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Thrifty Tip Contest
(June 11 - 17, 2011)

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

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Duration	Entries
June 11 - 17, 2011	60

Tip: Stopping the Itch from Chigger Bites

Judy = Oklahoma
Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 509 Feedbacks

June 17, 2011

First, I want to say this: I know there are some people who are going to want to give me a lecture on the evils of bleach, especially putting it in any form on your skin. Please don't - especially if you've never had a chigger bite!

Comment Was this helpful? 22

Tip: Wax Car Freshener

June 15, 2011

I love scented candles, and now I use the wax that is left to freshen my car. I always have a big chunk of wax left when the wick has burned through. Put the wax in a baggie or on a paper plate and pound or cut into chunks.

Comment Was this helpful? 16

Tip: Be an Encourager

Lelia Jo Cordell
Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,394 Feedbacks

June 13, 2011

Do you want to be remembered with love everywhere? Learn to be an encourager. It isn't hard to do: it's as simple as smiling and saying something nice to at least one person, every day.

Comment Was this helpful? 23

Add Dawn Dish Soap To Your LaundryAdd a little Dawn dish washing liquid to your laundry soap or wash water, and the clothes will come out much cleaner. Also, only run your dryer for 1/2 the time you normally do. Usually the clothes are dry by then.

12 Comments Comment

Baking Soda ShampooThis is SO CHEAP and it cleanses even my oily hair and leaves it soft and silky! Follow with mixture of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar OR lemon juice per 1 cup water, then rinse. Beautiful!

4 Comments Comment

Binder clip holding USB cord

Binder Clip to Contain CordsI am constantly taking photos, especially with this wonderful site! I leave my USB plugged into the computer then plug the camera end into the camera when I need it. Due to lack of space, I have to have my tower on the floor.

2 Comments Comment

Never Lose Another ButtonTo avoid losing buttons on your clothes, brush a small amount of clear nail polish on the thread in between the cloth and the button

Preventing Mascara "Raccoon Eyes"In humid weather, mascara can smear around your eyes and make you look like a raccoon. A final coat of clear mascara will seal in the color and prevent that look.

1 Comment Comment

Reuse Dehumidifier WaterI use the water from my dehumidifier to water my plants.

Close Small Spray Bottle With PinWhen I have lost the top to some spray bottles with very small openings, I put in a pin with a large head to keep the contents from evaporating. I have also used safety pins and voila! It works as a substitute.

Don't Use Cruise Control In The RainI use my cruise control on an open road. It saves gas. I would like to caution you about using cruise control on wet roads. Don't use it on wet roads! Your tires may hydroplane, and the cruise will keep increasing the speed of the car.

3 Comments Comment

Glowsticks Instead Of Fireworks For The Fourth Of JulyWe camp on the 4th of July in an area where fireworks are not allowed so we came up with this idea. Buy red, white and blue glowsticks, necklaces, etc. at your local 99 cent store.

2 Comments Comment

Organize Bills By TypeI am the one who handles the finances in our home. One day, my husband called me and asked, "Where is the last cable bill and who is it with?"

3 Comments Comment

Pinestraw to Protect New PlantsDuring hot days, put pinestraw on top of new trees or plants to keep the sun from burning them.

Reuse Receipts as Note PaperA lot of cash register receipts that you get are blank on the back. Save them, and use them for grocery lists, for listing the next movie that you want to watch, to write down something that you need to get uptown, or to write down a phone number.

1 Comment Comment

Use Liner in Bed PanWhen you are a caregiver for someone who has to use a bedside commode, lining the basket with a plastic trash bag is a most helpful thing.

Use Two Kinds Of Bread for SandwichesI love Western Hazelnut bread. It has hazelnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, sesame, and more. The toast is amazing, and it makes great sandwiches. However, it is really expensive.

5 Comments Comment

Finished apron made out of a canvas bag.

Canvas Bag ApronTurn a canvas bag into an easy to make apron. Great for use at summer barbecues!

1 Comment Comment

Tracing a pattern using recycled liners from cereal boxes.

Cereal Box Liners For PatternsYou can use cereal box liners for tracing patterns and cutting sewing patterns. When cereal box liners are empty, carefully pull them apart to flatten at the seams. If done slowly, they won't tear.

Extending Fragrance Of A CandleI had a Febreeze Candle that was getting towards the bottom. I decided to add some hot water which helped the fragrance last a little longer.

A stack of fabric flower bowls in blue and red.

Fabric BowlsMake a few denim fabric bowls for your next picnic. They are stackable, sturdy, washable, thrifty, and easy to construct. Use scrap denim, contrasting fabric scraps, and something for batting.

