There are plenty of quick fixes in life that can save you a penny or two. We hear them all the time from our grandmas and mothers and friends – it’s just a matter of remembering them with every thing else we have in our wonderful minds! Here are a few I’ve been using lately:

-Use a permanent marker to disguise scuffs on your shoes.
-Keep the zippers on your purses and clothes working well by occasionally running a pencil or beeswax over them.
-To avoid scratches, store handbags in old cotton pillowcases.
-Hang trousers and pencil skirts from the bottom hem – the weight of the garment will help pull out any wrinkles.
-Cashmere, lingerie, and other delicates can be hand-washed to help prolong their lives. You don’t even need a fancy hand-washing detergent – a very gentle shampoo or body wash (like those for babies) works wonders on delicate fabrics and wools.

-Vinegar can clean and disinfect nearly everything. Check out this website for some vinegar tips.
-A good castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s can be used to clean everything from your body to your clothes.
-Baking soda can be used on a damp sponge or cloth as a gentle abrasive to cut through grease and grime.
-To clean a microwave, put some lemon slices or lemon juice in a bowl of water and microwave for a few minutes. The steam and the lemon will help loosen any grease or foodstains and the lemon helps neutralize odors. Just wipe the interior with a cloth (and beware of the hot bowl of water!).
-Buff windows and mirrors with newspaper to give a brilliant shine.