Daily Thrifty Tips - August 24, 2006

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Brutus is my 1 1/2 year old German Shepherd/Siberian Husky Mix.

Some people found Brutus last January abandoned in a park when he was about 7 weeks old. They came into the pet store where I was working to find an adoption agency for him as they couldn't keep him. I took him home with me that same night!

Brutus loves his tricky treat ball and playing with his rope toys. "Mom calls it fetch, I call it keep away." says Brutus. He loves children and and his stuffed animals and play dates with his buddy Bear.

Brutus is my first dog and my best friend. He's smart, protective yet loving and still a crazy puppy at times! My constant companion, we are even looking into pet friendly vacations so he can come with us!

By luna621 from Saugerties, NY

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Here is my yard and garden fountain.

Janey from Brookhaven, MS

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Perennial blooming shrubbery bursts forth as reliably as the robin sings, each happy springtime!

By Janey from Brookhaven, MS

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Hannah, my 14 month old granddaughter, wanted to play in the rocks in our new water garden feature in our front yard; her hair has grown in the back so I put her hair up in her first ponytail! She played in the rocks and splashed in the water in the small pond.

We designed the water feature and built it; it was so much fun and to see our granddaughter enjoy it made it even more fun!

By WandaJo from Tennessee

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This is a very tiny 'Skipper' butterfly. I set my finger behind it to show just how tiny it is. When you have one or more butterfly bushes in your yard, they will attract all kinds of butterflies! They are lots of fun to watch.

By Evelyn from McHenry, IL

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My Frugal Life
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When traveling or even commuting, be mindful of regional bargains. For example, when we drive to Eastern Washington (from Western Washington), we visit some fruit stands to take advantage of bargains on apples and cherries. The fruit is grown there so the fruit is extremely fresh and inexpensive if you buy it in season.

By Fisher

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Most people toss out products when the expiration date comes about. For your sunscreen, go ahead and use it for moisturizer, instead of tossing it in the trash. As expensive as it is, go ahead and get your money's worth from it.

By Terri from NV

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This Is My Story about frugal and Tightwad Living! To start, I live alone right now. I have been frugal my whole 38 years. I am also a tightwad. My family laughs about to what lengths I will go to live the way I do. For instance, when gas hit four dollars this last summer, I asked for a ride with my parents to a family function we were attending on the same day. I only drove once a week unless it was to work. I cleaned out my car completely, trunk and all. I cleaned it myself with a hand held vacuum cleaner and used my outside plug-in. This helped my 2 door gas guzzler car. I filled up before the hike in gas prices and it has lasted two weeks.

I use the dollar store for presents, food, pet for both the kitties, health items and school supplies for my foster children. I also buy some clothes at the dollar store, socks and undies. They also have powdered milk, so I buy that instead of the liquid kind of milk. At the end of the month I go to the food pantry in the next town (3 miles away) and get food for free. The only requirement is that I have to live in the county. Making things is my specialty. I sew potholders from scraps of rags. I iron them so they come out nice.

I wash my clothes in a bathtub so as to save money for other things that I may need during the year. I wash my foster children's clothes this way too. Plunge, scrub and soak and that is all there is to it. This year, I am going to a social club that allows us to do our laundry for .75 a load. I think I will do their clothes there since I will have six foster children to take care of as of September 1st of this year, but it is just as easy to do them in a tub or sink.

For entertainment, we have a VCR and a lot of movies that are well taken care of. We will use the library for videos as well, It's free. I go to church every Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday. We have potluck on Saturday afternoons and Sundays sometimes, if the men's dinner is Saturday. I am a Protestant Baptist. I believe that frugality is the only way of life that the Lord meant for us to live. I also believe in helping out the less fortunate. Those who are dirt poor with no welfare help. The children whom I foster are from drugged out and abusive families that they were taken away from by welfare. This is my way of practicing my religion.

My husband is in the Armed Forces of America. He sends money home to help with our expenses here in the states. It's not much because he has living costs overseas. The loneliness in my life is what caused me to take in foster kids as well as my upbringing. I sell Avon on the side too.

We live in a suburb away the main city and I use public transportation only to go shopping. I walk to the bus stop 1 mile away from our home. I shop with coupons for everything, I do mean everything too, including shoes and presents that aren't from the dollar store. I shop in bulk even at the thrift stores, with the 3 dollar bag sales at the end of the seasons. I also use a back to work thrift shop for clothes for work and winter too. My children that are in foster care get hand-me-downs from cousins of mine as well as some new clothes. I get welfare assistance for my foster children, It's not much, but it helps me out with them. This year I will have four boys and two girls which it is a good thing since almost 70 percent of my cousins are male.

