Everyday Cheapskate

As I was finishing this column, I took a 10-minute break to make a cake. Let me preface by saying I can't remember the last time I dropped an egg on the kitchen floor, but in my haste, I did. Splat! There I was with a big mess and eight minutes of break time remaining. Realizing I'd just read a tip for this situation, I reached for the closest magazine and popped out one of those "blow-in" cards. Now you know why this month we have two winners. I could not withdraw the honor already bestowed for ground beef, but I certainly needed to acknowledge the idea for how to deal with a wayward egg.

TIP OF THE MONTH. I buy ground beef in large quantities when it is on sale. When I get home, I cook it in the oven until it is done. Once it is cool, I put the chunks in my Cuisinart and pulse-chop it to make the pieces uniform. Then I bag the ground beef by the pound and freeze it. It is ready for any recipe calling for cooked ground beef. — Lissa T., Ohio

BONUS! TIP OF THE MONTH. When you drop a raw egg on the kitchen floor, use a piece of thin cardboard or card stock to pick it up. I find that those pesky postcard-sized ads that fall out of magazines are perfect for this. Slide as much of the egg as possible onto the card, and then dispose of it. That makes for easy cleanup with a rag or paper towel. — Terri S., West Virginia

OVERDRAFT PROTECTION. I avoid overdraft fees by keeping a cushion of $100 in my account. The cushion is there in case any automatic withdrawals hit before expected or I miscalculate my balance.

I never show this amount in my checkbook, and it is an easy amount to add in when figuring my balance. This is my "Freedom Account" from overdraft fees. — Nancy B., e-mail

SCHOOL SPIRIT. When schools hold fundraisers encouraging me to buy products that I normally wouldn't purchase, I choose not to participate. Instead, I look through the catalogs, add up the costs of what I might have purchased if I had participated, and give that amount in a donation directly to the school. — I.L.A., Maine

SPEEDY RICE. I find it helpful to make a large pot of rice and then freeze it in one-cup increments. That way, I have cooked rice ready to go when I want to put fried rice on the table fast! — Whitney C., e-mail

FREE FABRIC. Next time you have a sewing project, don't throw out all those little bits of trimmed fabric and thread. Keep them in a baggie until springtime. Then make them "available" on your deck, porch or patio for the birds that are building their springtime nests. You can rip up the bigger pieces of fabric into little strips. You'll have some happy mother-to-be birds and nests that sport some of that familiar fabric. — Marci C., Georgia

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.

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