Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 118, September 1, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
Our contest was a huge success! We got over 200 entries, which is more than double what we normally get. The winner of the digital camera was Jayne who submitted 10 tips. Thank you to everyone that submitted tips. I wish we could give out more prizes because reader's tips are what make ThriftyFun fun for us.
We have a lot of new users submitting tips so if you haven't seen your tip posted yet, there are three possibilities:
1. We have posted it and you missed it. We publish a lot of information and it's pretty easy to not read the site for a day and miss something.
2. A tip that is very similar was submitted recently. We are trying to limit the amount of redundancy for folks who read everyday. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't submit tips that might have been submitted before, some of the best tips are the most common ones.
3. We just haven't gotten to it yet. We usually publish tips about 7 to 10 days after they are submitted.
In our new contest we are giving away a book by Deborah Taylor-Hough called Frozen Assets. It's about cooking for the freezer and contains a lot of great tips to help people save money and time by planning ahead and cooking ahead.
We successfully installed our new server! It ended up taking two hours instead of one, which is pretty typical. The website is a bit faster but the greatest benefit is the number of people that can now access the site at one time. We shouldn't have nearly as many people timing out when the website is busy.
I do have one small favor to ask, visit our sponsors from time to time, it will help pay for our server (which we had to finance on time).
Thanks for reading and thanks again for all the great tips in our last contest,
Susan
Submit a tip and enter our contest: Click Here
If you are looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem,
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Homemade Ice and Heat Packs Using Rice
- Carry a Thermos
- Homemade Dandruff Treatment
- Tips for Avoiding Extra Trips
- Make Your Own Bleach Pen
- Sealing Plastic Bags with Foil and an Iron
- Numbers on the Ceiling for Nap Time
- Velveeta Box Drawer Organizers
- Creamiest Homemade Yogurt
- Feedback: Baby Food Jars
- Feedback: Uses for Film Canisters
- Feedback: Wrap Adorable Baby Shower Gifts
- Feedback: Save Money on Dish Soap
- Feedback: Uses for Mesh Onion Bags
- Feedback: Saving Money by Saving Water
- Today's Recipe: Southern Barbecue Sauce
New Requests:
- Uses for Out Dated Satellite Dishes
- Large Snakes in Swimming Pool
More Reading:
- National Debt Clock
- Decision Time: Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit?
- How To Stop Your Cat Scratching Your Furniture
- Forever!
- Easily Cook Rice in the Microwave
- Homemade Ice Cream
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Today's Tips
Homemade Ice and Heat Packs using Rice
Cold Pack
Just fill a large freezer bag about half way with uncooked rice and freeze. The rice will retain the cold and make an effective ice pack when you need one to cool an injury.
Heat Pack
Just fill the bottom of a cotton sock with uncooked rice and tie off the top. Microwave until hot. It may only take 30 seconds to 1 minute to reach your desired temperature so keep a close eye on it the first time you heat it up.
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Carry a Thermos
Remember Your Thermos! I never go anywhere without my thermos. I bought it for $1 at a thrift store, it holds a quart and has a handle. It's so much better than a plastic water bottle because it's so refreshing to have really COLD water in the summer's heat on errands, or working in the garden, and nice HOT tea on a cold winter's day. Think of the savings over a year after you're in the habit of grabbing your thermos on the way out the door. Try it; it will become part of your routine. By Jayne
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Homemade Dandruff Treatment
Here's a recipe using cider vinegar to help treat dandruff.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2/3 cups water
2/3 cups cider vinegar
Directions:
Put herbs in a pyrex (or other heatproof) bowl or casserole dish. Then add 2/3 cups boiling water and cover. Let sit for 15 minutes and then strain the mixture. You can use cheesecloth to strain. Then funnel the liquid into a bottle with a tight fitting lid and add the cider vinegar. Shake well. Massage a small amount into your hair after you shampoo.
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Tips for Avoiding Extra Trips
I am the grandmother of 6 of which 3 stay with us most of the time and are school age. Last year, a much learned lesson was learned by Grandmother.
We live about 15 miles from town and every day it seemed that someone had left a pencil, crayons, coloring pencils, ruler, etc., at school, not to mention a text book that was needed for homework. This lead to a lot of crying on their part as well as mine sometimes.
I got a basket and filled it with markers, pencils, pencil sharpeners, crayons, rulers, anything I could find that might be needed and placed it under the computer desk where everyone knew to find it. I also contacted the school system and got any old (soon to be retired) text books for their grade levels.
Homework became a lot easier for us all and no more trips to the store to get supplies or phone calls to classmates. Just make sure to get two of each school supply when you have to purchase new, it will help keep your supply basket full! And don't forget that during the summer those old text books can be used to help them retain their knowledge or to get a jump start on next year!
