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Hello,
We had a lot of great feedback over the weekend! We tried to feature as much of it as we could in this newsletter.
We would like to recommend a new PDF available for free about budgeting. This was put together by Terry Rigg over at the Budget Stretcher. It contains some very informative budgeting articles and it's free! To download it click the link below.
How To Budget Successfully
By Terry Rigg
http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/articlebookhtml.pdf
Over the weekend we published the ThriftyFun News and this week's topic was Clutter Control. We have posted a lot of the feedback from that newsletter in this issue of the Daily, if you haven't read this weekend's TF News you can find it here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf909077.tip.html
If you have a recommendation for a topic for a future TF News, feel free to send it in.
We have set up an RSS feed for folks who like to get their news that way. I will try to do an article about what an RSS feed is and publish in tomorrow's newsletter, but for those you are "in the know" already, you can find our feed address at the link below:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/rss.html
Our contest ended yesterday and the winner is... Deanna! Congratulations to Deanna and thank you to everyone that participated. Not only do we appreciate it but the whole ThriftyFun community benefits from the tips that you submit.
And we started a new contest. In the next couple weeks we are going to focus on adding more images to the website, it is a common request from readers. So for this week's contest we decided to give away a digital camera! Even though it's not a "top of the line" camera, it's the most expensive prize we have given away to date. For more information about the camera we are giving away, go to:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf765491.tip.html
And to enter our contest, go to:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml
In our last contest we had about 50 entries, which means you had a 1/50 chance of winning and if you submitted more than one tip the odds were even better.
Thanks for Reading,
Susan
Submit a tip and enter our contest: Click Here
If you are looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem, submit it here: Click Here
Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
New Requests:
More Reading:
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Today's Tips
Fridge Clutter: Keeping Track of Leftovers in the Refrigerator
Don't you hate it when you clean out the fridge and have a bunch of leftovers from weeks gone by? One way to help keep track of you leftovers is to put a leftovers list on the door of your fridge. When you put something in there, write down what it is and the date. When you remove it, cross it off the list.
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I love candles but they are so expensive and they seem to burn too quickly . Here is a tip I found that keep the candles burning longer. I put all the candles I buy in the freezer and they last a lot longer when I burn them.
By Renee Bowman
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Revive Dried-up Dry-erase Markers
Revive dried-up dry-erase markers by dipping the tip briefly in nail polish remover. Put the cap back on for a few minutes. Test in a corner to make sure it isn't going to damage your whiteboard. There are also water-based, low odor, dry-erase markers that can just be dipped in water like a regular marker. Make sure you know which kind you have! By Elizabeth Cardell
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When I clip recipes from catalogs, I slip them inside a scrapbook page, instead of re-writing them on a traditional recipe card. It protects the recipes and because there's so much space, I can often include a photo of the dish, if it's provided. You could also create a gift for someone by scrapbooking a special cookbook this way (a great gift for a bride of her new husband's favorite dishes, and the scrapbook could be decorated in the wedding colors). By Mary Olson
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Even though I have a nice dishwasher, I opt to do my dishes by hand. The warm water feels good on my hands (beginnings of arthritis) and I find my dishes are generally cleaner with no water deposits or spots. Also I get to enjoy my antique dishes and don't worry about what the dishwasher might melt or damage.
Whenever I am through with the dishes, if the wash or rinse water is still relatively clean, I use it to clean something else in the house. Sometimes it's a glass lampshade, sometimes it's the floor, sometimes some spots off the doors or walls, sometimes the bathroom sink, or the porch furniture, or the edges of the carpet - you get the picture.
This only takes a few extra minutes, and after you get into this habit your house will remain clean almost all the time. You will find yourself making a mental note when you see something that's dirty and you can clean it next time you're finished with the dishes.
This has made me feel better about my house every day, knowing I'm keeping up with the cleaning. Needless to say, it saves water & soap suds too. The few minutes here & there don't even make an impact in my schedule. Go ahead; give it a try!
By Jayne
View Article: Click Here
Feedback: Clutter Control Tips
If you save magazines or catalogs, a great way to keep them neat is to save laundry detergent boxes. Clean them well, Cut them off at an angle. I remove the lid, make a mark that goes from the top of the box on one side to about the middle of the box on the other side. Make a mark on each side, and cut this section out of the box. You can spray paint them or cover with Contact paper. I make one for each magazine or catalog company and sort them. One box will hold several magazines or catalogs. Set them up on a bookshelf for neat storage and easy access.
