Daily Thrifty Tips - July 15, 2008

Here are the contest winners for last week.

Photo Contest Winner

Craft: Woodburned Jewelry Box
By Crafty Billie from Stockton, CA

This is a relatively simple craft project and demonstrates the neat things you can do with a wood burner.

Tip Contest Winners

Homemade Tool for "Hard to Reach" Places
By Barbara from Evington, Virginia

This marvelously simple tool truly does come in handy.

Packing for a Trip List
By Betty from NC

In this post, we appreciate both the use tip and the story to go along with it. One thing you will find with most organized people is that they use lists.

Recipe Contest Winner

Deeli's Asparagus Salad
By Deeli from Richland, WA

With asparagus being in season, this recipe seemed both tasty and timely.

Thank you to everyone that took time to submit something! Share a Tip (You could win $25!) Share a Photo (You could win $25!)

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

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Garden for Home Grown Food

This is my garden that I started in late May. I purchased the plants, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant from a nearby farm. Some pumpkins are growing along the fence. They are from seed I had from my brother's garden a few years ago. The idea is for them to "climb the fence."

I have the entire garden "animal proof" with extra wire at the top and bottom. Ground hogs can climb as well as burrow. One year, before the extra precaution,
the ground hogs devastated my zucchini fruit.

The green peppers are producing nicely and I have harvested a few. Tomatoes and eggplants are developing also.

I made the rows wide enough so I could use the mower between them to keep the mud down.

I should have a good crop, enough to give the family a taste of good home grown food.

By Carl - Brodheadsville, PA

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Craft: River Stone Birdhouses

I love making these little river stone bird houses. Makes a great winter or summer pass time. An each one is never the same. They make great gifts.

By Nancy from Slaughters, KY

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Dottie (Dalmation) Backyard Baby!

Dalmatian Dottie has grown into quite the beauty. We have fenced off our garden to give her more freedom in the yard. What a difference in behavior. Less digging too! She now at 15 months can be trusted to behave herself without constant watch. We didn't think this time of maturity would ever arrive! HA!

She is the most loving canine I have ever had. She loves to cuddle, hug and kiss her humans! She is an inside family member. She cleans herself like a cat. Amazing to us. She comes from a long list of over 50 champions. Her markings are of show quality but we don't enter the arenas. She's first prize without the fuss!

Both eyes are blue as a light blue sky. She enjoys her daily walks. Traffic stops on our walks and that's plenty for her and us. She greets everyone in delight. A real charmer indeed. She loves her "skins" (previously stuffed material toys) She is one adorable little lady inside and out. We can't imagine not having our dappled sweetheart!

Dalmatians require more attention then most pet owners can give. If ever considering getting a beauty like her, please consider your lifestyle. Will you walk her everyday? Will you be home more often than not?

Dalmatians are beyond close to their humans. They require constant human attention. Especially at a very young age. Every canine is different in personality of course.

This picture was taken a little over two months ago. Now almost eighteen months! (25th) She is becoming a real sweetheart. We've fenced some areas to give her room to roam! She is a vision, isn't she?

Jennifer CA

Here are previous posts about Dottie:

• Dottie (Dalmatian)
• Dottie At Four Months (Dalmatian)
• Dottie At 9 Months (Dalmatian)

By Jennifer from CA

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Craft Project: Sports Party Crown

If you have a child who loves sports, this is a great project he or she can do in preparation for his or her birthday party--OR--if you like to do a craft at your parties, it's simple enough for a small group of kids to do so everyone can make their own party hat.

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Scenery: Glenn's Picture of Mt. Hood

My son took this picture of Mt. Hood 3 years ago when he was 17 and had just become a pilot. He circled the top so many times the tower contacted him and asked if he was having trouble. He said, "No, I'm just trying to get a good picture for my mother." He did, don't you think?

Editor's Note: Mt. Hood is in Oregon.

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• Tip Contest
  Submit a Tip or Recipe!

• Photo Contest
  Submit a tip with photo!

These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!

• My Frugal Life
  Submit a My Frugal Life Essay!

Knowing How Much is Left on a Gift Card

Gift cards are fun to receive, and I have gotten quite a few of them. When I use a card, and it still has a balance, I use a sharpie to write the amount that is available.No more wasted cards and embarrassing moments.

