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I would give her a savings bond. A $50 bond costs $25 and is usually worth the full amount if held 5 years. www.savingsbonds.gov
Karen C
in TX
More on giving money gifts, including how to help pay off credit card debt at www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011119a.cfm
There are tons of things you need to watch for! I am from Montana. There are lots of people stuck in Montana with nothing who are scammed into buying "dream acreage." They sell everything, quit their jobs and then find out there is: no water; no access; no JOBS; no electricity; no phone; an oil well sitting on it; etc. Please don't be tricked! Definitely find a professional to assist you, but also be sure to visit the area in person. Talk to multiple people in the area about the economy, the neighbors, the funny smell, etc.
Courtney
more suggestions on how to get a good deal buying rural property at www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011119b.cfm
In your article you mentioned plastic, blankets, etc., to keep out cold air, but not window inserts. You can make them out of 1/2 inch or 3/4 "blue board" from the hardware store, cut to fit inside the window. You can leave them plain or decorate them with fabric or wall paper so that when viewed from the inside or outside they look nice. During the day, they can be removed or stored. I heard about something similar years ago, but recently when I saw blue board I came up with the modification. I am covering mine with inexpensive muslin.
Katrina
you'll find more suggestions on winter heating in the "Energy" section of our library www.stretcher.com/menu/topic.htm
I made microwavable heating pads for many of my older relatives one year. I purchased scraps of 100 percent cotton at the fabric store with nice designs on them. I sewed them into rectangles, put a couple of cups of long-grain white rice inside, and made a "pillowcase" for each one that can be removed and washed. It was very easy and cheap, and I personalized them by choosing a pattern that I knew each recipient would like. For instance, I found some fabric with Star Trek's Enterprise on it, and made that into heating pads for my dad and brother, who love Star Trek. It's important to use all-natural fabrics, though, since synthetic fabrics will melt in the microwave.
Kate
I work at a technical college where people from the community can get a variety of services for much more cheaply than in the community:
All students are supervised by licensed or certified professionals. If there's a technical college near you, you may be able to get some great deals!
Amy G.
We recently moved interstate and the moving company suggested that we shouldn't pack any opened foods, or anything packaged in glass. As the move was short notice, I had a full pantry and was reluctant to throw away so much. I came up with the idea of putting each opened or glass container into an individual, heavy-duty zip-loc bag. The air in the bag cushioned the package to reduce the risk of breakage, and if something did break, the spill was contained so that it couldn't leak and spoil everything else in the box
Nicole
Here's an idea for earning Christmas gifts at next to nothing and having a good time, too! Book a direct sales party for whatever products you'd like to earn -- but approach it from the standpoint of earning products for other people, not for yourself. I recently held an Usborne book party -- my party had $250 in sales and I earned $45 worth of books at no charge with the option to purchase $50 more at half price! I'd already made my shopping list for my nieces, nephews and daughter. Since buying something you don't need is no bargain, I only utilized $25 at half price, so I will be getting over $70 worth of books for about $18. Wow! And I'm done with Christmas shopping for five kids! I'll be picking up a couple of small items between now and then to go along with my daughter's books, but for the most part, I'm done!
Laura J
All shampoo bottles say to wash your hair once and then repeat washing again. Sure, that's great for them. Using more shampoo empties the bottle sooner and makes you buy another one sooner. I have been shampooing only once for the last 6 months and believe me, my hair turns out just as clean! Of course the bottle lasts twice as long and so does my money.
Monica Z
We make a lot of in-state long distance calls. Our local phone company charges us 10 cents/minute for these calls. When we use our Sam's Club phone card, these calls cost us just over 4 cents per minute. Sure, it takes about 45 seconds to dial the extra numbers. Not a bad hourly wage, I say. Of course we also use the phone card for state-to-state calls and payphone calls (extra 6 minute charge for payphones). Another benefit -- when long distance companies call wanting us to switch, I just say, "Can you beat 4.1 cents per minute with no monthly fee, unlimited minutes available anytime, anywhere, at home or away?" They can't!
Leah M. in Brandywine, MD
Now that the cold weather is almost upon us here's a tip for everyone with dry skin (even kids). Fill a piece of old pantyhose - you can use the toe and just tie the top or even part of the leg and tie both ends - with about 2 inches of regular oatmeal and toss in the bath when you start to run it. The oil from the oatmeal will release into the water and act just like all the expensive drug store remedies such as Aveeno for pennies a bath.
Jennifer B.
I read your article on air pockets and heating tips www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011112d.cfm and you did mention a ceiling fan, but many people do not understand the dynamics. You should reverse the fan in winter to push the air up and off of the ceiling. This will keep the air moving from the ceiling around to the floor.
Kay
Patience is one of the virtues a seasoned gardener develops out of necessity. It applies not only to things planted, but also to purchasing plants for the garden. The best time to find plant bargains is when nurseries are closing for the winter.
Last weekend I visited a small nursery that wanted everything sold before the freezing weather hit. I purchased one and two gallon perennials (normal nursery cost $6-$12/gal) for $1 a gallon! I came home with several of my favorite plants (including 4 foot butterfly bushes) and some plants I had only hoped to have someday. The best bargain: two gallon daylily containers, bursting at the seams. I brought two home for $3 and divided them into several smaller clumps. Use the nasty winter months to educate yourself on the plants best suited for your area. Use the high-priced summer months to see the plants in bloom and choose the ones you'd like best for in your yard. Then, wait until Labor Day weekend to start buying and keep checking until temperatures in your area consistently hit freezing. Your patience will pay off.
Doreen
Another really cheap Christmas idea I am doing with my girls is making air fresheners for cars. We take craft foam and trace their hands on it, cut it out, poke a hole in the palm end, tie an elastic thread through it and add some fragrance oil...done. Unless you want to let them paint designs or their name on it with fabric paint or permanent markers. Quick, easy (my 2 year old can participate!) and cheap to mail! We also are taking dish towels (the cottony non-loopy kind preferably) and my 2 year old is putting handprints all over one with fabric paint, then at the bottom I write "Best (Nana, Granny, etc.) Hands Down" and date it. My other 2 girls have done this and their grandparents have saved them and hung them up (one for 10 years now!). For my older girls I will have them dip the fingers in paint and make thumb/finger prints on the towels, then use permanent marker to add features to make animals, bugs, etc. Also cheap and easy to mail. We live far from some of our relatives and won't see them at Christmas so postage is a big deal! Have a frugal Christmas!
Rebecca
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