Daily Thrifty Tips - July 18, 2008

Vol. 7, Num. 139, July 18, 2008 (Read It Online) Do you have a garage sale find that you are particularly proud of? Feel free to share it here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96007051.tip.html If you are looking for tips about buying and selling at garage sales be sure to check out the topic site here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/Garage%20Sales_488.html Thanks for reading, Susan Send to a Friend! Share a Tip (You could win $25!) Share a Photo (You could win $25!) Have a Question? Submit a request... Link to ThriftyFun.com View Active Topics! Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Today's Photos: Snowflake (Kitten) Hristina's Wedding Photos Craft Project: Paper Mache Lanterns Upside-Down Tomato Buckets Garden: Endless Summer Hydrangea Today's Tips: Use Newspaper To Dry Your Windows Best Slug Repellent Ever Use Baby Wipes for Walls and Floors Locating A Toilet Leak Woolite Oxy Deep for Clothing Stains Puree and Freeze Bonus Summer Veggies Planters, Vases And Funnels From Plastic Bottles Use Bacon Drippings For Starting Campfires Recycled Hanging Planter Plant Your Sprouting Potatoes Joke of the Day New Requests: Saving Money on an Apartment Getting Plastic Buckets Apart Removing Mold Odor From Quilt Blocks Dog Is Nauseous After Having Parvo Using iRobot Roomba on a Brick Floor Removing Chair Backs for Reupholstering Planning A Low Waste Wedding Sewing Machine Needle Not Catching Bobbin Thread Cleaning A Tanzanite Ring Removing Plastic from a Smooth Top Stove Making John Deere Decoration from a Dustpan Homemade Dog Bed Removing Sulfur from a Well Water System Tips For Making Soap More Reading: Save Money on Packing Materials Is It Really Priceless? Cleaning Rain Gutters and Downspouts Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! 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: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Today's Photos: Snowflake (Kitten) Snowflake is our young kitten. Snowflake paused just long enough for the shutter to click, then darted off in pursuit of more springtime fun By Doggy from TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85587719.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Hristina's Wedding Photos By way of a joke has begun our American adventure! A tender ocean touch... By Hristina from Naples, Fl Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47016924.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft Project: Paper Mache Lanterns By Stella Rivet These are easy and beautiful paper mache balloon lanterns. They work great as party decorations, house decorations and out door lanterns for the summer time. Material Tissue paper in desired colors balloon Glue Leaves (optional) Encouraging words, printed out on paper and cut(optional) Wire for hanging Instructions Tear the tissue paper into strips (about 1 inch wide). Blow up your balloon to around the size you would like your lantern to be. Mix glue and water, 2 parts glue to one part water, it should be a milky consistency. Slide a piece of tissue paper in and out of the glue mixture. Tissue paper is delicate and will rip easily when it gets wet, try to keep it straight, not twisted, and place in on the balloon. Continue this with each piece of tissue paper until the balloon is well covered. Let dry, you may want to put one more layer of tissue paper on it once the first has dried. Pop the balloon and cut the jagged edge off, cut this down far enough so the heat of the candle will have a place to escape out the top. Punch two holes in either side of the balloon. Make a hanger with copper wire or an old wire hanger. I twisted the wire to make a spiral which keeps the wire from falling off the lantern. Place a tea light in a glass candle holder then place that in the lantern. Or to be safe you could place a battery operated fake candle inside. WARNING: Do not leave this candle unattended. This lantern is made off paper and is highly flammable. When you place the candle inside, feel around the lantern and make sure you can not feel heat on it, just coming out the top. Battery operated tea lights would work as well and be safer. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70920310.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Upside-Down Tomato Buckets My husband built this frame work to hold three tomato plants. The grass in the top of the buckets helps hold the moisture in. He cuts it with a scissors. The chains on each side allows him to raise the buckets as needed. By DeeJay from Delphos Ohio Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41979009.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Garden: Endless Summer Hydrangea Don't it make my brown eyes blue! I love this plant It blooms on old or new wood which is important for us in zone 5 or less. This is called an Endless Summer Hydrangea. By Elaine from Iowa Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12172391.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contests: Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! Today's Tips: Use Newspaper To Dry Your Windows For window cleaning, use your regular window cleaner. To dry the windows, try wadded up newspaper. It is absorbent and leaves no streaks. But wear rubber gloves because the ink will blacken your hands. Source: I discovered this myself after running out of paper towels. By Robin from Gothenburg, Sweden Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf29529169.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Best Slug Repellent Ever Get an easy to clean manual grinder (one used for grinding onions, etc.) (Look for at yard sales, second hand stores). Collect slugs (4-5 will do) Put in grinder top with water. Grind up. Put into bowl covered with cheesecloth. Put juice in a 2 Litre pop bottle, top with water. Use dollar store sprayer to spray the ground or poke holes in the cap and sprinkle the complete perimeter of your garden.