Daily Thrifty Tips - March 24, 2006

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BOO is our 10 month old Jack Russell. My son got her for his birthday. Besides liking to eat my things, she is a true mischief maker, hyper but that cute face saves her every time.

Love her to death, even though she is my sons dog she is really a mommys baby.

By Michelle from Eastpointe MI

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Elsa is my 2 year old Rottweiler and Cleo is my 8 year old cat.

I found Elsa on the street and I got Cleo from friend as kitten.

Elsa loves to pretend she is a lap dog. Cleo loves to chase crumpled cigarette packages and tease Elsa.

My dog loves the cat but the cat only tolerates the dog. Cleo thinks she is better than Elsa, who just wants some lovins. But when it comes to food scraps they are on even grounds.

By Gretta from Wayne, OK

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Here's an easy and cheap Easter basket that the kids can make. All you need is:

• Cottage cheese container (sanded and painted)
• 3 pipe cleaners
• Hole punch
• Cross made from thin cardboard
• Purple tissue paper
• 2 pieces of thorns

After you've sanded and painted your cottage cheese container (it may need more than 1 coat) punch holes in the top for the handle and so you can weave the pipe cleaners along the top. Hot glue on the purple tissue paper to your cross and glue the cross to the basket. Then hot glue on the thorns (I found some thorns in the woods behind my house)

On the other basket I just printed out a picture of a cross with lilies, colored it with markers and glued it on the basket. I also weaved the pipe cleaner different on this basket. You can do it any way you want. If you're going to let the kids do this themself I suggest using tacky glue or elmer's.

You also need some Easter grass for in the bottom of your basket. These are a nice size to give as gifts for Easter.

By luv2craft from Normalville, Pennsylvania

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I use my dishwasher to clean all knick knacks that are safe in the dishwasher, also my stove burner covers, any other items that will be safely cleaned in my dishwasher. This saves a bundle of time.

By Mom from Lancaster, PA

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You can make an easy tuna salad by mixing store bought cole slaw with a can of tuna. (You can get good deals on cole slaw at Smart and Final, too.)

By Pam from L.A., CA

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Sugar! I love to buy new beauty products every once in a while, but I will never buy another exfoliating product again. I take a big ziplock bag full sugar and store it in the bathroom. Once a week, in the shower, I grab a couple of handfulls and start scrubbing my arms, legs, face, and it works better than any product that I have bought. I hope all of you will try this-it really makes you feel great!

By Robyn from Altoona

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Training your dog can be a long and sometimes complicated process, but there are some basic things that you should keep in mind.

1. Before you start to teach your dog a new trick, make sure YOU understand what you want him to do. Let's say you are teaching him to sit. Do you want him to respond to a verbal command? A hand signal? Both?

2. Repetition is key. Like the old saying goes, practice makes perfect.

3. Consistency is ultra-important. You need to ask for the trick the same way every single time. If you are using a verbal command, say it the same way every time. If you are using a hand signal, make the gesture the same way every time.

4. Your voice and gestures need to be clear and firm.

5. Positive reinforcement always works better than punishing errors.

6. Don't reward bad behaviors. If your dog doesn't do the trick you want when you ask, he doesn't get the treat. End of story!

7. Dogs are eager to please. They want to do what is going to make you happy (and make you give them the treat!)

8. Dogs aren't stupid. If he understands what you want, he will do it.

9. Dogs aren't mind readers. If you are teaching a dog to sit, it may help for him to see another dog sit on command, or have you push down gently but firmly on his rump while saying SIT. (Or whatever phrase you choose.)

10. Dogs, like people, learn at different rates. Some breeds are known for being quick learners; some breeds are not as quick.

11. Teach and practice tricks when your dog is alert! Just after a meal or late at night, he will be tired and sluggish and not as interested in what you're asking.

12. Keep the lessons short. If your dog starts to get bored, he's going to stop paying attention and then you're both going to get frustrated.

13. End lessons on a positive note. The last thing you should ask for during a lesson is a trick that your dog knows and performs well.

Whether you are teaching your dog the basics (sit, stay, and heel) or more complicated tricks, it's a great way for you and your pup to bond.

