Daily Thrifty Tips - January 17, 2007

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This is a picture of my grandson's guitar, he asked me to paint something on it so this is what I came up with, he loves playing it and tells me he get a lot of compliments on it.

By Phyllis Powell from Roseburg, Oregon

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Sir Catty-Kit will be 2 years old on Feb 14, 2007. He is half Siamese; half Maine Coon Tabby. A friend gave him to us when he was 10 weeks old.

He likes to play Chase, Hide and Seek, Peek-a-Boo and will take over any kind of box he can get himself into.

"Kit" helps my husband and me with everything we do. As we were redoing our Christmas wreath this past Christmas, Kit was in the middle of the wreath "holding ribbon" down for us. It presented just too good a picture to miss.

By Julia from Orlando, FL

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This is a quick easy gardening gift you can make up very easily. Get an old cup and saucer, fill it with dirt and plant chickens in it. I glue the cup to the saucer so it will not move, makes a nice gift to someone who is sick, does not take a lot of care to maintain.

By Phyllis Powell from Roseburg, Oregon

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We all know vinegar and baking soda are good cleaners. I was cleaning my kitchen drains, you put the baking soda in and then vinegar to let it bubble up and freshen the drains. Well I have a tile counter top and the grout gets stained and crumbs are hard to get out too. I put a thin layer of baking soda down and then put some vinegar on it. I let it bubble up and then gave a light wash with the mixture. After rinsing, I saw how clean the grout was and the tiles sparkled. I tried it on the tile floor in my foyer. WOW. Clean grout with little to no effort. Now I am just bubbling away every place I used either the vinegar or baking soda to clean. No harsh cleaners on my hands. I have a parrot and always used apple cider to clean his cage. It has germ killing properties. Now I will use the bubble mixture to make it even easier. On the rabbits' little box too.

By Valery Leonard from Cranford, NJ

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If fleas are a problem for your pet, wash them with Dawn dishwashing soap. It kills them instantly. Leaving a small nightlight on during the night will draw fleas. Just put a small bowl of Dawn under the light and they will jump in.

By Brenda from Cleveland, OH

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Last night for dinner, we all used leftovers with a baked potato as the starter. I had several leftovers in the refrigerator. You can come up with you own leftover toppings. We will continue to do the same at our house. I covered my baked potato with leftover broccoli and cheese. My husband covered his baked potato with leftover chili, which he also added some chopped onions and shredded cheese to top it off. My daughter used the left over canned corn, to which she added her own concoction of salsa and chopped black olives and some of her Dad's shredded cheese. We each had a delicious and very filling baked potato as the starter. Oh, I forgot to mention, we each put a little butter on top of the potato and then added the leftover we wanted. This made a great frugal meal and all the leftovers were used.

By Bobbie G from Rockwall, TX

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Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed with things to do around the house? Feeling guilty about not getting everything done in one day? Have things that you "keep meaning to get around to"? Need a New Year's resolution? I have just the thing. I only started doing this two days ago, but it's easy, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment every single day, and I see myself sticking to it.

Every morning I think of a small goal in which to achieve at the end of the day. For example, today I plan on going through the bathroom cabinet and getting rid of things I don't use anymore. Yesterday, my goal was to finish shampooing the carpet upstairs. The day before was to put some items in boxes I've been "meaning to get around to." Say that you have laundry to do, the garage to clean, a closet to go through, papers to organize... If you do one of those things each day, it will be easy to get done.

Simple, small goals every day! I write them down in a notepad every morning when I get to work, then when I've done them, I put a check mark by it the next day. I feel like I'm actually accomplishing things instead of overwhelming myself everyday. It makes me feel good, and it's great practice for those "bigger" things you have in your sights.

By Amber from Westminster, CO

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When gluing paper crafts, I find it is easy to get glue all the way to the edges of the paper. Simply get an old, worn-out magazine to absorb the glue that goes past the edge. Then, peel off the glue-applied item and affix it in its permanent place. Now, simply turn that magazine page and you have another fresh surface as a glue-application backing. This way, there is no messy glue cleanup. Simply throw the magazine in the garbage when it is "used up."

By Miz Rosey from Abilene, TX

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When buying clothing, stuffed animals or books on auction websites, make sure that the items have been in a smoke-free environment. If it's not stated in the auction description, be sure to ask the seller directly. Cigarette smoke odors can be difficult to remove, especially from stuffed toys and books.

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Try this with your class, scout group, kids, or adult birthday party! Especially good for Earth Day (April).

Supplies

Steps

1. Remove the items from the package and place separately in a plain plastic bag or on a plain paper plate.
2. Be sure to note which item came from which package (Example, write lightly on the underside of the paper plate).
3. Blindfold your audience (optional). Ask your contestants to observe, feel, smell, and taste the items.
4. Ask and vote "Is one item better than the other?"
5. Discuss. Packaging does not make something better!

By pretty cheap jewelry from California

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In our area, January is typically the coldest month of the year. We use a wood stove to heat the house and use the furnace only as back up. Interestingly enough, we came down with a nasty case of Poison Ivy/Poison Oak. The doctor said that January is actually the worst month for this because everyone handles wood to cut, stack or fill the stove. People don't realize that the oils in Poison Ivy and Oak are still very much present and highly contagious in the winter months as well. So, you may wish to wear gloves and wash your hands directly afterward. Be sure and keep your gloved hands away from your face also. You may save yourself a doctor's bill. Now, where did I put that Calamine lotion?

