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Hello,
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. We have a packed newsletter today. It's been requested by numerous people that we collect all of the photo submissions in one place so we set up a section just for that. You can find them here:
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Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Photos:
Today's Tips:
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Today's Sponsors
Today's Photos
Tough Guy - Yumas (Labrador Retriever)
This is our new family addition, YUMAS. He is a cute little lab. He thinks he's a tough guy.
By Barbie
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Don't water your lawn at 1 in the afternoon when it's 86 degrees. We have had no rain to speak of in more than 2 months.
By April
Editor's Note: To limit evaporation, only water in the early morning or in the evening when it is cooler.
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Turn a boring rodent cage into a luxury condo!
By Jess Hampton
Pet accessories can be very pricey, and aren't always made of the safest or best-quality materials. Don't despair! Rather than let a pet sit in a boring cage, you can outfit your pet's domain with unique toys, decorations and even pet 'furniture' from objects you have around the house.
View Project: Click Here
Today's Tips
Storing Single Edged Razor Blades
Empty film canisters are the perfect size for storing single edge razor blades.
By Linda
Editor's Notes: Matchbooks work well also.
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A good gift idea is to get your favorite recipe, (front and back) put it in a frame and hot glue utensils on the frame (for example wooden spoons, soup ladle, cookie cutters,) whatever goes well with the recipe. Add a raffia bow.
By Dee
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Substituting Small for Large Eggs
When a recipe calls for eggs it usually means LARGE eggs. If you use small eggs, just add an extra one.
By Ardis Barnes
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Getting Men to Help with the Chores
My man is the epitome of a armchair quarterback, news and weather expert, or anything that has to do with TV. He takes wonderful care of the yard and the garage but he believes that the house is my job. NOT SO. But if I ask him to spend a mere ten minutes dusting, "just ten minutes ha, I can handle that". OK Then could you please dust for the full ten minutes. It worked. He can cover a lot in ten minutes. He doesn't do it the way I'd like, but I will NEVER complain, or my plan is dust in the wind.
By Ardis Barnes
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Keeping Doors from Slamming Shut
On windy days, toss a towel, folded lengthwise, over the door to prevent it from slamming shut.
This also prevents small children from accidently shutting themselves in a room and also prevents them from shutting the door on their small fingers.
By Cheryl from Missouri
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If you open a spam to ask them to remove you from their list, they get a return message your address is a real one. Your spam increases. I have a yahoo box and just delete them.
Jill
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Hanging Your Speakers With Macrame Plant Holders
I was at an acquaintance's home recently. They're using macrame potted plant hangers to set their stereo speakers in, so they're not on the floor. I thought this was a great idea, it brings the music, etc. up to where you are, instead of coming from down on the floor. I've been at a few yard sales recently where I've seen several macrame plant hangers. I guess no one uses them much anymore.
By Terri
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Roy the farmer was in the fertilized egg business. He had several hundred young (hens) layers, called pullets, and eight or ten roosters, whose job was to fertilize the eggs.
The farmer kept records, and any rooster that didn't perform went into the soup pot and was replaced. That took an awful lot of his time so he bought sets of tiny bells and attached them to his roosters. Each bell had a different tone so Roy could tell from a distance which rooster was performing. So, now he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report simply by listening to the bells.
The farmers favorite rooster was old Butch, a very fine specimen he was, too. But on this particular morning Roy noticed old Butch's bell hadn't rung at all. Roy went to investigate. The other roosters were chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing. The pullets, hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover.
BUT, to Farmer Roy's amazement, Butch had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring. He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and proceed to the next one. Roy was so proud of Butch, he entered him in the county fair, where Butch became an overnight sensation among the judges.
The result: The judges not only awarded Butch the "No Bell Piece Prize" but they also awarded him the "Pulletsurprise" as well.
Clearly Butch was a Politician in the making. Who else could figure out how to win two of the most highly coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the populace and getting them when they weren't paying attention?
By Terri
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Be Careful When Entering Drawings and Sweepstakes Online
Names can get sold to spammers. When a friend directs you to a FREE offer on the Internet, think twice! You cannot just print out a coupon you must give your email address!
