Saving Money in Your Ktchen By Implementing the Three R's
Re-use glass jars as refrigerator containers. They take less shelf space, and the lids give you a good, tight seal.
How to Transplant Lilacs
Is it a different variety? Not all varieties get tall, are the same color, or even exactly the same form. Not all varieties sucker as much as the old fashioned one.
Grocery Book Deals?
Coupon, coupon, coupon! Tell him that he needs to get joined to a coupon website such as www.refundcents.com or other, and trade for coupons. Keep track of whats hot and whats not. Always buy a Sunday paper and clip as many coupons as he might possibly use...
Money Saving Strategies?
I save all the unplanned money that comes in. Its harder now with gas prices up, but aluminum can money, cash rebates on groceries, birthday gifts, and yard sale money all get plunked in my savings. The first year I did this, I also inherited mineral rights...
Jimmy Buffett Themed Party?
Of course, you would have to play Jimmy Buffett albums and serve (if youre mainly having adults over) margaritas and beer. Jimmy has a song about how he likes his hamburgers with Heinz 57 sauce, etc. Bet you could get by with burgers, fries and cake and ice...
Reuse Tissue Paper and Gift Bags
I really love your idea. I have a gift bag and tissue sitting on my desk right now, and your message is so timely!
Using a Pond to Water My Garden?
You can buy a hand-pumped siphon hose if you look around. Once it starts going, you can let it run until you are done. There should be a shut-off valve so you wont have to prime it a second time. It will only work if it runs downhill. My husband invented one...
Removing Weeds from Crowded Beds
Oh, be careful! Roundup is another of Monsantos Jekyll and Hyde chemicals, I believe. It is super toxic to people. Your gloves are porous, so it will absorb into your skin.
Sports Theme Birthday Party?
Try airheads.com/coupon/ Right now they are offering a coupon for $1 off Airheads. Sometimes you can find them on sale for $1. There doesnt seem to be a limit on how many coupons you can print off. Make a baseball layer cake. Just make a round cake, frost it...
Getting Rid of a Rose of Sharon?
Boiling water will kill off the top. However, it wont kill the root. Frankly, digging them as deep as you can is the safest and cheapest, if you have a strong back.
Cat Peeing on Clothing?
If they are males, it sounds like a trip to the vet. Both genders get urinary tract infections, but males get a particularly painful kind. Are they neutered? If not, that could help. Or they could be marking their territory. Whatever smells like family is theirs...
Snakes Under Our Deck?
Dont think Im nuts, but why dont you enclose the bottom of the deck and raise a piglet or two in there. They think snakes are dessert!
Comic: Clipping Coupons
Truthfully, I dont think I spend less with coupons. I DO spend the same amount, and get more. Right now Im using my extras to get prizes for our churchs Harvest Dinner. We have a regular festival, with a fish pond, dart boards, etc. Free candy coupons yield...
Recipes Using Orange Marmalade?
Marmalade makes a terrific glaze for ham, or you can warm it and pour it over cut up fresh fruit for a nice compote.
Rabbits Eating My Vegetables?
You can usually borrow a Hav-A-Heart trap from the humane society, animal control, or extension service. However, if youve got one young one, youve probably got the rest of the litter nearby. Some people bury chicken wire about a foot deep all around the fenceline...
Natural Heating Pad
Use caution when using a microwave to heat the rice sock. A friend overheated hers without realizing it. She put it on her husbands leg cramp. Pretty soon they smelled smoke. It burned a hole in their sheet and blankets and also under his leg. They credit God...
Easy German Recipes?
About 30 years ago, a foster daughter taught me this recipe: Bake a potato for each person. While it is baking, mix half sour cream and half cottage cheese. Add some finely chopped onion and salt and pepper to taste. We love it!
Living Off The Land
I confess that we hope to put in electricity (solar) and running water next year. Were not as young as we were. But we have lost (pretty much) the desire for things. We are deeply content. Thanks for your nice comments!!!