(Wear rubber gloves to do this, you will not want this smelly solution on your hands) Repeat process after rain. Slugs (and lots of other annoying insects and animals such as flies, mosquitoes, cats and dogs hate the smell and will go elsewhere. It's INEXPENSIVE, VERY EFFECTIVE (most importantly), and less time-consuming than going to the store for slug bait or emptying the slug traps. I am a bit ashamed to admit I did enjoy grinding the slugs after what they did to my plants, you may experience this feeling too!!! Source: I must have read this somewhere but it was so long ago that I do not know where it was. Probably a Readers Digest Problem Solver Book. By Christine from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97815882.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use Baby Wipes for Walls and Floors Use baby wipes to get crayon off of walls, and scuff marks off of floors. I discovered this when I was at my wits end, and found that it works incredibly well on tons of stains and such. It even helps to keep grass stains from setting if you get to them early. So if you still have kids in diapers, you don't have to use your wipes just for changing. And if you don't have kids in diapers, wipes are far cheaper than most name brand cleanser towelettes, and are so versatile. By Freemommy from Shakopee, MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65342320.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Locating A Toilet Leak If your water bill has suddenly become increasingly high, you can rest assured that you have a leak somewhere. Once you recognize there is a problem, you will need to set out to determine where the leak is coming from so that you may repair it adequately. However, you may be surprised to discover that many toilets are the cause of high water bills, so you may want to begin by checking your toilet for leaks. If you notice condensation on your toilet bowl or tank, or hear your toilet automatically flush, then you most likely have a leak in your toilet. If you would like to locate the leak yourself, you will need to purchase a mechanic's stethoscope. This will help you find the source of the leak. To begin, you will need to turn off every appliance in your home that uses water. Once all of the appliances are off, check your water meter and make a note of the reading. In about half an hour, double check the meter, if it has moved, then you know there is a definite leak. Now you will need to use the mechanic's stethoscope to help locate the leak. If you can tell that there is a definite leak, then you should contact a plumber. Andy from Dreshar, PA www.elocalplumbers.com Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20369294.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Woolite Oxy Deep for Clothing Stains I use Woolite Oxy Deep for all types of stains on my clothes. It works great on grease and grass stains. It is specifically sold for carpet cleaner. Source: I tried Woolite Oxy Deep on my clothes after I saw how great it worked on my carpets. By Anne A. from Corvallis, Oregon Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50639848.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Puree and Freeze Bonus Summer Veggies Too many summer veggies? Puree them for use in colder months. I have been using my food processor and will puree or liquefy any veggies I do not use and freeze. No cooking. Just put in a freezer bag. I add these to pastas, casseroles and soups...or any dish I want to add a little flavor to. They can also be used as a vegetable drink. By Wanda from Climax, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73272805.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Planters, Vases And Funnels From Plastic Bottles I can't believe how many uses there are for used plastic bottles. We live in an area with impure water so we have to buy bottled water, sometimes we buy it in small bottles and sometimes in the large 2 liter pop-bottle size. When I'm done with the larger bottles I take a pair of old scissors and cut the top 1/3 off. What I'm left with is a bottom part that I use as a vase or a planter to start cuttings or seeds, and the top half is just the right size and shape to use as a funnel to add oil or tranny fluid to your car. You know, it seems we never have a funnel when we need one. But, now that I've figured this out I'll always have a large or a small funnel by just cutting the top off of a large or small water bottle! These 2 liter sized plastic pop bottles also make great little greenhouses for starting seeds and cuttings, just cut the bottom inch off (with scissors or a serrated knife) and after taking the lid off, just set the rest of the bottle over your cutting for a more humid environment for it to root in. Be sure to keep this in the shade or it might get to hot for your cutting. Another great idea for plastic pop bottles is to use them to keep nasty critters off of newly planted trees. What you do is cut the top and the bottom off of a small water bottle or a 2 liter sized pop bottle, then cut a vertical slice through it. I use this plastic strip to wrap around the base of the tree and I tie the plastic on with a piece of nylon twine or you can nail it on with tacks. You may need to stack one piece on top of the other for added height, but there's no shortage of plastic bottles! I especially like the way these bottles come in clear or green so they tend to blend in with the environment. Of course you'll first need to remove any labels before you make any of the above projects and if you can't find a use for your plastic bottles, please just rinse them out, remove the label and recycle them! But if you can't find an additional use for the plastic, please buy your water in renewable and refillable containers or buy a filter for your tap Me? It seems I always seem to find a place to use them, especially when propagating. By Cyinda from near Seattle Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf43522345.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use Bacon Drippings For Starting Campfires Better Than Lighter Fluid: to start a campfire or charcoal grill, use old bacon drippings. You can use a paintbrush and spread the bacon grease on the charcoal or wood and also on a piece of paper or paper towel. Light the towel and the grease will get your fire going and give off the fragrance of fresh cooked bacon. By Jerry from Centralia, MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf51576109.