Daily Thrifty Tips - October 23, 2009

Vol. 8, Num. 208, October 23, 2009 (Read It Online) New Site Design We've made some changes to the website. You can view the new design here: http://www.thriftyfun.com We'll be rolling out some more improvements over the next couple weeks! Be sure to give a "thumbs up" to tips and photos that you like. Your ratings are used to pick contest winners. Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team 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: Halloween: Spooky Witch Costume Eagle in Utah's Hogle Zoo Eddie The Dog Queenie (Beagle) Today's Tips: Use Cornstarch to Help Remove Pet Mats Unclogging a Sink With a Garbage Disposal Halloween: Home Party For Sick Kids Secure Ribbon on Spools with Rubber Bands Baby Oil for Tickling Ear Use Insect Repellent To Remove Permanent Marker Think Recycling Before You Throw Anything Away Cleaning an Iron Skillet Joke of the Day New Requests: "Christmas is Dreams, Wishes, and Imagination" Christmas Float Ideas Active Sweet 16 Party Ideas Dog Won't Go Potty Outside in Cold Weather Retro Aluminum Tumblers Repairing Cigarette Burns on a Linoleum Floor Freeing a Stuck Water Supply Valve Decorating with Candy Corn Participating in Clinical Trials Mini Steam Iron Not Working Painting a Laminate Tub Underarm Stains on Shirts Pet Stains and Odors Fleas In An Apartment Getting Rid of Warts Getting Rid of Rats More Reading: No Sew, Lost Cost, High Fun Halloween Costumes 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: Halloween: Spooky Witch Costume My granddaughter had a witch costume. We hot glued plastic spiders all over the hat and painted her face a nice shade of green and added "warts." By Vickie from Earle, AR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32522729.tip.html Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Eagle in Utah's Hogle Zoo My husband and I took our little baby girl to the zoo one afternoon and we went to the bird show, where I got this picture of an eagle in front of a hanging flag. I love how it turned out! Source: Utah's Hogle Zoo! By Stacey from West Jordan, UT Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf62528585.tip.html Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Eddie The Dog Eddie is a 4 year old mixed breed dog. My step-son brought him home and over time he became my dog. Eddie is a momma's boy. We have another dog named Duke and Duke weighs about 75 lbs., but Eddie is the boss around here. He will not let anyone near me, that includes my husband, lol. Eddie like's to play with his buddy Duke. I never cared much for small dogs until we got Eddie, now I don't know what I would do without my little buddy. By Melissa from North Carolina Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35456210.tip.html Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Queenie (Beagle) Queenie is a 6 month old Beagle. My boyfriend went to get her in West Virginia, qbout a month ago. She likes to play with her animals, and is afraid of everything. By Hisgurl280 from Pittsburgh PA Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15116384.tip.html Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | 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 Cornstarch to Help Remove Pet Mats If your dog is matted, before bathing them, use cornstarch and a wide tooth comb to un-mat them. The cornstarch absorbs the oil that sticks to the dirt and creates the mat. Trim all fur once doggy is dry. By Tami from Auburn, GA Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19509893.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Unclogging a Sink With a Garbage Disposal Unclogged double kitchen sink with garbage disposal? Easy! If your kitchen sink has standing water in it and the pipes underneath are clear, the clog is probably in the main drain pipe. Try this BEFORE you call a plumber. What you will need: rubber gloves, old rag and disposal rubber stopper. With rubber gloves on, place the disposal rubber stopper in the sink drain. Turn on your disposal while holding the stopper firm in the sink side (it will have a tendency to "pop out"). Turn on the disposal for a short period (no need to run water; you have enough). As the water level gets lower, use the rag to cover the disposal drain, it's going to start spitting out water and "junk". The disposal will start filling up with water again, repeat the process until all water is gone. You made need to do this several times depending on the water level. Be sure your disposal side has the standing water in it before you turn it on or you will burn out the motor. When all standing water is gone, run the disposal as usual. Done! No need for a plumber, plunger, snake or bail out the water with a bucket. Yuck! Warning! Do not do this if you have used any product such as Draino! By mare1909 from The Badger State, WI Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91073363.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Halloween: Home Party For Sick Kids Years ago at Halloween I had two children who were not feeling well, so I did a rush job of planning a "party". We lived in a large, two story house, so here is what I did. I lined up a row of large boxes that had to be crawled through, each with "hazards" at each end. Some would be eggs, (ping pong balls), another would be broken glass, (bits of any noisy pasta, noodles, or such, laying on some aluminum foil). You can use your imagination. Of course, you warn them about the "eggs", and "broken glass". This is done in total darkness, or with eyes covered. Then there was a contest for each one to draw the most Halloween-looking item with three crayons and only two sheets of paper, also in the dark. Include a makeup contest, using safe seasonal "stuff". Pair off your party kids two by two, and, yes, in the dark, very carefully, they make up each other's face. We did this in a large closet we had, but most rooms, if you plan ahead, can be made dark, or do this after dark. You can do lots of original games, but my final game before letting the kids leave the "dark, spooky house", to go bob for apples, and have snacks and all, was this: Each one had to reach in the bowl and pull out one of the witches "eyeballs&". They had to bring one out of the room with them, to continue to the snacks. This was a bowl with hair gel. Jjello, done with extra water so as to not set firm, will work but not have quite the same feel. Then put drops of food coloring into each. For a deep, dark, blood red, use red with a bit of blue. Then drop in marbles. This was a day that could have been a bummer for my kids that were sick, and couldn't go out, but turned out to be one they remembered for years. Source: Made up by me, really on the spur of the moment, so my children would not be left out of the fun. by Loretta from Theodore, AL Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76491098.