Daily Thrifty Tips - September 26, 2006

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This is Diva the Cat and Bear the Puppy. Diva is a 2 year old Calico and Bear is a five weeks old Cocker/Aussie Shepherd.

I got Diva as a rescue and the puppies were born at my house. I own both parents.

Diva loves to watch my expresso brew in the am. Bear is into terrorizing his brothers and sisters. They are very much loved!

By Allison from Elmendorf, TX

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This is my two year old granddaughter displaying and playing with her brother's straw hat.

By Teresa Hayes from Stuarts Draft, Va.

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I saw the picture of a humingbird from Pat from Sweetwater Tx. I, too, had the good fortune to capture a hummingbird, one cool morning while he was sitting on top of the feeder.

By Jan from Springfield, Mn

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My Frugal Life
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Frugal living has been a way of life since I was a small child. Coming from a large family of 8 in a rural small town, I was raised in a simple environment. We grew vegetables and ate wild game and fish. I married, had a child and cooked inexpensive meals and cut corners with coupons, thrift store finds and cheap entertainment such as board games or cards.

Move forward to 30 years later and I am divorced. I found myself caught up in the world of fast food, dining out and spending way too much money. it is harder being single and frugal rather than being in a family environment. I recently went on a financial budget. I do not eat out at all for thirty days at a time then I only eat out with a coupon. I shop at discount grocery stores and cook and prepare my meals at home. I like to travel so I use a small cooler to carry my food and drinks in. I have saved a average of 45.00 a week.

I miss the fast life, until I look at my savings account.

Tamde from Pomona Park, FL

Do you have a frugal story to share with the ThriftyFun community? Submit your essay here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_myfrugallife.ldml

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Start by listing everything that you spend money on each month and how much you spend. Add up the list to get your current total budget. Once you have that information you can start creating your ideal budget. Look for ways that you can cut your spending in each category and then list the ideal amount next to current amount. At the end of the month, calculate your spending and see how close you came to meeting your ideal spending amounts.

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Debt consolidation can offer a great opportunity for people that have amassed large amounts of credit card debt at unfavorable interest rates. You can get lower, more manageable monthly payments and reduce the number of bills you have to pay each month. The problem many people have is that they then start using their newly paid off credit cards again and end up with even more debt. If you don't change your spending habits, debt consolidation merely enables you to get further in debt.

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If you had purchased $1000.00 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00.

With Enron, you would have had $16.50 left of the original $1000.00.

With WorldCom, you would have had less than $5.00 left.

But, if you had purchased $1000.00 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling REFUND, you would have had $214.50.

Based on the above, current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

It's called the 401-Keg Plan.

By Terri from NV

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When eating at a fast food place, I order a side salad off the Value (i.e. dollar menu) Menu and a 5-pc chicken nuggets. I put 1/2 the salad in the lid and cut the nuggets into quarters. Mix each half of the lettuce with the chicken chunks. I add the asian ginger dressing and voila! I have a cheaper version of the asian chicken salad that sells for twice the price.

By Meari from Illinois

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When preparing a dish, always prepare more than you're going to need for this particular meal. After it's cool, package it in appropriate serving size containers. Label and put in the freezer for a later meal. Nobody likes to eat the same foods many meals in a row.

By Terri from NV

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I have used a Mr. Clean Magic Sponge on everything. It takes out dirt, nail polish, marker, crayon, grease, scuff marks, even sticky stuff. Recently my daughter hung up a poster and it had those sponge stickers on the back to hold it up. Well, the poster wouldn't stay so we took it down. Unfortunately the sponge stickers stay on the wall. I tried everything to get them off and only the Mr Clean Magic Sponge would work. I love it and will always use that before a regular cloth!

By Jennifer from Holland, MI

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I found a site with free stained glass patterns (LOTS!) and FREE and that's definitely thrifty. Some people use them for quilting and glass painting too.

http://chantalstainedglass.50megs.com

Lana Hilana

If you are looking for stained glass patterns to make stained glass quilts, stained glass painting, stained glass or any other craft, try:

http://find-stainedglasspatterns.com

Rather than looking for patterns going from site to site, the patterns are classified according to topic. For instance, there is a whole page with links for angel stained glass patterns, or floral, etc.

By Helena from Seattle, WA

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If you own property when crises suddenly happen that leaves one impoverished, there is remaining the responsibility to maintain, as in "when all you have is lemons... make lemonade", we do with what we know, learn, find, are given, have and can do.

Each time I am required to drive even a short distance, I stop by every single place that sells coffee/tea, because that means "free grounds" that would otherwise go to the landfill and be wasted. Most owners/managers are friendly and willing to give them, but a few can't comprehend the importance and seem to be calculating the idea of "selling the grounds" one day. So, while they are free, take advantage of the opportunity, folks.

During the heat wave we recently all experienced, a record over the last 70 yrs., we all but lost our grass, as well while under water restrictions, which remain until our city water supply is replaced by rain. After tending to other essentials and basic needs, we were able to discover a free "fertilizer" which works, and quickly if done correctly.

