Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 219, December 21, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
We now have over 7,000 pages at ThriftyFun.com. That means that we have added over 5,000 recipes, tips, requests and articles over the past year. This has always been a pretty lively, vibrant and helpful community but over the past year it has really grown beyond my wildest dreams.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Karen's Family TraditionKitchen Time Savers
- Avoid Cuts from Can Lids
- Bring a List to After Christmas Sales
- Carry 3" x 5" Spiral Note Pad When Shopping
- Gift Idea Using White Plastic Tall (3") Pill Bottles
- Christmas Card Tips
- Keeping Bags from Rolling Around in the Truck
- Magic Erasers (And Free Sample Information)
- Mixing in Some Spinach With Hamburger Helper
- Fantastic Corn Broccoli Side Dish
- Red Velvet Cake Mix
- Disposing of Burnt Out Light Bulbs
- A Stop Ball for the Garage
- Candle Tips
- Pet Bed from Paper Box
- Do You Get Chapped Hands In Winter?
- Farmer's Cure For Chapped Lips
- Turn a Sit and Spin Into a Large Lazy Susan
- Moose/Reindeer Nuggets Craft
- Candy Canes
- Onion Cutting Tip
- Tips for Organizing Recipes
- Greasing Cake Pans
- Ant Deterrent
- Uses for Kleenex Boxes
- Saving Money on Wrapping Paper
- Wrapping with Spare Material
New Requests:
More Reading:
- Using Color Tricks in Home Décor
- 10 Tips For A Good Night's Sleep
- 8 dog training tips for you and your dog.
- Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe
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Today's Tips
Today's Family Tradition...
Karen's Family Tradition - Christmas Ornaments With Stories
Every year, I buy everyone in the family a special ornament that has something to do with their past year, their interests or accomplishments. When I got divorced and had 2 young girls, we started some holiday traditions of our own.
The favorite of everyone is a Christmas eve picnic under the Christmas tree. We eat easy finger foods, spread a tablecloth on the floor and play I-Spy with the Christmas ornaments. When the specific ornament is found, there is always a story told of that particular ornament and what it means.
The kids all love hearing the "family history" and even know the stories from the ornaments I received from my Mom each year growing up. It is truly our favorite tradition.
By Karen Bates-Earnest
View More Christmas Family Traditions
Share Your Christmas Family Tradition
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Kitchen Time Savers
Tips and ideas for saving time in the kitchen. Post your ideas!
Cutting Kids Food With Kitchen Shears
Kitchen shears make cutting kids food into bites a snap.
By Linda
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Avoid Cuts from Can Lids
Get in the habit of always dropping a can lid into the empty can right away to avoid cuts.
By Linda
Post Feedback: Click Here
Bring a List to After Christmas Sales
Have a list of items that you really need before you shop sales. No point in having a lot of multiples of Christmas supplies that you won't use, no matter how cheap they are!
They take up storage space.
By Syd
Post Feedback: Click Here
Carry 3" x 5" Spiral Note Pad When Shopping
Keep a note pad in your car, pants pocket, purse OR coupon pouch with a pen when shopping. Then you are always prepared to jot notes of items that you may want to duplicate for a gift.
Seeing is one thing, remembering is another!
By Syd
Post Feedback: Click Here
Gift Idea Using White Plastic Tall (3") Pill Bottles
This idea can be used for Christmas, birthday, Easter, Valentine or whatever! Use your imagination.
Us them for party favors, or token gifts to a friend, make cute labels on your computer (I use Print Master), and paste label on the bottles.
Example: (center wording)
Everybody needs some
"Hug's & Kisses"
on their birthday!
Is it OK if they are chocolate?
Fill with Hershey Hugs & Kisses.
You can spray paint the cap or cover with a fancy sticker to cover the printing on the cap.
By Syd
View Article: Click Here
Christmas Card Tips
Christmas card tips and ideas. Post your ideas.
Addressing Christmas Cards
Festive, quick and easy address labels
Use Avery #5162 or generic equivalent labels, and add a decorative graphic item like Christmas lights across the top, center your address. Print, using color cartridge!
Make master floppy disk with all the addresses; this makes it easy to print out and also to add and delete names to update each year.
By Syd
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Keeping Bags from Rolling Around in the Truck
I use a small truck to shop at stores. In the past all the packages used to tip over and roll out of reach. I got some short bungie cords and gathered all plastic bag handles to the loop near the tailgate. No more crawling around the truck bed
By Loretta
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Magic Erasers (And Free Sample Information)
Those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers that are going out now as free samples are the BEST thing to clean textured handles on newer refrigerators! I had tried everything to no good, but these work GREAT!
