TIPS TO SAVE YOUR MONEY

If you are a college student, cashlessness is a perpetual state of existence. Short on funds and craving for pleasurable pursuits, you have two options. Resign to your impoverished status, or go through the 20 pointers we have compiled for you. These will not only help you save and manage your money better, but also tell you how to make some on your own. Go on, read them-and have 20 times more fun.

• Make A Monthly Budget: This doesn't have to be a complicated number-crunching exercise. A simple Excel sheet or the planner in your mobile will suffice. The idea is to keep track of your monthly expenses and plug any unnecessary spending. Start by listing your fixed expenditure like transportation cost, food, etc, and keep aside money for these. The balance can then be used for discretionary expenses like shopping, gifting or partying.
• Avoid Debt: If you have to swipe, use a debit card. "Unlike credit cards, there is no interest or late-payment charge in the case of a debit card, so there is no danger of stacking up a debt. It will also help instill financial discipline if you spend only what you have," says Sarin.
• Prepay Mobile Expenses: Choose a prepaid plan to avoid ugly surprises at the end of each month. You can also customise to make the plan cheaper. So if your calls don't last more than a few seconds, get a pay-per-second plan, or if you are an SMS addict, add a message card to make them free.
• Use Free ATMs: After the first five transactions in a month, you are charged Rs 20 per cash withdrawal if you are operating an ATM outside your bank's network. So, regular withdrawals from ATMs outside the surcharge-free network can be expensive. Avoid them.
• Inexpensive Entertainment: The city's community centres offer several quality entertainment options which are also extremely inexpensive. You can opt for musical performances, film festivals, art exhibits, theatre productions, dance recitals, sporting events and much more. Check out the local newspapers to keep track of such events.
• Part-Time Positions: Get a part-time job to supplement your pocket money. There are various profiles, such as content writers, BPO executives, transcriptionists, to choose from. You could also opt for unusual roles like a city tour guide or recruitment agent. Then there are the home-based online jobs, but you need to be careful before applying as many are scams. Job search sites like searchmycapus.com and firstnaukri.com, which are specifically designed for college students, can be helpful. You can also seek advice from your college placement cell.

MASALADOSHA MOST DELICIOUS FOOD IN THE WORLD (RECIPE)

STEP 1

First you need to make DOSHA BATTER...

Dosa Batter recipe

Par boiled Rice -1 1/2 cup (Idly pulungal arisi)

Raw rice - 1/2 cup

Whole urad dal (without skin) -1/2 cup

Fenugreek seeds -1/2 tsp

Channa dal / bengal gram/kadalai paruppu - 2 tbsp

Tur dal - 1 1/2 tbsp

Salt needed

Method

Soak par boiled rice, raw rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, bengal gram, tur dal in enough water for 4-5 hours.

Wash and grind everything together to a smooth texture adding water, a little at a time. I used the wet grinder for grinding. Add needed salt and leave it overnight to ferment. The fermenting time differs according to the climatic conditions.

Before making dosa, add a tsp of sugar, little water and mix well to get the dosa batter consistency. The batter is ready to make masala dosa. Now we will see how to make filling for masala dosa 

STEP 2

Filling for Masala dosa

Ingredients needed

Potatoes - 500 grams

Onion -2 medium size

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Green chilli - 2-3 (finely chopped or slit)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few tender ones

Salt needed

For the seasoning

Oil -2 tbsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Urad dal -3/4 tsp

Bengal gram/channa dal - 3/4 tsp

Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch

Oil for making dosa - (sesame seed oil preferable)

Preparation

Wash and cut potatoes into half and pressure cook  for 3 whistles. After it cools, peel the skin and mash it well.( not to a fine paste) Keep it aside.

Cut onions lengthwise, slit green chilli and finely chop ginger.

Method

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add hing, urad dal and channa dal.