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Secure Ribbon on Spools with Rubber Bands Instead of using tape or pins to keep you rolls of ribbon from unwinding, I found that rubber bands are easier, quicker and leave no holes or stickiness on the ribbon. With scissors, I simply clip a tiny slit in the side of the round cardboard ribbon spool, then clip another notch or slit directly across from the first slit. These tiny cuts give the rubber band a place to catch so it won't slide off the round cardboard spool. If you like, you can also cut a notch in the back of the spool & again at the back of the edge that's opposite the first cut. Now instead of removing a pin or tape whenever I need to use my ribbon, I simply remove the rubber band and it's easy to replace. I bought a large bag of rubber bands at the dollar store and I use them for all kinds of things. I keep rubber bands on various door knobs all around the house just like my mom did when I was growing up. This way, I always have one available when I need it! By Cyinda from near Seattle-Tacoma Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92390090.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Baby Oil for Tickling Ear I had a tickling feeling in my ears. I went to the general practitioner and it didn't help. I warmed few drops of baby oil, and dropped it my ear and I never got it again. By Dorty from SA Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76400990.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Use Insect Repellent To Remove Permanent Marker If you every need to get permanent marker off of a hard surface (folder, notebook, counter, floor, etc.), use bug spray. By fun-n'-dorky Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84253410.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Think Recycling Before You Throw Anything Away Contribute to your child's education and the earth's welfare at the same time! Teachers are always in need of odd items, especially day care, Headstart, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and elementary teachers, who often spend their own personal money in order to have more effective teaching tools. To keep them from having to buy squirt dispenser bottles, I save and wash thoroughly all my squirt nozzle tipped catsup, mustard, mayo, syrup, hair color, shampoo, etc. bottles and send them to school with my granddaughter. Lots of the bottles and/or their caps are colored, so they can be used to sort finger paints, etc. The bottles also make it possible to buy large refill size of such things as hand sanitizer and such, instead of buying even more plastic bottles. Plastic containers such as cole slaw, pimiento cheese and the like come in are always welcome, cleaned and with their lids, of course! Plastic shopping bags are perfect for sending home little clothes that have "accidents" in them, so send in all your bags. Old Mylar balloons, wallpaper, paper towel rollers, gift wrap and such are welcome, too. What about buttons, twist ties, mismatched earrings for elementary classes learning to count? What about things to help demonstrate shapes? A hair roller is both a circle and a cylinder! The top and bottoms of frozen O.J. containers are perfect circles. Half a skein of knitting yarn? pass it along! Before you throw anything away, think, could the kids' Sunday School class use this, or the nursing home residents, or the special education class, or the band members (old sponges are great for tires at car wash fund raisers) Got ratty old blankets or towels? Your local animal shelter would love to have them! Leftover outgrown baby squeeze toys, too,make great chew toys for puppies waiting to be adopted (So do old one-legged or headless Barbies, by the way). Never, ever think you have nothing to give. Just think of others all through your day, even washing dishes and throwing away trash can be an opportunity to give! And you can be all the difference in the world to somebody; even a cold, scared, lonely, furry little somebody! Source: Remembering times when others made the difference for me By dollyslaffn from Darien, GA Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39275709.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Cleaning an Iron Skillet I bought a badly charred cast iron pan in a garage sale for 25 cents. This worked for me: Set your cast iron pan on a layer of newspaper, in a heavy trash bag. Add a couple layers of newspaper on top of pan, and pour in a couple cups of ammonia. Seal the bag and set it in the sun. I let mine sit 24 hours. The next day, all the char washed right off. Wash well and season, and you are good to go. By Jbing from Three Rivers, MI Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf740838.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Dear Webby's Joke of the Day Two golden-agers were discussing their husbands over tea. "I do wish that my Elmer would stop biting his nails. He makes me terribly nervous." "My William used to do the same thing," the older woman replied. "But I broke him of the habit." "How?" "I hid his teeth." "Serves him right for hiding YOUR teeth so that you couldn't go to the mall." Read More Jokes Here: http://webby.com/humor New Requests: "Christmas is Dreams, Wishes, and Imagination" Christmas Float Ideas I am looking for ideas for a Christmas float this year. Our town theme is: Christmas is dreams, wishes, and imagination. By Ethel C. from Chatom, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12916040.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Active Sweet 16 Party Ideas My daughter is turning 16 and she doesn't want to have a typical Sweet 16. I understand and I want to throw her something super original. Paintball is too much of a guy party, but she wants something active so all her friends won't be sitting around. She likes to have fun, but I need help on what to do. Any suggestions? By Parkkk from Miami, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37374919.