Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 154, October 17, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Towel Bar for the Guest Room
- Vacuum Seal Ziplock Bags
- Hot Glue for Gift Wrapping
- Install a Dimmer Switch
- Make Your Own Mulch
- Install a Programmable Thermostat
- Insulate Your Water Heater
- Organized Underwear and Socks - Separate Bins for Each Family Member
- Ripening Tomatoes
- Corn Boiling Tip
- Keep Cauliflower White
- Freezing Meatballs
- Saving Money on Trash Bags
- Easy Kool-Aid Pie
- Christmas Decoration - Recycle a Sled
- Peeling Oranges
- Citrus Zest From Peels
- Making Pretty Card Tie-Ons
- Light-Weight Dish and Laundry Soap for Arthitis Sufferer
- Make Your Own Pizza
- Using Old Shoulder Pads
- Keeping Celery Crisp
New Requests:
- Removing Mold From Shoes?
- Uses for Baby Bed Bumper Pads
- Make Your Own Bumper Stickers
- Homemade Dishwasher Soap
- How to Remove Oil Stains from T-shirts
- Looking for Hot Tub Chemical Alternatives
- Lemon Shine or A Lemon Shine Alternative
More Reading:
- Making Good Use of Your Computer
- Chocoberry Loaf
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Today's Tips
Towel Bar for the Guest Room
Place a towel bar (or maybe 2) on back of guest bedroom door. This will keep your guests' towels, facecloths etc., nearby for them and free up the bathroom of "too much stuff."
By Marian
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Vacuum Seal Ziplock Bags
I hate to give a hint to take the place of the vacuum sealer, but what I do is put whatever I want to save in a re-sealable plastic bag, seal all but about 1/2 inch, put in a straw, then suck out the air and quickly close the last half inch. Gives you a completely airless package.
By Lori Zehren
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Hot Glue for Gift Wrapping
After running out of tape during a Christmas present wrapping marathon I decided to try hot glue. It worked so well I haven't used tape since. Over the years this is what I have found that works best for me: Use the low temperature setting as the high will distort the paper. High temperature works great for thicker paper though (brown kraft paper for ex.). The low temperature is also great for attaching tags, candy canes, ribbons, ornaments etc. to the package. Now here is the best part. If you are truly thrifty and save wrapping paper, the hot glued paper doesn't tear as badly as taped wrapping paper (most of the time it doesn't tear at all!!) so there is more paper to reuse.
By Kristine
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Install a Dimmer Switch
To save money and help save the environment, install a dimmer switch. Installing a dimmer switch can save energy and extend bulb life. Plus, it's as easy as replacing a light switch.
By Kathy
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Make Your Own Mulch
To save money and help save the environment, make your own mulch. Don't burden landfills with your yard waste. Composting lets you produce rich nutrients to fertilize your garden the natural way - with leaves and yard clippings. Plus, it's free.
By Kathy
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Install a Programmable Thermostat
To save money and help save the environment, install a programmable thermostat. With a programmable thermostat you can save up to 35% per year on heating and cooling bills by automatically adjusting your temperature settings while you're asleep or away from home.
By Kathy
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Insulate Your Water Heater
Save 4-9% on your water heater bill with an insulation blanket. You can also lower hot water bills by installing a water heater timer that turns hot water off at night and on in the morning.
By Kathy
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Organized Underwear and Socks - Separate Bins for Each Family Member
Overhead, above our washer and dryer, I had my husband install a shelf that runs the entire length of the washer and dryer. On this shelf I placed five mini laundry baskets the ones that are usually 10" x 12". I labeled each basket with a name each person in our family.
Now when we pull underwear and socks straight out of the dryer, they get tossed up into whose bin they belong to. This saves time on folding and taking clothes to each person's room to put away in their drawer and everyone always knows where to find their delicates.
If your laundry room is in a visible locale in the house, you may want to make the baskets into non-see through bins with labels or painted on names for each family member. This also helps with the clutter in the laundry room and so much time is saved.
By Deb Cruse
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Ripening Tomatoes
To ripen tomatoes, put them in a brown paper bag in a dark pantry, and they will ripen overnight.
By Peggy
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Corn Boiling Tip
When boiling corn, add sugar to the water instead of salt. Salt will toughen the corn.
By Peggy
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Keep Cauliflower White
To keep cauliflower white while cooking, add a little milk to the water.
By Peggy
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Freezing Meatballs
To freeze meatballs, place them on a cookie sheet until frozen. Place in plastic bags. They will stay separated so that you may remove as many as you want.
By Peggy
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Saving Money on Trash Bags
Ideas for saving money on trash bags. Post your ideas below.
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Easy Kool-Aid Pie
1 pkg unsweetened kool-aid(I used Lemon Ice)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
16 oz cool whip slightly thawed
1 graham cracker crust
Mix kool-aid with milk. Fold in cool whip. Pour into crust and refrigerate several hours until set.
You can use any flavor kool-aid.
Brenda Hilton
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Christmas Decoration - Recycle a Sled
Do you have a small sled that you used to ride your little ones around in but now they have grown it? Well take that sled and paint it red and then using stencils add holly or something Christmasy to the top of the sled. After it has dried give it a coat or 2 of shellac or varnish. Then when completely dried prop it against the side of your home near the front door. You could also do this with old wooden skis that are not being used. It makes for a nice, festive decor for the holidays that are coming.
