Watt the?!

How hideous is the cost of electricity bills these days?!  Even when you turn off all the lights and think you've been sensible with your usage, the bills often still knock you sideways when you open them!  Well they do us anyway!

I noticed there's a few products in the market that hook up to your meter box and guage in real time how much power you're consuming on the monitor you put inside your home.

I like the Energy Monitor below because it not only tells you how many watts you're using but in $$$ terms as well.  Costs $140.

The Cent-A-Meter below costs a little more at $200and it too measures your electricity usage in watts and $$$.  I also notice you can pre-set your usage and an alarm sounds if you go over it and it has a greenhouse gas conversion factor too if that floats your boat...

I actually saw this little unit at an Electrician friend of mine's house - perhaps that's suggesting it's one of the better ones to go with?

Then there's remote control power boards which you can turn individual appliances off using the remote.  Particularly handy for the I-can't-be-arsed-contorting-my-body-behind-the-furniture power points!  $70 for this little number.

What power saving devices do you use or have you found useful?  I'm sure there's loads more out there.

Denture Cleaning Tablets....Who Knew?!

Check out these awesome handy tips I just picked up from Jazz and Brett's Blog!  Had to share!

Other uses for denture cleaning tablets

Glass Vases
If you have a glass vase with a hard spot to clean, drop in a denture cleanser tablet, then fill the vase with water. The cleanser will clean the glass as the stains soak in the water. Later, spill out the liquid, rinse the vase with fresh water and dry.

Dried Cheese on Dishes 
If you have a dish with dried cheese on it, put the stopper in the sink and fill the sink with warm water. Drop in a denture cleanser tablet. Place the dish in the sink water. The denture cleanser will eat away the dried-on cheese. Rinse the dish with clean water and let dry.

Coffee Mug Stains
If you have a coffee cup stained from coffee, fill it up with warm water. Drop in a denture cleanser tablet. Wait 20 minutes and pour out. Then rinse the cup with clean water. The coffee stains should be gone.

Clean a Clogged Drain
Drop 4 tablets of denture cleanser into a stopped-up or slow-running drain. Pour 1 cup of white vinegar down the drain, then fill the sink with hot water and let it run down the drain. The stoppage should open up.

Casserole Dishes 
Don't scrub casserole dishes that have hard, crusty food left in them. Drop a denture cleanser tablet in them and fill the dishes with warm water. Let the water sit for one hour. Pour out and wash clean.

Baby Teething Items
Denture cleanser tablets can remove dried-on baby formula and germs without scrubbing. Place baby teething items and pacifiers in the sink. Fill the sink with warm water. Drop one denture cleanser tablet in the sink and let the items soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the sink and rinse the baby items clean.

Diamond Jewelry 
Denture cleanser tablets can make your diamonds shine and sparkle again. Place diamond jewelry in a glass of warm water. Drop in a tablet. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Pour the water out of the glass and rinse the jewelry. Your diamonds should be sparkling again.

Toilet Cleaner 
One easy way to clean a toilet with no scrubbing is to drop a denture cleanser tablet into the bowl. Wait about 25 minutes, then flush the toilet. The bowl should now be clean

Source: see here.

Do you have any handy tips to share?