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Shopping Without a Purse
Ladies, repeat after me: I will never again buy a pair of pants without pockets! Only when we demand pockets in our pants will we get them without searching through the racks for them. Then we can do what the men take for granted, and go sailing through the...

 

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Dividing Up Your Ground Beef
We brown the ground beef, drain it well, chill it, spread it out on a cookie sheet to freeze, then bag it. That way we can take out a little bit for a personal-sized pizza, or a lot for a hamburger casserole. One thing Ive learned is not to overcook it at this...

 

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Using Laundry Scoops
Just want to say, Im a 71-year-old, prudish grandma...and I think thats cute! :D

 

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Organize Loose Wires
Im guessing she means using plastic shower curtain hooks to run groups of electric wires through to keep them from sprawling all over. If not, I dont have any idea either.

 

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Keeping Track of Leftovers in the Refrigerator
I like the idea of a list on the fridge, but *sigh* were just not organized enough - we start a list, then throw it out three months later the next time we notice it! I do have two tricks to tame the Leftovers Monster: 1. I have certain shelves for leftovers...

 

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Milk Jugs for Dry Storage
I have been told that it is not possible to get all traces of milk and bacteria out of a milk jug, so you should never, ever use it for long-term storage of drinking water (like in emergency supplies). That said, I suppose that if youve washed it thoroughly...

 

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Remembering Birthdays
Ive been doing this for more years than I care to remember. Im depending more on Facebook and Care2 and Amazon to remind me now, but the annually-updated calendar used to be my primary way to remember.

 

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Keep The Essentials Close At Hand When Moving
Put those essentials in the car, before the moving van arrives, you can mark something DO NOT MOVE but theyll load it anyway, even a pail of dirty diapers. (Ugh!)

 

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Don't Buy Candy From Vending Machines
Its a good idea if you can do it - maybe have a stash that is strictly for sack lunches, for example. But I have the same problem as scarlet - I can go through a weeks worth of chocolate in a day, if its on hand. I bought four bags of chocolate chips and gave...

 

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A Touch Of Mustard on Sandwiches
*chuckle* Ive been doing the same thing for years. My husband thinks Im nuts. Youre using so little, he says, how can you even (i)taste(/i) the mustard??? But I can, oh yes I can! Sometimes I plop a small dollop of mayo on the bread, add a drop of mustard, swirl...

 

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Carbonated Soda For Rats
Carbonated soda - what an intriguing idea! I wonder how long it retains enough fizz to work? I have periodic invasions of mice in the house and I, too, use D-Con. I doubt that it is a painless death, which bothers me some, but I have tried every kind of trap...

 

bunny and parrot eating seeds

The Bunny and the Parrot Pellets
My son boarded his conure with a bird rescue facility when he was deployed with his National Guard unit to Afghanistan. When I went with him to pick the bird up we found that the owner keeps a rabbit in the parrot aviary - she never feeds him, he stays fat...

 

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Freezing Tomato Paste
Ive recently become a 1-person household, and when I needed a dab of tomato paste for a mini-recipe recently, this is exactly what I did. Very handy for recipes or just for adding richness to a beef stew or whatever.

 

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Storing Items In Baby Food Jars
I used to do this with the old all-metal lids. The new ones, with the finely-threaded soft cap lining, are hard for me to screw on securely, and I worry that they will come loose when I turn my back on them - especially if I put screws inside and secure the...

 

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Organizing Recycling Items?
I keep a pasteboard box (cereal, soda pack, etc) handy in the kitchen; when I empty a smaller box, I flatten it and put it in there. When its packed full, I take it to the recycling dump and just toss it in. Another cereal box holds the weekly ads (we dont...

 

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Depression Jelly Recipe?
Oooh, Pikka, that sounds lovely! I made cranberry jelly like that one year, put the cranberries in a steamer, collected the juice and made jelly for Christmas gifts. It was bright red, clear and sparkling as a jewel!

