When I think of authentic pre-made Asian food, Safeway is quite possibly the last place I would expect to have good quality….anything. Most of what they call “sushi” is nothing but wet, mashed rice with fake surimi (fake crab) and a smidge of avocado half-rotted.

But now what about these Annasea poke bowls? Are they legit and tasty or nasty like the store’s sushi? Hmmm….do I dare invest $20 and play guinea pig for everyone…hm…raw fish from a grocery store makes me nervous. But instant “authentic Hawaiian style” poke anytime without any prep work sounds pretty nice.

*Buys 2 flavors to try out*

We live in Seattle in the Pacific Northwest so it’s nice being near so much great seafood. When my family makes our poke bowl or DIY our own sushi we go to a reputable local fishmonger to source our sashimi-grade fish. But if we didn’t have a fish market nearby…these Annasea poke kits would be awfully, awfully tempting.

I’m giving these a rating out of 10 (10 being perfect.) My expectations coming into this were LOW so take that into consideration too. I also purchased 2 different flavors in both tuna and salmon and they tasted drastically different in every way so I rated them each accordingly.

Annasea Poke Bowl Kit: Value

I mean the price isn’t bad. They were $10 per box at my store, your store (Safeway, Target, Walmart, etc.) might vary. The box says 12 oz per box – but that’s not all fish. It includes the packaging and sauce too.

OK, we make sushi at home frequently enough I can tell you the per pound of tuna and salmon (in our region) off the top of my head.

Sashimi-grade Tuna (Maguro) Pricing:

• Cheap-end tuna (usually sourced from Indonesia pre-cubed or mashed and vacuumed sealed) are $9 per pound.
• Tuna (fresh maguro) on average is $23 dollars per pound.
• If you want the good stuff (like toro or belly) – it goes up to $50-$60 per pound

I just had to weigh out how much of the 12 oz in Annasea’s poke kit was actually fish…7.75 oz. That’s almost half a pound of raw fish…which was actually better than my lowly expectations of food poisoning whilst being robbed.

The salmon poke kit I got looked about the same too so I think Annasea portions these out equally across the board.

Sashimi-grade Salmon Pricing:

• The lower end is $10 per pound for the usual H-mart/Asian grocery kind.
• Fishmonger will have theirs from $14 to $16 depending on the breed.
• Premium grade salmon (like the King Ora breeds) is $23+ per pound.

So is Annasea a value buy? Nope. But I didn’t think it was going to be so really I give it a flat-out average rating. I ate one box with some salad and rice, it was a good, filling enough meal. I didn’t feel robbed. It was about the same price as if I had gone out to get myself a poke bowl from a nearby shop or cafe.

Value Rating:

Annasea’s Ahi Tuna: (7.5/10)

Annasea’s Spicy Salmon: (7/10)

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Annasea’s Poke Bowl Kit: Fish Quality + Taste

I’ve been a broke college student craving cheap, cheaaaaaaap sushi buffet fish before. I’m talking $11.95 all-you-can-eat sushi & sashimi in a dingy crappy Stockton restaurant…which doesn’t taste very fresh but I knew nothing back then. Broke college girls’ gotta eat.

These days we always go for the good stuff: fat tuna belly and king Ora salmon, mmmm! We’ve also been to a few fancy-schmancy, reservation-only Japanese sushi restaurants…so I can say I’ve tasted both highs and lows.

Annasea’s closer to the lower end.

You know the pale off-red color the tuna has? It means the water content is higher to increase the weight (which means you’re paying for less fish.)

I think the Annasea ahi tuna is half a grade better than the cheapest quality tuna I’ve had in my life. But the Annasea salmon is the same quality as the cheapest, worst quality sashimi salmon I’ve had.

If you have a local Asian grocery store, you can probably find the same pre-cubed, vacuum-packed fish that was in Annasea’s poke kit. I think H-mart had it for about $10/lb in both mashed and frozen cubed varieties. But if you don’t, Annasea’s wasabi ahi tuna is pretty decent fish considering it came from a kit.

The ahi tuna is not as tasty as Costco’s wasabi and it’s about the same price (Costco $19.99/lb poke) but we also live much closer to Safeway than Costco.

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Fish Taste + Quality Rating:

Generally, I like salmon more than tuna so my standards for salmon will naturally be more strict than tuna. I take texture, taste, color, and freshness into consideration. 10/10 fish grade would be what I consider a well-done Japansese sushi restaurant instead of a poke restaurant (where toppings and sauces change the taste of fish too much.)

Annasea’s Ahi Tuna: (6.5/10)

I was surprised at my first, unmarinated bite of ahi tuna. Not much of a fishy taste and fairly neutral all around. There wasn’t that much “water” in the fish to dilute the flavor and the texture was nice. Maybe my expectations were low but it was pretty good for what it is.

Annasea’s Spicy Salmon: (3/10)

The salmon…uh…it was very fishy. (Sorry Annasea!) It tasted like salmon you buy from a grocery store that isn’t sashimi-grade and they didn’t bother to trim it properly. The texture was stiff – and there wasn’t a light sweetness in what you find in higher-grade salmon. There was no buttery texture or taste. I know it’s frozen Safeway poke…but…texture and quality-wise, it’s nowhere as good as the Annasea’s ahi tuna. I’m actually surprised the color is nice and bright…because it doesn’t taste it.

Annasea’s Poke Bowl: Sauce + Seasoning:

You know Annasea’s packaging got me…they said “AUTHENTIC” “HAWAIIAN” poke bowl? Oooo-realllyyyy marketing department?? Challenge accepted. Not many Americans know this but “traditional” Hawaiian poke doesn’t usually have any soy sauce; a type of salt is used instead.

Annasea’s Ahi Tuna: (8/10)

Ooooh yum! Not soy-based, LOADS of sesame oil and sesame seeds. Not overly salty or grainy, omg this is actually tasty and like the packaging says…Hawaiian style! :O

I’m a happy camper, oh Annasea you…

Annasea’s Spicy Salmon: (2/10)

What in the hell is this cat vomit? Annasea what did you do to this salmon poke recipe? WHY DOES THIS TASTE LIKE MAPO TOFU SAUCE?! With a tinge of bitter aftertaste….BITTER aftertaste!!!! Nooooo. It’s not sriracha, there is NO way in this universe they have sriracha in there. That’s a marketing lie. It’s chili oil…and not good chili oil. The only thing it delivered was the spice level, a pretty good spice. But everything else about it was bad. Maybe they know the salmon’s bad quality and trying to cover it with a strong sauce.

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Assembling Our Poke:

The preparation takes a little planning, we let it thaw overnight. But after it’s thaw, it’s as simple as dumping it into a bowl, dump the sauce packet over, stir, and boom! Done. You can add to it, of course, I think it’s natural to haha.

Hubby and I threw together a bowl with a few ingredients on our hands to pimp out our shared poke bowl.

A few “supporting ingredients” that you shouldn’t miss even if you have the avocado and cucumber: fried onions (flavor/texture), fried garlic (crunch texture), and red onions slivers (zing & flavor!)

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Overall Rating:

I did not expect these 2 to be so different in terms of rating and taste. Obviously, their tuna was much better than the Annasea salmon. I think Annasea’s wasabi tuna is a good buy, especially if you don’t live near a fishmonger or poke shop. The ahi tuna’s poke sauce is really tasty which was the big selling point because I do think it is authentically more Hawaiian. I sadly can’t say the same about the Annasea salmon, which is akin to cat vomit.

Annasea’s Ahi Tuna: (7/10)

Would rebuy if we’re in a pinch and if I had a craving for ahi tuna poke. I am really surprised that this was actually decently good!

Annasea’s Spicy Salmon: (2/10)

I would never repurchase this, for all the reasons above: cheap fish, and confusedly bitter.

P.S. you can find my beautiful poke bowls in this poke review on Amazon.

~ This is an installment of my Airbnb series. Check out part one or browse all my Airbnb content ~

Hi, I made a little present for my fellow Airbnb hosts out there! A set of Airbnb printables and templates for new and senior hosts! Free to download in PDF form below. I’ll explain what’s inside as well. The only rule is obviously, don’t reupload or resell!

