Daily Thrifty Tips - June 26, 2006

Free Photo Organizer From Google

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Aisha is 18 months old and is a European Shorthair (Moggie.) I found sweet little Aisha in a rubbish bin while visiting Greece in late 2004. She was very tiny, very sick, thin and half-dead from hunger and had almost no fur left because of ringworms. I had to extend my Greek vacation for a month in order to get her well enough and to get all the papers and shots needed in order for me to bring her back with me to Denmark.

Aisha is just a bundle of love and joy and it seems somehow that she realizes that she has been given a second chance in life. Her zest for life and having fun is just so heartwarming to see. She has 5 cat siblings, all rescue cats and she just loves to "harrass" them all and keep them on their toes. They all love her dearly and groom and cuddle their "little sister" all the time. She loves being spoiled by them all and gets away with anything where they are concerned. The world is definitely a better place with Aisha in it and I am so lucky I found her.

The picture is of Aisha on a walk with me in the woods next to where I live. She learned very early to walk on a lead and can't wait to go chase butterflies, bumblebees and anything else that catches her eye. She even wants to chase dogs, horses and bicycles, but I think she'd be biting off a bit more than she could chew if I let her do that. Maybe I should have named her "Braveheart" instead...

By Vicki from Copenhagen, Denmark

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Scooter Bentley is a 12 week old Bichon Terrier Mix. We just purchased him in Ohio and our sister-in-law and family are keeping him, until we can arrive from Florida in July.

They say he likes to play with his cousins' toys and is very friendly. We have heard him whine on the phone and this is his first picture.

I have wanted a new puppy since we retired in 2003 and my husband surprised me with this new puppy. I have already started a digital scrapbook. I am so excited.

By DiAnne and Jerry from Leesburg, Florida

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Here is a picture of the Smith River Gorge in Oregon.

By Trish from Lubbock, TX

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Cracker is almost 3 years old and is a Siamese. My brother's girlfriend gave him to us about 3 years ago. He likes to play fetch.

By D. Sandoval from Yuma, AZ

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Here is a great way to keep your soap dish cleaner: Place smooth river stones (available at any craft store) on the bottom of your soap dish and place the bar of soap on top. This will keep the bar of soap from getting scummy, plus it looks attractive too!

By Carol from Lancaster, PA

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I often give calendars for gifts. Before wrapping up the calendar, be sure to write birthdays, anniversaries or other dates the recipient would find valuable.

By Tedebear from San Jose CA

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My husband lives for Mexican food. Burritos, tacos, etc, are better if the beef isn't in big chunks. To finely crumble ground beef for tacos or other dishes, I use my food processor. A few spins of pulse makes the ground beef the perfect size. In a pinch, a pastry blender works well also; but won't make it a fine as the food processor.

By blueheeler1998 from Lakeville, OH

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We found a pattern for a picnic table constructed from 1 piece of 3/4 inch plywood. It will seat 4-6 people and is small enough to fit in the back of a SUV. It is constructed with removable screws and is disassembled for storage.

I painted the table green and "stenciled" leaves onto the top, benches and sides. I collected different sizes of leaves (fern, oak, sweet gum, etc.). The leaves were laid on the surface and spray paint was applied; the leaves were gently removed; we used a brown tone paint and a hunter green. A large fern leaf was "stenciled" on the top of the table in the middle with English ivy leaves "stenciled on the corners of the table

We made another table a few years ago and it is very handy for camping, picnics or other functions. I will post a picture at a later date.

We are going on a camping vacation at the end of the week (6/23) and will have two camping picnic tables to use plus a metal camp table.