By Bobbi Parker from Mid-Missouri

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You can use E-vites to public events, too! Our church had a benefit concert and I got the congregation's email addresses and sent out E-vites using graphics that went with our theme of "gifts" and asked everyone to forward them to their friends. We had classy benefit invites without the cost of printed ones and had a great turnout.

By pamphyila from Los Angeles

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Dear Webby's Humor Letter

Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter. Webby now has a blog, read his latest newsletter as well as back issues here: http://webby.com/humor/blog/

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If my dog has a cough is it safe for him to receive a rabies and distemper shot?

Alaina from Lynchburg, VA

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I am looking for fabric to make a pillow of Snoopy laying on his dog house. My son had a pillow like this when he was a boy and is now expecting a son and wants one for him. Help!

Debbie from Belen, NM

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We got our son a really nice truck for his 16th birthday! He has no clue. He does not want a party. I like the scavenger hunt ideas, but we live out in the boonies. There is a small center in our small town that I rented out for our daughters 16th birthday, but he doesn't want to do it. How am I supposed to surprise him with a truck in front of all our family and friends if he wants no part of it?

I thought about renting the center anyway, and having a simple boring dinner... but then what? I was all excited about giving him this truck, but he is ruining it! Let me know if you have any ideas.

Thanks in advance,
Teena from Boonies in Indiana

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I got some "cat mint" from a swap last year. Is this the same as cat nip? It certainly looks like it's in the mint family.

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Chuck R. from Grand Rapids, MI

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I dropped some eggs on the floor and some splattered on one of my cowboy boots. I didn't pay a lot of attention to it as I already had water drops on my boots from walking across the wet grass and the egg white looked just like water. The next morning I noticed the stain and recognized it as dried egg. I wiped it down with a warm, damp cloth, but it is mostly still there. Any suggestions?

Ken from Plato, MO

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Product: AQ4200

Manufacturer: aquasauna

Request: What is the best water filter?

Kristen from Baltimore, MD

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Are there any web sites were you can coordinate your own interior? What I'm looking for is a site were i can coordinate the color of my furnishings with my accessories.

MS. TEE from KILLEEN, TX

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How do you remove nail polish on shiffon, silk and satin material?

Corinne from Malta

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I want to change my 15 amp breaker to a 20 amp breaker, please help.

Erica from New York

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I have misplaced my recipe for making laundry detergent. Can someone out there send theirs. I really enjoyed using the homemade detergent; it was frugal and did a great cleaning job.

Thanks,
Nelwyn

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I recently purchased a skirt but the manufacturer forgot to remove some masking tape around the hem. Now there is a slight sticky residue, but even worse, the fabric is discolored. I have tried soaking and washing with Woolite, but to no avail. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to remove the stain? Thanks!

inkybinky from Canada

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I am looking for the instructions to knit a corn on the cob hot handle holder. I made these many years ago. They were made to put on a hot handle of a pan or skillet, it wrapped around the handle. The way it was knitted made it automatically "curl" around. I know you started with green yarn and I think one stitch and then keep increasing stitches until you got to the right number (don't remember how many and then you tied in two strands of yarn, one yellow and one while and the way you knitted it looked like rows of kernals on a cob. When you got to about 6 inches, you went back to the green yarn and kept decreasing stitches until you got back to one and then chained to make a loop for hanging. If any knows the instructions or can figure them out, please let me know.

Thank you,
Lil from Jacksonville, FL

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I would like to make a room for my husband. He LOVES to Bass fish and would love to have his own fishing room. Does anyone have any ideas that I can do and try to surprise him? I need tips on shelving for ALL his fishing lures and string. If you need pictures of the room I can take some it is a huge room.

Michele from TENNESSEE

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How do you clean a bathroom mirror that was mistakenly sprayed with cleaning solution.

Rdell from Landisville, NJ

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I purchased a set of oblong looms provocraft knifty knitter, and would like directions on putting together a blanket/afgan. I am tired of making scarfs.

Rebecca from Maine

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Does anyone have patterns for paper embroidered cards?

Norma from Cedaredge, CO

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I'm looking for a post about stocking up on groceries? I saw it a few months ago, it's like progressive shopping, can anyone help?

Karen from British Columbia

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Does anyone know how to do a purse with the knifty knitter?

marcia from Newark, NY

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How do I find a hole in my aerobed?

Trish

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My 5 year old decided it would be good to write her name on the carpet in the dry wipe marker pen that she and her sister had been using to play a game of bingo! Any advice for removal? I don't want to risk touching it and making it worse.

Thanks,
Dawn from England

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The canvas on my sleeper sofa is ruined. Is there anywhere I can order a replacement?

Brian from Lake Villa, IL

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How do you clean white cotton turtle neck shirt that have yellowed?

Mslipp from Laguna Niguel, CA

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I am looking for a manual for the Regal Breadmaker model 6750. Can anyone help?

PS - I went to the Regal Ware web site and they say they no longer offer breadmakers (among other things). I did send an email to their customer service but I don't hold out much hope of getting anything from them.

LS from Ohio

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I received a leather Sak purse from my daughter for Christmas along with a clutch-type wallet. They were wrapped together in a box and you can see the half-moon shape of the wallet on the purse. I am using the purse but would like to remove the indention. Does anyone know how?

Junebug from Long Beach, MS

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Does anyone know anything about cleaning dry hair and dry skin? I am looking for great tips.

Nitapop from Texas

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I need 30th birthday party ideas for my husband. I need centerpice and theme ideas that don't cost a lot of money.

Thanks,
Sarah

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Free Photo Organizer From Google

"Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you will recognize. You can drag and drop to arrange your albums and make labels to create new groups. Picasa makes sure your pictures are always organized."

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