Learn the Lingo of Expiration Dates

The actual term "Expiration Date" refers to the last date a food should be eaten or used. Last means last -- proceed at your own risk.

More commonly spotted terms are:

• "Sell by" date. The labeling "sell by" tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires. This is basically a guide for the retailer, so the store knows when to pull the item. This is not mandatory, so reach in back and get the freshest. The issue is quality of the item (freshness, taste, and consistency) rather than whether it is on the verge of spoiling. Paul VanLandingham, EdD, a senior faculty member at the Center for Food and Beverage Management of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., tells WebMD the "sell by" date is the last day the item is at its highest level of quality, but it will still be edible for some time after.
• "Best if used by (or before)" date. This refers strictly to quality, not safety. This date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date. Sour cream, for instance, is already sour, but can have a zippier, fresh taste when freshly sour (if that's not an oxymoron!)
• "Born on" date. This is the date of manufacture and has been resurrected recently to date beer. Beer can go sub-par after three months. "It is affected by sun," VanLandingham says. The light can reactivate microorganisms in the beer. That's why you have to be especially careful with beer in clear bottles, as opposed to brown or green.
• "Guaranteed fresh" date. This usually refers to bakery items. They will still be edible after the date, but will not be at peak freshness.
• "Use by" date. This is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
• "Pack" date. You will find this one on canned or packaged goods, as a rule, but it's tricky. In fact, it may be in code. It can be month-day-year-MMDDYY. Or the manufacturer could revert to the Julian calendar. January would then be 001-0031 and December 334-365. It gets even weirder than that.

See also When Do Food and Stuff Expire.

When Do Food and Stuff Expire?

With help from experts and product manufacturers, Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/) has compiled a guide to expiration dates. These dates are offered as a rough guideline. The shelf lives of most products depend upon how you treat them. Edibles, unless otherwise indicated, should be stored in a cool, dry place. (With any food, of course, use common sense.) Household cleaners also do best in a dry place with a stable temperature. After the dates shown, beauty and cleaning products are probably still safe but may be less effective.

Edibles

Beverages 

Beer
Unopened: Starts to lose flavor after 110 days.
It’s best to store bottles in boxes, and then in dark place.
Stronger alcohol and higher levels of hops might extend the shelf life of a beer.
One example is Michelob Craft Specialty beers, which are often at their peak with 180 days.
(Source: Budweiser support)

Coffee, canned ground
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 1 month refrigerated

Coffee, gourmet
Beans: 3 weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Ground: 1 week in sealed container

Coffee, instant
Unopened: Up to 2 years
Opened: Up to 1 month

Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles)
Unopened: 3 months from "best by" date.
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected.

Juice, bottled (apple or cranberry)
Unopened: 8 months from production date
Opened: 7 to 10 days

Soda, regular
Unopened: In cans or glass bottles, 9 months from "best by" date
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected

Tea bags (Lipton)
Use within 2 years of opening the package

Wine (red, white)
Unopened: 3 years from vintage date; 20 to 100 years for fine wines
Opened: 1 week refrigerated and corked

Carbs and staples

Dried pasta
12 months

Rice, white
2 years from date on box or date of purchase

Meals

Frozen dinners
Unopened: 12 to 18 months

Frozen vegetables
Unopened: 18 to 24 months
Opened: 1 month

Olive oil
2 years from manufacture date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Salad dressing, bottled
Unopened: 12 months after "best by" date
Opened: 9 months refrigerated

Tuna, canned
Unopened: 1 year from purchase date
Opened: 3 to 4 days, not stored in can

Condiments and spreads

Ketchup
Unopened: 1 year (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Opened or used: 4 to 6 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Mayonnaise
Unopened: Indefinitely
Opened: 2 to 3 months from “purchase by” date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Mustard
2 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Peanut butter, natural
9 months

Peanut butter, processed (Jif)
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 6 months; refrigerate after 3 months

Steak sauce
33 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Tabasco
5 years, stored in a cool, dry place

Worcestershire sauce
Unopened: 5 to 10 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Opened: 2 years

Soy sauce, bottled
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 3 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Vinegar
42 months

Preserves and jars

Maraschino cherries
Unopened: 3 to 4 years
Opened: 2 weeks at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated

Olives, jarred (green with pimento)
Unopened: 3 years
Opened: 3 months

Pickles
Unopened: 18 months
Opened: No conclusive data. Discard if slippery or excessively soft.