By Syd
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Preventing Newspaper Clippings From Yellowing
I promise this works.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Stir this together in a glass or plastic pan. NOW BREATHE. Put your newspaper clipping in to soak for one hour. Dry on a paper towel. This removes the acid in the paper and keeps it from yellowing and deteriorating and makes an instant heirloom.
By Ardis Barnes
Editor's Note: Thanks for sharing this Ardis, I have not heard this tip. It would be best to test this on an unwanted newspaper clipping before you try it on a treasured one.
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Discounts for Paying with Cash
Usually when I have offered to pay cash for services instead of the provider having to bill me or pay a transaction fee on credit card use, they have given me a discount on the service. If they don't, I go ahead and use my credit card which gives me 1% cash back.
By Bobbie
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Buying Products with Blemishes
We've all probably shopped at a Factory Outlet Store before, knowing all the time, you're purchasing second quality products, that save us a lot of money. This can be done at the regular malls or stores, as well, ask if they have any of the products that you're looking for, but with blemishes.
My husband has bought Red Wing Brand work boots, with blemishes. The boots are going to get scratched up even more, the longer he has them, so why not save us some bucks, this way? My husband saved us about 30 dollars by doing this and the company paid shipping to our home!
By Terri
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One might consider putting a small trash can in each room. This would come in handy when trying to tidy up in a hurry. You'd save on steps wasted on having to go to another room to toss something out. Your mind might wander and you forget what you were doing in the 1st place.
By Terri
Then to save money on trash liners you can use this tip...
Using Grocery Bags
Use supermarket grocery bags for small wastebasket liners. Fold up the extra ones, and store them in the bottom of the wastebasket to save time looking for them when you empty the basket.
By catmom
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I bought some soy flour just to check out all the claims of how versatile it claims to be. My favorite use for it is substituting it for eggs in a recipe. Use about the same amount as the size of a large egg. Yup, it's true, and no one knows you did it. It's one more way to sneak better nutrition into your family recipes. It can also be used as part of the flour called for in recipes. If my recipe calls for two cups of flour, I substitute about one quarter cup of soy flour for added nutrition. It's a very handy and versatile flour.
By Ardis Barnes
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OK everybody, collect all those piggy banks and pack them away in a box and put them in the attic. My house has only been broken into twice in my lifetime. The first things that go are the piggy banks. FIND A REPLACEMENT NOW. When you cornstarch runs out, use the container for your coins and ones. How about an oatmeal box? Larger bills can be hid in back of picture frames. That will get your imagination going. I don't want to give out all the secrets. I have some real doozies. I even used my drip pan on my refrigerator once.
By Ardis Barnes
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Have leftover wooden spoons that come with the little ice cream cups or popsicle sticks? Use them as labels in your garden.
How about using plastic forks in the garden to hold seed packets, (in the ground) so you know what's planted there or to hold plant labels.
Use a permanent marker and label the bowl of the spoon with the date on the back. They can even be color coded.
By Dee
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I always stock up on bleach, white vinegar, amonnia, borax, 91% rubbing alcohol, and Dawn dish soap. I boil my water. Then from these Items I make most of my cleaners. My favorite kitchen cleaner I make up a gallon at a time. Then I fill up a cut little spray bottle.
To the gallon jug, I mix together ammonia, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
This takes up about 1/3 of the gallon jug. The rest is either boiled water or store bought water.
NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA. WHEW!
For the bathroom I can wipe things down with a gallon of water with just two tablespoons of bleach. This is just great for wiping down the phone, door knobs, even the key board on the computer, with the rag rung out well and be sure to turn the keyboard upside down when wiping it.
Speaking of germs. Everyone washes their hands when they come home from anywhere, even just out in the yard. The hands get washed before they touch much of anything else. I'm not that much of a germophobic, it just keeps down the sniffles and flu.
By Ardis Barnes
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Salt and Pepper Shakers for Camping or a Picnic
Punch a few small holes in the lid of a film canister and fill it with salt or pepper, put a piece of plastic wrap over the top and then snap the lid on. Toss into your picnic basket. To use, remove the plastic wrap and put the lid, now a shaker top, back on.