When dal turns golden brown, add thinly sliced onions, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a few minutes until onion turns pink. (do not brown the onions)

Add turmeric powder, mashed potatoes and salt needed.

Cook for few minutes (around 5-6 mins) until everything gets blended well. Switch off the flame.Our filling for the masala dosa is ready. Do not add water, then the dosa will become soggy. If needed you can add just a tbsp of water.

Now we will prepare the dosa. Heat a non stick or iron tawa, add a drop of oil and rub half an onion on it. Once the tawa is heated, bring the flame to medium and pour a ladle of batter in the center.

Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter in a circular motion as seen in the picture below. Drizzle a tsp of oil around the dosa and close it with a lid. (masala dosa should not be thick)

Once the edges starts browning and the dosa is cooked, reduce the heat, add 2-3 tbsp of potato masala, a little butter (optional ) and fold the dosa. Remove from tawa and serve hot. Note - Since we are closing it with a lid, there is not need to cook the other side.

Masala dosa is ready to be served. You can fold it into half or as shown below or into a triangle. Repeat the process for the rest of the batter. Serve with chutney and sambar of your choice.

Delicious Organic Breakfast Recipe

                      Organic Grilled & Stuffed Portobello Mushroom 

Super easy to make if you have a grill or even a toaster oven. Portobello mushrooms are a great source of selenium (helps the body produce antioxidants amongst other things), potassium, and other nutrients. The stuffing, which can be modified to your preference and resources, also adds healthy benefits.

ITEMS YOU NEED

1-2 Organic Portobello Mushroom Caps

1 Teaspoon of Organic Olive Oil or Raw Coconut Butter

1 Teaspoon of Minced Fresh Parsley

Organic Black Pepper (or your favorite spices)

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Lemon Juice

Crushed Garlic Clove

Finely Chopped Rosemary

Diced tomatoes

Organic Shredded Mozarella Cheese

LET'S LOOK HOW TO PREPARE

Heat up the grill (medium), toaster oven (around 375 degrees) or non-stick skillet.

Combine the tomatoes, cheese, oil, rosemary and garlic in a small bowl.

Remove the dark gills (edible) from the mushroom and the stem. Discard them.

Combine 1/2 teaspoon of oil and lemon juice. Brush the mushroom inside out with it.

Add the mushroom caps into the grill, with the stem sides down. Make sure the grill is coated with coconut butter or cooking spray. Cook each side for 5 minutes (or until soft).

Add the tomato mixture into the mushroom caps, cook until the cheese melts.

Feel free to improvise the ingredients or cooking process.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR INTERVIEW

1. before your interview, read through all the job details again because the questions at interview will relate to them
2. have a go at trying to predict some of the questions and practice your answers
3. do some research beforehand if there are gaps in your knowledge - especially so that you understand the job, the role of the section and the role of the council
4. think about any questions that you might want to ask at interview and keep a note of them in case you need to refer to them when you are in the interview
5. arrive a few minutes early so that you have time to compose yourself
6. bring a pen and paper and some notes with you if you want to - the interviewers will not mind if you want to write down part of the question or refer briefly to your notes
   
7. all applicants are nervous in interviews, and your interviewers will make allowances for that
8. some people may talk too much, and others may talk too quickly - if you identify how you react when nervous, then you will be able to address it on the day
9. at the start of the interview, one of the interviewers on the panel will explain the interview structure to you - if anything is unclear, please ask
10. the interviewers will take it in turns to ask you questions - listen carefully to them and if necessary, pause for a few seconds to make sure that you understand exactly what you are being asked before you start to answer
11. remember that it will not reflect badly on you if you ask for the question to be repeated or explained
12. if you have difficulty in answering a question, then the interviewers will try to prompt you - for example, they may ask, “would you like to say a bit more about ….”
    