Snacks

Peanuts
Unopened: 1 to 2 years unless frozen or refrigerated
Opened: 1 to 2 weeks in airtight container

Protein bars (Power Bars)
Unopened: 10 to 12 months. Check "best by" date on the package.

Sweets

Brown sugar
Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moisture proof container in a cool, dry place.

Chocolate (Hershey bar)
1 year from production date

Honey
Indefinite shelf life. In fact, the honey they found in the Egyptian pyramids was still good. I don't know who lost the bet to try out honey that's been with a mummy four thousands of years.

Maple syrup, real or imitation
1 year

Marshmallows
Unopened: 40 weeks
Opened: 3 months

Household Products

Air freshener, aerosol
2 years

Antifreeze, premixed
1 to 5 years

Antifreeze, concentrate
Indefinite

Batteries, alkaline
7 years

Batteries, lithium
10 years

Bleach
3 to 6 months

Dish detergent, liquid or powdered
1 year

Fire extinguisher, rechargeable
Service or replace every 6 years

Fire extinguisher, non-rechargeable
12 years

Laundry detergent, liquid or powdered
Unopened: 9 months to 1 year
Opened: 6 months

Metal polish (silver, copper, brass)
At least 3 years

Miracle Gro, liquid
Opened: 3 to 8 years

Miracle Gro, liquid, water-soluble
Indefinite

Motor oil
Unopened: 2 to 5 years
Opened: 3 months

Mr. Clean
2 years

Paint
Unopened: Up to 10 years
Opened: 2 to 5 years

Spray paint
2 to 3 years

Windex
2 years

Wood polish (Pledge)
2 years

Beauty Products

All dates are from the manufacture date, which is either displayed on the packaging or can be obtained by calling the manufacturer's customer-service number.

Bar soap
18 months to 3 years

Bath gel, body wash
3 years

Bath oil
1 year

Body bleaches and depilatories
Unopened: 2 years
Used: 6 months

Body lotion
3 years

Conditioner
2 to 3 years

Deodorant
Unopened: 2 years
Used: 1 to 2 years
For antiperspirants, see expiration date

Eye cream
Unopened: 3 years
Used: 1 year

Face lotion
With SPF, see expiration date. All others, at least 3 years

Foundation, oil-based
2 years

Foundation, water-based
3 years

Hair gel
2 to 3 years

Hair spray
2 to 3 years

Lip balm
Unopened: 5 years
Used: 1 to 5 years

Lipstick
2 years

Mascara
Unopened: 2 years
Used: 3 to 4 months

Mouthwash
Three years from manufacture date

Nail polish
1 year

Nail-polish remover
Lasts indefinitely

Perfume
1 to 2 years

Rubbing alcohol
At least 3 years

Shampoo
2 to 3 years

Shaving cream
2 years or more

Tooth-whitening strips
13 months

Wash'n Dri moist wipes
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: Good until dried out

Beauty Supplies Expiration Dates

Anti-aging and acne treatment
Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.

Bar soap
Up to three years.

Bath oil
One year.

Blush/Bronzer
18 months after first use

Body lotion
Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.

Concealer
12 months after first use

Creme eye shadow
6 months after first use

Creme blush
12 months after first use

Deodorant
Up to two years.

Eye and lip pencils
Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.

Facial Moisturizer
12 months after first use

Foundation
About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.

Hairstyling products
Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.

Lipstick and lip gloss
18 months after first use

Liquid eyeliner
3 months after first use

Liquid Foundation
6 months after first use

Mascara and liquid eyeliner
Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.

Nail polish
18 months after first use

Perfume
About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.

Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel
About three years.

Shaving cream
About two years.

