|
|
|
Hello,
We have 13 new requests today and lots of tips. Last chance to submit Spring Gardening tips for tomorrow's TF News. :-)
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Enter The Photo Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Enter The Tip Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml
Frugal solutions to everyday problems: Submit a request...
http://www.thriftyfun.com/add.ldml
Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Photo Contest Entries:
Today's Tips:
New Requests:
More Reading:
Search ThriftyFun Using Google: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
No sponsor today. Advertising information available at:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/advertising.html
Today's Photo Contest Entries
Bubba (German Shephard/Rottweiler)
Don't forget to take your pet for a ride sometimes or you may find him waiting for you in the truck like 2 year old Bubba. Bubba is 1/2 German Shepherd and 1/2 Rottwieller and loves to ride.
By Pat Jennings
View Photo and Post Feedback: Click Here
This is Corkey my rat terrier I received as a help in dealing with my diabetes. He keeps me active and is some one to cuddle on the bad days. A very lovable little fellow.
By Connie
View Photo and Post Feedback: Click Here
Submit a tip with a photo or a pet description with a photo and you could win a prize. You can enter the photo contest here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Today's Tips
Southwestern Deviled Easter Eggs
Take 6 hard boiled eggs, cut length wise and put the yolks in a bowl, mash the yolks, add I tsp. lemon pepper, 3/4 cup mayo. 2 Tbs. chopped green onion, 2 tbs. dill relish, 1/4 cup pace picante sauce, mix well. Dip the egg halves in easter egg coloring and let dry, put into egg plate and fill with the yolk mixture, top with paprika.
By Georgiagirl
Post Feedback: Click Here
Little kids like little things-so use your samples and hotel size toiletries that you don't want as Easter basket fillers. Just make sure the kids are old enough to know what they are.
By Linda
Post Feedback: Click Here
Tips to keep in mind when choosing a new puppy. Post your ideas.
When choosing a puppy see if it will chew on you finger first. If it does be prepared for it to chew on everything in your home.
By Cathy Riemersma
Post Feedback: Click Here
Cooking Dinner: Having It All Come Out Hot
My mother would cook the meal's dishes in order of cooking time, from slowest to fastest, and would place them in covered Corning Ware casserole dishes on a heated electric tray. That way, if something were to cook faster or be prepared first, it would still be warm when the rest of the meal was ready.
Since she'd make a meal with many dishes (dinner was usually a big production that took hours), it was the only way to keep everything warm for serving. She made a point of having with every dinner: an appetizer, a salad, a green veggie, an orange/red veggie, an entree and a dessert.
By Holly
Post Feedback: Click Here
Vinegar will cut through and loosen old glue.
By Robin
Post Feedback: Click Here
If you buy something that includes a rebate, get everything ready immediately when you bring it home. Otherwise, it's too easy to lose a receipt or forget to mail it on time.
By cynthia conley
Post Feedback: Click Here
Tips for Cleaning Your Car's Interior
Tips for cleaning your car's interior. Post your ideas.
Cleaning Small Places
Use a Q-tip to clean out the grooves and hard to reach places in your car.
By Erica Greca
Post Feedback: Click Here
Coupon Clipping for the Coupon Challenged (Like Me!)
I finally found a coupon system that works for me. I put sheet protectors in a 3 ring binder, after clipping open the sealed edges of the protector. I separate these into sections as they are in the grocery store: Produce, canned items, prepared foods, breakfast foods, etc. (Use what works for you). Then I cut out coupons every week and tape them onto the sheet proctors. I can easily see which coupons I have and don't have to flip through them one at a time as they are on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet and I can see many at once. For some reason, I use many, many more coupons this way and often save 50% off of my grocery bill.
By Cheryl Spring
View Article: Click Here
Saving Money on Shipping and Packing Material
Tips and ideas for saving money on shipping and packing material. Post your ideas.
Packing Breakables With Popcorn
If you are storing or sending breakable items through the mail try packing them in popcorn! It's cheap to use and it cushions as well as the styrofoam 'peanuts' you can buy for packing.
By Robin
Post Feedback: Click Here
Before starting a quilt, be sure to iron the scraps you plan to use.
By sis7460
Post Feedback: Click Here
When having elderly guests visiting your home or living in our home, take up any throw rugs on your floors that can be tripped on. Although, they're quite decorative, I've been told by health care personel that elderly folks break more bones this way.
By T.H.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Saving Money by Saving Water - Timing Showers
Use a timer for showers so you don't waste water.
By Holly Dawson
Post Feedback: Click Here
Tips for finding and using coupons. Post your ideas.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Tips for organizing cooking utensils. Post your ideas.
While having lots of cooking utensils I didn't want cluttering up my kitchen drawers (ex. grill tongs, wooden spoons, slotted spoons, whisks, etc.), I searched different stores for the 'exact' holder for them all. Never really finding what the correct size I wanted.
