Daily Thrifty Tips - June 25, 2007

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. We had great weather on Saturday and stormy weather on Sunday, so it was a mixed bag, which is typical of June in the Pacific Northwest.

Last weekend, we planned on doing an issue of the Saving Money On... Newsletter about Saving Money on Child Care since it surely is a huge expense that a lot of families have to face. Unfortunately, we didn't get many responses to our request for tips so we did an issue about Saving Money on Laundry Soap instead. You can read that article in the More Reading section of this newsletter.

The good news is, we got some great responses to the Child Care request over the weekend. If you have any advice about Saving Money on Child Care please take a moment and submit it at the link below or on the contest submission form:

Saving Money on Child Care

We are also looking for tips for Saving Money on Fruit, feel free to post your ideas on the contest page or here:

Saving Money on Fruit

Here are the contest winners for the week before last...

Tip Contest Winners

Tips For A Great Camping Adventure
By Mythi from Silverdale, WA

Making A "Boppy" Style Pillow For Babies
By Sharon from Ravenna, KY

Photo Contest Winner

Recycled Birdhouse
By Denise from Nebraska

Thanks for all the great submissions!

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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.

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Paper Plate Lady Bug

This is a cute lady bug made from paper plates.

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Welcome To My Tea Parlor

My curio cabinet display: I am a lover of tea, teabooks, teacups, teapots, etc. I recently bought a double curio cabinet and placed a portion of my collection in the cabinets.

This display is a small silver tea service; I placed a silver vase with honey sticks tied with a ribbon in the vase; a book on tea is on an easel; a teacup with the beauty of the hummingbird has tiny pearls in the cup with a demi-spoon in the cup; the tea service tray has my granddaughter's first pair of white gloves laid on the tray; there is a special candle in the back of the display. I also have dried roses on the shelf.

The curio cabinet has lights in the back of each shelf to illuminate the displays on the shelves.

By WandaJo from Tennessee

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Artichoke Birthday Cake

I never make birthday cakes for my sons. I observe very well what their favorite food is pre birthday, and I turn the concept into a birthday cake. However, this time, my mother in law baked a marble cake for my son's birthday that was almost about to ruin my creative juices for an "artichoke" birthday concept, having observed my son's addiction to this thorny vegetable. However, being the positive person I am, I created a birthday cake that made my mother in law, my son and myself truly happy. Never celebrate with a birthday cake. Always create something out of other foods that your beloved ones love to eat. Everybody makes birthday cakes. But the memory of blowing candles on a lasagna cake never fades.

By Mae from Washington, DC

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Maggie (Yorkie)

Maggie is a 19 Month old Yorkshire Terrier. Maggie was a family Christmas present in 2005. Maggie loves her "roommate", Tucker the cat. They play all the time. Maggie also loves to sleep with her human brother and sister on their beds at night. This picture was taken right after her trip to the day spa (AKA the groomer).

By Denise from Nebraska

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• Tip Contest
  Submit a Tip or Recipe!

• Photo Contest
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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!

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Good News for Spatini Fans!

They aren't bringing it back but Todd posted this in the feedback: Good news for Spatini fans! I just posted my clone recipe for homemade Spatini -- it's this week's free recipe at http://www.topsecretrecipes.com. Enjoy!" Make sure to go over to his site to get the recipe.

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Summer Book Club and Book Swap

Are you getting ready to have your first yard sale of the summer yet? Have your kids gone through all of their books to add to your sale? Well, hold on there Charlie, have I got an idea for you! If you have got a lot of kids that hang out at your house, why not start a Summer Book Club and book swap.

Teachers all over the country are asking that we keep our children reading over the summer and that we encourage their writing and spelling skills so here is a great idea to do just that. As a parent and grandparent and a volunteer at my local elementary school where I also work, I have seen for myself how much children forget over the summer. Face it, even in this great world of technology, reading and love of reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give children. It is a proven fact that reading is loved when it is fostered by parents and teachers alike.

Have all the kids get together their books and swap with each other. Take all the others and any duplicates that no one wants and sell them in the yard sale, just make sure that this money is kept separate because this just became the club's operating fund. It can be used to pay for refreshments or a pizza party at the end of the summer.

Using your computer, make out a book reading list. At the top, you might want to type in some suggestions of books for the kids to read. Number it 1 to 10 and have a space to write in the title of the book, author and date read. Put a small space in for initials so that someone, like the club president or parent, can verify that the child actually read the book and did not just write in Titles and Authors. This might just be a great time to have your kids read some of the age appropriate books that you read when you were a kid.

