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9 Everyday Problems You Can Solve With Vaseline

Jars of Vaseline
Zety Akhzar / Shutterstock.com

One day in 1859, a chemist named Robert Chesebrough visited Titusville, Pennsylvania. He noticed that oilfield workers were using something they called “rod wax” to dress minor skin wounds.

Rod wax was an oil-drilling byproduct. Chesebrough was intrigued enough to start refining the goop. When he introduced his finished product to the public, he called it “Wonder Jelly.” In 1872, it was named “Vaseline,” a word that the manufacturer says was derived from the German “wasser” for water and Greek “elaion” for oil.

Although other companies now manufacture the goop, some people still use the word “Vaseline” to refer to petroleum jelly, a mixture of natural waxes and mineral oils. Whatever you call it, you likely grew up with a jar in your home. And what a wonder this emollient continues to be: Consumers use it in dozens of ways both inside and outside the home.

Take a look at the following everyday problems and annoyances that you can solve with petroleum jelly, and you’ll never see it the same way again.

1. Water rings

A senior woman cleans wood furniture
aerogondo2 / Shutterstock.com

Have you noticed water rings left by a wet glass on a table or other wood surface? Rub some petroleum jelly into the stain in a circular motion. Sabrina Fierman, vice president of the luxury cleaning service New York’s Little Elves, tells Architectural Digest that you can leave the jelly on as long as overnight if the ring is stubborn.

Mayonnaise is another effective option for this problem that you likely have on hand, as we explain in “11 Secret Uses for Everyday Items That Save Money.”

2. Pesky squirrels

squirrel
Malachi Ives / Shutterstock.com

Use petroleum jelly to keep squirrels away from bird feeders set on poles. Lather it on the pole, and the squirrels won’t be able to climb up the slippery surface.

WD-40 will also do the trick, as we report in “14 Uses for WD-40 That Save Money, Time or Headaches.”

3. Squeaky hinges

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

Got noisy or stiff hinges on cabinets or doors? Petroleum jelly works just as well as WD-40 — but without the smell or the mess.

“The petroleum jelly works its way into the hinge and adheres well, so it won’t run off and make a mess like oil or other lubricants,” Family Handyman explains.

The publication offers step-by-step directions with photos. All that’s required besides the petroleum jelly is a hammer, a rag and a finish nail.

4. Blisters

LightField Studios / Shutterstock.com

Apply a little bit of petroleum jelly on the parts of your skin that are prone to blisters, the American Academy of Dermatology advises.

This will help reduce the friction when skin rubs against skin or when skin rubs against clothing, thus helping to prevent blisters.

5. Short-lived fragrance

Woman putting on perfume
Africa Studio / Shutterstock.com

Before you spray on perfume or cologne, rub a little petroleum jelly onto your pulse points or wherever you apply fragrance. It will make the scent last longer, says Dr. Travis Stork, an author and former host on the TV talk show “The Doctors.”

“It holds that fragrance to your skin more so than if you just spray it right on your skin,” Stork explains.

6. Sensitive pooch paws

Ekaterina Brusnika / Shutterstock.com

Before going for a walk in the snow, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggests putting petroleum jelly on the tender pads of your dog’s feet.

“Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents,” the nonprofit explains.

7. Rough, dry or chapped skin

puhhha / Shutterstock.com

Got super-dry skin on your feet? Coat with petroleum jelly just before bedtime, then put on socks. It feels weird at first, but you get used to it. In the morning, marvel at your skin’s softness.

Lips dry and flaky? Create an exfoliating scrub by mixing petroleum jelly with sugar. You can also make up a big batch of the stuff and give yourself a good rubdown, to remove dead skin.

Nostrils chapped from blowing your nose while sick with a bad cold? Gently apply some petroleum jelly to moisturize the dry skin and protect it against rubbing.

8. Makeup removal

Woman removing makeup
BLACKDAY / Shutterstock.com

Out of makeup remover? Or looking for another way to take off your makeup? Gently massage a little petroleum jelly on your face, then wipe with a soft cloth or tissue.

Dr. Mona Gohara, a dermatologist and associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, tells Allure:

“It’s light and lubricated, so the makeup slides right off without harming the skin.”

9. Risk of eczema

Tania Kolinko / Shutterstock.com

Apparently, it’s not just for a baby’s backside: Citing a study published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics, the Mayo Clinic reported in 2017 that a daily application of petroleum jelly on a newborn’s skin for the first six months of life can reduce the risk of eczema.