Harlean from Arkansas
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Feedback: Clutter Control Tips
Before you buy something - analyze the reasoning behind the purchase.
Just a great deal?
Mad at spouse?
The 'in' thing to have at the moment?
Just feeling blue and need a pick me up?
You can honestly use it/need it?
Then go home. Go back the next day and purchase if the item is really a valid purchase.
Then go home and get rid of something that you don't really use/wear any longer. Believe it or not, this kind of thinking will help to control the clutter and the budget!
By kdscmb
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Feedback: Calla Lily centerpieces
Hi there my name is Teresa I have a degree in floral and design and I am receiving my bridal consultanting license as well. I made these beautiful topiary trees for my wedding 6 months ago and am working on 3 other wedding for centerpieces as we speak. I can send you some pics if you would like to see them I know of one great looking centerpiece that is a topiary tree but, can be made inexpensively. I could get a price to you on several options and send you some pics. I do make all arrangements out of silk unless you want live then that is not a problem either. They are not to hard to make yourself but, may take you a few tries to get it either way let me know I just got married 6 months ago and I know how pricy it can be!!! Just let me know!
Sincerely,
Teresa
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Feedback: What food should we stock up on?
Someone said about wooden matches, "if you can find them anymore". Check out WalMart unless you live in the wilderness...grin. They carry a two or three pack of boxed matches that are about 4" long, and a four pack of boxed small wooden matches.
In lieu of powdered or canned milk, I would strongly suggest finding Parmalat. I know the ACME grocery store and WalMart carries it. The milk comes in all types, i.e. Skim, Whole, 1%. It's the real deal in a waxed carton about the size of a short brick. The shelf life is marked as being usually 3 months unrefrigerated, but I just used one that was marked best if used by or expires (can't remember which) May 5, 2004. It's now August and it tasted just fine. Chilled is best if you can manage it.
By BJ
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Feedback: Confessions of a Packrat
Yup, that's me. I'm a 53 YO male packrat from a long line of packrats (on my Mom's side). This fact of course results in a lot of clutter. There are a lot of great tips here but one just occured to me and I intend to start today. The plan is this: Set aside a certain period of time every day to methodically sort, store, donate, or toss the stuff. The best place to start would seem to be the storage areas themselves; closets, the basement, attic, garage, shelves and pantry, etc. (You can't put anything 'up' unless 'up' has room for it). Then perhaps by starting at one corner of one room and working out from there my paths will expand until they're not paths anymore, but large areas of open space.
I'll probably start with an hour a day and see how that works out. Since there is no one here but my cat and me, blaming it on the kids (or getting them to help clean up) is not an option. However, an advantage to this is that it doesn't matter how long it takes to do it... nobody suffers from my clutter but me (and the cat, who doesn't seem to care).
By Alph
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Feedback: Clean Up Your Bill Clutter Once and For All
I do things similar to what Jo posted, who sent in her comments. Keep it simple!
When a bill comes in I write it on the calendar in my office/computer room. If there is a debit date, I note this on the calendar so I can mark the check book accordingly.
I have to sign up on some bills where it is a debit ... no credit cards allowed. I pay everything I can on the Frequent Flyer Credit Card to gain mileage and pay it off each month without any interest.
I pay the frequent flyer credit card over the internet to save postage.
For those bills that you can only pay with a credit card in their office, I schedule when I am going to be in that area and pay all that I can in person ... while doing other shopping in the area.
Not everyone can do this, and I understand.
This is what works for me. I am a senior who prepared ... young people starting out could not do this!
I have a box that I put all charge receipts in as well as a box for all cash purchases, in case I need to return something.
By Syd
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Feedback: Tryng to keep cats out of the garden
In the spring, after you plant seeds or before you put seedlings in, lay fence down on top of the garden soil. You can use wire chicken-coop type fence if you want but the cheapest and easiest to use is the flexible plastic fence with 1 x 1 inch or 2 x 2 inch holes sold in roll. It is cheap and available at Walmart in the spring. The cats will no longer use the garden as a litter box because it isn't pleasing to scratch soil through the fence.
The other thing I've used: After I cut back my rose bushes, I take the branches that have lots of thorns and criss cross and lay them throughout the garden. Cats and animals hate thorny branches in their way but the plants and seedlings don't mind....they grow over and around the rose branches.
Don't bother with pepper spray or moth balls etc...once it rains it washes the smell away. Using the fencing and rose branches stopped my 4 cats from using my garden as a litter box. However, now I have crows eating my ripe tomatoes so I have to do something. I bought a fake owl and move the owl to different posts every third day or so, but the crows got wise to it. Should I make a scarecrow?