FULL disclaimer, we stopped hosting due to the impending birth of our daughter last year Feb 2020 (right before the start of the pandemic.) I have PROOF! Lol

Anyways, we avoided pretty much all of the pandemic stuff with Airbnb because of our newborn daughter. (Otherwise, I would still be hosting 100% haha.)

But I wanted to make this because I still get some emails from hosts that need resources – and hey, my years and years of experience with multiple rentals aren’t dead! I had some time this afternoon so I took my old printouts from Airbnb and made them prettier. Now it’s yours to use! Have fun!

Got Some Space? – Rent out a spare room on Airbnb! This was my claim to fame. I made $71,000 on Airbnb last year while putting in just 12 hours a week. I’m not even joking when I say there are tons of hosts even more successful than I am.

Do you need printables for Airbnb?

Nah but it helps to have wifi information out and onto the wall. House rules, pet policies, check-in steps, missing valuables checklist…stuff like that out so guests can see it in front of them. You don’t need a frilly sign, just tape a note to the wall.

Although if it looks nicer, more people will read haha.

A lot (most) people don’t bother to read what you send them via Airbnb messenger. Can’t really blame them; when you’re traveling things are usually so hectic or exciting – so make it easier for them with these printable

More Airbnb Reads:

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Airbnb Printables: What’s Inside

One thing I didn’t include was a section for heating/cooling information AND laundry info. My house/Airbnbs needed them but it’s pretty specific to my Airbnbs. Leave a comment if you want those added, although I think most of that information should go into your check-in step-by-step section and the FAQ section.

If you find this content useful, click my ref link to BECOME A HOST and start your side hustle today!

Don’t mind these small pictures, it’s just to give you a peek of the inside before you download the PDF.

For personal host uses only. Do not alter sell or reupload online without permission.

I don’t want to say it’s only for Airbnb because it’s absolutely not! You can use this template for your spare guest room, VRBO, Homeaway, etc.

Cover page! Put your address down again so they can double-check. Plus any landmarks in case they’re not totally sure if they’re at the right place.

Table of contents is pretty self explanatory haha.

Guest Wi-Fi is super important. Tape it to the walls right at the entrance or a visible place in the bedroom so guests aren’t starving for wifi.

Contact info in case they need to reach you. You should put in a preference for point of contact. I always tell my guests to message me on Airbnb (either website or through the app.)

FAQ is where you should answer things guests ask frequently. That will depend on your Airbnb so start an Airbnb first – get a feel of it – and within a month or two, you’ll know what those FAQ are going to be. I find it’s usually like laundry or kitchen or heating/cooling related. Guests like to be comfortable

House/bathroom/kitchen/misc rules are super important. You need to set clear rules for your guests. Be polite and firm at the same time. You should put house rules on your profile and inside your Airbnb portal for easy access but even then sometimes guests don’t see it so leaving a printable copy of the rules will help them (and help you!)

Pet policy is uniquely up to you. I took pets and nothing was really terrible. The only thing was the smell. But a quick 1-2 night stay with a pet for us was a great way to stand above other hosts. I would definitely not recommend hosting someone with a pet for like..30 days. (Bad experience there.)

Next is a sign to lead your guests straight to their room. You can laminate them and put them on the exterior of your house too. Print out multiple and follow the sign.

Then I have a few Entry access code printables. I recommend hosts to have their own electronic door code lock. A GOOD quality door code lock. For god sakes this is your house, don’t go cheap! Watch out for battery life too. Our lock cost $150 on sale I believe. It had a battery life of 3 years…ours lasted over 5 years hosting. A+! The prices have gone down recently (about $100) for our brand Schlage so if you’re hosting in the long term, invest in a Schlage.

If you find this content useful, click my ref link to BECOME A HOST and start your side hustle today!

For your Airbnb guests themselves, I have a 1-page memo for Guests to use if they need to. They can jot down their goals for the trip, notes, and when their check-in and check-out date is on the mini calendar.

Clean up list...OK, the next big thing is if there’s any tidying up you want the guests to do before checking out. I didn’t know this but some guests even offered to clean up for me (make the beds etc.). OF course, I declined haha. I am the host, it’s my responsibility to clean up. But if your up to take the offer, tell your guests what sort of condition the room should be left in.

“Don’t Forget” checklist for valuables…it’s normal to find some things guests accidentally leave behind. I don’t encounter it often but occasionally, yes. Someone once left a $2,000+ engagement ring once in my Airbnb. They almost had a heart attack. Good thing we found it under the bed or it was going to be one awkward conversation! So save yourself and your guests by making sure they don’t leave anything behind. I made one list of the common valuables and a blank checklist for fill-in in case I missed something.

Check out process should be simple. But some guests do ask if there’s special instructions. If you have any put them here.

Return keys! If you’re giving guests a physical, it would be super helpful if you set a designated space for them to drop off the key. It has to be visible so guests don’t forget or lose the key somewhere after they’ve packed up. I would just tape a reminder of it as well on the front door so they don’t forget to return the key.

Coloring pages for guests…just because I have some 100% free coloring pages on my other website so you can take these for free. I had coloring mandalas in my guest rooms and you’ll be surprised how much my Airbnb guests loved them. It’s a good boredom killer and fun to unwind. Also, it’s cool to color and then another set of guests come to finish the color.

You can even have a guest art gallery for other guests!

GOD I MISS HOSTING AHHHHH

View/Download Your Airbnb Hosting Starter Printables

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But then there’s the exception, we all have that person that we’re just “eh” about. Maybe your spouse is crazy about them and you have to keep a polite face…or a coworker that sits across from you, thus capable of annoying you to death by promxity…(been there.)

For any and whatever reason, it’s normal. We all have an “eh” person in our lives. I think in modern 2020 vocabulary…it’s filed under “The Frenemy.”

So how do you…gift to someone you just don’t like WITHOUT them knowing you don’t exactly care for them? That one can be tricky. It has to be affordable after all, there’s no point in wasting your money just to keep up appearances, but it can’t be…”I got you a keychain from the gas station.” Ya know what I mean?

Crap Gifts With Secret Messages

When it comes to giving gifts, the hardest people to give are those we don’t really get along with. However, since you’re a lawfully good individual who isn’t consumed by hate, you still want to be relatively nice to the person you hate. So why not just give them something cheap and can be used – make sure they get your subtle message if they have terrible personal hygiene or horrible organization skills.

1. Liquid Soap

A lot of us have that coworker who doesn’t wash their hands after eating or after using the bathroom. That behavior is not going to fly after 2020. You can drop a big old hint for them a thing or two about proper hygiene by gifting liquid soap. Make it less obvious by getting them an attractive decorative soap gift set.

2. Tissue Paper Flowers

Cheaper than real flowers, this is a good way to tell someone they’ve stiffed to you on a gift in the past and that’s what they’re getting now. Some people might find this one very useful actually. But a lot of time, tissue paper is deemed as a half-baked gift, a subtle way to tell someone that you don’t really give a care.

3. Dishwashing gloves

Do you have an office or roommate that doesn’t wash his or her dishes? Let him or her know by giving dishwashing gloves. Maybe he or she will finally put some effort into receiving this gift.

4. Bathroom Scale

This is for people who won’t shut up when it comes to your (or their own) body. I don’t care about how your diet is going Carol. I know you would think that you would’ve gone for a mirror instead, but a tempered glass bathroom scale will make more sense and easier to wrap.

5. Bath salts

Let’s face it, who gives bath salt as a gift? It’s a pretty stereotypical ‘unthoughtful filler’ when you’re caught without a nice gift idea last minute. Whatever, you don’t like them and hey, it’s still a gift.

6. Cheap anti-aging cream

Here’s a way to remind them that they’re AGING and you’ve taken notice! Get a drugstore brand, or if you want, a knock off luxury brand like this.

7. An alarm clock

So you have that coworker who always runs late every morning, contributing delays and inconveniences in the office. Give them a subtle reminder to come on time by giving them a cheap alarm clock.

8. A self-help book

If you hate someone for a specific reason, you might want to consider giving a self-help book. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll help in fixing his or her problem. 

The Neutral Gifts (Harmless Gifts to Annoy) 

If you really hate someone and you really want to nuance the heck out of them, these gifts might be the perfect one for them.

