November 5, 2009 | ThriftyFun

Finding Inexpensive FlooringWhat are the cheapest ways to improve kitchen flooring? Is there anything cheaper than laminate or linoleum?

Training a Boxer PuppyI have an 11 month old boxer. She is a female. She has been through classes and knows the basic commands (sit, stay and come). She also shakes and uses a bell at the back door when she needs to go potty.

Birthday Party GamesI am having a party for my daughter this weekend, she will be ten. I rented a hall, but I don't really have any good games to play. Any ideas?

Substitutes for Egg in MeatloafI need a substitute for eggs when baking a meat loaf.

Looking For George Foreman ManualI need George Foreman Baby Rotisserie Manual # GR59A.

Easy, Healthy Bagged Lunch IdeasI'm looking for cheap easy lunch ideas for myself and my partner. Any helpful hints? We work separate hours and jobs.

Recipe to Bring to Thanksgiving DinnerI am attending a family Thanksgiving dinner and I need ideas as to what to bring. They do not make a traditional Thanksgiving meal; I never know what they are making. And we will be driving about 2 hours away for this dinner.

Removing Acrylic Paint from CarpetHow do I remove acrylic paint from my carpet?

Kitten Only Uses Litter Box to PeeWe adopted a kitten from the Humane Society and she is 4 1/2 months old. She easily trained to the litter box and used it fine for 2 months. Then 2 weeks ago she started defecating outside of the box (usually right next to or near it), but not in the box.

KitchenAid Ice Maker Not Making IceMy ice maker is not working on my Kitchenaid fridge.

Dresser Drawers Stuck ClosedI have a dresser that was my grandmother's; it is over 80 years old and made of real wood. It had a large heavy TV sitting on top of it for years. Now I can't open any of the drawers. So what can I do without damaging the dresser?

Toys for TotsI need to know where to sign up for Toys for Tots? I have five kids in need of Christmas presents this year.

Marker on CouchI have a red marker stain on a loveseat. What should I use to remove it?

Freezing Pumpkin PiesCan I freeze baked pumpkin pie?

Freezing Mashed PotatoesI would be interested in tips for freezing mashed potatoes.

Removing Dog Pee and Poo from Cream CarpetHow do I get puppy pee off my cream carpets? I want to do this without a carpet cleaner.

Permanent Marker Stains off Linoleum FloorHow can I remove black permanent marker from my linoleum? I've tried everything and nothing works.

Puppy with HydrocephalusI have a 1.3 pound, 3 month old chihuahua puppy who just crashed on Saturday. I rushed her to an aggressive vet 24 hour weekend clinic and she was diagnosed with Parvo. I already gave her two shots and somehow she is now exposed to this.

Asking a Guy to a Formal DanceSo there is this boy that I have liked since last year when I was a freshman. We have a winter dance soon called the Football Ball and the cheerleaders hold it. Can you help me come up with some cute ideas to ask him to the dance?

Use Red Clay Saucer for Baking StoneWhen I had wanted a baking stone, and it was rather expensive, so, I thought about using red clay saucers, like red clay pots can bake bread in them, and I knew that pots and saucers can be fairly large.

Hot Mulled CiderPut all ingredients in crock pot. If desired, tie whole spices in cheesecloth or put in tea strainer. Cover and set on low for 2-8 hours. If spices are loose, strain before serving.

Deodorize Your OvenIf baking or roasting anything in your oven leaves an unpleasant odor, leave a shallow bowl of baking soda or white vinegar in the cold oven for a few days or more. This will absorb the odors in the oven.

Mix and Match Frozen SoupsI have a tip that I have been doing for many years now. Every late fall through winter I enjoy making huge pots of soup and freezing it into individual containers. Then when I want one, instead of having the same soup over and over again, I do some mixing and matching.

Bachelor BreadMix sugar and oil. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Stir flour and soda together. Add to sugar and oil; mix well.

Frank StewMix and simmer until heated through.

Keep Your ID Separate For SafetySince I previously lost my billfold and all of my i.d. at one time, I now always keep an extra credit card and my driver's license in a side, zip pocket of my purse.

Upside-Down Ham LoafSlowly melt butter in 8x8 inch pan, over low heat. Stir in sugar until smooth, remove from heat. Drain pineapple well, reserving liquid. Spread pineapple evenly over sugar mixture in pan.

Hunters: Remember the Food PantriesFor all you hunters out there, remember the food pantries and the homeless when your freezer gets filled up and your friends don't need any more venison or wild game. Everybody can benefit from your sport.

Princess CostumeI used an old dress for this costume. I tore a piece of the dress to put in her hair and added a necklace and I gave her that toy wand.

Halloween: Dog the Bounty Hunter and Wife CostumeDuane Chapman is known as Dog the Bounty Hunter and lives in Hawaii with his wife Beth and family. My husband Todd agreed to wear the only store-bought part of this costume, the long blonde wig.

Peanut Butter Delight CakePreheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease 10 inch Bundt pan and lightly flour. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and peanut butter in large bowl. Beat on low speed until creamy.

Use Timer Light Switches for Easily Forgotten LightsPurchase timer light switches and install in the bathrooms, kids rooms or any room were lights may be forgotten on. The timers automatically shut the lights off after 15 to 60 minutes.

Use Binder Clips to Secure Garbage BagsBags in garbage cans slipping. I was getting frustrated with garbage bags slipping down on the inside of my tall kitchen garbage can every time I tried to put more garbage in.

