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Hello,
We have 11 new requests today. We also have quite a few new Brainstorms. If you are new to this newsletter you may be wondering what Brainstorms are. Basically they are requests for ideas about a particular topic. For example, one of the new Brainstorms today is "Saving Money on Movie Rentals". It gives the community a place to brainstorm the best way to save money on renting movies.
You can find all the Brainstorms that have been posted on ThriftyFun at the Brainstorm Topic site:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/Brainstorms/index.html?mode=clear
This friday's TF News is about potatoes. If you have any potato tips, recipes or crafts, feel free to submit them.
In other news, we have added a Valentine's Day topic site. It can be found here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/valentinesday/index.html?mode=clear
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Enter The Tip Contest:
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Photo Contest Entries:
Today's Tips:
New Requests:
More Reading:
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Today's Photo Contest Entries
This is a picture of the raccoon bench that I painted about 3 years ago. I varnished with a non-yellowing varnish about 5 times over the whole bench, paying particular attention to the "feet" of the bench. The bench goes outside under a tree all summer and we enjoy it inside for the winter. The bench still looks like I just painted it.
By valleyrimgirl
This is the bench mentioned in the feedback to the Memorial Rock.
Post Feedback: Click Here
This was this years holiday picture of my "kids". Maxine, Tango, Jaxson and Sammy the Weasle.
Jaxson is our only "planned" child, but we certainly love all of them equally. Tango (the silver and black husky type in the front of the picture) hates to be photographed. Not only does he usually refuse to sit still, but he barks and dodges at the other dogs. We have always said that he must have a spiritual beleif that we are stealing his soul.
When my husband saw this picture, his first response was "Tango sold his soul to be a good dog" The look in Tangos eyes says clearly to me " I can't believe you are dooming me to h*** and I have to go with these darn antlers and beads on me.
By Sunni
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Submit a tip with a photo or a pet description with a photo and you could win a prize. You can enter the photo contest here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Today's Tips
Wd 40 has many uses, some of them are.
Protects silver from tarnishing
Cleans and lubricates guitar strings
Gets oil spots off concrete driveways
Gives floors that "just waxed" sheen, without making it slippery
Keeps flies off cows
Removes dirt from bbq grills
Removes tomato stains from clothing
Removes stains from stainless steel sinks
Loosens stubborn zippers
Untangles jewelry chains
Removes Lipstick stains
Restores and cleans chalkboards
By Susan from Hamilton
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Folger Plastic Coffee Containers
Us it to put meat scraps and either keep in the 'fridge or freezer. Empty in a trash bag when full and toss out on trash pick up day.
Putting other scraps in will also keep your kitchen trash from smelling also.
The new coffee containers have a convenient hand grip.
Keeps trash from smelling, especially in the outside trash can in the summer.
By syd
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Tips and recipes for making pie crusts. Post your ideas.
Flakey Pie Crust Tip
When making a pie crust: Add a third cup of 7-up to the crust as well as the liquid. The crust will be more flakey
By Dee
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Decorating A Curtain Rod With Tennis Balls
Make lively curtain rods with TENNIS BALLS. For my living room curtains, I bought a wooden dowel and mounted it above the window. Then I took two tennis balls, cut a circle (or just a slit) the size of the dowel in each one, covered the balls with fabric, and popped them on each end of the dowel for a perfect decoration. Nobody knows the curtain rod is made with tennis balls!
By jo smith
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Arthritis Relief - Keeping Joints Flexible By Knitting
Since they took my Vioxx away, I've started to knit to keep my thumbs flexible... lo and behold, it takes away the pain, also! I am very lucky that my hands are the only places that arthritis has affected very much. On the really bad days, I use some aspirin or non aspirin pain meds. too. Most times, though, just a half hour of easy knitting a day keeps the joints of my hands "lubricated" and fairly pain free.
By Margie Minard
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An easy way to clean your glasses lint free is to use coffee filters.
An easy cleaner for your glasses is 1/2 alcohol and 1/2 water in a spray bottle.
By jan
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Ramen noodles make a great replacement for spaghetti if you have extra sauce to use up. Just fix according to package directions and drain (don't use seasoning packet). It makes about enough for 2 servings.
By Camilla
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It's not fun, but it has to be done. Tips for cleaning your toilet. Post your ideas.
