Money Saving Tips

Extraordinary uses for ordinary things:

Repel moths: Pesky kitchen moths seem to come out of nowhere. Send them back to wherever they come from by washing your drawers, pantry shelves, or cupboards with ½ cup of ammonia diluted in 1 quart (1 liter) water. Leave drawers open to thoroughly air-dry.

Cool sheets in the summer: Are those sticky, hot bed sheets giving you summer time blues, when you should be deep in dreamland? Cool things down by sprinkling a bit of baby powder between your sheets just before slipping into them on a warm summer night.

Preserve art work:  You want to save some of your kids’ precious artwork for posterity (or don’t want to clutter the house). Simply roll up the artwork and place it inside a paper towel tube. Label the outside with child’s name and date. The tubes are easy to store, and you can safely preserve the work of your budding young artists. Use this method to hold and store your documents, such as certificates and licenses, too.

Water your plants: After boiling eggs, don’t pour it down the drain. Instead, let it cool; then water plants with the nutrient-filled water.

Have a raccoon problem: Are the masked night marauders poking around your trash cans or making a din in your barn? A few tablespoons of Epson salt spread around your garbage cans will deter the raccoons. They hate the taste of the stuff. Don’t forget to re-apply after it rains.

Remove ink marks on garments: Your toddler just went wild with a ball point pen on your white upholstery and your new shirt. Don’t cry, squirt the stain with hair spray and the pen marks should come right off.

Make a baby footprint paperweight:  Make an enduring impression of your baby’s foot using quick-drying modeling clay – which comes in an assortment of colors. Put enough clay in the bottom of a margarine tub to hold a good impression. Put a thin layer of petroleum jelly on baby’s foot and press it firmly into the clay. Let the clay dry as directed then flex the tub away from the edges until the clay comes free. Years from now you’ll be able to show your baby that his or her feet were just oh so cute.  You can preserve your pets paw the same way.

Paint containers: Want to touch up the walls, but don’t want to lug a full gallon of paint around with you. Pour a little paint into a margarine tub to carry as you make your inspection. Hold it in a next of paper towels to catch any possible drips. The tubs with lids are also perfect for storing that little bit of leftover paint for future touch-ups. This way you can get rid of those unwanted cans.

Keep dogs and cats away from garden and garbage: Don’t throw out old mothballs. Scatter them around your gardens and flowerbeds to keep cats, dogs, and rodents away. Animals hate the smell.

Repel bugs:  Everybody likes the smell of vanilla. Everybody but bugs, that is. Dilute 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract with 1 cup water and wipe the mixture on your exposed skin to discourage mosquitoes, blackflies, and ticks.

Get rid of water rings on furniture: To remove white rings left by wet glasses on word furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up. To get white water rings off leather furniture, dab them with a sponge soaked with full strength white vinegar.

Add to pet’s drinking water: Adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your dogs or cat’s drinking water provides needed nutrients to its diet, give it a shinier healthier-looking coat, and acts as a natural deterrent to fleas and ticks.