Making a Pill Container for Pocket or PurseUse plastic gallon milk jug and water bottle caps to make a pill container.

 

Instant Potatoes As Non-Toxic Rat BaitMost rat baits are toxic to other animals if they happen to chew or chomp on a dead rat. This is a deadly but non-toxic method to kill rats by using Instant Potato flakes or powder.

 

Under Cabinet Spice RackI adapted instructions for a vinyl molding spice rack to fit my space. I used the space just between the counter top and the cabinets.

 

Use Ladies Shirts as Girls DressesThis is a photo of my 2 granddaughters wearing their new "dresses". They both wear size 4 clothes. Their dresses are actually ladies shirts, size small, that I got brand new off the clearance rack in WalMart for $1 each!

 

Felt Fortune CookiesThe best part of opening a fortune cookie is receiving your paper fortune, so these felt versions can save you from ingesting too many cookies! They can be reused, too, so this is a great craft for Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, and many other celebrations.

 

Altered T-Shirt for Shoulder SurgeryRecently, I searched online for medical clothing needed after a rotator cuff surgery and noticed the cost of such alterations was in my opinion over priced. After gleaning a few items, I decided to give it my best DIY version that was less costly and worked just as well.

 

Avoid Aspartame for Bladder Control IssuesDo you drink sugar-free drinks or otherwise use aspartame? Do you have an issue with frequent urges to urinate, or incontinence? Did you know that aspartame many times is the cause of these issues?

 

Temporarily Cover Car Windows with Shrink...I have driven briefly on highway at 55 mph and on local city streets at 35 mph all over about 2 weeks. The film stayed on perfectly, kept the heat in the car and the cold out .

 

How To Control Ants In Your KitchenWhen I was growing up during the warm summer months my grandma's kitchen would be filled with ants. Each morning we would wake up to ants around the sink, on the counters, and crawling up the cupboards.

 

Painted Terra Cotta PotsI have SO many terra cotta pots that have just accumulated over the years. So like all my other craft projects, I decided through trial and error to explore the possibilities.

 

How to Fix Damaged Surfaces of Wood FurnitureWood is lovely, but at times it does not age well, or exposure makes the veneer or varnish suffer needlessly.

 

DIY Counter CleanerAt one point I started making my own kitchen/all purpose cleaner becuase I wanted to save money and use simpler ingredients.

 

DIY Eyelash AdhesiveI started making my own eyelash glue when I realized the store brand ones I was using was making my lids a bit itchy. This adhesive is made of a few simple household products and keeps your lashes on all day.

 

Freezing Food Without a Vacuum SealerVacuum sealers and their bags are really expensive. Here is how to seal food without one. Not only do you save money by not buying a sealer, but this method pushes out all the air, which eliminates freezer burn, and lets you store frozen goods longer.

 

Boot Memory KeepsakeThis is something that I did nearly 10 years ago. My father passed away in 2001. After the funeral, I went to his closet and picked one of his work boots, or his "brogans" as he called them. My father was in timber all my life until retiring.

 

Bubble and SqueakWe got this recipe from British friends who were camping with us one year. It is filling, healthy, and makes a great one-pot dinner for potlucks or camping. It is as easy as can be, fairly inexpensive, and uses only 4 ingredients.

 

Easily Remove Coffee Stains From MugsNormally I use baking soda and rub the stains out, but it was all gone. The cups also had some lime deposits on them so I thought I'd use vinegar to remove those and found I only had apple cider vinegar.

 

Use Vinegar Instead of Dryer SheetsActually this has to do with laundry, I have been told this before, but I tried this last weekend. I was not happy with my dryer sheets; I would rather not use them. Our sons use them so we have lots of them.

 

Poem: "A Night Without the Internet"I didn't hear the doorbell. I must have been asleep. I didn't get my package and it almost made me weep. The box contained my modem. Connectivity was lost. With life unplugged I didn't know if I could I bear the cost?

 

Pallet Door Spice RackA whole new spice rack from wooden pallets. Take apart and remove nails from pallets. Let them dry for a few days, if needed. Wet wood will not sand or cut well!