By Sandra G.
Editor's Note: We have a lot of fans of the Magic Eraser here at ThriftyFun. Your mention of samples prompted me to search and see if any samples were being offered online. While they no longer have a sample for the original eraser, they do appear to be giving away a sample of their new Magic Eraser DUO.
Here's what they say it can be used for:
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser(TM) DUO:
- Have one on hand in the bathroom to quickly clean up the sink and countertop.
- Use it to cut through soap scum in the bathroom shower and tub.
- Keep the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser DUO handy in the kitchen to remove tough stains easily or for quick wipe-ups.
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser DUO can easily clean up dried food stains in the refrigerator.
The form to get the free sample is here:
http://www.startsampling.com/sm/5161/product.iphtml?item=5161&source=hms
View Article: Click Here
Mixing in Some Spinach With Hamburger Helper
Did you know you can stir in a 10 oz. package of frozen creamed spinach into a box of hamburger helper, especially the cheese flavors and even the kids will eat it? I HATE spinach and it was wonderful!
By Sandra G.
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Fantastic Corn Broccoli Side Dish
Ingredients:
- 2/10 oz. pkgs. chopped broccoli
- 15 oz. can MexiCorn
- 1 large onion, minced
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 10 oz. can cream of broccoli soup
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 oz. herb seasoned stuffing
- 1/4 cup butter
Directions:
MIX all EXCEPT 1 cup cheese, butter and stuffing
Pour in casserole dish, top with reserved items EXCEPT NOT CHEESE YET, mixe well. Bake 350 degrees F. for 30 min.
Sprinkle with the cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes just to melt. YUMMY!
By Sandra G.
View Article: Click Here
Red Velvet Cake Mix
There is a new red velvet cake mix on sale now that tastes exactly like a "scratch" cake if you add the vinegar and cocoa from the original recipe to the cake mix. My son never noticed a difference.
By Sandra G.
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Disposing of Burnt Out Light Bulbs
Place blown-out light bulbs in a baggie before throwing them away. If it is accidentally crushed, the pieces won't tear the garbage bag.
By GrammySheila (Sheila Saey)
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A Stop Ball for the Garage
Using a long string, hang a ball from the garage ceiling indicating where a new driver should stop the car. Hitting it won't do any damage to the car and it will prevent the driver from hitting something else.
By GrammySheila (Sheila Saey)
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Candle Tips
Some will receive beautiful candles this year at Christmas. I hope you will get a Trivet (plate) to set it on and maybe a Snuffer to put the candle out with. Bigger candles come with 5 or 6 wicks. Ouch on the fingers.
If your candle smokes while burning the wick is to large. If the wick is drowning it's too small for your size candle.
If you have (little black ball) The wicks may be upside down. If this happens put out your candle, let it cool and trim the wick(s). The Carbon Balls are what makes your candle burn with black smoke.
Placing your candle on a Trivet will protect your furniture. And last, keep candles away from open windows, children and curtains.
By south_land
View Article: Click Here
Pet Bed from Paper Box
Turn a cardboard box (the kind that reams of copy paper come in) into a bed for a small pet by cutting an entrance and lining it with a blanket.
By GrammySheila (Sheila Saey)
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Do You Get Chapped Hands In Winter?
Here is a remedy that works!
Process 1 cup of uncooked, old fashioned (not instant) rolled oats in a blender until you have very fine powder. Place it in a large bowl, then rub your hands in the powder gently, removing dry skin. Rinse with cold water and lavish on hand cream (any kind) Wait 2 min. and apply more cream. This treatment will remove the top layer of dead skin cells. Hey it's cheaper then the expensive hand cream and works well!
By Karah B
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Farmer's Cure For Chapped Lips
Well if you are out and have no chap stick or if you work out in the cold and your lips get chapped try this, it works as well.
Farmers used to do it. Put your finger on the side of your nose, then rub your finger around your lips. It picks up a little of the oil that's naturally there, It is the kind of oil your lips are looking for anyway and they usually get it from contact with adjacent skin. You couldn't get any more homeremedy than that.