By WandaJo from Collierville, TN

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1. Cut down to top of soda label. Either spray paint or decorate and you have a small cut flower vase.
2. First, secure long elastic band at bottom of label with glue or duct tape. Attach to the top of round tomato stakes (the metal ones). Pierce bottle cap with a two of 3 holes or 1 quarter inch small slit. Then fill bottle with water attach suspended over tomatoes. It will drip slowly for several hours. Nice on hot days when tomatoes normally droop until watering.
3. Exercise with your bottle. Squeeze it to build up hand strength or fill it with water dirt, sand or stones to exercise your arms
4. Hit your bottle on something to make loud noises to scare away animals. You could also use the hitting to make a strange noise and call to others attention to investigate. (A possible call for help?)
5. A weighted bottle could be used to kill an animal in a survival situation or it might drive away a predator animal if your aim is true.
6. A dried bottle could be used to keep sugar, flour, spices or dried vegetables fresh and keep mice from getting into them at your hunting cabin for many months.
7. Fill bottle to top label line with dry potpourri. With a craft knife, cut a dozen slits 1/6 in wide by 1 in long around the top funnel of the bottle. Presto, a room freshener (Decorate but leave cap on bottle)
8. You really can compress your paper trash by cutting, tearing and folding it into a bottle. My record was a half of waste can of sandwich wraps/waste paper, candy bar wrappers,and paperboard containers into a 20 ounce soda bottle. (hey it is something to do when you have time to do it.)
9. A fishing bait container: Worms, small minnows and bugs come out easily through the cap. Always empty after use and discard.
10. Can be a nickel dime and penny bank. One bottle, over the years, could hold if all coins were put in well over several hundred dollars. Imagine and you have it just when you need it.

Ok, Thrifty people, that is but just 10 ways to reuse that soda bottle you just discarded. I have probably another hundred more, but I will let you experiment and discover other reuses.

It's fun and it saves you money and helps the Planet.

Happy past Earth Day

By Mr. Thrifty from Shermans Dale, PA

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We're getting married in July, and to save money we're doing everything ourselves. We will be spending the two days before the wedding, baking and cooking with our families.

For our wedding favors, we are going to line a buffet table with plates of homemade cookies we remember from childhood, made by mom, grandma, and the aunts. There will be Chinese takeout containers for guests to load with chosen cookies.

This way, each guest will be sure to end up with something they like, and they don't have to lug knick-knacks home to sit on a shelf! Plus, we get to save money on favors and relive a little bit of childhood magic.

The takeout containers are easy to find online, and you can personalize them with ribbons, stamps, or stickers.

By Heidi from Charlottesville, VA

Editor's Note: Heidi, if you get a chance, please take pictures to share.

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I found this information very useful and have used it often to prepare a chuck roast and also a round roast. Both cuts of meat are on sale often here in Texas.

It doesn't matter how inexpensive the chuck or sirloin roast, if it turns out so tough and flavorless that no one will eat it, it was no bargain at all. But a bad experience doesn't mean you should shy away from those thrifty cuts. It means you need to learn how to prepare even the cheapest cuts of beef so you can expect perfect results every time.

The three economy cuts of beef roast are chuck, sirloin and round. The chuck is fattier and somewhat tender, while the round is lean and relatively tough. The sirloin falls somewhere in between.

While you can get away with buying cheap meat, you cannot scrimp on the equipment: You'll need a meat thermometer and an oven thermometer (evenIf you trust your oven's temperature gauge) because exact temperatures are the key to the best results. With what you'll save on your meat tab, you'll have more than enough to invest in the thermometers (about $5 each).

The following steps are for chuck, sirloin and round cuts of varying size, although 2 to 5 pound roasts are ideal and will produce the best results.

1. Tie the roast with white cotton string at 1-1/2 inch intervals. Tying the roast tightly makes it compact and shaped evenly, promoting even roasting.
2. Season with salt and pepper and place the roast in a roasting pan, uncovered.
3. Place the meat thermometer in the roast so the tip reaches the center of the thickest part.
4. Set the oven thermometer inside the oven close to the pan.
5. Roast at 250 degrees F until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 110 F.. Plan on approximately 25 minutes per pound, but watch the thermometer, not the clock. It will vary according to the shape and density of your roast and the amount of fat.
6. Without removing the roast from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 500 F until the internal temperature reaches 130 F (medium rare).
7. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the meat to rest for 20 minutes. The roast will be succulent, tender, juicy and more flavorful than it would be if you had prepared it using any other cooking method.