One day while in a gardening section, I found a galvanized metal water pail with a few butterflies engraved on it. I knew immediately, I'd found my kitchen utensil bucket. I did have to put a small box into the center as some utensils will fall in completely, if I don't put them in towards the center. Otherwise, it fits my kitchen just fine!
By Terri H.
Post Feedback: Click Here
While at an outdoors St. Patrick's Day party a few years ago, guests were wearing green 4 leaf clover stickers on their arms, cheeks, etc., being festive. Not only did they have a great time, but they all realized they had permanent 4 leaf clover designs on the areas they'd had their stickers, once the stickers were removed, as they'd either tanned or gotten sunburned. (this wasn't intentional, but it could be something that teenagers or other youngsters might enjoy this summer as this could be done with any other shaped stickers for other holidays, or non-holidays.)
By T.H.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Tips for saving money on paper towels. Post your ideas!
Cut your paper towels in half before using them. You will get twice as many this way!
By Crystal Allen
Post Feedback: Click Here
Using Chocolate Pudding Mix For Cookies
With double coupons a couple years ago, I bought for next to nothing, about 12 chocolate pudding mixes, the cooked kind, not the instant. Does anyone have a recipe for using a cooked pudding mix in a cookie dough? Nothing comes up under google. I would like to use these up but do not want to make that much pudding.
calleyrimgirl
Post Feedback: Click Here
Organizing With Ice Cube Trays
Old ice cube trays make great organizers. You can store all kinds of small items in them like screws, nuts, bolts, washers, small nails, etc. in them.. It helps you to always know where they are.
By Robin
Post Feedback: Click Here
Craft Uses for Mismatched Socks
Ideas for using mismatched socks. Post your ideas.
Make odd socks into beanbags or puppets for the kids.
By fats82439
Post Feedback: Click Here
If you run out of laundry detergent towards the end of the month and don't want to spend your last $'s, regular dish liquid will work great. I use 3 big squirts for a normal size load to get clean clothes with no foaming.
By Margaret
Post Feedback: Click Here
A great "sandbox" for kids to use indoors is to fill a large plastic container with a bag of plain rice (I use a dishpan). Give them some measuring cups and funnels and they will play for hours! It's inexpensive and spilled rice can be vacuumed easily. Just watch that very small children don't try to eat the rice.
By Tammy D
Post Feedback: Click Here
This year we decided to have a garden of our own. So my husband bought a new toy, a tiller. The problem is cleaning the tines when he's finished. I suggested he get a bathroom brush or dish brush at the dollar store and use it to scrub off most of the dirt before he uses the hose to clean it. This worked so well and also saved him time and water. It also saved his back from having to bend over so much.
By Phyllis Holmes
Post Feedback: Click Here
When opening tomato paste. I always spoon it on to wax paper and freeze until firm. Then I put it into small zip lock freezer bags by each spoonful. Great for a touch of flavor to soups and such.
By syrayes1
Post Feedback: Click Here
Why Are Wedding Dresses White? Joke
A fresh-faced lad on the eve of his wedding night asks his mother, "Mom, why are wedding dresses white?"
The mother looks at her son and replies, "Son, this shows the town that your bride is pure."
The son thanks his mom, and then seeks his father opinion, "Dad, why are wedding dresses white?"
The father looks at his son in surprise and says, "Son, all household appliances come in white."
(They found this guys body a couple of days later. . .)
Alobarbear
View Article: Click Here
Tips and ideas for saving time in the kitchen. Post your ideas!
Organize your shelves, refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards. You'll find that in the long run you will save loads of time both cooking and cleaning.
By Robin
Post Feedback: Click Here
Cleaning Schedules
By Tawnda
Recently I had had enough of my kids not doing their chores and getting frustrated realising it was easier to do things myself than go behind them and do them...then I got behind on MY chores! I needed to figure out a way for all of us to keep things in order and to keep track of who wasn't doing their chores!
I took an idea from what Martha Stewart used to do in her magazine and made a calendar chore list. Although her lists were things such as planting a certain herb, clipping a certain flower or giving her dogs a bath...I was able to use the same idea and put it to use!
I devised a way to have a cleaning schedule that rotates each day so that one child is not stuck doing the same chore each day. The children have enjoyed this way of doing chores because it is specific and only has 3-5 chores a day for each child (I have five kids so more gets done) on top of their daily chores such as making their bed, putting away laundry, etc. This also allows me to add in weekly or monthly chores as reminders for them to do things such as put their sheets into the laundry, etc. Each chore only takes 5-10 minutes to complete. It may be sweeping the kitchen, cleaning the bathroom mirror, etc.
I made up a schedule for Feb. (the only 28 day month), one for the months with 30 days and one for the months with 31 days in them. This way the hard work is done and I can just pull out my list for the right days in the month.
