Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 57, June 8, 2004
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Make Someone Happy
- Saving Money on Crest Whitestrips
- Easy and Frugal Pond
- Dusting Hardwood Floors
- Featured Feedback: Uses for Milk Jugs?
- Featured Feedback: RE: Caring for Leather Coats: Frugal Tips
- Today's Recipe: Quick and Delicious Black Bean Chili
New Requests:
- Make Your Own Vegetable Wash
- Ideas for Making a Composter
- Adjusting the Float in the Toilet
- Bleach Stain on Formica Counter Top
- Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
More Reading:
- Consolidating Credit Cards to One Account
- Make a Patriotic Fourth Of July Wreath
- Wants vs. Needs
- The (Dreaded) Black Fly Season
- Cutting Family Clothing Expenses
- Debt Reduction
- Beware Of Home Foreclosure Scams
- Lowfat Sour Cream
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Today's Tips
Make Someone Happy
Sometimes we take little things for granted instead of relishing things. Try to do one thing every day to make someone else happier. Call a friend on the phone, e-mail a friend, do an errand for a shut-in or even give a big smile to a store clerk. It makes you happy to do any of the above and certainly brings delight to some one else. By Joesgirl
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Saving Money on Crest Whitestrips
When using Crest Whitestrips (and using their $7.00 coupon, of course), don't throw away the little whitening part that doesn't peel off. Instead, use scissors to cut it to fit your teeth, then apply as usual. You can get 50% more use out of the strips this way! By Kristi
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Easy and Frugal Pond
Hello, here is a simple easy way to add a water feature to your yard. It's easy, my sons did it by themselves. At the end of summer they decided to make their wading pool into a pond. This can also be done with any small pool, water proof container, anything that holds water. They filled their old pool with water, got some water and bog plants from a friend.
After the water had equalized a few days we added fish. We used goldfish feeders, they don't need a pump for air. Actually the fish can live off the plant roots which also supply extra air to the water and keep the water clear. It becomes a bio-environment.
You can camoflage the sides of the pool with plants in pots, with rocks, pieces of wood. Good plants are hyacinth which float on top and bloom a lot in the sun. Some plants that are considered bog plants or like wet roots can be placed on bricks in pots so they won't be totally submerged.
My boys even added frogs and crawfish they caught at a local park. We've redone our pond several times over the past 10 years, we still use a childs pool, it literally takes care of itself, adds beauty and interest to the yard and garden and costs virtually nothing using plants we had and were given. And reusing the old pools the kids used during the summer.
You don't need to treat the water, because the plants and fish take care of that. The only real cost are the fish which we have to replace because the frogs don't live on bugs alone. My boys are in their late teens now and plan on redoing the pond this summer, making it larger but keeping it a self contained bio-environment. That way we don't have to replace filters like our friends who have pond.
This pond is very cost effective. Just to get the facts straight, my boys had the idea 10 odd years ago when I said we couldn't afford a pond. They showed me how to do it frugally and it has brought us years of pleasure. Not to mention people are amazed at how simple it can be. Hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we have.
By Theresa
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Dusting Hardwood Floors
If you have hardwood floors and dogs, it is difficult to contain all the dust and dog hair, so what I do is take a dust sweeper (less than $3.00 vs. the disposable brand names) and open a window and have a fan blowing out. Then when I get a decent amount of dust/dog hair, I stick it out the window and shake. This prevents dust from being pushed around. It takes a steady hand but you can guarantee the dust is out of your home! By Shannon
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Featured Feedback: Uses for Milk Jugs?
Plastic Bag Holder in the Bathroom
Cut about a 5" hole on the opposite side of the handle - stuff jug with plastic grocery bags for trash can liners and keep under the bath vanity. This recycles 2 items at a time - the jug and the bags.
Clothes Pin Holder on Your Clothesline
Cut a 5-6" hole in same area again and cut about a 1" section of the bottom of the handle out and use as a clothes pin bag to hang on the clothesline. For drainage, poke some small holes in the bottom if it will be left out on the line all the time.
By bj
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Featured Feedback: RE: Caring for Leather Coats: Frugal Tips
Different types of leather also demand different types of care. Many people purchase what is called Naked Leather items, a much better grade of leather than standard protected leather. These leather goods have no sealant to protect them and are much softer than standard leather goods. Also, they are much more affected by water and water will leave spots. If you have Naked Leather items and want the soft and good look of the leather to always show, it is best to purchase rain gear to cover the leather. Once its wet, water will show as dark spots. The only way to cure is to darken the whole item using a sealant/protector like mink oil.
