Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 217, December 19, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
If you aren't on the TF News list, be sure to check out yesterday's issue about Christmas Gift Ideas and Tips. You can find it here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf188096.tip.html
If you have any last minute Christmas requests, be sure to send them in quickly so you can get a response before the holiday.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Holiday Travel Tips Ebook
Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Gift Exchange at Nanny's House
- Milky Wonder Cake
- Yum Yum Cake
- Hummingbird Cake
- Ham Balls
- Glazed Carrots
- Vegetable Casserole
- Wild Rice Casserole
- Tree Light Tips
- Cleaning Cookie Cutters
- Staying on Budget - Tracking Credit Card Transactions
- Blonde Joke
- Keeping a Little Drinking Cup Handy
- Half of a Christmas Tree
- Buy Sunscreen Before You Travel
- Bring Cloth Grocery Shopping Bags On Vacation
- Travel Tip for Your Coat
- String Popcorn and Cranberries
New Requests:
- How do you remove labels from bottles?
- Looking for Good Job Listing Site
- Decorating a high school dance with a winter theme.
- Foaming Hand Wash Recipe
- Looking for a Good, Inexpensive Vacuum Cleaner
- Buying a Wedding Ring With Bad Credit
More Reading:
- Flying with Kids
- Keeping the Kids Busy During Winter Break
- Boxers Dogs as Pets - Are they right for you?
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Today's Sponsor
ChildSafe Network
Get 3 FREE Child Identification Kits with your FREE membership to the ChildSafe Network. 
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Today's Tips
Today's Family Tradition...
Gift Exchange at Nanny's House
When I was young, we each had our Christmas at our own home Christmas morning and then rushed to Nanny's house where Great Aunts and Uncles and everyone showed up for a gathering. We used to each bring a gift. Each year it changed. One year it was adults bring an adult gift, children for children. Then one year it was men and women and boys and girls. If you didn't bring a gift, Nanny usually had extra's to pitch in for ya!
Each gift was given a # and then a piece of paper with that same # was put into a bowl. One at a time we each drew our # and received a gift. It was so enjoyable!
Because all of our family lives in different states, this year we finally got our siblings to agree to only exchange one family gift instead of buying for each person in our sibling's household. I was surprised when it came time to Christmas shop, that I had little to do!
Tawnda
View More Christmas Family Traditions
Share Your Christmas Family Tradition
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Milky Wonder Cake
Ingredients:
- 6 regular size Milky Way candy bars
- 2 sticks butter (divided)
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Frosting:
- 3 regular size Milky Way candy bars
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 - 2 Tbsp. milk
Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt candy bars with 1 stick butter, stirring often until smooth. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool. Beat remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mix well after each addition. Stir together flour and baking soda and add to batter alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Blend in cooled Milky Way mixture and vanilla. Turn into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with finger tip. (Top of cake will be very dark). Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan and cool on a wire rack.
Frosting:
In a saucepan, over low heat, melt candy bars and butter. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Thin to desired consistency with milk.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Yum Yum Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 white cake mix
- 1 recipe cooked French vanilla pudding
- 1 carton Cool Whip
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
- Maraschino cherries for garnish
Directions:
Bake cake in a 9x13 pan. Cool. Layer cake with each ingredient listed above and garnish individual pieces with the cherries.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups bananas
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice
Glaze:
- 1 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. milk
Directions:
Sift flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Mix together eggs, oil and sugar. Then add bananas, vanilla, almond and pineapple. Gradually add flour mixture and mix well. Grease and flour bundt pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Pour glaze over cake.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Ham Balls
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground ham
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 2 eggs
- 2 graham crackers
- 1 1/2 cups milk
Directions:
Mix all together well. Form into balls, either large or small, as desired. These freeze well. Sauce for ham balls is as follows:
Sauce:
- 1 can tomato soup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
Directions:
Mix well. Pour over balls and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Glazed Carrots
In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add salt and pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/3 cup pecan syrup. To this add 1/2 pound carrots, which have been boiled until tender. Over medium heat, stir often and let carrots cook until glazed to a golden brown.
By Robin
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Vegetable Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 cans French-style green beans
- 1 pkg. frozen cauliflower
- 1 pkg. frozen broccoli
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- Cheese slices or grated cheese
Directions:
Mix vegetables and cook as directed on the packages. Add mushroom soup. Stir all together in a casserole dish then top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1 can consomme
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1 can mushrooms pieces (drained)
- 4 Tbsp. butter (melted)
- 1/4 onion (diced)
Directions:
Place rice in sieve. Place under running water and rinse until water runs clear. Place in buttered casserole. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well. Let stand in refrigerator overnight. Bake, covered, until rice is tender in 350 degree oven. This takes about 2 hours. Stir occasionally while baking.
By Robin
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Tree Light Tips
Tips for putting up, taking down and storing tree lights. Post your ideas.
A Quick Way to Light the Tree
Instead of fighting with strands of Christmas lights to put on your tree, try taking the ones that you buy to put on your outside bushes that are already in one bundle and just throw them over the top of the tree and your done with your lights.No more having to wrap around the tree.
By Debbie Lovett
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Cleaning Cookie Cutters
Throw dirty cookie cutters in a mesh laundry bag before putting in the dish washer to keep them contained while washing.
By June S.
