POTTING PLANTS. When I repot a plant, I put a coffee filter in the bottom of the pot before I dump in the dirt. It prevents dirt from spilling out through the holes but still lets water drain through it. The filter eventually breaks down. For larger pots, I dampen the filter to flatten it and put one over each big hole. -- Jacqui F., Florida
OATMEAL MIX-INS. My daughter and her family love pumpkin pie, so she developed a simple solution to spice up their oatmeal. Add one or two tablespoons of canned pumpkin per serving to the pan with the oatmeal and water, along with a little brown sugar and some pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon to taste. Cook or microwave as usual. -- Karen S., New Hampshire
CUTTING-BOARD TRICK. Placing a damp dishcloth or towel under your cutting board will keep it from slipping on the kitchen counter. It also will cut down on the chopping noise! -- Emily M., Louisiana
SNOW SHIELD.
CREATIVE CARDS. Instead of buying expensive greeting cards, I make my own. I make copies of photographs and paste them on card stock. They are much more personal, and everyone loves getting them. You can be as creative as you want. -- Cheryl M., Michigan
CRAYON BOX. My kids like to color to pass the time whenever we have an extended wait at restaurants or doctors' offices. To keep crayons from coming loose in my purse or diaper bag, I bought a hard plastic travel container for bars of soap for about a buck. The crayons fit perfectly. The container stays shut and is crushproof, and I can divide the crayons between the lid and the box, so each child has his own "set," minimizing squabbles. -- Melanie, Missouri
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 www.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.
COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
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