Just when I thought I'd figured out every possible use for my large inventory of wrong-sized coffee filters, here comes one in the mail that I never thought of. At this rate, I may have to purchase another stack of wrong-sized filters. They're just that handy to have around the house.

CHINA SAVERS. Instead of using those expensive and bulky separators when I stack my fine china, I use coffee filters. I put large ones between plates and small ones between smaller items, such as cups and saucers. They work well and are a lot cheaper, too. -- Anne, Tennessee

SAUCEPAN CLEANUP. Here's what to do for heavily soiled saucepans: After cooking, allow the pan cool down. Then add water with a little baking soda, or more for a really tough job. Cover the pan and bring it to a boil for a few minutes. Then let the pan cool down again, and clean it with soap and water using a scouring pad. Rinse well. The baking soda will release all the cooked-on mess, making cleanup so much easier. -- Angelina A., e-mail

MAKEUP REMOVER. You can make your own mascara remover with one part tear-free baby shampoo to three parts water. I just dip a cotton swab into the solution and wipe off my eye makeup. It isn't greasy like some eye-makeup removers, so my eye makeup doesn't smudge when I reapply it.

-- Trista, Minnesota

CHIP STORAGE. I store all my open bags of potato chips and tortilla chips in the refrigerator. Simply fold the open bags closed, secure them with a clip, and toss them in the fridge. They stay fresh for weeks. -- Gina S., Wyoming

NO MORE RUST. Cans with metal bottoms in the bathroom or kitchen have a nasty habit of leaving rust rings. To stop this from happening, use old fingernail polish to coat the edges of the can before placing them on a counter. -- Stacy J., Missouri

SMOOTHING OUT THE BUMPS. When you have a knit sweater that hangs on a hanger for any period of time, you get a lump where the end of the hanger hits the top of the shoulder. I personally hate this, so I take my hair dryer and heat up the spot while smoothing it out with my fingers. No more lumps. -- Laurie S., Minnesota

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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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