Cool Frames

Great-looking eyeglasses don’t have to cost a fortune. Prada and Versace eyeglasses, which can be over $350 a pair, are made by Luxottica but the same company also makes glasses for Target and LensCrafters for under $100. Instead of buying from your eye doctor, see what’s available at Pearle Vision, Target, Sears, and Costco. SimplyEyeglasses.com and LensesRx.com offer prescription, name-brand lenses and glasses for lower cost and generally offer a larger selection than a storefront.

How Blue Light Affects You

The blue light emitted by fluorescent light bulbs, cell phones, laptops and tablets can affect your body, according to medical researchers. Here are some interesting ways (that you can use to your advantage): • More than an hour of time in front of your device can delay sleep. Exposure to all light at nighttime, but especially blue light, can disrupt your body’s natural cycle. During the day blue light can wake you up immediately upon exposure, too, so use it to your advantage by turning up your screen for 15 minutes to stay more alert if you’re feeling tired. • Blue light during the day can make you happier, but exposure to blue light at night is linked to symptoms of depression. Turn off all your devices at night to help you sleep better. • It may make you hungrier. Various studies suggest the level of the hormone in your body that makes you feel full is reduced after exposure to blue light. Have a romantic dinner by candlelight instead of in front of the TV.

Things to consider when buying a home

• Understand how much home you can afford. Calculate the two numbers bankers and mortgage lenders use to determine how much they will loan to you: payment-to-income ratio and debt-to-income ratio (visit Bankrate.com and click “Calculators” at the top for examples). • Understand the basics of home financing. Your ability to afford a home will be related to its price, your down payment (and the amount you’ll finance), the interest rate and points of your loan, the term and the type of your loan. Study these items and the relationship between them. Save thousands by making your own mortgage acceleration payment schedule. Take your current monthly mortgage payment of principal and interest and multiply that number by 13. Divide that total by 12 to get your new “accelerated” monthly payment

4 Dangerous Chemicals You May Have In Your Home

You’d like to think that the cleaning products you use are making your house cleaner, and therefore safer – but many common cleaning supplies can be dangerous to your health. • Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. This cleaner is one of the worst because the manufacturer advertises it as “non-toxic.” Some of its ingredients are banned in Europe! A solvent it contains can also damage your blood cells. Try: Make a solution of one part white distilled vinegar/nine parts water for a cheap and safe cleaner. • Scrubbing Bubbles (Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner and Extend-a-Clean Mega Shower Foamer). Both of these products contain another substance banned at high concentrations in Europe: the solvent DEGBE, which can irritate your lungs. Try: Baking soda works amazingly well when scrubbing the bathroom, tub, and shower. It also won’t inflame your lungs. Try mixing it with a little salt and water to make a paste. • Mop and Glo Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner. This also contains the chemical DEGBE at a concentration (15%) far beyond what’s allowed in Europe (3%). Try: Make your own floor cleaner with a mixture of 50/50 vinegar and water, or 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tsp. vegetable oil for wood floors. Also try Branch Basics at branchbasics.com or Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products at mrsmeyers.com. • Drano Professional Strength Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover. This product can cause blindness or even death if ingested. It can stay in the drain after use, and become even more hazardous when mixed with other chemicals. Try: Use a toilet plunger or drain snake when faced with clogs and skip the chemicals. You can check other products you have in your home at: ewg.org