The classic children's stories have found less favor since blockbusters like Harry Potter but here is a short list of some of our all time favorites that might make up a good reading list:

• Heidi series: Heidi, Heidi grows up, Heidi's children (the last two are by Charles Tritton)
• Big Red, Snow Dog, Stormy by Jin Kjelgaard
• Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight
• Little Women and Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
• The Oz series by Frank Braum
• Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Nancy Drew Mysteries by Carolyn Keene
• The Black Stallion Series by Walter Farley
• Babysitter Club series
• Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn by Mark Twain

At the end of the summer, you can have another sale to get rid of excess books or you might even be able to donate them to the school library if they are in really good shape. Having an adult present during meetings while the kids do about 15 minutes reading helps if someone needs help with a word or does not understand something. Play spelling relay, You will need a list of words and then a deck of index cards that you have put one letter each from each word on the list. The object of the game is to make a word. Put the cards on the floor and let each person grab 5 to make a word. Any letter that does not fit can be discarded and other players can grab it. Everyone grabs letters until they have made a word from the list. First one to do so wins. Have club members bring over their scrabble games and everyone plays. On the internet, you can find programs that will generate Word Search puzzles and crossword puzzles that will also give your literary geniuses something fun to play during their club meetings.

At the end of the summer, have an award banquet where everyone in the club brings something to eat and you present your kids with their awards. Make a big deal out of it and ask the parents to come too.

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Reduce Meat In Recipes By Half

One of the easiest ways to save money on the grocery bill is to cut down on the amount of meat used in a recipe. When making casseroles, soups, stews, pasta dishes, and other meals where meat is not the main dish it is easy to reduce the meat in half. This way my family saves a lot of money without giving up our favorite meals.

By Tracey from Duluth, MN

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Summer Water Conservation Tips

The hot Summer is here again and I think we all need to reminded to save water. It not only is considered green living, it also saves you greatly on your water bill. Here is a review of some good tips, plus a couple new tips to consider.

My husband received a gift card for Father's Day and he is going to purchase a sensor that will trigger your sprinklers to shut off when it rains. He said it can be purchased at a garden store for about $30.00. He will install this on the sprinkler clock in the garage. I now am keeping a pitcher of filtered water in the refrigerator at all times, this saves running water and wasting it while you wait for it to get cold. We use to use the hose to wash off the sidewalk and the driveway, now we grab a broom and sweep, not only saving water, there is a little free exercise included at no extra charge. We go to the local car wash here in town because they recycle water.

I finally have my husband brushing his teeth without the water running down the sink drain the entire time he is brushing his teeth. I am doing laundry less often, waiting until I have a full load. We have two separate showers in our home and have replaced the shower heads with the low flow newer models. I have found you don't have to use as much water in cooking spaghetti and other pasta, as is suggested on the box. The water from cooking veggies is great to use when making gravies and sauces. Let's all do our part to save water.

By Bobbie G from Rockwall, TX

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Plastic Watering Can For Rinsing Shower

I use my plastic indoor watering can (purchased half price at the dollar store) to rinse down my shower walls and bathtubs after cleaning.

By Kerry from Poteet, TX

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Get As Much Mileage from Products As Possible

Saving money is great! I try to get as much mileage as possible from products I buy. When the bottles are completely empty, before I throw away shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent, dish detergent, etc., I fill them with water for one last use.

Cutting dryer sheets in half is a great idea, but you can go one further by saving several used half-sheets and throwing them into one last dryer load before throwing them away.

By Noella from Bolivar, MO

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"Olden Days" Evening When Power Goes Out

If the power goes out and the children begin to fret, you need to cook dinner, the kids need a bath, etc. DON'T PANIC! Tell them you are having an olden days evening (morning or whatever). Teach them about lighting, cooking and also how people bathed in times before electricity.

Use gas or some camping cooking equipment if you don't have a wood fire. Give the kids torches (safer) but have small candles in empty jam jars lit in the room you are in. Bath the children using a bowl of water and soap.

Children will be much more enthusiastic and co-operable if they are distracted from things they think they must have when power is available. I do this with my kids and they look forward to our olden days living events. Look at it as time out for yourself as well, don't perceive it as an inconvenience but rather as a break from the usual routine!

By kfromoz from Perth Australia

Editor's Note: Be sure to use propane or other cooking equipment outdoors. This can cause carbon monoxide poisoning in enclosed spaces, not to mention the fire hazard.

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Treating Stains When You Travel

Take along a stain pretreatment stick whenever you travel -- using it on stains before they set will ensure that they will wash out when you get home.

By Brenda Cole

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Container for an Alberta Spruce

What is the best size container to plant a Alberta Spruce in?

M.A. Banks from Hickory, NC

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Who Buys Reader's Digest Books?

I once saw a site that bought Reader's Digest books. They made a home decor item. Can anyone give me the web address?

Thanks,
Octoberbabye from BRADENTON, FLORIDA USA

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Getting Rid of Couch Grass

I think most of our backyard is covered in couchgrass. Is there any way I can get rid of it quickly without having to dig it all up by hand and without killing the rest of the yard by smothering it?

