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Hello,
Happy New Year! We have 17 new requests today. Please look them over and see if you have any advice to offer.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photos
Here's what I've done to my entry. I made the sign from vinyl lettering I ordered and then put together grape vine heart swags that I hot glued gingham bows on. Obviously I'm so excited about this project I didn't even take my painters tape down yet!
By Melanie mom2_5 from IL
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Ms. Cobain is a 3 month old Moggy/ragdoll. Her grandmother was 1/2 persian although she didn't take that quality :]
My cat who we though had gone missing popped up with them 2 months ago. We warmly welcomed her into our house and she has mothered her kittens in our house since.
She's a kitten, she enjoys everything and has 2 brothers and 1 sister.
By Kat from Australia
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Santa makes the best babysitter!
By Deana from Frederick, Maryland
Editor's Note: Deana sent this in way before Christmas but we couldn't find the photo. It was found yesterday so even though it is late, it's well worth seeing. Sorry Deana.
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Today's Tips
Tips for saving money while eating out.
1. Don't order alcoholic drinks.
2. Try meatless dishes, they are almost always cheaper.
3. Go out to lunch, instead of dinner.
4. Split large dishes between two people.
5. Order off the senior menu if you can. Lunch menus are usually significantly cheaper than dinner menus. Senior portions cost less and tend to be smaller portions. You may get a bit less food, but that is better for your waistline. Serving sizes are ridiculously large at most restaurants.
By ThriftyFun
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Grandmother's Storage Area for Baby Goods
As a grandmother I needed a storage area for disposable diapers, baby wipes and other items for my granddaughter. I found a hanging bed pockets holder which has velcro tabs on it. It fits perfectly on the side of the baby bed; The pockets are deep so I can store lots of diapers, clothes, bibs, extra clothing. It kept me from purchasing a small chest of drawers for storage. It really maximized storage space. I will probably purchase another one to store small toys.
By WandaJo from Tennessee
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"Pay As You Go" Cellphone Plans
If you are thinking about buying a cellphone but don't want to sign up for a 1 or 2 year contract, pay as you go cellphones plans are a great option. You can buy a reasonably nice cellphone for as little $30.00 to $60.00. The phones come with a small amount of minutes, when those run out, you buy a card to reload the phone with more.
If you are only an occasional cellphone user, you can spend as little as $100.00 a year on a pay as you go phone which is much less than even the lowest price 1 year contract. Minutes do expire with a pay as you go plan, but with most providers, once you spend $100 on minutes, your will not expire for a full year. Be sure to read the agreement for details for specific providers.
By ThriftyFun
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This winter we have kept our house much cooler due to the high gas bills. We have used some extra blankets on the beds to keep warmer. The best time of year to buy these blankets is right after the Christmas season. Blankets can be very expensive but you can find great savings on them after the holidays. You can find great savings on many other things at that time as well.
By Robin from Washington, IA
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The husband had just finished reading the book, 'MAN OF THE HOUSE.' He stormed into the kitchen and walked directly up to his wife. Pointing a finger in her face, he said, "From now on, I want you to know that I am the man of this house, and my word is law! I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you are going to draw me my bath, so I can relax. And when I'm finished with my bath, guess who's going to dress me and comb my hair?"
His wife replied, "The funeral director would be my guess."
By Terri from NV
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Why do companies offer large rebates on both high and low ticket items? As many as 40% of all rebates are never redeemed by the consumer. The redemption rate is even less during the holiday season. Redeem rebates quickly after buying a product to help insure that you won't forget to mail the rebate or won't be able to since you've lost the receipt. If you are buying gifts make sure that you can get the rebate and still give the gift to the recipient without destroying the box.
By ThriftyFun
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When shopping for an apartment, always make sure to note whether the utilities are included in the rent or if they are extra. You may think are getting a better deal on rent when in fact they have just separated the utilities from the rent. Utilities can easily add $50.00 to $100.00 to the monthly cost of an apartment if they are not included.
By ThriftyFun
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If you have a sticky drawer that doesn't want to open right, just take a white candle and drag over the gliders to make it slide in and out easier.
By Robin from Washington, IA
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An alley cat walks into the corner store, spots the cashier and asks: "hey, got any mice?"
The cashier answers: "no." The cat leaves.
The next day the cat returns and asks: "hey, got any mice? The cashier yells: "NO!" The cat leaves.
The next day the cat returns yet again and asks: "hey, got any mice? The cashier is getting a bit annoyed now and shouts: "NOOO!" and points to the door. The cat keeps his cool as usual, and leaves.
The next day the cat returns and asks: "hey, got any mice? The cashier is totally exasperated, and yells: "Listen to me, you flea-infested feline vermin, you come into my store one more time, ONE MORE TIME, asking me if I got mice, and I'M GOING TO NAIL YOUR TAIL TO THE FLOOR!" and points to the door. The cat leaves.
The next day the cat is back and asks: "hey, got any nails?
The cashier says: "no."
"Oh!" the cat says, "got any mice?
By helenaW from Seattle, WA
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Contest ends January 31, 2005
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New Requests
Does anyone know how to dye suede shoes? I have a pair of bright blue suede loafers that somehow look like bedroom slippers. I would like to change them to brown or even red. Help!