My Frugal Life - Frugality, Debt Reduction and Giving Back
Christy, you have soooo got your head on straight! And we enjoy Mary Hunt, too. She gives good advice. My hitch with giving is that all these giant charities, Christian and secular, have directors who pull down salaries of $200,000 or $300,000 per year. I dont...
My Blending is Leaking?
The plastic wrap idea works for our gallon jars of milk. But why not take it back to where you bought it and explain the situation? See if they have one with a tight-fitting lid?
Having Fun Saving and Making Extra Money
Ijm with Bobbie G. Ive tried a couple of times to list things on ebay, and I am registered, but it never goes through. Is there an easy way to learn the method?
Credit Help in the Philippines?
The first thing to do is figure out how you got this way. Was it something like a medical emergency, or just buying out of control? You have to fix that first, or youll never get a handle on this situation. Next, see how much you owe for one month (add it up...
Fall Decorating Ideas?
I found a base in the alley uptown (yep, I take an occasional dive) that looks like grapes and ears of corn. I plan to fill it with roadside grasses that have dried, or maybe some late grain if I get lucky.
My Frugal Life - Coupons, Contests, Freebies and Rebates
Its great to meet a fellow couponer/refunder! Sometimes I feel like an endangered breed. There is so much money available out there in those offers! Right now, Im collecting for a lifetime supply of HIP liquid makeup. I started couponing about 35 years ago...
Is This a Sweet Potato Plant?
Noope. Its a nicotiana, or flowering tobacco (not smokeable). They plant themselves from year to year. I guess your sweet potatoes didnt make it. But arent they pretty?
Painting Wicker To Look Old?
Use the antiquing method. Buy a light, warm shade of tan and then a darker shade, about like black coffee. Paint the piece with the light shade and let it stand as long as the directions on the can say. It should be thoroughly dry. Then put on the darker shade...
Is Skunk Spray Harmful To Dogs?
My late friend, Lola, used to have a dog that hated skunks. She chained it up, but if a skunk came by hed break the chain and off hed go. He killed them, but they usually got him first. He eventually went blind and a little nutty after about 50 skunks. I strongly...
Making a Purse from Children's Jeans?
I had one I hauled around for years, and it was from my jeans. Just cut off the legs, leaving about half an inch. Turn the hip part inside out and stitch across the leg openings. Cut a long strip for the shoulder strap. It should be the length you want plus...
Brushing My Dog's Teeth?
Our dentist told us to skip the paste entirely unless we needed our teeth whitened. I cant see why it wouldnt work for the doggie, and then you wouldnt have to rinse.
Collecting on a Debt in Australia?
Dear Cathy, How wretched! Here in the States we would get an attorney to handle it, but I think we can also go to the courthouse and get a form to fill out. Personally, I think its worth an attorney, even though you wind up paying a third or so for his/her...
Ways To Save On The Electric Bill
May I suggest putting up a clothesline? Most clothes look fine when line dried. If you are looking at lots of snow this winter, put up a line in the house. You can hang them in the morning and theyll be dry by afternoon. Plus your interior air will be nice...
Globe Costume Idea?
I would use three hula hoops, and hot glue them in position (meaning youd have to leave a seam open until youre done. You might have to cut two of them open to get them over the equator. Ive seen hula hoops at the dollar store. Hope this helps!
Cleaning Out a Piano That Was a Home To Mice?
The vinegar is a good idea. I would follow that up with crumpled newspapers (no colored pages) that you change every two or three days until the odor is gone. Then put some potpourri or something in there, just in case.
My Frugal Life - Frugal Living on Five Acres
Martha, your story sounds so much like ours! But I differ from you on one point. I LOVE our lifestyle! We have been able to keep our expenses very low. My husband is still healthy, and I help all I can. Our land is paid for, as are our trailers. We are very...
How long does it take for the baby goldfish to grow into full grown fish?
One source I read said they grow about an inch a year.
Wrapping Paper Starburst Ornament
Harlean, this is so gorgeous! I am going to make some of these to give to friends for Christmas! Thanks!