 

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Getting Rid of Meal Moths?
Its weird how bay leaves work for some, but not for others, I dont know whether its the variety of moths, or where you live, or some difference in the bay leaves. They dont work for me, so Im going to go try the minty gum. At least the pantry will smell nice...

 

Keep Kids From Using Too Many Bandages

Keep Kids From Using Too Many Bandages
What a fantastic idea! The bandaid manufacturers are always coming up with new designs to entice kids to use them, its up to use to use their creativity to reduce usage. And Jillian357, thats a clever idea too!

 

The Internet Shopping Diet
If Im shopping at a site that has a wishlist, I put things Id like to have on it. Having put them on the wishlist, Ive taken action, and I can forget about it. A few weeks or months later when I visit the site again, I pull out my wishlist and look it over...

 

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Removing Weeds from Crowded Beds
I have used a disposable foam paint brush to paint RoundUp on weeds among my flowers. I have not observed any damage to adjacent plants, although perhaps I was lucky.

 

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Paperclip Bookmark
I was brought up to treasure books; I would never use a paperclip or a thick (such as crocheted) bookmark in a book I cared anything about (including library books). What I do is cut small pieces of printer paper (up to 1 by 3 or so) and keep a supply in my...

 

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Organizing Rainchecks and Coupons with a Photo Album
I used to use the shoebox method of storing coupons, but kept forgetting to check for coupons before I went shopping. I finally (gasp!) bought a coupon organizer, just like the one pictured below (ripstop fabric, not one of those cheap cardstock things). I...

 

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Keeping Track Of Debit Purchases
I like to just carry a little business card case into the store, with my drivers license, credit & debit cards, and other essentials like AAA card and medical information. I haul around a tote bag with my checkbook, lipstick, and everything else under the sun...

 

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Using a Car Sunblocker for My Kitchen Window
Sonigram, you can order this window film online or buy it at a home improvement store. I bought some on clearance last fall at either Lowes or Sutherlands, I dont remember which (and since it was on clearance, I dont know what department it would normally be...

 

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A kids' cookbook.

Kids' Cut and Paste Cookbook
Fantastic! I created a 3-ring (updatable!) family recipe book a couple of years ago so my grown kids could fix their childhood favorites, but it never occurred to me to make a custom cookbook for my granddaughter - great idea!

 

Making Seed Tapes

How to Make Seed Tape
Im very eager to try this! Ive tried interplanting radishes and carrots, but it doesnt work well for me - I suspect our soil is so coarse that a random two-thirds of the seeds sink down below germination depth, leaving thick clumps of seedlings between great...

 

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Sharpening a Can Opener?
Ive read that you can sharpen scissors by cutting up a sheet of sandpaper, very fine grit, I assume. I wonder if that would work with a can opener?

 

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Auto Cool Reviews?
I bought one of these about twenty years ago. Like todays reviewers, I found that the fan spins, but it doesnt move enough air to make up for closing the windows. Ive been eyeing them lately, thinking that if theyre still selling them, they must have improved...

 

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Protect Your Signs
Where do you get bags big enough? In my experience, a yard sale sign should be at least half a sheet of poster board (a full sheet if posted on a busy street), otherwise people have to practically stop to find out what they say.

 

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Personalized Wrapping Paper and Gift Tags
I almost never make my own tags anymore because pretty store-bought ones are so cheap nowadays, but I made most of my own when I was growing up and for the first thirty years of my marriage. I made them from scraps of matching gift wrap, or harmonizing gift...

 

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Don't Reuse Ziploc Bags Containing Meat
I rinse out zipper bags used for raw meat or deli meat, then use them for various kinds of waste disposal. I store deli meat bags right up front in the freezer, and when I trim fat off raw or cooked meat, or have any other kind of non-compostable food waste...

 

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Use Canning Jars to Start Cuttings
Marvelous idea! But dont you have any problem getting it out past the neck of the jar? Im thinking of using some of the salsa & peanut butter jars Ive been collecting since the recycling center suspended collection of them, but it occurred to me to wonder how...