1. Oranges

Like the fruit…a 5lb bag of oranges hahaha. To be honest, oranges are a good source of Vitamin C, so you’ll actually help this person’s immune system. In addition, oranges are cheap. You can even write a personal message on each orange, just to make sure they got the message.

2. Glitter Bomb

FINALLY, someone made it and available on Amazoniaaaa! Glitters stick in everything, everywhere. It can be stuck on the table, on the keyboard, on documents, clothes, etc. Your recipient will probably spend a hefty amount of time cleaning the mess >:)

3. A Horrible Book

How about a box set of the Twilight series? Go to a dollar store and find a book known for its horrible reputation. Find the bane of all human literature so that they would be annoyed that they have to thank you for it.

4. Neil Breen Movies

If you haven’t seen a Neil Breen movie yet, then you’re really lucky. If a person you hate hasn’t seen Neil Breen either, don’t let this opportunity slip and show this legend to your sworn enemy.

5. An album from an artist he or she hates

There is always that someone who would loudly tell everyone they hate this “artist” every time they got the chance. Consider giving the person his or her dose of own medicine. Rebecca Black, perhaps?

6. Huge Bag of Candy

Ooh, the gift of ill health, perfect. A bag of candy is another harmless gift for people you really hate. Especially if they were shaped like dicks.

7. Oversized/Undersized Shirts

Clothing as a gift is actually decent, except if it is a size too small or a size too large for your recipient. Make sure to choose a shirt with a strong statement (e.g. “For the lazy one”) to ruin his or her day immediately. 

8. Itchy socks

Who would find value in a pair of bad quality socks? Maybe there are some who would, but for your little gift, choose the ugliest pair you can find.

Chaotic Gifts (Gifts for People You Hate)

So, you decided that you really want your hate to be known and you’re not scared to do that. Here is the list of gifts that will surely deliver your message.

1. Teddy Bear That Never Stops Singing

At first glance, the annoying teddy seems like an endearing gift. However, this beast will sing “Happy Birthday” non-stop for at least two hours. The only way to end the song is to wait until the battery runs out or by smashing the thing with a hammer.

2. Fart Card

If you would give a card, make sure it’s memorable. Fart cards send a non-toxic awful smell to the recipient (and the people around). It cannot be sent anonymously so the recipient will know that you are the one who sent it.

3. Handmade Poop Soap

This one is a gift full of cringe and pure evil. It is still a soap, so you can actually use it, but not without your mind telling you that its a poop. Don’t forget to spray some water to make it look more realistic.

4. Crap Coffee

A lot of people want to start their day with a good cup of coffee, especially in office workplaces. Let him or her start the day with a crap coffee and savor the moment when he or she had to smile if you ask about the gift.

5. Lock Box + A Wrong Key

Muahahaha…ok but be careful with this one. Don’t get sued. Locked boxes make great practical gifts. But what if you switched out the key? It’s hard to think of something more frustrating than not having the key to opening your precious box.

6. The Toilet Mug

Can you believe someone made this? Genius. Giving a toilet mug is a harmless gesture, given that it won’t really impact anything. It’s still a mug, fully usable. And that’s the point, a worthless gift for someone you don’t really care about.

7. Prank SCENTED Candles

These prank candles will smell pleasant at first, the recipient might even love them. However, after the 40% was consumed, the smell will turn into something nasty. Get Apple Pie to Dirty Fart and gift it away :).

8. Rock in a Box

When it comes to gifts, a heavier box might mean a more expensive gift. Raise their expectations high and let it crash when they figured out it is just an rock. 

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What Is Lifeline Assistance? 

The Lifeline Program, or simply Lifeline, is a federal program that provides a free or discounted monthly subscription to low-income consumers. Qualified people can save at least $9.25 in phone data each month. For example, if you qualify for a Lifeline plan, you can get a Verizon plan (usually $25) for only $15.75.  Although Lifeline is available to all qualified people all around the country, it’s best to double check your county and area code.

Your free data, talk, and text package will depend on your location and the communications provider that backs up the plan. Every county has a similar set of requirements (for example, Lifeline is applicable to all EBT aid recipients.) In our county, Virgin Wireless is the provider and offer all data, talk, and text plans for completely free.

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Benefits of Getting Lifeline Assistance 

1. Free Monthly Data Allocation

It’s not that much, but every company that is offering the Lifeline Assistance Program gives free monthly data. Access Wireless, one of the providers of this program, gives up to 200MB of data in for qualified people in Alabama, California, Georgia, New Hampshire, Texas, Utah, and more. Meanwhile, Assurance Wireless gives 500MB per month. The best plans are offered by Safelink Wireless, which has free 3GB of data allocation per month. 

2. Free Airtime And Text Allocation

Lifeline also gives hundreds of free airtime once you’re qualified for the program. A lot of participating telcos give at least 350 minutes of call time and unlimited texts for free. For important calls, 350 minutes per month would be enough for personal use.

3. Discounted Mobile Plans

If the MB allocations you received is not enough for a month, (which is usually the case), you can upgrade your free plan for a heavily discounted price. An example of this benefit is GCI (formerly known as Alaska DigiTel), which offers unlimited talk and text nationwide for just a dollar a month. These discounts are usually applied for texts and call time. 

4. Free Phone

A lot of Lifeline providers also give free phones for their plans. Among these are Safelink Wireless, Qlink Wireless, Assurance Wireless, and TruConnect. While most telcos provide cheap touch screen phones for free, Lifeline users can get decent Samsung phones and even iPhones for a very cheap price. 

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Who Are Qualified For This Program? 

Qualifying for the Lifeline Program is not too challenging. There are three ways to qualify, but passing through the screening option is not easy. If you’re not qualified for any of these conditions, there are still cheaper mobile options out there for you to try. 

Income

In this category, if your income is 135% or less than the amount stated in the federal poverty guidelines, you’re eligible for the program. Take note that this rule is not measured for individual income. It is based on the total combined income of each member of a household. 

Federal Assistance Programs

Those who are beneficiaries of federal assistance programs are also qualified for Lifeline Assistance. If your child or dependent is a member of these federal programs, their membership will qualify you for Lifeline plans. Here are the following lists of eligible assistance programs:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
• Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) 

Tribal Settlement

If you live in an area considered as a Tribal Land, there’s a chance that you’d qualify for the program. You or someone in your household must either be a participant of federal assistance programs, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Head Start, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. On top of the $9.25 mandatory discount, you would also receive an extra $25 discount on your monthly bill. 

Step-By-Step Guide In Applying To Lifeline

Step 1: Check For Eligibility

Check your state’s poverty guidelines to know if you can qualify through income. If not, check if you’re a participant of a legible federal program. Don’t get disheartened if you did not qualify for any of the categories. There are still cheap alternatives that you can try.

Step 2: Do Your Homework

The next step is to know the available telcos who offers Lifeline Assistance in your area. If you live in a city, it is likely that you have more options to choose from. There might be limited options if you live in rural areas.

Step 3: Choose Your Provider

Now that you know the telcos that offer Lifeline Assistance in your area, choose a provider that offers the best deals for you. Choose based on the services that you consume a lot. If you text a lot, get a plan with an unlimited texting option. Go to the provider’s website and enter your ZIP Code to start.

Step 4: Fill Up Forms

You can fill up forms by going to the telco’s branch and asking for a form. Another way to submit your form is to print a blank one, fill it up with your credentials, and mail it to the company along with other requirements.  Alternatively, online form submission is available, but you still have to send your other requirements via mail.

Step 5: Submit Forms & Required Documents

Typically, the Universal Service Administrative Co. will do the work to verify your eligibility. In the instance that they cannot verify your information or eligibility in the program, you might need to mail additional documents. For the telco side, the information that you need to supply is a full legal name, birth date, the last four digits of your SSN, and address. You should also prepare a copy of any of the following:

• An unexpired ID
• Social Security Card
• Medicaid Card
• Tax Return from the previous year
• Proof of Income
• Proof of participation (if you qualify because of your membership in federal programs)

Step 6: Wait

Last but not least, wait for the approval. You can find the status of your application via the tools of your service provider. Expect your government phone within five to ten business days after your account is approved. 