By joesgirl
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Peeling Oranges
Here's an easy way to remove the skin of an orange prior to using the orange in sections for a recipe. Bring about 6 cups of water to boil in a small pan. Ever so slowly, with an orange in a large soup ladle, lower it into the pan.
After about 20 seconds remove the orange with the ladle and when it is cool enough to handle start peeling the skin. You will be amazed at how easy it comes off.
Happy skinning.
By joesgirl
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Citrus Zest From Peels
Whenever I use fresh oranges, lemons or limes I use the finest side of my grater & grate the outer skin being careful not to grate the pitch (that's the white part of the fruit next to the skin). Then I let it air dry on a paper towel. When it is completely dry I put it in a labeled freezer bag and put in the freezer. Comes in handy for many things, especially for small amounts.
By joesgirl
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Making Pretty Card Tie-Ons
Whether it be for Christmas Tie-Ons or birthday Tie-Ons the below hint will be economical, pretty and personalized.
I save all greeting cards & when I have an afternoon of "free time" I start cutting parts of the card with scissors that have decorative blades (like half moons or lacy patterns). You could for example cut out a flower or a Santa Claus & then using a hole cutter, pierce a hole in the card & use ribbon, raffia, string or whatever. You now have free pretty Tie-Ons.
By joesgirl
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Light-Weight Dish and Laundry Soap for Arthitis Sufferer
When I have a choice I buy or make powdered soaps for laundry and the dishwasher. I have arthritis and don't want to carry the weight of the water which is what makes liquid products liquid. I also put things in containers that are easier for me to handle than the original packaging.
Dishwasher soap (powder) boxes are murder on my hands and wrists so I pour mine into a half-gallon cardboard milk carton with the top completely cut off. I keep a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon in it and find that is all I need in the machine. Using less, easier on my hands-works for me!
Linda
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Make Your Own Pizza
You can either make your own dough or when your supermarket has it on sale buy multiple packages (like 40 cents per lb) and freeze all but one. Place the dough in a slightly oiled bowl & cover with a clean dishtowel and let it rise.
Preheat your oven to 475. Then take your pizza stone & lightly sprinkle it with cornmeal.
Roll your dough on the stone & lightly grease the edges with olive oil. Spread 1 to 1/4 cup pizza sauce on the dough & then add whatever you like; i.e, onions, peppers, pepperoni, mushrooms, add 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the veggies & then sprinkle oregano & basil on the cheese. Now sprinkle about 2 T. shredded parmesan cheese.
Pop into the oven & cook about 12 minutes or until done.
Happy eating.
By joesgirl
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Using Old Shoulder Pads
When cleaning through my closet I came across some detachable shoulder pads that I had removed from my blouses years ago. I decided to be creative and use them to put my pierced earrings on them. Just stick the earrings through the pad and on the back put the backing. You can really fit a lot on just one shoulder pad.
Happy sticking.
By joesgirl
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Keeping Celery Crisp
To keep celery crisp, stand it upright in a pitcher of cold, salted water and refrigerate.
By Peggy
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Other Active Topics
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Syndication Spotlight:
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New Requests:
Removing Mold From Shoes?
We have a rather dry house, but in our bedroom closet, almost all of our shoes have the (contained) dry mold. How do you get rid of mold without ruining the material (leather, fabric, etc.)? I have started to expose the closet to more sunlight, but it's not really going away.
Any ideas?
Shannon
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Uses for Baby Bed Bumper Pads
Do you have any suggestions for what I can do with baby bed bumper pads? They have beautiful designs for children and are already padded. They seem too good to throw.
Thanks,
Mildred from TN
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Make Your Own Bumper Stickers
Does anyone have any ideas for making your own bumper stickers? Something that would be not too difficult to remove at a later date.
Thanks,
Barbara from Illinois
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Homemade Dishwasher Soap
Does anyone have a recipe for homemade dishwasher soap? Preferably a powdered version.
Linda
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How to Remove Oil Stains from T-shirts
Hi,
After I washed my t-shirt, theres always a stain on it. I'm not sure what it is but it looks like (food) oil stains. I compared it to one of my shirts that got (food) oil stain and it looks exactly like the ones I wash (same stains). Do you know how I can remove this stain?
Phu from california
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Looking for Hot Tub Chemical Alternatives
I have been told there is a way to use vinegar, soda and I don't
know what else in place of chemicals in my hot tub. I can't use
chlorine base products (rash). We can't seem to get the peroxide
products to work right, we have a white grainey residue in tub
now. Had water tested, they said it was "low" on calcium? So I
used calcium plus, got worse. Help!!
Karen from Ohio
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Lemon Shine or A Lemon Shine Alternative
Hi,
I found this web site on accident and think it's very cool. Right up my alley on tips and budgets. I will be passing it along to others. My question that started my google search was lemon shine for dishwashers. My WalMart doesn't carry it any more! How could they not? This product is awesome! I might have to go back to washing by hand, OH NO!
Our water is very hard, this is the only thing I found that works. Does anyone know how to contact the mg? Or have a comparable solution? HELP!
Thanks all in advance,
Julie in WNY
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Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit
your request here: Click Here
More Reading
Making Good Use of Your Computer
By Nikki Willhite
The price of computers has fallen, year by year. Still, for many they are a major expense.
View Article: Click Here
Chocoberry Loaf
Here's a delicious recipe that I found in the Ideals Hershey's Chocolate and Cocoa Cookbook. It would be great to serve to guests during the holidays or try it for your next special dessert.
View Article: Click Here
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