"Tennessee Christmas" Float Ideas?
If youre going to broadcast music, Amy Grant recorded A Tender Tennessee Christmas some years ago. Maybe someones got a copy?
Quickly De-icing Your Windshield
Maybe it depends on how cold it is. My husband did this and cracked the windshield badly from top to bottom.
Creative Cookie Containers?
I like corsage bags. You can buy them from the florist quite cheaply. Just fill with cookies, tape the neck shut and tie some ribbon around it. I also use them for small gifts, such as cosmetics for teens.
Pumpkin Substitution
Hi, Linda, It only takes 1 cup of pumpkin to make a pie. Or stir it into quick bread or a meat loaf. Adds lots of moisture and only a little flavor. Or make pumpkin candy by stirring and then kneading in powdered sugar until its nice and stiff, and let it dry...
Not Losing Weight While Dieting?
I guess Ive tried all methods, including the cleansing. Then in December my doctor ran a TSH, a thyroid study. Bingo! Graves Disease! So if you havent had that checked, this would be a good time. Other than that, just eat lightly, get a little meat in that...
Burn Stain on Jeans?
The burned spot is going to wear out really fast. But embroidered jeans are in! Why not find one of those cute embroidered motifs at the fabric store and stitch it over the burn? (Depending on where the burn is, of course.) Good luck!
Small Items to Send to Troops?
Phone cards, stationery, gummy bears, cool ties, and of course, a nice Christmas-y note signed by you wishing them Gods protection and wisdom. If you dont have a pattern for cool ties, theyre all over the net. I got mine through someone here on Thrifty Fun...
Is there a cooking oil that is better for us?
I often use cooked, mashed pumpkin in place of oil, so I cant figure out why your recipe calls for a whole cup. I agree with the others that applesauce is a great replacement, too. These work for quick breads, but not for cookies or pie crust, of course.
Prevent Athlete's Foot
I just want to back you up on that. I use generic Vicks on my athletes foot and nail fungus. It works slowly, but very well. I tried oral and paint-on meds before, and they both made me sick. Vicks has no side effects.
"Snow Angel" Photograph
Heavenly! Reminds me of the movie The Christmas Box. Thanks for a nice eye treat.
Balancing Work and Family?
I wont be popular, either, but if there is any way at all, stay home with your child. Have you penciled out your work-related expenses? Figured in the cost of gas, insurance, special clothing, fast food dinner when youre too tired to cook, etc? Deduct that...
New Year's Resolutions
I plan to save all the unexpected money that comes in, such as pennies on the sidewalk, aluminum can money, yard sale, etc. Then I hope to use it to print a book about thrift and sell it. Wish me luck!
How do I set up a budget?
Some of my favorite financial advisors say this: Take last years income, and if you expect to make about the same you can divide it into 12 months. One-twelfth of a years income is how much you have to live on. Then put ten percent in the bank. It pays to have...
Budgie Keeps Laying Eggs?
Does she have a mirror? Better yet, why dont you get her a male friend? Then buy another cage or two, because those little rascals are ready to fly in 2-3 weeks! You could give them as gifts or sell them. Around here they go for $20.00. Good luck!
Fingernail Polish on Skin?
Just let it wear off. Give her a bath a day for three days, and Ill bet it will be all gone.
Composting Grapes
If it helps, I dont put anything in the refrigerator. I have a 5 quart ice cream tub with a tight lid, and I stick it under the sink and add peelings, etc. as they accumulate. Most of ours go to the chickens anymore, but some goes to the compost heap, too.
Homemade Soft Cheese
I think Id better answer your questions, although believe me, its easier than you may think. I wrote it vague because thats what it is. I usually clabber the milk in a gallon jar like a sun tea jar, but I dont know what kind of container you have. Just be sure...
Jigsaw Puzzle Ornaments
Thanks for reading! To answer the questions: 1) the pink is glitter glue. Poster paint works, too, depending on the base color you use. 2) You dont glue puzzle pieces to the paper. You lay a sheet of wax paper on top of the circle, then lay the first row of...