This irritating skin condition affects as much as 30% of children.

Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.

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Source: moneytalksnews.com

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Bank of America Amtrak Credit Card 50,000 Points + $100 Statement Credit (New Highest Offer)

Update 9/20/21: There’s now a direct link to this offer. Hat tip to reader Yet Another Redditor

Update 8/4/21: As predicted the additional $100 statement credit is available when doing a dummy booking.

The Offer

Direct link to offer Do a dummy booking to see an additional $100 statement credit

  • You can now receive a sign up bonus of 50,000 points after $2,500 in spend within 90 days of account opening on the Bank of America Amtrak Credit card.

Card Details

  • Annual fee of $79 is not waived
  • Complimentary Companion Coupon, One-Class Upgrade and a single-day ClubAcela® pass for access to ClubAcela, Amtrak Metropolitan LoungeSM or First class
  • Card earns at the following rates:
    • 3 points per $1 spent with Amtrak
    • 2 points per $1 spent on all other qualifying travel purchases
    • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate when you book your Amtrak redemption

Our Verdict

Previous best bonus was 40,000 points + $100. Sometimes you can get an additional $100 when doing a dummy booking, the current dummy booking offer is 20,000 points + $100 so I’d recommend waiting a few days/week to see if the dummy booking starts populating a 50,000 + $100 offer or not. Dummy booking with the additional $100 credit now available.

Amtrak points are worth the following:

  • Non-Acela tickets points are worth 2.9¢ each
  • Acela tickets points are worth 2.56¢ cent
  • Monthly passes (2.9¢) must be booked via phone. Others report a rate of 1.7¢.

If you’re unfamiliar with Amtrak, I’d recommend reading our complete guide to AGR here. If you have questions about Bank of America cards then read this post. Added this to our best credit card bonuses. Worth doing if you can take advantage of the Amtrak points.

Hat tip to Help Me Build Credit

Source: doctorofcredit.com

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How Big is 2,000 Square Feet?

For some people, 2,000 square feet is a ton of space, but for others, it might as well be a tiny home. It all depends on your perspective, not to mention the sheer amount of junk that you own.

Wondering whether you can cram yourself and your worldly possessions into a space of this size? Let’s take a nice deep dive into how a 2,000-square-foot apartment literally measures up.

calculator and tape measure

calculator and tape measure

How to calculate 2,000 square feet

First, it’s pretty important to know that a square foot is just that — picture a square that is one foot on each side. So, a 2,000-square-foot apartment is 2,000 of those bad boys laid out according to floor plan. Determining the square-footage of a space is a little trickier the bigger it gets. Still, it’s a useful skill and really isn’t difficult once you get the hang of it.

To get started, buy or borrow a 100-foot tape measure. You know, the kind that springs back at you way too fast if you don’t know what you’re doing. Also, grab a calculator (or just use your phone), as well as a pen and paper.

Before you get started, wander the unit and sketch the shape of the rooms. This is where you will write down the measurements for each room as you take them. If one room is oddly shaped (like a square with a rectangular nook on one end) it’s okay to split them up as if they’re separate rooms.

Next, for each room, you’ll need to measure the length and width. Record the measurements (in inches) on your crude drawing. Round up to the nearest inch. So, if a room is 20.6 inches long, write down 21 inches.

Once you’ve got all of the measurements noted, have a seat and whip out the old phone calculator. Divide each individual measurement by 12 to convert it into feet. For example, a 144-inch wide room divided by 12 inches is 12 feet. Do that for every single length and width.

Now, multiply each individual room’s length in feet by its width in feet. This will give you the square footage of that room. So, a room that is 8 feet wide by 7 feet long is 56 square feet. Feel free to make someone else do the calculations and use a square footage calculator.

Follow the same process with every room in the unit. Don’t forget closets and pantries! Once you have the square-footage for every room, add them all together. This will give you the final number for the whole apartment.

tennis courts

tennis courts

What does 2,000 square feet look like

It’s tougher to visualize 2,000 square feet than a smaller unit because it’s just so much bigger. Still, there are a few ways to look at it to give a better idea.

If you’re a tennis player, or are simply familiar with the playable area of the court, picture that to start. A standard court is 2,800 square feet within the lined areas. So, this does not include the areas that people can still technically run around on outside the baseline. If you remove the space on one side of the court from the service line to the base line (including the alleys from that point) the remaining area is much closer to 2,000 square feet.