Wearing gloves, hand spread the free gathered used coffee/tea grounds all over the grass, especially the "dead" places, like you might when fertilizing with chemicals, but as evenly as possible and slightly heavier than with chemicals.

I chose to do this just before an expected rain, because nothing good happens until the grounds are watered in, and because it is another free resource. One application needed watering in on my allotted day to water because weather reports are often unreliable.

The grounds are considered by gardeners for the compost as being "green" material, containing Nitrogen, a much needed nutrient for all green things. It provides great recycling use of a by-product of our coffee drinking and satisfies the grass because it perked up and is responding after only three days!

I plan to watch for any road/swim pool/fence construction and ask for any left over top soil for the huge cracks left by dryness, AND for low places. Should I be able to find an abundance of soil, I will add a top dressing over the coffee grounds.

There is even a use for the heavier used filter paper, other than in the compost: I stuffed them into the cracks around my foundation. The residual grounds seem to repel pests as well, and since most used grounds have a significant number of used filters to dig out, it helps to close the gaps.

If the coffee/tea is still in lumps as it was originally processed or packaged, the lumps need to be mashed before tossing onto the grass.

I have not over used the free grounds, so I believe the secret is to find the proper balance for whatever you apply it to. For my front yard of approximately 40'x90' feet, it takes about 15 gallons of grounds. I have St. Augustine grass where there is live grass.

It takes about 1 hour of making rounds to the places (restaurants, drive-throughs, bakeries, grills, even larger service stations) that sell coffee within two miles of my home, to gather that. I go two-three times/week, so far, and will continue until bad weather while en route to grocery, discount bread store, post office, bill paying, gas stations, neighborhood recycling center, $.50 movie evening, church, charity, curbside-bulk pickup, storing them in an outside receptacle at home until Spring, if any are left over. This way, I am not wasting gasoline.

I apply a little more around the drip line of our evergreen trees/shrubs, NONE around Fall leaf-losers. (I will do that for them in the Spring. )

I worked in a handful of grounds in a 20" pot of a salvaged Scheffera and two days later the leaves were not only perked WAY up but in four days there were new leaves and very glossy, whereas the old leaves were sparse, leggy stemmed, and dull leafed, a likely reason the previous owner tossed it curbside!

I am making a schedule with merchants who sell breakfast, for eggshells, to save them for me, too, although they require a special day for pick-up, and I cannot know for sure that I will have the gas on those days. It's harder to schedule, but if I can figure it out, it is worth it, also for both grass, garden and many container plants. Less impoverished friends/neighbors have proven to be more helpful, admiring how I keep trying to find ways, with God's grace and help to live within my "frugal" means.

God bless our frugal living and Thriftyfun.

By Lynda from TX

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Use a little lemon juice on a sponge to clean off the residue on the shower glass doors and rinse. It will leave them sparkling clean removing any scum.

By Mary Ann Kieffer from Lawrence, KS

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Dear Webby's Humor Letter

Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.

More Information:
http://webby.com/humor

I'm a waitress, and want to know what TDW (memo item) means on my paycheck stub?

Marla

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My Pomeranian puppy keeps rolling in "stuff" and she smells like a barnyard. We keep having to bathe her, but she just keeps coming back inside smelly. Is there anything out there that can deter dogs from rolling in things? I have tried spraying her with pet deodorant, but I guess she thinks rolling in poop, etc. smells better. Please Help us!

Sunshine67 from Toronto, ON

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Can I plant wisteria pods or should it just be the seeds?

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Pat from Justin, TX

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How do I get the mildew smell out of a mattress?

Noxon Motel from Noxon, MT

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I recently bought a product here in Australia called Bio Oil. It is supposed to help reduce the appearance of scars, reduce the possibility of stretch marks, uneven skin tone and aging skin. It is rather expensive and I was wondering if anyone knew of a substitute - it would need to be something I could easily access in Australia or a home remedy. Thank you for your input in advance.

Sharyl from Country South, Australia

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Where can I find huge African Violets for sale?

Pauline from Woodstock, IL

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I spilled a half gallon of gasoline in the garage. I put kitty litter on it to abosorb the fluid and then swept it up. How do I get the smell out of it?

Susan from Cedar Rapids, IA

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I need a really cute and creative way to ask a guy to a winter dance. Got any ideas?

Lauren from Denver, CO

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Years ago you could buy decals to put on your cabinets or maybe the backs of chairs such as apples, chickens. etc. You could buy these at Woolworth's Five &a Dime Store. You put them in water and then the decal slipped off and you could apply it for a decoration. Can you still purchase such as this, and if so, where at?

Thank You!

Twila from Loranger, LA

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Where can I find free wood projects?

hvactech5 from Virginia Beach, VA

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I had someone throw an egg in my convertible. I have leather seats but some of the egg has seeped into the cracks. The car is brand new and has now lost its brand new car smell. How do I get rid of the rotten egg smell that is now all over the car without damaging any of the leather, electronics and audio speakers?