Cleaning the Toilet
Make your toilet bowl cleaner more effective by first pouring a gallon or so of water from a bucket into the bowl to get ride of the bowl water. Add your cleaner to the bare bowl and clean as usual. This way you will not dilute the cleaner in the bowl water.
By Gem
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Plastic Grocery Bags In The Glove Compartment
When my children were young and we would travel in the car I would always have paper, crayons, etc. in the car so they would not get bored. I would take the plastic grocery bags flatten them out and then roll then up so they would be about the size of a cigarette lighter. Tie them with a twist tie and keep them in the glove compartment. So when we were traveling and the kids had a huge mess we would stop at a road side rest gather up the mess and throw it away. The kids then had more room to make more fun, and of course more mess. Kept them quiet.
By Claudia
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Preventing Rust Rings From Shaving Cream Cans
I was tired of the rust marks from the shave gel cans on the bathroom counters. Never had the ambition to paint the bottom with clear anything. I was in the gardening department at Wal Mart at the end of the season and for 5 cents each I picked up the bottom dish for flower pots. All cans fit in them, no more rust on the tub or counters. They were plastic and gray colored. My counters are gray. They don't scratch, if they break I bought 8 of them so I have plenty. When they get dirty, I just throw them in the dishwasher.
By Claudia
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Want to be a better and safer driver? Here are some tips to help out. Also, post your ideas.
Don't Drink and Drive!
Drive with car doors locked.
By hamp2468
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Painting Steel to Look Like Wood
After I painted my home, the ugly furnace returns and metal wall doors to the plumbing destroyed my new look. New ones were too expensive.
I took a wood graining class and painted them to look like wood. They are wonderful. I buy used metal items and woodgrain them. Metal storage units hold more than pressed wood and last longer. When visitors are told my "wood" items are metal, I see them out the corner of my examining them to see if they are metal.
By Jill
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I have an eight year old and we're always rushed on school mornings, so I make up a batch of waffles ahead of time and freeze them in individual serving sizes. Then you take them out of the freezer and put them in the toaster and they come out awesome! They're crispy and chewy and my son loves them!!
By Julie Kolvek
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Saving Money on Lunch Box Food Items
Tips for saving money on food that you pack in a lunch box. Post your ideas.
Lunch Box Savings
To save money on snack items for lunches, I buy large bags of favorite chips or boxes of ritz and put some in ziploc bags inside the lunch box. Those small bags of chips and packs of crackers can really add up!
By Julie Kolvek
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Tips for saving money on movie rentals. Post your ideas.
We save money on movie rentals by going to our local library and checking them out. You also get to keep them longer without worrying about late fees.
By Julie Kolvek
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Tips for saving money on music (CDs, Tapes, etc.). Post your ideas.
If there is a music group or artist I want to hear more of I go to my local library and check out the cd. If I like them, then I can go buy the cd.
By Julie Kolvek
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Post your money saving shampoo tips.
Pump Bottle for Shampoo
Use a large pump bottle, I had one from heavy duty hand cleaner, for shampoo in the shower. My kids, when they were young would open the shampoo bottle and dump shampoo into their hands. When I started to use the pump bottle I really notice how much longer the shampoo was lasting.
By Claudia
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Ingredients:
Directions:
Place half of bread cubes in bottom of 9x13 pan. Put half of sausage on top, followed by half of cheese. Repeat layers. Beat eggs with milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over layers in pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Makes 12-14 servings.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Ingredients:
Directions:
Cook and drain sausage. Cut bread into chunks. Beat eggs and milk together. Add all ingredients. Pour into 9x13 inch pan. Set in refrigerator overnight, covered with foil. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Ingredients:
Directions:
Grease 9x13 inch pan and place croutons to cover bottom of pan. Place 1 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese over croutons. Place 1 1/2 lbs. mild sausage (browned and drained) over cheese layer. Mix 4 eggs, 2 1/4 cups milk, 1/2 t. salt, 3/4 t. dry mustard and pour over sausage layer. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Next morning: Dilute 1 can cream of mushroom soup with 1/2 c. milk and pour over. Layer 1 lb. frozen hash browns over soup layer. For top layer sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. Let set 10 minutes and slice.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Be sure to check out our active topics page to follow the discussion.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/board.html
Tip Contest
Submit a tip and you could win:
New Contest! $30.00 Gift Card
In our newest contest we are giving away a $30.00 Gift Card at one of the following stores: Home Depot, Jo-Ann's Crafts or Amazon.com. If you are the winner, you get to choose which gift card! We figured it would be more valuable if you pick out your own prize, that's why we have decided to go the gift card route. This contest will end on January 15th.