If you have sufficient roast left over (you'll need about 1 pound to prepare the following to serve six), you will find it even better the second time around served as a wonderful Salad of Cold Roast.

To 1 cup of purchased vinaigrette salad dressing, add a dollop of Dijon-style mustard and mix well. Carve the beef into thin slices. Place the slices on a large pie plate or platter, and pour about 3/4 cup dressing over the beef, with a sprinkling of thyme. Allow to marinate for several hours (if you have time), basting several times.

Line a serving platter with lettuce leaves that have been tossed with a spoonful or so of the vinaigrette. Mound 2 to 3 cups potato salad in the middle. Place the beef slices around the potatoes, and decorate the platter with such items as tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, black olives, rings of red onions and fresh parsley.

By Bobbie G from Rockwall, TX

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Keep a paper towel holder in your garage for one-handed ease of quick clean-ups or checking car fluids.

By kcarskc from SE Idaho

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Dear Webby's Humor Letter

Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.

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I have an electrical problem. I have power at my light switch and fixtures, but when I put a light bulb in the socket the power is no longer there. If I take the bulb out and power is back.

Kimeo from St. Paul, MN

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I am 17 years old and i need organizing tips for my room, i recently rearranged it but have no idea where to put everything. My biggest thing is where do I put all my stuffed animals? i have bout 101+ stuffed animals and I don't want to get rid of them either.

Thanks,
rebelsrock17 from Florence, KY

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I have a baby shower coming up in early July. My problem is that is my boss's wife who I am very good friends with. The real problem is that she has very particular and expensive taste that don't fit in my budget. I want to do something special and I am at a loss. Please help! I don't have a lot of time either.

Karen from port clinton, OH

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I wear a lot of novelty socks (you know, the non-boring kind with decorative stuff like kitties and puppies) rather than trouser socks. One of my toes is a bit longer than the others, so I often wear a hole in the toe. I darn them several times, but eventually it gets to the point that they can't be darned any further. However, when they reach this point, the rest of the sock is fine and still cute. Can anyone think of something else I could DO with the socks other than toss them? I thought about dog toys but the socks are not anywhere near sturdy enough, and I don't have cats for kitty toys. Suggestions?

Barefoot Contessa from Starkville, MS

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I have a brother with 3rd stage pancreatic cancer. He has done 10 months of chemo which is amazing in its own but his last scan showed spots in his chest so they stopped chemo. They are looking for a new one. He has just beat so much with it already and is SO positive. He is only 45 years old with a wonderful wife, an 18 year old daughter who just graduated top of her class and a 16 year old he would love to see graduate. Does anyone have and info on chemos that may help? My whole family is searching as well as some of the best doctors in the country. It just doesn't seem right for him to die after he has already beat the time frame. Any thoughts would be welcome. Or just someone to talk to. This is tearing me up.

Karen from Port Clitnon, OH

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I'm 13 and want a Japanese style room! But I have the smallest budget in the world! I would like to know how to update my room.

Ruki from Baker, Oregon

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We have a hay field of about 6 acres. It has become overrun with poison ivy. Any ideas of how to eliminate the it without destroying the hay? Hardiness Zone: 6b Woofey from Southern, MA

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I am getting ready to move to another house. I have a washer upstairs and I would like to know if you have any good ideas on how to transport the washer downstairs.

Onesummer from Georgia

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Does anyone have any ideas for lunches that do not require heating. My husband works outdoors and away from home all day and has a habit of constantly grabbing fast food. This can get really expensive! We do make sandwiches occasionally, but he eventually gets tired of eating the same thing. Thanks for the input!