3 Comments Comment

Homemade Pedialyte

Homemade PedialyteTo make your own Pedialyte, mix 2 quarts of water with 1 tsp. baking soda, 7 tsp. sugar, 1 (1/4 oz.) package of powdered drink mix like Kool-Aid, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

6 Comments Comment

Keep A Notebook By Your Bed For Night IdeasI always keep a small book or paper and a pen by my bed, so I can write down ideas that come to me during the night. I have even written down poems in the middle of the night and things I want to remember to tell people about or to do myself.

3 Comments Comment

Keeping Garden Flag on HolderI have a darling little garden flag on a stake in my flower bed that the wind whips it until it comes off the curved end!

4 Comments Comment

Make Your Own Trail MixSummer is here, and there all sorts of activities that are made more enjoyable if you have a nice little bag of your very own special trail mix in your pocket.

6 Comments Comment

A white ferret coming out of the wire cage.

Other Uses for CardboardI use cardboard squares, which I cut out of cartons, etc., to put in the corner of the guinea pig cage and also in the ferret cage. These animals usually pick a couple of places to go and go there all the time, making this idea work.

3 Comments Comment

Reuse Takeout Containers For LeftoversI save most of the better take-home containers we get from eating out at restaurants, some are quite sturdy. Whenever any of my married kids comes over for a meal at my house, I'll usually send some leftovers home with them for their lunch the next day.

4 Comments Comment

An orange and white cat on a harness outside.

Use a Cat HarnessI have just recently moved into a senior's complex and do not like to let my cat roam on his own. He has never been on a harness before and quickly got out of any I tried.

4 Comments Comment

Use Coffee Maker for Hot WaterWhen you need hot water, use your coffeemaker. When a recipe calls for a cup of hot water, run the water through the coffeemaker.

1 Comment Comment

Closing A Bread Bag Without A TieIf you lose your bread tie for the bag, just twist the bag several times and fold the bag back over the bread.

1 Comment Comment

Cooking Stems of Broccoli and Hearts of CabbageWhen you are cooking broccoli, trim and peel if necessary the broccoli stems, then cut them, and add them to your boiling water. Allow them to cook until they are almost fork tender before adding the florets.

15 Comments Comment

A picture collage designed on the computer, with the words "When Love Meets" over Kenny Chesney and other images.

Craft: "When Love Meets" PictureIn this picture I made, the background is covered in moons and stars with Kenny Chesney on the bottom and a purple/pink flower I designed with Paint Shop Pro. I added a swing from our yard to this great picture.

1 Comment Comment

Pillow Cases from SheetsIf you browse thrift stores as frequently as I do, you will find some very nice sheets. I am always searching for nice tricot or satin sheets to make pillow cases out of.

1 Comment Comment

Use Stray Earrings As CharmsThe fashion now in jewelry is to have multiple charms on a pendant. So, I used a stray silver earring with what looks like a turquoise head to bend the wire and put on a tiny silver medal that I had been given.

1 Comment Comment

Wheat Grass for CatsI picked up a couple of containers of wheat grass sprouts in the produce section for my indoor cats, for less than two dollars each. I placed one container in a bigger bowl when I got home and put some gravel/stones in it to keep it stable.

1 Comment Comment

Baking Soda Paste for Bug BitesIif you want to save lots of dollars to remedy bug bites, just make a paste out of water and baking soda. Something about this combination draws out the irritant from the bug bites.

3 Comments Comment

A soda can left for collecting cigarette butts.

Cigarette Receptacle for RepairmenWhenever there's a repair to be done in our house, most workers just throw their cigarette butts around the place. To remind them to keep those butts off the ground, I hang empty pop soda cans in places where the workers will find them easily.

4 Comments Comment

Freeze Leftover CoffeeWhen I have leftover coffee in the pot, I put it into an ice cube tray then freeze it. When frozen, I put the cubes into plastic Ziploc bag then return it to the freezer.

1 Comment Comment

Hair Catcher For the DrainPlace an old, used fabric softener sheet over the drain. The hair will stick to the sheet, allowing the water to flow smoothly down the drain. When you're done, just toss the sheet into the wastebasket.

5 Comments Comment

Laminate Squares as Shelf LinerIf you are looking for an economical, durable way to line your cabinets and drawers, then I would suggest the self-adhesive floor tiles you can purchase at local dollar stores. The material is easily cut with scissors and easy to apply.

4 Comments Comment

Use a scrubbing pad to sharpen knives.

Sharpening KnivesFor a quick touch up on your knives, vigorously rub the blade on a green scratch pad, such as the Scotch brand. An old one will do. You will be surprised at the edge it will put on your knives.

