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Volume Six, Number 101, May 23, 2007 (Read It Online) Yesterday we posted a link to an article about Clinton Portis saying that he didn't think Dog Fighting should even be a crime. Obviously, as a pet owners, it's distressing to see someone who children look up to saying things like that. And if he's saying that, surely a lot of other people share his sentiments. The NFL appears to have no way to contact them on their website, but individual NFL teams do have contact forms. I took a moment yesterday to contact my local team, the Seahawks, to let them know that even one player promoting this type of behavior is a black eye for the whole league, not just the team they play for. I encourage all pet owners and NFL fans to contact your local team and let them know that these type of comments are harmful for the NFL. You can locate the homepage for a specific football team by visiting nfl.com and clicking on the appropriate logo. Thanks for reading, Susan
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If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information:
Just wanted to share a picture of my little 8 year old nephew's thriving plants! He's growing strawberries, watermelon, honeydew melon, and a couple others I don't remember. A good beginner green thumb!
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Rate It: I made two of these for Valentines Day with happy Penguins marching with hearts on their flippers and the other with dogs and hearts. For St. Patrick's day I made two with frog's dressed as Leprechauns and a pots of gold. I took glitter paint and embellished the pictures. I hung them in my office during the corresponding holidays and people loved them!
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Rate It: Planting flowers in mass will make a huge "statement" even in a small area. Here is a favorite petunia window box. Add garden art for a more interesting focal point. By Great Granny Vi from Moorpark, CA
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Rate It: Nala (from the Lion King) is a four year old 4 German Shepard (pure breed). We got her two years ago from my husband's boss who was going to transfer overseas. Dress up and play tug-of-war with her rope toy. She lets us dress her up in whatever we are celebrating, holidays, etc. By Bonnie from Norman, OK
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These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!
Keep Expenses Low And Pocket The Savings When my husband and I got married almost 5 years ago, I was halfway through college and he was making $8.50 an hour as an airplane mechanic. We had no idea what little money that was (about $1000 per month after taxes) but we ended up learning to live on it successfully. After about 8 months, my husband was laid off due to downsizing in his company. However, he is very ambitious. He spent only one week officially unemployed. During that week, he was paid for his vacation time and did some work for people he knew and made what he usually made in a month. We thought we'd use that to hold us over until he found a job, but at the end of the week, he found one that paid twice as much as the one he had before! Even though our income had doubled, we decided to keep our expenses low and only increase what we put into savings and what we paid for rent. We were sick of that tiny apartment! We looked patiently and finally found a nice one for $350/month. We lived there until I graduated from college and got a teaching job. At that point, our income doubled again now that I was bringing home a paycheck. We decided again to use the same budget for living expenses as we did when we made $1000 per month and look for a house to purchase. We found a really nice affordable home near both our work places. Again, it took patience and careful searching. We have lived in our house for two years now and, over 5 years of marriage, have managed to put nearly $30,000 into mutual funds and an emergency savings account. Our only debt is the mortgage and my student loans, but the student loans will be forgiven eventually because I teach math and there is a shortage of math teachers. Our trick is that our expenses have stayed low even though our salaries have quadrupled since we were first married. We own our own home, have cable internet, and have basic cable television. These are the only big lifestyle changes we have made as our income has increased. I buy groceries on sale whenever I can, I check the clearance rack first when I need clothing or something for the house, and I check freecycle daily. And I use lots of tips from thriftyfun.com. We shop around once a year for things like phone service and car insurance to keep those costs as low as possible. We've never owned, or plan to own, a new car. My husband tries to make as many connections as he can with people who own airplanes so he can get moonlighting work, and he works 2 hours of overtime each day that he doesn't have something on the side to do. We have been careful about birth control because we haven't felt emotionally or financially ready for children, but I think we are just about there. Another important investment we've made is our educations. If I had quit college to go to work or have children, I would not have had as much earning potential as I do now. Now that we are financially stable, we are both planning to continue our educations to get master's degrees. We know that investing in ourselves will help us earn more in the future. I think for young people out there, it is important to know to start saving early, before you have a lot of financial responsibilities (like a mortgage and children), stay out of debt, and get a good education to open as many opportunities for employability as possible. Allison from Northeast TN Do you have a frugal story to share with the ThriftyFun community? Submit your essay here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_myfrugallife.ldml Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf87554363.tip.html
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Rate It: Ignore Calcium Hardness In Vinyl Pools Dealing with calcium hardness (total hardness) in a vinyl pool? Well stop right now! Calcium hardness is one balance step you don't have to deal with in a vinyl pool. It is only needed to stop the water from leeching calcium directly from your gunite/concrete/tile and weakening it. If you don't have these products in contact with your pool water then you never need to deal with your calcium hardness. This makes keeping your pH and total alkalinity adjusted easier too. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37746732.tip.html
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Rate It: Mix in Baby Food to Get Extra Veggies Being a single working mother, I am always on the run. It's hard to come home after working all day and make the most nutritional meal. A lot of times we end up having quick fixes and I forget to add a fresh vegetable. Part of the solution is that I always keep handy jars of vegetable baby food. That way, if we are having something like spaghetti, I can mix a jar in the sauce and no one knows the difference. I also mix some in ketchup. No one can ever tell. It's cheap and we get our daily serving of vegetables. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95917187.tip.html
