Daily Thrifty Tips - December 27, 2007

We have quite a few new product recalls today in the More Reading section. Be sure to look them over.

Also, tomorrow's Saving Money on Newsletter will be about Saving Money in the New Year. What tips or money saving strategies to you plan to employ next year? Post them here:

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10447304.tip.html

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Craft: Shaker Cards

Ever wonder how to mail a snow-globe in an envelope? With this easy technique of making "Shaker Cards", turn your hand-stamped cards into dimensional windows that you can fill with confetti, potpourri or anything you like.

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San Francisco Wedding Photos

This is a really nice couple, and funny, The tree picture was actually taken the next day after the wedding and we all went to San Fransisco. The stair picture I just though would look like a funny picture but actually is a very nice piece. I added it to my collection. It reminded me of a Charile Chaplin movie.

I finally decided to take pictures, people are always telling me I take nice pictures. I can tell when a picture is good, very professional, but never thought I could take nice professional pictures. The couple love the pictures, let me know what you think. Thanks!

By Igor from Sacramento, CA

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Turn A Photo Into A Window Outside

This photo was taken in my in law's back yard. My Father in law would set there when he wanted to smoke. My mother in law wouldn't allow him to smoke inside. So these lawn chairs were a part of him.

After my in law's passed on to a better world, my wife and I were visiting her brothers one day. While I was outside, I grabbed my camera and took a photo of the lawn chairs, then I made a frame out of old barn siding. The frame is made to look like a window. I mounted the photo of the lawn chairs in the frame. Now when you view the photo of the chairs, it looks like you are looking out the window

Hope you like it.

By John from Haysville, KS

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Wrap Presents With Foil

Instead of using wrapping paper (save a tree) for my smaller gifts, I used aluminum foil. It was much easier to wrap with than paper and I didn't have to use as much tape. I bought the longest, cheapest roll I could find. I ran out of gifts before I ran out of foil! Plus with a ribbon, it looks like more expensive foil paper. Very festive!

By Jenntaker from Lenox, MA

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Bello (Shepherd Mix)

Bello is 3 months old and is a shepard/pit or boxer(?) He is an adopted stray from the SPCA 2 weeks ago.

He likes to chew things, take walks and wrestle. He is very smart and although he likes nipping and growling during play time, he appears friendly. I believe he may be very large. Hopefully, he will be a calm and friendly animal and can be our forever dog, no matter what mix!

By John from Peckville, PA

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Numbering Puzzle Pieces for Easier Sorting

If your children or grandchildren have several board puzzles, here is a great way to know which piece goes to which puzzle, when two or more are out at once. This works great in preschools also. Turn all the boards over and number them 1- whatever. Now turn the pieces over to each board after you are sure which goes with which one. Number each piece the same as the board it belongs to.

Number 2 board pieces would all be number 2's. Now when you find a piece left out or someone drops several puzzles at once you can easily tell where it goes.

By Randa from San Marcos, TX

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Getting Rid of Smells After Cooking

If you cook something like fish or broccoli and want to get rid of the smell, try this thrifty tip: Fill a small saucepan halfway with water, sprinkle some ground cinnamon and cloves in, and simmer for 15 minutes (set your timer so you don't burn your pan!).

By Kathy from Danville, CA

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Put Dirty Cat Litter in an Old Coffee Can

Save the can that coffee came in and the lid. When empty, use the can to put dirty cat litter in, the kind that lumps and put the lid on top. This will keep the odor at bay and can be used several times. You will not have to go out to the garbage can to empty litter very often. When I need to empty it, I just pour it into a plastic bag from the grocery store and then take it to the garbage can.

By Judy from FL

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Used Dryer Sheets to Clean Pans

If you want to make it easy to clean dishes in which you have baked meat loaf, scalloped potatoes and so on, just fill the empty dish with detergent and hot water, then throw in a couple of USED drier sheets, like Bounce. Let soak for a few minutes or so, and voila!, you can wash that dish and all the burned-on gunk comes right off. So easy!

Source: I had actually heard of this, or read it somewhere, long before I tried it. The drier sheets must be used ones.

