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The Infamous Mystery Means
Dear Mary: My husband has two jobs — he is an artist and a salesman. He earns commissions from both jobs, so we never know what our income will be. I work part-time and am paid hourly. How do we go about setting up a budget? — Carol, …Read more.
Handy Tools Ease the Pain
Manufactures have been making a name — and a profit — for themselves creating tools and gadgets to help consumers get a "better grip" on countless household tasks. And I'm not knocking it. But I love it when I don't have to …Read more.
Let the Decluttering Begin
I know it's time. It's been time for at least five years, possibly longer. I need to clean my kitchen. Now, before you send the Health Department to my address, let me explain. What I mean by "clean" is that I need to clean out and …Read more.
A Glimmer of Hope to Cling To
Think back to a low point in your life. Don't struggle with this, just try to recall when you were going through a difficult season and life seemed bleak. Now recall that first glimmer of hope you clung to as you could see that things were beginning …Read more.
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A Quick and Easy Appliance RepairIf you own a computer — and these days, who doesn't? — can you imagine going a full decade without rebooting it? Even the finest computer system needs to be restarted from time to time to allow it to reboot. The same is true for many home appliances that have digital controls — like conventional ovens, dishwashers and microwave ovens. If you think you have an appliance you believe to be ready for the landfill or a very expensive service call, follow today's first reader tip first. You just may be pleasantly surprised that you won't have to make that big expenditure after all. DISHWASHER RESET. My 10-year-old Maytag dishwasher forgot how to do the normal wash cycle. Since everything else worked fine, I decided to let it "reset" by throwing the circuit breaker that controls that appliance for about two minutes, then allowing it to restart. That did the trick. Now it's working perfectly again. Many electronics benefit from this kind of total reset. — Judith, Pennsylvania BURGARATORS. The plastic lids from small margarine containers make great separators for hamburger patties. They are just the right size, and I can stack a lot of patties in a gallon bag and freeze them. The patties separate quickly and easily for cooking. They're washable in the dishwasher and reusable, too. — Sue, email LEVEL ELECTRIC BILL. I have been on the Budget Plan with my electricity provider for more than 10 years. I enjoy knowing exactly how much I will pay for electricity each month, and there is no down side that I know about.
LUNCHBOX LONGEVITY. Washing soft-sided lunch boxes and backpacks regularly keeps them looking like new. I put them in my kitchen sink and scrub them with laundry soap, water and a sponge. Keep them unzipped and opened for a day to dry out. My son is on his fourth year with his "lunchbox." — Ginger, email FLOSS THE PHOTOS. The safest way to dislodge photos from an album is to work plain dental floss under or between the photo and album page. — Pat, Nebraska SOAP-FILLED WASHCLOTH. Bar soap that has gotten too small to hold can still be used. Save them in a mesh bag, and then use the bag as a washcloth. It really works up a lather. The small soaps from hotels work quite well, too. — Ed, Louisiana ON-THE-GO MAKEUP BAG. I used to get so tired of packing my cosmetics and toiletries for travel. I now buy duplicates of everything (some travel size) and keep a makeup bag fully stocked. When I need to go somewhere, I just pack my clothes and throw in the bag. I wish I would have thought of this years ago. — Kathy, Washington BOTTLE SOCKS. Cooking oil and olive oil bottles will never drip onto the shelf if you cut off the top of a clean sock and slip it onto the bottle. — Audrey, California Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can email 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 19 books, including her January 2012 release "7 Money Rules for Life." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM
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