Daily Thrifty Tips - March 29, 2006

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Mercedes is 14 years young and is a Miniature Pincher

Ten years ago someone brought her back to the pet shop I worked at and said they didn't want her anymore. Look at that face and tell me nobody loves her!

Her favorite thing to do is she loves to sleep on Clifford, the Big Red Dog. She's a love and has been a good "Mommy" to all her litters.

By Laurie from East Freetown, MA

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You have a great old wool sweater that you just love and can't part with. But it is too small, has holes in it, and accidentally was washed and shrunk. So what do you do with it besides pass it on to the kids? You make it into a purse that you can carry with you everywhere.

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Picture of an alligator sunning on Blind River.

By Laurie Bianchetti from Prairieville, LA

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Place a few chunks of a ripe banana in a large jar that has a lid that will fit it. Lay it on its side and leave it be. I usually lay it on my sink overnight and in the morning very gently put the lid on, turn on the Hot Water, carefully remove the lid part way and let the water go in. It kills the gnats.

The water must be very hot to work as the cold water only stuns them. It works every time. It might take several times but shortly your gnat problem will be under control. Warning: You must not leave the banana and jar unrinsed as the Gnats will lay eggs! Don't ask me how I know!

By Candi from Wheeling, Wv

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Adding a rabbit to your family? Congratulations! Rabbits are adorable, clever, interesting pets!

Preparing for your new rabbit means you need a place for your rabbit to live! The hutch is essential even for indoor rabbits, so they have a secure place to sleep. Make sure your hutch has a door that latches so your bunny can't escape his home. Your bunny should ALWAYS have access to food and water in his hutch.

If the hutch is an outside hutch, make sure your rabbit has a covered area to shelter from poor weather. If the rabbit will be allowed to roam free indoors, be sure to protect him from any electrical wires or other things that shouldn't be nibbled.

Rabbits will pick one spot to be the bathroom, and always go there. Because of this trait, they are easy to litterbox train! Put the covered litterbox in the spot where your rabbit goes to the bathroom, and he will begin to use the litterbox. But... you must keep it clean. That's for your own benefit as well as your rabbit's -- bunny piddle is extremely odiferous.

So... what will your new bun eat? His diet can be broken down in three parts.

1. Hay. The fiber is very important for his digestive health!
2. Pellets. The major portion of his diet. Specially formulated with all the nutrition your bunny needs.
3. Fresh fruit, veggies, grasses, and flowers. Ask your vet what is best for bunny.

Planning to have more than one pet rabbit? Keep this in mind:

• Two male rabbits together will often fight, even if they came from the same litter. Only if both are neutered can they live in the same hutch.
• Two female rabbits will get along just fine, fixed or not.
• A male and a female rabbit together can become MANY MORE RABBITS very quickly.

Please remember to spay or neuter your bunny. Rabbits tend to multiply... well... like rabbits! If you are planning to keep more than one rabbit as a pet, please make certain that they are spayed or neutered.

By Catherine Forman

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For anyone who may not know this, dogs can have seizures if they ingest house birds seed or feces. We learned this the hard way. My sister was temporarily living with us, and she had a bird. Liesl' our dog, began eating the seed and feces that was blown to the floor. Immediately she began having seizures. She maybe had one or two a day, and the last day my sister was here and took the bird away, she had three. She has had none since. This is a a very scary scene. I hope no one else has to go through it Liesl' is 10 1/2 years young and is our pride and joy. Thanks for letting me share.

By Grammamare from Charlotte, Michigan

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My husband used to drink a lot of bottled "iced tea" that was too sweet and too expensive. I weaned him off it by placing a dispenser jug from a thrift shop in the frig and keeping cold tea in it at all times. (it's made by just putting black tea bags in the water and letting it steep.) Not too strong, but that cuts down on the caffeine, too.

By Pam Munro from L.A., CA

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You can put a faux marble top on a table using marble patterned floor tiles, cut to fit. Or you can use marble patterned contact paper. (This works particularly well on worn laminate veneer tops. I put black and gold on the tops of an old bedroom set my husband had picked up and made it look very piratey. It was an immense improvement.)

By Pam from L.A., CA

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Here is a link for free printable recipe cards:

http://www.freeprintablerecipecards.net/

There are more than 50 recipe cards designs that you can download and print absolutely free.

By Marnita from Cumming GA

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To make cut flowers last longer, put them in a solution of equal parts warm water and lemon-lime soda plus a teaspoon of bleach. Be sure to cut stems on an angle.

By Bobbie from Rockwall, TX

To keep cut flowers fresh a little longer, add a solution of 2 drops of house hold bleach, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 quart water to the vase.

By Cindy

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I came up with an idea for remembering those friends and families you wish to send a Christmas card to every year. In your address book, using a red or green marker, place a "C" for Christmas next to last name of each person you wish to have on your Christmas list. This can easily been done even if you have your list on a PDA or computerized.

By Marnita from Cumming, GA

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When on a recent trip, I noticed one traveler attached a colorful nylon "scrubbie" to his luggage. Not only was it cute, but really stood out from the rest of us with ribbon attached to our luggage. The dollar store sells them and really makes it easy to identify your luggage. Happy traveling!

By Tedebear from San Jose CA

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I am throwing a baby shower at my house for my sister and my house is not big, just a modest ranch. We are having dinner. How can I make sure everyone has a good time? Any ideas of what to do?

Sunflower71 from Detroit, MI

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I think I'm zone 5/6. I would like to plant ornamental grasses near my deck. It's partial sun. Morning and then afternoon. I was told it needs full sun. Any help? Any ideas also where I can get it in smaller pots so it's not so costly?