 

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Turkey Carcass for Broth and Meat
Absolutely right! But I just break down the rib cage a bit, then simmer it right in the roasting pan - that way, it soaks off all the baked-on drippings and adds their flavor to the broth for soup. Yum!

 

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Buy Each Child Their Own Colored Towel
I could not afford the luxury of buying colored towels when I had this problem with my four...so I bought plain white towels and put a different color of decorative trim - bias tape, lace edging, whatever - across the end of each one. I used remnants of stuff...

 

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Growing Aloe Vera?
I cant tell you anything about processing the gel, but rest assured, theres nothing hard about growing the plants! If you live in the south - anywhere that it will grow (catalogs should tell you its hardiness zone), you can stick it in the ground, water if...

 

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Getting Rid Of Weeds In Flower Beds?
If you have bare dirt and enough room between your plants, a hoe will cut off seedlings below the ground and they wont come back. I find a Hula Hoe (or wiggle hoe) more fun and easier to use, but it offers less control, so I dont use it close to my desired...

 

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Paint Not Sticking To Particle Board Cabinets?
Theres more than one type of primer. For old wood that has mildew on it, theres blocking primer: nothing comes through it, not mildew, not bold colors, nothing. For painting over old oil based paint, theres bonding primer: it bonds tenaciously to anything - slick...

 

Washable Wiping Squares

Make Wiping Squares to Save on TP
I think this is a marvelous idea! I, too, had my babies before disposable diapers took the country by storm, so I used homemade flannel hourglass-shaped diapers and Curity Day/Night diapers for overnight or traveling. I also bought inexpensive (not cheap-cheap...

 

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Reuse Plastic Bags for Smelly Garbage
When I have zipper bags that I cant reuse for food (had raw meat in it, too greasy to get clean, etc) I stick them in my freezer, up front. When I need to throw away meat scraps or anything smelly or that will spoil, I put it in one of those bags and then back...

 

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23 Skidoo Organizing Tip
Good suggestions, all of these! When it comes to getting rid of things, try Freecycle (go to freecycle.org, type in your zip code or city to find a group near you) to find a new, loving home for the things you dont want anymore. If you dont think anyone else...

 

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Don't Use Cardboard For Long Term Storage
I absolutely agree with Reality Check on buying more containers to store more stuff. Ask yourself, is this really worth spending this amount of money to store? Same goes for moving stuff. If you are moving, figure out what it will cost to move something (including...

 

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How Long Are Dried Spices and Herbs Good For?
I dont think any dried spices go bad; they just lose their flavor. Or, of course, get infested. If its clean, and still smells like it should, go ahead and use it. Herbs, now, are a little different story. Dried vegetable flakes get tough and leathery; dried...

 

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Link: Homemade Dryer Balls
I have thought about that, but then realized (1) unless you do a lot of knitting with wool, and have lots of remnants, this would be more expensive than buying them; and (2) do I really want those heavy balls sitting, perhaps on a delicate item that can wrinkle...

 

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Link: Homemade Dryer Balls
Update: I was given a set of wool dryer balls, and have used them for several years now. They are not heavy, as I expected them to be, and they do very nicely for fluffing the load and keeping it from packing down and wrinkling. It doesnt help a lot with static...

 

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Food to Bring on an Airplane?
Solid foods like cheddar cheese, dry foods like nuts are fine. You will probably be required to eat or throw out soft foods like pudding, or anything containing liquid like canned fruit, even if theyre sealed in the original can or carton. Not sure about applesauce...

 

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Wash Cloth for Phone Space Around Toddlers
Oooh, thats sneaky - I love it! And Shirleyamh is absolutely right: there comes a time when you have to let your child play by himself, and come to you for help, or to show off, or whatever and often, when that stage is reached, the kid will still come running...

 

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Use Coffee Grounds as Pin Cushion Filling
I assume you need to dry the coffee grounds thoroughly. Is there a particular way to do this, or do you just spread them out on a tray, maybe in a warm oven? I used to love making pincushions when I was a teenager. I would take a cardboard cylinder (a crochet...

