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Vol. 8, Num. 150, August 3, 2009 (Read It Online) Be sure to look at all the contest entries from last week and give a "thumbs up" to tips, photos, pets and recipes that you like. Your ratings are used to pick winners. You can view all of last week's entries here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml?contest=14740 Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team
Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter.
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:
Use Recycled File Folders For Cardstock While purging some old files here at home, I found I was getting quite a pile of empty folders. I figured that there had to be something I could do with these besides tossing them in the recycling. The tab portions were bent but the other portions looked pretty good. I decided to try and see if it would go through my printer safely. Being a lover of Victorian type prints, I decided this is what I would do my "test" on. I found this print and others online that were quite pricey. So I made my own to decorate in my home. See picture. The thickness of the file makes it very sturdy. Cut the file folders into two pieces along the file bend line. This picture is printed on the largest piece of the folder. I did have to cut a small portion of this folder side so that it would feed into my printer. I absolutely love the "vintage" look it gives to the print. The shorter side can be used as well. You can actually get two 5x7 pieces out of that side for smaller pictures. I have also folded the recycled portion in half and made "card stock" and done some personalized note cards for myself as well. The part of the folder which is used to extend the amount of paper in the folder is also recycled to cut to size for tabbed notebook or recipe dividers. The possibilities are endless. PLEASE NOTE: I have used these prints ONLY in my home and not attempting to make any profit on them. Source: Me: Trying to use things around the house for another purpose. By Southeastgeorgiapeach from Jesup, GA Contest Contender!
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Wildlife: Hummingbirds at the Feeder It pays to get up early. This shot was taken early this morning at our feeding station. By Ragteller from Tofield, AB Canada Contest Contender!
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Einstein is about 2 years old. He is a mixed breed, possibly with some Cairn Terrier. I adopted him from a rescue organization on March 7, 2009. He loves to play fetch with anything. He will press against your hand with a toy until you take it from him and throw it. He brings it right back so you can continue to throw it. He also loves ice cubes. When he hears the ice dispenser, he comes running into the kitchen looking for an ice cube treat. This picture was taken after we had been looking for something in the storage room. When I noticed the spider webs hanging from his face, I figured he was trying to tell me it was time to sweep the storage area because he had begun the cleaning up for me. By The Aunt from Dacula, GA Contest Contender!
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Teshamay (Tesha) is 10 weeks old. We got her from a good Schnauzer breeder in Wisconsin. This is a picture of Tesha's first bath. She likes to run and play and with her toys. Tesha is so smart, she runs at the door when I open it for her to go potty. By Sheila from Wisconsin Contest Contender!
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These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!
Use Paper Towels for Temporary Curtains After I moved into my brand new house, the most important thing for me was to find curtain for all of those more than 40 windows. Because there are so many, it is hard for me to find the right curtains and have them installed in a short period of time. Here is what I did: use tape and paper towel to make temporary ones. First, measure the height of the window, cut the paper towel with the appropriate length. Then use tape to stick it to the wall. For one window, we may need a few paper towel strips especially for wider window since the paper towel is only 1 foot wide. Because the color of paper towel is close to the color of wall, the curtain made from it blends in pretty well. Also the paper towel is transparent enough to let the sun shine in while opaque enough to block the view from outside. After you buy the right curtains or blinds for your window, it is very easy to take those paper towel strips down and reuse them just like other paper towels. So it pretty must costs you nothing for the temporary curtain. I would recommend you buy those thick ones with two layers for these temporary curtains. By smartguy from Bay area, CA Contest Contender!
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Link: Low Cost Eye Glasses at Zennioptical.com Eye glasses are so expensive. My family and I go to our optometrist for exam and Rx and then order our eyeglasses online. I have had excellent results with www.zennioptical.com There are numerous places on the net if you search. I get mine with frames and progressive lenses for about $30-$35 as compared to $250 and up from my local optician. By darlene418 from SE Oklahoma Contest Contender!
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Capture Chipmunks With Panty Hose Chipmunks! I saw one run into the black drainage tube that's attached to the downspout on the side of my house. There is one on each side of the corner of my house. After it ran up the spout, I took a pair of panty hose, pulled a leg over each end, not real easy, but it worked. My son-in-law ran water down the spout, then shook the drainage hose and the chipmunk ran half-way down the leg of my panty hose. He picked up the panty hose and threw it in a large can and let the critter loose quite a ways from the house. It was hilarious, seeing my son-in-law holding a chipmunk in a pair of panty hose. I will try it again. By Linda from Brodhead, WI Contest Contender!
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Windex for Dried Latex Paint on Windows I painted a room of mine a couple of months ago, but never got around to scraping paint from my old wood windows. To loosen the dried two month old paint, I spayed the windows with Windex first, then I hardly had to scrape at all. The latex paint peeled right off and I was able to clean my windows in the process! By Crystal from Stokesdale, NC Contest Contender!
