Daily Thrifty Tips - March 10, 2006

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Dozer is a 10 week old Pomeranian. I raise Poms and got him from a litter. He loves to wind up and zip as fast as his short little legs will carry him - and he'll run right smack over anything in his path! That's where he got his name: BullDozer!

In this photo, I was desperately trying to get him to be still long enough to get his picture! When I lay down the runner and threw the flowers on top, it was a prime opportunity for him to "uproot" some flowers - but not for long! One hard shake on the bouquet and he was off and running! I got the snapshot seconds before his retreat!

By Chris from Hartville, MO

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Bitsy is a 14 year old Toy Poodle. We owned Bitsy's mother, Vanessa. She was the only female born to her 1st litter. Bitsy was the runt!

Bitsy likes to Cuddle and Sleep. She is the most loving dog ever.

By Trish from Chattanooga,TN

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A fun way to reuse old calendars that have nice pictures is to glue each picture to a piece of cardboard. Then cut the cardboard and picture into puzzle pieces.

By ThriftyFun

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To clean and whiten finger nails--dip in bleach--wash hands with soap and warm water. Really works.

Editor's Note: This does work but I'd recommend at least a 3 parts water to one part bleach and be careful not to breathe in the fumes.

By C. H. from Jerusalem, Ohio

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An easy way to teach a child their left from right is to tell them to put both hands in front of them with their thumbs extended and other four fingers together. The hand that forms an "L" is their left hand. Works for adults too!

By ThriftyFun

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Do you have a little one just learning to potty or want a better alternative to plain old toilet paper?

Use one of the pump type dispensers for foam soaps/shampoos and place it near the toilet. Fill it with a small amount of baby soap and then add water for the foaming action. Have it near by to use when wiping kids or yourself for a fresh clean feeling.

Place a few pumps of the foam on dry plain toilet paper to wipe with. It gets you clean just like those wet flushable wipes, if not better. Saves money too!

baybygale from AL

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Need to hide something? Buy a hardback book at a thrift store and transform it into a hollow book. Just use a utility knife to cut out a rectangular hole in the book pages. Use a straight edge to guide the knife. Use rubber cement to glue all the pages together and you have a great place to hide items on your bookshelf.

By ThriftyFun

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Need a (rubber) band, a head band, gift wrap or small tourniquet in a hurry? Use an old nylon stocking that has been cut in strips to securely tie, organize or wrap small things together. Simply cut old knee highs or panty hose in 1/2 to 1 inch strips and use them instead of rubber bands. Old colored hosiery cut into bands make a nice alternative to those unsightly rubber bands. Nylon bands can also be cut to use to tie a "small" boxed gift if ribbon isn't handy. Add a neat sticker or two and Wallah! You have a last-minute wrapped gift and saved yourself a trip to the store. You can think of dozens of other uses for the little nylon bands.

By Pat Af. from San Diego, CA

After reading the tips friends sent in for nylons, I was surprised that no one had mentioned our family's favorite uses.

Old used nylons are the BEST at helping my husband scrub off all the flakes of fiberglass and metal shavings that his skin gets when he works in the auto-body repair shop (his job). He uses the nylons wadded up as a washcloth, the fibers of the nylons capture all the little itchy pieces and his skin feels MUCH cleaner than when he uses a regular washcloth. He throws the nylons away after he is done.

Also - a leg of a pair of stockings, or a knee high stocking work great as an outside soap holder. Toss a partially used up bar of soap and hang it by the faucet and the kids can scrub all the mud off their hands in the yard before coming inside. Also works great in a camping shower in the same way. We used that all the time when I was a young-one in scouts.

By ImAToadstool from Springfield, MO

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We married in the backyard of my parents' house in the summer in NJ. There was a lot of Queen Anne's Lace growing wild in the neighborhood. I love it and had a party sent out to collect it to supplement the wedding flowers which we bought and arranged ourselves. It's a beautiful white, lacy flower, just as nice as baby's breath and there for the asking!

By pam from Los Angeles

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I use Ice Trays to store my earrings in. They stack very nicely. In the top one I place all of the gold earrings, the second ones has the silver earrings, the third one I sort by colors 1/2 with colored stones and 1/2 with other colored stones. The backs are always easy to find and if I have room left over I create a pocket just for extra backs. Each tray holds 12 pair so they are stacked and easy to locate without having to go through your jewelry box each morning.

