Stain Remover Extraordinaire: Tip-of-the-Day #340

I've tried just about every stain remover on the market - from Shout, to Resolve, to Tide To Go and Wine Away. Resolve did a fairly decent job on carpet stains only, Shout worked its magic on clothing, Wine Away was hit or miss on furniture and clothing, etc. I couldn't find one solution that works universally across materials. That is, until I was introduced to Folex.

Folex is different/better than any stain remover I have ever come across. I have been able to *safely* remove spots and stains from colorfast carpet, rugs, upholstery, and clothing, without excessive scrubbing or washing with water afterward. This product removes virtually any stain, from practically any surface or material.

I primarily use Folex on my rugs and furniture because I have cats and often times it's vomit, the occasional accident outside of the litter box, food spill, etc. Just yesterday I realized that I'd inadvertently spilled some of my cat's bright pink antibiotic on my cream colored linen sofa and when I went to grab the Folex I was met with a nearly empty bottle. Crisis! I happened to have a Shout wipe on hand and figured that would probably do the trick. WRONG. I should have remembered that cleaners like Shout may remove the stain but also tend to leave a ring around the area, almost like a sweat stain, that is often times worse than the original stain (check out this photo after using Shout and then promptly using Folex once that had dried).

Folex is sold at most hardware stores and grocery stores. I strongly recommend it for any house with animals, kids, people who entertain, or those of us prone to accidents. It's the best $9 investment you'll ever make. Really.

Plan to Get Perks on Your Bday: Tip-of-the-Day #339

My bday just passed in early March and I was sent gifts that ranged from a free food/beverage item at Starbucks to a free necklace at Stella and Dot. Offers rolled in from Anthropologie (15% off during your bday month), Gap (extra savings), even my gym offered me a free Pilates session. Had I taken up all these free offers I would have been a very busy woman. That said, I went for the necklace at Stella and Dot and signed up for a Pilates session that I will likely never use.

However, I just opened an email from Thrillist (great resource for local happenings if you aren't already subscribed) and I saw a round up of all the restaurants that will hook you up with freebies on your big day. The list is fairly exhaustive and mostly features chain restaurants (no judgement) but if you're looking for some great deals, you may want to check it out!

Some of my favs from the list include:

  • Free burrito at Baja Fresh
  • Free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's
  • $30 gift card to Benihana
  • Free stack of pancakes at IHOP (my fav will always be the rooty tooty fresh and fruity)
  • Free smoothie at Jamba Juice
  • Free entree at P.F. Chang's
Just one more way to make your day!

Combine Insurance Policies Pronto: Tip-of-the-Day #338

About a week ago I got a bill in the mail for an insurance policy I was certain I had just paid. I picked up the phone (I still do that sometimes!) and dialed my agent in San Rafael. Lisa, best agent ever, confirmed that I had just paid my premium and this bill must be for something else. She asked for the policy number and when I provided it, she quickly deduced that the policy was in fact my home insurance versus my auto insurance. She also noticed that it was held with a different Farmers agent. She asked if I'd like to combine policies and I agreed that she could look into it (not understanding the benefit of combining, of course).

Several days later, I got a call from Lisa saying that she was able to combine the policies, saving me 25% (!!!!) on the premium and that she also put in a request for retroactive savings dating back to December of 2016, which had been accepted. A very innocent (albeit naive) phone call on my part turned into a $1000 savings overnight.

I had no idea that combining policies could save so much money, but now I do! And, you do too. :)

I was beyond thrilled with the outcome and rewarded my favorite agent with a big box of Mrs. Fields cookies. (The smart shopper in me found a 17% off coupon, lol.)

Happy saving!


Cast a Wide Wine Net: Tip-of-the-Day #337

For all you fruit-forward wine lovers out there, you know that Rombauer makes an incredible zinfandel - I liken it to drinking dessert. That said, it's been out of stock for months in the Bay Area because it's very popular during the colder months and a new release isn't slated until April. You can't even buy it on their website!

Soooo, the other day I got a bee in my bonnet (still love that expression) and I decided to cast a wider net in my search for this liquid ambrosia. It didn't take long for me to find my nectar in a small, obscure wine shop outside of New York (thanks, Google!) and not only was it available by the case but it was ON SALE! I had literally hit the jackpot of all jackpots.

Plus, I remembered to always search for coupon codes online because even small, podunk wine shops in God-knows-where may offer a discount on shipping or a case of wine. And, drumroll, this one did! So, with a little more sleuthing I found a discounted shipping coupon and between that and the sale price, I paid nearly half what this very wine is selling for (if you can find a bottle) here in San Francisco. (Remind me to tell you the story of how I got my hands on a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle, too.)

Live nearby? Come on over for a cup of dessert any time.

Cheers!