Thrifty Tip Contest (May 30 - June 5, 2009) | ThriftyFun

Menu Ask a Question Share a Post Account Search

social

Contests Winners Enter a Contest

Thrifty Tip Contest
(May 30 - June 5, 2009)

This contest is over. See the winners and other entries below.

Latest Prev Next

Duration	Entries
May 30 - June 5, 2009	40

Tip: Living With Less

June 3, 2009

I quit my job 13 months ago and started traveling with my husband. We are living on about $30,000 less a year, and are loving it! We own a 3,000 sq foot home, but have reduced my needs to what will fit into Rubbermaid bins and the back of the truck.

Comment Was this helpful? 24

Keep Recipes in a Three Ring BinderI have made a "recipe notebook" out of a 3-ring binder and clear insert pages to hold all my recipes that were loose in my kitchen drawer. I have also written down my recipes "from memory", that I know how to make, but never bothered to write down.

6 Comments Comment

Make Last Year's Dress Into This Year's BlouseWhen my daughter was in grade school, I couldn't afford new school clothes every year, so I purchased an A-line (no waistline) dress pattern with the option of cap or long sleeves and three neckline options.

5 Comments Comment

Reusing Plastic Water BottlesI try not to purchase bottled water but sometimes I forget my water mug. I wondered about what I could do with them since the apartment building I live in doesn't have recycling bins and and I have no room to store them.

7 Comments Comment

Use Plastic Grocery Bags for Packing MaterialUse your plastic shopping bags for packing in shipping packages. It is light weight and free. Also it is a good cushion.

2 Comments Comment

Use White Wine to Clean Red Wine From ClothingAbout 35 years ago when I was in my 20's and going out dancing a lot, I was a red wine drinker. I sometimes ended up spilling more wine than I drank. A friend of mine told me how to get red wine out of my white sweater coat.

1 Comment Comment

Watch for Used Business FixturesWhen you are out just about anywhere, keep your eye out for signs posted items for sale by grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores. As many places remodel, they put the old fixtures up for sale.

1 Comment Comment

Disposable Diaper TipsAs a mother of two and one due in a few days, I've used many diapers. Huggies seem to work the best. However they are one of the most expensive brands.

4 Comments Comment

Don't Procrastinate, Get That Cleaning Done!If you try to wait to clean, you shouldn't. Just get it out of the way so you can hang out with friends and family. Also, don't yell at your kids if they don't want to clean, because you remember being a kid don't you?

3 Comments Comment

Keeping Track of Email CouponsThis suggestion is about received email coupons for restaurants and grocery stores. To keep better track of which to use up first due to expiration dates, I forward them to my email addy with the name of the restaurant and the expiration date in the subject bar.

2 Comments Comment

Managing Backup on My ComputerOnce my computer started automatically jettisoning information. The only way to stop it was to quickly press the OFF button. When this started, I hired a computer repair person to take a look at it.

1 Comment Comment

Prepare Your Freezer for Hurricane SeasonEach year preparing for hurricane season, I fill plastic containers (ice cream buckets, milk jugs), with water to freeze. Should we lose power, the ice can be used to refrigerate food and drinks while the other containers help keep the freezer cold.

2 Comments Comment

Raised Beds Deter Carrot FliesA carrot fly can only get to a height of about 1 to 2 feet. If you raise a bed to that level, and then plant your carrot seeds in, they cannot get to them and you will have perfect carrots every time.

Save Money on Prescription DrugsWith the economy these days prescription costs are just one more thing people worry about. Did you know that you can pay a reasonable price on many of the most needed medications if you just do your homework?

1 Comment Comment

Use Brown Yucca Leaves as Sturdy StringI use the browned leaves on yucca plants to tie up things in the yard such as staking up iris plants or fastening together yard furniture to keep it from blowing away. They are very sturdy and freely available if you have yucca plants.

Use Pewter to Defrost MeatsAny type of solid pewter platter or tray can be used to quickly thaw even the thickest cut of meat, including roasts and Boston butts. Just set the meat on the platter and let it do all the work.

4 Comments Comment

Attach Your Cell Phone to Your KeysI'm sure I'm not the only one who frequently has to go on a scavenger hunt to retrieve my cell phones and keys. The cell phone problem is solved by simply calling it from another phone and tracking it down.

3 Comments Comment

Fishing Tip: A Trick To Catching FishOnce you have hooked the fish, keep it's head up! If the fish has a chance to head for the bottom, your odds of losing the fish are greater. If you keep the fish head up, the odds are you will catch them every time.

Freeze Steak and Grate the Fat OffTo remove the fat, freeze your steak first. Then simply grate the fat off with a standard grater. You can get closer to the meat than with a knife if you are the normal cook.

Keep Bugs Out Of Your Drink OutsideHere's another great use for Press and Seal. When you take a drink outside, you risk getting bugs in it. So put a small piece of Press and Seal over your glass leaving a drink hole or poke a tiny hole in it and stick a straw through it.