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Other Important Things You Need To Know About Lifeline 

1. Only One Discount For Household Is Allowed

Lifeline Assistance Program is available for both mobile and home phones. However, you can only take one discount, which means that you will need to choose where the discount will be applied.  In addition, only one qualified individual is allowed to claim the discount from Lifeline.

2. There’s A Fee If Your Government Phone Got Stolen

If your free phone was stolen and you’re unable to retrieve it, the best action is to call the police and the service provider. The only way to get a replacement is to report the incident to the telco. Memorize your own number, keep your IMEI, MEID, or ESN number, and remember the brand and model of your device. Take note that you would be responsible for the fee that the provider will incur once you opted for a replacement.

3. You Can Use Your Own Phone

Lifeline providers offer free handsets for those people who don’t have a mobile phone. What a lot of people didn’t know is that BYOP or Bring Your Own Phone is possible. Some of the benefits of using this program are familiarity and convenience. There are telcos who give a bonus to people who will use this option. For example, Assist Wireless gives a free 1GB of data or $15 account credit if someone opts for the BYOP program instead of getting a new phone. 

4. You Need To Renew The Plan Each Year

The Lifeline program is free to use and is really helpful for keeping a lot of people connected. But in order to keep receiving discounts and free stuff, the subscriber must use the service for at least once every 30 days. If the user failed to do so, the system will give a 15-day notice. After the 15-day term lapsed without program usage, it will be automatically turned off.

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Lifeline Assistance Providers 

1. SafeLink Wireless

SafeLink Wireless is one of the oldest and most reliable Lifeline Providers in the country. It will give you 3GB of data with unlimited calls and text. However, with their wide coverage, it would be harder to qualify for a Lifeline plan.

2. QLink Wireless

QLink Wireless is another provider usually focused on servicing places like Arkansas, Maryland, South Carolina, Texas, and more. What makes this a good option is that you can carry over the remaining airtime unused from month to month.

3. TruConnect

If you live in California, TruConnect is a provider that you would want to keep in mind. California LifeLIne offers unlimited talk and text, a free phone, and 2G of data. However, it gives 1,000 minutes, unlimited text, and 2GB of data for other states, which is not bad at all.

4. Assurance Wireless

Compared to the offers of other providers above, Assurance Wireless is definitely not that impressive when it comes to services. You’ll get free 350 minutes of airtime, unlimited text, and 500 MB of data. However, its vast coverage makes it one of the biggest Lifeline providers in the country. The phone selection also tends to be better than other providers listed above. 

Alternative Cheap Plans If You Did Not Qualify For A Lifeline Plan

1. Unlimited Call And Text With Data

One of the cheapest plans with call time, texts, and data is Sprint’s $45/per month plan. For those who use autopay, the prize will be slashed to $40. With this plan, you will get unlimited call time and text, in addition to 2GB of data.

2. Calls & Text Only

Not all people care about being online and would rather call or text their contacts. Ting’s $12 call-and-text plan is one of the cheapest options out there. Each month, the subscriber will receive 100 minutes of air time and 100 texts.  

3. Flexible Data Package

AT&T’s GoPhone Pay As You Go plan is your best option if you only pay for services that you use. This is for people who would often take weeks or months before he or she would use mobile services. This plan causes $2 per day of use and would give its subscribers 100MB for $1.

What Is a Tea Bag Made Of? 

In general, a tea bag is a sealed packet of dried tea leaves which can either be made of whole-leaf tea or shredded tea leaves. Although the mesh in the bag is usually non-biodegradable, the tea leaves inside can be used for a lot of things. 

Is It Safe To Re-use Tea Bags? 

Reusing tea bags is usually safe unless you’re doing sun tea and you’re not experienced to do so. You might risk getting yourself or other people poisoned because of wrong preparation. Sun teas are made by using the sun’s heat instead of brewing the tea in the conventional matter. However, if the heat is not enough to steep the tea (usually from 170 to 200 degrees), bacteria growth might lead to poisoning. 

How To Properly Store Tea Bags 

In most applications, you’ll need to use the used tea leaves dry. But for storing tea bags, you should put water on it, enough to keep it moist. Keep it in a jar or cup and store it in the refrigerator. This is to minimize the chance of mold and bacteria growing in the tea leaves. Check your tea dust once in a while for funky smell or discoloration. If it looks and smells bad, throw it away.

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59 Things You Can Do With Used Tea Leaves

For Beauty Remedies

1. Hydrating Dry Skin 

Don’t you just hate it when you have those itchy patches of dry skin? With used tea bags, you can refresh your skin in no time. All you have to do is to re-brew the used tea bag, cool it down, and spray it in the area affected. 

2. Restoring Hair Shine

Re-brew the used tea bags and let it cool down. Use the rebrewed tea by pouring it in your hair and leaving it for ten minutes before showering. This trick has been used in ancient times to give women smoother and shinier hair. Depending on what your exact hair needs are, you can read about the types of teas that have different hair benefits.

3. Reducing Dark Circles

If you want to reduce the puffiness in your eyes, a quick frugal fix is reusing old teabags. Refrigerate the tea bags if you want to use it as a cold compress good for anything from mild eye irritations, dark circles, puffy eyes, to minor eye injuries. For a warm compress, let it cool down to room temperature level. Just make sure that all the excess liquid is squeezed out first. 

4. Tea for Body Scrub

Body scrubs are so easy to DIY, you don’t have to pay $30 for a tub. DIY tea body scrubs are a natural and frugal alternative trick to add to your skincare routine. Dear Crissy’s tea scrub recipe for a body scrub only needs two bags of green tea bags, sugar, and melted coconut oil. 

5. Eliminating Bad Breath

Tea leaves are known to be effective at eliminating odors. In fact, according to a study from Kashan University, gree tea mouthwash can actually reduce plaque and gingivitis. If you want to make a tea-based mouth wash, steep your used tea bags, combine with some baking soda, and let it cool down.

6. DIY Tea Face Scrub

Used tea leaves are still rich with antioxidants and TLC “good stuff” (tartaric, lactic, and citric acid). Pop up a used tea bag, mix it with honey, and gently rub the mixture in your skin. Let it sit in your skin for five minutes and then rinse off properly. You can check out a more detailed detox recipe here.

7. Revitalize Dry Hair

If your hair is damaged or turning gray, its time to do a hair revamp. Graying hair is caused by follicles dying. To make it dark again, steep three used tea bags and one tablespoon of rosemary on it. Let it rest overnight before straining the content. Spray the mixture after shampooing. 

8. DIY Face Mist

If you add hydrating elements to tea’s antioxidants, you can create a great face mist. To make one, steep your used green tea bags and add your favorite essential oils, jojoba oil, and water to a spritz bottle – that’s it!

9. Smooth Your Chapped Lips

Dry lips are an annoying problem during winter and cold weather days. Chapstick can only do so much to prevent drying out, but it doesn’t add moisture. And if you’re unfortunate like me to be allergic to chapstick… After you use your tea bags, place it onto your lips directly. This will help moisturize your lips and plump them back up.

10. Tea & Henna Hair Dye

If you want a temporary, all-natural hair dye, you can use henna with black tea for a black dye. It’s temporary, but it gets the job done at a cheap price. 

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For Practical Household Uses

1. Easy Carpet Cleaning

Carpets are prone to dirt and unpleasant odors. To freshen up your carpet, all you have to do is to dry out used tea bags and baking soda. Mix the two ingredients and sprinkle it in the bad spot. Leave the mixture for 20 minutes before vacuuming the area.

2. Revive Old Wood Furniture

Do you have a woodworking restoration project? You can use tea bags to polish your work without spending too much money. Re-steep used tea bags and use soft wag to polish the wood surface.

3. Eliminating Odor

Like charcoal, tea leaves are known to reduce or eliminate funky smells with ease. Dry out a fragrant tea bag and place it in the smelly area that needs a little pick-me-up.

4. Cleaning, Shining Mirrors & Glass

Mirrors are notorious for being one of the most annoying things to clean. It shows fingerprints, grease, and dust easily. To avoid leaving smudges while wiping, you can use a weak diluted black tea solution from a used teabag. Soak soft rags in the solution and use it to wipe the mirror.