 

Easy Tree Limb Clean UpI decided to do a little tree trimming in my yard and once I got finished I had a whole lot of limbs in several areas of my yard. It was going to take several trips to get them all moved to my dump pile. In the past I would have dragged a handful of limbs (all that I could get in one hand) to my dump site.

 

Bamboo Garden GateI live on a small island in the South Pacific, where everything is imported. We do not have a large variety of items to choose from. Years ago when we wanted to put a gate up all we had to choose from was a metal gate. The gate has been up for over 20 years now and is looking shabby and worn.

 

Homemade Coffee Eyebrow TintI have patchy eyebrows from years of over plucking back in the day. Loving a very full looking pair of brows, I have gone through quite a bit of eyebrow pencils and tints. I now make my own with my used coffee grounds in the morning.

 

Best Way To Sell Aluminum TabsThe proper way to store pull tabs is in zip locks, or boxes if your into larger amounts. I have sold over 40 million of them to support my 3 charities.

 

Shaka I rescued Shaka from a drainage ditch on the side of the road. I heard a car pull up in front of my friend's home. The passenger threw a carton into the deep drainage ditches we have on our road. In the carton were 5 baby kittens. Four of the kittens were very sick. The kittens were three weeks old.

 

Clean Fridge And Freezer Interior With PeroxideFor years I've used baking soda to clean inside my refrigerator and freezer. I've found something I think I like better. Peroxide.

 

Use Maalox on Skin RashesOne of the best treatments around for really bad rashes and skin irritation is liquid Maalox, the stuff you use for indigestion. When my friend was in the hospital ICU, she had horrible, uncontrolled diarrhea and bed sores, which literally left her skin raw and bleeding.

 

Never Fail Pie CrustA friend shared this recipe with me years ago. The ingredients sounded so strange to me, but I gave it a try. I am so glad I did. It is so flaky and delicious. It is very versatile. I use it for pie crusts, quiches, hand-held chicken pot pies, etc.

 

Finish Your ATM TransactionWhen you are at your bank's ATM, make sure you finish your transaction. I have pulled up to my bank's ATM, twice in the last month, and found that each person did not finish his/her transaction.

 

Strawberry Pot Side TableUse a strawberry pot as an inexpensive side table on your deck! First plant small vines or other trailing plants in the holes of the pot.

 

Putting Away ClutterAt our house, it only takes a few days for things to get out of place. I have figured out an easy and quick way to get things back in order.

 

Adult Pads as Alternative to "Puppy Pads"Most everyone I know owns a pet. They can be expensive but I try to cut corners and save where I can. There is nothing like the unconditional love of an animal. I rescued my dog on what was, to be her last day.

 

Turkey Dog TreatsI was slicing up the turkey for Thanksgiving and noticed that there was quite a bit of turkey left on the bones. It was just on parts I would not use. With all that extra, I made turkey treats for my dogs and they loved them.

 

Peeling Garlic Easily in a JarDon't buy pre-peeled garlic or spend the time doing it yourself. Avoid the garlicky fingers by putting your garlic in a jar, screw the lid on, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. The first half the of the shaking will break the cloves off, and the second half will peel the skins right off the cloves. It's a great little workout, too! ;)

 

Protecting Silk Flower Arrangements for GravesitesWith Memorial Day soon approaching, I wanted to share this tip for silk flower arrangements. Spray with a couple coats of WD-40 to help repel water from rain and sprinklers, and to protect silk flowers' colors from fading due to sunlight.

 

Wear Gardening Gloves For The UnexpectedSome time back I wrote an article on the importance of wearing gloves while working in areas that might be infested with black widow spiders. One might do well to consider gloves when working in other areas, too.

 

Pinesol To Keep Pests AwayKeep a spray bottle of half Pinesol/half water under your sink spray outside garbage cans or anywhere you have a pest problem. Animals like rodents, opossums, raccoons, etc. don't like the smell.

 

Spray And Refrigerate Shirt Before IroningAs a kid, I learned how to iron a shirt. Most important hint: Using a spray bottle, lightly spray shirt here and there and roll into a ball. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for 5 minutes to 5 hours. First do the back of the collar, then front.

