Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Four, Number 75, March 19, 2005
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Photo Contest Entries:
- Freckles (Saved from Freeway)
- Bogart (Lab/Terrier)
Today's Tips:
- Make Some Gardening Pants
- Cooking Mushrooms
- Shopping for Car Insurance - Get Multiple Quotes
- Meatless Chili
- Build a Bridge To Hawaii Joke
- Plastic Cutlery for Lunches
- Speeding Up Green Bean Casserole
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Covering Food In The Microwave
- Using It Up
- Beauty Items
- Doily Dish Cloth
- Doing It Yourself For The Exercise
- How Do You Clean Copper?
- Lint Trap for Washtub Drain
- Grandma's Fan Pattern
- Nice Fried and Poached Eggs
- Deodorizing the Car
- Chill Your Jello Mold
- Selling on Ebay
- Pizza Joke
- Checking New Clothes
- Keeping Coolers Smelling Fresh
- Visit Dog Parks
- Keeping Hair Clippers Running
- Gas Saving Tips
- Delicious Cheap Meal - Ham and Bean Soup
- Telephone Warning for Kids
New Requests:
- Scratched Glass
- Freezing Prepared Oatmeal?
- Painting Advice For Room With Navy Bedspreads and Wooden Baseboards
- Skinny German Shepard
- Budgetting Help For a High School Senior
- Creative Ways To Serve Vegetables and Create Healthy Meals
- Glue for Fixing a Baking Pan
- Cleaning a Messy Room in 5 Minutes
- How Can I Get More Coupons?
More Reading:
- Make Them For Fun - Homemade Gizmos That Have a Purpose
- No Need For BSL - Breed Specific Legislation
- When To Order and Send Your Invitations
- One Minute Can Change a Life
Search ThriftyFun Using Google: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
No sponsor today. Advertising information available at:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/advertising.html
Today's Photo Contest Entries
Freckles (Saved from Freeway)
This is a picture of Freckles. My husband found him on the interstate in the middle of traffic and rescued him. He had the mange but was in very good health other wise. That was Jan. 1st, 2005, the attached picture is our baby now.
By Lisa Coleman
View Photo and Post Feedback: Click Here
Bogart (Lab/Terrier)
This picture just goes to show you that you don't need a lot of money to have fun! Our dog, Bogart thought we were weird taping paper circles to him; but we had fun! by the way, he wasn't hurt at all and just stood there and let us do it. He was a birthday present from my husband about 7 yrs ago and has been a blessing and a curse ever since! He's a lab/terrier mix of some sort and loves the usual: rides in the car, doggie cookies, going on walks. Hates baths.
By Cindy B
View Photo and Post Feedback: Click Here
Submit a tip with a photo or a pet description with a photo and you could win a prize. You can enter the photo contest here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Today's Tips
Make Some Gardening Pants
Make a pair of gardening pants out of an old pair of jeans. Sew the pockets from a pair of old pants on the knees of a pair of jeans. Then stuff the pockets with some foam rubber. These built in knee pads really save your knees. Just remove the foam rubber when you wash the pants.
By Rosemary
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Cooking Mushrooms
When cooking mushrooms, always be sure that you cook them with low heat and do not allow them to cook too long. If you do, they will become tough and will shrivel. Very little liquid is needed in any recipe in which you use mushrooms, because they themselves are ninety percent water.
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Shopping for Car Insurance - Get Multiple Quotes
Get 3 or 4 quotes from different insurance companies. Write down as much information as possible about each insurer. If the agent or representative is not willing to answer your questions, it's probably not a good company to give your business. Don't buy from the first insurance company you call!
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Meatless Chili
I make a meatless chili full of veggies and spices and thick tomato base and serve it over brown rice or in a homemade bread bowl. My family never misses the meat!
By Holly Dawson
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Build a Bridge To Hawaii Joke
A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. Suddenly, the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish."
The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I want." The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking. The supports to the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust every natural resource I have made. I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your
desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that would honor and glorify me."
The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I wish that I could understand my wife. I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing's wrong, and how I can make a woman truly happy."