Reusing Dry Cleaner HangersI like to reuse dry cleaners hangers by saving them up all year. Then when we go on vacation for a week at a hotel, I'll bring them with me and I'm able to hang up all our clothes to keep them wrinkle free and give us more room in the drawers.

Spreading the Cost of ChristmasIt's a bit late for this year but, if you want to spread the cost of Christmas, buy 1 or 2 extra items every time you do a 'grocery' shop and store them for parents' or in-laws' Christmas presents.

My Frugal Life: $20,000 Experiment in Happiness a FailureWe all seek joy and happiness. That seems to be the very purpose of our being. But in the U.S. especially, we continue to believe happiness comes from things we buy, whether it's a Porsche, an exotic trip, a fabulous haircut, or an upscale cup of cappuccino.

Recently seeded lawn with a keep off sign.

How to Overseed Your LawnIt's no secret that a thick, healthy lawn reduces the need for using water and fertilizer. If your lawn is starting to look thin and tired, and the weeds are starting to creep in, it may be time to give it a boost by overseeding it.

Crocheted Dress Towel HangerChain 27, join as a circle. Chain 3 and turn. Row 1: Make 2 double crochets in each of the stitches, for a total of 54 around.

Jars filled with thematic bits and treasures.

Decorative Story JarStory Jar made from recycled kitchen jars. After the contents of the jar are emptied, wash and dry. If you want a "peep hole" in the front, cut peel-n-stick shelf paper the desired shape and place it where you want it, then paint the jar.

Religious Theme for "Babes in Toyland" Christmas FloatOur church is doing a float for the parade. The theme is "Babes in Toyland". That is what the float must be made around. What is a religious approach we could use? Please help.

Starbucks Coffee CostumeThis idea came to me because I admit, I love coffee. So much in fact, that I turned into one. I bought a very lightweight garbage can from the hardware store. It came with a lid.

Halloween: "A Cow Says Moo" CostumeTake a man's size large crew neck white tee shirt. Take pants and shirt that fit your toddler and lay them out on the shirt. Cutout around the pants and shirt 1 inch larger. Cut out large "spots" from black fabric.

Deeli's Mac and CheeseSimply had to spice up this traditionally boring recipe a little bit and I also love it baked with the bread crumb topping rather than serving directly out of the saucepan.

Popping Fresh Corn from the FieldI gleaned a popcorn field, but the popcorn will not hardly pop. Does it have to cure first or something?

How to Tell if Flour is Self Rising?My flour is in a canister. I have no idea if it is self rising or not. Is there a way to test it to tell which it is?

Easy Ground Beef HashQuick and easy to prepare, low cost, tastes great! Peel and chop potatoes, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until almost tender.

Fox Urine Rodent RepellentTo get rid of mice. I purchased bobcat and fox urine at home depot. Sprinkle this stuff in corner of basements and around outside foundation. Worked for me. Keeps animals out of gardens too.

Ballpoint Ink Stains on Ultrasuede CouchHow do I remove ballpoint ink stains from my ultra suede couch?

Baby Food Stains on Upholstered ChairHow do I remove food stains from baby on upholstered chair? Stain includes formula, banana, baby food, etc.

British Style Sweet Macaroon Bar RecipeI want to find the recipe for the British sweet, macaroon bars. I know the filling is made with icing sugar and potato, but I don't know the quantity.

Cooking Bag SteakI am looking for a recipe for fuss free steak using a cooking bag.

Deeli's Chicken Liver PateOkay, this is time consuming for an appetizer but it's so tasty and worth the effort! I love eating it on sesame flavored melba toast and celery, too!

Pooh Bear (Chinese Goose)Pooh Bear is a Chinese goose, that we think is three months old. We've had Pooh about a month. He was a runt and since I've gotten him he has shown a malformed foot and wing. He is handicapped and loved.

Orange Pomeranian with a lei, sitting on a foot stool

Lady (Pomeranian)Lady is a four year old Pomeranian. I got her 4 years ago as a birthday gift. She loves to grab hold of her 'boyfriend's' tail. He drags her all over the yard. A sight for sore eyes indeed! In this photo, she is ready to go to a luau with us.

Sweet Corn BitesDelicious as a starter or teatime snack, good for vegetarians. Sift the dry ingredients together and add the herbs. Mix the milk and butter.

City Bear, Country Bear Book TitleI'm looking for a book about bears. The specific story involved city bears and mountain bears and a snowstorm. The city bears learned that the mountain bears were really the ones who had it all figured out since the mountain bears had been living off natural resources and simple comforts.

Slow Cooker Beef with Balsamic VinegarI am looking for a slow cooker recipe for beef and balsamic vinegar. I tried it once with moose meat and it was awesome. I got new computer and can't find the recipe.I would appreciate any help I can get.

Dog Ate Bologna WrapperMy dog ate the wrapper that goes around a piece of bologna. Is it harmful to her? I don't want to lose her or have her hurt.

Could This Be a Piano Stool?I have an old chair with a turnable seat to adjust higher or lower, no arms, claw feet holding clear glass or crystal balls. It's small, about 4 feet tall with dark wood, and metal attachments for the turnstyle.

Making a Turkey Decoration from a Baby BottleWe're having a Thanksgiving and Baby Shower this year at the same party. Does anyone have an idea how to make a turkey decoration out of a baby bottle?