Beer: A popular refreshment on a hot summer evening. Tons of wonderful micro brews, imports and locals to choose from. But did you know beer has some awesome uses besides kicking one back? I don’t drink adult beverages so I found these especially interesting.

Here are 10 awesome ways to use beer for even those that don’t like it. You may be surprised at some of these!

1. Marinate meat with it. Since beer, like other alcohols is acidic, it works great to tenderize meat and help the flavors of your marinade sink in well. Try adding it to your favorite recipe to get a great taste combination.

2. Polish copper with it. It works wonders to get rid of tarnish on copper because of the acidity. Just pour some into a pot and let it sit or if you have small items like copper silverware, place them into a container like a bowl or a deep dish and allow them to sit for and hour. When you remove them, you will just need to wipe them clean.

3. Make awesome bread with it. Check out our favorite 3 Ingredient Beer Bread Recipe that will leave your home smelling amazing and your taste buds alive.

4. Hair need a little shine? Try doing a beer rinse once in a while to kick up those locks!

5. Got some rusty bolts and nuts on your latest project? Pour or soak them in beer. The carbonation will help break up the rust.

6. One of the more surprising things you can do with beer is use it as a foot soak. It will help soften callouses and has been shown to kill certain types of fungi. I wonder what that will make your feet smell like?

7. Are you a “mussel man”? (not THAT kind!) Did you know that steaming oysters or mussels in equal parts water and beer will help them taste awesome and open easier?

8.  Did you know that beer can help lower blood pressure? Try drinking one a day and you may see a change in overall blood pressure.

9.  Set a mouse trap. Leave a little bit of beer in the bottom of a bottle, leaving it right-side up. Mice are very much attracted to the small of beer. They will climb in and not be able to get out.

10. Kick up plain rice a notch. After you have partially cooked some plain rice, pour a 12 oz can into a pot and set it to simmer. Add the rice and cook till tender. It will give the rice a nuttier taste, depending on the kind of ale you use. A darker will be the strongest.

I actually don’t drink at all and so these are really interesting to me! What other uses can you think of?

Coconut oil is a very versatile household product.  It can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, and around the house. It can help you save money by replacing expensive products that you can make at home with coconut oil as the base and can be found at any grocery store!

Coconut oil is gaining more and more popularity, recently. People are discovering not only the health benefits to it, but also how versatile it truly is. You can cook with it, use it around the house, use it in healthcare, beauty – you name it! Consider buying a jar of extra-virgin coconut oil for cooking and a bottle of fractionated coconut oil for making your own beauty products!

So what can you do with coconut oil besides cook with it? Here are 10 ways to use it that may surprise you!

10 Uses for Coconut Oil

1. Use it alone as a completely natural lotion. This works great even for babies as coconut oil has been shown to really soothe even the most sensitive skin.
2. Rub it into cuticles to promote healthy nails.
3. Coconut oil has a very low melting point and while it looks solid when you see it in the jar, it will quickly become a liquid just with room or body temperature. This makes it ideal for use in your hair to condition it. Just run some through your hair, cover it with a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave it in for an hour or two. Remove it by gently rinsing under lukewarm water. Do this weekly and you will see some great results.
4. If you are experiencing nausea, coconut oil can help aid digestion.
5. Use it anywhere you would an oil for lubrication of squeaky hinges.
6. It blocks about 20% of the sun’s UV rays, according to this study.
7. If you have sensitive skin, use it as a shave balm or as the base for a homemade shaving cream.
8. Brush your teeth with it. Mix coconut oil and baking soda together and you have a great tasting toothpaste. Because coconut oil is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, it can naturally create a clean mouth and healthy gums. Just use equal parts coconut oil and baking soda. For flavor, try adding some cinnamon essential oil.
9. If you play a string instrument like the guitar, use it to lubricate your strings.
10. If you have a nice wooden cutting board that needs conditioning, or just wood furniture that does as well, coconut oil works great as a polish and wood conditioner.

You will probably be surprised to know that according to Authority Nutrition, places in the world where people eat the most coconut are the healthiest. This is because although coconut oil contains high levels of saturated fat, these fatty acids are known to help raise the good cholesterol level, HDL.

What are some of your favorite uses for coconut oil?

More Ways to Save:

• Decorating a School Locker for Less
• 77 Lunch Box Ideas with Free Printable
• 52 Week Money Savings Challenge
• 10 Uses for Coffee Grounds

Coffee is a great pick-me-up and a staple to many people’s morning routine. You drag yourself out of bed, sleepy-eyed and zombified and flip the switch to make your morning cup of joe. What do you do after brewing a cup or 10, though? Check out these 10 uses for coffee grounds to quit throwing away this useful item in your trash every morning!

Over 150 million Americans drink coffee on the daily. While making it at home is a great way to save on your daily java fix, using those leftover coffee grounds will help you stretch that even further!

One of the most common ways to use coffee grounds is to add to your compost pile.  Don’t have your own compost?  See if your city offers a composting program! Or get started at home with a small kitchen composting bin.

While many of you may add it to your compost pile, did you know there are ways to use the grounds again before you toss it there? Coffee can get pretty expensive, so why not use it for more than one thing?

10 Uses for Coffee Grounds

1. If you grow acid-loving plants such as roses, use the grounds in your mulch. You can sprinkle it on the ground and then apply your mulch or mix into the soil.
2. This might sound strange, but sprinkle used, DRY coffee grounds in your cat’s litter to make it smell less offensive. Coffee grounds are also commonly used to get rid of unwanted outdoor cat urine smells as well.
3. If you hate that onion or garlic smell left on your hands after preparing it, keep some dry grounds in your fridge and rub them on your hands to get rid of the smell easily.
4. Touch up furniture scuffs with a paste made from coffee grounds and a little bit of water.
5. Deter ants with coffee grounds. Just sprinkle some dry grounds near where you see ants coming in and it will deter them away from that entry point.
6. If you have little boys, they may enjoy some play (in a contained area, of course!) with their trucks and using the coffee grounds as a replacement for dirt.
7. Mix grounds with shea butter or coconut oil to make a great facial or body exfoliate. Coffee grounds have actually been said to reduce cellulite as well. Double bonus!
8. Add an extra layer of flavor to your marinated meats. Just add a tablespoon of used grounds to your meat as it is marinating for a great flavor boost. This works especially well with beef or wild game.
9. Make some amazing espresso brownies by adding a tablespoon to your favorite brownie mix. For frosting, steep some used grounds to form a very strong shot of espresso. Add it to your homemade frosting for a great boost in flavor. Just make sure not to give these to the kids or you may end up with some rowdy children!
10. Stuck on grease? Try using used coffee grounds as an abrasive cleaner. Works well on glass baking dishes.

Don’t drink coffee but want to try out some of these ideas?  Check with a local coffeeshop.  They have to pay to dispose of a lot of coffee grounds and may let you take some off their hands!

What are some of your favorite uses for coffee grounds?

More Ways to Save:

• 10 Uses for Coconut Oil
• Decorating a School Locker for Less
• 77 Lunch Box Ideas with Free Printable
• 52 Week Money Savings Challenge