By justmyimagination2002
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Make Your Own Bleach Pen
Instead of buying those bleach Pen I took an old "Ghost" pen from the books that you get in Truck stops to keep busy, I put bleach in an old one that had dried out, I have used it on cottons with no problem. Or I dip a Q-tip in bleach and write away. By Tracey
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Sealing Plastic Bags with Foil and an Iron
You can seal any plastic bag by placing a piece of aluminum foil over the end to be sealed and running a hot iron over the foil. Make sure you have foil on both sides of the plastic to be sealed so it doesn't stick to the ironing surface. No expensive sealing gadget required. By Lisa Trudeau
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Numbers on the Ceiling for Nap Time
When it was nap time for the children I had one little boy who could not be still. I had the children cut out numbers and shapes from colored construction paper. I taped these to the ceiling. I would lay next to the child at nap time and we would quietly play a game of find the numbers, find the shapes and find the colors or a combo of both. Some days we played until nap time was over most of the time he fell asleep. By Trigger
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Velveeta Box Drawer Organizers
Don't throw away the bottom of your velveeta box when the cheese is gone, they make great drawer organizers! They hold any little bits. No more missing Christmas lite replacement bulbs, batteries, paper clips,etc. :) By aeromama
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Creamiest Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients:
3 cups powdered milk
4 cups water
1 box heavy cream
1 Tablespoon plain yogurt (this will act the starter)
food flavoring like vanilla extract, etc. (optional)
food coloring (optional)
Directions:
Fill a clean one quart container (I use the large yogurt containers) with 2 cups water. Stir in the plain yogurt, then the powdered milk. Then add the rest of the water. Stir once more.
I then place the container in a large (popcorn) bowl lined with an old electric heating pad. I turn the heating pad to low. I cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let it sit there for about 12 - 14 hrs (depends how firm you like your yogurt). Then remove the container from the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs before serving.
To serve, stir yogurt to make sure it mixes well. Then you can add sugar, splenda, flavoring (lemon, strawberry, vanilla extract, etc.) and food coloring to make it look like store bought yogurt.
This is so rich and creamy I can only eat about a half a cup at a time. It is very, very good though.
You can use this recipe of plain yogurt as a starter for the next batch so you never again have to buy store bought yogurt.
By Matinga
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Feedback: Baby Food Jars
I have spray painted the tops of baby food jars various colors (silver/gold/red/green for Christmas); pink/blue/yellow for birthdays.) I keep a supply on hand in various colors. I also glue little items on top of the lid such as tiny silk flowers, buttons, seashells, charms, coins. Add a few shreds of pretty ribbon or shredded papers - color coordinate. Excellent way to give a pretty pair of earrings, money $$ - wrap/fold up green bills or use quarters, half dollars. A (soft) bracelet will fit in the jar. IOUs on slips of paper can be placed in the jar: IOU to wash the dog/IOU a game of checkers/IOU to a movie/etc. etc. Remember there are tiny baby food jars and there are the larger ones too. Never turn down the opportunity to be given some free baby food jars.
By Virginia Lynn
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Feedback: Uses for Film Canisters
I use film canisters for many of the things already mentioned. Also make mini salt shakers with them for the lunch box. If you would like to would like to use these and don't have any, ask at the photo Dept where you have your pictures developed. They may save them for you as they throw many away every day.
By Harlean from Arkansas
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Feedback: Wrap Adorable Baby Shower Gifts
I used to make a "baby cake" from a receiving blanket and diapers. You can use cloth diapers or three to four pampers. Lay the diapers in a line down one side of the blanket, leaving about two inches between the edge and the diaper. (Approx. 4-6 inches in height depending on size of diaper or size of cake cover if you use one.)
Fold the blanket over the diapers with the print showing on the outside. Keep folding until you run out of blanket. Safety pin the blanket on the seam side. This will be the inside of the "cake".
Turn up on its side and wrap around in a circle to desired size bringing ends together. Safety pin ends to inside of cake. You can use a piece of cake cardboard, or what I used to do is go to the grocery store and ask for an unused top and bottom to one of their round cakes. Not the short ones, but the taller ones. Some stores charge 25-50 cents but it usually isn't much.
I set the "cake" on the bottom tray and fill with goodies like trial size baby lotions, shampoos, etc. Toys, washrags, etc. Whatever will fit. Then I get a small drooler bib to make the decorative top of the cake and lay it over the stuff inside the cake with the strings hidden underneath the bib. I then place the top of the cake plate over the "cake" and use curling ribbon to decorate the top. I actually ran out of people having babies so I haven't done one in a while, but they are so fun!
By Tawnda
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Feedback: Save Money on Dish Soap
We also dilute our dish soap, but one of the things we also do is buy the same soap for everything. Plain castile liquid soap can be used for dishes, hands, showers, laundry, cleaning surfaces, even as shampoo (but it's not my favorite for that). You can shampoo the dog and wash floors with it. Liquid castile soap is not terribly inexpensive but if you use it for everything, you avoid paying a variety of prices for a variety of items and time spent having to shop around for all the best deals on 10 different cleaners. And then you can also by it by the case and get a better deal. (Usually 4 gallon jugs.)