 

Fast Folding T-Shirt TechniqueIt's so easy to just stuff your shirts away after doing laundry. Not so great when you pull them out and they're mixed up and full of wrinkles. I pulled out all our shirts to do some organizing. There were so many! My thrifty nifty mum showed me how to fold them all FAST, and it was a lifesaver. Here is how to do it

 

Warning: Swag Bucks ScamSwag Bucks is a Scam! I love being able to sign up at a site and be rewarded for participating in all of the offers available. It is fun, you meet cool people, and you win prizes. Sounds good so far, huh? Here it comes.

 

Cleaning a Very Burnt SaucepanI took a telephone call and completely forgot my saucepan boiling my Udon noodles. I didn't think anything would shift the burnt-on food. How wrong I was.

 

Two Ingredient Coconut Banana CookiesI love these little cookies! They only have two ingredients, shredded coconut and banana. They turn out like a cross between banana bread and coconut macaroons. You can use a super ripe banana and unsweetened coconut or a plain banana and sweetened coconut, however you decided to go by how sweet you like them. These are a great option for those who are vegan or gluten-free.

 

Sharpen Your Vegetable PeelerVegetable peelers go dull rather fast. I spent many, many years just tossing them out and buying new ones. I wish I learned this trick when I first moved out on my own:

 

Saying Goodbye to a Paradise: The...We found Steinhatchee quite by accident. We owned land right on the Suwanee River just outside Old Town and someone told us about a seafood restaurant in Steinhatchee.

 

Prescription Bottles for Storing Flower SeedsI love to collect flower seeds from my own flowers to plant the next season or to share with others. I also like to collect from other places, but often found myself using napkins, or scrap paper as an impromptu container. Then it hit me - prescription bottles!

 

Check if Your Avocado is RipeAfter many mistakes I finally learned how to tell if your avocado is ripe to eat after visiting an avocado farm in California!

 

Baked Chicken ChimichangasI adapted this recipe from an old Cooking Light recipe. I love it but made a few changes. It's my go-to recipe. It's a great recipe for using up left over chicken. My whole family will eat it, too!

 

Finally Starting Out Being ThriftyMy partner and I are on SSDI with SNAP and I am enforcing a budget for 4 people in this household. We consume a lot of tea so we get the gallon bags on our main shopping trip. My partner brews it up in a large Dutch oven like pot and makes 2 gallons out of that, one for him and one for the rest of us.

 

Reusing Netted Vegetable BagsI always save my net vegetable bags and use them for a variety of things, like a safe dish, bathroom or even body scrubber. Or a kitty toy. For some reason, kitty loves to play with them!

 

Bird Seed to Prevent Slipping on IceWe are having a really bad winter and have a lot of snow. I had been using Kitty Litter on my stairs and walkway but it was messy. I now use wild bird seed and it provides "grip", plus I enjoy watching the birds!

 

Easy Butter FrostingThis recipe is super easy and sweet yummy. With using 3 to 4 ingredients.This frosting can be made ahead and put away in the freezer for later use, for those upcoming surprises.

 

Polynesian BBQ SauceThis is a recipe that I first made with an old gentleman who'd lived most of his life in Hawaii. Growing up during the Second World War left me with a very romantic idea of anything to do with the islands.

 

Peeling Fresh Garlic is a CinchPeeling fresh garlic really slows you down when you're cooking dinner. Try this tip the next time you use fresh garlic! It works.

 

Better Cake Mix TipsThe convenience of using boxed cake mixes is wonderful, providing you know a few ways to make them even better; either by additions or the way in which you make your cakes.

 

Splitting Pills without CrumblingMy husband takes half of a pill, and I was having so much trouble with the cutter that I bought from the Pharmacy. It would cut the pill, but lots of times it crumbled into pieces instead of splitting it in half.

 

Label Corner of Fitted SheetBefore putting on a fitted sheet on a bed, take a permanent marker and write on the tag, LB or RB, depending on which side the tag is on. It makes making a bed much faster and easier! No more trying to figure out which corner goes where.

 

Emergency Hemming With StaplesI bought a last minute pair of thrift shop jeans when I found I went off for a weekend without them. New $5 - good deal. But they were too long and I didn't have needle and thread with me.

 

My Homemade Butter Pound CakeThere is nothing like a rich tasting buttery pound cake! My grandmother always made the best pound cakes. Her secret was lots of real butter and lots of eggs! Even with the cost of both those things, if you want a butter pound cake, you have to splurge. Yummy!