Skin care products
6 months after first use

Sunscreen
6 months after first use.

See Also: Learn the Lingo of Expiration Dates

Bagging a bargain according to the calendar

Excerpt, Vanguard  

Some goods are less expensive at certain times of the year. You can find opportunities through an online search engine, using a phrase such as "best time to buy" either by itself, or in combination with the type of product you need.

Appliances
Just like automobiles and many other goods, appliances go through annual makeovers. And the new versions emerge in September and October.

That makes those months a great time to buy appliances because prices on the old models get slashed to get them out of the store, according to Bankrate.com.

Automobiles
Getting a car at a great price often depends a lot on how good a bargainer you are. However, according to Edmunds.com, an authoritative automotive website, you can get closer to your ideal price if you shop for those wheels:

•  At the end of the month, when dealerships are eager to earn manufacturer bonuses for meeting sales quotas.
• At the end of a model year, when last year's car looks so out of date.
• At the end of a car's design cycle, just before the car been redesigned bumper to bumper. 

Carpeting 
Who thinks of buying carpeting in January? Very few of us, says Kiplinger magazine, which is why the people selling wall-to-wall carpets tend to offer very good deals that month to get us to consider new rugs.

But, it is best to find that plush carpet by mid-February, the magazine says. After that, tax refunds start arriving in and prices on carpets tend to start going back up, the magazine adds.

Computers 
It is possible to find good deals on computers during the holiday season and the weeks just before school starts—times when electronics stores like to put computers on sale.

However, February and March also bring good money-saving opportunities on computers and other electronic products. Why? Because early in January and February manufacturers of electronic products gather at the International Consumer Electronics Show and Macworld to announce their coolest, newest products, automatically rendering the ones announced the previous year obsolete.

"Deals often come up when a technology is outdated and retailers want to get rid of older models," the website GetRichSlowly.org says.

Cooking stuff
Absolutely need new pots and pans? Look for bargains in May, April, October and November, according to an article on Bankrate.com.

Stores put cookware on sale in April and May because shoppers look for wedding and graduation gifts. Cookware goes on sale again in October and November to appeal to holiday gift-givers, says the website.

Digital cameras
February and March are also particularly good months to snag a deal on a digital camera because new models are introduced in January at International CES and the Photo Marketing Association show, according to the magazine PCWorld.

"As new cameras arrive, sellers deeply discount the older models … a boon for bargain hunters who don't need the latest and greatest technology," the magazine points out.

Furniture 
New furniture models come to the stores in February, according to Bankrate.com. And that turns February into a good month to save on furniture.

However, if you are looking to replace that age-old bedraggled couch and miss the February window, you may get another chance in July, a month when the new stuff for fall starts arriving, according to Bankrate.com.

Health club memberships
July, August, and September "are traditionally fire-sale season for fitness centers," because many fitness buffs quit their gyms and take to exercising outdoors, according to Forbes magazine.

Outdoor toys
All that fun stuff for summer—everything from bathing suits to swing sets—sees prices drop in August, when stores are looking to increase their stocks of fall merchandise, according to Kiplinger. During those dog days of summer you can look for discounts that range from 30% to 75%, the magazine says.

Plane tickets
Airline ticket prices veer crazily, driven by competition among airlines, the season, and even fuel prices.
Still, experts point to one time when you can look for good deals: Wednesday, which is the midpoint of a complicated weekly cycle that sees prices start to rise late in the week and then start to fall early the following week.

"What’s the best time to buy your ticket on Wednesday? One hour after Tuesday midnight (1 a.m. Wednesday morning)," Peter Greenberg, travel editor for CBS News and travel editor at large for AARP, writes on his website.

"Why? At about midnight, the airlines usually reload their computers with the latest low-cost fares that were announced the previous day but will be canceled if they are not purchased within 24 hours," Greenberg advises.

Vacuum cleaners
Yes, there's even a good time to wind up with a deal on a vacuum cleaner: April and May, just before new models are announced in June, says FreeShipping.org, a website for bargain hunters.
We can’t always plan when we have to make purchases. But if you think there’s a new purchase in your future consider the above guidelines. You may just find yourself spending less than you anticipated.