Seashell Craft Ideas?
I once made a necklace out of bean clams and one scallop. The scallop was the pendant. Most of the shells already had a hole drilled in the right place, and those that didnt have one, I used a hammer, small nail, and positioned the shell on a piece of 2x4 to...
Making Toast Without a Toaster?
Weve used the broiler for 25 years, and its great! I think our kitchens can get cluttered with too many accessories, dont you?
Knitted Bag Rug?
Step 1: How big do you want it to be? Take actual measurements. Step 2: Get the knitting needles and plastic strips you plan to use, cast on 10 stitches, and knit until its square. (Most of the patterns I have seen call for cutting grocery bags into 2 wide...
Eggs in a Nest
Thats my kind of food! We often did something similar. Instead of scooping out the center, wed mash the spud and put whatever we had over the top of it. Some of the toppings we used were cheese, butter, broccoli, leftover minestrone, browned hamburger with...
Retrieving Clothes that Have Fallen
How clever! This would be useful for people who drop things on their own floor but are too arthritic to bend over that far, too!
Coping with Fibromyalgia: One Woman's Story
Thank you for your encouragement! You told me more in one article than my doctor has told me in several years! Like you, I also write, fight brain fog, have severe sleep disturbances, GERD, IBS, etc. I also have some potentially fatal problems like cardiomyopathy...
Storing Cut Avocados?
In my humble ( and totally prejudiced) opinion, the best thing is to peel and slice the remainder, splash with lemon and salt, and quickly eat it before anyone sees you getting more than your share. I had a giant tree in California, and I never gave any away...
Storing Cut Avocados?
I almost forgot. If youre more hungry than a few slices will satisfy, make a sandwich with whole grain bread, Best Foods mayo, avocado slices and salt. Mmmmm.
Can you live on less than £5 a day?
I dont know what the current exchange rate is, but it used to be $7 to 1 pound years ago. We live on about $500 per month for everything, and almost half goes to medical bills. We live well! Yesterday i bought 22 cups of yogurt and 20 of the new Cacao Reserve...
Storing Fabric?
I use apple boxes and clear plastic tubs with lids. I am so jealous of your fabric! What a wonderful windfall!
Using Up Corn And Flour Tortillas
Why dont you just freeze some? Thats my solution, since theyre so much cheaper in the big package. Glad to meet a fellow tortilla lover!
Budgeting With Envelopes?
One of the best paybacks on the envelope system (assuming you keep the envelopes under lock and key so nobody can help themselves) is that if you have money left over in the grocery and gas envies, you can put it in savings! I love the feeling that we have...
Fruit Tree Bird Net Frame
My husband and I think your idea is excellent. No more picking netting out of the twigs and leaves!
What Would You Plant in Your Victory Garden?
I guess I would plant food in every available space. What we couldnt use, our elderly or disabled friends would. If there was just a flower bed, the flowers would mostly have to go. There is nothing prettier than a border of parsley (did you know it makes good...
Video: Happy Birthday Susan
Happy birthday, dear Susan. I feel as if we are old friends! Thrifty Fun is the one newsletter I always read! With love, Coreen
Saving Money on Tea
I dont know how helpful this is on your specific question, but I remembered a time when tea really paid off for me. It was about 8 years ago. Smiths had a sale on Lipton teas, including herbal. They also had a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon. When all...
Sand Dollars
How beautiful! I remember collecting them at Oceanside, California when I was in elementary school. Did you know that if you break them open, five tiny doves will fall out? Theres some kind of legend about the doves, but I cant remember it. Thanks for lovely...
West Highland Terrier Barking?
My friend raises Chihuahuas. When they bark and its not for a good reason, she squirts them with a squirt gun. They have learned pretty fast! Hope this helps.
Brown Rot on Apricots?
Is your soil really alkaline? Or does your tree drip sap? Mine does, and when I mulched with pine needles, the brown rot really backed off. Its not gone, but I try to get the apricots picked up the minute they fall, and we dry a lot of them. Im sure it has...
