargains on natural skin care.  She writes: “I need you to find me organic skin care bargains. The stuff‘s expensive, but I only use organic. Not preaching, but what I‘ve read and learned about what we‘re absorbing transdermally scares the crap out of me.”  (Great information at www.beauty-with-integrity.com) 

Don‘t be scared, Cindy.  Seems like these days everyone, including the big companies,  is going organic, or at least more natural.  But, bargain finder that I am, I went on the hunt.  And even I had very little luck finding organic anything free.  Did find one: free sample of fresh raw organic Bee Pollen.  Go to www.PollenPower.com.  Also, I did find bunches of free samples as long as you make a (usually expensive) purchase.  

But don‘t despair.  What I have found (with Cindy‘s help) are a lot of good, cheap, easy recipes for skin care and some other products you can make at home.  If you’re planning to make this a way of life, it may pay to buy some of your ingredients in bulk on the internet.  But a lot of the products use just what you have already in the house, and you may be able to transform some of the products that you have and don‘t use into something usable.  If there‘s just no way you‘ll do that, either give the products to friends who will use them, or empty out the jars and save them for the stuff you‘ll make. Clean out the cabinets and make room for more!

Before you start mixing, see what your feet say about your health with a free EWW! Patch at www.gainvitalhealth.com/. Then, relieve your achy legs and feet with a free Neru foot patch at www.nerubiotech.com

Then, the bath.  One thing that‘s easy to make at home is a soothing natural bath milk. Here‘s one, compliments of another great site,  http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/

1. Put 1/2 cup whole dry oats into a food processor until powdered, add  a few drops your favorite essential oil(s) or a few drops of a perfume sample and mix well.

2. Using a funnel, pour oats into an old pantyhose, clean sock or muslin bag and secure with a tie or string.

3. To use, run a warm or hot bath, put the oat bag into it, and get in. You can also use the bag as a scrubbie (with or without soap) and rub it on your skin, leaving it soft and supple. Soak for as long as you like, then when your ready, towel off and follow with your favorite rich moisturizer. I especially like doing this before bed, then climbing into bed under my nice warm blankie.

We checked out a few recipes for soap, but it seems to be a lot of work, and we‘re not excited about a lot of work. But, face and body scrubs are cheap and easy.  Here‘s one from Cindy: 

“I made my own facial scrub, really easy: shea butter, almond oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, honey and sugar. Blend it together and place in a jar. It works really nicely. Most of the oils are easy to come by. The unrefined shea butter…I buy on line. You don‘t have to use shea. I just use alot of it throughout the day.

“You‘ll get more volume for the $ making it yourself. You don‘t have to use all the ingredients I use. You can make a great scrub just using honey, sugar and extra virgin olive oil. It‘s your personal preference. Whatever the scrub, you‘re going to have to wash before and after. Before, to be sure your skin is clean, and after because the emollients will leave a heavy residue. Leave it on while you shower for a moisturizing session and wash off just before you‘re done showering.”

Cindy also notes that there are tons of recipes and how-to videos on the web and YouTube. 

Now, some easy products.  I love these recipes from www.KitchenCosmetics.com :

Easy Radish Deodorant:

Extract the juice from about 2 dozen radishes, add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin. Pour into a squirt bottle and keep refrigerated. Squirt under arms after a bath or pour some into the palm of your hand and rub under the arms.

Eye Care:  

We‘ve all heard of teabags and cucumbers to reduce eye fatigue and puffiness.  But potatoes? Who knew? Here’s a few more ideas:

1) The best overall eye tonic is the herb called eyebright (go figure). Make a tea of it, soak cotton balls or soft gauze in the tea and apply to eyes as a compress while lying down.

2) For puffy and swollen eyes, make a wet compress of 4 Tbsp. freshly grated raw potato. Place on the eyes for about 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water.

3) For dark cirles, cut a fresh fig in half, place a half over each eye.

4) Raw potato slices laid on sore eyes reduces heat and redness.

5) For tired or bloodshot eyes, soak sterile cotton balls or soft cloth in cold skim milk. Place over eyes for 10 minutes. Rinse entire face in warm,then cool, water.