5 Comments Comment

Keep Coupons With Your Grocery ListWhen I find a coupon that I'd like to use, I put it with my grocery list that I keep clipped to the refrigerator until I'm ready to head to the store. I remember to use it when it's with my list that I check as I walk through the store to find my groceries.

2 Comments Comment

Use a Tooth Brush to Apply Teething MedicineIf you have a baby that's teething his or her back teeth, put the teething medicine on a tooth brush and brush it on. You could let the child brush their own gums if their old enough.

2 Comments Comment

Use an Auto Mat for an Office Chair Floor MatA regular office-sized floor mat would have been too big for my home office. So I bought a transparent auto floor mat from the dollar store, and put it lengthwise over the carpet for my rolling desk chair. It works fine.

1 Comment Comment

Use Sawdust to Fill Holes in WoodSave that sawdust! Just mix Elmer's glue and sawdust to fill any hole or gouge in wood. Let dry and sand, then stain or paint.

1 Comment Comment

Carry Sunscreen Samples in Your PurseAlways perspiring the sunscreen off, and have to re-apply on the go? Those samples of moisturizer with sunscreen are great for carrying around in your purse during the summer for extra applications.

Make Your Own Flavored WaterDo you get tired of drinking plain water but don't want to pay exorbitant prices for the store bought bottles or the dry packaged additives?

2 Comments Comment

Three Meals from Spaghetti Meat SauceI quite often make up a large batch of meat sauce. This way I get 3 meals out of one pound of hamburger!

3 Comments Comment

Toy Wagon for Child's Shoe StorageA small child's wagon, either metal or plastic, makes for a great shoe storage container by a front or back door, or even in the child's bedroom.

1 Comment Comment

Use Styrofoam Peanuts in Bottom of Hanging BasketsWhen planting hanging baskets, put Styrofoam peanuts in the bottom instead of stones. The plants do not stand in water and the baskets will not be so heavy.

4 Comments Comment

Control Soap Dispensing Amount With a Rubber BandControl the pumped amount of liquid soap or dish washing liquid, by tying a rubber band around the stem of the push down dispenser. Adjust it until you get the desired amount. It will help save soap.

5 Comments Comment

Keeping Your Soap Dish CleanPrevent having to clean soapy scum from the soap dish or at the sink by placing a thin sponge in the dish or sink indention to lay the soap on. The sponge catches the scum, leaving underneath relatively clean.

Make Big Batches and FreezeWhen I make spaghetti sauce, I always double or even triple the recipe. After we've eaten a meal from the batch, I freeze the rest in freezer bags and lay them flat to conserve space.

2 Comments Comment

Prevent Heat Stroke With a TimerThis has to do with staying out in the heat while you do your gardening or any other outside chore. I was outside yesterday doing some mowing, weed eating, spreading weed killer on the driveway, and other things.

8 Comments Comment

Propane Grill Igniter TipThe grilling season is upon us! Here's something you must know about your grill's propane igniter button: Don't buy a new one until you try this first!

1 Comment Comment

Static Window Film Instead of CurtainsIf you have a window that for some reason you cannot put a curtain on (e.g., you can't mar the wall or door to put up a curtain rod, you are a renter, it doesn't fit your design aesthetic, etc.), consider using adhesive-free static cling window film.

7 Comments Comment

Use a Fork to Split Hot BiscuitsWhen splitting hot biscuits (or hot rolls) to add butter, instead of cutting with a knife, push the tines of your fork into the biscuit (or roll) around the middle, then pull apart.

Use Colored Price Stickers to Mark Accessory CordsI found an inexpensive way to mark the multitude of wires behind my computer. I had read about using colored tape at each end of the cords, to trace which plug belongs to which accessory (printer, modem, etc) but I didn't want to go out and buy several different colors of tape.

2 Comments Comment

Use Pet Food in Homemade Pet ToysWhen making noise-making pet toys, such as the ones using empty water bottles, potato chip canisters, or pill bottles, use dry food or treats instead of the suggested marbles, bells, etc.

3 Comments Comment

Use Post Hole Digger When Planting Lots of Tomato PlantsI needed to plant 48 tomato plants. I knew if I bent over all that time, my knees would have a lot of stress. In the gardening shed, I spied the post hole digger. It makes the hole wider and as deep as you need for each plant.

2 Comments Comment

Yarn Project in a BagHandy and convenient. I put a plastic grocery bag in a small wastebasket. Set any size skein of yarn in it, for the project I'm working on. When going out, I can pull the bag out with project, pattern, and hook or needles.

Published by ThriftyFun.
Desktop Page | View Mobile
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Generated 2022-08-23 04:45:47 in 2 secs.
© 1997-2022 by Cumuli, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/contest/000/024.html