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Dog Won't Go Potty Outside in Cold Weather My 3 yr old dog hates the cold weather and refuses to go outside to go to toilet. Help. I am at the end of my tether. By Jacky from South Wales Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99840742.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Retro Aluminum Tumblers Does anyone remember the old metal ice trays and the old metal drink tumblers? They gave water such an amazing taste and as a kid I used to drink water constantly. Used to even get in trouble for drinking it out of the ice trays. Does anyone know where I can get some of those metal tumblers? I just don't like to drink water anymore and I know if I had those I'd go back to drinking it all the time. By Cricket from Parkton, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97429272.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Repairing Cigarette Burns on a Linoleum Floor I have several cigarette burns on my kitchen linoleum floor? Any way to remove them other than replacing the linoleum ? By B. Ware from FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53730949.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Freeing a Stuck Water Supply Valve How do I free a stuck water supply valve? By Ray from Southbury, CT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf86597143.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Decorating with Candy Corn I am looking for a clever way to present candy corn, please help. By Lola from Orange County, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26601686.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Participating in Clinical Trials Is there any clinical research going on in India about the very dry skin since birth? To date I could not find any doctor for treatment of my dry skin problem. Everybody says it's a genetic problem and can not be treated with medications. If any clinical trials are going on for it please let me know. I would like to take part in it. By arvind from India Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84986734.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Mini Steam Iron Not Working Why is my mini steam iron not working, after reaching 20 pounds of pressure? How do I rectify this problem? By VIJAYARAGHAVAN from Mumbai, India Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf42042194.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Painting a Laminate Tub Has anyone painted a laminate tub or shower? I have seen counters. In my bathroom, the counter is one unit. The sinks and top are laminate and then it dips down and and the tub is molded out of the same color, etc. The shower is the same way. Any way to paint it all? By Mel L. from CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95352881.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Underarm Stains on Shirts How do you remove armpit stains from shirts? Are there any additives you can add to the wash cycle to keep them from developing? By Leslie from Riverton, WY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89877687.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Pet Stains and Odors How do I remove pet stains and odors from carpet and hardwood floors? By Kellye from US Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf661208.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Fleas In An Apartment I just moved to an apartment that is completely infested with fleas. I originally had asked the landlord to flea bomb as a precaution before I moved in. I knew the previous tenants had a dog. I myself have no pets. She did, but I went into the the apartment the day after the bomb and I got attacked by hundreds of them all over my pants, inside my pants, on my back, in my hair, and on my face. It was a nightmare. I'd already signed a lease and given my deposit before I knew of the problem. Yet still I had hope that more flea bombs would help. When I came back again I only got 2 or 3 on me. I figured that was normal. But I am still seeing them crawl out of my pant legs and jump on me. We have flea bombed 7 times, changed all the old carpets, and laid tiles. We had the whole house exterminated yet nothing works. After each fogging they are still happily jumping around biting us all over. Its driving me insane. The exterminator is coming back sometime this week and I'm renting a steam cleaner. I'm beside myself because nothing is working. I've even vigorously salted all the rugs and furniture, after vacuuming for hours. They are biting me and my children from head to toe. We catch 5-6 of them daily with masking tape while they're biting us. Please help. By Nikki from VT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf869839.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Getting Rid of Warts I am looking for a remedy for warts on the neck. By William from Dearborn, MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf100361.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Getting Rid of Rats I live in an old Victorian house. Now that it is getting cooler rats have become a problem. I have a big pit bull that is sweet to people but hates cats, so the obvious solution is out. And poison is out because of my dog as well. What are my options? These rats have got to go! By P A from Point Richmond, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf80320213.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | 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: No Sew, Lost Cost, High Fun Halloween Costumes Finding Halloween costumes can be trying, both for adults and children. The store bought costumes are too costly and too flimsy; kids rip them and adults invest too much in them. However, homemade costumes take too much time and sewing and end up costing quite a bit as well. However, there are a few kid-friendly costumes that can be made from items in your home. You'll find that for an adult or child's costume you won't need to spend a fortune or search the town for the pieces for these costumes. Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65254104.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Interactive Coupon Swap! Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users. Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users.