By Christine from Sterling, Virginia

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Growing a Hanging Upside Down Tomato On a Balcony

I live in a second floor apartment with a balcony and not a very big one at that. I decided to plant tomatoes but there isn't much room to put containers in such a small space, then I looked up. I have a spider plant and it hangs down from the ceiling, why can't tomatoes?

So I got one of those coconut lining type of planters, cut a small space in the bottom of it took a small tomato plant stuck the roots up into the cut spot. While holding the roots in one hand, I added some little rocks for drainage and then some potting soil to the top, hung it up on a hook from the ceiling and watered it. It is now beginning to bloom and it is growing. The stems and the leaves are growing upwards toward the light. I'm sure once the tomatoes come on the plant they will hang down some.

Source: I saw some planters for sell in some magazines that were basically plastic bags with holes cut in them. The idea of a tomato plant growing upside down had never occurred to me before, I thought of planting them in a pot and just hanging the pot, but after seeing the planter in the magazine I decided to give the idea a try.

I didn't want to go out and buy something new, that defeats the purpose of recycling. I spotted the coconut liner planter that I had had from the previous summer and thought why not! Why not indeed, it has plenty of room for the roots to have a field day up there and its not taking any of the space down below normally occupied by human feet. I want to do this with cucumbers as well. I just have to get the cucumber plants, wish me luck!

By Bertha from Lexington, KY

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Pinata Alternative

For children's birthday parties, buy small toys, stickers, candy and crepe paper streamers. Wrap the toys in the streamers one at a time creating a ball. You can make it as big or small as you like. Have the children toss the ball in a circle, as it unravels the toys will fall out. This is much safer than a pinata. Also, the kids love the streamers.

By Leslie from Brandon, MS

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Test New Plants Before Transplanting

If you have little experience with a newly-purchased plant, try it out in its new spot for a few days still in its nursery pot. Be careful to keep it watered as the label directs, and watch it for signs of stress. The spot you've planned for it may not be right for that type of plant.

By Cinnamon from Williams Lake, BC

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Super Easy Cat Toy

Here's the BEST cat toy in the world and you'll only need 3 simple things to make it. A dowel, stick or a long knitting needle, a piece of fish line and some yarn. Take the dowel or stick and to the end, tie on a piece of fishing line about 4 feet long (since fishline is transparent, the cat won't see it). Then to the end of the fishline, tie a short piece of eyelash yarn (or several strands of ANY yarn) these should be small, only about about 3 or 4 inches long. This toy will resemble a fishing pole with a "worm" on the end of it.

Now when you play with your cat, DRAG it across the floor. My cat thinks he's chasing a bug running across the floor. And him being the great hunter he is, he just LOVES this "bug on a line" toy and refuses to play with any other toys. It's so cute, he gets down in his stalking position and just waits until the bug (the piece of eyelash yarn) goes around the corner where he can't see it, and he can wait no longer, (he actually shakes with anticipation!) Then *POUNCE!* he's got it! (his bug on a line). He could play this game FOREVER! And, since the weather has been nice recently, we've been playing "Catch the bug" outside in the grass instead of inside and he even likes this even better!

By Cyinda from near Seattle

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Moving Tip: Finding the Bedding

This is an added tip on moving. Pack bedding in washer and dryer if you have them. Then they are handy to get to for making the bed the first night.

By Sharon S. from Mackinaw, Il

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Estate Planning is Important

Working in a law firm for many years in the estate planning and probate departments, I found that few people actually plan very little, if at all, for the future when it comes to their death. Having your estate planning in place is very important and you should choose an attorney that specializes in that field. Making things easier for your family and especially for making sure that your wishes are honored does need to be memorialized legally. Also, think about the little things and make a list. This list isn't a part of your estate planning documents, but you could keep them together for simplicity down the line.

My children are grown and I am remarried. I have given direction to a couple of them, those I think are best suited to do these things, so that if something should happen to both me and my hubby at the same time, or he is unable to deal with things at the time, they can do so. They know my final wishes for my cremation and ashes, where to access personal info, we've discussed what they would like to have of a personal nature that I own (and my hubby knows those things, too), etc. It's comforting to know that although in the end, people will do whatever they do, I have still given them some direction if they need it.