 

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Use Your Turkey Bones for Soup
Ive been doing this for decades - my (grown) children now consider it the best part of the Thanksgiving turkey! I hadnt thought of roasting the bones first, will do that this time; Ive gotten a similar effect by putting the bones and water in the oven long...

 

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Homemade Nestle Quik?
Right you are, lsmith2ca - Dutch cocoa is cocoa processed with alkali. Here is a great write-up of the differences between dutch and natural cocoa: http://www.joyofbaking.com/cocoa.html Dutch cocoa has a yummy flavor. IMO, it needs less sugar because its not...

 

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Sock Locks
Ever since my first baby outgrew the thin baby socks, I used sock locks to keep pairs together in the laundry. They used to be available in cards of six; I bought them in six different colors, one for each member of the family, and I taught everyone to ring...

 

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Microwave Mashed Potatoes
This sounds like a nifty idea! Ive stopped using plastic in the microwave, but I can put them in a covered glass casserole dish instead (and it has a handle to lift the lid off!) This sounds simpler, and a lot faster than stovetop mashed potatoes.

 

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Plastic Lids for Microwave Splash Screens
Absolutely, dont put any plastic in the microwave that isnt labeled microwave-safe. I dont even microwave Gladware-type containers anymore; I turn the food out into glass or Corelle to microwave it. I cover plates with a microwavable plate cover, and I cover...

 

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Planting Tomato Trees?
I dont believe the tomato tree is related to tomatoes, it just has similar fruit. There is absolutely no reason why you cant grow almost any variety of real tomatoes in a pot, much easier than a tomato tree; indeed, tomatoes are a favorite for container gardening...

 

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Stickers Growing in the Grass?
Thistles, eh? When I read the problem I immediately thought of sand burrs, a creeping fine-leaved plant with dainty little yellow flowers and vicious thorny seed pods - quite the opposite of a showy, three-foot thistle! But whatever kind of thorny weed you...

 

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Use Colored Price Stickers to Mark Accessory Cords
I bought a set of write-on plastic clamps to go on each end of the accessory cables. The trouble is, not only do they cost several dollars a dozen, theyre loose on most cables...so they slide down to the lowest point they can get to. I like the sticker idea...

 

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Static Window Film Instead of Curtains
In addition to clear, frosted, or colorful designs, you can also get privacy film (dark grey or brown) that lets you see out a little on a bright sunny day, but no one can see in; and solar film, which comes in tinted or reflective and wont let in the rays...

 

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Static Window Film Instead of Curtains
It may be that the privacy or solar films are not allowed, because they reflect back heat through the glass, which would dump the heat between the panes of a double pane window. I cant imagine any reason why transparent film, even if decorated, wouldnt be allowed...

 

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Keeping Track of Photos When Traveling
What a marvelous idea! And a lot more practical, too, now that digital cameras make each picture so inexpensive!

 

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Organize Your Pantry With an Inventory List
Before zipper bags came along, I used to use color-coded twist ties to identify items at a glance. I hadnt thought of color-coding bags; since everything goes in zipper freezer bags for protection these days, Ill have to give that some thought. Dolna, do you...

 

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Removing Blood from a Pillow Top Mattress?
Ive discovered that hydrogen peroxide comes in a spray bottle, as well as a regular bottle. (Like the regular bottle, its opaque brown and air-tight if you keep the nozzle shut off, so it protects it from light and air.) This is very convenient for applying...

 

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Dollar Store Freezer Bags vs the Name Brand?
Regarding food safety, I dont know that theres any assurance that plastic bags are safer than plastic containers or vice versa; thats why Im trying to switch to glass. But the plastic is just so darned convenient, and inexpensive too! I use square freezer containers...