 

Ten Things to Do with a Blind CompanionSomeone recently asked me what I like to do. I didn't have an answer then, but I've been thinking about it. I'm not into extreme sports like skydiving or mountain climbing, but I have read of blind people who do those things. Here are some ideas for the rest of us.

 

Cooktop Cleaner for Bathtub StainsToday I tried bleaching, Oxiclean, and Lysol foam cleaner. Nothing worked. I wish I had taken a before picture. I decided to try the cleaner that I use to clean my ceramic cook-top. It worked. Right before my eyes, the dirt came clean.

 

Making a Bamboo RainstickHere on the island music is an important part of our lives. There are many ways that we use bamboo to make musical instruments. One of the instruments I love to make is a rainstick.

 

Make Frozen Lasagna Taste HomemadeThis is a tip I thought I would share since I did this over the week-end and my dinner guests loved the lasagna dinner. They all thought it was homemade! Little did they know, I purchased the Stoffers large frozen lasagna when it was on sale at my favorite store.

 

Starting SeedsMarch is a great time to start your vegetable and flower seeds indoors. You can use any container. Here is how I am doing mine.

 

Zoe (Chihuahua/Terrier Mix)Zoe is a 7 month old Chihuahua/Terrier mix. We adopted little Miss Zoe from a rescue organization at the end of July. The rescue we went through rescues small dogs in the San Diego/Mexico area.

 

Picket Fence Butterfly CardUsing country elements, such as a picket fence, flowers and a butterfly, make this delightful birthday card to celebrate the birthday of a country girl.

 

Dusting a Popcorn CeilingAbout a year ago we bought an older home that had popcorn ceilings throughout. I didn't notice until after moving in that there was dust stuck to every one of those stupid ridges; dust and years of what appeared to be cobwebs.

 

Making An Easy Garden PathWe wanted something that would break up our yard and garden space. We decided on a path to break up the landscape and also help with drainage because of the slope of the back yard.

 

How to Remove Tar from SkinMy sons got into a bucket of roofing tar 18 years ago. They covered themselves from head to toe with it. I learned that it does not just come off in the bath!

 

Litter Box CoverI have a large Rubbermaid-type storage container covering my kitty's litter box in my storage room. She used to kick litter all over the place. Now I have much less to sweep up, plus it looks much more pleasant for company.

 

Mint Tin Homemade Lip BalmHere's a super simple all-natural recipe for a lip balm you can pour into one of your empty mint tins.

 

Plastic Spoon FlowersHere are some photos of plastic spoon flowers that I have made.

 

Dividing Potted PlantsWhen your plant is getting tight in the pot (or when you purchase a plant like this one), you can easily get more plants by separating into more pots. This will allow room for your plants to grow, or is a great way to give some plants away as gifts.

 

Easily Remove Grease from Ground BeefWhenever I browned hamburger meat for tacos, spaghetti, or whatever, I used to take the meat out of the pan, transfer it to a strainer to drain the grease and then return it to the pan to finish cooking. I have found a better way.

 

Get the Most from Your LemonI love a fresh lemon slice in my iced tea but the lemon usually spoils before I can use the whole thing. I'd slice it up and put it in the fridge but, by the end of the week, it's slimy and spoiled. Until I thought of this trick.

 

Avoid Antibiotic SoapJust remember: do not use soap that is antibiotic; when it gets into our water it kills anything that grows. Also it apparently doesn't work; it has to be on your hands much longer than the time you spend washing them.

 

Carry Stun Gun On Dog WalksLast May, while I was walking my three Dachshunds, I was attacked by a Pit Bull. It knocked me down and then ripped up one of my dogs on top of me. My dog was unable to survive the attack and the Pit Bull had to be put down. I went into therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

Remove Suede Stains with Clean Pencil EraserTo remove stains from things like your Ugg boots, coat, jacket, gloves, and anything made from real suede, use an eraser. Even a eraser on a pencil will work, but it must be absolutely clean. Just rub over the stain and it will disappear completely. After I do this, I use a small brush to get new looking results.

