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Vol. 8, Num. 147, July 29, 2009 (Read It Online) Do you have any thrifty ways to stay cool in the summer? Post them here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team
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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:
A beautiful snap of this heron, which makes this former N.W. WA. lady miss so much of what was so frequently observed when I lived there. I love it when the pictures are sent to me, but then i get a bit blue because of the money limitations on our chances of travel. I continue to wait for each and every photo she sends, nevertheless. Source: My sister from Camano Island, WA. By Loretta from Theodore, AL Contest Contender!
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I recently pulled up the carpeting in my kitchen. My home was built in the mid 1800's so I was hoping for some plank wood flooring. Well to my surprise there was old tile, that was glued down using black tar. I was so upset. I now had a bigger problem than the carpet. Well after a bunch of hard work and scraping up all the old tile, we were left with black tar floor and the decision of what to do next. We aren't rich by any means and the thought of paying for new flooring just made me sick. I used a can of Kilz that I had in my basement which covered the black floor pretty well, but now I was left with a yellow creamy colored floor that was easily scraped off. After that we were just stumped. I got an idea to do a Faux wood floor. The wood graining tool cost less than $5 and the half gallon of stain cost me $9.00. Here is the turned out Faux wood flooring. I love it. I drew black lines indicating plank wood using a black sharpie marker. Let me know what you think of my kitchen makeover for less than 20$ By Melissa from Caton NY Contest Contender!
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Persia is a 8 months old female. I don't know what kind of mix she is for sure. Someone wanted to give her away so we took her to give her a loving home. She loves to run and play and fetch balls, sticks or whatever is thrown. She loves to give kisses. She likes small dogs and is OK with some cats but she has a big problem with large dogs. My home is a place that is a safe haven for the unwanted pet, they get tender loving care. She probably won't win a contest but we love her any way. By Marcia S from Spokane WA Contest Contender!
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Roxy is a 2 year old Jack Russell Terrier. This is my son's dog, he got her at a local pet expo. She likes to chase toys and bring them back over and over. This was last Christmas, Roxy got pretty tired with all of the excitement, and she just laid her head on the kitchen table and fell asleep. By Diana from Highland,MI 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!
Making Shampoo Last By Washing Twice Years ago my mom told me a way to make shampoo last. This works just as well whether your hair is long or short, thick or thin. Instead of just pouring a glob of shampoo into your hand, pay attention to how much you pour. Only pour about the size of a quarter. Shampoo it in. It won't lather up hardly at all, but do it anyway. Then rinse it out thoroughly. Now pour the same amount. No more than the size of a quarter, into your hand again and shampoo it in. You'll be amazed at the amount of lather you get this time! And in total you used less than the amount of shampoo than you used otherwise. Your hair is actually cleaner, because the first time got the "top" dirt out, then the second time got it "squeaky" clean! By Cricketnc from Parkton, NC Contest Contender!
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Share Your "Buy One Get One Free" Purchases If you take advantage of the buy one get one free option (when it truly is a bargain) offered in some stores, why not think about sharing the second one with an elderly neighbor trying to live on a fixed income, or the family down the street who's trying to make it on unemployment through job loss? Sharing works both ways, and you never know when you may need a helping hand yourself. By Marie from West Dundee, IL Contest Contender!
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Summer comes and goes much too quickly, but you can create a little excitement over heading back to the classroom. Take advantage of the great deals and throw a Back to School Bingo for your kids!I did this for my children and their friends years ago, and it was a lot of fun. I purchased crayons, markers, pencils, rulers, notebooks and other school essentials, most for a quarter or fifty cents, some for even less. (Our current Walgreens ad offers items for 9, 19 and 29 cents each!) On party day, we covered a few card tables, put out a couple of bowls of M and Ms, and we were ready for our guests. We provided each child a paper grocery sack for their loot, and each bingo! scored a school supply of the winner's choice. About halfway through the event, we set up a sundae bar and the kids built their own ice cream sundaes. Each of our guests went home with a sack of items they needed to start the school year, and the kids had a great time for very little money!
By Karen from Elsberry, MO Contest Contender!
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Make Your Own Charcoal Starter Okay, charcoal grill friends, this one is for you! Cabellas sells this thing called a Rapidfire Chimney Starter, and they want twenty bucks for it, plus shipping! Pshaw! You can totally make one out of an old coffee can. Choose an all-metal can without the evil plastic lining. Cut off the bottom with your trusty can opener so that you have a hollow cylinder. Then, use a "church key", the other type of can opener or bottle opener; the little one that makes triangles, and punch triangles about an inch apart all along one side of the can cylinder. Now here's the magic! Place the cylinder on the bottom grill of your BBQ and fill it with charcoal and newspaper if you use newspaper to start your coals. Light them, baby. Wait until the coals are grey and hot at the top of the cylinder and then pull the cylinder off. Voila! You have a nice hot bed of coals without having to mess with making that little charcoal pyramid. In fact, I don't touch charcoal at all anymore; I just pour from the bag! Happy grilling! By Stephanie from Anchorage, AK Contest Contender!