By Robin from Dover, FL

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Removing Dinginess from Whites

To remove the "dingies" from white clothes drop a dishwasher soap tab, or a half cup of dishwasher powder (must be for dishwashing machine) into your washer, along with your regular laundry soap, and wash as usual. Works really great on white socks!

Source: trial and error!

By Catastrofy from Winnipeg, Canada

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Add Dried Fruits to Your Bread Machine

We just got another bread machine and have been waking up to the utterly heavenly aroma of fresh bread and coffee, set to finish just as our first alarm rings. We quickly got too used to just plain bread, and I began adding different dried fruit to the bread pan. I know that you are supposed to wait until the proper time to add such things, but I am usually sound asleep then!! lol!! So I just put it in the bottom of the pan and follow the white bread recipe the machine recommends. Here are the dried fruits that we have tried thus far, and we love each one:

Dark raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries (for the 4th, we had blueberries and cherries so we could have red, white, and blue), golden raisins and a teaspoon of cinnamon, and tomorrow, we are trying dried apricots, cut in quarters. I have some dried apple rings that will be next.

I don't measure the fruit, I just sprinkle it in the bottom of the bread pan in a scant single layer. The fruit is moist and the bread itself looks almost like whole wheat. I think that if we had to choose, the cherries are just about our favorite.

By Margie from Mount Vernon, Ohio

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Grilling Ahead for the Week

To save energy and time, I cook on the grill almost every weekend. I cook 2-3 different meats, such as burgers, chicken, hot dogs, or pork chops. I also cook several side dishes, such as, baked potatoes, grilled squash, or open a can of corn and put on the grill. I have enough for 2-3 more meals. This way I do not heat up my kitchen for several meals. I just use the microwave. It also provides a few different meal options without seeming like leftovers.

By Leslie from Brandon, MS

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What Do Roly-Polys Eat?

What do roly-polys eat?

Kaylena from Galin, MI

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Homemade Sweet Pickle Relish

Does anyone have a good recipe for making sweet pickle relish? I don't like the store bought sweet relish because it's loaded with preservatives and artificial colors, it tastes yucky. I'd like to start making it at home. I know it's just cucumbers, vinegar and sugar, but it seems like it might be hard to make it come out right.

Christy from Balto, MD

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What is this bug?

Can anyone tell me what this bug is? It is on the tomato plants.

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Dorothy from Pennsylvania

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Recipes Using Very Tart Tomatoes

I need a good recipe for using very tart cherry tomatoes. I planted three yellow "Tumbling Tom" tomato plants which have loads of yellow one inch cherry tomatoes, but they are too acidic to eat out of hand.

Perhaps too much so to even use in any recipe I have. I've tried roasting them for sauce, which didn't work, still sour. I have thought about salsa, but I have neither cilantro nor hot peppers and don't plan to get any for at least several days. I hate for all these ripe tomatoes to go to waste. Any ideas? Many thanks!

Shawna from Paris, TN

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Apricots Splitting on the Tree

I have an apricot tree that is 3 year old tree. The bottom of the fruit splits than rots, on at least 50% of the fruit.

Hardiness Zone: 9a

George from Hollister, California

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Hummingbird Feeder Recipe

I haven't had as many hummingbirds this year. I thought maybe I need to get another recipe for mixing up sugar water for the hummers. Does anyone have a good recipe to attract them?

Sherrie from Greenville, KY

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Removing Polyurethane from a Table

I need advice on how to remove polyurethane from my beautiful dining room table. I took it upon myself to put three coats of satin polyurethane on it, when all I wanted was a shiny top coat to keep it from scratching. Now it's a mess and I don't know what to do. Is there some kind of remover I can use that won't take the finish off the table?

Donita from Loveland, CO

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Getting Rid of Ants in Recycling

My recycling system is attracting ants. Can you help? I rinse out cat food cans, plastic bottles, and place them in a plastic bag hanging from my kitchen doorknob. I take the bag every couple of days to a local recycling center, and sort through the bag there.

