Keeping Track of Screws When Assembling a TreadmillOrdering a treadmill in the middle of a pandemic has its own challenges. Just having to wait a month for delivery was the first. Add to that the delivery restrictions that were in place. There was no option to have it delivered to the house or to pay to have someone assemble it.
Paper Bottle OpenerOpening a bottle can be so hard without a bottle opener. Last night my partner solved it with a piece of paper. It was shocking! I never thought a piece of paper could become a bottle opener.
Use Sticky Rice as Postage Stamp AdhesiveDon't you hate it when you incorrectly address an envelope you have already applied postage too? Then peel off the stamp and it no longer has adhesive?
Masking Tape to Block Shaker HolesUse masking tape to cover at least half the holes of your containers of cleansers, talcum powder, and the like. You will waste far less product.
Avoid Lightning Strikes with Plastic Tipped UmbrellaI live in a tropical country. We don't have snow, but we have rainy seasons with thunder and lightning, so we have to choose an umbrella very well. We should be looking at the tip of the umbrella, what I mean is the finial end of the umbrella. It should be plastic not the metal one.
Keep Beauty Products Receipts for RefundsSome stores offer 100% guaranteed satisfaction toward beauty products. If a beauty product does not work for you, you can actually get a refund of your money back even if the product has been opened and used.
Check Receipts for DiscountsNot all receipts are trash! Some actually have potential discounts that could help you save on future purchases.
Nail Polish for Shiny JewelryDo you have a colorless nail polish? It can be used for your jewelry. The nail polish can make your jewelry shine and the color of the jewelry will be preserved. If you have fake gold jewelry, if you put a nail polish on it, the color will last longer and it doesn't fade as easily.
Helping Your Mattress Last LongerThere are a few tips you can try to make your bed mattress last longer. I am surprised how many people don't know these tips, so thought I would share.
Another Use for Hand Weights (Dumbbells)I realized that hand weights (or dumbbells) can be used to store or help dry boots, shoes, or slippers. Check it out! Now I don't need to feel guilty that I rarely exercise with them any longer! :D
Adapting Undies When Wearing a Leg CastWhen I wore a full leg cast once, I couldn't get my undies over the cast. I didn't care to wear men's boxers or resort to adult diapers, so I exercised my noodle and adapted my own undies.
Protecting Charger WireTired of when your Apple charger breaks when it bends? Well, here is a solution to keep your charger from breaking. If you take the spring from the pen and put it on the wire of the charger, it won't bend or break.
Shredding All Those Old FilesIf everyone procrastinates in cleaning out old files of utility bills, bank statements, etc., like I do, it becomes a huge job.
Call Manufacturer For Small Kitchen Appliance PartsI needed a replacement lid for my Rival slow cooker. I called the 800 number on the bottom of the pot and gave them the model number. As a one time courtesy they said they will mail me one at no charge and postage paid.
Printing Professional Quality Digital Wedding PhotosFor our thrifty wedding, my husband's very talented cousin, Sara, served as our photographer. She gave us the photos digitally so that we could email, print, and post them whenever we wanted.
Keeping Your Boots Looking GoodUse your noodle, your swimming noodle that is. Insert it in your boots to keep them standing upright when not in use. This hint keeps them from falling over and getting crinkled.
Use a Can Opener to Open Clamshell PackagingI was having trouble opening a hard plastic package containing my new emergency window hammer. Then I thought of trying to use a manual can opener. I wore some light gardening gloves to retrieve the item.
Check Country Source of DVDs Sold on eBayWhen buying a DVD from eBay, first check where it is coming from. I bought one that came from England without realizing it and could not play it on my TV. With some help, I figured out how I can play it on the computer. It was too much of a hassle for me to send it back.
Tips for Using Shower CapsShower caps are inexpensive and very useful when packing luggage for putting your shoes inside. I also use a shower cap to cover my bicycle seat when it's raining and clear shower caps are handy to cover plates of food when dining al fresco!
Finding Appliance Manuals OnlineFrom time to time, people ask for manuals for an appliance they have. This site gives you many manuals free. If you are a member of Facebook, you can even scan your own to refer to it.
Selling Items on CraigslistMany people are now selling on Craigslist and on Facebook swap sites. I can't get over how many of the photo ads show the item for sale covered in dust and in a filthy setting.
Remembering Gift Card BalancesGift cards are so very popular, but one of the problems I had was remembering the balance on the card. Keeping the receipts really was messy and they tended to get torn or lost.
Never Buy Used Mattresses or Upholstered FurnitureUsed mattresses and upholstered furniture are a plain and simple possible serious health hazard, not to mention creepy sounding, so it's best to avoid them.
Choosing an eReaderWhen looking for an eBook reader, the first question to ask is whether you need WiFi to set up the reader? If so, ask that they help you set it up in the store, especially if you have no WiFi at home.
Kindle and iPad For Reading BooksDue to not being able to hold a book especially in bed due to my arthritis I bought my first Kindle. Because it was the first one, I had to have a light on to read so I purchased an iPad.
Use Clips to Help Glue Items TogetherBinder clips can be used for gluing items together. Some glues require pressing the items together for a few minutes. Binder clips are available in different sizes for different projects, help form a tight bond, and do not leave fingerprints or markings.
Get the Most From Your DryerIf you have to use your dryer in the Summer months, why not get the most from it? As we should all know, it is very important to clean the lint from your filter with every load, but you should also clean the filter screen itself once a month.
How Do I Thin Nail Polish?I had some nail polish that was getting too thick to use, so instead of throwing it away, I poured nail polish remover in it. I just poured a little at a time. Shake it good and if it's still too thick, add a little more. Do this until you can put on your nails smoothly.
