Thrifty Tip Contest (October 31 - November 6, 2009) | ThriftyFun

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Thrifty Tip Contest
(October 31 - November 6, 2009)

This contest is over. See the winners and other entries below.

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Duration	Entries
October 31 - November 6, 2009	53

Tip: Buckle Your Purse in Your Seat Belt

November 3, 2009

To guard against purse snatching, when I buckle my seat belt I also buckle at least one handle of my purse into it. This also comes in handy when I need something out of my purse while I'm driving.

Comment Was this helpful? 25

Bed, Bath and Beyond Honors Expired Coupons and Competitor's PricingMost Bed, Bath and Beyond stores will accept expired Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons. Some will also accept up to five coupons per purchase. They will also match other stores' prices.

Dollar Store Calendar BooksI can't remember my busy schedule without a calendar book. I like the ones with only one year per book. These can be expensive, but I found them at the Dollar Store and they are perfect for my purse.

1 Comment Comment

Dust Cakes With Powdered Sugar Instead of FrostingWhen my mother used to have friends over in the evening she wanted to serve a snack (cake and coffee) but most of them were elderly and would turn down the cake because of the frosting.

4 Comments Comment

How to Make Draft StoppersGo to hardware store and buy 1/2 inch pipe insulator. It should be less than a dollar for 6 feet of foam insulator. Buy one for each door your going to do. Measure width of door and cut foam 1/2 inch less than that measurement.

Keep Spoons and Forks Handy for CookingKeep some spoons and forks in a small crock or large coffee mug on your kitchen counter. Whenever you need a spoon or fork while cooking, they are easy to get instead of opening and closing the kitchen drawer.

2 Comments Comment

Keep Vegetables in Brawny Produce BagsIf you have 99 Cents Only Stores in your area, they have Brawny produce bags, look just like the expensive ones. I am trying them now but always wrap my celery in foil, it keeps for weeks.

Make Your Own Pillowtop Mattress and Duvet CoverSeveral years ago, I decided I wanted one of those featherbeds and a feather comforter. Instead of spending all that money, I took two old comforters, washed them up and put one under the fitted sheet on my bed - instant featherbed.

1 Comment Comment

Organizing Your Jewelry BoxI save all those tiny little baggies that buttons come in on new clothes and keep my earring paired up and my jewelry separated in my jewelry box. They keep chains and hooks from getting tangled up, and help keep the box neat and well organized.

2 Comments Comment

Remove Lines from Home VCR Tapes With Commercial TapesI had a situation in which a new digital DVD/VCR recorder was acting up when I watched my recorded soap opera tapes. The picture would be full of lines on the top and bottom of the screen, would become static-y every few seconds,

1 Comment Comment

Reusing Dryer SheetsThis is another tip using fabric softener sheets. To get a better value from them, reuse them. A sheet can be used four times. Each time you use one, cut a bit off a corner. Toss the sheet after the fourth use.

4 Comments Comment

Deodorize Your OvenIf baking or roasting anything in your oven leaves an unpleasant odor, leave a shallow bowl of baking soda or white vinegar in the cold oven for a few days or more. This will absorb the odors in the oven.

Fox Urine Rodent RepellentTo get rid of mice. I purchased bobcat and fox urine at home depot. Sprinkle this stuff in corner of basements and around outside foundation. Worked for me. Keeps animals out of gardens too.

1 Comment Comment

Hunters: Remember the Food PantriesFor all you hunters out there, remember the food pantries and the homeless when your freezer gets filled up and your friends don't need any more venison or wild game. Everybody can benefit from your sport.

2 Comments Comment

Keep Your ID Separate For SafetySince I previously lost my billfold and all of my i.d. at one time, I now always keep an extra credit card and my driver's license in a side, zip pocket of my purse.

3 Comments Comment

Reusing Dry Cleaner HangersI like to reuse dry cleaners hangers by saving them up all year. Then when we go on vacation for a week at a hotel, I'll bring them with me and I'm able to hang up all our clothes to keep them wrinkle free and give us more room in the drawers.

1 Comment Comment

Spreading the Cost of ChristmasIt's a bit late for this year but, if you want to spread the cost of Christmas, buy 1 or 2 extra items every time you do a 'grocery' shop and store them for parents' or in-laws' Christmas presents.