Juls from Edmond, OK

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My 6 year old Frigidaire washing machine suddenly starts to not completely wring out the water after a complete wash cycle.

Sidneiye from CA

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Is anyone else having to replace new(er) appliances more quickly than they expected? When we built our new home six years ago, we bought all new name-brand appliances except for the stove. They are not lasting! So far, I have had to replace the microwave, my beloved self-cleaning gas stove (8 years old), the dishwasher and now the water softener. The answer I have received to my question of why is that these appliances are now made with circuit boards and they are much more expensive to repair than replace. Are we that much of a disposable society or am I just choosing the wrong brands? I am beginning to think that those who hang onto their appliances manufactured 15 years ago or longer are going to be real winners in this arena.

Ronsan from Southwest Missouri

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After a night of drinking, I puked all over my boyfriend's car. I had it cleaned by a car detailer, but the smell is still there. How can I get the smell out of the car?

Thanks
Brittany from Toronto, CA

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Does anyone have any idea how to dispense cheese for nachos without having a mess. We don't have a regular cheese warmer with the pump on it, so we usually heat the cheese in a crock pot and dip it out but that is so messy and we waste a lot that way.

bsw66 from Coshocton, OH

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Does anyone know of anything that will work to deter a dog from laying in mulch? We have planted 3 lilac bushes and some hasta in our back yard. We mulched them and our collie decided to start laying in the mulch. We even put a 1 1/2-2 ft. edging-type fence around it and she jumps over the fence to get to it so she can lay in it. She's smashed one of my hasta.. I love my dog, but this has got to stop! HELP!

Robin from Washington, IA

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Two weeks ago, I purchased one of those cheap hair dyes (BIG MISTAKE!) that is supposed to be temporary. The box said it would wash out in 12 to 24 shampoos. So, I, in my great wisdom, figured, what the heck. I tried the color black, a huge change from my medium auburn hair. I figured it was only temporary, right? I have washed and washed my "very black hair" and it is not coming out. What do I do? I look awful in black. How do I get this color out? Why isn't it coming out if it is supposed to be temporary? I am sure the box said temporary, or i would never have used it. Any advice, anyone.

Many, many thanks in advance.
Anjeena from NY

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I would like a pattern, step by step, of the Jordy Bag.

Thanks.
Joangel from Peoria, AZ

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Any suggestions on the best way to shrink a pair of capri pants that are approximately one size too large. They are 45% cotton/55% linen. Will they shrink more evenly washed in hot water and then dried in dryer or if washed in cold water and dried on high heat in the dryer? Does anyone have experience with this? Does hot water or high heat cause more shrinkage? Since they are capris, I am not concerned about the possible change in length. I cannot alter them and they are not worth taking to someone who does alterations but I do like them. Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Summergirl from VA

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I have an elderly neighbor with a semi-retarded 53 year old daughter that I help out quite a bit. The mother has asked me to help her clean her house. She doesn't get around very well at 84 and the daughter has scoliosis and after working at a workshop she can't do much. I am looking for suggestions as to what to charge them to come in and clean. They have money but I want to be fair. I have done cleaning in the past but that was military housing as people moved out. Any ideas?

Karen from Port Clinton, OH

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I was wondering does anyone know how to get whiteout out of my shirt? I shook the bottle thinking the cap was on and it wasn't.

Thanks and have a wonderful day.

MVB from Sun City, CA

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How do you remove toothpaste stains from laminate flooring?

Colby from NY

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Two dogs, chow chows, playfight and goof around in their back yard.

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Selecting High-Quality Carrots: Fresh carrots may lose some of their crisp texture during freezing but will still be good for cooking. Select young, tender, medium length carrots free from cracks and dryness. Small carrots are usually the most tender. When harvesting, leave them in the garden until you're are ready to process them, but do not let them become too oversized or woody.

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