Daily Thrifty Tips - April 3, 2007

Dottie (Dalmation)

Our new addition Dalmatian Dottie. This is Dottie. She comes from a long line of Champion Dalmations. We don't plan to breed or show. We wanted a new member of our family. She's as sweet as she looks! Now just eight and a half weeks. She's keeping us busy and on our toes! What a joy she truly is to us!

Jennifer CA

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Valentine Collection of Tulips and Crocus

This is my Valentine collection of red tulips and white crocus. We just had a rain and then the sun came out. I love taking pictures with raindrops on the plants! They actually have bloomed for Valentine's Day once, now are a bit later. They are unique in that the bud starts way down in the heart of the leaves and works it's way up as it opens fuller.

By Betty from Cowichan Bay, BC

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Calling You Mom

We can only get our happiness back when we see a small child running towards you and calling you mom.

By sumansehra from New Delhi

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Nautical Themed Lamp

My husband is a sailor and loves nautical decor. He reproduced a lamp with a nautical theme by getting a plain brass lamp from a thrift shop and then decorating it with a nautically themed wallpaper border. It really looks nice.

By pamphyila from Los Angeles

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Planting Time

It's time to plant our gardens: Plant three rows of squash.

• Squash gossip
• Squash criticism
• Squash indifference

• Purity
• Patience
• Perseverance

• Let us be faithful to duty
• Let us be unselfish and loyal
• Let us search the scriptures
• Let us not be weary in well doing
• Let us be obedient in all things
• Let us love one another

• Turn up for church, prayer service and scripture study.
• Turn up with a smile, even when things are difficult.
• Turn up with determination to do your best for God's cause.

Terri from Nevada

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Think: What Would Great Grandma Do?

Our ancestors were VERY frugal and remembering some of the penny pinching ideas they employed is helpful even now. Gram Mac was as tight as bark to a tree, but remembering what she would have done ha saved me a trip to a store recently. How?

I was marking a new (shorter) hemline in some lovely window drapes a friend had given me when I discovered that I had NO thread that anywhere near matched their color! Since the material was a solid color, between sage green and a shade of olive green, that was not surprising! I wanted the new drapes hung, like yesterday! I'd cleaned the two windows and even had the ironing board out, all ready to give the lovely drapes a nice finish.

Frustrated, I thought, "Oh shoot! What would Gram Mac have done?" I sat fingering my lap project and suddenly it came to me. I took a length of material I'd cut off and was going to trash. Sure enough, using a needle to start a strand of material, I grabbed a recipe card and began winding thread from the material around it. Before you could repeat, What would grandma do?" I had more than enough thread to do the new hems!

By Janet from Conway, NH

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Pine Sol for Clean Smell

I sometimes pour a small amount of Pine Sol into my sink drains and toilets when I want the fresh smell of clean and don't actually need to clean or "feel like cleaning"! Anyone visiting will think you've been cleaning all day.

By Michelle from Lanett, AL

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Have Kids Make Egg Salad

If you use hard boiled eggs, try this after you have your egg hunt. Let the kids in on more fun rather than letting the eggs go bad. Let them turn their treasures into delicious egg salads. And remember, "Have FUN with it."

By Annalise from Langhorne, PA

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Storing Onions and Potatoes

When my pantyhose get a run, I launder them with a regular load of laundry in the washer and then cut them off at the thigh. I use them for holding root vegetables. I put an onion in the toe and then tie a knot, and then add another onion, repeating. The onions lying or sitting directly next to each other hastens spoilage and the knot prevents this from happening. I then make a loop in the end and hang it in my pantry. When I need an onion, I just snip one off at the knot. This also keeps the skins from getting all over (and works with potatoes as well!)

By Denise from FL

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Saw Dust Gutter for Your Workshop

A good use for old gutters, either wood or metal, is a debris gutter for the side of you work bench. Just attach it to the side of your work bench so that you can sweep debris and saw dust into it. You can have it at an angle so that it drains into a garbage can. Pretty nifty!

By LS

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Double The Color Easter Eggs

For beautiful dyed eggs, use the purchased tablet kind and follow the package directions except use two tablets per color (Buy two packages). You will love the rich tones this makes.

By Mygaley from Boyce LA

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Store Panty Hose In Toilet Paper Tubes

If you like your dresser drawers neat and you want to save on panty hose, roll up your hose and insert in a toilet paper roll. You can arrange them nicely in rows and saves from a hangnail snag or a bra hook stored in same drawer. You can use a marker to write the colors or type of hose on the empty roll for easy access.

By Tracey from Thomasville, GA

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Rope Dresser Handles

When we were younger we bought our kids dresser at a garage sale, but the handles were missing. We couldn't afford to buy any. So, my husband strung rope through the holes and tied a knot inside to hold it in place. We had that dresser for 20 years. So often we would smile about that. When the rope-handle gets dirty from use just cut it and strung through another rope-handle. And the rope will never break. You could use The cloth clothesline rope or the plastic type. Ours was cloth but the plastic one you could wipe clean and disinfect.