5. Revamping Old Clothes

Black tea is also a good dye for clothing, not just for temporary hair color. Steep several used tea bags to make a strong tea and pour it into a container with clean water. Soak your old clothes in the solution for several hours and then apply dry heat to seal the color. Add in a dash of regular table salt into the tea liquid to help seal color.

6. Make an Air Freshener

By adding your favorite essential oil, you can transform a brewed tea bag into a DIY air freshener. Add a few drops of essential oils to the brewed bag and attach it to the affected area. Add in more oil drops anytime you need it and hang it up in an area that needs refreshing.

7. Mice Repellent

Mice and pests are not fond of peppermint. Simply grab a good scented tea bag (ie. peppermint tea) and add in more peppermint essentials oils. Hang the bags of this strongly scented mixture to places that you want to keep rodent-free.

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8. Easy Fireplace Cleaning

Cleaning up a fireplace can be tough work if you don’t know how to deal with the fine ash particles. By pouring damp tea dust or tea leaves into the ashes, you can scoop it up with more ease. Adding tea leaves reduces fine particles to escape in the air, as well as reduces the smell in the fireplace.

9. Cleaning Cookware Grease

Washing greasy cookware is a pain in the neck, but that doesn’t have to be the case. For an effortless grease removal, pour used brewed tea bags with hot water into the dirty pan and let it sit overnight to soak.

10. Preventing Cookware Rust

Black tea leaves have a weak acid called tannic acid which converts rust into a protective barrier that prevents oxidation. All you have to do is to rub a damp tea bag to your cookware after washing them.

11. Soothe Your Dog’s Paw

Teabags can also be used to give relief to your pet’s paw during the winter. The tea’s properties are also beneficial to your pets to regenerate and hydrate their paw. 

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12. Clean Cast Iron

Cast iron is tricky to clean. You can’t use the dishwasher, soap, or steel wool on it. We have a beautiful cast iron pan in our home…but getting a proper seasoning on them while being so limited in cleaning makes it a rare use in our busy family kitchen. But if you have a bag of old black tea, rubbing the surface with damp tea bags erases the old food smells and lessens the grease. 

13. Natural Floor Wax

Just like in woodworking, the tannin in a used tea bag can be used to shine wooden floors. Depending on the size of the floor, you might need a lot of used tea bags.

14. Absorb Shoe Odor

A dried-out used tea bag can be used as a deodorizer to absorb the stinky odor coming off worn shoes. Put bags of dried out seeped tea bags inside your shoes, and the odor will be eliminated out over time. 

15. Polishing Leather

The tannin in the tea can also polish leather effectively. In fact, tannin is used traditionally to cure leather. Rub the used tea bag to clean your leather shoes.

16. Potpourri

A potpourri is a mixture of dried plant materials used for its decorative and fragrant uses. Adding a dried used tea bag can infuse your favorite tea fragrance with your favorite potpourri mixture. 

17. Campfire Starter

For an easy DIY campfire starter, using tea bags are cheap and easy. All you have to do is to dip the used tea bag in melted candle wax and set it aside until it hardens.

18. Cat Deterrent

Used tea bags are an exceptional all-natural cat deterrent. Cats just tend to avoid tea altogether. If you don’t want any cats digging or urinating in your garden (without hurting them), just scatter around your old used tea bags. 

For Improving Food 

1. Tenderizing Meat

The tannin in tea leaves is a natural tenderizer. Additionally, the natural flavor of the tea will add savoriness and sweetness to the meat. Just add your used tea bags to the marinate. Note that this tenderizing technique works best on red meats like pork, beef, and lamb.

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2. Make Tea Eggs

Even after usage, there are still tons of flavors left in used tea bags. By using both new and old tea bags in one tea egg brew, you will get a slightly stronger flavor for tea eggs. Tea eggs work best with black and red tea varieties, opt for dark soy sauce along with dark teas (it gives the best color).

3. Tea Fused Pasta & Grains

Another way to reuse tea bags is by adding flavor to pasta and grains. Even a simple oatmeal dish can be leveled up.  Before cooking, soak your tea bags to the pot of water before it boils. Remove the bags when you start cooking your pasta and grains.

4. A Tea Cocktail

Who said that you can’t mix tea and liquor together? Tea cocktails are known for being refreshing and relaxing. If you want a nice long island tea in summer, be creative and experiment with the liquor of your choice. As a general rule, use one tablespoon of used tea leaves for every six ounces of spirit. Let the mixture sit for at least an hour. 

5. Make Sweet Tea Syrup

Love Southern comfort recipes? Try this classic! If you like to infuse sweet tea flavors in your cocktails, tea syrup is your best bet. To make this concoction, mix three teabags, a cup of water, and a cup of white sugar in a saucepan. Let it simmer and keep it in a jar. 

6. Make a Cold Brew

A cold brew is also called Sun Tea, is a way of steeping tea leaves using cold water. Most people use sun tea for its distinct flavor (because of lower temperature during extraction) or just a quick way to get their cup of tea. Use at least 10 tea bags (or more if used) in a gallon of water and let it sit in a very warm place, but not directly under the sun.

7. Perk Up Bouquet Garni

Infuse a herbal flavor to your soups and stocks by adding used tea leaves in your bouquet garni. Bouquet garni is a collection of herbs (for example, include thyme, bay leaf, and parsley etc.) wrapped together to flavor your soup and is fished out later after the usage. To make your own bouquet garni, wrap your used tea bags with the herbs of your choice using a cheesecloth.

8. Season Your Rice (Ochazuke) 

Ochazuke is a flavored bowl of cooked leftover rice, usually with green tea or dashi. The rice will then be garnished with toppings like nori, scallions, or wasabi. Reheat your leftover rice while steeping the used green tea bags. Add your preferred garnish and pour your tea on top of the rice. 

9. Make Your Oatmeal More Flavorful

Instead of your usual milk or hot water, why not try to cook your daily oatmeal with tea? Steep your used tea bags and pour them in your oatmeal. Start with your favorite green tea before trying other kinds of tea with bolder flavors.

For Medicinal Purposes

1. Reduce Sunburn Inflammation

Tea leaves have medicinal properties too, and one of them is reducing inflammation. Black Tea is specifically used for this purpose because of its stronger tannic acid content. Unwrap the used bags and steep them with room temperature water. Apply the tea gently in the affected sunburned area. 

2. For Treating Bug Bites

The same soothing component that tannins provide in sunburn inflammations is also applicable for treating bug bites. Instead of using black tea extracts from a teabag, gently apply the cooled down teabag to the affected area directly and leave there. Green tea is recommended.

3. Relax By Taking a Herbal Bath

Having a tea bath is a cheap and relaxing alternative to having a paid spa session. The smell of tea, in general, is therapeutic and helps relax you after a bad day. To make a tea bath, just add the used tea bags to your bathwater. Chamomile is a great tea to start with if you haven’t made a tea bath before. Also, try to add a few drops of lavender essential oils as it’s been proven to help relax sore muscles.

4. Treating Acne

Teas, especially the green tea variant, can help in making dreadful acne disappear. A lot of tea components can help in reducing or removing acne in the skin. The first one is the catechins, which are both have anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties. Green tea also has epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which reduces oily skin.

5. Treating Wounds

The anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties of tea are not only used to treat acne. According to medical research in Iran, green tea extract can help wounds heal faster. These leaves are even considered effective in helping surgical wounds heal. 

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6. Treating Poison Ivy

The unfortunate few of us that have run-ins with poison ivy, accidentally or not know it’s never fun. By brewing used tea bags and applying it to the rash for 10 to 15 minutes, you will feel rash relief. Take note: avoid touching the tea bag after, it can spread the poison ivy.

7. Removing Warts

Brewing used tea bags and applying it gently to the wart is an effective way to naturally remove painful, unsightly skin growth. After steeping tea, wait until the soaked tea bags cooled down, apply it to the affected area, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. 

8. Soothe Swollen Gums

Swollen gums are often caused by gingivitis, infection, or dentures that don’t fit properly. While these problems have a lot more complex and expensive solutions than just tea, lessening the symptoms is a lot easier to take the edge off. Gently press a room-temperature wet tea bag into your gum to ease the swelling. Note: Avoding using tea bags and discuss other methods with a pedictirian or dentist as children are more sensitive to caffine in tea if they are having teething & gum pains.

