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Thrifty Tip Contest
(February 27 - March 5, 2010)

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

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Duration	Entries
February 27 - March 5, 2010	60

Buy Better Quality DVD's Instead Of Blu-RayYou do not need to buy a Blu-Ray player. I was plagued by DVDs skipping and freezing. New ones, old ones, borrowed, burned, you name it, no matter which player I used.

3 Comments Comment

Dry Dog Food RecipeHave just become a member, great site, lots of useful stuff! I noticed someone asking about dog food recipes; and I make a dry food for my Border Collie, 2 Chihuahuas, and 1 Papillon.

6 Comments Comment

Identify Prescription Bottles With SharpieI take several medications that I keep in my purse. Rather than looking at each name of medication (with my over 40 year old eyes), I mark each bottle with the first one or two letters of the medication or what the medication is for.

1 Comment Comment

Red Carpet Birthday PartyI always see people asking for ideas for a girls birthday party. They held a "red carpet" event for a birthday party. All the little girls dressed up in their best glamour out fits and walked the red carpet while the paparazzi took their pictures.

3 Comments Comment

Save Power When Boiling EggsSave electricity bills when boiling eggs by putting the eggs in cold water, bring to the boil, then immediately turn off the heat and leave the eggs in the hot water for the length of time you like.

4 Comments Comment

Save Toiletries When Staying at HotelsWe always save the soap, shampoos, toothpaste, and lotions we get at hotels when we stay in them. They come in handy when we run out of out regular soaps and things, especially when we can't make it to the store right away.

7 Comments Comment

Therapy for Dry HandsThis is is old, but good. Are your hands dry and cracked? Just put sugar and butter together and rub real, real good, then wash off with soap.

5 Comments Comment

Travel Insurance When You Leave the CountryWe have traveled on 3 cruise ships, did a Bus tour through Europe of 12 countries and just came back from S. Wales and Northern Germany. Every time we had that extra insurance just to be sure we are not caught with large medical expenses.

2 Comments Comment

Use a Water Spritz to Stick Sprinkles on FrostingWhen frosting cookies or cakes with butter cream frosting, and you want to put sprinkles on, they roll right off! I had a moment of inspiration, went and grabbed my water spray bottle from the ironing board, put fresh water in, and gave the remaining cookies a spritz.

2 Comments Comment

Uses for Plastic Cutting MatsI use wire shelving in our home. I like the convenience of these shelves. However, when using these shelves for bathroom or kitchen items, some bottles, jars, containers, etc. are too small and tip over easily.

9 Comments Comment

WD40 to Prevent Fog on MirrorsYou can spray WD40 and wipe on mirrors to prevent fogged up during showers and baths.

2 Comments Comment

Add Drink Mix to Hot TeaWe drink a lot of hot tea during the winter. To kick it up a notch, add a couple spoonfuls of powered sweetened drink mix (we use the Aldi version of Kool-aid).

1 Comment Comment

Burn Lemon or Orange Peel for FragranceIf you have an open fire or a wood burning stove, throw orange and lemon peel in with the fuel and the room will be filled with a delicious smell.

Catch Spills When MeasuringI have two suggestions that will speak to the klutz in all of us. When measuring rice to cook, I set my measuring cup in the saucepan I will be using. When I pour the rice in, I place one hand as a guard to keep the rice from spilling onto the counter.

4 Comments Comment

Controlling Odors in a Linen Closet?My cedar closet had an off and on slightly humid smell, depending on the time of year. I filled the bottom 3 inches of a pantyhose leg with kitty litter, tied a knot, cut off the excess pantyhose material and hung it in my closet.

6 Answers Answer

Freeze Grated CheeseMy granddaughter bought a big round of cheddar cheese. It was too much to use at once. so I grated it today to put in the freezer. I sprayed a small amount of cooking spray on the grater for easier clean up.

1 Comment Comment

Keep Closets and Drawers ClosedTo save on your heating and cooling costs, keep your closet doors closed (same for dresser drawers, cabinet doors and such). Why pay to heat spaces you are not living in?

2 Comments Comment

Kerosene Heater For Power OutagesWe have been experiencing a lot of power loss lately. When this happens, I heat with a kerosene heater. Not only does it keep me warm, but it's my cooking source as well. You can't cook everything this way, but you can make do with many foods.

4 Comments Comment

Measure Oil Before HoneyWhenever a recipe calls for honey, first measure out the oil for the recipe (or if it doesn't call for oil, just spread a little oil all over the measuring cup), then measure out the honey, and it should come out of the cup like a charm!

1 Comment Comment

Quick Clean a HouseHow to fake clean a house (or what to do when your house is a wreck and company is coming in 15 minutes). Family Room: Stack books and magazines in neat piles or place in a decorative basket.