 

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Check Refurbished Printer Cartridge Expiration Date
I used to refill ink cartridges, but had a number of bad experiences - the nozzles had dried before I got around to it, and I couldnt get them clean again; cartridges leaked; and refilled color cartridges would print some colors fine but not others. I concluded...

 

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Add Pumpkin to Turkey Soup
Sounds tasty! How much broth do you add a cup of pumpkin to? Im guessing about 2 quarts, at least?

 

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Start With Youngest Child For Christmas Gifts
We did the same, taking turns opening gifts. When the family got too big, we would have two opening gifts at a time, but never more. (And when Mom was opening a gift, no one else could - otherwise, she loses track of who got what!) I like that idea of starting...

 

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Product Review: Dryer Balls
Ive been using mine for over a year. They are not quite as hard a plastic as I had feared, and have no rough places to snag the fabric (I saw another post citing that problem with one brand). They do bounce around rather noisily, especially with a small load...

 

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Give the New Jammies the Night Before
Me too! I always made my kids flannel PJs or nightgowns every year, and let them open and wear them the night before Christmas. By making them, I got a triple bonus, saved money, customized them (picked fabric and style for each child), and I got to work with...

 

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Freeze Your Ham Bone for Soup
I never buy a boneless ham because then I couldnt make bean soup! I stew the bone right in the roasting pan, then strip off any remaining meat, strain the broth, and freeze the broth with the shredded meat added back in. Ive learned, though, not to stew those...

 

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Depression Soup Recipe
I collect leftover broth in a freezer container, and vegetable trimmings in a bag, that way I have plain broth and can just thaw and use a little when I need it for a sauce. Every so often I thaw all my broth, toss in the frozen trimmings and some more onions...

 

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Improving Instant Hot Cocoa
Aha! I see, Amandaw, that youre one of those who like their cocoa rich and creamy. Im one of those who like it dark. When *I* have to settle for instant cocoa, I improve it by stirring about half a teaspoon of pure cocoa into the mix! I havent used instant...

 

seed starts

Use Snow To Water Houseplants
Im puzzled, nutrient-rich snow? I always thought if you caught or scooped up fresh-fallen snow, it would melt into just about the purest water you can find in nature.

 

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Rethink Your Knitting Mistakes
Great idea! I bungle a project rather regularly - Ill think twice now before I pull out all that work and start over. Thanks for the tip!

 

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Stock Up On Sale Christmas Candy
You can freeze chocolates and they wont degrade? Nifty! Maybe I can keep some of that sale candy around long enough to bake with, if I store it in the freezer! LOL

 

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Reduce Odor with Ziplock Bags for Dirty Diapers
My problem is with adult diapers, which become, ahem, very aromatic if not changed often enough. Bread bags, grocery sacks, and produce bags simply dont contain the odor at all. Ive had to resort to ziplock bags, which work well enough to get by until trash...

 

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Disposing of Bacon and Cooking Grease
I had twin problems: accumulation of non-recyclable glass jars, and disposal of drippings. I now keep a non-reusable jar (cant get the smell out of the lid) in the fridge, and pour hamburger grease into it; when its full, it will go into the trash on trash...

 

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Plant Lettuce in Hanging Baskets
I would think they would thrive indoors if you could give them lots of natural light (sunlight or grow lamps), and keep the temperature moderate.

 

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Switch Burners When Simmering
Having lived with both, Im in love with my gas stove. Nevertheless, I gnerally move my pot when I turn the heat down to simmer - because usually it doesnt need as much attention then, and probably something else does. So I move the first pot to the back burner...

 

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No-Sew Cloth Napkins?
Ive used medium-quality washcloths for napkins for over thirty years. I dont use the cheap bundled ones at the dinner table, theyre not cut true, so theyre not square, and wear out quickly besides. (They may be fine for sack lunches or picnics, though.) But...

 

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Recycled Planters From Old Shoes
Neat idea! I have several pairs of white athletic shoes that I wore until they werent even fit for gardening in. I was going to mail them to Niki to be recycled, but I would have to pay for shipping, so I havent done it. I think theyd look awfully cute with...

