Thrifty Tip Contest (March 20 - 26, 2010) | ThriftyFun

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Thrifty Tip Contest
(March 20 - 26, 2010)

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

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Duration	Entries
March 20 - 26, 2010	49

Tip: Jeans Zipper Won't Stay Up

Janet Sigurdson

March 25, 2010

If you have a pair of jeans that fit well, but has a zipper that just won't stay up, try this tip before getting rid of them. Get a small, thin ponytail holder, like the ones used for little girls.

Comment Was this helpful? 16

Tip: Uses for Shredded Paper

March 22, 2010

I save all zip lock bags after many uses when I want to send a package I fill those bags with shredded paper put a note in the package and ask the recipient to save and use in the same way.

Comment Was this helpful? 15

Bring Tea for the MallWhen going to the mall, I pack tea bags in my daughter's diaper bag. That way when passing through the food court, I ask at a fast-food restaurant if I could have a coffee cup with hot water in it.

6 Comments Comment

Budget Your Money FlowI belong to a weekly creative writing class that costs $9 each week for the class. We are now on two weeks break from the class, so that is $18 that I save for that time.

2 Comments Comment

Extinguish Candle Into Melted WaxPut out candles by shoving the wick into the melted wax. This keeps the wick from smoking and ruining the fragrance in the room. Make sure you straighten the wick after the flame goes out.

1 Comment Comment

Feeding Baby PetsIf you are tackling the job of mama for baby puppies or cats, don't let them aspirate (breath in) their milk, as it can cause respiratory problems and death.

4 Comments Comment

Frugal Shoe StretchI saw that some time ago, someone requested a way to stretch shoes. Bunch up newspapers, wet it, and stuff it in your shoes. The key is to make sure there is enough newspaper in each.

1 Comment Comment

Keep Bacon From CurlingTo keep the edges of bacon from curling as you fry it, dip the bacon in ice cold water before you begin cooking it.

2 Comments Comment

Product Review: Kilz Primer and PaintIt covers wonderfully and fills minor cracks and holes. I love to paint and change my colors often and am pleased that quite often one coat does a great job of covering another color.

1 Comment Comment

Removing Eye MakeupAn inexpensive and effective way to remove eye make-up is with petroleum jelly. It works well and also helps keep delicate skin around the eyes soft. Simply wipe on with a finger and tissue off, then wash your face as you normally do.

6 Comments Comment

Several sticks of incense in a jar.

Use Unlit Incense to Scent a RoomA nicer way to fragrance a room and much safer than those horrid chemical plug-ins is this handy tip. Open a packet of incense sticks and pop a few into a little vase. Decorate it if you wish.

4 Comments Comment

Homemade Creamy Bath and Body WashThis is something I came up with a few weeks ago and I love it! Very frugal, costs about 25 cents to make and it goes a long way. Great for large families who go through too much shower gel.

2 Comments Comment

Inexpensive "Da Bird" Cat ToyBoth my cats love to play with a fishing pole toy for cats called Da Bird. It costs around $7, and consists if two feathers that twirl when you pull it. They can destroy Da Bird in about a minute. Refill feathers are available to clip onto the fishing pole for around $5.

Mix Leftover Lipstick With VaselineThis is a make up tip. You can purchase a little plastic container in the sample/travel section of your favorite grocery or drug store and then put the last bit of your lipstick in it with some Vaseline.

3 Comments Comment

Mix Seasoned Meat Coatings With Potato ChipsI've thought of a way to get twice as much for my money when using the meat coatings that you "shake" in a plastic bag. I buy the store brand which saves me even more, then I mix each packet with an equal amount of finely crushed potato chips.

Reuse Bleach Jug for Toting Cleaning SuppliesLeave the handle but make a large round cut in front of the handle large enough for your cans of cleaner. I could get glass cleaner and toilet cleaner plus the brush and several rags in my handy container.

1 Comment Comment

Traveling with ZiplocksWhen traveling, I always throw in a few extra quart size zip lock bags. Then when I buy something on the trip, such as lotions or perfumes, I put them in the bag to avoid any dripping or spilling on to my clothing.

2 Comments Comment

Use Less Sugar When Making Kool AidWhen making Kool Aid, instead of using a full cup of sugar, use just 2/3 cup. My family can't tell the difference in the sweetness. And it brings out more of the fruity flavor. Using less sugar saves money.

2 Comments Comment

Clay to Support Glued Glass PiecesI recently had a rather small piece of glass to glue to another piece of glass and found out an easy way to keep it in place while it dried. Take a wad of play dough or modeling clay, press it over the piece to anchor it in place. When dried, just lift it off.

2 Comments Comment

Freeze Chopped VegetablesIt is handy to chop up such items as celery, onions, peppers and peeled garlic and store them in small plastic bags in the door of your freezer. I save some to use fresh, but a lot of the time I don't use them up, and they can go bad before we eat them.

1 Comment Comment

LED Key Chain Lights as Emergency FlashlightsThose little LED key chain lights are great! They are about two dollars each and give or take a little change, and they are much better for walking through the house when the electricity goes out.

Make Money Packing Lunches for OthersAfter about 6 months my boss asked me if I would make his lunch too as he was trying to eat a more healthy diet. I have calculated that I can make a great lunch for my boss, my husband and I for $4 for the three.

4 Comments Comment

Old Fashioned Looking Easter EggsIf you want that old fashioned country look on your Easter eggs, just use brown eggs, dye them in 1 cup cold water, several drops of food coloring and a tablespoon of white vinegar.

1 Comment Comment

Pouring Ketchup FasterWhen you have a sluggish ketchup bottle, push a drinking straw to the bottom and then remove it. This will allow enough air to start the the ketchup flowing.