6) To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Now, for the mouth…

Basic Lip Stain Gloss:

                1/4 cup beeswax

                1/4 cup castor oil

                2 tbsp sesame oil

                Beet juice

                Melt beeswax in top of double boiler. Remove from heat and add oils. Add as much beet juice as desired for color, store in jar. Use a lip brush or fingers to apply, or reuse an old case.  Add essential oils for fragrance.

Apricot-Orange Lip Gloss

                1 tsp beeswax

                1 tsp apricot kernel oil

                1 tsp calendula oil

                3-4 drops of essential oil of orange

                Beet juice

Melt beeswax in top of double boiler. Add apricot kernel and calendula oils, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add beet juice if desired, for color. When partially cooled, add oil of orange. Store in jar. 

Breath Fresheners:

        1) Chew fresh parsley, peppermint or spearmint leaves to sweeten the breath.

        2) Chew fennel seeds or anise seeds to freshen the breath.

        3)  Add 1 drop of myrrh oil to 1 cup of cooled, boiled water. Use as gargle/mouthwash or tea.

Basic Toothpaste

        1 Tsp of the Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

        1/4 Tsp Hydrogen peroxide.  

  1 drop of peppermint or other oil for flavor

        Mix into a paste and brush as usual.

Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

        2 Tbsp dried lemon or orange rind

        1/4 cup baking soda

        2 Tsp salt

        Place rinds in food processor, grind until peel becomes a fine powder. Add baking soda and salt then process a few seconds more until you have a fine powder. Store in an airtight tin or jar. Dip moistened toothbrush into mixture, brush as usual.

Strawberry Tooth Cleanser

        1 Tsp of the above Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

        1 Tbsp crushed ripe strawberries

        Mix strawberries and powder into a paste and brush as usual.

Rosemary-Mint Mouthwash

        2 1/2 cups distilled or mineral water

        1 tsp fresh mint leaves

        1tsp rosemary leaves

        1 tsp anise seeds

        Boil the water, add herbs and seeds, infuse for 20 minutes. Cool, strain and use as a gargle/mouthwash. If you wish to make up a larger quantity, double or triple the recipe then add 1 tsp of tincture of myrrh as a natural preservative.

Finally, a great recipe for a natural facial mask, plus a bonus:

1.  
   • Slice an avocado in half.  Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice over the half you won’t use and put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator so you can use it later (within a day). Mash the half for the mask and add mayonnaise. Stir the two ingredients together in a bowl until they make a smooth combination.
   • Add the lemon juice and stir. If your skin is normal or oily, add more lemon juice for added astringency.
   • Spread evenly on clean, damp face and leave for about 10-15 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. Tone and moisturize as usual. 
   • Combine the leftover solution with the other avocado half, add sliced cucumbers, onion and tomato, sprouts and cheese if you wish, spread on two slices of bread and enjoy your lunch!

My next post will talk about home remedies and aroma therapy.

Thank you again, Cindy, for all the great info here.  I promise to keep the search up for natural freebies and will post them whenever I do. 

For more about budget-wise spa days, click here. 

First of all, let’s get the terminology straight. When I lived in NY, a spa was someplace you went to have massages, facials, and if you were really lucky, you might go to Arizona or Utah for a week of exercise and pampering.  

When I moved to Florida, I was truly confused, because down here, a spa is a hot tub. In NY, a hot tub is a hot tub.

But I digress.

In February, while most of the Northern Hemisphere is shoveling snow, I started a very strict diet, with a list of maybe 10 foods that I was allowed to eat.  Since eating a major part of my social life, I decided to stick close to home for the 6 weeks I’d be on the plan, and focus on making myself healthier.  

As a home-based writer, I have the luxury of doing this without having to go to work out of the house.  So, for six weeks, I cooked simple meals, walked on the beach almost daily, spent spare time reading and watching girlie movies and just generally taking care of myself.  I made exercise dates instead of dinner dates with friends.  Armed with a selection of articles from a women’s health and beauty magazines, I tried a bunch of different exercise routines, healthy spa meals, and the most fun part, beauty treatments. I let my hair go grey, started a new skincare regime, (see Drugstore Junkie for more about this) and treated myself to long, warm showers with body scrubbies and smoothers, followed by new body lotions.  