By Linda
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There were 3 aliens who knew no english at all. One went to a Red Sox game, one to the opera house, and one to a cafe. That one at the cafe learned "fork and knife, fork and knife." The one at the opera house learned "me-me-me-me-meeeee!" The one at the game learned "Yeah!" They told each other the stuff the had learned.
One day a police man saw a dead man on the street and one of the aliens was near by. "Who killed him?" asked the policeman. The alien said, "Me-me-me-me-meeeeee!" "What did you kill him with?" asked the policeman. "Fork and knife!" said the alien. "You're going to jail!" said the policeman. "Yeah!" said the alien.
By Alison
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Take the burn out of a sunburn by slice open an aloe vera leaf and putting the gel on the burned skin. If you don't have an aloe vera plant, buy pure aloe vera gel at a health food store. Good for all MINOR burns.
By Linda
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Planning Enough Leftovers for Lunch
I was blessed with a husband who doesn't mind left-overs for lunch but found myself in a bind often with left over meat but no veggies, or veggies but no meat. I now make sure to add an extra piece of meat as I'm cooking and I fix a plate before we eat. This saves me two ways; neither of us feels we have to clean the bowls and I know my DH will have a good lunch the following day.
By Linda
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When going to buy new tires for your vehicle, ask if they have any "Blem" tires. These are tires that have blemishes on the sidewalls, nothing wrong with them otherwise & they sell them cheaper than the others. You can always ask to have the sidewalls put on towards the car, so that they solid black side shows toward the public.
By Terri
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Repairing Ripped Shower Curtains
Repair ripped shower curtain holes with a stapler! Just staple the ripped part and wallah! The curtain rings hide the staples and you've got a quick fix! I have repaired holes that have survived a year (so far) of kids and adults pulling and tugging on the curtain!
By Amy
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Saving Money on Calcium Supplements
I'm a woman in my 70's and I take calcium to protect my bones. I now buy calcium citrate (the most absorbable form of calcium) in powder form instead of tablet form. This is a much more economical way than paying for the more expensive tablets.
Do an Internet search for "buy bulk calcium citrate powder" and you will find several sites that sell calcium citrate in powder form. Shop around as prices will vary. I got an 18 oz. bottle for less than $7.00 (plus shipping). One teaspoon yields 700 mg. of calcium and the bottle will last for months.
Blend it with juice or milk. Vitamin D is also a necessity for calcium absorption and metabolism so either take a Vitamin D supplement or get a little sun every day.
By Seagrape
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Keeping Bugs Out of Shoes and Boots
Since we live in the country now we get our shoes really dirty and muddy and we don't want to bring them into the house so we leave them on the porch. The problem is my daughters hate spiders so what I did was put shower caps on the tops of their boots. They have a little elastic so they cling to the boot or I insert the back end of the shoe so the opening is covered. Even I like to know nothing is in my boot or shoe when I put them on. You can buy the shower caps at the dollar store and they have multiple in each pack.
By Firefly1985
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Marshmallows can be cut nicely, if you dip scissors in water.
By Brenda
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Even though I have no babies, I carry a cheap package of baby wipes in the car. I always have them for a quick clean up of my hands after thrift store shopping, wipe a spill in the car, or wipe down the dash while waiting in traffic or at lights.
By Linda
Editor's Note: Baby wipes are also great to have for cleaning your hands after checking your oil or filling your tank at the gas station.
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Ask for Double Dose Prescriptions
Insurance prescription providers are suggesting you ask your Dr if he can prescribe meds in double dose, and you can cut them in half, saving you and your insurance company a bunch of money. Of course, this is for long term meds being subscribed for over a month.
By Cheri
Editor's Note: Make sure that you cut them once you get them home so you don't accidently take too much.
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New Contest - More Prizes
We are giving away 16 $25 prizes in a variety of categories.
Tip Contest!
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Photo Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Contest ends July 15, 2005
Syndication Spotlight:
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New Requests
Can anyone give me a recipe for homemade starch for clothing?