By Annabelle from Phoenix

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Organizing Your Coupons When Shopping

On Sunday night, take out your store fliers from the newspaper to check for sales. Take an envelope and write on the back which products that you want, the size and the price (very important so that you buy the right thing or if unavailable and you need to check with the store or if a item rings up incorrectly.)

Next, match up your coupons to these items and mark them to indicate that (I use an 'x' in front of the item), before putting the coupon in the envelope. It will save much time if you list the items in the order that you shop for them in the store (e.g. produce first, if that is the first place that you go to).

Cross off each item as you find it, as you shop. Be sure to put the envelope in your purse when done! Also, you may want to put coupons for restaurants in your car's glove box- funny how they seem to be home when you decide to stop for lunch?

Source: I developed this method years ago when I was a Coupon Queen.

By Roxanne from Rochester, NH

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Soap Nuts: The Soap That Grows on Trees

Sustainable Forest Harvest!

Maggie's Soap Nuts (TM) is the only laundry soap that grows on trees! Truly effective, 100% natural and safe for your most sensitive skin. Soap Nuts are the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner used for thousands of years to clean clothes, just like the plants used by Native Americans for washing.

Simply put a few Soap Nuts into the included cotton sack and drop it in your laundry. Your clothes come out clean, vibrant, and soft. Replace your laboratory detergents and softeners with the soap made from Nature by Nature. Your clothes, your skin, your family, and your planet will thank you.

Source: This is from an article in http://www.gimundo.com/. I did not write the article and I am only taking credit for the great Green Living Tip it gives to all of us. I will be Soap Nutting my clothes from now on.

By Joseph from Laval West, Laval, Quebec, Canada.

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Resizing a Big T-shirt

Need to take in a huge T-shirt? Hate pinning? Turn it inside out and have a friend staple around the edges until it fits. Sew 1/2 inch inside the staples and then trim off excess. Fast!

Source: http://etsylabs.blogspot.com

By Veronica from Sedalia, Missouri

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Use Landscape Fabric for Interfacing

Interfacing can be expensive, but I have found that landscape fabric is the same thing as sew-on, black, light weight interfacing. It comes in different thickness', too. Landscape fabric is made to keep weeds from growing through your garden. It's made to withstand water, weeds, and 4 or more years of everything the environment can throw at it! Plus it is only $3.99 for a 3 x 50 foot roll. On the west coast, I buy mine at Big Lots, which is a discount, liquidation store. They sell their own brand. So if you're gardening, save some of your landscape cloth, and put it in your sewing box!

By Cyinda near Seattle, WA

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Kitten Only Uses Litter Box to Pee

Should I take my kitten to the vet? She is pooping on the floor but pees in the litter box just fine.

Lindsey from Phoenix, AZ

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Freezing Pimento Cheese

I was "blessed" with a big tub of Pimento Cheese this Christmas. I need to know if this can be frozen, as we cannot eat it fast enough!

Jonnie from Utica, KY

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Pruning Gabriel's Trumpet Plant

I need to prune a Gabriel's trumpet plant/tree to a canopy instead of straight up and down. Any advice?

Pam from DNA Point, CA

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Making Fleece Gloves Non-slip

Is there a way to make fleece gloves nonslip? I received a pair as a gift, and I really like them, but they are so slippery on the steering wheel and handrails. Is there something I can sew onto the fingertips and palm? Or something I can apply to them? Thanks, everyone!

Patty from PA

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Frizzy Hair That Won't Hold Curls

I live in Houston, TX and it is literally humid here nearly all year long, even in the winter. My hair is straight and frizzy. How this can be, I don't know because I've tried just about everything I can think of.

Also, my hair has too much 'slip' my hairdresser said. It slips out of curling irons, brushes, electric curlers (yes, I had to revert back to the dark ages and use them because blow drying my hair makes my hair more frizzy, and besides my hair won't stay wrapped around the brush)

I have also tried not brushing my hair after curling - just using my fingers. But my hair frizzes and the curls fall, even if I wait until my hair cools. The other issue is that any kind of product I have used - gels, serums, conditioners, leave in conditioners, etc. weigh my hair down. I've tried expensive, really expensive and cheap, but no luck. Even when I used to get my hair permed, my hair lost body and became limp.