1 Comment Comment

Use Binder Clips to Secure Garbage BagsBags in garbage cans slipping. I was getting frustrated with garbage bags slipping down on the inside of my tall kitchen garbage can every time I tried to put more garbage in.

11 Comments Comment

Use Red Clay Saucer for Baking StoneWhen I had wanted a baking stone, and it was rather expensive, so, I thought about using red clay saucers, like red clay pots can bake bread in them, and I knew that pots and saucers can be fairly large.

5 Comments Comment

Use Timer Light Switches for Easily Forgotten LightsPurchase timer light switches and install in the bathrooms, kids rooms or any room were lights may be forgotten on. The timers automatically shut the lights off after 15 to 60 minutes.

1 Comment Comment

Best Anti Aging CreamBest Anti Aging cream in the world, and completely natural. This recipe is brilliant as a moisturizer and if used after bathing, leaves the body very soft and moisturized. Basically it has all the benefits of oil but in the form of a cream so is very easily to apply.

3 Comments Comment

Check Refurbished Printer Cartridge Expiration DateI was told to look at my cartridge for a date. There is evidently a microchip in the ink cartridge that tells the printer when that date has arrived. When that date gets here, it is considered to be an expired cartridge and will no longer work.

10 Comments Comment

Children's Play DoughThis is lots of fun for kids to make and play with! My kids used to love it! Combine ingredients. Knead well. Add desired food coloring. Store in tight container.

1 Comment Comment

Chopping Hard Boiled EggsUse an egg slicer to chop eggs for egg salad, dip or salad topping. First, place the egg in the slicer and slice it one way. Next, turn the egg so the slicer can cut the egg across the slices you already made to create little squares or rectangles of egg.

1 Comment Comment

Grate and Use Parmesan RindWhen buying Parmesan cheese, do not throw away the rind. Just grate it and use in cheese sauce it tastes great. You won't know the difference as long as its cooked.

2 Comments Comment

Ice Cube to Remove Blood StainsIf you get blood on anything fabric, the easiest way to remove it is to put an ice cube on the stain as soon as possible. Don't worry about washing it in hot water, as long as it is loosened by icy water right away, it will come out.

1 Comment Comment

Make Drawer Sachets With Excess PerfumeI like to use up old perfumes and colognes by spraying them on a folded up stack of kleenex then inserting them in a shoe polish rag that fancier hotels give out in their rooms. I pin it with a safety pin and place it in drawers or closets to help underwear and lingerie smelling nice.

1 Comment Comment

Mark One Side of Electric PlugAdd a dash of White Out to a black electric plug or a black marker to a white plug, and you will always know the correct side to stick it into the wall outlet.

2 Comments Comment

Planting Spider Plant BabiesWhen you want to propagate those baby spiders, you may wonder what to use if you use the method of cutting it off and growing the roots in water. I am doing this all the time with my big spider plant.

3 Comments Comment

Putting Tights on a DollWhen trying to get tights on rubbery doll legs, first sprinkle a bit of power on legs and the tights will slide right on. There is no need to roll the tights, as women usually do when putting hose on.

Use Baking Soda for Wet ElectronicsIf you have ever dropped your cell phone in water, you know how frustrating that can be! Try this tip next time. Put the phone in a ziplock baggie with baking soda. I have never had to try it, but it sounds logical.

4 Comments Comment

Use Warm Oven to Dry Pots and PansWhen you have used your oven for cooking or baking and have pots and pans that have to be hand washed, place them upside down on the rack in the warm oven to dry. Do not forget to remove them before you preheat the oven.

3 Comments Comment

Watch PayPal For Fraudulent ChargesThis is a warning to anyone who uses PayPal in conjunction with your bank account. Watch your bank statements closely! PayPal has been making fraudulent charges for online dating and other things and charging it to their customers.

6 Comments Comment

Anything Tomato SauceMake "anything spaghetti sauce" with a blender. Throw in whatever leftovers you may have from other meals, with some tomato paste and seasonings. You get a very cheap marinara sauce, by pureeing the ingredients in a blender they can be added together to make a sauce.