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Staying on Budget - Tracking Credit Card Transactions
To help yourself stay on a budget, use a checkbook register to record all your credit card transactions and subtract them from a preset amount you can afford.
By June S.
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Blonde Joke
One blonde asks another blonde, "Which is closer, London or the moon?"
"HELLO!" replies the other blonde, "can you see London from here?"
By June S.
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Keeping a Little Drinking Cup Handy
I always keep a ziplock bag in my purse with a small mouthwash top, the little cup that comes on the mouthwash, to use for my kids when they want a drink from a public water fountain. Be sure to let the water run a little first before filling up the cup.
By Racer (Racing Towards Thimerosol-Free Vaccines)
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Half of a Christmas Tree
If you have limited space, use an artificial tree and place it close to a wall and leave the back branches off and decorate. It still looks good in less space.
You may want to attach a string to the middle of the tree for added support and put a tack in the wall and tie the string to it..
By Syd
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Poinsettia Tree Decorations
Silk Poinsettia clusters tucked into the branches of your Christmas tree is attractive and cheap when you buy them at "after Christmas markdowns."
Use white lights, white or red and white balls and red poinsettias for a theme. Put some poinsettia's in pots and arrange them around the base, makes the tree appear to be down to the floor.
By Syd
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Buy Sunscreen Before You Travel
If you are going on vacation to sunny climate, buy "fresh" containers of sunscreen and take it with you. Many times, in resort areas it is rather high priced so it's better to buy it before you arrive. Be sure to seal the sunscreen in a plastic baggy so it won't leak in your suitcase.
By Syd
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Bring Cloth Grocery Shopping Bags On Vacation
Taking a vacation where you will be staying in a condo? Pack cloth totes with strong handles and shoulder straps, to put your groceries in; much easier to carry from the car to the condo, making less trips.
By Syd
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Travel Tip for Your Coat
When we fly, we each carry a cloth tote bag or a plastic shopping bag with handles. It is much easier to slip your coat in that and carry it while you are in the airport. Some of the coats are slippery and poofy and awkward to hang onto along with your carry on.
By Syd
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String Popcorn and Cranberries
Instead of putting tinsel on your tree (I stopped doing that years ago as I feel it is so messy) take a large sewing needle and using fishing line thread popcorn and cranberries, then drape this over your tree. It's a fun project for the kids to do, it's very unique and just before you toss the tree out layer the popcorn and cranberry strings on your fence or if you don't have a fence toss it on the ground. The birds will love you for it. Hey, they have to eat too.
By Joesgirl
View Article: Click Here
Other Active Topics
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 December 31st.
Enter the contest!
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:
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New Requests:
How do you remove labels from bottles?
We're trying to remove some labels from bottles in order to start a collection, but it seems the glue and the labels are not made like they used to be. I've soaked them for an hour submerged in hot water, but it's not working. Would anyone have any solutions that maybe I could put in the water to loosen the glue?
Laura
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Looking for Good Job Listing Site
I wish there could be job listings on this website. The other sites will send you emails about jobs you have no interest in or that are too far to travel. I feel it would be very useful if people could view jobs that are actually around the area that they may live.
By tamsfun1
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Decorating A High School Dance With A Winter Theme
I'm on student congress and it is my responsibility this year to design the Winterfest dance at our high school. Well, since
pretty much every idea has already been taken by previous
classes, I am stumped, and the dance is just around the corner.
The theme is Winter, and I would greatly appreciate it if you
gave me some tips on how we could decorate the
halls/cafeteria/and commons. Thank You.
.
Jessica from Michigan
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Foaming Hand Wash Recipe
A short while ago there was a tip for making a foaming hand wash. I did not copy this and now I'm asking for a request. But I also want to wish each and everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Rudy from MA
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Looking for a Good, Inexpensive Vacuum Cleaner
I do not have much space to store a big vacuum nor do I have the time to deal with one that needs a bag. Can someone tell me of a very good vacuum that picks up everything (not water) for an affordable price of under $70.00.
Erica
Post Feedback: Click Here
Buying a Wedding Ring With Bad Credit
I want to propose to my girlfriend but I don't have the money to buy a ring right this moment, so are there any sites out there that you can buy now and pay later without good credit? and you can receive the ring before you get finish paying it off!
Allan
Post Feedback: Click Here
Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit
your request here: Click Here
Today's Sponsor
ChildSafe Network
Get 3 FREE Child Identification Kits with your FREE membership to the ChildSafe Network.
Click Here for more information.
More Reading:
Flying with Kids
By Cheryl Levey
Parents of young kids know that because of the energy levels kids are blessed with, keeping them quiet and in their seats on a flight - even a short one - can be a challenge. There have even been comedy skits about this, probably the most famous being Bill Cosby's skit about "Jeffrey." (It is hilarious and is on his "Bill Cosby: Himself" video. Highly recommended!)
View Article: Click Here
Keeping the Kids Busy During Winter Break
By Angela Billings
Children will soon be out of school and home for the holidays.The excitement lasts a couple of days and then they begin to get bored and restless. My children are homeshooled and we do have a Christmas break but even they are eager to start back with their lessons after a few days off.
View Article: Click Here
Boxers Dogs as Pets - Are they right for you?
Pet Boxers, although low-maintenance, require your consistent
attention, exercise, human interaction, consistent obedience training
and lots of love. You cannot leave them to their own design for too
long or they get lonely, bored and into trouble.
View Article: Click Here
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