Smoochie from Houston, TX

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Paper Plate Challenge

Here is the 'Paper Plate Challenge!' How many uses can each of you think of for a paper plate (or plates)?

Jennifer from Buffalo, NY

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Freezing Sprouts

How do I freeze sprouts?

Alvyn

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Cleaning Cloth Tote Bag Handles

I need some help I have a Coach Hampton tote and the handles are cloth with white. I'm trying to clean it with mild soap and a damp cloth but the dirt seems to be getting darker. I would like it to be white again. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Jenn from Marietta, GA

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Reshaping Artificial Holly and Pointsettias

When I unpacked my artificial holly and poinsettias for X-mas, they were out of shape. What is the best way to re-shape them?

Candy from Rockwall, TX

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Whitening Porcelain Sinks

How do you whiten an old porcelain sink?

rabbit10mom from Creston, WA

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Engagement Party Etiquette

My boyfriend and I have been reunited after 22 years and just recently became engaged and are planning on a June wedding in NC where he lives. I will also be moving there about 3 weeks before the wedding. He will be coming down to help me with the move. So that all of my Texas friends can meet him, my friend offered to give us an Engagement Party. All of the etiquette tips I have read say to invite all of the guests to the wedding that are invited to the engagement party.

I wasn't planning on doing that since I know very few of them would or could travel 1300 miles to go to my wedding. Would it be proper to make an exception since I am getting married out of state? Should I just have a BBQ while he's here instead of an Engagement Party? Tell me what you think. I have probably 150 people that want to meet him while he's here and only about 15 are coming up for the wedding. Thanks for your help.

Amanda from Central Texas

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Parakeet Is Losing Its Feathers

My Parakeet is losing feathers. What could be causing this?

Michael

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Sweet Plum Sauce Using Wilds Ezy Sauce

Does anyone have the recipe to make Sweet Plum Sauce using Wilds Ezy Sauce?

Jackie from Adelaide S.A.

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Removing Burnt Residue on Popcorn Popping Machine

I work in a cinema outlet and have to pop the popcorn in a popper machine. During closing, washing the popper kettle is so difficult due to big patches of burnt marks on the base of the popper kettle. I have tried using soda water from the dispenser, using warm water as well as using dish washing soap to clean but it takes ages. Any idea to wash off the marks as fast as possible?

Vincent from Singapore

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Cookies are Very Thin and Hard

When I bake cookies they turn out paper thin. The directions says drop by tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Mine stuck on the ungreased sheet. Then I greased the cookie sheet and they still turn out paper thin and hard as a rock.

Betty from Lubbock, TX

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Removing a Steam Mark from Table

I did the iron method on my new dining room table to remove a heat mark but now i have a steam mark. How do I remove that?

Carolyn from DR, TX

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Saving Money in the New Year

Tips for saving money in 2008. Feel free to post your ideas below!

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Sugar Free Peanut Butter Fudge

I am looking for peanut butter fudge for a diabetic.

Diane from NC

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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DeWALT Recalls Cordless Drills due to Fire Hazard

Hazard: The trigger switch of the cordless drill can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

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Christmas Candle Sets Recalled By Specialty Merchandise Corp.

Hazard: The snowman candle could tip over and the exterior coating on both candles can ignite, posing a fire hazard.

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Lenox Recalls Covered Warmer Dishes Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

Hazard: Flames from the tea candle can extend up the sides of the dish. In addition, a label on the bottom of the dish causes excessive smoke when exposed to the flame. This poses fire and burn hazards to consumers.

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Girls' Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings Recalled by Liberty

Hazard: The garments have a drawstring through the hood, which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines (pdf) to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist by drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts.

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Pressure Cookers Recalled By Manttra Inc. Due to Burn Hazard

Hazard: If the pressure cookers are not closed properly, the lid can separate and allow hot contents to spill out. This poses a risk of burns to consumers.

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Teething Rings Recalled by Empire Silver Due to Choking Hazard

Hazard: The silver ball that holds the ring in place can separate and release the beads inside. This poses a choking and aspiration hazard to infants.

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Super Magnet Toys Recalled by MTC Due to Aspiration and

Hazard: The magnet attached to the bottom of a small toy panda can detach. If swallowed or aspirated by young children, the magnets can attract each other internally and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.

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