When our boys were small, a clever baby sitter taught me a good lesson: Give something ordinary a new name, and kids will eat it up! She would cut up anything she could find in the refrigerator, call it "bits and pieces" and allow the boys to eat using toothpicks instead of forks. That was a huge treat, and they would eat anything she put on their plates. Recently a clever mom sent in her own renaming trick.

PRICELESS PICNIC. As a single, working mother, I find it hard to come home, make dinner and clean up without missing fun times with my kids. Instead of turning to fast-food play areas, I pick my daughters up from day care and announce a "grocery store picnic." This always is received with excited responses. We stop at the store, pick out single-serve items, and take our dinner to the local park, where we eat and discuss our day. Then they run off to play while I have time to wind down. It gives them a fun outing, and I spend half of what I would for fast food, with no cleanup involved. — Maribeth L., e-mail

CHARITABLE GARDEN. I like to garden, but adding something new each season is costly. I've found gardeners in my area who sell plants for donations to local charities. Because the plants are raised locally, I can be sure they will thrive in my geographical area. It's a great service, and I get to help out a great cause, too! — Maureen B., Maine

CREATIVE EXERCISE. Because I sit at a desk all day at work, I rarely have time to move around or get outside. To make up for lost activity, every time I go to the restroom, I do 15 deep knee bends and 15 wall push-ups to firm my upper arms! It only takes a few minutes, and I easily can get in 100 of each every day. — Carolyn, Tennessee

HOMEMADE EXTERMINATOR. I eliminate ants in my yard with a half-cup of borax mixed with a half-cup of powdered sugar. It is important to keep this mixture out of the reach of pets and children because borax should not be ingested. It is, however, less toxic than traditional pest sprays and far less expensive. — Nancy, e-mail

PUPPY LOVE. After numerous trips to leading pet stores for supposedly indestructible puppy chew toys, we started going to the local hardware store for toys instead. We buy boat rope, washing machine tubing and other items used around the house. We have created some wonderful swinging toys! A little imagination can lead to great fun with your puppy. — J. and K., California

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at [email protected], or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. 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.