While some may enjoy the worn-out jeans look, I've never quite embraced it. In fact, it's a sad day when my jeans begin to fall apart. Just when they're getting really soft and comfy, a hole signals for me that they're destined for the rag bag, along with prospects of a long break-in period for a new pair. But maybe those days are gone. Perhaps today's first tipster knows the secret to making new jeans comfy from the very first washing!

COMFY JEANS. To get a well-worn feel for your new denim jeans, wash them in warm water with regular detergent and a half-cup of coarse table salt. The sodium in the coarse crystals softens the new denim to make it as cozy as your older, well-worn threads. Now your jeans feel as fabulous as they look! -- Margaret C., e-mail

FIZZ SAVER. Two-liter bottles of soda are usually cheaper but often go flat faster once they are opened. If you store a bottle in the fridge on its side or tipped so the liquid covers the tightly closed bottle top, the soda doesn't go flat nearly as quickly. -- Terry, Idaho

NO-MESS MIXING. When mixing a cake with the hand mixer, I place the bowl in the sink. If I goof and some batter flies onto the sink, it is easier to clean than having a mess on the counter or wall. -- Jacqui F., Florida

NO-SLIP SEATING. If you have chairs with seat covers or cushions on top that slip, cut a rubber-type shelf liner to fit the cushions and place it between the cushions and the chairs. Your seat covers will be slip-free. -- C.G.R., Florida

CAKE LINER. You can use large coffee filters to line a round cake tin. Just use them as you would parchment paper. -- Mary M., Maine

GUM REMOVER. When the kids got chewing gum in their hair or on their clothes, we used peanut butter to get it off. Just smear it on, rub a little, and the gum comes right off. We also used ice cubes. When placed on the gum, the ice kind of freezes it and makes it easier to peel off. -- E.H., e-mail

BATH SALTS. I buy Epsom salts and mineral oil and mix them together, storing them in a covered container near the bathtub. This mixture exfoliates my skin as well as any of the store-bought exfoliating products. -- Betty P., Alabama

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 DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 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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