Are Kids' Foods Ripping You Off?

Save Money Now! Stop buying food items labeled "baby" or that are designed especially for kids. Most of the time you'll pay almost double for the same product just because the manufacturer has packaged it for babies or kids.

For example, if you want to buy apple puree for your baby consider buying organic apple sauce in larger containers. Not only do you save money, you're helping the environment by choosing products with less packaging.

Healthy kids' cereals usually have an adult equivalent with a lower price tag. The same goes for granola bars, cheese sticks, and cracker snacks. Look for the same type of product that is for adult use. Do you give your kids fish oil supplements? Compare the price and dosage size to the adult product. And we are sure you know to look at the unit price rather than the per item price when comparing.

If you have a easy money saving tip, please share it with our Spot On Ideas community.

Yellowjacket Pest Control - How to Get Rid of Yellowjacket Wasps

Do yellowjackets frequently join you for an outdoor dinner in August and September? Spot On Ideas recently learned a simple and eco-friendly tip for eliminating yellowjacket visits! Just hang a fake wasp's nest and yellowjackets disappear. The idea sounded silly, but we tested the method and it works.

How to do it: You can buy products that are fake wasp nests, such as The Waspinator, that generally receive good reviews for effectiveness and poor reviews for product quality. You can do-it-yourself with an old gray bag, T-shirt, or fabric. Do not use any shiny materials such as a plastic bag. You'll need to fashion the item so it looks similar to the shape of a nest and hang from a string. In testing, Spot On Ideas used an old gray bag and hung it from a table's umbrella. To obtain decisive results, we placed deli meat on the table and waited for yellowjackets. After hanging the bag, all yellowjackets left the area and did not return. On a second and third testing, the method worked again. If you don't get good results, it is probably the design or "look" of the nest. Try again because it is a great method for eliminating yellowjackets at meal time.

Why it works: Wasps are territorial and defend nests furiously. Non-resident wasps avoid nest areas by about 20 feet.

When it won't work: If you have a yellowjacket nest in very close proximity, if the wasps don't see it (this was confirmed on our testing, one yellowjacket stayed longer than the others and after flying near the fake nest left the area), or if your nest doesn't have the right look.

Yellowjackets are beneficial: Yellowjackets play an important role in your garden's ecosystem. They eat flies and bugs that attack your plants.

Yellowjackets are mainly attracted to meat and sweet foods in the late summer and early fall after their other food sources are scarce. For those of you with traps, use meat rather than sweets for better success.

Send this tip to anyone you know who is allergic to wasp stings.

Spot On Ideas did not test "The Waspinator" product. If you are interested in that product it can be found at several gardening stores such as Veseys.