Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 157, October 20, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
A quick note about feedback: We have not been posting feedback in the Daily like we used to because we are using the room to publish new tips. Everyday we have between 30 and 100 feedbacks posted on the website in response to articles, tips and requests. There is a lot of great information. You can view all of the most recent feedback posted at this page:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/feedback.ldml?feedback_SkipRecords=0
We are currently working on the both the Thanksgivng and Christmas topic sites. We hope to open them early next month so they will be online in plenty of time for the holidays. Feel free to send in tips for either Thanksgiving or Christmas, the earlier we published tips, the more people will be able to use them.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Restaurant Recipes -s TopSecretRecipes.com
- Keeping A Travel Bag Handy
- Drink Free Water
- Save Money on Beverages at Work
- Put Ads at the Bottom of the Garbage Can
- Air Compressor for Cleaning Vacuum Filters
- Turning Leftovers Into Convenience Meals
- Super EZ Bean Dip
- Creaming Butter and Sugar Quickly
- Calling My Husband Home
- Meat Loaf in Muffin Tins
- Storing Tupperware Lids
- Oatmeal Compress for Burns
New Requests:
- Need Frugal Computer Buying Help
- Need Christmas Gift and Other Ideas
- Looking for Cloth Angel Wings
- Gasoline on Leather Jacket
More Reading:
- Quick And Easy Halloween Decorations
- Sweet & Sour Chicken
- Choosing a Space Heater
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Today's Sponsor
Today's Tips
Restaurant Recipes - TopSecretRecipes.com
Next time you HAVE to go out to a restaurant to grab your favorite entree/salad/appetizer, look around the internet for duplicate recipes instead! Many recipes or cloned recipes for common dishes served in restaurants can be found right on the internet.
For example, I used to live on Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad. Then I found the exact recipe, including the dressing, on http://www.topsecretrecipes.com Who knew that 5 simple ingredients in my kitchen made the dressing for this fabulous salad?
Hope this helps!! :)
By pookster
View Article: Click Here
Keeping A Travel Bag Handy
I've found that it is best to keep a bag of travel supplies together all the time. I fill small bottles with my preferred shampoo and conditioner and I purchase deodorant on sale or the travel size deodorant. I also put make-up that I do not use as often in my bag and some hair ties. My bag also includes a small brush and travel tooth brush. It saves me time in packing if I already have this ready.
By Hache
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Drink Free Water
Instead of those expensive bottles of water people buy. I take a 32 ounce (1 liter) water bottle to the drinking fountain twice a day at work. I can gauge how much I've drank and it's free. If you were to get your water from the vending machine it would cost you over $3.75 a day. The drinking fountain water is clean, fresh and best of all, free. You would save $975 a year!!
By Andrea from MI
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Save Money on Beverages at Work
I always crave a soda in the afternoon at work. Sodas in our vending machine cost $1.25. Which can add up very quickly after a week. So I buy cases of soda on sale and take 5 to work Monday morning or pop one in my purse on my way out the door. I stick them in our fridge and I always have soda waiting for me. I buy cases on sale for between $2.99 and $3.97, depending on the brand. It only costs me between $0.12 and $0.16 a day. I save around $5.50 a week. Over the course of the year I save over $285.00. Quite the savings for such a small change.
By Andrea from MI
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Put Ads at the Bottom of the Garbage Can
Ever wonder what to do with all the paper advertisements and leftover grocery ads that you always end up throwing away? Here's something my mother has passed along to me. Fold them up and fit them into the bottom of your garbage cans throughout the house. You may need to fiddle around with it a little bit to make sure it's sitting on the bottom snugly, edges may stick up but that's ok. Then use your leftover grocery bags for trash can bags (as I hope everybody does anyways).
The paper ads on the bottom will soak up any liquids that may drip through your bags. This saves on time and hassle in cleaning your garbage can. Especially handy for the kitchen garbage as raw meat juices or liquids inevitably seep through.