The Lord replied, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"
By Cary Dennis
View Article: Click Here
Plastic Cutlery for Lunches
I put plastic cutlery in my husband's lunches for work. After him losing a couple of my "good" forks on the job site, he's gotten plastic ever since. Those I don't care if he loses.
By Terri H.
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Speeding Up Green Bean Casserole
Recently, I wanted to make a green bean casserole, but not wanting to bake it for the hour the recipe calls for. I made the casserole up like I'd normally do, but nuked it in the microwave till good & bubbly, while at the same time, I had my oven preheating.
After taking the casserole out of the microwave, all I had to do was sprinkle on my crushed french fried onions and place it in the hot oven, just long enough to brown. It was just as good, too! So next time, you're short on time, you don't have to rely on convenience foods!
By Terri H.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers
Recently, a pal and I were talking over lunch, what we were going to prepare for dinner that night for our family. She sighed and wished for an easier way of making 'Stuffed Bell Peppers.' I asked why, I make them, doesn't take hardly any time at all. She replied that by the time she pares her peppers, cuts them in 1/2, boils the peppers, drains the peppers, mixes her meat, rice, etc. and cooks that, then stuffs the peppers, and then fixes the peppers to bake. By that time, she's messed up nearly every pan in her kitchen and too tired to do much else.
I told her that I'd never made my Stuffed peppers that way. She replied "what OTHER way, is there?" I told her, I wash my peppers, cut out any bad spots and cut around the top of the stem area making a hole not much bigger, then empty out all seeds and set aside both parts (top and bottom) of the peppers. I then prepare my meat similar to meat loaf, complete with either: bread crumbs, rice, oatmeal, etc. Mix meat and ingredients altogether and stuff my peppers with the meat mixture and place the top of the pepper (stem) on top of meat filled pepper, closing with about 4 toothpicks. I place the peppers in a deep pan large enough so they'll all fit snugly. Give them all a few shots of Worcestershire sauce.
In a small bowl, I use 2-3 small cans of tomato sauce, and some brown sugar; mix well and pour over the top of the peppers. Place peppers in a preheated 350 oven for 1 hr. This way, you've only dirtied 2 bowls, the baking pan and maybe a couple of spoons. These can also be cooked in a slow cooker or crockpot. Great for family get-togethers, or single family meals. Can also be frozen for meals later on.
I do recommend if going to serve as leftovers, make sure you mix enough of the tomato sauce topping and serve along with the peppers. This is my Daddy's favorite meal!
By Terri H.
View Article: Click Here
Covering Food In The Microwave
If using a paper towel or wax paper to cover food while cooking it in the microwave, crumple the paper in your hands first. This will help the paper to form better around the food or container to stop spatters.
By Connie
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Using It Up - Beauty Items
Tips for using the last little bit of beauty items and cosmetics. Post your ideas.
Using it Up - Lip Gloss
When lip gloss seems almost done but you can see there's more, I put a drop of baby oil in it and shake. No waste.
By Betsy Nein
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Doily Dish Cloth
Instead of my usual dish cloth, I use a crocheted doily to wash dishes with. The roughness of the material helps "scrub". When I'm done, I lay the doily in the bottom of the sink and it looks pretty there.
By Betsy Nein
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Doing It Yourself For The Exercise
Mow your own lawn, rake your own leaves and shovel your own snow. You save paying someone else and also on gym memberships!
By Cynthia Conley
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How Do You Clean Copper?
Tips for cleaning copper. Post your ideas.
Use full strength Ketchup to clean your copper. You'll be shocked how shiny it gets.
By Brenda Cole
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Lint Trap for Washtub Drain
Prevent lint from clogging a washtub drain when the clothes washing machine drains into it by covering the drain hose with old pantyhose. Just cut off a 5 inch section of leg from the pantyhose and a 1 inch section. Slip the longer section over the drain hose. Cut the smaller section to use as a fastener. Be sure to knot the fastener tightly to secure the "lint trap" to the drain hose.
By Joan E in MN
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Grandma's Fan Pattern
The papers that come on the back of panty shields have just the right curve on one end for the Grandma's Fan (quilt) pattern. Just fold the other end in the get the straight edge you want.
By Donna
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Nice Fried and Poached Eggs
Put an egg in custard cup then slowly slide into pan to fry or poach to keep it in good form.