Other Uses for Shaving CreamI was inspired to find a thrifty substitute for a very expensive cleaning paste I saw on TV, $20 for two tubs with two diamond fiber sponges. I used a $1.83 can of shaving foam and half of a scrubby pad I bought at Dollar General.
Search the Manufacturer's Site for Operation ManualsWhen you buy a second hand small kitchen appliance or lawn mower, visit the company website if you need a manual. Often you can print a manual from the website or they might email a file of one to you.
Tips for Shipping PackagesI live in Pennsylvania and often send packages through the United States Postal Service to Alaska. To make sure that the tape sticks well to the box, I use the top edge of a wood ruler and, using pressure, I drag the ruler across the direction of each strip of tape.
Putting Ice Cubes in Garbage DisposalA dull or slow garbage disposal can be easily sharpened by running ice cubes through it.
Uses For Hydrogen PeroxidePeroxide is cheaper than bleach, healthier for you, and kills bacteria. Check out these options: Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out to cure canker sores.
Opening a Sealed EnvelopeIf you need to re-open an envelope that you have already sealed and put a stamp on, there's no need to steam the flap open. Just cut the end off the front left side of the envelope (where your return address is, not the end with the stamp on it).
Dealing With Unsolicited Phone Calls and MessagesIf you receive unsolicited phone calls and text messages even though you are on the Do Not Call registry, you can file a report with the FCC. But there is something else you can do; report them to the company who's phone service they are using!
Product Review: Magic JackI bought the Magic Jack telephone device about a month ago. It is great and I am no longer paying out a monthly telephone bill. It costs $40.00 to buy and the first year is included in the purchase price.
Use Black Light for Reading Dark DocumentsReading dark documents? Having trouble transcribing them because they or their copy is either "muddy", the ink has bled through, or the writing is faint? Use a blacklight.
Barbecue Fork Converted to Back ScratcherFor a couple of months my itching back has been driving my husband and I crazy. Plastic back scratchers are easily broken. I needed something long and strong enough for frequent use.
Make Absorbent Circles for Your CoastersI solved the drippy coaster problem in which condensation drips all over my study materials. Why didn't I think of this sooner?
Ask Hardware Store To Special Order Washing SodaFor all the people that can't find Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, Ace Hardware will order that and Fels Naptha for you. I just did it! I have spent lots of time tracking down those products. I sure hope this helps someone.
Keeping Cool During Hot WeatherYears ago when I worked in a nursing home, the halls were air conditioned, but not the individual rooms. We would take a hand towel, soak it in cold water, ring it out and wrap around our necks, repeating as necessary. I have done this frequently at home, too.
Using Analog VCR with Converter BoxWe wanted to use our analog VCR with the new converter box (bought with a government issue coupon) for the analog TV. Had to call Customer Service for information as the TV would not communicate with the VCR no matter what I did.
Save on Utility BillsIt seems that everyone is concerned with replacing their incandescent bulbs with the compact-fluorescents to save on energy costs, however the worst offender in utility costs is the WATER HEATER. It operates 24/7/365 and we're not talking about saving just a few watts (or BTUs) per evening :).
Finding The Right Computerized Sewing MachineI just bought the Brother BC-1000 for myself for Christmas. I though I'd try it out since it was a good price at Target (Only $149) and they said I could bring it back any time within 90 days after Christmas. I've taken it out of the box and given it a "test drive" and read the manual. It's a truly WONDERFUL machine for the money! It has great reviews on Amazon.
Have Too Many Catalogs?There is a new site that helps you get rid of catalogs.
Saving Money on Office BeveragesHere's my tip about saving money on snacks. I am a administrative assistant at a small office. I noticed that all of us were going out to the local convenience store and buying cans of Diet Coke (the most inexpensive pop) for 79 cents.
Save Your Cell Phone AccessoriesDon't toss your old cell phone accessories, like the power cord or car charger. We get the free phones when we re-up on our subscription and found that after having one brand, we went back to the original brand we first had, for which we had already bought the car charger.
More Life from BatteriesWhen the batteries in my remotes stop working, I open the remote and roll them around.
Searching for Sweepstakes and ContestsSweepstakes are an easy way to live frugally. Numerous sweepstakes sites exist on the web, but if you want to search for the best ones...
Consider Walking or BikingIf you live close to your job, consider walking to work, or taking a bicycle, motorcycle, moped or scooter to save on gas and wear/tear on your car. Don't forget the protective gear!
Replacing Batteries TipsI have a preventative tip to avoid those times when it's difficult to remove the dead batteries from electronics equipment. Whenever I need to replace batteries in anything, I put a long strip of tape around each battery, leaving a "tail" hanging.
Suction Cup TipsThe suction cups with a clip that are used to hold Christmas lights to windows can also be used as a holder for the flag stick on a 12"x18" flag. They can also be used to hang sun catchers, ornaments or other decorative items on a window, on a refrigerator or on any smooth surface.
By Jo Ann
Keeping your Palm Pilot and Nintendo DS like new!To keep your touch screens on your Palm Pilot and Nintendo DS new and clean, use a Q-tip or cotton swab instead of the stylus! Not only is it gentler on the touch screens, but it will also clean up any oils and dust that may have already accumulated!
By Fahpoo of Kansas City
Video Gaming For Less!Video games are an expensive past time ($50.00 average per game), you can get the most out of this hobby for a lot less money by doing 4 things:
Caring for VHS TapesAlways rewind your VCR tapes. If you forget to rewind a video tape before storing, it may develop a permanent static line where the tape was stopped.
Ask for 800 NumbersWhen an out-of-state company you are dealing with starts to give you their regular phone number stop them and ask for their 800 number.
Daylight Saving TimeIf you are in a state that has Daylight Saving Time, on Saturday, April 5th when you go to bed, set your clocks ahead one hour; spring ahead, fall back.
Also it's a great time to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors.