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Check Freecycle Before You Buy I am always happy to hear about the many thrifty people on this site who are finding deals on used appliances and household needs, but I am dismayed that not everyone seems to be aware that there is an option for getting used appliances and other stuff for free by checking for a FreeCycle group in your area. FreeCycle is a non-profit, web-based organization where people post things to give away or request things they need. You are not allowed to sell anything on the site, it really is just about reducing, re-using, and recycling. That is keeping stuff out of landfills and trying to keep the earth intact for our children. This is their link: I strongly encourage you to see if there is a FreeCycle group in your area. If there isn't, consider starting one!By Tahlula from Northfield, MN Contest Contender!
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Set Up Pup Pool for Summer Heat Living in Florida, the heat is horrible for my outdoor pets. I bought a cheap kiddy, outdoor pool, and put in the back yard in the sun. When my pup gets hot, he dives in, and plays with his toys in the pool. He stays cool at the same time. By sharonross0624 from Florida Contest Contender!
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I have a pair of Red Wing work boots that I purchased with other work clothes and my Carhartt jacket about 10 years ago. Believe it or not, I have finally worn out the work boots, and am ready for a new pair. I have found Red Wing work boots at http://www.zonkshop.com at a really great price, but have never purchased a product online before. I would like to know how to purchase my work boots online since I think I can get a better price that way? By injuncrest from Rochester, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37547264.tip.html
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Rate It: I am considering purchasing a pair of Sanuk flip flops. Can anyone tell me if they are comfortable, durable, and worth the money? Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39094824.tip.html
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Rate It: My Troy Bilt push mower won't start. The blade came loose and I reinstalled it. While doing that, it made some gargle noises inside the engine. When I pulled the cord to start, white smoke came out. (I did have it on its side to quickly retighten the blade.) It ran weakly for about 10 seconds and died. This happened several times with a couple of backfires mixed in. If it starts, runs about 4-10 seconds and dies. By rkw66 from Arlington, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf48085691.tip.html
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Rate It: I would like information for making my own homemade facial mask. By suzcoe from northen Ireland Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39025112.tip.html
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Rate It: When Are Kittens Old Enough to Give Away? How long do you keep four kittens after they were born? By revagoerke Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12524472.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Oil Stain from Dry Clean Only Fabric Any suggestions on how to get an oil based stain out of a comforter that is only to be dry-cleaned? The oil stain is Skin-So-Soft body oil. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. By Susankin from Lynchburg, VA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59866063.tip.html
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Rate It: Ideas for Environmental Club Activities I'm starting the Environmental club at my school, and I want to know if anyone out there has any suggestions on activities we can have. I already have a few in mind, but I'd love to here from others. Thanks a bunch. By keiry06 from Miami, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23840368.tip.html
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Rate It: I hear Internet Explorer 7 is about to be on the shelf and keep seeing ads for IE 8. Are they for real, or a scam? haven't heard anything about 8 that I recall, but I'm fried from this heat, so I could just be mixed up. By nekocat from OR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf62451450.tip.html
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Rate It: How do I paint old furniture? By cczzy from New York City Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf64528440.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Fabric Dye Stains on Concrete How can I remove fabric dye stains from my cement driveway? By catilda from Elgin, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44804122.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing a Silver Cleaner Stain on Counter I left a container of silver cleaner on my counter and it left a ring. I can't remove it. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks. By waitress from Brick, NJ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92339507.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Red Dye Out of Clothes How do I remove red color dye on light blue shirt? By denise 64 from Norwich Norfolk, England Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40885130.tip.html
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Rate It: Has anyone purchased the Olympus Stylus S550? It is waterproof with 10 megapixels, has a 3x zoom, and a 2.5 inch screen, I believe. It is sold for around $179.99. Is this a good reliable product? How is the picture quality? I would like to get opinions from actual buyers rather than just the stores. Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23702955.tip.html
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Rate It: Buying Cornsilk Powder in Singapore I'm struggling to find Cornsillk powder. Can anyone tell me where I can get Cornsilk powder in my country, Singapore? ella92 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58872076.tip.html
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Rate It: Do the small foam paint rollers work well, for painting smooth surfaces, like kitchen cabinets? Years ago, I used a foam paint roller and it created many, many small bubbles on the paint surface. I will be using latex paint. By skf620 from Southern IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69830037.tip.html
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Rate It: My home never smells good, 1800sq ft. I use 3 Airwick Freshmatics, 3 oil diffusers (3 pack from Walmart). I apply Carpet Fresh weekly and steam clean monthly. All that and my house is clean. There are no pets inside, no smoking, but it just has a stale smell when were gone for a while which is understandable. When I leave the house for a short period of time I want to come back to a nice smelling home, nothing seems to work. I don't like spending money on refills. Please help. By texlish from Haslet, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49082231.tip.html
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Rate It: Has anyone tried the Rug Stick from Woolite? Is it as good as they advertise? I've been thinking about getting one, because I can no longer handle those huge rug shampooers. Thanks. By Judy from Birmingham, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99436144.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Ink Stains from Grout How do I get ink out of grout? By leanneg93 from Wenatchee, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96633852.tip.html
