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Mortgage Insurance? Not on Your Life!
Dear Mary: I just bought a house, and I've been getting a lot of flyers about mortgage protection insurance. Is it something good for a new homeowner or just a waste of money? — Donna, email
Dear Donna: Great questions. "Mortgage …Read more.
Tips That Make You Feel Like a Genius
Secretly, I feel like a genius when I discover a secondary use for this or that — in case I run out of this, but have plenty of that! Like using a paper coffee filter to wash a glass top or mirror when I'm in a pinch for paper towels. Or using …Read more.
Supermarket Tricks That Makes Us Spend More
I've always thought of myself as pretty sharp when it comes to spotting supermarket trickery. I'm not even fazed by an end-cap display announcing, "Special." I know their ways. They hope we'll just assume that "special" means …Read more.
The Struggle to Actually Use up Gift Cards
My love-hate relationship with gift cards has intensified. What a pain, really. I'm one who just forgets to use them, and when I remember, I try to figure out how to use each one to the last cent. I was reminded of my situation recently when I …Read more.
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Good Tips Jog the MemoryMy favorite tips submitted by readers are the ones that are not only useful but also entertaining. Today's first tip made me laugh as I imagined the tipster looking high and low for her car keys, failing to remember for a moment that she'd put them into the refrigerator. It occurs to me that the refrigerator, at work or home, makes for a great "key keeper." It's just quirky enough that it might work to prevent the problem of the lost keys. NEVER FORGET. To save time after work when I need only a few items, I go to the grocery on my lunch hour. I put the groceries into the refrigerator at work. So I don't forget to take them home, I put my car keys into the bag with the groceries. Forgetting to grab the groceries is no problem because my keys are with them. — Diane, Oregon CLEVER NUT. To chop nuts, measure the amount to be chopped into a small plastic bag and seal or fold over one end, leaving just a small corner for air to escape. Pound the nuts in the bag on a cutting board with a wooden or metal meat tenderizer. This saves time and eliminates cleanup because you just pour the nuts into the recipe and throw away the bag! — Sally P., Ohio BACON SECRET. To keep your bacon from shrinking when you fry it, roll it in flour and place it in a nonstick skillet.
BANANA JAM. Instead of throwing bananas out once they turn brown, I slice them into a small casserole dish, sprinkle them with one or two tablespoons of lemon juice, dot them with a few tablespoons of butter and add two or three tablespoons of brown sugar and a handful each of chocolate chips and marshmallows. I cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake it for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. I serve it in dessert cups with a dollop of whipped cream. My kids think it is a delicious treat! — Amanda P., e-mail CRACKER SAVER. If you open packages of crackers and find they have gone stale, just spread them on a cookie sheet and pop them into the oven on broil. Watch them carefully for a few minutes, and when they start to turn a little brown, they are crisp again, perfect for eating. — Diane, e-mail 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. Include your first and last name and state. 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 2010 CREATORS.COM
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