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Valery from NJ

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Last year I planted the same garden as I have for the last 5 years: tomatoes, peppers, corn, zucchini, green beans, exc. The problem is that the zucchini and the corn did nothing. The plants were there but the corn (I planted 6 or 8 rows) came up with only 4 corn plants which the bugs took care of. One zucchini plant came up and it got a couple of leaves and that's it, it stayed the same size and grew no zucchinis at all. Is there some nutrient or something that I should be adding to the soil besides compost? I had plenty of tomatoes and peppers.

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Pakjc from kentland, Indiana

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Can anyone out there tell me how to "re-fluff" my bed pillows? I know I could just replace with new ones but then I would have the same problem. Any information would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks again,
yrsrmne

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It's been more than a few years since I've attended a baby shower and I recall a poem that was crossed stitched for one of my friends 20+ years ago. I can't remember it and I am hoping that someone maybe able to help me. It was about allowing the "dust and cobwebs can wait" (I think...), babies don't wait and grow up too quickly but "housework can wait".

Sound familiar to anyone? As I've been asked to attend a baby shower soon, I would like to be able to cross-stitch it as a gift. I hope someone may remember where I might be able to find this sweet verse.

Thank you!
Doreen from Nova Scotia

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How do I remove oil stains from an unsealed wood table?

Casjon from Scotland

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I've conquered my CD storage problem, but now I have many cassette tapes which are currently stored in cases under a spare bed. This storage method takes up a lot of space, and I'm looking for a more efficient method of storing them that takes up less space overall but still makes them relatively accessible. Any ideas?

Thanks for all responses!

Jesse from PA

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Thanks for all the great recipes! I have a request for a beef enchilada recipe which includes ground beef, salsa, enchilada sauce, flour tortillas and cream cheese among the ingredients. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kathy from Baltimore

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I have granite countertops and around each of my faucet handles is what looks like soap scum but I am not sure what it is. It has been there since we purchased our house. It is white and when wiped or cleaned it looks like it goes away but then reappears. Is this soap scum or something else and how do I clean it? Can you use a pumice stone on granite?

Debbi from North Carolina

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What can be used to safely clean mildew off a leather briefcase that won't harm or discolor the leather?

Brenda from Knoxville, TN

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My Relay for Life team is doing a craft project for Mother's Day and I need a source for inexpensive teacups and matching saucers that are in perfect condition (no chips, cracks or crazing). All of them do not have to be the same pattern. But I need to find them at a bargain price so that we can keep the cost down. I have already searched ebay. Thanks in advance for your help.

Melanie from NC

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Could you please share tips on how to sell items you no longer need when you live in an apartment building? Since we can not have a yard sale, I do not know how to (items are diverse small big). Thanks a lot!

NNN from Baltimore, MD

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If you have seen that commercial on the carnival cruise, which they show a dog made of towels. I would really like to know how to do that. Does anyone have instructions?

Thanks,
Carol from Chicago, IL

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I have a 1 year old long haired chihuahua who has been pooping in his own bed the last couple of days while I am at work. He stays in my big bathroom because he chews everything and after being potty trained using a crate he has never gone to the bathroom in the house. Now he is going in his own bed and still sleeping in his bed, next to his poop. Why do you think he is doing this?

I was gone for a week and I have been back for almost two weeks now and he started doing this a couple of days ago. My job allows me to be home a good amount of my day. I thought if dogs were mad they would go to the bathroom to get attention but not in their own beds. Please let me know what advice you can give me. Thanks so much!

Louda99 from Tampa, FL

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We accidentally washed a load of wash with some paper folder full of school notes. All the laundry is coated in a paper mache type film. What do I do? Does anyone have any advice?

Thank you SO much.
Papercoated from Miami, FL

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How do you remove rust stains from a bathtub?

dixie35481 from Alabama

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Can anyone tell me the catch to L.A. Weight Loss Centers? What are all the hidden fees, and does it have to be paid all up front? But most importantly, does it work? I have a teenage daughter that needs to lose weight. Thanks in advance. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Ann Marie from Wilkes Barre, PA

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I have a lavender plant. Could someone tell me how and when to harvest it. Should I cut it back for Spring? I want to make little bags to put in my dresser.

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Gen from Kansas

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I was wondering if anyone knows how to make the adorable cereal box purses? Thanks, Craftymom from Bluff City, TN

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I have just started tanning (indoor) and have a tattoo that is bright and I don't want it to fade does anyone know of any way to protect it? Also, I am looking for a cheap alternative to tanning lotion.

Thanks,
Nailfanatic from Poteau, OK

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Reunion.com Find Old High School Friends at Reunion.com

http://www.thriftyfun.com/lk/reunion.lasso

Breed Description: The Bengali is easy to distinguish by its muscular body, large feet and beautifully spotted coat. The result of crossing a domestic cat with a wild Asian Leopard Cat, Bengalis are large cats-with males weighing as much as 22 pounds. Similar to their wild counterparts, their coats are covered in black spots (or occasionally dark rosettes) but lack the spotted tail and the distinctive black and white ringed ear patch that is seen on leopards in the wild.

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Breed Description: The Borzoi is a tall, slender, elegant-looking breed built on lines of speed and grace similar to the greyhound. Originally bred to track wolves, Borzois have long, narrow heads, gracefully curved backs and possess great courage and sensitivity.

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Breed Description: The Border Collie is a graceful, medium sized dog with a tapered muzzle, semi-upright ears and broad, muscular hindquarters. This breed is well-known for its ability to herd sheep and control livestock with its intense gaze (also known as "eye") and stalking-like movements.

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