 

Mark Emptied Cabinets When Moving

Mark Emptied Cabinets When Moving
Youre braver than I, if you wont go back and double-check each one! But at least you can do so in reasonable confidence that you wont get any nasty surprises, like half a cartons worth of things to find room for in some box from another room while the van is...

 

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Reuse Disposable Vacuum Bags
A vacuum cleaner picks up dirty air from the floor and forces it into the reservoir, where the heavier particles (dirt and hair) drop out. The air, still dusty, is then forced through filters - either the sides of the bag, or a HEPA filter, or whatever. If...

 

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Cooking Spaghetti Squash?
I have a dorm-sized microwave and a tiny crockpot, so this looks like a great alternative to those methods. Thanks!

 

frying pan birdbath

Frying Pan Bird Bath
What a marvelous use for a cheap or beat-up frying pan that youve replaced with a better!

 

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Cleaning with Rubbing Alcohol
Pixiedust7: this is rubbing alcohol, available in the first aid & health care aisle of your supermarket. What kind were you using?

 

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Store Honey Bottle in a Mason Jar
I do the same thing with oil bottles. *I* always wipe the lip before I re-cap the bottle, and wipe the bottom before I put it away, but hubby never does. So, a drip-catcher saves the cabinet floor. I use the lid from a margarine or sour cream tub, they come...

 

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Use a Window Fan To Cool Home
We have an older house with all of the windows thoroughly painted shut except the one with the window A/C in it, so using a box fan is not an option until we get the them unstuck and buy screens. During the July heat wave our A/C died, so I tried just using...

 

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Make Your Own Fabric Softener Squares
Better yet: get wool dryer balls. My daughter sent me a set, and I love them - very effective in tumbling the clothes, lightweight and practically silent in the dryer, and seem to last forever (unless you drop one on the floor and your cat or dog discovers...

 

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Re-read The Books You Have
When I first read a book, I read it for the storyline. If it was any good at all, I go back once or even twice, right away, to get the nuances and the details. If I dont feel impelled to reread it right away, I probably wont later, so out it goes! I have the...

 

Envelopes Made From Magazines

Make Envelopes From Magazines
Thats a lovely idea, and would be delightful for cards attached to gifts, or hand-delivered. But like Melebev, I wonder what the Post Office would think of them; nowadays, with machines doing the reading, I believe they really prefer solid white or pastel envelopes...

 

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Do Ziplock Bags With Water and Coins Really Repel Flies?
Sarsi, Ive been watching for a response to this question, but havent seen one. Im guessing either you hang it with a bulldog or binder clip (two types of spring-loaded paper clamps), or you run a needle & heavy thread through a couple of places just above the...

 

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Do Ziplock Bags With Water and Coins Really Repel Flies?
I just checked out the link, Repel Houseflies with Bags of Water (http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66600434.tip.html) One of the replies suggested using one of those ?-shaped travel clothespins, so you can hang it on the door knob or wherever. Sounds good to me...

 

Organizing My Desk Drawers?
Thank you!! I have a file cabinet with my printer on top, but it never occurred to me to put a box bottom folder in one of the drawers to hold the printer paper, until I read your tip!

 

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Store Tissues In Baby Wipe Container
Sounds like a nifty idea! Do baby wipes now come in boxes that regular tissues would really fit into? They didnt thirty years ago when I was using them, LOL. Im going to have to find some young parents to mooch empty boxes off of!

 

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Eliminating Urine Odor in Bathroom Trash from Disposable Underwear?
Same problem here, my husband has Parkinsons. I found that produce bags, bread bags, grocery sacks, etc do not confine the odor, so Ive had to buy gallon size zip-top bags. When one gets full, he adds it to an 8-gallon trash bag to wait for garbage day. We...

 

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Reuse Junk Mail Envelopes
I wholeheartedly agree with marinewife5, if youre receiving unsolicited advertising from a company you dont want to do business with. If they have to pay to get their junk back, you can bet theyll take you off their list and if enough people do it, they may...