By Rabbithorns
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Feedback: Uses for Mesh Onion Bags
The best idea I have heard is to take a mesh bag, add several used soap pieces, close and hang close to your outdoor water spigot. Great to wash yours or your kids dirty hands before coming in the house.
By Leno
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Feedback: Saving Money by Saving Water
I live in Australia - a very dry continent overall - and I have only rainwater. To the above I would add -
Tip 5 - Catch it - catch the water coming from the hot tap in the sinks and shower before the hot comes through. This is 1 1/2 - 2 litres each time you turn the hot tap on in my house. I save it in a covered bucket and use it for dogs drinking water, filling the kettle, cooling hot water if it is too hot and, if I have any left at the end of the day, I put it on the garden. Catch the water coming from the roof and redirect to the lawn or garden beds. All my household water is collected from the roof into tanks and has to last me the long dry summer.
Tip 6 - Think small - reduce the amount of water for washing up - use a bowl instead of filling the sink. Get a toilet with a half flush device for liquids or place a water filled bottle in the cistern to reduce the flush amount - experiment to find the happy medium so you still cut down water but have an adequate flush. Use a bucket of soapy water to wash the car and the hose only to rinse.
Tip 7 - Think about recycling - is it a sensible for the budget or the planet to pour potable water down the toilet? It is possible, but may not be legal in your area, to flush the toilet with graywater from the washing machine. If that is not possible can you redirect the water from the washing machine to the garden/fruit trees, (using low sodium/phosphate brands of detergent or none at all for lightly soiled items - they come out just as clean and fresh). The toilet uses a high percentage of household water - I have a composting toilet which uses none at all! If you live alone consider not flushing the toilet each time for liquid waste. Read Create an Oasis with Graywater by Art Ludwig.
Regards
Jo
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Today's Recipe: Southern Barbecue Sauce
A great sauce for cooking ribs, or grilling chicken and poultry.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil, safflower or peanut
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons mild mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 lemons, just need the juice
- 1 to 2 fresh red chilies, very finely chopped
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients into a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Bring sauce to a boil and then reduce to low heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
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Tip Contest
New Contest! Submit a tip and you could win:
Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month
By Deborah Taylor-Hough
Frozen Assets is small in stature, but jam-packed with meal-planning advice. It contains recipe ideas, plus detailed instructions on how to get the maximum value from your food dollar, while also slashing meal preparation times.
Enter the contest!
New Requests:
Uses for Out Dated Satellite Dishes
I am always seeing in the " free " section of the local paper.. "Come get it free satellite dish" there must be some sort of "good" practical use for those antennas besides letting them go to the dump? I am going insane trying to figure out some sort of use for them? Thanks for you help!
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Large Snakes in Swimming Pool
We have found several snakes, about 18 to 24 inches long in our yard. They are brownish. The other day I found two of them in my pool skimmer basket; one swimming and one had its head off, apparently by the other one? Could these be a type of moccasin or another poisonous snake? Regards, Cecil
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Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit
your request here: Click Here
More Reading
National Debt Clock
As we are all busy trying to save money, the national debt continues to grow and because of the debt, our share grows faster than we can save the money to pay it. To get an idea just how out of control it is go to: Visit the
U.S. National Debt Clock
Reload it a few times and watch how it jumps up just while you are on the site. There is also a figure below telling how much each person in the U.S. owes.
View Article: Click Here
Decision Time: Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit?
By Tim Paul
Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit continue to grow in popularity. According to the Consumer Bankers Association, during 2003 combined home equity line and loan portfolios grew 29%, following a torrid 31% growth rate in 2002. With so many people deciding to cash in on their home's equity value, it seems sensible to review the factors that should be weighed in choosing between out a home equity loan (HEL) or a home equity line of credit (HELOC). In this article we outline three principal factors to weigh to make the decision as objective and rational as possible. But first, definitions:
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How To Stop Your Cat Scratching Your Furniture - Forever!
By Larry Chamberlain
Your cat scratching at your furniture can not only leave you out of pocket but also very frustrated and annoyed at your cat for being such a bad little kitty. Cats need to scratch, it is something that cats instinctively do, not as you may think, in order to sharpen their claws, but to remove the old layers of their nails.
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Easily Cook Rice in the Microwave
It's real easy. - 1 Cup white rice - 2 Cups water - a little oil or butter - 1 4-qt microwaveable bowl. Cook 20 minutes. You are done! Add your salt to-taste after cooking so the rice will remain tender. By gator10tx
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Homemade Ice Cream
By Beth Scott
Have you ever wondered if there was a healthful alternative to the sugar and preservative filled ice cream you buy in the supermarkets? If you have or if you would truly like to try homemade ice cream then this is for you. I have a recipe for vanilla ice cream, that will knock your socks off when you taste it.
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Thanks
Susan
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