Sewing Machine Keeps Jamming?
If you have the machine threaded correctly, here is one more thing to try. When you start the seam, hold both the top and bottom threads firmly off to the left, so the machine cant jerk them up. Thats what solved my problem.
14 Day Induction Diet?
I gave it a shot about two years ago. I stayed on the 14-day induction period longer. I lost 18 pounds and then couldnt lose any more. Eventually I went back to a more balanced diet. However, within six months I was diagnosed with diabetes and Graves Disease...
Saving Money on Beads for Beadwork
I just rescued a ton of black beads from an old sweater than was given to me. They were all sizes and shapes, and there were black sequins, too. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
My Frugal Life: Watch Where The Money Goes
More power to you, lady! I do the same, and youre right -- you can make a big difference!
Dandelion Wine Recipe?
Dandelion wine is wonderful, but if you have allergies, especially to pollen, watch out! I made it once, and my eyes swelled shut for two days!
Nviro Potter For Seeds
We have these in two sizes, and my husband prefers them over soil block makers now. I will try to get the instructions from him. I know you cut a single sheet of newspaper (no glossy inserts) that will go around the pestle part with an inch or two of overlap...
Saving Money on Car Repairs (and Maintenance)
Just as with major surgery, if your car needs something expensive, get at least one other opinion! We took our car to a dealership that we trust, because it had a shimmy in the front end. I waited 4.5 hours to get the estimate, which was $822.00. I was told...
Ants In My Worm Farm?
Can you get those little round tin containers of ant bait? I bet the worms wouldnt be interested in it, or very few of them would fit anyway. Just a thought. Let me know how it comes out and what solution you try. Im interested in growing worms, too.
Kim Chee Ramen Breakfast
Dear Marna, That sounds absolutely perfect! We love Oriental-type food and have invented a few recipes of our own. I am finding it harder to digest dairy products. I was planning to put up Kim Chee this summer anyhow.
No Cook Peanut Butter Fudge
You might try this one. I clipped it from a 1989 Home Cooking Magazine, and have never made it. It sounds really cheap and easy: Peanut Butter Squares. 2 cups peanut butter, 3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar, 3/4 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon...
Save Wrappers To Placate Toddlers
Ingenious! You are a mother who pays attention to her child -- rare and precious these days!
Minimizing Diseases in Vegetable Gardens?
My husband keeps our garden almost pest free using Dipel for cabbage worms and by keeping the soil well-fed. We have cattle, so we have plenty of manure and straw to till in. We handpick potato beetles and their larvae. I hang traps in the fruit trees. I got...
Coupons Are Found Money
As you may have discovered, a really valuable coupon is rare, but you can get multiples of the best ones. You can order them by joining a website such as Refundcents.com or others and locating the people who clip coupons. The best coupons go fast. I dumpster...
Help With My Grocery Budget?
You dont say how much you spend every month, so its hard to guess, but a couple of ideas you might try are, 1) have a baking day. Bake your bread, treats, etc and freeze what you will be eating next week. 2) when you make out menus, do you see whats already...
Buying Organic Clothing?
You can buy 100% cotton sheets and sew them into shirts and pants and stuff.
Newborn Kitten Eyes Not Opening?
Its hard to tell a kittens age, but if its walking around and mewing, its at least three weeks old. If its drinking out of a saucer, its probably six weeks or older. Most likely this is an infection. If you have some boric acid on hand, mix it up and use a...
Saving Money on Weddings
I agree totally with being yourself. A friend did have a barefoot wedding in the park, with the only musician a harpist. It was gorgeous. The marriage wasnt. My first wedding was simple but elegant, with six bridesmaids and six groomsmen. It was held at our...
Ideas for 14th Birthday Parties?
How about decorating cupcakes, having a scavenger hunt, etc? Our 17-year-old granddaughter went to the prom with four girlfriends ( her first year with no date) and they had a formal dinner served by her mother, highlighted with belching contests. Their dresses...
