Here's some really useful 'life hacks' that could help to save money and hassle while away from home. The tips have been put together by American Express and Lifehacker UK to celebrate the latest range of Amex offers.
Long Flight? Need to quickly freshen up after a long flight? Ask your flight attendant for some sugar and a slice of lemon to make a quick and easy face scrub
Freshen up on a flight by making a quick face scrub with some sugar and lemon juice. Squeeze the juice of a couple of lemon slices out into a small cup, mix with the sugar, and apply in gentle, circular movements to your face – the sugar opens up your pores and the citric acid from the lemon juice is a great natural exfoliator for skin. Remember to wash your face as normal at the end!
Need a louder alarm clock? Put your smartphone in an empty glass to amplify your alarm clock
Wish your smartphone's alarm clock was even louder? Just put it in an empty glass next to your bed to amplify the sound in the morning.
Deodorise trainers or canvas pumps when travelling by placing a fresh tea bag in them overnight. In the morning, they’ll smell gorgeously fresh
A clothes-peg is an ideal DIY toothbrush holder: use it as a lever to hold up your toothbrush to save resting it on the sink
Also, why not make your bathroom pop with colour by using brightly coloured clothes-pegs to prop up your toothbrush.
Slim down a make-up bag - Did you know mascara can double as a cream eyeliner?
Save space in your toiletry bag by using your mascara as an eyeliner. Just sweep your liner brush against the bristles of the mascara wand and line as you would with any gel liner.
Enjoy ice cold water all day long -
Enjoy ice cold water all day long by filling a water bottle half way and freezing it. Then, just top up with water throughout the day - it'll be cool and refreshing almost instantly and is an especially handy trick if you're on a day trip.
Even if you’re not travelling, you can still get the most of your summer with these lifehacks, whether you’re having a BBQ at home or freshening up your wardrobe:
Bought a shiny new barbecue? Keep it looking as good as new by barbecuing fish on a bed of lemon slices – it stops the fish from sticking and adds a deliciously zesty flavour
Ensure that the lemon slice is flesh side down and up!
Add extra storage to your fridge with magazine holders - Adding some extra shelving to your fridge is as simple as turning a couple of magazine holders sideways – it'll help keep everything neat and tidy.
Are you always searching through your bag for a hair band, car keys or house keys? Keeping them organised is as simple as clipping everything to a carabiner. Bonus: You can also use the carabiner to carry other accessories, like a bracelet, if you want to change your look from day to night
Want to drink your morning cup of hot coffee or tea straight away? Prepare some coffee and tea ice cubes in advance and pop a couple of cubes in your mug to cool it down without diluting the taste
Save time in the morning by freezing shots of black coffee and black tea in advance. Just pop one in your mug and top up with boiling water for the perfect cup every time.
Place a couple of ice cubes in the dryer to steam wrinkles out of dress shirts - Put a couple of ice cubes in the dryer with a dress shirt and pair smart trousers to steam out wrinkles and save the hassle of ironing – higher temperatures work best.
Two medium sized ice cubes do the trick. It's best with only a couple of items – so two shirts and a pair of trousers at most.
Plump up flattened cushions by leaving them in the sun - Cushions don't look the same as when you first bought them? Leave them in the sun for an hour or two, turning halfway, to make them look as good as new.
For more information on how Amex Offers can help you get more out of the summer, visit: amexoffers.co.uk.