Building a bedbug detector for under $20

If you think you might have bedbug infestation (you have insect bites that are arrayed in a row or cluster), you can create a MacGyver trap that is just as good as the ones used by professionals. You cannot exterminate the bugs with this method, but you could detect them and contact exterminators.

The folks are Rutgers University experimented with various homemade contraptions until they built a trap superior to the ones used by exterminators for detecting an infestation. (They presented at the 2009 meeting of the Entomological Society of America)

Here are the stuff you'll need:

• Plastic food and water dish for cats (or a similar plastic bowl with smooth lining)
• Insulated 1/3 galloon jug sold in camping-supply or sports stores (Yay! to another excuse to visit REI!)
• 2.5 lbs of dry ice (~$1/lb). The dry ice is the bait. The CO2, which is mistaken as human breath, lures the bloodsuckers. 
• Gloves (because you should never handle dry ice with your bare hands!)
• Sandpaper
• Talcum powder
• Tape

Build the contraption with the following steps:

1. Put on gloves and place 2.5 lbs of dry ice pellets inside the insulated jug. 
2. Leave the spout open to let the CO2 evaporate. It should seep out completely in 11 hours at room temperature and no faster.
   If the CO2 is seeping out too rapidly, partially cover the spout. 
3. Overturn the food dish, scuff the outer rim with sandpaper to give the bloodsuckers better traction. 
4. Create a paper ramp on the food dish by taping the sandpaper (or other pieces of paper) to the dish. 
5. Make the inside of the food dish even more slippery by dusting it with talcum powder.
   Once the bedbugs get into the moat, they can't scuttle out of the steep, slippery rim. Bwahaha! 
6. Place the bait, which is the thermos/insualted jug with dry ice, in the middle of the overturned food dish. 

H20 is the awesomest owie ointment

The best treatment for a booboo is running water. You can also wash the surrounding skin with soap, but not the wound itself (soap can damage injured tissues, and so can soup, actually).

What about the antiseptic juju in scientific looking brown bottles? Besides costing you money, they inflict more damage. Double booboo! Hiss!

• Benzalkonium chloride? Not as bad as other antiseptics, but soap neutralizes it. And if the best thing you can say about a thing is "not as damaging as others...," you might as well use water.
  
• Betadine? Better than iodine, but also slows down healing.
  
• Chlorhexidine? Not as bad as other antispetics, but high concentrations can increase inflammation.
  
• Hexachlorophene? Squashes enemy comabatants and civilians alike. Kills microbes and damages the skin.
  
• Hexylresorcinol? Kills them bugs awright, but friendly fire also damages the skin
• Hydrogen peroxide? Sorry, this one is bad for you, too. Damages the skin and slows healing. On the plus side, you get to use up the manly man Hello Kitty band-aid that you bought because they were on clearance.
  
• Iodine? Like your neighbor's chihuahua, it's irritating and also slows down healing.
  
• Mercurochrome? Tsk, tsk. Bad. See the "mercu-" in the name? That's why. Banned for a decade, so I'm not exactly sure why you would still have this. Dispose of it. But not down the toilet! Properly, please. Go to your nearest hazardous waste disposal center.
  
• Merthiolate? Another genius product with mercury.
• Mommy's kiss? Probably does nothing to your hurt spot, but devastating for your reputation as tough guy. 
• Povidone iodine? See betadine. Or let me just save you the effort. Also not good.
• Rubbing alcohol? Great for testing macho-hood and pain tolerance, but not so good for your hurties. It is indiscriminate about its killing. Microbes, skin cells, whatever. "Die! All Die!" sez the rubbing alcohol. It also dries out your skin and applies for subprime loans. However, cleaning needles and intact skin with it is OK.
• Spit? Uh, no. Good for other stuff, tho. Deserves its own blog article!
  

How about those antibiotic ointments? Bacitracin and neomycin could help with minor wounds, but some people are allergic to them.