May seem like a no-brainer for some people but thought I'd share anyways!! :)
By pookster
View Article: Click Here
Air Compressor for Cleaning Vacuum Filters
Use an air compressor to blow out your filters on your bag-less vacuum, it really extends the life of the filters.
By Cheri
Editor's Note: Be sure to do this outside.
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Turning Leftovers Into Convenience Meals
A pal recently told me how her girlfriend used up her leftovers. She'd collect microwave dinner trays. When she'd have something leftover from a meal, she'd put a single serving of the leftovers in these containers. When she'd have something else to go in them, she'd add to them. As long as these trays were partially filled, she'd have them wrapped one way, but when she'd have them completely filled all with different entrees and veggies, she'd wrap them a different way and place them in a different part of the freezer.
So when her children came home from school or from a sporting evening famished, she would bring out one of these meals. This was better than them searching the kitchen for something to snack on and much more nutritious.
By Terri H.
View Article: Click Here
Super EZ Bean Dip
Ingredients:
1 can of Fat Free Refried Beans
1 jar of Pace Picante Sauce
Directions:
Put the whole can of refried beans in a bowl and mash down to distribute them evenly in bowl. Pour some of the picante sauce over the beans. I use about 1/3 of the jar to make to the consistency I like. But you can use more of less to your preference. You can serve immediately or chill till ready to serve. You can also sprinkle with shredded cheese (any preference) and heat till cheese is melted. Serve with chips, cut veggies or serve over taco salad.
By Terri H.
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Creaming Butter and Sugar Quickly
Cream butter and sugar fast by rinsing the mixing bowl under hot water before adding ingredients. The water will heat the bowl just enough to help soften the butter, making it easier to mix.
By Hazel Rabenaldt
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Calling My Husband Home
We live on a acre of land with no close neighbors. My husband is an outside person. When I want him to come in and eat I use my car remote and start the horn. If it is important I start the horn, turn it off and start in again until he comes in. He can hear the horn up the road to the mail box. This has saved me a lot of steps.
By Hazel Rabenaldt
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Meat Loaf in Muffin Tins
My husband and I love meat loaf. There are just the two of us now so I bake my meat loaf in a muffin pan. I quick freeze the ones leftover and put them in a ziplock bag. When I want meat loaf I take out how many I want.
By Hazel Rabenaldt
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Storing Tupperware Lids
I have a file cabinet in my pantry. I got it from a pal for planning her yard sale and I use it to store my Tupperware lids. No more lids falling out of my kitchen cabinets when opening the doors or unsightly, unorderly cabinets for someone to look in while visiting. This way, my family knows where to find the lids, when we need them, no searching needed.
By Terri H.
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Oatmeal Compress for Burns
I was told today by a pal about using oatmeal compresses to draw the heat out of a burn. I'd never heard of this before. She said to lay down a clean towel, put a layer or 2 of old fashioned oatmeal on the towel, then put another clean towel upon the layer(s) of oatmeal. Then moisten the towels by sprinkling cool water on them. Then to wring the oatmeal and towels over the burn. If at all possible to rub in the oatmeal water drippings on the burn. Then lay the cool oatmeal/towel over the burn. She said soon you should be able to feel the heat from the burn coming thru the towel. She said she uses this method more so than the apple cider vinegar/water compresses that many people recommend.
By Terri H.
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Other Active Topics
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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 October 31st.
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Syndication Spotlight:
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New Requests:
Need Frugal Computer Buying Help
My computer has died. Right now, I am going to the library to check my mail. I don't have much money to buy a new one. So far the best deal I have found is a Compaq from Walmart for about $500. That is where I bought my last one, and it lasted me quite a while. But it will cost me just under $500 to fix it. The new one comes with a 17 inch monitor, twice the memory of my old one (40 GB), a faster processor, a video card (didn't have that), etc.