Thanks,
Kim
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How can I remove mildew off my tent without damaging the tent and remove the smell?
Rlavander
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I am looking for a chamomille face cream, and\or haw to make one.
tblaura
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Starting a Cutting from a Birch Tree
How would I start a cutting from a birch tree? We have one that grew where a pine tree used to be out of a rotted stump. I would like to start another one manually like nature had done it.
Thanks,
Annette
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Planning a Party For Teen Boys (and Adults)
My cousin's birthday is July 18th. My aunt and I have no clue what kind of birthday he wants or what we are going to do for his birthday.We want it to be a out of this world, awesome, fantastic, positively astounding party. But us being girls we have no clue what to do for him.He wants boys and girls to be there and there will be family too. So please help me and my aunt survive this terrible nightmare before the 18th.
He likes football baseball and girls, music (all kinds of variety) o yeah did I say girls!
Thank You,
Amanda from Splendora, TX and Cheryl
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I have some tomato plants on my deck in containers. I had a beautiful yellow tomato plant, on a tomato that looked ready to be picked there was a large brown spot on the bottom that looked like the tomato had been burned, it was also a deep spot. I cut the tomato to see if there were any bugs inside and there was none, what is causing this?
Kelly Schultz
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My daughter is turning four in a week. she loves the beach and wants a beach party outside in our back yard. I have supplies and food. I just need help with some do-it-yourself ideas for decorating the front and back yard. we have a large garage, I am fairly crafty. any ideas would be great.
Thanks,
Jennifer - Georgia
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I have light beige carpeting and seem to be prone to staining it, everthing from cat vomit to eyeliner. I am usually able to get the stains out using Spot Shot and Proxy, but I am always left with a white stain, how do i get rid of that? Water doesn't seem to do the trick. Also, i have 2 bright red stains that have been here since i moved in - i have no idea what they are and my usual products don't work. Any suggestions? Thanks All!
KirstiG
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Window Treatment Ideas for a Bay Window
I have this bay window in my living room/computer room and I would like to put up some other type of window treatment other than curtains, what do you all suggest that would be a good change.
I appreciate anything you all can share with me.
Teresa from Va.
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Popsicle Stick Lamp Instructions
I am looking for a pattern for a ice cream stick lamp. I have been looking for a long time for this.
Sue Elliott
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Shirt Gift Card Made Out of Dollars
I would like a pattern for a gift card that you fold dollar bills to look like a man's shirt. You decorate it using two-sided tape with buttons and a ribbon for a tie.
Kelli
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I am trying to understand why when I wash my kids clothes their t-shirts come out with spots on them that they didn't have when I put them in the wash. Especially the white shirts. They always have these little yellow spots. On dark Tees, they look like little oil stains. Please somebody tell me why?
bartiah
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I would like to know if anyone knows anything about nosodes in place of pet injections and if so how do you use them?I have read about them but don't know how to use them are where to get them. Its suppose to be a natural thing in place of shots.Has anyone used this?
Sandie
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I'm having a Sweet 16 birthday party in August with about 15 or less guests, mostly all girls. We are on a budget and I have no ideas. Please help,
Request Update: I am having a Sweet 16 in August. My theme is sweet dreams, it will be a cross between Alice in Wonderland and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I need somewhere to have the party that will eventually lead to going back to a hotel at night. I need a nice hotel (kind of on a budget!) and a daytime (or even nightime) activity near a hotel. Im desperately in need!
Breanna from Southeast Michigan
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Today's Sponsors
More Reading:
Make Money Tearing Up Old Books and Magazines and Selling Them on eBay
By Avril Harper
For the past few years I've been tearing up old books and magazines, and selling them on eBay. Other people's "rubbish" is earning me $20 a time - sometimes a great deal more - every single day!
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An Introduction to Container Gardening
By Ellen Brown
If your ability to garden is limited by a lack of space, a lack of accessibility or poor quality soil, then consider container gardening. All you need is a selection of plants, a few containers, the proper growing medium, and a sunny window, balcony or porch and you're on your way to an excellent crop of vegetables or flowers.
Read More: Click Here
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