Daily Thrifty Tips - March 29, 2007

Windowsill Celery Hearts

(Originally Published December 2006) Grow celery hearts on your windowsill this winter. It's easy and they're pretty and delicious. Next time you buy a stalk of celery, cut the heel off about an inch from the bottom. That is, cut across the stalk so you have a crosswise slice off the end. Then do what we used to do with avocado pits - stick a few toothpicks in the side, fill a glass almost to the top with water, and rest the celery heel with toothpicks on the rim of the glass so that the bottom of the heel is just touching the water. Keep the water at that level, and after a week or so, you'll have little celery hearts sprouting from the middle of the heel. They keep sprouting for weeks.

By Jantoo from Kenosha Co., WI

Editor's Note: This was a new one for me and I tried it. The picture is my celery heart plant. I bought some candle holders from Big Lots that work very well as a little vase for rooting. It was lovely and lasted for a long time. I'm going to start a new one and try planting it in the garden.

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Josie and Jazz (Dachshunds)

This is Josie and Jazz. They are Weiner dogs (Dachshunds). Josie is 3 and Jazz is 11. They are both adopted.

They like to run the household! They are both snugglers under the blankets at night!

By Allison from Elmendorf,Texas

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Easter Egg Bouquet

I painted a terra cotta pot that I bought at the dollar store. I picked up 3 bouquets of silk Easter flowers, also purchased at the dollar store and used left over eggs from an egg wreath project. It took about 2 hours to do, and the cost was less than $5.

By Ragteller from Tofield, AB

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Consumer Alert: 46 Million Credit Card Numbers Stolen From TJ Maxx And Marshalls

If you have shopped at TJ Maxx or Marshalls or have returned items to either of these stores, read this news story. There has been customer information stolen and you may be in danger of identity theft.

Carefully check your credit card and bank statements if you have shopped at these stores. If you find any fraudulent charges, call the helpline at 866-484-6978 (set up by TJ Maxx). They also have set up a website here with recommended steps for people that they their information may have been stolen.

• http://www.tjx.com/us_recommended.html

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Buy High Mileage Tires

High mileage tires are made of a harder rubber and will be a bit noisier, but will last longer than the average tire. Go into a tire store and you'll see they have tire warranties that usually start at 40,000 miles but can be as high as 75,000 miles. The 75,000 miles warranty is a "high end tire".

By Terri from NV

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Baking Powder For Glowing Skin

One should use baking powder on their face for a glow. After that, there is no need to do a facial, this will automatically give you a facial look.

By Suman from New Delhi

Editor's Note: I have never heard this one, has anyone else?

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Surprise Gift in a Soup Can

I got one of those one touch can openers. I took a good size can, opened it on the bottom, filled it with candy, a scarf, socks, etc. I then glued the bottom back on and, Ta Da!: a can of "soup". Their expression is priceless. You could also try putting a shirt in a cereal box for a gift.

By Keeper from NC Mts.

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Watching Waste and Saving Money

The best way to save money is not to waste anything!

• Don't use more water than you need (saving you the cost of the water and the heating of it).

• Don't waste food. For everything you throw out you are throwing dollars out the door. I cleaned my fridge the other day and found a bag of salad mix that we had only used 1/2 of before it got shoved to the back of the fridge where it froze. $1.00 thrown out!

• Don't run your car longer than it needs to be run (wasting gas).

• Do only full loads of clothes and if you use dryer sheets cut them into thirds. They still work the same but you save money.

• Same with laundry soap. Don't use more than you need and if you have to wash a smaller load of clothes adjust your water level and your soap amount.

• Don't overfeed your pets. Don't overfeed yourself either.

• Turn out lights not being used and turn off tv's and stereos not being used.

If you think about it, on an average day, people waste so much.

