ArcaMax

Of all the choices in home flooring, wood stands out for many as the most beautiful. Wood is durable, coordinates well with any decor and most real estate agents agree it improves the home's value at resale. Knowing how to protect and clean wood floors is essential -- and surprisingly easy.

AS IT HAPPENS

To protect the finish and keep wood ...Read more

There was a time when getting a new cellphone felt like signing a mortgage -- except with worse terms. You'd walk into a carrier store, pick out a shiny new phone, and they'd practically hand it over "for free" -- as long as you promised to stick around for two years and not ask too many questions.

These days, you have options. Big ones. And ...Read more

Q: We bought a house a few years ago that has a converted garage, which the seller told us was done by the book. When we recently put in a shed, the town sent someone out to inspect it. The inspector noticed our converted garage and wrote us a citation. Now they are saying we need to remove the improvements and turn it back into a garage. Do we ...Read more

Fed up with all the greasy smudges and fingerprints on your stainless steel appliances but also tired of spending $10 or more on stainless steel cleaners? Good news! You can skip the expensive store-bought commercial stainless steel cleaners and make your own highly effective cleaner for just pennies.

Stainless steel has become a popular choice...Read more

Bread has a certain shelf life, beyond which it can go stale, become moldy and, in a short time, inedible. It is possible to extend its delicious lifespan once you understand the ins and outs of how to store bread.

It's the starch in any baked goods that makes them become stale. Exposure to air and heat can make the starch crystallize or ...Read more

I'm excited to teach you how to make a fabulous, if not magical, homemade stain remover. This stain remover recipe is so easy and cheap to make. And, wow, does it perform!

Unlike some other homemade laundry stain and detergent products you'll find here at Everyday Cheapskate, this one is also a homemade stain remover for carpet. Ah-ha! That got...Read more

If you think thrift stores are musty graveyards for shoulder pads and shag carpets, allow me to change your mind. Because in this economy, thrift shopping isn't just a hobby -- it's survival with style.

Gone are the days when "secondhand" meant sad and saggy. Today, thrift stores are packed with quality finds if you know how (and where) to look...Read more

Q: I’m seeking advice regarding a neighbor who has repeatedly filed unfounded complaints to city authorities about several properties in our neighborhood, including ours. Although most complaints were unfounded, we still had to contend with the stress and inconvenience of dealing with code enforcement. We believe this behavior has escalated ...Read more

If there is one thing that will ruin your kids' lives, it's greed. Teach them while they're young how to pull the plug on greed and you will have prepared them in a very important way to not only survive but also thrive in the real world. You may want to start with this lesson:

LESSON: HOW TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY THAT IS GREED

As you get older, ...Read more

If I've heard from one reader, I've heard from one thousand -- all with the same problem: wadded-up sheets. I feel their pain because I have suffered this problem as well. So annoying. It can happen in the clothes washer but also in the dryer.

My best solution, which only slightly reduces the problem, has been to launder one sheet at a time and...Read more