To start, I went room by room and listed each item I needed done daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or bi-monthly. Not all rooms had all of those categories, but some did. I then put into a spreadsheet each chore, the children's names and just wrote a number for the day of the month they have that chore.
Example: Child #1 takes out the trash on the 1st of the month, Child #2 takes out the trash on the 2nd of the month, and so on...
This list I keep in a notebook for myself for reference. I took it a step further and typed out a numbered list of chores to tape near the calendar and then took a large desk calendar that I taped inside my pantry door and in a different color for each child, I write what number of chore they have for that day. It saves having to write the same thing over and over and saves the younger ones having to figure out what my abbreviations mean. I keep a highlighter clipped to the calendar and they can highlight their #'s as they complete the chores. But it is just as simple to make copies of the original list and having them mark off of that too, but I had already bought the calendar prior to coming up with this plan.
I found that if most of the chores were completed Mon-Thursday, they tended to get done better. By the time the weekend comes, they are having friends over or going places and tend not to get things done. They still have some chores on the weekends, but mostly it is taking care of pets, etc. The rule is if they are gone for the weekend they must find someone to fill in on chores such as feeding the dog, trash, etc.
I have since made a list for myself and this helps greatly on getting things done around the house. I tended to avoid doing things such as cleaning windows or dusting when it was easier to spend my time doing other things. This way I have a list to go by and doing 5-6 things each day, verses trying to do it ALL in one day a week or whatever, it helps a lot.
I broke the kitchen chores down into zones. Zone 1 is the far left of the kitchen, Zone 2 is the sink area, Zone 3 stove area and Zone 4 is the refrigerator area. On one day I may clean out the cabinets in Zone 1 and wipe them inside and out, another day I may clean out the drawers and wipe them out in Zone 1. It is up to you on how you want it broken down. Those are once-a-month chores and I divided them up throughout the month.
I know that it is time-consuming at first to get the lists made up in the beginning, but it is well worth the time spent once you have it already figured out!
View Article: Click Here
Good and Easy Meatloaf
By Tawnda
My daughter has been wanting to learn to cook and I have tried to find simple things for her to start with. We found this recipe on the Lipton Recipe Secrets (onion recipe soup and dip mix) package and then we added our own twist. The kids love it!
SOUPERIOR MEAT LOAF
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine all ingredients.
2. In 13x9" baking or roasting pan, shape into loaf.
3. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until done. Let stand 10 mins. before serving. Makes 8 servings.
OUR TWIST
My kids have always loved my meat loaf recipe where I mix about 1 1/2 c. ketchup, 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1-2 Tbsp. Hickory Seasoning and spread over the top of the meat loaf and bake as usual. It is excellent with this recipe above!
Another twist is to spray muffin tins and make mini meat loaves. The kids like that too! It is also handy for 1-2 people. You can make a batch and spray the muffin tins and place mixture into slots in pan. Place pan in freezer and when meat is frozen, take out and place in freezer containers for individual servings. Or if there are leftovers, freeze those too! Always handy for a last minute lunch.
View Article: Click Here
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine sugar, butter, shortening. Add egg yolks to creamed mixture. Add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Fold in coconut and nuts. Beat egg whites stiff and fold into other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Frosting:
Blend all and frost cooled cake.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Ingredients:
Directions:
Sift together dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and beat well at least 2 minutes. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Be sure to check out our active topics page to follow the discussion.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/board.html
Tip Contest
Submit a tip and you could win:
New Contest! $30.00 Gift Card
In our newest contest we are giving away a $30.00 Gift Card at one of the following stores: Home Depot, Jo-Ann's Crafts or Amazon.com. If you are the winner, you get to choose which gift card! We figured it would be more valuable if you pick out your own prize, that's why we have decided to go the gift card route. This contest will end on March 31st.
Syndication Spotlight:
Here are some publishers that have chosen to publish our tips this week!
Dear Webby's Humor Letter
Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.
http://webby.com/humor
Do you publish a newsletter? Sign up for our Tip Syndication:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/syndication.html
New Requests:
How to make seed packet diapers?
I am making favors for a baby shower. They are seed packets in little diapers made out of material. I am looking for instructions to make the little diapers! I am not crafty at all and can't figure it out on my own!
KathyO
Post Feedback: Click Here
I have an older dog (she's 15) who has a problem with a leaking bladder especially at night. We have tried dog diapers but they did not work. The carpet in our room smells really bad. I would love a homemade solution that would really remove the odor. I have tried every commercial available but nothing works.
kellydog
Post Feedback: Click Here
French Phrases for Decorating a Bathroom with Calligraphy
I am redecorating a bathroom and am going with a French theme. I will be writing in calligraphy French phrases. Does anyone know of any cute/quaint phrases that I could paint on the walls? I haven't found any useful websites!