By Suebowman
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Deodorizing the Car
Put vinegar on a rag and place it in your car. Remove it after a couple of hours. This will get rid of many smells, including smoke and sour milk.
By Erica Greca
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Deodorizing the Car
If you don't have a lot of time to deodorize your car, use dryer sheets. You just hold or tuck one in the vent and turn the fan on! It works for me and sends a nice scent through the car. Also, I slip one under the seats.
By Jessica
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Chill Your Jello Mold
Place your jello mold in fridge to chill before adding the jello mixture. This will keep the "skin" off the mold.
By Suebowman
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Selling on Ebay
Tips and ideas for selling on Ebay. Post your ideas.
Selling Formula Coupons
You can sell bundles of unneeded baby formula coupons on auction sites for up to 50% of the face value.
By Jennem11
Editor's Note: You can also swap baby coupons for other coupons that you may need on ThriftyFun's coupon swap.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/board_coupons.html
Selling Rather than Throwing It Away
Before you toss something into the trash or the box to give to the thrift shop, try putting it on eBay. I've sold some of my old crochet books for several dollars each. Every little bit helps!
By Elaine O.
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Pizza Joke
How do you fix a broken pizza?
With tomato paste!
By Holly Dawson
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Checking New Clothes
When I get a new article of clothing, I always use a pair of sharp sewing scissors to cut off all the extra threads hanging from seams and buttonholes.
Also, on many new garments, there is a piece of thread inside the buttonhole that didn't get snipped. If you leave it there, it's hard to push the button through the buttonhole. Or even worse, that thread can get pulled, and end up snagging the fabric! So I check all buttonholes for extra threads.
By zballoongirl
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Keeping Coolers Smelling Fresh
Put crumbled up newspaper in your Coleman cooler to remove all musty odors; let set until the next time you use the container and all odors will be gone.
By Joni
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Visit Dog Parks
Start taking your new puppy to a Doggy Park NOW. You have plenty of happy days ahead of reading in the park as your dog runs free, gets plenty of exercise and socializes with other dogs. My time there lets me catch up on correspondence, I read my magazines and good books with out bother.
By RRementer2003
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Keeping Hair Clippers Running
If your clippers become too hot and stop clipping, for example: when shaving your dog - just dip them in alcohol while they are still running, and this will cool them off enough so that they continue to clip!
By Julia Laskowski
Editor's Note: I would unplug the Clippers before doing this. Another thing you can do is dip a toothbrush in alcohol and brush the hair out of the clipper blade. Also, keeping the Clippers oiled with a little 3 in 1 oil after each use you should keep them running smoothly.
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Gas Saving Tips
Slow down 5 mph while you're driving to increase fuel economy.
By cynthia conley
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Delicious Cheap Meal - Ham and Bean Soup
Several years ago when I could barely afford to eat, I found myself desperately looking for a way I could make something cheap, nutritious, tasty, and that would last. I invented a bean soup recipe.
I buy a bag of mixed beans in the grocery store. I get a package of ham hocks or shanks. I sautee lots of onions, celery and carrots in olive oil with minced garlic. I add the beans, ham hocks or shanks, water, and 2 or three cans of diced tomatoes. I usually use the kind with Italian seasoning. Sometimes I used the stuff with chilli seasoning.
I cook it all day until the meat is falling off of the ham hocks. I take the hocks out of the pot, cut the meat off the bone, and get the marrow out of the cavities, and put all of the meat back into the pot. I never use the fat from the ham hocks. If you are worried about the fat, use shanks.
For under $5.00, I would make a dutch oven full, and could eat off of that for over a week. I often adjusted the seasonings by adding Mrs. Dash, but it is a pretty full proof recipe.
By Susan K. Beal
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Telephone Warning for Kids
Did you know that you can go to google.com on your computer, type in area code+phone number, and you will be given the name and address that goes with that phone number, unless it is unlisted. This seems dangerous for kids, especially. Warn them!
Karen
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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 March 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:
Scratched Glass
I have a glass table top with a few minor light scratches and would like to know if I can do something to minimize them, camouflage etc. and how to protect it from now on.
Ana from Miami
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Freezing Prepared Oatmeal?