Jay from Sydney Australia

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I have a 4 year old daughter and she has no respect for me or my partner at all. She disregards everything we say to her, never obey's us and she's always back-chatting and pulling faces behind my back. If she doesn't get her own way she screams and cries. Sometimes I wonder what the neighbors think when they hear her screaming... again! Any help or suggestions would be more than appreciated. I would prefer non-physical punishment!

Thank You,
Haley from Albany, Western Australia

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My husband's work shirts have a build up of deodorant on the underarm area. How can I get this off? I have washed them in hot water, tried scrubbing those areas by hand, tried stain remover. Nothing seems to work and it just doesn't look very nice. Does anybody have a solution to this problem?

Louise from Port Charlotte, FL

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My neighbor's cat has started scratching at the rubber (plastic) moulding around the outside of my apartment door. He is ruining it. How can I get him to stop other than contacting the landlord regarding the problem?

Kathie from South Portland, ME

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I'm in charge of the homecoming float, we are the Vanguards and they are the Knights and I have NO IDEA what to do for it. Please help me.

Krista from WI

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I am looking for uses for old tires.

Madmichaelp from Frisco City, LA

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I am trying to crate train a rescue dog who is fine about going in the crate and never soils it in any way. I feed him in the crate and then take him out about 45 minutes later. As I have to keep him on a long leash he will pee, but will not do the business whilst on the leash. If I let him off he manages to escape into neighbors gardens as he has burrowed holes in hedging which I am trying to cover but he keeps getting through.

After 20 minutes I take him in and he then does it in the house. How can I make him understand that he should never do it in the house rather than not just to not do it in his cage. He seems to open his bowels several times a day whilst I thought if you feed twice a day, they go twice a day as a kind of reflex.

My daughter is looking after him and she has a young pup which she lets free around the house and he is a nightmare. She is reluctant to use a cage I bought her but I can't force her to. The older dog is not encouraged by the habits of the young pup. He was staying with me before but because he is too boisterous my daughter has him, but he has never been housetrained to the extent that he knows not to do it at home. It was more through vigilance than training that he didn't do it at my home, any help would be appreciated.

Margaret from Swansea S. Wales

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I am looking for a stain-stick or stain-paste recipe. These seem to work really well for our family in comparison to the "spray before you wash" treatments. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mommy from MN

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Are Phoenix Arizona's roadways made from old tires?

Penelope from Chicago, Illinois

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Can you help me find me the dress Hilary Duff wore in a cinderella story?

Hannah from Temecula, CA

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How do I get the smell of garlic out of my refrigerator and freezer?

PG from OKC, OK

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Our Frigidaire icemaker quit working and we can't afford another one. Any suggestions? we had installed a new filter about 10 days earlier.

Elizabeth from Hart, Michigan

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I need help with ideas for a 5th grade banquet (theme and decorations).

Marsha from Valrico, FL

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I am on social security and have blue cross and blue shield as a secondary. I need a primary care doctor. How do I find one?

Val from Golden, CO

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When is the best time to plant tulip, lily, crocus and iris bulbs? I ordered about 60 of these bulbs and they said they are fall harvest. Does that mean to plant them in the fall? They are supposed to bloom in the spring, but will the grow during the winter? Will the bulbs be alright in the ground all winter? I've seen lots of iris' around in the spring and they are beautiful, that's what I'm hoping for.

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Thanks,
Chas from WV

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My twin brother and I are having a big birthday party in my backyard. We're inviting all are friends, but I don't now what I can do for entertainment. can you help? We are turing 13 and I am a girl with a twin brother.

Brittney from IL

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We came home from vacation to a freezer full of spoiled chicken and meat. The stench continues throughout the house a week later. We have scrubbed the freezer with bleach and will try the baking soda now. Any more suggestions?

Debbie from Flanders, NJ

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What is my Min Pin mixed with? I saw the mom, she was a min pin. I think she might be 1/2 chihuahua.

Candice from Riverside, CA

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I bought a beautiful persian lamb coat with a mink collar from eBay and it arrived reeking of smoke. Any suggestions as to how to remove the smoke smell?

I currently have it hanging in my closed bathroom with a Biozone 3000 ozone purifier and am hoping the gas will have some neutralizing affect, but is there anything else I can do? Can the fur be treated with Nature's Miracle like I use on my wool rugs when the dogs have an accident? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

Kellie from Villa Park, CA

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My husband forgot to put my window up in my car after he used it. We had terrible thunder showers and it rained cats and dogs. Yup, my window was still down. How can I get the drivers side seat to dry? It is really soaked.

Joyce from Decaturville, TN

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I've never cared much for canned potatoes but I recently made this dish and it was good.

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The economy is poor, but that's not the only reason that people are in debt. Other factors play a huge role in the circulating debt that swarms above the homes of America, and one of them is the "I need it" attitude. It's not easy to avoid; there are messages everywhere that promote items and convince us that we need them. However, our ticket to debt freedom is only given to us when we learn to prioritize our needs.

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