Recently
6 Ways To Cut Pet Care Costs
As I write, a big, beautiful, brindled English bulldog is underfoot, sleeping soundly, as bulldogs do. I cannot claim ownership, but Newcastle ("Newkie" to his family) visits often. He's my granddog — and as precious as they come. So …Read more.
Fun (Cheap) Birthday Gift Ideas for Kids
Several months ago, I got a message from Elaine G., who recently had joined a moms group. With all of her newly minted friendships, she and her little one are getting invitations to lots of toddlers' birthday parties. Her dilemma took me back to …Read more.
What You Need To Know if Your Bank Fails
If it seems that more banks are closing this year than normal, you are absolutely right. Since January 2009, 106 banks and 19 credit unions have failed in the U.S. That's more than four times the number of closings in 2008. It's the most since the …Read more.
Make Your Own Sanitizing Wipes
Dear Mary: I would like to find a recipe to make hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. Do you know of one? — Delores, e-mail
Dear Delores: I have been thinking about the same thing, now that we're learning that products like Purell are …Read more.
more articles
|
Cheapskate in the KitchenWhether or not today's tips submitted by our readers save time or money, one thing is certain: You're about to learn some very clever tricks and tips to make your life easier in the kitchen. ICE-CREAM SAVER. You can eliminate freezer burn on your ice cream by storing the container upside down in your freezer. It really works! — Jan C., e-mail QUICK COMPOST. Even though we compost our kitchen waste, it takes a long time to break down, and sometimes we need the compost immediately to start our garden. So we help ours along this way: In our food processor every night, we grind up produce peels, leftover coffee grounds and filters, and other items that compost loves. This gives the breakdown process a head start. — V.L., Texas BONUS TREAT. Prevent ice cream from dripping out of the bottom of a cone by pushing a marshmallow into the cone before adding the ice cream. The marshmallow stops drips and is a little extra treat after the ice cream is gone! — Brenda S., e-mail SHINY STEEL. We have stainless steel appliances in our kitchen. I always battle to get them looking nice and clean without buying expensive polishing cream. Recently I tried rubbing olive oil on them, and they look wonderful! My husband even commented on how nice the refrigerator looks. — Julie J., e-mail MEATLOAF CUPCAKE. For a new twist on meatloaf, I fill the cups in a cupcake pan with the meat mixture and bake for about a half-hour. OUTDOOR KITCHEN. My family enjoys eating outdoors. I've found a cheap way to keep foods chilled on the table on a hot day. I was inspired by expensive trays designed to hold serving bowls over ice, but I make my own for free. I save two-piece domed plastic containers from takeout meals. To travel, I pack the food in the bottom part of the container and cover it with the lid. I keep it in the ice chest until we're ready to eat. When I unpack the food for our meal, I take the lids off the containers and fill them with ice. Then I set the bottom part atop the ice-filled lid, and the food stays cold. — Lynn, e-mail REPAIR WONDER. I had had my food processor for more than three years when I started having difficulty getting the cover off the bowl and the bowl off the base. It seemed as if the plastic parts had expanded, and I was beyond my warranty period. A new bowl, cover and pusher would have cost about $90. I solved the problem by rubbing the rims of the bowl and lid with vegetable oil. It works like new again! — Kris, Wisconsin Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