If that’s making your head spin, picture a two-car garage. A space like that is roughly 400 square feet. So, five two-car garages is just about 2,000 square feet.

You can expect quite a bit more out of a 2,000 square-foot apartment than the average garage, however. Typically, units of this size have three or even four bedrooms, plus a kitchen, living area, walk-in closets and multiple bathrooms. Here’s a great example of a floor plan for such a space at 180 Riverside Boulevard in New York City’s Upper West Side.

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Of course, in that area of New York City such a unit will set you back about a zillion dollars a month, but at least you know what you’re working with, size-wise.

professional movers picking up couch

professional movers picking up couch

Tips for living in a 2,000 square foot apartment

A unit of any size comes with potential and challenges. Make life in your 2,000-square-foot apartment as seamless as possible and follow these easy tips.

Choose roommates wisely

In a unit this size, it’s likely that you’re sharing space with a buddy or two. No matter how much you love the person, make sure that you’re compatible before signing the lease. This includes preferences on cleanliness, frequency of overnight visitors, how to split the bills and so on. Nothing makes an otherwise roomy apartment feel smaller than a bad roommate pairing.

Take your time with decorating

It’s always exciting to move into a new space, but take a beat and get to know what you need and what you have to work with before splurging on new furniture. Be thorough with measurements of each piece before purchase because too much furniture can make a big space feel small and clunky.

Get professional help

A 2,000-square-foot rental is legit the size of a house, so it’s probably time to let your friends and family off the hook and hire professional movers, instead. They have all of the tools and know-how to get it done quicker and without potential injury. There are plenty of budget-friendly options out there, so get multiple quotes before selecting one.

Assign a multi-functional space

Some people only dream of having 2,000 square feet to work with. Use the extra area to your advantage and assign a bedroom double or even triple-duty! For example, if you expect the occasional guest, but also love painting and yoga, turn the room into a well-appointed guest/yoga/art room!

Commit to a clutter-free environment

More space often equals more purchases because there’s more room for storage. Keep it from getting out of control by purging regularly. For example, put a quarterly closet/bathroom/kitchen cleanout on the calendar and stick to it.

Another good rule of thumb is to donate a clothing item for each new one that you buy. That way, the closet doesn’t get out of control full. Plus, you don’t have to get more hangers. Really, it’s a win/win.

2,000 square feet, an apartment odyssey

Whether you’re sizing way up or scaling way back, life in a 2,000-square-foot apartment is as much of an adventure as you long for. Simply whip out the old tape measure and do some calculations to get ready for this next step in your journey.

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Source: apartmentguide.com

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Nike (NKE) Earnings: Can the Dow Stock Shrug Off Supply Chain Woes?

It’s the tail end of earnings season, but there are still some heavy-hitters on tap. Among them is athletic apparel maker Nike (NKE, $156.42), which is scheduled to tell all in the earnings confessional after the Sept. 23 close.

Investors would certainly welcome a positive reaction to NKE earnings, given the struggles the stock has seen over the past month. Since topping out at a record high near $174 in early August, Nike shares have shed more than 10%. 

While some of the more recent sell-off could be due to broad-market headwinds – the Dow and S&P 500 are both down about 0.2% so far in September – Wall Street appears to be a bit concerned over COVID-related global supply chain issues, particularly after Nike was forced to shutter factories in Vietnam in July because of the pandemic. 

These factories accounted for roughly 51% of NKE’s total production capacity in Asia ahead of the shutdown. “The risk of significant cancellations beginning this holiday and running through at least next spring has risen materially for NKE as it is now facing at least two months of virtually no unit production at its Vietnamese factories,” BTIG analyst Camilo Lyon wrote in a note. He recently downgraded the stock to Neutral (Hold) from Buy.

These months-long Vietnamese production disruptions also prompted UBS analyst Jay Sole to lower his fiscal 2022 earnings per share (EPS) estimate by 3%. Nevertheless, Sole – who has a Buy rating on the Dow stock – believes supply chain fears are likely already priced in. 

Stifel analysts (Buy) also cut sales and earnings estimates, for the second and third quarters of fiscal 2022, but they see the “supply-oriented shocks to the business as one-time in nature and representing opportunity for positive reversal in future periods.”

Additionally, any pullbacks in NKE should be viewed as a buying opportunity, “particularly if the stock sees a negative reaction to tempered fiscal 2022 guidance,” they say. “There is no change to our constructive long-term outlook.”