Syndication Spotlight:
Here are some publishers that have chosen to publish our tips this week!
Dear Webby's Humor Letter
Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.
http://webby.com/humor
Do you publish a newsletter? Sign up for our Tip Syndication:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/syndication.html
New Requests:
My friend and I tried a laundry soap recipe, I found on this site, the other night. We made three different kinds: Baby soap (made with J&J baby soap bar), Oatmeal (made with homemade oatmeal, milk, & honey soap, I made before Christmas), and Coast. We decided that since we were making several different kinds, we would make smaller batches (1 gallon of Baby, 1 of Oatmeal, and 2 of the Coast).
The oatmeal came out just fine. It's a little thicker than water, and it's about the same thickness as store bought detergent. The baby soap and the Coast came out very, very thick. Instead of pouring out of the containers, it comes out in big blobs.
My question is, is that the way it is supposed to be (extra thick and goopy) or is it wrong? If it's wrong, could it be the soap that we used? Thanks in advance for any information.
Keena
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Removing Candle Wax on Leather Furniture
I have a huge brown leather chair that one of the kids dumped a melted candle on. The candle was light blue. I thought when it cooled I could just peel the wax off but to no avail. I heard I could use an iron and a brown paper bag on furniture, but have never heard it used on leather. I am hesitant to try it. Is there anything I can do to get this wax off without ruining the chair? Thanks!
Mom of 6 1/2
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I'm looking for a pattern for a school bus to put on a tote bag. I drive a schhol bus and would like to make a tote bag to keep my supplies in. I have to tote pattern but no bus pattern, can any one help me . Thanks
Rose M. from Orange Texas
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Permanent Marker on Hard Maple Stairway
My son just stained my new (less than a week old) hard maple stairway with a permanant marker. Any ideas?
Jacinda
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I would like any ideas on recycling the newer plastic coffee cans.
Thanks in advance
Maria
P.s. I'm new to the site but love all the creative ideas!
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Uses For Old Spice After Shave Bottles
Does anyone have any ideas on what to do with empty Old Spice aftershave bottles? I hate to throw them away.
Aunt Sharon from Texas
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Grandparent's Day Table Decorations
I am in need of ideas for inexpensive table decorations for a Grandparent's Day at my sons school. We hvae 24 tables so we need to keep it spring like and cheap.
Julie
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I was wondering if anyone knew how to make the purses with the pictures on them. I would love a purse with James Dean on it, but the ones at the mall are very expensive. Any help would be appreciated!
Stephanie
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I was wondering if anyone knew of a place that sells cheap prom gowns. Im disabled and my 16 year old daughter would love to go to her prom but finding a dress on my budget is hard.
Thank you,
Bonita
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Need a Color To Go With Navy Blue and Beige
I want to know what kind of accent color I can use in my Living Room. My carpet is a Navy Blue and the walls are a rag rolled beige tone. My other furniture such as couch and chairs are an off white. I have a navy recliner. My curtains are white sheers with a Beige valance. I need a punch up color that goes with navy and beige. Any ideas?
Ginger
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I have a german shepard/Spaniel mix who has decided to get up at 5:30am every morning. This a new situation. We take her out at 9pm or even as late as 10pm, but she won't let us sleep past 530am. Please help! Seven hours may be enough for her, but it isn't for us.
Sherry
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Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
Today's Sponsor
Eversave.com is your one stop source for online coupons, brand name savings, free samples and much more.
More Reading:
I'm Late, I'm Late-For a Very Important Date
By Maria Gracia
Do you sometimes feel like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland? One of the most memorable scenes was that frantic rabbit hysterically shouting, 'I'm late, I'm late--for a very important date.'
View Article: Click Here
Looking for Valentine e-Cards. Here are some good ones.
View Article: Click Here
How to Make Great (not just good) Coleslaw
By Charlie Burke
Coleslaw often seems to be an afterthought, cloyingly sweet and either too wet or dry. With the correct balance of acidity and sweetness and with proper seasoning, however, it can shine.
View Article: Click Here
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By
01/19/2005
I saw the tip about wrapping the celery in aluminium foil to keep it fresh but I also recall seeing a tip about cutting the celery. Do I need to cut the bottom off the celery before I wrap it? Thanks a bunch LOL
Darlene from Mississauga
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