By Karah B
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Turn a Sit and Spin Into a Large Lazy Susan
If you come across a sit n spin at a yard sale remove the top handle and use the bottom as a lazy susan in a larger cabinet. Use a Sawz-all to remove the handle or have your 3 year old throw it around a few times:) You can even place a round piece of wood glued on top. (use one of those round side table tops that have the 3 legs).
By Melanie
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Moose/Reindeer Nuggets Craft
One year a friend of mine gave each of my kids a box (the one shaped like a little milk carton) of Whoppers candy. It was the cutest idea and my kids just loved it! You could use Milk Duds or gum balls that are in similar containers.
ANTLERS:
She had taken dark brown fun foam and cut out shapes of reindeer/moose antlers and glued them to the top edge of one of the sides of the carton to where they stood up above the carton.
EYES:
She got two giant google eyes and glued those to the front of two large light brown pom poms and those are glued just on top of the bottom edge of the antlers.
SNOUT/NOSE:
She took another big light brown pom pom ball and glued that on for a snout and glued a small red pom pom on top of that for a nose.
That was glued just under the eyes centered between the two pom poms.
BOWTIE:
And then she took ribbon and made a bow and glued that just under the snout then glued a regular sized jingle bell at the base of the bow.
TAIL:
On the bottom of the other side (backside to the face) she cut a "trap door" out of the side of the carton and glued another large light brown pom pom for a tail that also serves as the "door" handle to open the trap door.
On the front of the moose just under the bow tie, this little jingle had been typed and printed out and glued to the carton:
"I am a moose
that is neat!
Just lift up my tail,
for nuggets to eat."
You could also type reindeer instead of moose.
After the kids ate all of their candy, we cut a slit in the top of the carton for them to use as a piggy bank.
By Tawnda
View Article: Click Here
Candy Canes
One of the cheapest but prettiest ways we decorate our Christmas tree each year is to buy a couple of boxes of candy canes. They are inexpensive and look so nice on the tree!
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Onion Cutting Tip
If you cry when you cut onions try this. Get a bowl of cold water and put your onion in the bowl with water and cut it. Your eyes will thank you and not even know your cutting a onion.
By Karah B
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Tips for Organizing Recipes
Tips and advice for organizing recipes. Post your ideas!
Favorite Recipes
Print out your favorite recipes on paper and then store in a binder. (You can find them much quicker this way than searching through several cook books.)
By GrammySheila (Sheila Saey)
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Greasing Cake Pans
If you don't like getting your hands greasy to prepare cake pans and etc. just use a sandwich bag as a quick glove.
By Melanie
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Ant Deterrent
Baby powder sprinkled on your counter or cupboard shelves deters ants.
By Linda
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Uses for Kleenex Boxes
Tips for using kleenex boxes. Post your ideas below.
Use for Square Tissue Boxes
Recycle a square tissue box to store plastic grocery bags. I fold mine, some people just crumple and stick in the box.
Always handy and takes up very little space.
By Syd
View Article: Click Here
Saving Money on Wrapping Paper
Tips for saving money on wrapping paper. Post your ideas.
Frugal Gift Tags
Glue pictures you have cut out from magazines, coupon ads, etc. onto old/used business cards. Now use them for gift tags!
By GrammySheila
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Wrapping with Spare Material
I use one square of material on the top of the gift and cover it all with that stickable plastic wrap which is called Glad Press and Seal, I use enough of the Press and Seal to seal on the bottom of the gift to the other square of press and seal. It is not wasted, because after the present is opened, the person can make crafts with it or I take it and quilt it into my most recent quilt I am making. I make them all the time. Not the perfect ones, the warm homemade ones that are not perfect but are cozy!
By Racing
View Article: Click Here
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How to Fight Acne
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Today's Sponsor
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Eversave.com is your one stop source for online coupons, brand
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More Reading:
Using Color Tricks in Home Décor
By Pamela Cole Harris
Just as a painter uses color to fool the eye and to create mood in fine art, so the designer can use color to fool the eye in home décor. Here are a few tips for the creative DIY designer (that's YOU!) dealing with problem spaces.
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10 Tips For A Good Night's Sleep
By Kathy Thompson
Do you have trouble sleeping? Tired all the time? Here are some great tips for better quality sleep.
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8 dog training tips for you and your dog.
By Fayola Peters
Dog training requires simple persistence to be a successful and delightful experience for you and your dog.
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Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe
By Michelle Jones
Instead of ordering an expensive ham for the holidays from your local gourmet store you can make your own honey baked ham at home and save a fortune! Here's how...
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