2 Comments Comment

Reuse Skinny Plastic BagsSave long skinny plastic bags or tubes of plastic, because they have many uses. I just stapled the folded-over end of a sturdy plastic tube to make an extra eyeglass case and I have used the long skinny bags to hold my flutes/recorders!

3 Comments Comment

Choose Candle Size For Your Burning TimeWe laughed at the "absurd directions" for a large jar candle (20 oz) we had just purchased: "burn candle for at least four hours". We experimented with several and this is what we we found.

Clean Spills on Stove with Baking SodaBe careful when you clean your white stove! If you get to aggressive, you end up with scratches. Simply wring out a dishcloth and apply baking soda to the stove surface.

3 Comments Comment

Cleaning Silverplate FlatwareThis is a useful hint for cleaning and re-plating silver cutlery. I got it from an old-fashioned butler. Crumple some clean aluminum foil (about 12 inches length of it) in a washing bowl of warm water with a little washing-up liquid.

1 Comment Comment

Disposing of Bacon and Cooking GreaseNeed an easy way to dispose of leftover grease from frying? Empty your kitchen sink, and put a piece of wide tin foil in the sink. Push the foil into the drain to make a little cup. Do not put any holes in the foil, then place 2 pieces of paper towel in on top.

11 Comments Comment

Keep Seedlings From "Damping Off"When trying to start seeds for this spring, if you have trouble with your seedlings dying after they come up, called "damping off", run a small fan on low. That way if you overwater them, you won't have the trouble with mold growing and your seedlings dying.

3 Comments Comment

Product Review: Smelly WasherMy wife and I run a dog rescue and wash 3-4 loads of bedding and towels each day. The front load washer developed an unpleasant odor and the towels & bedding did not smell fresh after laundering. I tried a lot of different products and solutions without success.

2 Comments Comment

Removing Pen Ink on Computer ScreenMy 2 year old daughter took a black ball point ink pen and drew all over my computer monitor. I tried to get it off with a cloth and water, but that did not work.

1 Comment Comment

Repurpose Silicone Pot Holders for Hair IronsMy flat hair iron is too hot to leave on the counter top while I'm working with it. Although it comes with a heavy plastic holder, it's easier to just place it on a silicone hot pad.

Thicken Soups With Instant Mashed Potato FlakesWhen I find that my soups or stews or too thin or watery, I add instant mashed potatoes for the desired thickness. It works every time. And it's better than adding flour or cornstarch.

2 Comments Comment

Tips for Cleaner Healthier SkinAs a person who has struggled with my skin for my entire life, I wanted to share a few things I have learned from my own experiences.

2 Comments Comment

USDA Recipe FinderI found a site at the US Dept. of Agriculture called the recipe finder. If you're trying to stretch your food dollars this is an excellent place to find recipes.

Uses for Small Liquid Soap ContainersThis time of the year, I start to save my small liquid dish soap containers. We use them on our RV refrigerator. They are the perfect size to fit in the RV refrigerator.

7 Comments Comment

A Drinking Straw for Dust BunniesWhen those dust bunnies got ahead of me under my refrigerator I could never get to them back behind the grates. Well no more, I taped about one inch of a large drinking straw to the inside of the long slender attachment for my vacuum leaving the rest of the straw sticking out.

10 Comments Comment

Buy Gift Cards to Save for a Large PurchaseOne way to save for items such as appliances is to buy gift cards. I am soon planning on replacing my dryer, and each month I am buying a gift card to go towards it. We buy all our appliances at Lowe's, so I am buying a $25-$50 card each month.

3 Comments Comment

Cereal Box Liner for Child's Craft SurfaceI use the cereal box liners as a protective surface when children are painting or gluing. Open the bag up on the seam so that you have a good size surface.

Cut Open Bottle to Get Every Bit of SauceIt is very difficult to get the last of the sauce out of the plastic sauce bottle even though it is stored upside down. I cut off the top with a scissors and get about a teaspoonful of extra sauce out of it!

2 Comments Comment

Fill Soup Bone with Dog TreatsWhat to give your dog to occupy them, while your a way from home. Go to the meat department, get a beef soup bone. Take it home and boil it. After it cools, take out the marrow. This it good for Rover too, but the hollow bone it what you want.

4 Comments Comment

Freeze Recipe Ingredients TogetherMy best tip for me is to have all the ingredients for a dish all in a bag. I freeze onion, green peppers, celery and okra in a bag along with chicken cubes. Toss in a pot with chicken broth, garlic. canned tomatoes and you have soup, serve with rice that has been frozen.

2 Comments Comment

Interchange Beeswax and Paraffin in Beauty RecipesI myself am searching for recipes to use paraffin. It can be found easily at any Walmart, drugstore, Bi mart, etc. But searching under "recipes with paraffin gives a lot of information to use for paraffin in bath.

