My parents are taking us camping. We always have to buy those expensive fire starter logs. I had the idea to save our dryer lint and stuff it inside our empty toilet paper rolls.
Two things we have an abundance of at our house: junk mail and dryer lint. I stuff the return envelopes from the junk mail with the dryer lint and seal it. When we use the fireplace, we put the wood on top of the envelope and light it.
The paper catches right away and the dryer lint burns long enough to catch the wood. :)Use your wine corks for cheap fire starters. Just add a little alcohol on the cork. It works well.
By coville123 from Brockville, Ontario
Editor's Note: Be sure it is a natural cork, not the newer plastic foam corks that are often used instead.
Make Christmas gifts by recycling egg cartons and dryer lint! Using a cardboard one-dozen egg carton, fill each hole generously with dryer lint. Using melted scented candles purchased at a yard sale, pour hot wax into each hole, filling 2/3-3/4 full. Let harden.
To use, cut one section from carton, light the cardboard portion, and you've got the perfect fire starter! Great gift for people in cold climates, for parents and grandparents who won't have to find a spot on their mantel to display this year's gift.
By Zoanne from Chugiak, AK
We burn wood, and fire starters are not cheap. My husband laughs at me for some of my cheap ideas, but they work! I use the below in addition to the twigs and leaves and bark that are in the wood pile.
I save dryer lint and stuff it into empty TP or paper towel rolls and use it to start a fire.
Save empty butter wrappers (I first use them to grease cake pans). Store in a bag in the freezer until needed.
Save paper towels that are used to clean up greasy pans or messes as above, store in a bag in the freezer until needed.
Junk mail
By mom-from-missouri from NW, MO
I liked the many suggestions for using paper towel and toilet paper rolls to make fire starters. My problem was that I didn't have a good way to stuff the rolls and pour or dip them in wax. Then I remembered my camp craft class where we made paper baskets (this was a looong time ago!). 
Cut paper towel rolls in thirds. Fold one end and make a cut about 3/4 inches through both layers. Open the fold up and fold again so that the cut ends are now on the edges. Make another cut about 3/4 inches and open up the fold. Fold the four cut edges so they cover each other (like a box). The paper roll can now stand up and be filled with dryer lint, sawdust, etc. Pour the melted wax into the open end.
I also put these on a styrofoam tray (the kind meat comes on works well) and set my rolls up one against the other on the tray so that any wax that seeps through will pool on the tray and not make a mess of my work surface.
This is also a good seller at bazaars, as the scents draw people to your table!
Note: This is not a project for unsupervised kids.
Source: I found this in a craft book several years ago, but I don't have it anymore.
By Sandi/Poor But Proud from Sweet Home, OR
My son used to be in Boy Scouts and they loved to make a fire at night during the summer. For fire starters, we took the cardboard from toilet paper and taped one end shut. Then he filled the tube up with dryer lint and taped the end shut.
When starting a fire, put a few in the fire for fire starters. The log catches quick and the fire soon spreads to the wood. It makes a little smoke when burned, so throw a few in the fire when the bugs come out and the smoke chases them away.
I use dryer lint in a cardboard egg carton and drizzle old candle wax from scented candles that have lost their fragrance. It works best from the jar candles on a candle warmer. Once it has cooled, I cut the sections of egg cradles to separate and put in a ziplock to keep dry. Just light the corner of the cardboard when placed under your tinder. Works great for charcoal BBQ's too!
Source: I combined several tips.
Put that stale bag of Fritos to good use. Start a campfire with them. They catch on fire very easily.
Here are two more ideas:
Source: 43 years of Girl Scout camping.
By Eileen M. from Elk Grove, CA
We shred our excess paper and use it as a fire starter.
By Grandee from CA
We are avid campers. Instead of buying those expensive fire starters, we make our own. Take a cardboard egg carton, fill each cup with dryer lint, melt old candle leftovers and pour into the cups over the lint. Cut them apart and voila, fire starters. These can be put under you kindling. They burn longer and give the fire time to get off to a good start.
By Jodi Vanderford from Glen Burnie, MD
