First of all, do not clean your lens with a facial tissue, it can scratch the lens. If you have an inexpensive camera or you have those high-end Nikon binoculars , you need to take care of it.

Remove the dust from the lens but do not rub it. Use compressed air (canned air) to blow it off or use an animal-hair brush to dust it off. You can also use a camera/lens cleaning solution with a lens-cleaning tissue and rub gently. Make sure that the cleaning solution is made for camera or binocular lens and not eyeglasses. I also read somewhere that you can use a cut-out cloth made from an old white cotton t-shirt.

While searching online for the best acne product, I came across these tips on winterizing your home. Doing these will help save you money by keeping your heating bills low.

• Windows: If you plan to keep windows closed all winter, try covering them with plastic wrap and sealing them with tape. Keep a bat trapped underneath the plastic, because his frantic flapping will generate body heat and flap away chilly breezes. Replace bat weekly.
• Doors: Doors are just burglar-sized windows. Protect your home from clime and crime by removing them from the hinges and tightly packing the doorway with an upright inflatable raft. Impress your neighbors by writing "Welcome!" on the bottom and, because the raft can't be budged for them to enter, "Sorry."
• Pipes: Frozen pipes can generate plumbing problems or even burst and result in flooding. Hardware salesmen might recommend an expensive indoor flamethrower, but, for a cheap eco-friendly solution, try gently warming your pipes with your tongue.

Do you always buy brand name products? Personally, I find that I buy half and half. There are some items where in I buy brand names. I find that for products like facial tissues, toilet paper, lotions and most personal care items, the brand names are better. But for some items like over-the-counter medicines, you'll find that the ingredients are all the same; so for those, I buy the store brand. Stores like CVS and Rite Aid have brand name cheap vitamins and you'll save more than $3.00 for these.

Which is cheaper, staying in a hotel or renting a house? I was looking for an Outer Banks rental for this coming Spring break. We haven't been to the Carolinas and dh wanted to take the kids there. We also plan to visit some family friends while we're there. Right now, I'm leaning towards renting a house or a cabin. Since my daughter is already 12 years old, she now counts as an adult when we're making hotel reservations. I'm thinking we will also save on food expenses, we can cook instead of going out to eat. Now, I just hope I can find a not so expensive place by the beach.