PatsAZ from Arizona, in the Desert
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Tide ColdWater Detergent Reviews
I was wondering if anyone has any comments on the new Tide Cold Water detergent. Does it really clean the clothes as well (especially whites) by using only cold water? Or is it just a marketing ploy?
Teddygirl from WV
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Odor From New Rubber Floor Matting
Does anyone have any suggestions how to remove the odor of new industrial rubber floor matting?
Hurner from New York, NY
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How can I make a fake coffee candle?
Blanche from PA
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Finding a Good Electric Blanket
I wanted to know if anyone had advice on electric blankets. It seems like every time I buy one they say 1 or 2 year warranty but after a couple weeks it seems like they are not hot like when your first use them. Just wondering if anyone knows why.
Thanks,
Sherry from Portland, ME
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Software for Organizing Recipes
I need to organize my recipes on my PC. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good TNT free cookbook or recipe software? I'd like to be able to import recipes from websites as well as email them and also be able to export to email and print. Is all that possible in any of the free or shareware programs? Thanks for any experiences you have to share.
Sherry from Georgia
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I recently inherited a small poodle (20 lbs) when my dad passed away. I promised to care for the dog and I'm doing my best. The problem is the smell. We call it the POODLE ODOR! I have 3 small dogs and they are all house dogs and are bathed twice a week. The poodle smells the next day after his bath and I don't know what to do. I can't wash him every day.
It's not a pee or pooh smell, more like the smell of a dog that has not been washed in months. Are poodles naturally smellier than other dogs? I've thought about spraying him with diluted vinegar. I can't use anything to with too much perfume or strong smells because of my allergies. I appreciate any help you can give.
Thanks,
Joyann from Central CA
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Finding a Bra for My Wedding Gown
I have been having trouble finding an appropriate bra for my wedding gown. I tried a NuBra and didn't like it, sewn-in bra cups won't work for my gown, and I'm too busty (borderline C/D cup) to go braless. I'm still looking for a longline bra, but they are very expensive. Is it possible to construct an inexpensive adhesive bra from duct tape?
Kara from Indianapolis, IN
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Have Fast Should You Repay a Home You Plan To Sell Soon?
I'm a college student who is planning on buying my first home within the next few years. I'm almost certain that this will be a starter home that I will need to resell in a matter of years. I prefer loans that have no penalty for paying more each month, but since I won't be paying the mortgage in full, is it recommended to pay as much as I can before I sell or would that be wasting my money? I'm still learning about the ins and outs of home ownership and any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Zylo from Tifton, GA
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Does anyone have a good recipe for making Italian spaghetti sauce, including the amount Of spices, or herbs to use. I would like to make about 2 quarts. I know spices and herbs are a personal choice, but if I could get some idea as to the approximate amount to use, I could probably adjust it to my taste. Thanks for all replies.
P.J. from Delaware
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I have a bath mat with the suction cups on the bottom. Is there any way to keep this from growing mold? After every shower, I hang the mat up to dry. I leave the shower curtain open for a while to let the air circulate. I soak it in bleach and hot water every so often. This takes care of it for a little while, but the mold is back within a week. Does anyone have a solution for this?
Jessiworm from WI
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Tips for Using a Candle Warmer
I received a candle warmer and a votive warmer for Christmas. My question is, for the best fragrance, should i shut off the warmer once the candle has turned to liquid, or keep the warmer on and continue to warm the liquid wax for the best fragrance?
Thanks for replies,
P.J. from Delaware
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Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
My toilet is clean, but I can't get rid of the water ring? Any ideas?
Bev from Surrey, B.C.
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Building Storage Cabinets Into Our Chimney Recesses
I am looking for design ideas for a bookcase/display cabinet/dvd/vcr player storage cabinet that I want to construct so that it fits flush into the chimney recesses of our living room. Anybody out there know of any useful websites or links that can inspire my design choice?
I would appreciate your input.
Thanks,
Tahir Shah from Blackburn
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Cough Medicine Stain on Carpet
I have a red cough medicine stain on my carpet and can't get it out. Now it is a lovely shade of pink! Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Marianne09 from Orange, CA
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My husband was diagnosed with cancer today. He is 39 years old. We have a long road ahead of us with many hours to be spent in hospitals. We have never walked this road before and would like some input on how to make this experience workable for us. We don't have a lot of money and eating the food at the hospital will be okay for my husband but I know our budget and realize that I will not have enough money to eat at the hospital on a daily basis. Any suggestion would be appreciated, also, how do you go about keeping the food from spoiling because we will not have access to a place to store the food?
Little Foot from Petersburg, VA
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I am trying to find out how to get a faded mark off my UGG boots. I cleaned a stain with the UGG's cleaner and conditoner, and it got the stain out but left a faded circle in its place.
I didn't follow the instructions correctly on the cleaner and conditioner which caused this faded spot. It is white circle on my otherwise perfectly clean UGGs. Any suggestions? I think I didn't dilute the product with water before applying it to the UGGs, I just applied it straight from the bottle without water and that caused this faded mark. Any help would be appreciated.
KG from Queen, NY
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More Reading:
Too Many Cats?
By Kathie Freeman
Cats are becoming increasingly popular as pets these days, and a big question is, how many cats should a family have? For some people, one is more than enough, others have half a dozen or more. Here are some sure- fire ways to know when you've reached your limit.
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