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Recycled Hanging Planter One day I was looking at a large empty can of tomatoes that I was ready to throw in the recycling bin then for one reason or another I decided to paint it. This led to me making a hanging planter for a friend who I was giving a plant to from cuttings. Here's how to do it! You'll need: 1 large empty can (from tomatoes, beans....) (washed) Nail and Hammer Acrylic paint and brush (from dollar store) Stickers Any kind of strong thick cord Clean out the can and remove the label. Sometimes there can be some of that glue left that is tough to get out, I use something called "Goo be gone" but someone told me rubbing alcohol has done the trick too though I haven't tried it. Dry can and paint the outside, either just one colour or use one base colour and you can paint things like flowers, rainbows and anything else you can think of on there. Make sure the base coat is about 3-4 coats if possible and dry can between each coat. It won't look perfect but thats ok because it will be original! If you have varnish you can coat the can too. With a hammer and nail, poke three holes around the top ridge of the can, with each hole being the same distance apart as other holes or else the plant won't hang right. Cut three pieces of cord, all the same size (whatever length you choose). Tie one cord to each hole with a few knots so it's secured well. Bring the loose cords together and tie them together with a big knot. Then a bit higher close to the top, make another knot. Now you have a secured hole to hang the plant. Decorate with stickers,glitter or anything else you have on hand. Put a nice small plant in there (make sure it is already in it's own container, the hanging planter is just for decoration. This would be a great craft for kids/parents to do together! By Lisa from Halifax, NS Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97667605.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Plant Your Sprouting Potatoes With grocery prices rising everyday, I try to find every possible way to save on our food budget. I had a few potatoes which were starting to sprout, so I cut them up according to where they were sprouting and planted several hills of potatoes from just a few potatoes that were soft and sprouting. To make it even more fulfilling, I asked my 7 year-old grandson to help me plant them. We had so much fun this afternoon as he dug and harvested some of the "crop" along with his sister, who is a toddler. They were both so excited at finding the buried "treasure" and I had to cook them right away so they could eat them. I plan to save a few and plant another crop. By Sandy from Elon, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16754589.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Dear Webby's Joke of the Day Waiting in a long, slow-moving line for security clearance at the Calgary International Airport in Canada, I was annoyed to hear a loud male voice behind me. "Excuse me, excuse me," said the man as he pushed his way to the front. "I want to make sure I get a good seat." I resolved not to let this line-jumper get ahead of me. When I felt a tap on my shoulder, I whirled around, prepared to unleash a verbal assault that he would never forget . . . but found myself face to face with a smiling pilot. Read More Jokes Here: http://webby.com/humor New Requests: Saving Money on an Apartment With all the problems with getting a mortgage these days, we are looking for tips and advice for saving money when renting an apartment. Do you have any tips to share? Feel free to post them below. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21526624.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Getting Plastic Buckets Apart How do I get plastic buckets apart? eddie92844 from NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89159682.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Removing Mold Odor From Quilt Blocks We live in an apartment, and during our intense winter the ceiling in our storage room developed a horrible leak. Mold developed only in the ceiling, not on any objects in the room (we had to dodge buckets all winter long when we went looking for anything). So everything in the room has an odor. YUK. We kept extra school supplies in storage, so I don't know if we can get the smell out of books and papers, but what I am SO SAD about is all my craft stuff was stored in that room. I have fabrics that I could put white vinegar in the load to cut the smell, but I have some quilt blocks that I am afraid to wash because I don't want the edges to fray. They got shoved in a bag, so they are wrinkled - I don't want to make my ironing board stink when I iron them. Should I make the quilt and then wash it, hoping I can get the smell out? Is there anything else I can do? Thanks in advance for any advice I get. Marie from Idaho Falls, Idaho Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93264879.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Dog Is Nauseous After Having Parvo Our little chihuahua contacted Parvo in a pet clothes shop. The dear Lord spared him, but now he has a lot of trouble with nausea and vomiting. Is there some way to treat this? He is not dehydrating, and seems healthy other than his wimpy stomach. I'm looking for suggestions. Deborah from CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93012828.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Using iRobot Roomba on a Brick Floor Has anyone tried the Roomba on a brick floor? abc8xyz Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf86078760.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Removing Chair Backs for Reupholstering When reupholstering a chair, how do you remove the old seat back? There are wooden dowels hiding the screws. Do I drill them out or just use a chisel and hammer? Bernie from Cincinnati, Ohio Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf72808844.