Free lunches at school for my school age kids go a long way. I also pack fruit for them as this is extra in our school lunch program. I use the bags of apples from my brother's land who has apple trees and plenty to pick from.

I get help from local women's groups to send my husband calling cards so he can call me when he gets lonely. Asking around helps you find out what is available in your neighborhood. I believe in giving back to my area as well. Everyone in America should give back because you never know when a good deed comes in handy. What goes around comes around, and back three fold, is what I always say! So put out the good, so you get back good.

Well... this is how my family lives frugally.

Tonya from Northern Minnesota

Do you have a frugal story to share with the ThriftyFun community? Submit your essay here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_myfrugallife.ldml

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Purchasing school supplies takes a huge bite out of our budget (and it's a free public education!) Each payday, I place $25 in an envelope to be used for school related expenses (supplies, lunches, yearbook, field trip, etc.) I have even accumulated enough to purchase school clothes from time to time.

At this time of year I STOCK UP on 5 cent crayons, folders and 88 cent markers, scissors and colored pencils, 50 cent portfolios and binders. We always need more half way through the year and it pains me to pay that inflated price. Plus, if I don't use them all, the extras can be used for the angel tree or operation shoebox, taken to a homeless shelter or saved for next year. I keep all my school supplies in a plastic drawer in the basement.

Saving a little each month really helps me have money on hand when there is a bargain that I just can't resist purchasing!

By Diana from Prospect, KY

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For ground beef, substitute 3/4 lb for any recipe calling for 1 lb. It adds up to savings over time and no one will miss it. Add extra healthy veggies like onions, mushrooms, etc.

By Lee Anna from Lafaytte, IN

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This web site is awesome and I truly enjoy it each and every day. I have noticed, though, that many requests are for information about health problems either for people or their pets. I am always a little shocked at how few people seem to have seen a doctor for either themselves, their family members, or pets. Please, though there may be those who can lend some insight into certain health issues, be they human or animal, remember that it is never worth it to take a chance with your health or that of your family member or pet. If you, your family member or pet have a health issue, please see a doctor/vet for proper care. Health is so important and the only ones who can truly give out the best advice are health professionals.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Use a potato masher to break up frozen juice concentrate. It will dissolve much faster when broken up. You can also put the juice concentrate along with the required water into a blender to quickly mix it together.

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If you sprinkle just a tiny bit of sugar in the skillet when you are browning bacon, the bacon won't stick.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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To print only what you want instead of all the ads and links, highlight only what you want to print. Go to File, Print and under print range, you'll see

• All
• Page from _to_
• Selection

Click "Selection" and OK

I use this all the time to print recipes from emails.

By Laurie from Pahrump, NV

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Love never asks how much must I do, but how much can I do.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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We buy briskets on sale and cut them into roasts and steaks. You may wish to marinate the steaks before cooking.

The roasts that we cut from the brisket, we put in the crockpot and prepare as usual.

You will find that you can save a lot of money by making your own roasts and steaks in this manner

By Genny from SE South Dakota

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While parents are preparing to send their children off to college, they try to think of all the material items to take with them to supply their dorm rooms. One thing that some parents don't think of, is showing your child how to do his/her own laundry.

Last year, my nephew in college was approached by a fellow student, who complimented him on his every day appearance and wanted to know the secret of how to make your clothes look neat. My nephew explained "how to". The fellow student wanted a more 'hands on' approach. He asked if my nephew could accompany him on his next wash day to see what he was doing wrong with his laundry. My nephew agreed. My nephew, with his own clothing, showed the fellow student how to sort clothing, which products to use and why, how to dry on certain temps and why, how to fold or hang, etc. The fellow student was in awe, as he'd never been shown all the procedures. His Mom had always done the wash, as most do. He'd never took the time to learn the techniques or the art of proper laundry.

As when my nephew asked how the fellow student had been doing his laundry, the young man lifted up his collapsible laundry bag filled with dirty laundry and stuffed it in the washer and turned on. Added the detergent!! LOL, as funny as this is, my nephew said the young man would have continued to put the laundry bag filled with clothes, in the dryer, too. That's one Mom who won't be having to wash a mountain of dirty clothes that come home from college, and can spend precious time with her college son.

By Terri from NV

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Dear Webby's Humor Letter

Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.

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This request is for some friends of mine. Within the past month or so, they have had a LOT of birds come live in the two maple trees in their backyard. There are other trees, but the birds seem to only congregate in the maples. There are so many birds in their backyard trees that they cannot enjoy their backyard. The birds poop everywhere. There are so many birds you can smell them. Why are there so many birds, and what can they do to get rid of them?

Allison from TN

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Do you have instructions for a juice can footstool?

Avonne from Gladstone, MO

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How can you remove odor from gasoline spill on carpeting in van?