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Wash Delicates in a Pillowcase I know that you can get mesh bags for bras or whatever, but they have zippers and tear up stockings. So now for stockings, I put them inside a plain old pillowcase (that you might not use, since they may fade). This is also really good for bras and anything that says "hand-wash". Close the clasps of your bra so that it doesn't snag. Pin it shut with big safety pins and run the delicate cycle. I've even done this with hand wash dresses and skirts. As long as you don't get used for a bag of everything, bras will snag your stockings. I have one for each texture/fragility. Then, they will untangle easily for line-drying and they last much longer. Plus, they get fabric softener to make it smell great. I do not think you should really use this on Dry Clean Only things, unless you want to shrink it by twenty percent. Even then, it 's risky. Hand washables, another story, say goodbye to rinsing and kneading. Your pillowcase gets cleaner too! It even dries fast! By Damaged05170 from Dayton, OH Contest Contender!
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Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Pet's Drinking Water Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of drinking water to make your pet's coat nice, soft and super shiny. By sharonross0624 from Florida Contest Contender!
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Removing Acrylic Paint from Carpet How do you get acrylic paint off of carpet? By vanordem Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73526679.tip.html
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Rate It: Can I use lemon juice to get rid of fleas from the house and off of my dog? By Little Lucky from MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53325109.tip.html
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Rate It: I pulled the electrical cord on my iron too far out and now it won't retract. Any ideas on how to get the cord to retract? By kathleen48 from Scarborough, ME Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54682988.tip.html
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Rate It: Doll That Showed Pictures on the Ceiling Does anyone remember a doll with a pink crown and blonde hair that showed pictures on the ceiling? It was made in about 1987-1995. By mkm1enonly from Whitesville, WV Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16776116.tip.html
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Rate It: Making Pickles With Burpless Cucumbers Can you use burpless cucumbers to make dill pickles? Thanks. Carol Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57797936.tip.html
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Rate It: Buying Banana Box Groceries Wholesale Does anyone know where to purchase wholesale food banana boxes by the pallet? Close to eastern NC. By jtyson2707 from eastern, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96348282.tip.html
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Rate It: Cigarette Odors Coming from the Apartment Next Door What kind of sealant, if there is one, can I use on particle board to keep cigarette smoke from coming through from the next apartment? By JerseyJo from OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf80868750.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Musty Smell From Books How do you get rid of musty book smell? By skag from Vancouver Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf585248.tip.html
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Rate It: Filling In Acrylic Nails Inexpensively My husband recently gave me a gift certificate to do something to my nails at a local spa. The lady told him to do it for $75 (since he did not have a clue how much to buy). When I first saw the certificate I can't describe what rolled through my mind that $75 could have bought. But I thanked him and went for my nail treatment. It has now been a couple of weeks and I need to either have a "fill in" or soak them off. I find that I like having nails which I have never been able to grow, but there is no way I would ever pay this every 2-3 weeks. I do still have a little on my certificate that I have not spent but what after that? Does anyone know of a way to "fill in" that it is not expensive? By notwrong Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90558635.tip.html
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Rate It: Uses for Back to School Items for Adults What are some other uses for back to school items, if you don't have school age children? I want to take advantage of the $.25 back to school items, but want to be sure I have a good plan for the stuff other than collecting dust. By kim999 from Minneapolis, MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99603913.tip.html
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Rate It: Disability and Long Term Care Insurance I have been pretty busy online checking ratings, reviews, etc. of disability and long term care insurances. I am wondering if any of you would care to share advice on Genworth, through AARP. I heard years ago this wasn't so great, but lately am seeing A+ ratings. Is this true or new hype? Or maybe there are much better insurances? I will keep looking of course, but personal experience is best. Thank you. By Cat Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96794175.tip.html
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Rate It: Driving Without a Windshield in Arizona Can you drive on a city street without a windshield? By lilbit301 from Casa Grande, AZ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf75584173.tip.html
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Rate It: Looking for Smudge Proof Eye Makeup I can never seem to find eyeliner or mascara that does not eventually leave smudges under my eyes and on my eyelids. Any suggestions? Thanks. By Janmar63 from Philadelphia, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50271570.tip.html
