Daily Thrifty Tips - June 3, 2008

Here are the contest winners for last week.

Photo Contest Winner

Craft: Use Fabric Scraps To Make Bedspread
By Vicki from Garland Texas
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Tip Contest Winners

Frugal Tips For Grocery Shopping
By Bobbie from Rockwall, TX
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40393960.tip.html

Plan Summer Activities With School Curriculum In Mind
By Pearl from Gaithersburg, MD
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Recipe Contest Winner

Mom's 'Somewhat Stuffed Squash' Stove Top Casserole
By Leigh from Childersburg, AL
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40393960.tip.html

Thank you to everyone that took time to submit something!

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Garden: Our Lawn After Fertilizing and Reseeding

This spring I used starter fertilizer and planted Scott's ThermalBlue grass seed and just look at our lawn! It had so many large bare spots after the drought last summer! This seed is great and grows fast!

By JoAnn from Knoxville, TN

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Children's Toys Maintain a Timeless Appeal

Simple, timeless children's toys maintain a timeless appeal. The old Slinky now comes in a variety of colors and still entertains children. Hanging an image like this of a childhood favorite adds vibrancy to the child's room.

By Grayce Pedulla Dillon from Fort Pierce, FL

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Use Your Imagination When Decorating Your Outdoor Space

Use items that are otherwise collecting dust and garage sale finds to decorate your outdoor space. We found this sewing machine in a trash pile and purchased the table for $1 at a garage sale. We needed to quickly add some color for an event that would require outdoor photos, so I entwined the blue silk flower swag with the live plants in the bucket and no one knew the difference. The watercan was purchased on clearance at the end of season clearance. My neighbor often tells me she always enjoys looking out her kitchen window to see the "pretties" on my front porch.

By Anajz from Kansas

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Freedom Belle (Tortoiseshell)

Freedom Belle is an 11 year old Tortie. I saw her on the website for my local animal shelter, she was awaiting adoption for 5 months! It was meant to be. I clicked on the first picture, and there she was, a matched look alike for the cat (Liberty Belle) that I already had.

She is a cuddler, and my shadow, and I love it. She wakes me in the morning by either honking my nose with her paw or gently caressing my cheek. She is only a mere 6 pounds, and has the daintiest little front paws.

By Linda from Bellevue, N.E

Editor's Note: Here is a previous post about Linda's cats

• Liberty Belle and Freedom Belle (Tortoiseshell Cats)

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Craft Project: Driver's License Cake Topper

I was short on time but wanted to have a little afterschool surprise for my daughter who her passed her driver's test today. So I whipped out a chocolate chip cookie mix, spread it in a square pan and made this funny topper, which includes the new driver and her older sister, with my photo software. You could also just cut a car from a magazine and paste the faces on it.

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Reusing Blank CD Spools

Use the empty plastic spools from your blank recordable CD stacks to serve as an upright paper towel holder or a holder for extra toilet paper! Turn over the plastic top and use to to hold pens, markers, pencils and so on. There! You have recycled something totally.

By Pamphyila

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Frugal Tips When Shopping for Clothing

Save money when shopping for clothing. Always turn the garment wrong side out and check the seams and hem for loose or broken threads. NEVER pull a thread to break it. Always cut it with scissors. If the garment is damaged or has a spot on it, you can ask the clerk for a discount. Also, be sure when you buy clothing you are charged the correct price. Take the garment home, repair it, wash it, wear it and be proud of your smart shopping.

Source: I am a seamstress now. Before I started sewing, my Mother taught me to check the seams before buying.

By Linda from Arlington, Texas

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No Watering Required; Artificial Plant Bed

Save watering cost with drought friendly silk plants. Last week I planted many different types of artificial plants in my outdoor flower-bed and it looks great. I bought a bunch of silk ferns at Dollar Tree last year. Since my neighbors thought they were real and they weathered the winter rain and last year's sunshine so well, I decided to buy more. This year I also bought a dozen plastic "grass tufts", they are silver in color like dusty millers and I stuck them in between the rock edging. These make the whole plant-bed look so nice, kind of like a "rock garden".