9. Soothe Small Burns

Black tea bags can be repurposed as medicine for small burns. Pressing a wet tea bag in a small burn can initiate protective skin coagulation and soothes the affected area. 

10. Helps Promote Hair Growth

Most tea variants have quercetin and EGCG that promotes healthy hair growth. For the best results, using green tea is recommended. Rinse your hair with the tea water extracted from used tea bags. You can also try this with a combination of rinsed rice water.

11. Calm Razor Burn

One of the cheapest remedies for healing pesky razor burn is brewed tea leaves. Get a bag of your preserved black tea bags, soak it in water and squeeze out excess liquid. Gently apply the bag to the irritated area. 

12. Canker Sore Removal

Canker sores are small white ulcers that appear in the mouth. These sores are very painful and prevent you from enjoying any food. You can apply tea extracts from used tea bags to canker sores to speed up the healing. 

13. Soothe Skin Blisters 

Skin blisters, particularly in the hands, can be treated with used tea bags. The tea bag works by draining out any excess liquid that makes these blisters terrible. Similar treatment to canker sores, just apply the extract from the used tea bag to soothe the blisters. 

14. Provides Toothache Relief

Tea leaves have been proven to give relief to inflammed gums by gently applying the extract to the affected area. You can rinse with a mixture of peppermint tea and a pinch of salt for added relief. 

15. Removing Toenail Fungus

The toenail fungus appears when a crack in your nail buries itself to your skin. In the best case, you will only have discoloration in your nails. In the worst case, it’s very painful and tricky to treat. One home remedy for a mild case is to use black tea bags and apply it to where the toenail fungus developed.

16. Cure Sore Throat

Both chamomile and peppermint tea can temporarily lessen the pain caused by a sore throat. Lemon and honey also contain anti-inflammatory properties that you can mix into diluated tea for added benefits to tea’s natural astringent properties. 

For Gardening

1. Speed Up Compost Pile

Organic things like used tea bags are often thrown in the compost pile to give nourishment for garden plants. Open up the bag (some manufacturers use plastic for bags so watch out) and throw the leftover tea leaves inside onto the compost pile. 

2. Fertilizer and Fungus Fighter

Teabags have a considerable amount of nitrogen which can fertilizer a potted plant. Brew the used teabags and set the tea aside to cool down. Use the tea in watering your potted plants. 

3. Improve Rosebushes Health

It takes a lot of experience and effort to perfectly grow rose bushes. To add more love to your plants, sprinkle the soil with used dry tea leaves. Cover it with mulch right after. The nutrients in the tea leaves will be added to the soil if you water your roses.

4. Help Ferns Grow

Ferns also love the tea extracts because of these plants love acid. You can make the soil a little more acidic by watering them with tea (either brewed from new or used tea leaves) once in a while.

5. Grow Seedlings

A lot of gardeners use containers to start growing their seedlings. For a cheaper alternative, you can substitute containers with tea bags to jumpstart growing your seedlings. Put the seeds in a moist tea bag and wait for the seeds to grow.

6. Retain Water In Roots

Last but not the least, tea bags can help plants retain water in the plants’ roots. Tea leaves have a high amount of potassium and phosphorus that help water retention and reducing weed growth.

I remember some extra rough years growing up. My family qualified for public assistance, but my parents never took advantage of the government aid that was there. Partly because of pride and the other part because they weren’t aware of all the help that was available. There’s no shame in the times when you need help, especially if you are a single parent. Moms have it hard enough already. Everyone struggles in their own way. I wish my parents had sought out public assistance, it would have made things a little easier growing up.

Lots of families experience financial hardship here and there, even for families with two working parents on the line like mine. After becoming a first-time mom this year during COVID-19 and struggling through those brutal first months, I just can’t grasp how insanely difficult it must be for single moms who only have limited income sources. According to a report from the US Census Bureau, 30% of families with single mothers are under the poverty line. 

With some diligent research for a newly single mommy pal of mine, I was able to compile a resource list of U.S. government (both state & federal) deployed programs to aid single parents on a continuous basis. Here are some of the most popular financial aids for single moms (and dads) with no or low income.

Note: This list is applicable to only U.S. residents.

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Financial Aid For Single Moms

1. Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF)

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF is one of the major financial aids by the government. With this program, qualified participants can receive cash, childcare, and work aid from their local government. Cash assistance is based on the parent’s household income and the number of dependencies under 18 years old. 

Requirements:

• A child or children under 18 years old 
• Monthly income meets the income guideline

Official Website: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/tanf

2. The Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) 

The Women, Infants, and Children Program or WIC is a federally administered program aimed towards pregnant women, infants, and children under 5 years old. Participants who are at “nutritional risk” are prioritized. When eligible, the participant usually receives monthly food packages or vouchers they can use to purchase specific food items. 

Requirements:

• Children up to 5 years old
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• People who are at “nutritional risk”
• Homeless people and migrants with “nutritional risk”

Official Website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic

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3. Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)

The Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program or FMNP is a program that lets beneficiaries buy eligible fruits and vegetables from participating farmer’s markets at a discounted price. Coupons received via FMNPP can be used on these locations: local farmers, farmers’ markets, and roadside stands. Since FMNP is connected to WIC, WIC beneficiaries are automatically eligible to receive benefits. 

Requirements:

• Same with WIC program

Official Website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp/wic-farmers-market-nutrition-program

4. Unemployment Insurance 

Unemployment Insurance is a government program that gives help to unemployed individuals who are not the fault of their situation. Each state has its own different rules, so check out the link below benefits expectations and application process in your state. This benefit usually lasts up to 26 weeks to help you get a boost in job searching. 

Requirements:

• Unemployed through no fault (it means that getting fired or quitting a job is not valid)
• Must meet wage requirement in the current state 

Official Website (Find Your State): https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/UnemploymentBenefits/find-unemployment-benefits.aspx

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5. Additional Child Tax Credit

Known as Child Tax Credit or CTC, this program lets family breadwinners deduct tax credit to the income tax amount.  Anyone with children under 17 can claim tax credits. The tax credit will depend on the number of children you have in your family. If your payable tax amount is reduced to zero after subtracting tax credit, the amount you owe is also reduced to zero. In addition, you can refund up to $1,400.

Requirements:

• Must have children under 17 years old at the end of the tax year
• Adjust gross income of $200,000 or less

Official Website: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/earned-income-tax-credit-income-limits-and-maximum-credit-amounts

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Electronic Benefits Transfers (EBT):

6. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

This program is the biggest food assistance program of the US Government. SNAP is formerly known as Food Stamps, but are renamed last 2008. It is very similar to WIC in essence, but the eligibility and benefits are different. The WIC program is focused more on women and children who are having difficulties in getting food to remain healthy. On the other hand, SNAP has a larger scope and benefits but has more restrictive eligibility requirements. Beneficiaries of SNAP will also receive discounts when shopping in a SNAP Retailer store.

I tried to get myself on the SNAP challenge as an experiment and failed miserably.

Requirements:

• The beneficiary must have a household monthly income below 130 percent of the poverty line ($1,778 for a 3-person family as of 2020)
• State-level specific requirements

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7. National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

The National School Lunch Program or NSLP is a federal program that is available for both public and nonprofit private schools around the country. It provides free or low-cost lunch for children who are members of low-income families. Schools should provide meals that meet the standards set by the Food and Nutrition Service and the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Requirements:

• If the child’s family participates in SNAP 
• If the child is enrolled in any Head Start Program
• Family size and income 
• Children who live with families living below the poverty line
• Check the income guideline here

8. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

TEFAP is another food assistance program from the US Department of Agriculture. USDA foods are distributed to people who qualify for these benefits. Each state has its own guidelines for food distribution (food that beneficiaries receive can change depending on the market and agricultural conditions). Instead of directly giving vouchers or food packets, TEFAP partners with local agencies to distribute the food (e.g. food banks, soup kitchens, etc). You can check out the list of food usually distributed by TEFAP in this webpage.

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Free Health Care And Education Programs

9. Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

The Children Health Insurance Program provides healthcare for children under low-income families. Healthcare services like routine check-ups, prescriptions, dental and vision care, immunizations, and inpatient/outpatient care are covered with this program. Although each state covers CHIP, the requirement varies from one state to another. You can apply for benefits by calling 1-800-318-2596 or via the Health Insurance Marketplace online. 