As far as Nike’s upcoming fiscal first-quarter report: The pros, on average, are looking for a 17.9% year-over-year (YoY) rise in earnings to $1.12 per share. Revenue, meanwhile, is expected to arrive at $12.5 billion, a 17.9% improvement from the year prior.

FedEx Stock Stalls Ahead of Earnings

FedEx (FDX, $255.22) will report its fiscal first-quarter earnings after the Sept. 21 close. 

The shares of the freight giant have been trending lower since May, and are now in negative territory on a year-to-date basis. But while “valuation has become more interesting … greater conviction in a sustained improvement in Express operating margin and return on invested capital (ROIC) is still needed for a more constructive view,” BMO Capital analyst Fadi Chamoun says. 

He adds that growth in FedEx’s ground segment has slowed and “there appears to be limited opportunity for further improvement in the operating margin as the segment faces inflationary cost pressures, further capital investment needs and likely greater competitive intensity.”

While Chamoun maintains a Market Perform (Neutral) rating on FDX, most pros are bullish. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, 18 analysts call FedEx a Strong Buy, while five have a Buy rating. The other seven following the stock say it’s a Hold, with not one Sell or Strong Sell rating out there. Plus, the average target price of $341.25 represents implied upside of roughly 34% over the next 12 months or so.

In terms of earnings, analysts, on average, see EPS of $5.00 in FedEx’s fiscal first quarter, which is 2.7% higher than the year-ago period, and revenue of $21.9 billion (+13.5% YoY).

Darden Restaurants Expected to Report Major Growth 

Darden Restaurants (DRI, $149.43) has had a choppy year, but the broader path has been higher. To wit, the shares are up more than 25% so far in 2021, and are trading about 3 percentage points below their late-August all-time peak of $153.

The stock could take out this technical milestone after it reports fiscal first-quarter earnings ahead of the Sept. 23 open, should history repeat itself. Following the release of its fiscal fourth-quarter results in June – which handily beat expectations and showed the Olive Garden parent’s same-store sales had nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels – the shares jumped 3.2%.

Wall Street pros are certainly upbeat ahead of the company’s results. Oppenheimer analysts Brian Bittner and Michael Tamas, for instance, are anticipating year-over-year same-store sales growth of 45.1% for DRI’s fiscal first quarter, with 48.9% revenue growth expected for the three-month period.

Darden Restaurants “remains our favorite pick within full-service dining,” they say. “Based on our analysis, we believe the model is uniquely positioned to at least achieve fiscal 2022 EPS forecasts despite industry-wide cost pressures. Plus, management is armed with unique sales levers to accelerate share gains if industry demand becomes choppier into year-end.” They have an Outperform rating on DRI, which is the equivalent of a Buy.

Overall, the average analyst estimate is for Darden Restaurants to report fiscal Q1 EPS of $1.63 (+191% YoY). On the top line, estimates are for $2.2 billion, which is 43.8% more than what the company reported a year ago.

Source: kiplinger.com

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NEW Mint Feature Highlight: Budget Widget on iOS

Minters – You asked for it and now the Mint Budget Widget is available on iOS! 

With the new budget widget, you can see where you stand with your budget at a glance, without even opening the Mint app. You can choose from 3 different widget layouts to see your overall budget and top spending categories. The new budget widget is designed to be both convenient and secure so it will never show up on your lock screen. 

How to Get Started

Step 1: Touch and hold an empty area on your home screen.

Step 2: Tap the plus sign (+) in the top left corner.

Step 3: Search or scroll to find Mint and tap “add widget” when it pops up. 

Step 4: Choose the widget format you like best. Now you have a view of your budget without needing to open the app!

Insider tip: A transaction widget is also available. Both widgets have a dark mode version. 

The Budgeting Tool You’ve Been Looking For

Mint is here to be your all-in-one finances app, where you can connect your accounts, bills, and more – in just one place. And that’s why we’ve rolled out new features like the Transaction Widget, the This Month tab, and personalized Alerts. You deserve a better holistic view of your financial picture, and we’re here to give that to you!  

Whether you’re just starting out, or have been budgeting for a while, the Mint widget empowers you to quickly access your finances any time, any place – within seconds. With the budget and transaction widgets, tracking your spending has never been easier. 

Try it out for yourself to stay on top of your finances!

Learn more about security

Mint Google Play Mint iOS App Store

Source: mint.intuit.com