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Rate It: For my son's First Communion party, we decorated the tables with small square glass vases. My son picked out the fresh cut flowers out and I cut them to the right size. I put decorative marbles in the bottom and used food coloring (blue for boys) to enhance the elegance of the centerpieces. Then I added decorative butterflies to the centerpiece. Butterflies mean "new life". I got endless compliments on the centerpieces. You can even use this in a everyday look at home. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf87585803.tip.html
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Rate It: Spring Cleaning Tip For Cushions Instead of banging cushions together outside, just toss in dryer one at a time on low setting for about 5 minutes. All the dust from cushions and pillows will go into the lint filter and will save your arms from doing all that work. I also do this to stuffed animals, just be sure it is on air fluff and not long, otherwise some fur on stuffed animals will singe. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35250607.tip.html
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Rate It: Entertainment Books: Discounted Halfway Through The Year Purchase the Entertainment book for your area if you frequently go out or do things with kids. There are tons of museum, cinema, zoo discount coupons. If you have a family, you will get you money back threefold. Also, since it is half way through the year, they are usually discounted. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12151522.tip.html
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Rate It: Tape some dark construction paper on tiled, waterproof, bathroom wall. Fill water guns and try to hit the center of the construction paper! This is indoor fun for kids and adults! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf29221680.tip.html
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Rate It: To stretch those unwanted facial wrinkles---Just spread egg whites on your face and forehead. Let it dry and in 5 mins. Scrape the inner covering of the eggshell and spread it on your most wrinkled area. Leave for 3 mins. Wash with lukewarm water and soap. And finally with cold water. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf795476.tip.html
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Anyone out there remember about that exercise machine that you stood on that had a belt you wrapped around your hips and when you powered on the machine it shook and your body shook too? Think Jack LaLane. What was the name of that exercise machine? As soon as I find out I will go to ebay or craig's list to see if I can buy one. Thank you for any help you can pass along. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30172126.tip.html
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Rate It: Where can I buy sweet gum balls? I am trying to find a place to buy sweet gum balls as I have read where you can smash them and put around hostas to keep grubs from climbing onto your plants. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf43799364.tip.html
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Rate It: Relighting a Water Heater Pilot Light How do relight the water heater? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49380254.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone know of some homemade cures for poison ivy? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf62836726.tip.html
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Rate It: I have got brown wood stain on my brand new jeans. Any idea how to get it out? It has been through the wash two times and won't come out! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30716839.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone know if foundations and powders from the following lines are still available: Angel Face. Moisturewear. Replenishing. Hazel Bishop. Woodbury Powdercreme (or Cremepowder). Max Factor's Creme Puff. Thanks for any replies! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99189443.tip.html
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Rate It: Clothing Patterns for a Nursing Mother I am about to be a first time grandma and my daughter will be breastfeeding. I want to make her something pretty and nursing friendly to wear for after she gets home from the hospital. Does any one know of an inexpensive pattern I could use or where I would find one? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60247418.tip.html
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Rate It: The Leaves of My Plant Turning are Yellow Why are the leaves of my plant turning yellow? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70310140.tip.html
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Rate It: How do I repair a crack in a resin patio chair? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf18931655.tip.html
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Rate It: I bought this hanging house plant from my local Agway but they had no idea what the name of the plant was. They did show me small buds they said open to white flowers. I hope someone could identify it for me and provide care instructions as well (I.E.: amount of sunlight needed, water, and feeding).
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Rate It: What Gifts Should Graduates Get for Other Graduates? What do kids graduating get for their friends also graduating? Money is tight because my daughter is trying to save for college? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52257252.tip.html
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Rate It: A black snake a couple of feet long took off across our yard and jumped about a foot off the ground to go through a small hole in the fence. What kind of snake is this? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28213249.tip.html
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Rate It: When can I give a kitten flea treatment? How old does a kitten have to be before getting flea treatment? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52047852.tip.html
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Rate It: Southwest Seasoning Mix Recipe I have some Pampered Chef recipes I'd like to try but don't have any of their seasonings. One such recipe that I'd like to try calls for Southwest Seasoning Mix. Does anyone have a seasoning recipe that is comparable to theirs? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45030184.tip.html
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Rate It: How can I get a heat mark off veneered wood? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71875083.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone know if the mushrooms that grown in your back yard are bad for dogs to eat? Our yard started to grow tan mushrooms, and I think my dog is eating them. Any ideas on how to get rid of them. The dog does not appear to be sick. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10122012.tip.html
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If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information:
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