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Planning A Low Waste Wedding My fiance and I are trying to plan a green, no/low-waste wedding in Sept. 2009. We are financing the wedding ourselves, and already have family and friends doing our catering, sound and other services. We're getting vases and other items from second hand stores, growing our own flowers and doing all of our invitations, etc. online. I'm also using a dress, veil, etc. previously used by family and friends to further get away from the concept that buying things for your wedding some how makes it more meaningful! However we still need someone to do hair and any type of second hand decorations. I am also a personal trainer, and am trading professional services in the Des Moines area (where we actually live). Any additional ideas for decorations, services, etc people have to offer would be great. Thanks to all who are making an effort to consume and waste less! Caeli from Madison, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39916143.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Sewing Machine Needle Not Catching Bobbin Thread While sewing, I jammed some fine fabric in the bobbin trace. Instead of taking it apart, as I should have done, I gently pulled and pulled until it came out. However, now the bobbin thread will not be picked up by the needle and brought to the surface. Any ideas on how I can resolve this problem without taking my sewing machine to a repairman? Please help! Hazel Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf80302359.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cleaning A Tanzanite Ring What's the best way to clean a tanzanite and diamond white gold ring? Kim from PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91538916.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Removing Plastic from a Smooth Top Stove My daughter dropped a plastic hot dog bag on my smooth top stove. I have tried the Cerama Bryte, scraping with my fingernail and nail polish remover but it did not remove it. Any suggestions on how to clean the burnt plastic from my smooth top stove? Barbara from Cookeville, TN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56549212.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making John Deere Decoration from a Dustpan I am looking for instructions for turning an ordinary green household dustpan into a John Deere Tractor decoration with foam sheets? I saw this on a craft show and now cannot find it anywhere on the web! Thanks. Dotz from Jackson, MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96168746.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Homemade Dog Bed I'm looking for EASY ideas for a homemade dog bed. Our dog has outgrown the small sized store-bought dog bed that we purchased when we brought her home from the animal shelter. My kids want to buy one of those they see in the stores that run about $30.00! No way! I'd like to make it a little family project for us to make together. SkyeBlue from Mena, AR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37851193.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Removing Sulfur from a Well Water System Our house is currently on a well system. We have sulfur in our water, which gives it a rotten egg smell. At this time, we have a system from Eco Water that uses food-grade hydrogen peroxide to reduce the sulfur in the water. This system was in the house when we bought it 3 plus years ago. We are thinking of replacing this unit and was wondering if anyone has any input on other systems available for this and how they work. We are trying to get rid of the need for the hydrogen peroxide. Mary from Wilmington, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17946706.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips For Making Soap Are there any soap makers out there? Would you like to share some tips to those wanting to learn to make soap? Sabrina from Council, N.C. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44951737.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! 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: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml More Reading: Save Money on Packing Materials By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh As I packed my latest my latest USPS shipment, it occurred to me how much money I spend on packing materials. They eat into my sales profit, and they're creating landfill chaos. Both my frugal and my environmental consciences spoke up and motivated me to create some alternative packing materials. Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21445483.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Is It Really Priceless? By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh No matter what MasterCard executives want you to believe, those scenarios presented in their television advertisements are not priceless; in fact, they're quite expensive. The ads ask an array of appraisal questions all ending with the same answer - priceless. A dozen roses? Priceless. A seven course meal in a fine restaurant? Priceless. A night out with spouse? Priceless. I have a better question: who's believing that an $11 dessert of chocolate covered jalapenos is priceless? The person who isn't opening the bill at the end of the month, that's who. Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf81513520.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cleaning Rain Gutters and Downspouts By Ellen Brown For many homeowners, cleaning out and inspecting gutters and downspouts is an unpleasant, yet unavoidable, chore that has to be done at least once or twice a year (even more if your house sits under a lot of trees). Clogged, overflowing gutters can damage your home's foundation, ruin your lawn and landscape, attract mold, and serve as a breeding ground for insects- including mosquitoes. Cleaning rain gutters year after year can be messy and dangerous, so here are some useful tips to make the job as safe and easy as possible. Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39900252.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Interactive Coupon Swap! Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users. Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users.