But I have an invasion of small black ants crawling on and through the plastic bag! If I store this sort of bag outdoors instead, I'll likely attract wildlife. Can't afford to buy several trash cans. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Nica from Big Bend, WV

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Training a Paper Trained Puppy to Go Outside

I have a 10 week old Pomeranian. He's paper trained but sometimes decides to go on the floor. When I notice that he's about to go poop I hurry up and run him out side for him to go, but he refuses to go outside. Them when I bring him in he'll go on the paper. Also after he's done eating I take him outside and he still won't go in the yard. Can anyone please give me some advice on how to better potty train him? Advice on crate training would be nice too!

Jamie from Pittsburgh PA

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Keeping the Fitted Sheet on the Bed

The elastic on my bottom sheets is not keeping the corners tight and in place. I wake up in the morning and the bedding is undone. Any suggestions to keep the corners tightly held?

Derryl from Ontario, Canada

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Transferring Sunflower Seedlings Outdoors

My daughter and I have started sunflower seeds indoors. They are now about 5 in. or so and I was going to plant them outdoors. I have a few questions though. It is supposed to be raining on and off till next Thursday and I am not sure if the seedlings can handle that much rain.

Will they all drown if I plant them now or should I wait? And where would be the best place to plant them? Direct sun or where they can receive sun and shade? I really don't want to kill them since my daughter and I started them together!

Hardiness Zone: 7b

April from Demorest, Ga

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Ideas for Using Old Photos at a Birthday Party

What can I do with an old photo of my mom when she was a little girl to use it as a decoration for 80th birthday party?

Cathy from South Pasadena

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Gnats Biting Dogs

We go the lake a lot and gnats drive him crazy. If anyone know of what too use on my dog, please let me know.

Pat from Indiana

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Black Granite Sink Looks Dull

I have had one of those new black granite sinks for a few months. So far it hasn't needed any special care, but it is starting to look gray and dull. What should I use to refresh it?

Ruth from Harlingen, TX

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Reviews Of HD Radio

Do any of you have an HD radio? I'm considering buying one. This is not a satellite radio, such as Sirius, which requires a subscription. Instead, it's a high-definition digital radio, which gets signals transmitted from local radio towers. If you do have one, is it a significant improvement over regular radio in quality or due to the additional shows and music you get? I live between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Thanks!

Terri

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Review Of Dog Arthritis Treatments

I would like to know if anyone has used the product that is seen advertised on TV for arthritis in dogs or for hip dysplasia that you spray in the water. I would like to know how effective it is and if you have had any experience with it.

Elaine from Iowa

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Something Is Eating The Leaves On Weeping Cherry

I have a weeping cherry tree that was planted about 2 months ago. I put mulch around it, watered it regularly and put it in a spot where I thought it would be free of infestation. At present, the leaves are getting eaten. I don't have any idea what is eating them because there is not a trace of any bug. New branches are also appearing without leaves which is making it die. Is there an insecticide that can be used to alleviate this problem or does something else need to be done. Please help me. Thank you.

Tom

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Making A Quilt Out Of Clothing

I have a lot of my late mother's clothes and would love to make a beginners quilt out of them. Does anyone have directions to share?

Debra from Hampton, Tenn

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Removing Stains On Vintage Table Clothes

I bought several vintage tablecloths at an estate sale. There are old grease stains and other stains on them. Any ideas how to get them off? Most of the table cloths are cotton.

sandytn from Knoxville, TN

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Getting Rid Of Mold In Birdbath

I have an old stone birdbath that has mold on the inside. Any clues as to removing it? I don't want to replace it.

ohdawn

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Restoring Icons On Computer Task Bar

I have a Windows XP Computer and I'm having problems in restoring the small icons in the narrow blue task bar on the bottom of my desktop. This is the bar where the Start button is located. I've tried dragging and dropping the large icons from the desktop into the bar and have had no success.

I attempted to try and find an answer to my problem, but have hit a dead end street. Can anyone tell me how this can be done? Thank you in advance!

MCW from Lewiston, NY

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Saving Money on Fishing

What are your tips for saving money on fishing and all the necessary gear. Feel free to post your ideas below.

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Saving Money on Pizza

Frozen, carry out or homemade, what are you tips for saving money on pizza? Feel free to post them below.

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

More Information:
Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml

Saving Money on Summer Travel

Here are some tips for saving money on Summer travel share by ThriftyFun readers.

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