For You: A Few of My Favorite Things by Mary Hunt on Creators.com

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For You: A Few of My Favorite Things

Last year, a friend of mine had the best idea. She made gift baskets for her friends filled with her favorite things. Taking a nod from her, I'd like to give you a virtual basket filled with some of my personal favorite things.

—Real Salt. I'm not that great of a cook, but don't tell my friends and family. They think I am, and I owe it all to Real Salt, which is all-natural, kosher sea salt from the state of Utah. Healthier than refined salt, Real Salt is delicious. Check out the reported health benefits at http://www.RealSalt.com. A 9-ounce container costs $3.95.

—Pressure cooker. I don't know how I could manage my busy life without my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. There are cheaper models out there, but the Kuhn Rikon Duromatic stands head and shoulders above the rest. Safe and idiot-proof, this pressure cooker is known as "Einstein" in my house. That's because it makes me feel like a genius. The 5-quart model costs $210.

—Iced tea maker. When it comes to electric iced tea makers, there are duds out there and one awesome model: the Hamilton Beach 2-quart electric iced tea maker. For iced tea lovers, everything about this appliance is perfection, including the clear iced tea it delivers. This piece of equipment costs $29.99.

—Coffee beans. La Minita Tarrazu green coffee beans come from Costa Rica. There is nothing like a cup of coffee made from beans you have roasted yourself. These are my favorite. I get them for about $6 per pound from http://www.u-roast-em.com.

Find roasting instructions in my book "Live Your Life for Half the Price."

—Behmor 1600. Look at this! It's a coffee-roasting machine! After seven years of roasting 1/4 pound of coffee at a time in a popcorn popper, I upgraded to a home roasting machine that handles up to 1 pound of beans. Not cheap — but an amazing value — this roaster retails for $299.

—Odor eliminator. I have a keen sense of smell, so I need a good odor eliminator in my life. For me, the only choice is Nok-Out, a product that looks and smells like water but kills odors and all their germs. Nok-Out starts at $4.95 for a travel-size spray bottle at http://www.NokOut.com.

—Soilove. I don't know how I would get along without the world's best laundry stain treatment, which happens to be cheap. Available in California supermarkets and 99 Cents Only Stores (16 ounces for just 99 cents), Soilove is also available online at http://www.SoapsGoneBuy.com for slightly more plus shipping. Soilove takes out every stain known to womankind except mustard. Go figure.

—Knitting book. I followed Debbie Stoller's book "Stitch 'n Bitch" to teach myself to knit. With lots of illustrations and loads of patterns, you will be knitting in no time. The cover price is $13.95.

Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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