Ariela from FL

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Spiders In My House

I'm in Louisiana and have recently encountered several spiders in the house. I think I have killed 8 or so in the past 2 weeks. Including 2 Black Widow Spiders (although these were on the patio). Terminix has sprayed but it's my understanding that what they use is NOT preventative. I have read that spiders like messy, cluttered spaces and my house has never been either. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can prevent living with these creatures. I fear for my infants safety. HELP!

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Margaret from Louisiana

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Dental Fresh for Dogs Reviews

Does anyone know about the product Dental Fresh for Dogs teeth cleaning? The info I have is:

Dental Fresh for Dogs

Just add to your pet's drinking water for optimal oral health. Dental Fresh protects teeth and gums, removes plaque and tartar, brightens teeth, and freshens breath. Makes professional cleaning faster, easier, and gentler.

I have heard "yes" maybe it helps; but wonder if anyone had used it... Or, do you know anything that would help besides this. I cannot brush my dogs teeth (she won't allow--haha), and having them cleaned at the vets is expensive. She has such tartar build up, and needs it done twice a year. This site was recommended to find out if anyone could help.

Thanks!
Linda from Greensboro, NC

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Skunk In My Garage

Yesterday I discovered a Skunk in my garage. I immediately took action to remove him/her with the use of water from the hose. I sprayed and it sprayed. The skunk left the garage and now I have the spray absorbed into the concrete and boxes that were on the floor. Any thoughts? I realize I have to discard the boxes, but concerned about getting the smell out of the concrete floor. This is not the only skunk, there are others around and I'm always on the lookout, must have sneaked in during the early morning hours when I pulled the car out of the garage. We live in a residential area.

David from San Antonio, TX

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Motor Oil Stains on Cement

How can motor oil stains be cleaned from a garage floor (cement)?

Fred from DE

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Over The Counter Medications That Rebuild Cartilage In The Knees

I want to know the name of any over the counter medications that rebuild cartilage in the knees. I had one knee operated on about 20 years ago and its still not much better than it was back then. I will not go the surgery route again. I just want to know of any medicines that you know work (Not ones that you have heard of). I have heard of alot of OTC medicines, but I want to hear from people who use them personally and how they have helped them.

Thank you!
Kim from Howell

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My Keyboard Number Pad Won't Work

I was cleaning my keyboard today while it was on (I know I should have had the computer turned off while I was wiping the keys). I hit some of the keys and now I cannot get my number pad to work. Can someone tell me how to turn it back on please? Thank you.

Debbi from Brownstown, MI

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Fruit Tree Tips

We have several apple, peach and pear trees and would like to know what to spray on them to prevent the apples from getting wormy and rusty and the pears from looking good but soft and mushy and bitter on the inside. They were not like that when we moved in our first year but since then they are useless as edible fruit. Can anyone help me?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Thanks,
Dora from Loretto VA

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Smoke Smell on a Piano

A friend of mine just recieved a piano, but it was from someone who smoked. Does anyone know how to get the smell out of the piano without ruining the piano? It is a light wood upright piano.

Thank you,
Debbi from Brownstown, MI

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Main Kwong Chinese Restaurant Crispy Chicken Sauce

I live in Charleston, WV. Does anyone have the recipe for the sauce Main Kwong Chinese Restaurant uses on their Crispy Chicken? If you've ever been there you know that's it's their most popular dish.

Thanks,
Tim from Charleston, WV

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Storing Garlic

How do you store garlic?

Bill from Orlando

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Storing Mushrooms

How do you store mushrooms?

Bill from Orlando

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Tips for the Truly Frugal
By Nikki Willhite

Whether you are frugal by choice or by necessity, here are some tips for saving money when money is very tight. (Originally Published in 2003)

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Easter CD Baskets
By Debra Frick

It's that time again when we need to be creative about what goes into that Easter Basket so that we don't put our kids on chocolate overload. Personally, I like to put inexpensive toys like crayons and books in their baskets, but recently I was asked by my grandson William if I could get him some coloring pages to color when he had to spend some extended time here. He just loves the movie "Cars" so we went out on the internet and looked for Cars coloring pages. We found a ton, so many in fact, that William and I decided to make a CD of just coloring pages, not only just for him but for his brothers and cousins. While we were out there, we found some of educational sites that had every thing from Coloring Pages to downloadable lined paper for practicing writing.

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Starting Geraniums from Slips

Here are some suggestions on how to root geranium slips to avoid rotting. Post your own techniques below.

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Bake Your Own Dog Treats!
By Catherine Forman

Maybe you're celebrating a special occasion in your pup's life. Maybe you love to cook and want to experiment with new recipes! Here are some basic recipes for homemade dog treats -- I'd love to hear about any variations you try.

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