Binder for Great Thrifty IdeasThis may have been suggested before, but I have not seen it. After finding so many great ideas, some I wanted to do, or try, right away, and some I wanted for future reference, I came up with this plan.

2 Comments Comment

Fall Decorated Pumpkins With Mod PodgeMy daughter and I have recently discovered Mod podge semi-gloss (thanks to Martha S.). We used it on all assorted size pumpkins, and used glitter or crepe paper. Tonight we're going to use fall leaves from our yard.

Herbal Sachets for Fresh Smelling SheetsI don't like to buy all of the expensive softeners and perfumes to make my linens smell good because they don't smell natural. It's almost always chemical.

1 Comment Comment

Keep Clothes Looking New With Lint ShaverA friend gave me a lint shaver. It is battery operated and takes all those little pills of fuzz off of clothing. I keep it in the laundry room and use it all the time.

1 Comment Comment

Line Brownie Pan With Aluminum FoilWhenever you bake brownies or other baked items, line the pan you are using with heavy duty aluminum foil. When completely cool, carefully lift out; then pull foil away from sides. This makes it easy to cut and to lift out the pieces.

Removing Wood Varnish from Carpet?I tried everything had nothing to lose but to replace carpet so I tried WD-40. I sprayed it on, let it sit for a few minutes, and pressed it out. It took a while and a few cans, but it was cheaper than replacing a whole carpet.

Sign and Date Your CraftsAlways sign and date your labors of love. I have homemade ornaments from many years ago. Some aren't signed and it's sad not to remember who took the time to create their "labor of love".

7 Comments Comment

Wireless Handy Switch RecallI just came across this link via my weekly email newsletter from Consumer Reports about a recall of Handy Switch. For safety sake thought I should share this just in case anyone here at ThriftyFun has one of these and hasn't heard this news yet:

1 Comment Comment

Add Mackerel to Salmon PattiesWhen making salmon patties, sometimes one can of salmon will not make enough for my needs. Instead of buying another can of salmon, I mix in a can of jack mackerel (right next to tuna and salmon at the grocery).

1 Comment Comment

Allow Your Dishwasher to Air DryTo save energy costs, I fire off that sucker just an hour before bed time, then when it's done washing, I crack it open and let it air dry. If you are picky, picky, this will not eliminate all of the water spots, but your dishes will be clean!

8 Comments Comment

Buy Double Pairs of the Same SocksDisappearing socks resulting in mismatched socks can be remedied by not buying socks in single pairs. Buying in double pairs means I have an extra, matching sock after one disappears.

2 Comments Comment

Buy Halloween Candy After HalloweenI asked my husband last night, what is the best time to buy Halloween candy, and he said the day after Halloween. I had to laugh because that is "All Saints Day."

Buy Pre-Drilled Glass BlocksForget the drilling, go to Michaels with a 40% coupon and get the blocks for $4. And they come with holes already. You can even use them as a bank.

1 Comment Comment

Emergency Cards to Help Locate People and PetsMost of us practice fire drills with our family members periodically to make sure everyone knows how to get out of a burning home, and where to meet. But what about your pets? They don't understand the idea that you are trying to teach.

3 Comments Comment

scraping ice on windshield

Getting Ready for WinterThis is the time to prepare for winter if you live in one of our colder states. Waiting until the last minute to prepare for the cold or an outage most often results in spending extra money or putting money out for repairs.

3 Comments Comment

Label Homemade Treats for HalloweenMost parents will not allow their kids to eat homemade treats since they are not quite sure who made them. Whenever I made my own Halloween treats, I would use my name and address labels and securely stick them to the wrapped treat so the parents would know who made them.

Make Gift Tags Out of Junk MailMake gift tags out of junk mail! What a good way to save $ and have an afternoon of fun with the kids. First save some colorful junk mail mailings and envelopes with plastic windows on the back.

4 Comments Comment

Prepare for the Next MealThis isn't a new hint or even one I thought up myself but it's helped me many times over the years and I think it could help others.

2 Comments Comment

Use Sweet N' Low for AntsWorks like a charm! Better than ant traps. If it rains though, of course you have to put down more. When I see ants, I open several packets (one would probably be fine, but I tend to be a little gung ho on things) and spread them out in the path they're making.

2 Comments Comment

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