5 Comments Comment

Make Your Own Custom Curtain RodsI was searching everywhere for short (15 inch) curtain rods to use on either side of a large window (instead of having a large rod that would remain bare in the middle).

3 Comments Comment

More Room in Your Recycling BinMake more room in your recycling bin! Step on your 2 litre plastic bottles to remove most of the air and then put the cap back on the bottle.

3 Comments Comment

Plastic Bottle "Birdfeeder"Any plastic bottle (like Ocean Spray juices) or laundry soap container will work. Drill small hole in top (screw on top), cut two window opening on sides of container for birds to enter. drill small holes through bottom for rain water to escape.

1 Comment Comment

Removing Ball Point Pen From LeatherTry hairspray! I had a blue pen and the ink went on my fingers. I went to push the stool in and it went on the stool. I tried Jif, bleach and alcohol, they all didn't work. When it came to hairspray, it came straight off with just one wipe down.

38 Comments Comment

Reusing Styrofoam Food ContainersMy local grocer has wonderful soup, we sometimes buy 3 a week. They come in a 2 cup Styrofoam container with plastic lid. I've been recycling them and use as leftover containers. It's the perfect size for too much to throw out but not enough to waste a baggie on.

1 Comment Comment

Shine Silver With RhubarbBring up the shine on silver by rubbing with a piece of rhubarb.

1 Comment Comment

Use Lecithin for Non-Stick Cooking SprayIn search of ways to save money, I have run across liquid lecithin. This is good for making non-stick cooking spray by combining half liquid lecithin and half grape seed oil and flavoring with imitation butter, to taste.

2 Comments Comment

Carry a Clothing Color Chart When ShoppingReturning clothing you have purchased is a hassle no one wants to have to deal with. I hate when I buy something and it doesn't match, or I pass up an item on sale because I didn't remember I had a new skirt it would have been perfect for until I got back home.

2 Comments Comment

Cooking Tongs To Extend ReachCooking tongs are useful for grabbing items out of reach - boxes on a high shelf or something on a bottom shelf. No need to grab a chair or kneel on the floor. If you don't have long handled tongs, buy some soon.

2 Comments Comment

Homemade Satin HandsUse olive oil to smooth over hands. Use your favorite exfoliating cleanser and smooth over hands (may need to use a little water to smooth easier). Rinse.

1 Comment Comment

Making Whipped Cream CheeseHere's how to make your own whipped cream cheese instead of paying extra for it at the market.

4 Comments Comment

Peanut Butter Play DoughThis makes a dough children can mold and create with. But if they are still young enough to put in their mouth, chew and swallow, you have no worries!

2 Comments Comment

Pickle Juice for HeartburnI found the best remedy for heartburn. When you gets heartburn open the fridge and get a jar of pickles Take one or two tablespoons of the juice and swallow it. In just a few seconds the burning will stop.

16 Comments Comment

Rainy Day "Birthday" PartyAfter kids parties, there are inevitably left over themed plates, napkins, cups, and decorations. I saved these all together, then one rainy day we had an impromptu birthday party. My kids were bored, so I reminded them it was one of their dolls birthday!

2 Comments Comment

Raise Cats and Dogs Together - tabby colored cat lying next to splat dog

Raise Cats and Dogs TogetherRaise or have a cat and dog together. Cats outlive dogs and will get you through the trauma of losing your dog, and you will become even closer to your cat friend for real. Jethro Tull outlived my Collie bud of 14 years.

3 Comments Comment

Reusing Resealable Plastic BagsWhen I rinse out a ziploc or other such bag, I let it drip dry over an empty 1 liter plastic beverage bottle. To make it more stable and more eye appealing on my counter, I took the label off and filled it half way with marbles.

2 Comments Comment

Roll Cookie Dough in Wax PaperWhen making cut out cookies, such as sugar cookies, take a portion of the dough and roll it between two pieces of waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour and then peel off the top piece of waxed paper and cut out.

Spray Vinegar to Clean Your Coffee MakerA fourth a cup of white vinegar in a spray bottle filled the rest of the way with water is great for a quick clean up for coffee makers. Just spray and rinse. It is cheaper than using window cleaner and since I use my coffee maker for both making coffee and brewing tea daily.

1 Comment Comment

Store Bluetooth in Jewelry PouchNow that more states are requiring hands free devices for cellphone use in cars while driving, more of us are now using the bluetooth ear devices.

Store Water for Possible Power OutageIf we are having threats of power loss, I place bottles of water in my freezer. I use 2 liter soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles, or any bottle that has a tight sealing cap. This keeps the items frozen for quite some time.

2 Comments Comment

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