Buy a crank flashlight instead of a battery operated one. No need to worry about having fresh batteries when you need your flashlight.
Judy J. Pay Yourself to Cook
The other night, when my husband, two kids, and I came back from dinner out at a local brew pub, I felt discouraged by the amount of money we had spent on dinner. For a couple of (delicious) hamburgers with fries, drinks, and macaroni and cheese with a veggie for the kids, we had spent about $40.
It seemed wasteful to spend that much money on something I could easily have made at home. And that got me to thinking. How much would I pay myself to cook that dinner? I would definitely cook a couple of hamburgers and some mac-and-cheese if someone were going to pay me $40 to do it! When I start feeling like I don't want to cook dinner, I think about the cost of eating out and I know that I would gladly pay myself that money. Now, I treat it like extra income and put it towards a car payment or another debt I'd like to pay down.
Melissa
Start putting aside things around the house at this time of year for an early summer yard sale. It will help you clean up after the holidays and start thinking about spring. The more clutter you clear, the more money you can make.
Mary in Rhode Island
If evergreen trees are plentiful where you live, a few freshly cut sprigs of pine or balsam fir make a fragrant and free packing material for filling Christmas gift baskets.
Alice in Gorham, NH
Last year, I bought children's wooden blocks, printed Christmas pictures from the Internet, applied ModPodge decoupage glue to the blocks, pasted on the pictures, and let them dry. Then I sealed with another layer of the ModPodge glue. When completely dry, I cut the blocks/pictures apart. Do the same thing to another side of the blocks. Now you have puzzles that are cheap, homemade, and have fond memories attached to them. Hold blocks steady by putting rubber bands around them. Enlarge or reduce pictures to fit blocks. Some pictures were tiny, needing only four blocks, some needed nine blocks, etc. It was a lot of fun and very appreciated.
Bonnie G.
I have some ideas about the mountain of laundry that never seems to get done. I hang all shirts and pants right out of the dryer. My kids, ages 7 and 9, fold their own clothes, such as nightclothes and underwear. My oldest also folds all bath towels and washcloths and puts them away. My 7-year-old folds all the dishcloths and towels and puts them away. They usually do this while watching television.
It sure helps me out a lot. When each of my kids turn 10, they will do all their own laundry. They will wash, dry, and put away their own clothing. I believe this is helping them to be responsible and getting them ready for when they are out on their own.
Kristin T.
When friends had a shower for our newborn, we had already had a big shower at work, so we put up signs on different tables where people could donate to good causes. For example, two read "So Susan will have a greener world" and "So Susan will live in a peaceful world."
Barb
Most people think that with liquid automatic dishwasher detergent, you have to totally fill up the soap dispenser to get clean dishes. This is not true. You only need one tablespoon in the pre-wash and one tablespoon in the wash dispenser to get your dishes clean. This will make your detergent last two to three times longer. I have been doing this for over a year now and my dishes always come out clean.
Jeff in Iowa
For regular white pasta, I salt the water, add my favorite pasta and let it come to a boil. Once the pot boils, I stir the pasta once, put a lid on it, turn off the stove and let it sit in the pot for the recommended cooking time, an average of eight to ten minutes. When I come back and take the lid off, my pasta is perfectly cooked and I saved 10 minutes of energy and heat in the kitchen. Plus with the burner off, I can set the timer and go off and do something else for those 10 minutes. Drain pasta as usual and continue your recipe.
Stephanie P. in Dripping Springs, TX
The most wonderful antidote for urine stains and to totally have your dog reject any area, use as follows. Take two cups of rubbing alcohol and add four drops of lemon grass oil, place in a spray bottle (plastic is fine) and voila. It's the best solution I have ever used and it's so cheap to make. This makes a supply that will last for several months. It works great!
Shirley in Florida
This year I asked my office mates if we could do something different. Instead of us exchanging gifts among ourselves, we all went in together and picked a name off the giving tree at the mall and each purchased gifts for that child instead. It was great! We didn't stress about what to get each other and enjoyed getting something for someone who really needed it! What a great feeling!
CJB
The best facial cream that I have used is good old olive oil. To make the best exfoliate, mix olive oil and raw sugar. It feels so good and really perks up your face. I also use it on my arms as it takes off the dry sink.
Karolyn R. in Stanford, Montana
Several years ago, I invested in two very good quality wooden clothes drying racks. Each one was $29.99 at the local hardware store, and they are made of heavy wooden dowels. When it's dry and warm out, I dry all of my nice shirts/sweaters on them. In the winter, I can dry an entire load of clothes on them if I don't want to use the dryer.
My nicer clothes last forever because they aren't subjected to the dryer, and I save a fortune on running the dryer. I also expect my dryer to last me 20 years or more, due to being used only occasionally.
Nanci S. in Red Bluff, CA
I wanted to share some information regarding the ADA seal. (A friend of our family works as a chemist in the industry.) Toothpaste manufacturers pay upwards of $600,000 per year to acquire that seal on their products. The dental products with or without the seal still have to meet FDA standards, or they will not be allowed to be sold here in the US. I believe in other countries they have a Ministry of Health that performs a similar function to our FDA.
If the seal were a guarantee, people who use them would never have cavities. It isn't only the quality of the product we swish in our mouth while brushing our teeth that matters. What matters most is that we get the food out and plaque off after meals, and this could be accomplished with just plain baking soda and water, and flossing, of course!
C. Barnes in Dallas, TX
There are a lot of options to make the holidays important without gifts. As a family therapist, I see families of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Some spend lots of money and many have little to spend. It's not the money that counts, especially for younger kids. Spend time baking cookies, Christmas caroling at retirement communities and finding out about the many free holiday events at community centers, libraries, malls and retail locations. Talk to your kids about why you're celebrating the holidays, the history behind them and what traditions or faiths other people you know might have. Talk about ways to create your own family traditions, like watching a special DVD or sharing a special meal. Make a big deal about decorating the tree, making your own special decorations.
If gift giving is important, consider a gift exchange within your family, including setting a limit. Encourage handcrafted gifts, which will also teach your children lifelong skills like knitting, woodworking, cross-stitching and others that seem to be slipping away in younger generations. There are also tons of resources available to obtain gifts for your family, such as Toys for Tots, churches, schools and human services agencies. As someone who's on the giving end, it's one of the brightest times of my year, and I love doing it!
Erin S.