By Sandy

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Found Change Keeps Loved One Involved

My husband and I have done something from the very start of our life together. Every time we find money on the ground, we keep it separate from our own and put it in a clear glass piggy bank when we get home. It is almost full now and we are looking for another bank to start filling. It has been so much fun, we love doing it. We decided that after one of us dies, the other one will use part of the money to pay for major things so that the one that has died will still be a part of it. For example, I die and Ken buys a new truck. He will write a check for the amount but pay the cents of it from our piggy bank money. That way the truck will link us together.

I am going to buy 2 extra banks for each of our grandchildren. I want them to start saving "found" money as well as earned money. It is just amazing to watch the bank fill up. I think it's a good way to teach them how important it is to take care of their money.

By TexasDarling from East Texas

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Provide Your Own Wedding Music

Keep in your budget by providing your own music. Pick a list of CD's to accompany the ceremony, before and afterwards - and have someone be a DJ (I got my nephew to do it.) We then used our karaoke machine for music for the reception and everyone had a great time!

By pamphyila from Los Angeles

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Discounts on the Job

We know a lady who was wanting some window blinds, but not wanting to pay the expensive prices. She applied for a job at the window blinds factory and got hired. When she got an employee discount, she then purchased the exact blinds she'd dreamed of, much cheaper than they'd have cost her as a regular consumer.

By Terri from NV

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Dark Red Carpet

My carpet is dark red, what color do I paint my walls?

Jodaninc

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Teaching a Dog to Not Chase Cars

Any suggestions on how to stop a dog from chasing cars?

Donna B.

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Lysol Stain

My daughter sprayed Lysol on our cherry wood table, there is a white cloud on the table. Any ideas?

Angie from O'fallon, MO

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Venting a Dryer Inside

My clothes dryer is NOT vented to the outside of my house. I have been using a vent box that I have to try to remember to put water in that is supposed to catch the lint. Needless to say, it doesn't do a very effective job, even when I do manage to remember to refill it. Even though the dryer is in the garage, it still makes a mess with the lint flying around everywhere. Does anyone have any other suggestions or know of any new contraptions that may help catch more of the lint? Of course we want it to be safe too. Venting to the outside isn't an option at this time. What were they thinking when they built it like that?

Thanks for any input!

Angie from Bham, AL

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Nail Polish on Leather Furniture

I unfortunately have smeared nail polish on my bosses leather couch! Please help! The sofa is high grade leather and Im afraid I ruined it. SOS!

Shanna from Glenolden, PA

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Mower Carburetor Not Getting Gas

I have a Briggs and Stratton engine on my push mower. The primer will not move any gasoline to the carburetor. Once I took the carburetor apart and it worked for a short while. What's wrong and what can I do for a do it yourself repair?

Devon from Bothell, WA

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Coin Sock Craft

I want to make a craft called a coin sock, but I am having trouble finding a closure like used on a small coin purse. I hope one of you crafty people out there can help me.

Thanks.
Jean from Columbus, Ohio

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Dryness Around My Eyes

Lately, I have been having problems with my eyes being a little dry in the corners, especially around the outside. My doctor have given me 2 different kinds of eye cream but nothing seems to help. They are only dry when I wake up in the mornings. Do you have any suggestions? I tried Vaseline but it burns.

Onesummer

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Cleaning a Sliding Door Track

I am trying to find the best and easiest way to clean the track on our patio door. Any help will be appreciated.

Christy from Atwood, IL

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Photo Collage Software

Does anyone know of a free program that I can download to make a collage with different sized pictures of my child? Basically something that I could crop and then paste the pictures into and add fun borders? I would like to make one to print out and frame instead of cutting all the pictures up.

April from New Jersey

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Making Your Own Graduation Announcements
By Susan Sanders-Kinzel

(Originally Published in 2005) The cost of graduation announcements can be very steep, but I wanted to send out something nice to all our friends and extended family to let them know that my youngest child was graduating from college.

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Cross Stitch Sayings

Here are cross stitch sayings that have been submitted from the creative ThriftyFun community. Post your own favorites here.

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