 

Upcycled Stocking ScrubbyRuns and tears in stockings may cause you to throw them in the trash. Why not use them to clean hard to reach spots like behind faucets, shower heads, or even your own back? To make them durable, take a few of them, tie a knot at the top, and braid together.

 

3 Ingredient TrufflesThese beautiful little truffles will blow you away. They are creamy and decadent, yet so easy to make. You just need a pack of Oreo cookies, a block of cream cheese, and a bag of chocolate chips. Sprinkles are totally optional. I only used them to make them pop for my Valentine!

 

Play Games Without Batteries This SummerTeach all children to play games without batteries! They will always remember the fun!

 

Using Old Sinks As PlantersOne way to recycle old sinks from your bathroom or kitchen is to use them in your garden to plant succulents in. These sinks make a great border around your garden and add to the look of the garden. Succulent plants don't need much water. It is easy to use the sink and they have a drainage system. Just dig a hole in the ground and place the sink and the drainage pipe in the hold.

 

Make Boxed Cake Taste HomemadeSometimes I bump into a boxed cake mix on sale for SO cheap, I can't say no. Having it handy helps save precious time, but it just doesn't taste nearly as good as a cake made from scratch. Here are some tips on getting your boxed cake tasting homemade.

 

Sign Up for Local FreecycleI sign up for the freecycle yahoo posting in our area. I received some really nice furniture this way. Also in Florida, what people don't want they put on the curb, and you are free to take it. We look at the piece to see if it is good or worth redoing.

 

How I Lost 125 Pounds on a BudgetI'd always been a bit overweight growing up. I just thought that was the norm since most of my family members always carried extra weight. "We're a big-boned family," we'd joke. But our appetites were huge, especially coming from cultural backgrounds where food was the primary offering in times of celebration... or any occasion.

 

Cauliflower Cheese CrispsI'd say more than a sweet-tooth, I have a salt-tooth! This can be an issue for someone like me who tends to be more low gluten and low carb. These are an awesomely delicious snack that work well for gluten-free and low carb diets. To compare them to something you might be familiar with, they taste like a more complex, adult version of a Cheez-It cracker. Give them a try!

 

My Frugal Life: Planning AheadI used to be proud of being spontaneous, of living on a whim. Now that I can no longer afford to have anything I want at the moment that I want it, I have come to savor the far deeper pleasure of expectation, of waiting for something and looking forward to it.

 

Pocket Hand WarmersI saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it was such a nice way to have a little warmth on those days you have to go out in the cold. You can make a pair very quickly. I just made basic squares. But, I've seen hearts, owls, ladybugs, you name it. These would make a nice gift for those in cold climates.

 

Gallon Milk Jug Piggy BankHere is a gallon milk jug recycling project to save money $.

 

Animal Cracker CraftsWhy should the squirrels in your yard get all the stale animal crackers when you can wear them as jewelry instead?

 

Mom's Best Housekeeping TipFor six months, while my family was between houses, we moved back in with my parents. During this time, I observed how my mother, a wonderful housekeeper, kept her house so spotless.

 

How To Repair Frizzy American Girl Doll HairThis is an easy and inexpensive way to repair American Girl Dolls' hair using household items.

 

Sweet Pepper RelishWhen I serve this relish my guests agree that it is the best relish they have ever tasted. It is not your typical pickle relish, but is made from sweet peppers and onions. It can be made entirely from green peppers, but the sweet red pepper gives it a beautiful appearance. I use a mini food processor to chop the onions. It is so easy.

 

Baked Spaghetti Pizza PieThis recipe for Baked Spaghetti Pizza Pie is an adaptation I made from other baked spaghetti recipes. Most recipes I found called for mixing the noodles and leftover spaghetti together.

 

Tending Your GardenI want all of you to become familiar with "tending your garden." If you don't tend your garden, you won't get much of anything out of it.

 

Warning: Old Aerosols Can LeakMy husband and I were having a perfectly good evening, when we heard a strange pop. We couldn't figure it out, looked around, everything seemed okay.

 

Frugal Black Beans and PolentaThis is a recipe I found somewhere on the internet and adapted it. It's really filling and makes enough for 6 people and costs about 50 cents per person. I made it tonight and it was very filling and tasty!