I had my favorite masseur come over for a relaxing, rejuvenating massage, my favorite nail technician for a manicure and pedicure, and, had I not just had one, I would have had a doctor come in for a shot of Botox too. 

I know I’m lucky to have the time to do this, but this is definitely doable by anyone — in a week, a weekend, or even just a day.

First, line up a few good friends to join you.  Get rid of the family for a while, and make sure you’re stocked up on:

1. healthy foods to cook (or go wild and have it catered!)
2. movies and music
3. body brushes, scrubbies, soaps and lotions (see 100 under 100 for shopping tips) and at home facials and peels
4. magazines with “spa weekend” articles
5. ‘good’ wine
6. herbal tea
7. yoga and exercise videos

Get on the phone and find a massage therapist, nail tech and maybe a hairstylist who will come to the house — most are thrilled to have a few people to work on at once. 

Set up a schedule.  Do a morning walk, stretch or yoga class, an at-home facial, and a light lunch and siesta.  Then, a harder exercise class, followed by massages, manicures and other self-pampering treatments  – if you can’t or don’t want to have professionals come to the house, you can help each other . After another healthy meal, take what’s left of the wine, settle in for the evening and watch a good movie.  

Or get in the hot tub.  Oops, I mean the “spa”.

It was pouring rain here in South Florida last Friday, steam is rising from the streets — a perfect day for a little self pampering, courtesy of my bank and credit card loyalty programs. I pull into the very ritzy hotel and spa just minutes from my house, valet park the car, (self parking, which would have been my first choice, is unavailable due to construction), and head into the lobby. At the spa desk, I have my valet ticket validated (always ask!) and proceed to have a beautiful day at the spa. First, a workout in the luxuriously appointed gym, followed by an invigorating shower in a booth with jets on the ceiling and walls, and one of those big raindrop showerheads which gives me a cold blast in between hot cascades, then soothing jacuzzi, a few minutes in the sauna, a cup of tea in the calming waiting room, and then…

a full body scrub followed by a relaxing, yet invigorating massage. But wait, there’s more — one of the best facials I’ve ever received, where I speak with the aesthetician about life, business, husbands and bargains. Of course, this is one of my best topics — and this day was one of my best bargains! How did I do it? To begin, my credit card offers a cashback bonus on money spent. Instead of cash, however, I choose a gift certificate, where I get even more value than the cash. So for $180 I receive a $250 spa certificate good at several international hotel spas. Then, I find an ad in a local magazine for 20% off my spa services. Since they add a 20% service charge, then take off the 20%, it’s like not having to pay extra for a tip. So, all this for $265, plus $5 for the validated parking, plus $1 tip for the valet, less the gift certificate for $250, gives me a luxury spa day for $16! Ahh, I DO love a good bargain!

Advice for the day: always be on the lookout for multiple discounts for the same things. ALWAYS sign up for cash-back and other incentive programs. When you need a new credit card, or are just looking to lower your rates and/or get bonuses, try to find some that offer you good rewards. I’m looking for a good place for you to start and will report back shortly. And we’ll definitely talk more about credit cards soon.

Life is good.

And then there’s my friend Ralph.  If I’m the Discount Princess, and Cindy is Queen of the Rebates, he’s the Freebie King!  Before I got married, Ralph and I used to travel the country together on real estate buying trips, and we’d play a game — let’s see how much we can get for free.  Just for asking, we got tons of upgrades: a convertible for the price of an economy car, a suite for a cheap single room rate in some really nice hotels, and multiple meals in restaurants plain and fancy.  

Ralph just got not one but two new Sprint phones for no charge.  Hopefully he’ll talk soon and let us in on his secrets. 

Looks like we know who our next president will be.  Hopefully the change will bring abundance back to our county.  It’s going to be an interesting 4 years.

So at least until the economy improves, keep checking back for more great better-living-for-less ideas.