Different types and qualities of leather also will wear different. For instance, pig skin has a tendency to dry out much more rapidly than good quality cow, buffalo or lamb. Pig skin is thinner leather. This dryness will be apparent in the color, it will be lighter, and the feel, it will be stiffer. If it gets too dry, it will eventually crack and your clothing will be destroyed. It is best to use a leather conditioning product like mink oil to rehydrate the leather and prevent it from cracking. Most leather items are made in China use Pig, so check the labels when buying. Pig is a very nice leather, it just needs to be taken care of more often.
Like the other advice above, keep your leather from heat and sunlight when possible. Thicker leather can handle much more light and heat than thinner leather. To see more on leather types see http://www.discount-leather.net/main/Quality.html
By Kentj
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Today's Recipe: Quick and Delicious Black Bean Chili
A tasty black bean chili that doesn't take long to cook.
Ingredients:
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans
- 2 medium sized yellow onions
- 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped, added to taste
- 4 medium sized tomatoes, skinned and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2/3 cups dry sherry
- 1 2/3 tablespoons coriander (or cilantro)
- 2 teaspoons chile powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Top with Monterey jack cheese
Directions:
Drain and wash black beans and place in pot with a tight fitting lid.
Add the onions, chiles, tomatoes, garlic, sherry, 2/3 tablespoon coriander (or cilantro), chile powder, salt, cumin and black pepper to the beans in the pot. Mix well, cover with lid and bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Before serving, add the remaining coriander or other seasoning to taste if necessary.
Serve with some Monterey jack cheese on top.
This recipe was adapted from a similar recipe in The Garden of Earthly Delights Cookbook by Shea MacKenzie.
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New Requests:
Make Your Own Vegetable Wash
Does anyone know how to make a natural, inexpensive vegetable wash? Thanks! Becky from California :)
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Ideas for Making a Composter
Does anyone have or know where I can get blueprints for making one's home composter? The store ones are very expensive. Ralphed
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Adjusting the Float in the Toilet
How do you adjust the float in the commode tank to lower the amount of water coming into the tank. Mine comes within an inch of the top and it doesn't need that much water. Carolyn
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Bleach Stain on Formica Counter Top
I read with interest the article on getting a bleach stain of of a counter top, I need more information. They suggested Master Plumber rust and stain remover and said they had success, was this a formica top? I bleached mine with coffee pot cleaner, will this product work, and where did they get it? barb0
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Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
I can get rid of the trouble if I get in contact with it. Scrub with a rich lather of homemade lye soap and I can handle the stuff with my bear hands but how do I eradicate it all together? Thanks in advance.
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More Reading
Consolidating Credit Cards to One Account
By Scott Bilker
Hi Scott, I am a recent college graduate and I have accumulated about $4,000.00 worth of debt spread out in 4 different credit card accounts. I would like to transfer all of the balances to an account with a lower APR to save money and to make monthly payments more convenient. The problem is that I have not been able to be approved for a credit card with a limit of over $1500.00. Besides having multiple cards near their credit limit, I have good credit and always make payments on time. Is there anything that you can recommend? Please Help! --Mary
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Make a Patriotic Fourth Of July Wreath
By Abigail Beal
Celebrate the Nation's birthday by hanging the flag outside of your home, and create a special wreath for your door. This is an easy craft that you can complete in an afternoon and it can be a good craft for children (supervision with the glue gun may be necessary).
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Wants vs. Needs
By Nikki Willhite
Wants versus Needs! It is said that we spend the first half of our life accumulating possessions, and the second half giving them away. This is true for most people.
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The (Dreaded) Black Fly Season
By Marcia Passos Duffy
If you live in northern New England, you know that starting around Mother's Day and ending around Father's Day is black fly season. (My 6 year old son says: "They must love to bite moms and not dads.") As far as I know, black flies (which are also called buffalo gnats) don't favor either male or female humans - they only want your blood. Perhaps the appearance of black flies on Mother's Day is significant when you consider the life cycle of the insect: biting black flies are female only - they need a meal of blood to lay eggs.
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Cutting Family Clothing Expenses
Buy only because you need the clothing and buy only those items that will fit into your present wardrobe. (If you are choosing between two outfits, buy the one that goes best with shoes you have.)
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Debt Reduction - Beware Of Home Foreclosure Scams
By Mark Askew
Many consumers are literally drowning in debt. One of the foremost causes of debt is needless credit card use. Before long one can find themselves with $10,000 to $100,000 worth of debt and seemingly no way out.
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Lowfat Sour Cream
Using a blender or food processor, blend cottage cheese until smooth. Then put cottage cheese in a sealable container and stir in yogurt and lemon juice. Once mixed, refrigerate or use.
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Thanks
Susan
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