Mahalo How To » Sara

Surviving with less money

Sara — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:57:09 +0000

The economic news these days isn’t getting any brighter. If you’ve been laid off or are simply worried about what may happen at your job, you’re not alone. You can make do on less money, however, and here are a few tips to do just that:

Use VoIP or a pay-as-you-go cell phone instead of paying for a landline
Air-dry your clothes to save money on energy
Buy clothes at thrift stores, or, if you can’t live without the latest fashion, high-end consignment shops
Cook instead of eating out; avoiding prepackaged meals and using coupons when you go to the store can also significantly reduce your grocery budget

For more ideas, Mahalo’s pages on How to Cut Household Expenses, How to Be a Budget Fashionista, and How to Save Money on Groceries will keep you saving!

How to Find and Use Coupons

Sara — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:07:04 +0000

Many people are trying to save money during this economic downturn. One tried-and-true way is to clip coupons. Of course, these days you don’t need to get out the scissors and go through the Sunday paper–online sites make finding coupons easier than ever. There are the big sites, like FatWallet, but also smaller blogs, like the Penny Pinching Diva. The Diva has coupons and tips every day, and it’s a great starting place for coupon neophytes who find FatWallet too overwhelming.

The Great Pumpkin

Sara — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:00:07 +0000

Fall means pumpkins. Sure, you’re probably going to carve up a pumpkin this Halloween, and you may toast the seeds after carving. But you can cook pumpkin in other ways:

Roast pumpkin halves in a 350 degree oven for an hour.
Boil pumpkin chunks for 20 minutes (or until tender).
Microwave pumpkin halves for about 7 minutes per pound.

After cooking, you have the option of eating it right away, but you can also puree the pumpkin. Pumpkin puree can be used for a pie, pumpkin butter and much more. So why not enjoy some pumpkins this fall?

Who are you gonna be for Halloween?

Sara — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:00:19 +0000

There are lots of ideas out there for Halloween costumes. But sometimes the best costume idea is one that lets you be your favorite character (or your worst nightmare). In that spirit, Mahalo’s How To department offers these helpful costume ideas:

Indiana Jones Costume: Slap on a fedora, slip on a leather jacket, and grab a bullwhip. It’s time to save the world, and get that precious treasure to a museum.

Freddy Krueger Costume: Paint a red sweater with green strips; get a fedora (preferably very used); use cardboard, paper mache, or duct tape to make a bladed glove; apply scary makeup for Freddy’s toasted complexion. Nightmare commences!

There are many more classic costumes out there: robots, elves, mummies, aliens, and more. You can make any of them yourself, so don’t let anything stop you from dressing up for Halloween!

Travel Tips: Flying and Staying Sane

Sara — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:25:39 +0000

No one’s saying that flying isn’t stressful. But there are a few things you can do to make the experience much more enjoyable, like:

Fly from a smaller airport
Fly early in the day
Fly an originator flight (a flight on a plane that’s starting at your departure airport, so you don’t need to wait for a plane to arrive)
Check the National Air Traffic Controllers Association’s listing of most delayed flights and airports, so you know which ones to avoid
Give yourself plenty of time at the airport

For more tips, see Mahalo’s guides to Avoiding Air Travel Delays and Flying During the Holidays. Have any tips of your own? Please leave a comment on those pages, or on our blog!

Halloween fun!

Sara — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:00:34 +0000

Halloween is fast approaching, and that means you want to have the best costume. Don’t think that means you need to spend a lot of money, or that you need to spend a lot of time in a workshop building your own Transformers costume. There are multiple clever costume ideas waiting for you, many of which you can easily make at home:

Magic 8 Ball: Wear all black and pin an 8 to your back. Use 8 Ball phrases (like “Ask again later”) in conversation.
Identity Crisis: Attach numerous nametags, all with different names, to your regular clothes.
Freudian Slip: Wear a slip with the word “Freud” pinned to it.

And if you need to decorate for a party, you don’t need to break the budget there, either. Make ghosts out of white garbage bags, use stencils to decorate, and carve pumpkins with different spooky faces!

For more ideas and tips, please visit:

I forget what I was going to say…

Sara — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:00:21 +0000

Know where you left your keys? What you need to get at the store? The names of your children (yes, all of them)?

If the answer to any of those questions was no, try a few tips for improving your memory. Exercising your brain is just as important as exercising your body. You can study a new language, do crossword puzzles or Sudoku, or play online games that challenge your mind. You should also get enough sleep — your brain stores new memories during your sleep cycle.

For more strategies, check out Mahalo’s How to Improve Your Memory. And if all else fails, try putting your keys in the same place every day. It’ll be one less thing your overstressed brain needs to remember.

A good cup of joe

Sara — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:38:15 +0000

America runs on coffee. But even though it’s a treasured beverage, keeping us all awake, a lot of us are sipping some pretty blah brews. Did you know there are a few easy things you can do to get a better-tasting cup of coffee?

If you buy coffee in bulk, repackage it in one week supplies when you get home, and freeze what you’re not going to use immediately.
Clean out your machine — check your coffee maker’s instructions for how to de-scale its insides (to get rid of any mineral build-up)
Don’t use distilled or softened water — again, its mineral content can affect the taste of your coffee
Warm up a heavy ceramic mug (fill the mug with hot water, then empty out the mug just before adding coffee) to maintain a perfect temperature

For more tips, why not visit Mahalo’s guide to How to Make Good Coffee?

Never forget ZERK and LUTZ (and more Scrabble tips)

Sara — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:00:20 +0000

Scrabble (and Scrabulous) players have always strategized to win. Now there are multiple tools at our fingertips to win any game of Scrabble. Besides the basics (knowing the rules will help!), you can study the Official Scrabble Dictionary, and word lists that emphasize using difficult letters. Think about how impressive it’ll be when you whip out the word QANAT in the middle of a heated game. You may also want to buy a handheld game or PDA version of the game, so you can practice on your commute, or during really boring meetings at work.

For more tips, visit Mahalo’s page on How to Win at Scrabble. And good luck in your next game!

Food Time: Making Pancakes!

Sara — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:00:03 +0000

Having pancakes for breakfast (or brunch) is a great way to enjoy your weekend. But most people turn to Aunt Jemima, or another storebought pancake mix, when it’s actually very easy to make your own. Just mix the following ingredients (mix dry ingredients together first before adding liquid ones):

2 eggs
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cup milk
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Then cook on a hot griddle or skillet, and presto — you have homemade pancakes!

There are plenty of variations you can make to your pancakes, from using whole wheat flour to adding blueberries, banana slices, or chocolate chips. For more ideas and instructions, visit Mahalo’s How to Make Homemade Pancakes! And enjoy!