Requirements: 

Check with your state for more specific requirements and information about CHIP. 

10. Pell Grant

Single moms who want o go back to school can take advantage of the Pell Grant, a federal program that gives assistance for low-income students. Unlike student debt, you don’t really have to pay the government to give you cash assistance. The help you will receive is usually the gap between your expected family contribution and your cost of attendance. For example, if your cost of attendance is about $15,000, but you can only pay for $10,000, the remaining $5,000 will be shouldered by the program. 

Requirements: 

• FAFSA form
• Citizen of the United States
• Enrolled in a certificate or degree program at a participating college
• Undergraduate or vocational students only

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Housing And Utility Bills Help

11. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Housing Assistance

The Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD provides subsidies for low-income families. HUD will work directly with property owners to lessen up the rent expense of families in the program. Because of this, the family beneficiaries will only pay for a discounted monthly rent expense. 

Requirements: 

• Applicants must past the income limit requirement (check out the income limit requirement here)

12. Low Income Energy Beal Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Emergency Assistance Program is another financial assistance that aims to help low-income families by reducing their utility bills. Like HUD, the government works directly with energy providers for the LIHEAP aid. Eligible families can choose between one-time winter assistance that can range from $45 to $450 or a crisis intervention program where the utilities are about to be shut off due to payment difficulties. The second option can net $300 worth of benefits during the summer and $800 during the winter. 

Requirements: 

• LIHEAP income eligibility (check your local LIHEAP office) 

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State-Specific Aid Programs

Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) 

The Minnesota Family Investment Program or MFIP can be described as “teaching a family how to fish, and sharing your catch at the same time.” In conjunction with the Diversionary Work Program or DWP (where parents receive employment help), MFIP gives cash assistance until the family’s finances are better. This program is aimed at children and pregnant women and usually runs for up to 60 months. 

Requirements: 

• Pass the income test
• Owns assets not more than $10,000

New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP)

The New Hampshire Employment Program is very similar to MFIP. The only big difference is that NHEP is aimed to give help to able-bodied people. As a level-up to MFIP, NHEP has programs that give GED-Equivalency Diploma, on-the-job training, and job search assistance. 

Requirements:

• Able-bodied and is between 16 to 60 years of age

Kansas Successful Families Program

The Kansan Successful Families Program is similar in benefits to both MFIP and NHEP. It is designed to help families who want to improve their financial situation while getting basic necessities at the same time. 

Requirements:

• Able-bodied and under 60 years old
• At least one child under 19

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Where To Get Help During COVID-19 Lockdown?

There are millions of families and individuals who are currently affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. The situation is now affecting the economy, businesses, and families who rely on monthly income to get their basic needs and will likely have no emergency savings. To help people in low-income families, the US government created the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES. Here are the information and programs relating to this act. 

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) – FPUC is an unemployment aid that provides a weekly allowance of $600 on top of the regular Unemployment Insurance benefits.
• Pandemic Unemployment Assitance (PUA) – PUA temporarily expands Unemployment Insurance to people who are self-employed, freelancers, and independent contractors. 
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – PUA provides benefit coverage extensions for people who already exhausted their Unemployment Insurance benefits. This extension lasts for 13 weeks. 

If there is one staple that we have at home, it’s our roll of paper towels. We used to use it for practically everything that called for a quick clean up and just about a zillion uses in the kitchen. We always catch it on sale and stock up – a big fat jumbo roll would cost us just a buck. Those were the good old days!

When we face health pandemics like the 2020 COVID-19 virus, proper hygiene is one of the best ways to protect ourselves. I never thought there would be a shortage of paper towels! This is probably why a lot of people felt the need to stock up on toilet paper and paper towels. It’s ridiculous, but one psychologist explained why it made sense. According to psychiatry professor Steven Taylor of the University of British Columbia, we think of toilet paper as our tool to avoid things that are disgusting. When there is a need to boost personal hygiene, it makes sense to hoard paper towels, right?

After I retired from Airbnb hosting (a month before the COVID pandemic hit actually! I have lucky timing) we only had 2 rolls of paper towels in our house left when the pandemic began.

(P.S. When I was an Airbnb host, I provided paper towels to all guests in the bedrooms because I don’t want to give anyone an excuse to not be clean hehe.)

We had to start weaning off our paper towels. There are tons of ways for you to make your roll of paper towel last longer. So if you are one of the unfortunate ones like us who were left with an empty paper towel stockpile, it’s a perfect time to wean, adapt, and learn how to try to live without.

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6 Simple Tips to Make Paper Towel Rolls Last Longer

Hopefully, these tips will help you save some cash and make those rolls of paper towels last longer. Here are effective tips that will make your paper towels last a lot longer than before.

1. Opt for high-quality rolls

Instead of buying the 1-ply, buy the 2-ply or 4-ply paper towels. That way, you don’t have to pull a lot of sheets every time. You can even buy both. Use the 4-ply for when you need a more absorbent paper towel and the 2-ply for the not so absorbent needs.

This will be a bit more expensive. But if you calculate it per sheet, you might be surprised that it will be worth it. A lot of times a thicker sheet could even be reused. You can REALLY push a nice, plush sheet of paper towel’s capacity. Challenge yourself with a high-quality sheet, it’s usually a lot more “worth your buck” when it’s good quality. We get our paper towel rolls from Costco, but Amazon also has good subscribe and save deals on paper towels (if you want it delivered to your door!)

Just make sure that you educate the people at home to save and push the capacity of new paper towels. That way, they will be careful not to pull the same number of sheets as they did before.

2. Pretend it’s your last roll

We usually buy these toilet or paper towels in bulk. It ends up cheaper if you do it that way. However, if you display all the extra rolls you have, it will make you careless about using it. This is why it is ideal for you to keep all the extras hidden. Don’t show it. Store it somewhere like in a cabinet or in separate storage space.

In an article published in Psychology Today, it explains the concept of scarcity and how it can affect how we think and how we feel. When both our thoughts and feelings are affected, it also influences our actions.

That being said, if we hide the extra rolls, it encourages scarcity mentality. Everyone will use the rolls sparingly.

“That’s Interesting!“

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2. Buy absorbent materials

We’ll get into alternative ideas below but a quick guide to absorbent alternative fabrics include cotton, hemp, bamboo, flannel, microfiber, and wool. Wool is out due to the high cost of natural wool. But bamboo and microfiber are a great budget-friendly alternative fabric to replace your kitchen paper towel roll.

Your best bet for maximum absorption and speed is bamboo + microfiber blends and the classic 100% cotton fabrics (the denser the cotton fabric the better.)

3. Squash it

Make your roll of paper towel look flatter. Just squish one side to do this. So what’s the purpose of doing this? When you squash your roll, it becomes oval in shape. This makes it harder to rotate it. If it stays in its usual circular form, one pull and a lot of tissue slide off. Sometimes, we don’t want to roll the excess back. So we just pull off everything and use it.

If the roll has an oval shape, the rotation will be more controlled. You don’t have to worry about any paper towel being wasted.

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4. Fold it

When we pull the sheets, some of us usually wad it up. This will lead you to waste more of the toilet paper or paper towel. To maximize the absorbent feature, we need to use more of its surface area. So instead of wadding up the paper, fold it. It is neater and you will be more cautious about the thickness of the paper that you are using. It will make you pull out less of it every time you need to use it.

5. Rinse and hang dry them

Most people don’t take advantage of the strength of a top-quality paper towel. A quality paper towel sheet can be hand rinsed and hung up to air dry in the kitchen if it isn’t too dirty. When we wipe down or soak up a spill (example – spilling red wine, miso soup etc.) those sheets can be reused for another spill if they’re rinsed and air dried with a gentle hand. Yes, it will be a little stained, but the durability is still there – ready for another soak up.

6. Buy half sheet varieties

Regular paper towels traditionally came off as a big 6×12 inch sheet. Smart paper towel brands adapt to adding more tear-offs per roll in response to frugal consumers who learned to only tear off what they need. I found that using half sheets in our household made each roll last about almost 20% to 30% longer (your miles may vary of course.) We used to go through a roll of paper towels every 2 weeks but using half sheet paper towel rolls lasted us almost 3 weeks.