 

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Peel Banana from the Bottom Up
Neat! Im going to have to try that with my next banana. I hate those strings, they come loose and dangle and break off and get everywhere!

 

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Cleaning a Can Opener
Ive had problems with rust if I soak a can opener, or leave it messy. Ive learned to never put down my handheld can opener. I use it, rinse it thoroughly under hot running water (turning the wheel with it open and closed), then stand it in the drain rack to...

 

A cooling rack made from 4 spoons

Spoons for Impromptu Cooling Rack
Fabulous! Now, the spoons would get hot, so if you were putting it on your good table youd want to put some kind of insulation under it...but a folded kitchen towel should do it for this (instead of the thick folded bath towel Ive used when I ran out of cooling...

 

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Funnel When Filling Small Jars
Mother of 5, youre a genius! I thought I was good at thinking outside the box, but I never thought of this. I have two funnels the same size (the second one came in a set), and tomorrow one of them will have a 1 opening!

 

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What Plant is Also Known as Sheep Shar or Shire?
That reminds me of a story my Dad told me, of growing up in north central Kansas during WWI. His mother would send him and his three sisters out to pick lambsquarter along the railroad track. (Can you imagine any mother doing that today?) They would come home...

 

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Flat Paper Bows for Shipped Packages
I make two kinds of flat bows and decorations out of ribbon: 1. Make a loop of ribbon and press it flat (with the ends overlapping on the underside). Wrap a shorter piece of ribbon around the center, crease it flat, and tape it down. Tape this bow along or...

 

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Homemade Laundry Detergent
I dont add water, just use the dry powder. I keep it in a flip-top canister on a waist-high shelf right by the washer, and just scoop out what I need. I never lift the weight of the full container except when Im putting it away after making a new batch - much...

 

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How Can I Keep Small Laundry Items from Getting Stuck in Dryer Fins?
Thanks, everyone! Large loads might be my problem. Pinning or putting in mesh bags probably wouldnt work, as its always small but thick things (like heavy winter socks & thick potholders) that have trouble enough drying even when theyre tumbling, but thanks...

 

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How Can I Keep Small Laundry Items from Getting Stuck in Dryer Fins?
I finally seem to have found a solution! I lay out a bath towel or similar flat, rectangular object in the dryer, toss in a couple of dryer balls and the little items (being sure to shake out each piece so its not wadded up), then lay another largish item out...

 

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Store Important Items In Dishwasher In An Emergency
What an ingenious idea! I live in Tornado Alley now, not in hurricane country anymore, but it still sounds like a good idea. We dont have a dishwasher, so I plan to use my washing machine: its heavy and its waterproof, so it should be just as safe as a dishwasher...

 

Homemade Scale To Determine Postage
I love your idea, but what is that thing youre using as a balance beam? It looks vaguely familiar, but I cant place it, and an image search turns up nothing that looks like it. Or did you just make it out of a straight piece of soft-coated wire?

 

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Warning: Never Give Small Child Keys
I agree that the obvious dangers of keys as pointy metal objects is overstated, as children can hurt themselves with almost anything, and my children loved playing with real keys as babies and toddlers - BUT I checked it out, and was shocked to learn that lead...

 

When Are You Being Too Frugal?

When Are You Being Too Frugal?
Oh, dear - Ive done some of those things, maybe most of them, at one time or another. One thing Ive finally stopped doing is worrying about a tiny bit of food left in the can that I cant scrape out; it wouldnt even make a mouthful, much less make a difference...

 

Photo of finished birdbath made from glass

Recycled Glass Birdbath
Marvelous idea! I agree with Bev A, all her modifications to make it suitable for outdoor use look very good. I havent gotten a bird bath because one heavy enough to stand up to Kansas winds is too heavy to dump and clean, and too breakable if the wind does...