2 Comments Comment

Quickly Clean Your Bathtub and ShowerTo quickly and easily clean your bathtub area or shower stall, fill a bucket with cleaner and hot water. Place the bucket into the tub or at the bottom of the stall. Use a mop with the water-cleaner mixture to wash down entire area.

4 Comments Comment

Save Medication Samples in PurseWhen I get single OTC pills through freebie offers (such as Zyrtec, Prilosec, etc.) I save them to put in a special "medical" pouch in my purse for emergencies. Ditto for single applications of SPF lotion.

Summer Stay Home Vacation

Summer Stay Home VacationBecause of tough economic times, many will find they are unable to afford an away vacation this summer. May I recommend a summer STAYcation?

11 Comments Comment

Treatment for Cold SoresApply to fever blister/cold sore 4 times per day with a Q-tip at first sign of a tingle. The active ingredient in Bactine is benzalkonium chloride. It works wonders.

2 Comments Comment

Use Beauty Supply Latex Gloves for CleaningEver need rubber gloves, but can't find a pair without holes? I used to buy the yellow ones that came one pair to a package, but they were always wearing out and were either too large or too small and pretty expensive.

1 Comment Comment

Yarn Scraps to Tie VinesA softer way to tie up your vine type plants is to tie the vines to a post, fence, etc. with a piece of yarn. It is much softer on the plant than wire ties and can easily be removed with scissors. It's also a good way to make use of left over bits of yarn.

1 Comment Comment

Ask Your Physician for Generic DrugsSave some money and get well! Tell your physician to prescribe older medications or generic.

1 Comment Comment

Cutting Hamburger Cooking TimeCut the cooking time for hamburgers in half by making several holes in the center of each patty. The inside cooks more quickly.

1 Comment Comment

Lint Roller for Dusting Lamp ShadesTo clean fabric lamp shades, use a lint roller. Can also be used to clean carpeted stairs.

Shoe RepairThe sole on a pair of my favorite shoes began to separate from the shoe. I slipped a little tacky glue between the bottom of the shoe and the top of the sole, clamped the shoes with a couple binder clips, and by next morning they were good as new.

Silverware Organizer for Sewing BasketUse a silverware drawer divider in your sewing basket to organize your thread, scissors, needles, and whatever gets collected there. They are easily cut down between the dividers. I moved one of the slots on one side to the end of my sewing basket.

Speed Up Your PCWith time a PC will slow down unless you perform some basic maintenance. This has changed a bit with the different operating systems by Microsoft but the tasks are roughly the same.

2 Comments Comment

Tips from the Priscilla Circle Vintage CookbookNeat hints and older recipes for us baby boomers. I love to shop thrift stores, and I happened upon this gem of a cookbook called, "The Priscilla Cook Book" Personal Recipes by The Woman's Association Pilgrim Congregational Church in St. Pete, Florida.

3 Comments Comment

fish in an aquarium

Use Aquarium Water For PlantsDirty fish tank water makes great plant food. Instead of pouring all those great nutrients down the drain use it to make your plants look great.

4 Comments Comment

Use Carpet Padding as Shoe InsertsYou know those expensive padded shoe inserts that you can buy in the store? Lots of people use them for extra cushion in their shoes, especially if they have a job that requires lots of standing.

2 Comments Comment

Use Oversize Zip Lock Bags in LuggageI found that I can put a lot more in my suitcase using the vacuum bags sold for food. I ran out of those and bought the XL zip locks and just rolled the air out and it worked just as well.

Using Old Eyeglass Cases to Hold Your Cell PhoneI like to put a velcro tab on those silky material eyeglass holders to make a phone case out of it for use in my purse. I bought a nine dollar Virgin Mobile phone at Walmart because it was a pretty color.

1 Comment Comment

Colored Peeled Eggs for EasterOnce your Easter eggs are peeled you lose that pretty color, why not color the eggs after they are peeled and take that color to the dinner table for all to enjoy. I use food coloring so I know it is safe to consume.

Dr. Bronners Magic SoapI have been a long time user of Dr. Bonner's castile soaps. It comes in bars or liquid form. I love this stuff. We use it for bathing, washing hair, laundry, dishes, household cleaning, and washing the car.

3 Comments Comment

Feed Dog Pills with Cream CheeseI mix my dog's pills in cream cheese and haven't had him spit it out once. I know for a fact that this works really well.

5 Comments Comment

Fingernail Polish on CarpetI spilled dark wine fingernail polish on my light bedroom carpet. Panic! I grabbed polish remover and poured on it and rubbed with a rag and made a worse mess. By now it was almost dry. Help! Someone said to use Windex of all things.

3 Comments Comment

Move Something Out Of PlaceWhen I have to remember to do something later, but I can't write myself a note, I move an object out of its normal spot on my desk or kitchen counter, or in my car if I'm on the road.

Recycling Stuffed Toys for StuffingIf you have an abundance of stuffed animals that you want to get rid of, instead of attempting to give them to Goodwill and being rejected or sending them to the landfill, why not use them in another way? Open them up and use the stuffing for other crafts.

2 Comments Comment

Wash Delicates in a PillowcaseKeep an old pillowcase near your dryer. Put small items like socks, panties, bras, and gloves in it then put the whole thing in your dryer. The items won't get "lost" in your dryer and will emerge lint free.

1 Comment Comment

When Someone Doesn't Feel WellWhenever someone does not feel well; use a cool water-moistened washcloth on their forehead and in some cases, their closed eyes, too. Have them lay back and relax; preferably in a darkened room. It doesn't cure anything, but it does make you feel better.

2 Comments Comment

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