Heavy duty polish for floors and furniture
1 tbsp carnauba wax
2 cups mineral oil

Heat in a double boiler, cool, and then apply with a soft rag.

Furniture Polish
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
4 cups warm water

Dishwashing detergent
2 cups grated hard bar soap or soap flakes
16 cups water

Rub salad oil on the grater before grating the bar soap, it is much easier to clean after. Place the soap in a pot, add water and stir. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.

Instead of bleach, try this
1 part hydrogen peroxide
8 parts water

The board’s Metro Resale Index, released Friday, said Calgary joins Victoria, Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Regina, Winnipeg, Halifax and Newfoundland in that category.

The conference board said Calgary’s resale housing average price in December for all residential properties was $394,949, down from $401,590 in November and from $403,148 in December 2009.

Seasonally-adjusted annual sales in the city in December were 21,996, which were up from November’s 20,100 but down from 24,108 in December 2009.

Throughout Canada, the board said sales were higher in November in 13 of 28 markets surveyed but remained below year-earlier levels in 26 and “often by a wide margin.”

Earlier this week, Sano Stante, the new president of the Calgary Real Estate Board, forecast single-family home sales to increase by 19.9 per cent this year from 2010 and for the average MLS sale price to jump by 4.1 per cent to $480,000. He also forecast condo sales to see a 15.8 per cent annual increase with the average price rising by 1.8 per cent to $295,000 for the year.

9 Unexpected Energy (and Money) Savers

Some great ideas and helpful hints from our friends at Houselogic.com.

Give your pocketbook and Mother Nature a gift this season by taking advantage of these simple, surprising ways to save energy and money.