By Connie A. from Tennessee

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Use an old comb to hold nails while you try to get them started. Sure beats hammering your thumb.

By ThriftyFun

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Tired of spending money on audio CDs for children. At http://storynory.com/, you can download classic and modern stories read by a brilliant young English actress. They are just as good as any CD, but completely free - burn them to a CD, or just listen to them on your computer.

By Matthew Lynn from London, UK

Editor's Note: This seems to work fine with iTunes. Any Windows computer can also download iTunes free at http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

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I need an EASY pattern and measuring instructions for valances (balloon or plain). I want to makes some for my bedrooms and for the Living room, maybe the stairwell window. I am a very novice sewer, haven't done a project in 12 years!

Thanks!
camo_angels from Willamina, OR

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How do you make Mediterranean Fig Fragrance Oil for catalytic lamps?

Melissa Gilliam from Blytheville, Arkansas

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Has anyone made their own Vanilla Extract? I read somewhere that you can soak Vanilla beans in Rum and that does it, but I am wondering if anyone has had experience with this and what the proportions would be? My husband brought me a bottle one year ago from Mexico (organic) and it is great! I refuse to use artificial because of quality and I bake A LOT for my kids. Plus, I use it as mosquito repellant (no joke!). I don't mind the investment for high quality.

Thanks!
camo_angels from Willamina, OR

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I have moved to a new house and I dug up my bulbs from last season and brought them with me. I have Crocus, Tulips, Amaryllis and Daffodills. That was last August. I forgot all about them. They were in the garage. Now it is March. My question is, Can I still plant them and have blooms this season? I live in southern California? It is 65-78 degrees right now. If I can plant them, can I plant them in a ten gallon pots? These pictures are from last season at the previous house. I would love to have these bloom again.

Hardiness Zone: 10b

Beachers from West Covina,CA

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I recently ordered, and cannot cancel, a white microfiber sofa set - what was I thinking, right? But you live once, anyway, it hasn't been delivered yet, but it's giving me nightmares about how to maintain it, specially with a white color. Any tips to soothe my nerves?

Shibk from NYC

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I have a one year old male shih tzu. He is really sweet and he goes really well outside but we have a problem. At times he will just go to the bathroom in the house. I have tried to break him of this habit but I never can get through to him that his paper or outside is the only place to go.

We don't put paper down until at night when he is put up in his room (which is our guest bath), it has hard flooring in there. Also, when we try to allow him to stay out of his area all day he will go to the bathroom on the carpet. Even if we have just taken him out. My husband wants me to just sell him but I would feel guilty. I love my dog and I feel that there is still something that I can do.

S. Hudgins from Jacksonville, AL

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I have several of these trees growing in my yard. They are volunteers, meaning they just grew up on their own. I live in the Pacific Northwest (Western Washington near Puget Sound). New ones grow up around the largest tree. They have some white flowers in the spring and the fruit shown in one of the pictures is about the size of a jumbo olive and olive shaped or plum shaped.

The foliage is green to maroon. They are pretty trees, seem to come from one root. These have volunteered in my vegetable garden where I use compost.

Does anyone know what kind of tree it is?

Susan from ThriftyFun

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I've heard that rent to own on furniture is not the best thing to do. And I've heard recently that doing this with a house is the best way to go. Has anyone ever done this and is this the best way to go? What tips and advice do you have for someone thinking about it?

Jeggie from Elberton, GA

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Does anyone know anything that will grow on a hillside of chert or how to get something to grow in chert?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Carolb4 from Fairview

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Does anyone know how to make the GOOP mechanics use to clean their hands with?

Betty from Middletown, NY

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I had a sweet broom in a ten gallon pot. There were little caterpillars on it. No big deal, right? I just picked them off. Later in the month I noticed more, lots more. They took over the whole plant and killed it. What were they and where did they come from? This pot was on my concrete patio with no other plants, trees, or grass around.

Hardiness Zone: 9b

Beachers from West Covina,CA

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I am in charge of centerpieces for a girl scout luncheon. The theme is "girl scouts can weather anything" due to all our trouble with hurricanes this year. We have a very small budget. Please help.