Jessica from Illinois
Post Feedback: Click Here
Removing a Set In Stains From Clothing
I have three white shirts that have set in stains. One has a mysterious blue stain, the other a yellow stain (maybe oil of some sort), and the other has a small black grease stain. Anyone have a solution on how to remove them? Any help would be appreciated. There is nothing else wrong with the garments.
Erin from PA
Post Feedback: Click Here
Laundry Advice For Active Teens
My teenage sons are very active. Consequently, their shirts have an odor and perspiration stains even after laundering. They take showers everyday and use a deodorant but they still perspire. Does anyone have any solutions to my problem. I would appreciate any suggestions you might have to get the stains out of their clothes.
Maria
Post Feedback: Click Here
Suede Jacket Discolored From Dust And The Hanger
I have a blue-gray suede jacket with a purplish discoloration in a line across the shoulders and collar about where the hanger was, which I think is from dust accumulating on it as it hung unused in the closet over the summer. I've tried brushing it without success. Has anyone else seen this from just dust? Any tips on cleaning would be appreciated.
Kathy H.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Using Chocolate Pudding Mix For Cookies
With double coupons a couple years ago, I bought for next to nothing, about 12 chocolate pudding mixes, the cooked kind, not the instant. Does anyone have a recipe for using a cooked pudding mix in a cookie dough? Nothing comes up under google. I would like to use these up but do not want to make that much pudding.
calleyrimgirl
Post Feedback: Click Here
My mom has this old, dust filled couch in our attic. I am moving into the attic and would like to use it for me and my friends. It is a fold out bed-type couch, which is extremely heavy and has attached pillows. Just sitting on it I can feel the dust living in every inch of the material. I have allergies and even though I know it's going to be a big task, I would rather save money and clean it up than throw it out and get something else.
Any suggestions on how to get rid of the horrible dust mites, dust bunnies, giraffes, alligators, etc.?
Jennifer
Post Feedback: Click Here
My brother's incontinent dog has urinated on 3 of our rugs (that I know of) The smell in the house was terrible. Two of the rugs will probably be tossed out but one is a fairly expensive item. Any suggestions on how to clean the rug and get rid of the smell?
Babs
Post Feedback: Click Here
I was trying to save a few bucks and trying to help my unemployed brother so we hired him to paint the outside of the house last fall. Now it's spring and the windows are nearly all painted shut! Any suggestions on how to release them? The house is a ranch but we are senior citizens and not that great on ladders.
Babs
Post Feedback: Click Here
Any ideas for an eleven-year-old girl's birthday pary?
Emily
Post Feedback: Click Here
I need easy to grow flowers that are unique.
By ptreskovich
Post Feedback: Click Here
Getting a Christmas Cactus to Bloom
Does anyone know how to make a "Christmas Cactus" bloom again? I've had mine about 3 years and it has never bloomed after it was new. Thanks Aeromama
Post Feedback: Click Here
Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
No sponsor today. Advertising information available at:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/advertising.html
More Reading:
Garage Sale Checklist
By George Grubetic
Garage sales should be fun and hassle-free, with your goal to make some good money and off-load your unwanted items - our garage sale checklist is your hassle-free, step-by-step organiser for achieving this.
View Article: Click Here
What You Can Do in Five Minutes: Steps to Beat Procrastination
By Jennifer Thompson
Procrastination: Putting off until tomorrow (or the next day, or the next...) what could be done today.
View Article: Click Here
A Laughing Matter
By Steve Goodier
According to psychologist William James, we do not laugh because we are happy. But rather, we are happy because we laugh. The happiest people alive are those who know how to laugh often and well.
View Article: Click Here
Spring Homemaking Tips
By Monica Resinger
DECORATION FOR SEA-THEMED ROOM...
Fill decorative see-through glass containers (such as a small fish bowl) about a quarter of the way full with beach sand. Add seashells, feathers, driftwood, starfish or other beach findings and you have a quick, easy decoration for a sea-themed room.
View Article: Click Here
Consumer's Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
With Living Wills and such in the news, here is a great link for how you can plan for such circumstances for yourself and your family if you should be unable to make those decisions. We never know when a health condition or accident may make us unable to decide for ourselves whether or not we will be hooked up to machines to continue our lives. I'm sure we all have our own feelings about the Terri Shiavo case and emotions are high about that right now. We're not looking for feedback on the politics or religious issues involved, just providing a link for more information.
View Article: Click Here
Let others know that you like this Ezine:
Vote For the Daily Thrifty Tips
More Stuff
Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Seed Swap!
Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Tip Contest!
Submit a tip and enter our contest.
Submit a Request
Frugal solutions to everyday problems.
Search ThriftyFun!
Use Google technology to search ThriftyFun.
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