13. don’t assume that the interviewers know everything about you or your work, even if you have written about it on your application form
14. give details and examples of how you meet the person specification and take every opportunity to sell yourself even if this feels rather artificial
15. don’t worry if you get stuck at any point in the interview and can’t think what to say - ask if you can leave the question for the moment, and come back to it later in the interview

STEPS TO GET SEXY FEET

1. Fill a wash basin with warm water. Add a few drops of shampoo and an antiseptic solution to it. Now soak your feet in the water for a good 10 minutes at least so as to soften the dirt that may be lodged, especially in the grooves of the nails. 

2. Use a nail brush or an old tooth brush gently to clean your toenails. Pay extra attention to the nail borders as those are the tough spots.

3. Use a foot scrubber for the heels and the soles of the feet. Don't rub vigorously as you may end up bruising yourself.

4. If your toenails have grown too long, clip them off. In the monsoons it is best to keep your toenails short to prevent dirt from accumulating on the inside.

5. Gently pat your feet dry.

6. Apply a generous portion of moisturiser to your feet and massage them. This will also work to improve the blood circulation. 

GLOW YOUR SKIN USING FACE STEAMING

BENEFITS OF STEAMING YOUR FACE

1.  It deep cleans the skin and helps in adding moisture to the skin.
2.  Clears impurities and oils from the pores.
3.  Face steaming helps you get a clear skin.
4.  Increases blood circulation giving a healthy glow.

STEPS FOR FACE STEAMING

To clear your skin from oils and dirt you need to steam your face and you won’t need to go to the beauty parlour or a spa to do so, you can steam your face at home with simple tips:

Step 1: Wash your face to remove any dirt or makeup.

Step 2: Take a small bowl of hot water and place it on a flat surface, tie your hair back and place your face over it ( not too close, few inches away from the bowl) for about 5-10 mins, take a towel and cover your head as well as the bowl to help trap the steam. The steam from the water opens the pores and cleanses it.

Step 3: Follow by a light scrub and moisturizer.

The Most Beautiful Aquarium Fish

Discus Fish ( Symphysodon aequifasciatus)

Discus fish can be met in the Amazon river. They prefer the calm waters and occupy  place in  roots of  the trees . Discus fish are from the family of cichlids. The scientific name of that fish is Symphysodon aequifasciatus.

Discus fish have a round body which is flattened like disk. Their heads is very small for that body.  They have a big eyes. In the wild nature they can be 10- 12 inches (25-30 cm)  in aquarium is impossible. The male  has bigger fins and more beautiful and bright colours than the females.

Discus needs a big aquarium more than 53 gallons  (200 litres). It must be high and with good filter and heater. The water  must be up to 12dGH, with  pH 6,2 -6,8  and temperature between  84.2-87.8 F (29-31 C). Every compromise here causes troubles. The discus is capricious fish.

The cares for  them must be  also regularly – cleaning and feeding. The food must be with high quality. The discus must feed with  larvae, tubifex and frozen foods. They are accustomed to eat combined food. Don’t give  them very often same food or they will start to hate the other. Don’t take discus for your first fish. It will be very difficult to cares for them.

Discus Breeding

The best way is if you have 6-10 discus fish. After they are sexually mature, they need around 20-22Discus Fish months, start to make a pairs. It’s difficult to make a difference between the male and the female. The most easy way is during the procreative period. The couple can be recognized with their unusually  move .

 They swim often close to each other. If you realized that a female is pregnant , warm the water to  86-90 F (30-32 C). The pair cleans a place to lay the caviar. The female throw  out a 60-420 eggs and the male fertilizes them. When the pair is young, in the most cases the process are unsuccessful. The mother cares  for the eggs: clean them, removes the unneeded eggs. The male guard the eggs. After the babies went  out (after 2-3 days). The parents will move the  the babies  to other  place in the aquarium, and after 5-6 days the babies start  to swim and stick to their parents backs, they feed from skin secretions. This secretion is also named discus milk. That process can be up to 40 days. Discus fish are such a lovely ornamental fish.

MORE IMAGES OF 'DISCUS'