Penny102 From Ft. Lauderdale, FL

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I don't know how to start this without sounding rude or uncaring. Let me say first that I like dogs, our dog passed away just under a year ago. She was 12, a house dog.

Anyway, every time our neighbor lady stops over she assumes it's OK to just come in with her dog and to let him off his leash to run about and jump on the furniture and in my lap. I know she loves her her doggie and he's all she has to keep her company. Im happy for her on that account. But isn't it rude to take this all for granted at someone else's house? If I ever took my dog in it was after being invited or at least asking permission.

Her dog also sheds a bit, this offends me. How does she know we don't have allergies? Which we do, any advice?

P.S. She's a nice lady, I mean no offense to her!

Ariela from FL

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Any suggestions on what essential oils are good for a dog? For example: odor, insect repellent, air refresher, etc.?

Yaku from HK

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What is the difference between the American Legion and the VFW?

Imaqt1962 from Illinois

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I have some leftover Arepas which are are Mexican corn meal griddle cakes made with masa flour. Any suggestions for leftovers? I made too many.

Thanks,
Holly from Richardson, TX

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We have a dear uncle who is turning 96 years old in a few weeks. He still lives on his own, is healthy and spry and sharp as a tack! I need suggestions for a birthday gift, if you all would be so kind. Thank you.

Skookie from Bowling Green, KY

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My husband is 35 and is having terrible sciatic nerve pain. He's been to numerous doctors, but they just give him pain killers that don't seem to work. This has been going on for nearly 4 months! Any ideas for home or herbal remedies? We'll try just about anything.

Thanks!
Trashash from Texas

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I have a 10.5 month old baby boy, who doesn't sleep through the night, not even close. My husband and I can't handle him crying. It's so sad. :( He is my 4th child and my husbands first child.

I know I screwed up in the begining not letting him fall asleep on his own, but my husband needed his sleep because his job is dangerous if he's tired. Xavier (the Baby) is nursing still at nap time and bed time and it seems like every hour some nights. I know there isn't much milk for that kind of nursing so he is using me for a big soother. He doesn't have a different soother.

I've been trying to up his solid food intake and lower his fluid intake. I would like to dicontinue nursing as he bites me often with those razor sharp teeth, I always give in though because he refuses to bottle feed and screams his lungs out when people are trying to sleep. Then I just want to cry for him.

This is our sleep routine. Any where from 7:30-10:00 pm he falls asleep, usually while I nurse him. I put him in his bed and go to my bed then he wakes up in 1-4 hours later. I get up take him to a bed in his room, nurse him. It is my plan to leave him when he falls asleep but I'm sleeping long before he is. Then he wakes up more times then I can count and I'm rolling over from one side to the other nursing him ALL NIGHT.

I have tried getting up with him and nursing him in the living room and then putting him back in his bed but he wakes up over and over again. It takes me up to 2 hours to get him back to his bed just to have him wake up an hour later. I have been advised to let him scream it out, I have tried that during his afternoon nap but the poor little guy will cry and cry sitting in his bed start to fall over and jerk himself up. I've left him for 30 minutes or I'll go in every few minutes, lay him down, kiss him but it just doesn't work and it rips my heart out. So I'll pick him up and he falls asleep right away but I can't put him down at all for his whole nap because now he doesn't want to be let go of.

If someone has any ideas to help me fix this mess, please write. Thank so much for taking time from your busy days to help me.

Brenda from Canada

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January is the month most garden catalogs arrive in our mailboxes. Each one is chock-full of compelling descriptions and colorful, larger-than-life photographs of perfect plants (the supermodels of the fruit, vegetable and flower world). It's the stuff garden dreams are made of. To turn those picture-perfect dreams into reality, follow these simple tips for ordering from garden catalogs.

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With all of the media attention over the past few years regarding toxin levels in fish and controversies on over-fishing and fish farming, it's almost become easier to avoid eating fish and shellfish than trying to sort through the facts. Here's a no nonsense guide on how to make sure the seafood you eat is both safe and sustainable.

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Another day, another dinner to prepare. Are you having a difficult time finding easy to prepare meals that can satisfy your growing family?

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