Saving Money on Carpet?
Once you know what color, texture, etc. you are looking for, keep an eye out for remnants. You will need accurate measurements of the room(s) to be carpeted. Ask the salesman to watch for you, and check in with him often. Or you can go ultra cheap. Ask the...
Print Grocery Coupons From The Internet
I print and clip an average of 3 coupons per week from the site. I dont always use all of them, but like the option of printing the ones I want. I dont like it when they automatically add other coupons that I cant use. Ink is expensive!
Wintering Annuals?
I had the pleasure of seeing standard geraniums kept over winter in a sunny picture window in Idaho. They had grown to over six feet tall, and were blooming in January. They were tied up to nails at about one foot intervals. The lady also kept parakeets in...
Wheelbarrow Flower Decorations
Couldnt be cuter. Ill suggest the design to our Sunday School teacher. Theyd look sweet with holly for Christmas gifts for mom and dad.
Need Recipes For "Unusual" Vegetables?
Good for you for trying out new foods! They are highly nutritious as well as tasty. Our favorite beet recipe besides pickled beets is a raw salad. Grate raw, peeled beets on the coarse side of the grater. Dress with vinegar and oil and salt and pepper to taste...
Mosquito Problems, Decorate with Geraniums?
Rub a little vinegar on your exposed skin. It repels skeeters quite well.
Recipe For Cream Cheese Sandwiches?
I like cream cheese on whole wheat bread with just about anything! Drain and stir in a small can of chopped olives, then spread on the bread. Spread softened cream cheese on bread, then top with sliced, peeled cucumbers and an optional sprinkle of salt. Put...
10 Year Old With A "Fresh" Mouth?
It helps to figure out why shes doing this. Do her friends talk that way? Does she get it from TV? Is she holding a grudge about something? Is she being treated badly by the kids at school? Sometimes it takes a little prying because they dont want to be a tattle...
Advice For Tree With Small Sour Apricots?
Our apricot tree used to do that. It looks like it has a fungus, because it dripped sap from the main branches. Two years ago I put pine needles around it about four inches deep. Last year we had a pretty good crop -- not perfect, but quite usable for drying...
Staying in One Place Saves Money
There are distinct advantages to staying in one home for a long time. You can actually start a savings account for one thing. And most important, we have developed a network of friends who are priceless. We help each other and share meals together. In my childhood...
Saving on American Girl or Similar Dolls?
Once you get your doll, get a pattern from the fabric store. There are lots of cute outfits there. Some of them match the ones in your American Girl magazine in every way except for fabric. What girl doesnt like to pick her own fabric? Have a blast!
Tomato Sauce is Too Sweet?
If it happened to me, I would use the sauce for barbecue sauce. What do you think?
Getting Started Saving Money
This is another easy savings method. We have used it for 20 years. Give yourself a household allowance. It should cover gas and groceries, plus maybe $10-20 or so. I get my allowance (which I give to myself) every two weeks. I try to save as much of it as I...
Ideas For Cat Themed Wedding?
Have you seen the remake of That Darned Cat? They had lots of women wearing little cat ears on headbands, and I thought they were incredibly feminine.
Can Green Tomatoes Be Preserved in Newspaper?
We dont use newspaper, but we do put them in a cool room where they wont freeze. We sometimes have tomatoes ripening into late December.
Black Things in Cat's Ears?
A good friend worked as a veterinarians assistant for many years. Its what the vet used. She recommends putting Vicks in the ears. It will smother the mites and prevent/eliminate any infection caused by the little marauders.
How to Package Homemade Soaps?
Check thrift stores for beautiful containers. I just found a three-level peach-toned six-sided box with little cherubs and flowers on it for $1.00. I LOVE the shrink wrap idea!
One Pot Beef And Veggies - $10 Dinner
There is no need to brown the ground beef. Just crumble it over the top. Because of the long cooking time, it gets done all the way through. Thanks for asking.