So, I was just wondering if anyone knew of an even better deal somewhere else. If it was even just for the tower, that would be OK, as long as my hp monitor, keyboard, scanner, mouse, and digital camera would be compatible.
I have searched, but boy there are a lot of computer store sites out there!!
Thanks!
Heather
View Article: Click Here
Need Christmas Gift and Other Ideas
For several years now, when I do an internet search for "Homemade Gift Ideas". I come to your site, and see all the great ideas, like Jar, or basket gifts etc. But even those seem to be too expensive, and not really workable for my needs.
Here's my problem.
Christmas is just around the corner, AGAIN! And I have almost no money, I have almost 300 people to send Christmas cards (and a little "something" to go with it) to (So it has to be flat (easily mailable, and that won't make the envelope too big or heavy), not fragile, and useful, something that anyone (man, or woman, and if it can even be for any age, that'd be even better) will find useful. It can't be food or teas or whatever, because so many people on my list have allergies, or illnesses or are on a diet, or are picky, or etc. And, it also has to be quick and easy to make, because I'm almost out of time. And I've already made bookmarks, several years in a row. I need something new.
I hand make each of the greeting cards we need, each year. But I haven't started yet, for this Christmas and next year. So, ideas on card designs would be appreciated too.
Also, on my list are a few people that I can spend a tiny bit more on, and That I can hand deliver the gifts to. These people have everything, or go into phases where they get rid of everything they own (almost). And stuff. I need "useful gifts" that aren't food. And I need good gift ideas for a 4 or 5 year old boy (I know very little about age appropriate gifts). I don't see him often, so I don't know what he loves most and what he already has, and etc. (something other than food, or a "toy", would be good).
Also.... For a Christmas Party I'm going to, I need a "healthy" cookie recipe! (and it needs to be fancy!).
So, you can see, I have a lot of trouble each year, because this is what I'm faced with each year. My annual "Christmas Anxiety" has begun.
Please, please, please, help!!!!!!!!
-- In Peace, Phoebe. =)
"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goathe
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Looking for Cloth Angel Wings
I saw some angel christmas ornaments that had cloth wings. They came in different sizes. I would like to make some other angel items and would like to use these cloth wings for them. I asked the women if she would tell me where she got them and she wouldn't tell me. I am sure they come from some kind of craft supply catalog but I have been unable to find them. If anyone knows where I can purchase these wings I would be forever grateful. Thanks in advance for any help.
Joanne
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Gasoline on Leather Jacket
Is there a way to get the smell of gasoline out of a leather jacket without ruining the jacket?
Nora
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your request here: Click Here
More Reading
Quick And Easy Halloween Decorations
By Colleen Moulding
There is no need to spend lots of money decorating your house for Halloween. These quick and easy decorations use items you may well have around the home.
View Article: Click Here
Sweet & Sour Chicken
By LeAnn R. Ralph
(This was one of my mother's favorite recipes because
it's so easy.)
View Article: Click Here
Choosing a Space Heater
By Gary Foreman
Last year when the price of natural gas went up, I was shocked at my heating bill. Almost one weeks paycheck a month was going to keeping my house at only 65 degrees. I decided a change had to be made. I sewed a heavy floor to ceiling curtain and hung it in the hallway separating the bottom floor of my house from the upstairs. That way I wasn't heating empty bedrooms and a second bathroom all day long. I turned my furnace thermostat down to it's lowest setting and bought a small electric heater to heat the bottom floor of my house during all but the time we were sleeping upstairs. My heating bill went down almost 35 percent! This year gas in my area is going up 12 percent and electric is actually going down.
I am thinking about not using gas heat at all and getting another electric heater for upstairs at night. I am confused about what kind of electric heater to get. Which is the most efficient? I've seen quartz, ceramic, coil, and oil filled but I don't know which one works best? No matter which one I get I will try and get one with good safety features.
- Mary
View Article: Click Here
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