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Jaclyn from Murfreesboro, TN

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Whitening White Patent Leather Shoes

How do you whiten white patent leather shoes? I have a great pair of white sandals from a few years back, but they look a bit yellow. Anyone know how to get them white again?

Sandy from Pittsburgh, PA

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Are Allergies Hereditary in Dogs?

My blue brindle American Staffordshire Terrier has allergies and he is a stud dog. i wanted to know if there was a high percentage that he would pass his allergies on to his offspring.

Alaina from Lynchburg, VA

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Diet Lemon Cordial Recipe

Cordial is a drink syrup you mix with water and it is called cordial in Australia, not sure if it is the same in the US. I am diabetic so I have to use sweeteners not sugar. I have a lemon tree and need to make lemon cordial.

Thanks,
Brian from Australia

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Wedding Appetizers

My daughter and I have decided to reduce the budget for her wedding reception, and with the wedding two weeks away we want to find good, elegant and FRUGAL appetizers, and serve an appetizer reception instead of a buffet. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!

Kim from Crawford, CO

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Coffee Grounds for Strawberry Plants

Is it good to sprinkle coffee grounds on strawberry plants?

Hardiness Zone: 4a

Mara from Homer, AK

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Iguanas Eating Tree Leaves

What can be used to stop iguana from eating leaves of my young fruit trees?

Emu Lady from Keys, FL

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Sealing Plaster for Outdoor Use

I want to know how to seal a plaster casting. We just bought 2 plaster pillars. I want to use them outside. How do I keep them in good shape in the wind and rain. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks and Blessings to you.

Barb from Fairview, Mi

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Summer Activities for Teens

What are some activities/hobbies a teenage girl could get into for the summer? All my friends are busy and I'm too young to get a job or drive. Any ideas on what I could do to keep myself busy?

Thanks!
T

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Ants on My Strawberry Plants

How do I get rid of ants? I wish to get rid of the ants outside before they find the way inside. I really hate them on my strawberry plants. The plants are right next to the sidewalk and deck and the little fellas/gals are coming closer and closer to the door way.

Please understand I know they need to eat just like us but I work hard on having a few strawberry plants, which are NOT the ever bearing type. With my disabilities I can't stand having them crawl up my leg and I do not feel them until they are just about at my knees. They were all over my Humming bird feeder and I had to move the feeder a few times. The thing about that was I couldn't figure out how they were getting to the feeder in it's first location. There were so many I couldn't even start to count them all.

Do you know if ants have a GOOD purpose? I am just wondering about that. For some reason this year the ants are really bad and we don't seem to have any humming birds at all. There is also the wasp catcher which only catches those hardy little ants.

Thanks for your time!

Lia from Revelstoke, BC Canada

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Cleaning a Metal Screen on a Pastry Conveyor

I have a conveyor that uses a metal type screen to carry pastries and sugar has burnt on it. I have tried using a HEAVY degreaser and a type of steel pad which tore my hand up, is there an easier method? Like boiling or soaking? Even with the pad it took a lot of elbow grease.

Laura from Tallahassee, FL

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What type of roller do I use for melamine paint?

What type of roller do I use for melamine paint?

Mellu

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Pruning a Burning Bush

Can I prune my burning bush in the summer?

Hardiness Zone: 4b

Dick from Forest Lake, MN

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Cleaning a Shower Head

How do you clean a shower head?

Obert from BIRMINGHAM

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Bleach Stain on Carpet

I spilled bleach on a cream carpet and it has now left a yellowy colour in it's wake. How can I rectify this? I need the carpet to be back to it's annoyingly stainable shade of cream before my landlord gets a hernia over it! My house inspection looming!

Fiona from Leeds, Yorkshire, England

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Pop Stain On Carpet

How do you get Strawberry Fanta out of your carpet?

Andrea from Kayenta, AZ

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Managing Insect Pests in Vegetable Gardens

What are your tips for managing insect pests in your vegetable garden? Please post your ideas below.

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Uses for Old T-Shirts

What do you do with old T-shirts?

Pearl from Willowdale, Ontario

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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:
Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml

$10 Dinners: Soft Tacos

These meals are intended to be a relatively simple and healthy weeknight meal for a family of four. We assume that these dinners are being made in a kitchen stocked with regular kitchen staples. We will not include prices of oil, sugar, flour, spices, etc. unless you need a 1/4 cup or more. Regional food prices may vary and can be reduced by smart shopping techniques.

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Saving Money on Laundry Soap

Tips for saving money on laundry soap from the ThriftyFun community.

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Craft Ideas For Old Reader's Digest Books

Craft and recycling ideas for old Reader's Digest books.

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