The Frugal Free Gal

Studies show more than 50 percent of American employees feel that they deserve more money than they’re currently making. Are you one of those underpaid workers? If you are, it might be time to ask for a raise – with a little help from these five tips.

Know What You Want – Of course, you know you want more money and you might even know how much money you want, but do you know how that amount compares to others in your position? Knowing what your position typically pays (with your level of experience) can help you build a case for getting the pay increase you’re hoping for.

Make a Case – Speaking of building a case, your chances of getting a raise are greatly improved if you go into the meeting with a list of recent accomplishments that warrant a raise in pay. What have you done in the past year? How have you helped the company win new clients, save more money, or become generally more successful? Create a list of at least five accomplishments and mention all of them to make it harder for your boss to say no to your request.

Focus on Professional Reasons – Tell your boss why you deserve a raise (see “make a case” above), but not why you WANT a raise. In other words, your boss doesn’t care that you need the money to pay off your rising credit card debt.

Let Your Boss Do Some Talking, Too – You’ll do some talking – in fact, you might do most of the talking – but let your boss talk, too. Ask questions about your performance, listen closely to the answers, and be ready to reply to those answers to help your case.

If At First You Don’t Succeed – You might not get a raise (or get the raise you were hoping for), but that’s okay. If you get turned down, ask your boss about a better time to talk … and then use the time off to prepare your next case for a pay increase!

For many, an herb garden is just as essential to them as their vegetable garden! After all, how would that pesto or tomato salad be tasty if you didn’t have a fresh snip of basil or oregano to add? But did you know there are other household uses for those herbs you grow? Herbs need not to be restricted to just the cooking pot! In fact, mint can be easily added to your beauty regimen and help you achieve great results for just pennies! Mint is a cinch to grow, and a start will cost you less than $2.00 per plant. Now that is a great value!

For more than just the kitchen, mint can help stretch your beauty budget as well. With just a few minutes and a few ingredients you may already have, you can make your own beauty products at home. Take a peek at some of these quick and minty concoctions that can help brighten and revitalize your skin as well as save you some serious cash! You might be surprised!

Natural Lemony Mint Foot Scrub

Lemon naturally softens and brightens your skin while mint cools and refreshes tired feet!

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sweet almond oil
• 15 fresh mint leaves, chopped

First, slice the lemon into small pieces. Next, place them in a blender and form a pulp. Remove the pulp and place in a bowl, and then add sugar, almond oil, and mint leaves. Apply liberally to skin and allow to set for a few minutes before rinsing with warm water. So soothing!

Minty Facial Mask

Mint revitalizes skin and tightens pores. This mask is a great quick pick me up for a tired face!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of toothpaste (use the paste variety, not gel)
• 3 tablespoons of warm water
• 6 finely chopped mint leaves

Squeeze toothpaste into a bowl. Add the water an stir until it is pasty. Add in the chopped mint. Rub the mixture gently onto face while avoiding the eyes. Leave the mixture on the face for 10 minutes or until dried. Rinse with warm water. Presto!

Mint and Vinegar Skin Toner

Forget spending big bucks on name brand facial toners! Tone your skin yourself with this quick recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water
• 3 chopped mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Mix the ingredients well and allow to sit in a cool location for one day. Strain to remove any leaves that still remain in the mixture. Pour the liquid into a bottle with a secure lid to keep air out. Blot on a cotton ball and apply to skin to tone and firm!

As you can see, mint can become a staple part of your beauty regimen, and it can do so on a dime. Oh, and a word to the wise…mint spreads fast! If you plant it, you may wish to do so in a flower pot or it can quickly grow out of control! Also, you should check a small patch of skin before using any products on it to test for sensitivity.

So purchase a mint plant and see what wonders it can do for you. For just a few bucks, it is worth a try!

Labor Day is coming up (Monday, September 2) and you’ve probably already given some thought to how you’re going to celebrate the end-of-summer holiday. Or, if you’re like some people, you won’t give it much thought until about three days before the big day. Either way, you’ll be happy to know that you can have a great time on Labor Day with friends and family without spending a lot of money!

GO TO A PARADE – Memorial Day and Independence Day are well known for their parades, but Labor Day parades aren’t uncommon, either. What’s nice about a parade – besides the fact that they’re FREE – is that they provide lots of entertainment for the whole family.

VISIT A FAIR – The end of summer is often observed with a fair, festival or carnival of some sort, and admission is usually free (but not always). Simply walking around can often be the most entertaining and cost efficient way to enjoy a fair. Things can get a little costly if you want to play games, ride rides and enjoy some deep fried fair food, but with a little budgeting and shopping around, you should be okay.

THROW A BARBEQUE! – There are three holidays upon which a barbeque is almost a requirement: Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Thankfully, the tradition is a relatively affordable way to celebrate with friends and family members. Of course, that’s assuming you follow the “budget barbequing” tips I discussed in a blog entry earlier this summer!

HAVE A PICNIC – How is a picnic different from a barbeque? Good question. They’re actually not all that different – both feature good food at a good price – but a picnic lets you take the meal away from the home to a local park or another picturesque location. When planning a picnic menu, choose foods that are all eaten at the same time (spreading the food out on the blanket is the best part!) and be sure to keep everything at the right temperature in a cooler packed with plenty of ice.

CELEBRATE AT HOME – If you don’t feel like going to a fair or parade, planning a picnic, or even firing up the barbeque, you can still have a good time with the family at home. Instead, order some takeout (or save money by making something yourself) and try a Labor Day movie marathon!