Last spring I also added fake flowers in the bed, but I've found that with JUST plants and no flowers I can leave the flower-bed like this all year long because it's not the least bit "seasonal". But if you want color and you DO decide to add silk flowers to your flower-beds, (and want your neighbors to think your flowers are real), you'll have to change your "display" every few months, when the flowers you've "planted" go out of season. If you want an artificial garden that will fool your neighbors, be sure to plant several real bushes and plants along with the artificial ones. This adds to the illusion.

Another trick is to buy many different types and textures of plants and to buy many different shades of greenery. This will keep your "fake garden" looking real. Variegated type leaves and leaves in several colors look the most real, even from close up. It's also best to buy plants that grow natively in your area. In Western WA, we have many ferns that grow in the wild, so I plant mostly ferns in my plant-bed and also add several other textures and colors of plants. My artificial plants and flowers not only cost less than buying annuals each year, but I can continue to use them year after year.

When fall comes, I leave the greenery planted, but take the flowers out and give them a good shaking (to remove the dirt and dust) then store them away for next year's use. Sometimes you'll have to swish them upside down in a pail of soapy water to remove the stubborn dirt, but shaking is usually sufficient.

I especially love how easy it is to weed artificial plant-beds. All you do is remove the silk plant, then weed the area, then stick the plant right back in. That's the ticket, quick and easy! And, making weeding easier always makes my day! I'm no gardener and I'm certainly not what you'd call a green thumb, but this is one kind of garden even I can't kill! And while out walking their dogs, my neighbors have told me how nice it looks, so I'm positive they think it's real too!

By Cyinda from near Seattle

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Make Wiping Squares to Save on TP

With 9 in the family, I wasn't overly concerned that we went through a whole roll of toilet paper until I saw what my 4 year old left on the floor. To borrow the words of Glenn Beck-"it made blood want to shoot out of my eyes". :) So when I realized she just didn't know how much TP to use, I came up with the solution of "wiping squares" for her.

Since some women make their own sanitary pads, and babies use reusable cloth diapers I made some flannel squares that are just the right size for her to wipe with-and purple to boot. She has a special bucket by the toilet to toss them in and then I just throw them in with the towels or a load of laundry. I just cut 3 layers of flannel into 3 inch squares and zig zag sewed them together on my sewing machine. I only let her use them for tinkling, but that alone should save us huge!

My other daughter wants some of her own now too. :) We're feeling like we've gone so "green" with our washable toilet paper in pretty colors. At $2.97 for a yard of flannel I can make around 30 of them.

By Melanie from IL

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Link: "It's Me Or The Dog" Dog Training

This woman is almost the perfect dog trainer. She's on the show "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet. If you watch it you will be impressed. She's completely positive, humane and on the dog's side.She trains the humans and scolds them for not doing what they're supposed to. For anyone who is having any dog issues, this is her site:

• http://www.victoriastilwell.com/

By Me from MI

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Organize Notes Into Sections Of A Spiral Notebook

Im not sure about you, but regardless of the fact that I'm very organized, I still used to find little pieces of paper everywhere with little notes, lists, etc. Here is what I did. I took your regular spiral notebook (a big one) and got some of those sticky labels that you can just stick on a page. I took sections of the notebook and made labels for things I regularly seemed to jot down or lose track of. Here are some examples: TO BUY, TO DO, WEBSITES, TO RESEARCH, PROJECTS, you get the idea.

What I have found is that with this method, if I'm having a big party or around a holiday, I'm able to take a few sheets, add a "BIRTHDAY PARTY" label, and then jot down things I need to do for that event/holiday. It's been great when I'm reading magazines and I come across a website that I want to check out but don't have the time at that moment. When I DO have some spare time, I look through "WEBSITES" and browse away! It's worked wonders for me and keeps everything in one place. Hope you find is useful!

By Julie from Amebsury, MA

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Tell Businesses of Your Interest

If there are hardly any businesses of your preference in your town or area, write to the companies that you like. Tell them what properties in your town would be a good location for one of their restaurants, etc. Tell them about the traffic you get through your town and when (tourists, etc.) and other events your town holds and when. Tell them how close your town is to the next biggest city. I did this with Long John Silver's restaurant for a couple of years. We now have one in our town. Good Luck!

By Terri from NV

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Make Refrigerator Pie Crust Taste Better

I love the convenience of refrigerated pie crusts, but I must say, I do not like the flavor of the crust when I am making a dessert pie (as opposed to a quiche). So, before I put my pie in the oven I pour about 1 tablespoon of milk in a cup and add a dash of vanilla extract (You only need about an 1/8 tsp.). I brush that on the crust and lightly sprinkle with sugar. What a difference it makes! I recently used almond extract when I made a cherry pie and it was delicious.