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Rate It: Entering Cookies in a Baking Contest I am busy perfecting a few cookie recipes, and I hope to enter them in the local county fair. However, I have never entered baked goods (or anything for that matter) in the fair. Any advice? Thank you. By LuvMyFurKids Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf94371799.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Tree Sap from Suede Furniture How can I remove tree sap from suede furniture? By nagra2 from the Dalles, OR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66712419.tip.html
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Rate It: Suggestions for Using Envirotex on Countertops I'm thinking of painting my kitchen countertops. I've read different opinions about Envirotex Lite. Can anyone share their experience with it and any helpful suggestions? Thanks. By tcher86 from NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63497872.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of Tiny Beetles in House I hope somebody can help me. I'm getting little flea/beetle looking bugs that a tiny what looks like a shell (like a beetle) and wings. I've never seen them fly. Most of them seen to be around my hall and kitchen windows, on the draining board and on the units (not in cupboards yet). They also seem to be on the ceilings, plus some around the light in the living room. I do have a cat and a dog so I know there not fleas (animal). Could anyone please help me? I don't know what they are or how to kill/treat them. Help me please. By Den5973 from UK Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35671734.tip.html
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Rate It: Moisturizer Recommendations for After Tanning Does anyone have an idea on what body moisturizing lotion would be good to use after going to my tanning salon? By lrrn567 from Bristol, CT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf51721928.tip.html
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Rate It: Nail Polish Remover on Leather Nail polish remover with acetone has been spilled on my medium brown leather couch and it completely removed the color finish. The spill is about 1 inch wide by 1 inch long. Can this be repaired, or do I put a throw blanket over it and just learn to live with it? By Charm56 from Madison, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf34690685.tip.html
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Rate It: My dog licks her front paws until they are raw. Is there some sort of natural remedy that I can put on them to get her to stop? They are not hot spots. She began doing this 2 years ago when my husband was sick and we were in the hospital for almost a month. Any help would be appreciated. By Sunnyjudy from Nicholasville, KY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33668418.tip.html
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Rate It: How Much Garlic Should I Use to Prevent Fleas? I have read in countless places, including here, that feeding my dogs garlic every day will help keep the fleas off of them. My question is, how much? I have 2 dachshunds. One is a mini and weighs approx 20 lbs. The other is a standard and weighs approx 35 lbs. I just started them minced garlic (the bottled kind) and have been giving them 2 tsp each every morning. I don't know if this is too much or not though. By Cricketnc from Parkton, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf72113581.tip.html
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Rate It: I would like an inexpensive home remedy for canine mange. My sister has an outside dog that has mange. By ccromer from Dunn, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf429718.tip.html
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Rate It: Kitten With Discharge from One Eye I have recently came across 2 male kittens approximately 8 weeks old. One has a little discharge and closure to the eye. He has no foul smell, nor does he seem to be sneezing or coughing. What can I do to help the kitten? I am not working, so I do not have the money to take it to the vet. Can someone give me suggestions? I want to be able to take care of him. He is very sweet. By Stormie0122 from New Kensington, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf523940.tip.html
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Rate It: My dog licks all the time. Please help. By carlis from Clarkton, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69891735.tip.html
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Rate It: Expiration Dates on Canned Goods Lately I've been shopping at a local dent and bent store. I can't ever find a date on the cans. Someone told me that they take the dates off because they are expired so the customers won't know that. They said that they were told that food is still good long after the expiration date. I've tried to find out if it is legal to take the dates off of the cans. I've found that 20 states require food to have dates but can't find out which ones are part of the 20. These cans are only 25 to 50 cents cheaper per can. The store has a sign up that says all sales final and I have purchased some things that had to be thrown away. By Conway from Mississippi Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30037403.tip.html
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Rate It: Introducing a New Kitten to Your Older Cat I adopted the cutest kitten, however my 13 yr old female cat is not a happy camper. It has been almost a month and she is still hissing at the kitten. I followed the advise on this site and kept them separated the first week. I do make a fuss over the cat and try to give her extra attention. Any other hints to help her accept kitty, or am I doomed to her never accepting the kitten? By RealtorRose from Malvern, PA
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Rate It: Burnt Sugar in a Stainless Steel Pot After leaving a pot unattended, the sugar I was trying to boil burned to a cinder. The entire pot is coated with black "tar". It is a standard stainless steel pot (sauce pan) with a lid, it has a double clad bottom. I hate to throw it away. The pot alone would be $40 to $50 to replace. By BobbyC from Marlboro, NJ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56651419.tip.html
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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:
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