By Mary
I have high cholesterol and want to start eating oatmeal daily, but the instant is not effective in lowering it. Has anyone tried making oatmeal in a large batch and then freezing it in single serving sizes to reheat in the morning?
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Painting Advice For Room With Navy Bedspreads and Wooden Baseboards
I have wooden baseboards, navy bedspread, shams and bedskirt with white and navy. It is very white, not cream. What color would you suggest I paint the walls?
Joyce Bedsole
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Skinny German Shepard
i have a beautiful german shepard named bullett, he is 2, but to look at him, he looks like I do not feed him. He goes to the vet for his check ups and does not have worms, parasites, etc.... He eats like a pig but will not put any weight on.
i have tried different foods but nothing is working. I know dogs are like people as far as some will be fat, some will just be skinny, but he is REALLY skinny, you can see his ribs, and his bones in the back. When I watch animal cops and see the dogs that they take away because they are being abused I say to my hubby, if they saw bullett they would think the same thing.
He goes outside, but he is an inside dog, I do not trust people (terrible to say) since three of my dogs were poisined. I give him extra treats, he is a big spoiled baby.. but just plain skinny.
Joann Mecom
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Budgetting Help For a High School Senior
I'm a senior in high school, with less than 60 days until graduation.
I've worked at a part time job for about 4 years and I have nothing to show for it. I seriously have not saved any money at ALL!
I'm getting an apartment with my best friend in early August. But I'm SO stressed about money.
I've been reading, and I have to say, thank you SO much for your tips, but anything else you guys could think of that would help me out would be so wonderful!
I need a budget but I don't know how to begin one. Please help!
Jordan Anne
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Creative Ways To Serve Vegetables and Create Healthy Meals
My husband is as finicky an eater as many kids that I know (including my brothers.) He absolutely hates vegetables, and since he already had a stroke, and has both high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I am looking for creative, innovative, and ingenious ways to prepare vegetables, or disguise their taste so that he will eat them.
I don't like to use prepared foods because they are very costly, and because they always contain outrageous amounts of sodium and other bad ingredients. I would also like to know if anyone has any non meat recipes that someone this finicky would try. I should add that he insists that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is the best there is, so he won't let me make it from scratch! Help! Please! We have been married for less than 6 months, so this is very new to me!
By Susan K. Beal
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Glue for Fixing a Baking Pan
What type of glue will glue a ceramic baking pan back together and still be usable in the oven, water tight and immersible?
Thanks,
Holly
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Cleaning a Messy Room in 5 Minutes
How can you clean a very messy room in 5 minutes?
Dana from Weddington
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How Can I Get More Coupons?
How can i find more coupons? My sunday newspaper has very few coupons. I need to save money at the grocery store! Thanks,
Erica
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Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit
your request here: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
No sponsor today. Advertising information available at:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/advertising.html
More Reading:
Make Them For Fun - Homemade Gizmos That Have a Purpose
By Alan Detwiler
It's fun and satisfying to design and then make simple items that serve some purpose. I find it very rewarding to conjure up designs out of my imagination and then build them using common tools and cheap or free materials. I've made all kinds of things. Most of them performed some function that no readily available, store-bought device offered.
View Article: Click Here
No Need For BSL - Breed Specific Legislation
By Racheal Stacknick
In short breed specific legislation is a quick fix for a growing problem, only thing is it does not fix the problem.
View Article: Click Here
When To Order and Send Your Invitations
By Edna Renskers
Invitations should be ordered when you have all the details of your wedding set place, time of ceremony and reception as well as your guest list. Plan to place your invitation order at least 3-4 months in advance, some companies may require 4-6 months. Especially, if you are ordering custom made invitations or handmade invitations and coordinating ensembles. Depending on the intricacy of your design and because they are not mass produced, but rather assembled one by one it can take anywhere from 4 to 10 weeks for your order to arrive. Also consider the factor of the design process, possible errors, proofs and changes in your design.
View Article: Click Here
One Minute Can Change a Life
By Steve Goodier
He almost killed somebody, but one minute changed his life. The beautiful story comes from Sherman Rogers' old book, FOREMEN: LEADERS OR DRIVERS? In his true-life story, Rogers illustrates the importance of effective relationships.
View Article: Click Here
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