By Melissa
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Other Active Topics:
Today's Recipe: Stir-Fried Pork And Vegetables With Rice
4 Servings of pork and vegetables, about 1/2 cup each. 4 Servings of cooked rice, about 2 cups each
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preparation Time:20 Minutes
Cooking Time:25 To 30 Minutes
1. Heat broth and water to a boil in sauce pan; add rice and return to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in skillet. Add broccoli, carrots, onions, and garlic powder. Cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Add mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute and set aside.
3. Heat second tablespoon of oil in skillet. Add pork; cook until pork no longer remains pink. Drain liquid.
4. Add soy sauce and stir until mixed; add vegetables to pork mixture. Cook until heated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Serve pork mixture over cooked rice. Note: Sodium level can be reduced from 799 milligrams to 532 milligrams by reducing soy sauce from 4 to 2 tablespoons.
PER SERVING:
Calories 860
Total fat 33 grams
Saturated fat 10 grams
Cholesterol 108 milligrams
Sodium 799 milligrams
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Lots of wonderful feedback is generously posted by readers each day. To read all recent feedback, visit: Click Here
Tip Contest
Submit a thrifty tip or recipe and you could win a prize. Odds of winning are based on the number of entries we receive and you can submit more tips to increase your chances of winning.
Our current prize is: Home Coffee Roasting Kit
This kit includes everything you need to get started roasting coffee at home on your stove, in your oven, or in a hot air popcorn popper. Includes the book Coffee Roasting at Home by Susan Sanders and Fletcher Sandbeck, 1 lb of green, unroasted coffee beans, and coffee bags to store your roast.
New Requests:
Please, does anyone know the words to the tag attached to decorate a pretty little box that is empty? It went something like this...
This article has 1 Feedback. View Article: Click Here
My three year old had a bag of caramel candy. She left it in my car on one of our hot days and it melted on my seat. How do I get this sticky mess up? Catina Chavous
This article has 1 Feedback. Post Feedback: Click Here
I am looking for a MYO recipe for something like Gatorade. It is so expensive and I would like to make my own. Sue
This article has 2 Feedback. Post Feedback: Click Here
Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
More Reading
How can we avoid the back-to-school shopping "brand-name blues?"
View Article: Click Here
Frugal Outdoor Cooking!
By Cyndi Roberts
Firing up the grill is a great way to cook in the summer! Here are a few grilling tips and a couple of recipes, too.
View Article: Click Here
Season Your Pans for Non Stick Cooking
By Richard Massey
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook a delicious meal and having it stick to the bottom of the pan. A well season or cured pan will make cooking more fun, easier to clean and create better tasting food. There is a saying in the restaurant business; Hot pan - Cold oil. Meaning never put the oil in a cold pan and then heat it up. By heating the pan first and then adding the oil, then immediately the food, you'll have much less sticking. Furthermore if you season the pan when you first purchase it, you will have even better results.
View Article: Click Here
Frugal Flower Girl Accessories
By Rachel Paxton
When my husband and I got married we didn't have much money to have any fancy decorations at our wedding. I did, however, come up with some inexpensive, creative ideas to make sure our flower girls were dressed in style.
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Party Planning
By Mary Mernda
So you've decided to have a little party. Congratulations!!! You'll have fun and it won't be as hard as you're probably thinking right now. What's your plan? Inviting a few friends over for an evening of conversation? A 30th birthday party for your spouse? A victory celebration after finally paying off thatmortgage that you thought would never go away?
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It's My Party
By Arleen M. Kaptur
Parties range from quick get-togethers to very elegant, formal affairs. If you are the host/hostess, the bulk of the responsibility lies on your shoulders. So make an impression that will knock the socks off of all your guests. You are not a professional caterer - you don't have to be. A few simple tricks or tips and you are an entertainment specialist.
View Article: Click Here
ThriftyFun News August 14, 2004 - Clutter Control
Online version of the ThriftyFun News. Clutter Control. Volume Six, Number 31, August 14, 2004
View Article: Click Here
Is Your Dog Malnourished?
By Aaron Wilmot
Americans are more concerned about health than ever before, so we should also have an equal amount of concern for our pets ... particularly with regard to the ingredients in their food. We would want the ingredients in our pets' food to be acceptable for human consumption.
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Preserving Herbs
By Rachel Paxton
Harvesting: Harvest in the morning of a hot and dry day, wait until the dew is off the plants.
View Article: Click Here
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Thanks
Susan
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