Zionchief from Zion, IL

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I posted a feedback in response to another feedback from someone wanting to know how to get rid of dark circles around their eyes. I too have the same problem along with bags. I have had the bags since I was a child, and over the last several years noticed that I have the dark circles around my eyes. My mom, sister, (paternal) aunt have them.

At first it looks like we have eye make up on but it is not. I have noticed that as my mother got older, her got darker. I do not have any health problems and would like to know if there are any inexpensive and effective ways to lighten the area up and get rid of the bags without surgery or botox. It seems to be hereditary, and I do not like it.

1bigmama from Florence South Carolina

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How can potato flakes be made to taste like homemade mashed potatoes? They do not taste well to me when made up according to the directions. Are there other ways to use the potato flakes?

Thanks for any feedback.

Momel from AR

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Any tips for removing a bleach stain from a white shirt?

Darrylin from Bronx, NY

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How do you grow a trumpet vine?

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Jan from big Rapids, Michigan

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I have a diagonal holes that go up my knifty knitter hat. what am I doing wrong? The rest is fine.

Sharon from Tucson, AZ

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I want to throw the best luau party ever! Can you post some tips?

Gwen from Dublin

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My rotary rulers slip when I am cutting a quilt patch. I cannot afford to buy the new non-slip rulers. A friend said to glue small squares of very fine sandpaper on the bottom of the rulers. Where do I glue the small squares of sandpaper and what glue do I use? Is there another method for making the rulers non-sliping?

Sassy from Central Illlinois

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How do you grow mint in a pot?

Jordy from South Hedland, WA

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How do I clean the inside of a stainless steel pan that is burnt inside due to water evaporating?

Carol from Beverly, MA

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I have a 6 week old dog, i've been with him only 2 weeks. I don't know how to control dog peeing. My little dog is peeing everywhere. Please tell me that how to control my dog's peeing.

Thank you,
Kina from Tuggerah

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My panini's are singularly unimpressive. Any suggestions? I have a 1200 watt panini maker and have decided to use the bacon press in a frying pan as the former takes a long time to cook. No improvement in taste. Is the whole secret drenching the bread in butter?

Holly from Richardon, TX

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I have a cat that knocks down everything... glasses, cups, candles, shampoo bottles. Nothing is safe! What is wrong with him? Here are a few other things I noticed. When I call his name softly his ears don't move, but if I yell his name his ears will move. Also his eyes do not seem to dilate much. His eyes seem small as well, but this could be from his pupils looking so big all the time. He can follow hand movements.

He is also a very non aggressvie animal, very playfull and he gets along with new animals. Two other things I have noticed is his head seems small and he dosen't meow. He does this sort of high pitched "YOWWWWW". Could Beaker be semi-blind or deaf? Could he be retarded? He is a good cat and I will keep him, even though he drives me crazy with knocking things over, but I would like to know what is going on...

Mel from New York

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Could someone help me with pop ups on my PC? They are driving me crazy. It started about a week ago. Not one will pop up, but several. Almost seems like it starts with a Microsoft Ex pop up. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Sharon from Missouri

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I have some bread in my freezer (heels that we don't eat) and would like to make bread crumbs with them. What is the quickest easiest way to dry these out (without making toast) to make the crumbs? Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

jmz2005 from Illinois

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How to remove water or heat marks on wood furniture?

Shelleigh from Clackamas, OR

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I had a female pitbull puppy, she was thirteen weeks, I gave her back to her owner because he wanted her back. His sister gave her away and I have come to find out the reason that she did was because he was abusing her. I feel so bad now because i sent her back there. I did get in touch with this girl and she said that she is gonna take her back and bring her back to me. I was suppose to get her either last night or sometime today.

When I get her back, knowing everything she has been through and, I know that it isn't too late for her to learn that she will be safe with me. I just want to be responsible and train her in a way that makes sure she is not aggressive. I also would like some potty training advice. I anyone has any advice, that would be great. Once i get her I'll take a pic and let you guys see her, she is so beautiful, I fell in love with her the moment I saw her.

Thank you,
i feel bad 19 from NH

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I am looking for directions on how to make bassinet cover.

paula from Las Vegas, NV

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Eversave

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By definition, topiary is the art of training, cutting and trimming plants into ornamental designs. The word itself is from the Latin word, Topia, meaning "ornamental gardening." Invented by gardeners as early as the 1st century AD, topiary art later became the gardening rage in the Middle Ages. It was popular throughout the Italian Renaissance, and revived again in 17th century France, where gardeners are said to have taken the art "over the top" with their elaborate, and often whimsical designs. Most design trends have a tendency to repeat themselves. This time it took a few dozen decades, but topiary design is making a comeback.

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Selecting High-Quality Turnips or Parsnips:

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