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7. Buy in bulk

Everyone should be buying their paper towels in bulk if they can. When the sale is good, stores often put up purchasing limits to 1 or 2 transactions per customer. In this case, my husband and I divide up into separate transactions and check out separately.

Reuseable Paper Towel Alternatives

The best trick to make paper towels last longer is simply trying to find other alternative materials that are reusable. Paper towels should only use for something you definitely want to throw away or is unsanitary enough you don’t want it even near the dirty laundry. Otherwise, for most things, you can invest in a bundle of extra absorbent cloths as an alternative.

These different varieties of cloths will save you more money in the end. Plus, they’re great for the environment because you simply have to throw them in the laundry once in a while, and bam, clean towels ready to be reused!

I highly suggest going to your local thrift store and locate secondhand cloths in the linens section. We go to our local Goodwill every weekend and have always seen a good selection of materials from cotton to hemp to terry cloth. Here are some options you can look into:

Sponges

Buy a set of non-abrasive super-absorbent sponges and always have them handy. A good kitchen sponge made from bamboo are super absorbent and ideal for dishes, stove tops, pet messes, countertops. They’re versatile and reusable.

Dishcloths

These can be easily cleaned and are made of really absorbent material. You want to make sure that you keep a couple for specific purposes around the kitchen. Like you have a dishcloth for drying dishes and a different one for pots and pans. It’s best to have a different cloth for cleaning spills on the counter and table surfaces for extra sanitation.

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Kitchen towels

Kitchen towels are more absorbent and thicker than dishcloths. You can use these to dry your hands while working in the kitchen. If there is a huge spill on the floor, you can also use this. But make sure that if you used it on the floor, don’t use it on your countertops anymore. At least, not unless you have washed and sanitized it.

Face towels

These can be used to wipe the dirty, messy, and sweaty hands and faces of your kids. If you have old face towels, you can feel free to use these as dishcloths or kitchen towels.

Cloth napkins

We just had to include this here because some people actually use paper towels in place of napkins while eating. That’s a huge waste! Buy some cloth napkins instead. You can forget about paper napkins too. Have a couple of napkins that you can use repeatedly and just wash when they are dirty.

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Utilize Rags Instead

Any combination of alternatives listed below would really help you make your roll of paper towel last longer. But what about the gross stuff? That’s what rags are for!

See what’s great about using paper towels is being able to wipe away gross stuff then throw it away. But if you want to save money by making your paper towels last longer, you need to equip your home with a lot of rags.

Old T-shirts

You probably have a lot of these lying around. Instead of donating them or throwing them away, leave a few for you to use around the house. If the material is 100% cotton it’ll make for extra absorbency. You can also cut up your old t-shirts – preferably the plain ones without any prints. Thrift stores like Goodwill will stock secondhand men’s t-shirts for 99 cents. Just take those home, trim it up with scissors and you’ll have a stack of rags ready to go.

Cloth diapers

If your kiddos are all grown up, you can use the cloth diapers that they used. These are made of absorbent materials because, well, they were originally meant as diapers. Use these to wipe the gross spills or clean around the house and in the bathroom.

Cloth diapers aren’t exactly “cheap” especially not the fancy all-in-ones so don’t go out of your way to find cloth diapers. But do know that they are definitely highly absorbent since parents use it for…well yeah.

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• How To Make a Roll of Paper Towels Last Embarrassingly Long

Flannel shirts or sheets

Flannel, as a material, is very soft and also quite absorbent. If you have old cotton flannel sheets that you don’t mind repurposing, then use these as rags for around the house. Old flannel shirts will also work. You only have to sacrifice one and you can end up with a lot of rags when you cut it into pieces.

Bath towels

No matter how soft and fluffy they are, these will wear out over time. So if you have worn out bath towels, don’t throw them out. These can also be cut up and used as rags. Since these were meant to be towels, you can trust that these will be very absorbent.

As some of my readers may know, I dogsit exclusively for a very wealthy client. They have a very spoiled, very sweet nature Shih-Tzu (Charlie Bear!) That pup is easy-going, extremely affectionate, and piggy. I think that dog eats better than I do…ha! As well as a great buddy to our dog (Grace) this little Shih Tzu is also an amazing side hustle for income. I netted $6,000 a year with very minimal work whenever they needed Charlie acclamations. Little Charlie is low on exercise and he loves being near humans and sleeping in the sun most of the day. I only wish I had 10 other Shih-Tzus all the same! I found this client on Rover and Charlie’s family and ours have become good friends!

The ONE thing that comes out of pocket most of the time (although we do get dog toys & treats from his owners) is treats and toys for Grace and Charlie to play and share. The doggy subscription box idea was great during the pandemic with a newborn baby! We didn’t really want to stop by Petsmart to pick up new dog toys and treats when there’s a dangerous virus out. This seemed like a perfect choice for us!

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Why Get Dog Subscription Boxes?

Aside from the fun you and your dog experience in unveiling the box, the products these boxes contain are guaranteed best, high-quality, and all-natural, hand-picked by experts. In fact, items in subscription boxes are usually exclusive and are not available at the local grocery or nearby pet stores. Even better as it saves you money as products usually cost a fraction of what you would pay purchasing from retail shops. 

There are many companies to choose from, each providing a variety of goodies for your canine companion. And one of the best monthly dog subscription box providers at present is Shaggy Swag.

What is Shaggy Swag?

Shaggy Swag is a Brooklyn-based company that aims to provide dog owners with the best swag for their dogs. They offer a monthly supply of exclusive stylish toys, healthy and delicious treats, and top-of-the-line essentials, inspired by their monthly themes. All for an affordable retail value, depending on the plans and products the owner subscribes to.

With their three “C’s”, Shaggy Swag gives the owners and their dogs convenience, comfort and connection. Thus, they have the most customizable options available, with unique add-ons that vary monthly. You can completely control what you want your dogs to have. 

How does it work?

You can sign up for any of the plans below. Just remember that the ShaggySwag plan you choose is a commitment to the length of that plan. All plans are charged on every 11th of the month and automatically renew at the end of their term. Should you decide to cancel your subscription, you need to turn off the monthly renewal manually.

• $29/month for Monthly Subscription (billed monthly)

• $25/month for Prepaid 3-month Subscription (billed every 3-months)

• $24/month for Annual VIP subscription (billed monthly)

All subscriptions include 2 soft & squeaky plush toys, 2 bags of treats & 1 chew. 

Note: The actual price will vary depending on the type of base box you prefer and the add-ons you will pick.

Meanwhile, VIP Access includes Early Access to Add-ons, 10% off Lifetime Purchases in the ShaggyShop, and One Extra Month Free.

Shipping and payment

Currently, Shaggy ships to all states in the United States including Hawaii and Alaska, which other subscription boxes providers do not serve. There will be a tracking code that you can use to know where your box is in the delivery process.

Regular delivery of 3 to 7 days is free within the United States. It will be delivered via FedEx Smart Post in the themed Shaggy box. 

Should you wish to avail of an Express delivery, you can upgrade to the guaranteed 2-day FedEx Pack for just $4.50. However, the items will not be in the themed Shaggy box but a bag.

Conveniently, ShaggySwag accepts all major credit cards and PayPal for your payment. You can also get discounts by using promo codes that their partners offer.

Is it worth the spend?

The freedom of getting all you want in one box makes ShaggySwag a very interesting choice for a monthly subscription box. Customizable and fun, perfectly curated monthly box. After 3 months though, they recycled many of the same/similar items. I’m guessing they had excess stock. The toys and treats were just as good quality as I expected in comparison to other dog subscription boxes!

If you received a bad box or a damaged item, you contact ShaggySwag, and they will send a replacement item free of charge so both you and your dog’s satisfaction are met. You can do the same in case a different item from what you ordered was sent to you.

Canceling Shaggy swag

After 3 months we decided not to renew because the variety was lacking. But for $25? If it had more variety then it would be pretty worth it. I mean I counted the value at a DISCOUNT brick & mortar pet store as $20 – and that’s the value price. So $5 more for that with free shipping isn’t bad. If there was more variety, I would LOVE to keep subscribing. The price was right, the toys are fun, seeing our pup crazy for all the contents is soooo worth the money.