1 Comment Comment

Stale Bread for "Waffles"Use up odds and ends of any kind of bread by mixing eggs, milk, vanilla and then add all your bits and pieces of bread to the egg mixture. If it all falls apart, that's ok, because you will scoop it up and cook it in your waffle iron.

4 Comments Comment

Mouthwash stored in a decorative bottle in the bathroom.

Store Mouthwash in Decorative ContainerMy husband and I went to the flea market, and I bought a decorative glass bottle for $3.50 for our mouthwash. I was getting tired of looking at the plastic bottle sitting next to the sink and wanted to make a change.

4 Comments Comment

Use Old Clothes for Camp and OutdoorsIf your child is getting ready to go to summer camp, don't buy them nice new things to wear, it's not going to come home that way! Pack their oldest socks and underwear for them to take, so that when it comes home, you just throw it in the trash.

5 Comments Comment

Weed Control for GardenAfter I plant the seeds in my vegetable garden, I lay down 2 layers of newspaper then cover with old hay/straw or free mulch that I get from limbs/trees that have been shredded. I leave space for the seeds to sprout.

A orange tabby cat looking at a water bowl.

Weigh Down Water BowlCornelius has a habit of moving his water dish. And, even though it's wider at the base, he can tip it. So, I thought of something I could put inside that would not only weigh it down, but alert me that he is low.

9 Comments Comment

Blowing Up Pool ToysThis may have been an obvious thing to do for others, but when I saw a man at the gas station today with a swim toy using the air pump to fill it up, I was so happy to know my blowing up inflatable toy days are over!

1 Comment Comment

Donate Old MagazinesDon't throw those old books or magazines away - donate old magazines and books to your local nursing home or doctors office for others to enjoy while they wait or while they have nothing better to do.

4 Comments Comment

Plastic bottle hanging in a tree as a noisemaker.

Hanging Noisemakers In Fruit TreesBirds swarm on our feeds by batches, and peck on our fruit bearing trees. A scarecrow is nothing to them, an idea came when I placed tiny stones on empty pet bottles, tried hanging them on a clothesline connecting to our house.

Keep Diluted Dish Soap By SinkI was using up the last of a bottle of dish soap, but the last bit was stuck on the bottom of the bottle. I added water and used a bit, then thought about how nice it was to have diluted dish soap on hand.

4 Comments Comment

Making Curtains Out Of SheetsNeed to accessorize your bedrooms? Buy sheets to match your bedrooms and make curtains. Curtains are an easy make, as you only have to worry about making two seams for the top.

1 Comment Comment

Squeezing the Last Out of a TubeThis is a really simple and quick way to get all your toothpaste in the tube up to the dispenser. Just hold the tube front and back, then place the back end on the counter edge.

Apply Products to Face with Q-tipWhen using tea-tree oil to treat skin problems, dip a clean Q-tip into the tea tree oil and then use that to treat several skin spots. This way you use much less than a cotton ball.

1 Comment Comment

A white bird perched on a branch in a cage.

Avoid Feeding These Foods To Your Pet BirdIn spite of the rumor that you "should" feed your parrot grit, do not do so. They do not need this, and grit can cause crop impaction, so he'll be unable to digest his food properly. Excess grit in the gut can lead to death.

2 Comments Comment

Bagged Shredded Cabbage for Slaw and MoreWe like coleslaw and are now buying bagged, shredded cabbage to make our homemade slaw faster and easier. You can also put the shredded cabbage in soup or even stir fry. It lasts quite a while in the refrigerator, and cabbage is so good for us!

A cowboy themed diaper cake for a baby shower, in red and blue.

Craft: Cowboy Diaper CakeI made the basic diaper cake and decorated it with red and blue bandannas, bandanna ribbon, western/cowboy pictures for the scrapbook later, J&J baby products, and paper shred.

Growing plants in a cinderblock.

Start Plants in Cinder BlocksI like to use old cinder blocks to plant things in. When they get big enough, I move them. It is hard for the birds to get into the block or the cats to dig them out before they have grown big enough to transplant.

2 Comments Comment

Stretching Powdered Drink MixMy grocery budget has been drastically reduced lately due to my husband's hours being cut. Normally, I would buy the powdered flavored water drink sticks for my family to put in bottled water. However, that is now a luxury item that we cannot afford.

5 Comments Comment

Summer Camp at HomeA writer gave the idea of having your own summer camp for your children with you, the parent, as the camp director. It was just what my three daughters and I needed to add structure to our summer.

3 Comments Comment

Use Hairspray For Flying InsectsWhen you have bees, houseflies, or anything that flies, spray them with strong hold hairspray. They can't fly because their wings freeze and get stiff. Then, just kill them.

3 Comments Comment

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