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Rate It: I do not smell gas when my grill is turned on to ignite. The igniter sparks just fine. I just bought the tank and hooked it up. How should I check to see if the regulator or lines are the problem? By tinnastanley3 from Cartervillle, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf18336932.tip.html
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Rate It: Replacing the Pull String on an Edger How do you replace the pull string on a Troy-Bilt Edger, model TBE515? By Sooner182 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16580776.tip.html
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Rate It: Any ideas on puppy training other than house breaking? By Reeseewi from Waupaca, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58398745.tip.html
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Rate It: Is There a Tax Deduction for Buying a Used Car? Is there tax deduct for buying a certified used or used car this year? By Wangliru from Warren, NJ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89049725.tip.html
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Rate It: Reducing Inside Temperature Without Air Conditioning When it is 100 degree (F) outside, inside the apartment (900 SF) is 92 degrees. The apartment does not have air conditioning equipment. What can be done to decrease the temperature to 80 degrees in the apartment for at least 8 hours? By yyao from Seattle, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16196355.tip.html
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Rate It: We need to refinish a carport concrete floor. We tried the epoxy paint and it did not hold up. We removed as much as possible with paint remover, however there are still some spots left. What can we do with the floor to make it look nice and hold up under wear? By rhebazz from Drummonds, TN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19387752.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing an Oil Stain from Micro Suede Furniture I put some Advantage on my cat while she was sleeping on my micro suede chair and it left an oily spot on it. Does anyone know how to safely remove the spot? By Grammakim from Penetanguishene, Ontario Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95520221.tip.html
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Rate It: Putting Digital Pictures Online I have a digital camera and I want to put some pictures online. Can someone give me step by step instructions on how to do this? Color me stupid. By chef4u from Sylvania, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67633136.tip.html
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Rate It: Cleaning Formica Countertop Before Painting I want to clean Formica so that I can faux paint it to look like granite. What should I use to make sure it is really clean and the paint will stick? By Maryann P. from Phoenix, AZ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32216028.tip.html
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Rate It: We have dead mice in our attic. They ate the poison and ran away from sticky trap we bought from Home Depot. We opened all walls and know exactly which area the bad smell is coming from. The thing is we are badly near sighted and could not see clearly inside. Could somebody give us suggestions? By bei_huang from Austin Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36724270.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Grease Stains from Clothing I was cooking with beef the other day and some grease was splashed on my shirt. This shirt is 100% cotton and I hadn't caught the stain until after I laundered the garment. It has been a couple of days since and I have read up on here about the grease removal options, but I just don't want my shirt to discolor since it is my favorite of favorites. Please help. Thank you. By gitch_kitten from Welland, ON
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Rate It: Permanent Marker Stains on Clothing How do I get silver permanent marker out of my favorite black t-shirt? it's 52% cotton/ 38% polyester/ 5% spandex. This happened a couple of New Year eves ago. i apologize for the content. They are faded, but not completely gone. Please help. By gitch_kitten from Welland, ON
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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:
Baby Booming
When the time is right and your hearts are ready, a baby is a blessing. That doesn't mean that it's the wrong choice to plan ahead financially for that day of arrival. If a baby is in your future thoughts, save some money now. Have a PlanBabies are more expensive than most think. The average middle class couple devotes $13,000 to their first year as parents. To cover extra costs, needs, and days away from work, stock a cushion of $5,000 in your bank account.Besides a bank account to back your new family, have a good healthcare plan. One round of shots at a pediatrician can be $300, and infants require several rounds of shots. Thanks to health insurance, these visits could only cost you the co-payment. If you don't have healthcare, search for a reputable local clinic for your child's checkups. Also remember, most insurance programs only allow changes and additions during the first few weeks after the birth, so contact them before the birth to understand their policies. You can't afford to miss this deadline. DaycareThe decision for both parents to return to work after the birth of the baby is important. Professional childcare costs at least $150 a week for full time infant daycare. Could you afford another car payment each month? If not, childcare is out of the question. For some, it may be more reasonable to stop working until the child is older.Infant daycare costs more because of the high level of care. As the child becomes a toddler, the cost of daycare decreases. Eventually, this costs lessens even more when school begins and before and/or after school care is all that is required. Plan AheadGet used to it now. By adapting your lifestyle before the baby arrives, you'll be less shocked when your bundle of joy taps into your bank account. Try to get used to living on less luxury. Eat out less and learn how to make some quick meals at home. It will come in handy when you're a new parent. Your child has basic needs that must be met. It will be you who will be the one to go without a morning breakfast stop and lunch with coworkers.Know Your EmployerConsider your leave time. Women who take maternity leave usually may use their accumulated sick or vacation days to get paid for their leave. This is important because if a baby looms in your future you may want to conserve your sick days now. On days that beg for you to 'play hooky", drag yourself to the office and save the day for a future parental leave. If work allows, the mother may take maternity leave and the father may take paternity leave once her maternity ends. This allows for more time to keep baby home and out of daycare.So How Much, Really?The largest daily costs of babies are the diapers and formula costs. There's a lot more involved than just those two items, but those are the ones that add up the quickest. The baby budget should include roughly $100 a month for diapers during infancy. For the bottle feeding parent, get ready for the weekly grocery bill to soar. Besides the needed bottles and accessories, canned formula adds $40 to the grocery bill each week.
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