By Carol from Landisville, Pa

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Encourage Your Kids With Their Own Cookbooks

I have 2 boys ages 5 and 8vwho like to work in the kitchen. I have found that if you let them select recipes, they are more apt to try new things.

I made 3 "cookbooks" for them. I took a three ring binder and pasted a picture on the front of what was in the cookbook: 1 with desserts, 1 with side dishes, 1 with main dishes. Inside I took and 3 hole punched recipes with pictures that I had run off the computer. I started with about 10 recipes in each, so they didn't get overwhelmed. Once a week, they take turns one picks the main dish, one picks the side and I pick one. They have to help make the meal, do clean up, and shop for anything we may need. Every couple weeks I take and add new recipes and take out ones we weren't so fond of.

I have found doing this has really cut back on the "Yuckies" as I call them. They eat a better variety of food, and I know what they're making is good for them. Also, its a great way to spend time together, teach important food prep rules, math lessons, reading,and talk about issues that re going on in the family, school, and friends. During these times they are very attentive, and open up more easily it seems so I can keep up on their world.

By Shellbell from Omaha, NE

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Save Chip and Cracker Crumbs for Meatloaf

Instead of using bread crumbs or bread for your meatloaf mix, save the crumbs from the bottom of the chips, crackers, Fritos, Dorito's, even seeds from bread sticks. Just save them in a old bread bag and crush them together. You will not need to salt your meat loaf. Don't worry about the crumbs being stale, when it cooks in the oven you will never know.

By Karen from Michigan

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Getting Rid of Flies at a Restaurant

We have a small restaurant out in the woods! Our main dish is seafood and crawfish, and the dumpster is far away. The flies still swarm the whole area, and it is getting worse as it gets hotter and hotter! I need a remedy for an outside area. We have tried the bags of water with pennies and bleach. The flies are not scared of their reflection; they like it! Help me please! We have an open area where people sit outside.

Ashlie from Frankston, TX

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Becoming a Professional Organizer

What would I do to start as a professional organizer? I know what it is and the NAPO membership, but how do I price a job? How do I estimate how long it will take? I'm thinking residential clutter, maybe some office work later. It's a wonderful feeling to make nice before and afters, I just itch to get at it passionately.

Kim from Moses Lake, WA

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Keeping an Iguana Out of My Vegetable Garden

I have a vegetable garden consisting of tomatoes, several peppers, egg plant, cucumbers, and honeydew. I also have an iguana that is residing in my palm trees near by. I don't want to do anything to hurt it, but it is eating up my garden before it even has a chance to bloom. I don't have a single leaf left on my plants. Is there anything I can apply to deter it from my garden?

Hardiness Zone: 10b

Niurka from Margate, FL

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Cat Stopped Using Litter Box

Male 8 year old cat peeing everywhere but the litter box. He has been fixed, and is a single cat. There is one clean littler box. It has been 5 months since the last time he peed in his litter box. He has been peeing on the carpet/tile for 2+ years. I took him to the vet, and he does have life long crystals in his urine. I have tried special vet food to correct and help, but it didn't work. I'm ready too take him in, too give him up.

He is ruining our new home and it smells really bad. Plus he pees on anything left on the floor in the bathroom. Its all confined to the bathroom (where his box is), its the only place away from a toddler. I tried removing the scent with unprofessional cleaners/lemon scents/foil and tried different litter/litter boxes. I don't know what to do.

Kelly from Aurora, CO

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What Breed Is My Dog?

I am having my adopted dog evaluated for behavior issues and am wondering if he's primarily a herding-breed-type-guy? He's a mix weighing in at 55 pounds; that's a black saddle on his back and he holds his tail out or up; he has black eyeliner and some light spots in the white of his neck and nose. He's very protective, active and serious. Anyone have any guesses as to his dominant breed? Thanks for your help!!

Diana from Springfield, CA

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Saving Money on Summer Fun

Summer time is coming and gas prices are sky high. Do you have any tips for saving money on summer fun? 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.

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Saving Money on Celery

Tips and advice for Saving Money on Celery as suggested by the ThriftyFun community.

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Tent Caterpillars

Question:

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