 

Controlling the Odor of Rabbit Droppings Used as Fertilizer?
Pookarina is right about the lime. Thats what was used in outhouses back in the day - my grandparents still had an outhouse when I was little, and I remember sprinkling a little lime into the hole when I did number 2! On the other hand, I was just inspired...

 

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Deadheading Irises?
Its not essential, but it is a good thing to do for all the reasons listed by other posters. If you cant get to it, though, dont stress over it - it wont kill the plants if you dont. (Ive had health problems for the last five years, and only got the deadheading...

 

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Yellow Finches Are Missing?
Do you have nesting sites nearby? They will seek food first near the nest (wouldnt you?)

 

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Perennial Vegetable Garden?
Where do you live? Strawberries are perennial in a mild enough climate. Check out a garden catalog - you can probably find a whole section on perennial fruits and vegetables.

 

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Choosing Acid Loving Plants?
Blueberries are also acid-loving, and give you fruit besides. I dont know how much sun they need, though, nor how shady it is around your trees.

 

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Making Bean Soup with Bacon?
You have a proportion of water to dried beans that you use for bean soup; why would it be different for bean soup with bacon? The bacon itself would not affect the amount of water you use. Is there something special about this dish, is it thicker or thinner...

 

My Frugal Life: Thrifty Grandmas Stay With You Forever
I scarcely knew my grandparents, just had occasional visits, but still learned from them...like when I was tending my baby nephew and commented to Grandma that we needed to get him a teething ring, boy, did I get an earful! When I was a baby, when my parents...

 

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Safety Pin Socks Together
I always worried about making holes in the socks with safety pins - that happened with my firstborns thin little baby socks, so I never used them again. Instead, I used zippered mesh laundry bags for baby socks, and later I bought Sock Locks in a different...

 

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Recycling Plastic Soda Bottle Caps?
Seems to me they could be great educational toys, for kids old enough to not put them in their mouths. They could count them, add and subtract them, and if you have an assortment, they could group them by color or size.

 

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Recycling Plastic Soda Bottle Caps?
Buddy Benches turns up a whole host of links to benches being used by kids who need buddies. Google buddy benches made with bottle caps.

 

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Recycling Plastic Soda Bottle Caps?
Google buddy benches made with bottle caps. Maybe you can find something that way.

 

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Craft Ideas for Used Medicine or Pill Bottles?
Your link took me to the front page of the newspaper. I guess you have to subscribe to get to the activities page, or to go directly to any specific page. What is ReadyMade? Is it a magazine, a website, or what?

 

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Getting Rid of Weeds in Vegetable Garden?
If you have a small garden and are in good physical condition, the best way is hand-pulling. Good exercise, and protects your garden plants. Its also the only way to let the edible weeds grow to harvest size. :) If its too big for that or you cant get to the...

 

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Tomato Plants Falling Over?
Yes, you want to keep fruit and leaves up off the ground, but tomatoes arent natural climbers like ivy - if you dont give them help, theyll sprawl all over the place. Either put a tomato cage around each one, and make sure the main stems grow up inside it, or...

 

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Tater Tot Casserole
I always brown hamburger before adding to any casserole or skillet dinner. Im surprised, though, that it was still raw after an hours baking; must have been because the tater tots were frozen, and took a while to come up to cooking temperature. Actually, when...

 

Completed towel holder including a kitchen towel.

Recycled Towel Holder
What a clever idea! I think Ill make one and crochet around the ring instead of wrapping it with tape. The possibilities are endless!

 

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My Frugal Life: Every Which Way to Save
Turbo Tax has a free basic version that does very well if you dont qualify for fancy loopholes. The first time we tried it (2000), my husband grumbled about how hard it was to use, and how confusing. After he had finished, though, and before he submitted, I...

 

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Cover Garden Beds With Sheets For Weed Prevention
Nifty idea! Having been raised to be thrifty, I have a number of old sheets that Ive never needed yet for rags or projects; they should work great for this! But Ill leave a gap between the fabric and the porch, and extend it all the way out to the lawn. That...

 

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