By Catherine Forman

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I live in a mobile home, so space is very limited. I don't have a shed, but if I did, storage there would also be limited. So, we take all of our things to be stored, put them in large plastic totes with a tight sealing lid, and store them under our trailer! I never stick anything in there that would get ruined if it freezes, and I also stick mine up on wooden pallets. Then I just replace my skirting and I have a lot more room to store things without paying to store them!

This works great for most of my holiday items, yard sale items (through winter as I find things I want to sell, I shove them in a tote out there until summer), it would work for baby items that you might be saving for future use, the possibilities are endless... lol.

By Katie from Pennsylvania

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I have a "recipe" for doggie toothpaste that I'd like to share with you guys! Mix together Baking Soda and Water to make a paste. Gently scrub the teeth with a soft brush or with gauze wrapped around your finger. **Remember that human toothpaste can upset your dog's stomach.

By Katie from Pennsylvania

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When you do something physical that will likely cause muscle stiffness mix 1 packet of knox gelatin in a small amount of water or orange juice. Drink it quickly before it thickens. This will prevent a great deal of discomfort from stiff, sore muscles. If you forget to do it before you will be reminded after the physical exercise by your muscles stiffening up. As soon as you feel this quickly drink the above suggested mix and it will amazingly take away most of the discomfort in about half an hour.

By Marilyn from Saskatchewan, Canada

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You can make a poorman's specialty coffee by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate flavored creamer to a 1/2 cup of coffee, adding milk and microwaving for 2 min. (Adding the spices also works to spiff up the regular cafe au lait at the coffee bar to save you a dollar or two.)

By Pam from L.A., CA

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To save cleanser that comes in cans, I never peel off the entire covering over the holes. I only peel off to expose one-two holes. You use less and there's less waste. Kids just love to shake, shake, shake.

To save on cleaning sprays, I use tape to cover a few of the holes or don't unscrew the opening only slightly. This way I use only what I need, where I need it.

Pour dishwashing liquid into a smaller personal sized bottle (used for travelling) and you'll use less each time you need to wash dishes.

By Freemom from Northern California

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Do bangs make women look younger and who should wear them?

sunflower71 from Detroit, MI

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I have heard that there are websites where you can compare prices for supermarket goods. Specifically, it allows you to see where the lowest prices for each product is in your neighborhood. Then you can go to that store to buy something such as cheese or meat and get the best price possible. Has anyone else found out about this?

Thanks,
Raney from Seattle

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I have ring around the collar of light blue shirt. I am trying shampoo. I was once told to use comet on spots but I am scared of bleaching out the uniform shirt. What do you think?

Hugs,
Acesnanna from Pacific NW

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Can anyone tell me how to remove nail polish from a wood dresser and not take the finish off?

Thanks,
Kathie from England

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How do you stop leather shoes from creaking or squeaking when you walk? I have 2 pairs of the same style and both pairs have developed an irritating squeak.

Joanie from South Africa

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I have 5 cats: 3 girls and 2 boys. One of my female cats is ALWAYS in heat and I wondered if that was normal? She will go out of heat for about a week and then right back in for a few weeks and the cycle just repeats. I think she is going into heat more frequently than she should, but wondered if anyone else had this problem? She is 2 years old and a mixed tabby cat. The other girls seem fine with their cycle, it is just her. And to top it off when she goes into heat she sprays... do you think if she gets spayed it would help? Any info would be wonderful, she is very vocal when she is in heat and she is driving me crazy.

Thank you!
Katie from PA

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Breed Description: Affectionately referred to as the "Eskie," the American Eskimo Dog has a beautiful, thick white coat that forms a lion-like main around the neck, a black nose, erect, triangular ears and a curly tail. This breed is divided into three small to medium sizes: Toy, Miniature and Standard.

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Breed Description: The American Staffordshire Terrier is a stocky, well-built dog with a lot of strength, agility and grace for its smaller size. This breed is large-boned with a broad skull, short muzzle, powerful jaw and a muscular body and medium-long tapered tail.

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Breed Description: The Abyssinian is one of the oldest know breeds of cat. In appearance, this breed has a slightly wedged head, beautifully arched neck, large ears and large, almond-shaped eyes. Its medium length body is strong and muscular, yet lithe and elegant. It has a fairly long tail and almost disproportionately slender legs ending at tiny oval paws. The long-haired version of this cat is the Somali.

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