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Here are some suggestions for raising quick cash:
more suggestions on how to raise cash quickly at www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011203a.cfm
There are several places to obtain cost of living comparisons. The one I've used most in the past is http://homefair.com/index.html. We have been asked to move by our company three times in six years. We started with Homefair and the resources there, and then followed up by visiting sites for the locations we were investigating such as the Chamber of Commerce, tax department, and home pages for the cities we were asked to moved to. All three times, the cost of living calculators and follow up research helped us decide that the cities we were asked to consider were all too expensive for the compensation offered. Also there are number of magazines that offer cost of living surveys every year that could be tracked down through a search engine.
Tammy
Martinsburg
more ways to find inexpensive places to live at www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011203b.cfm
Living in Central Florida, Palmetto bugs are a part of life! I'm not fond of insecticides, especially in pet areas, so I have started using a trick my Mother discovered YEARS ago! Take an old, clean jar. I use one quart Mason or mayonnaise jars. Grease the upper half of the inside of the jar with solid shortening. Place a small slice of ripe banana in the bottom of the jar. The bugs smell the fruit, climb in the jar for a feast, but are unable to climb out. They just S-L-I-D-E back down to the bottom of the jar.
Once a week, I'll gather the jars, take them out in the back yard and fill the jars with water from the garden hose using strong water pressure. Sometimes the little critters are stuck to the bottom and you'll need to let the jar soak for a few minutes. I don't usually even have to wash the jar before reloading with another slice of banana! My local songbirds often feed on what was washed out of the jar! Bye-bye bugs!
Linda E.
For the last 27 years we as a large family (5 married children and 16 Grandchildren) celebrate Thanksgiving the day after Thanksgiving. When our first child married 27 years ago, we made up our minds that they would not have to go to each parents' house and stuff themselves to please the families on the day of Thanksgiving. So we let all the children and the grandchildren go to the in--laws house for the day of Thanksgiving. This makes the in-law families think they are special -- because they are. And the next day all the children and the grandchildren come to our house. It has worked for 27 years. Everyone is happy.
L.
Our family has a tradition that started about 10 years ago and as our family has grown to 6 over the years, so has the tradition. Once or twice a week we go as a family and sing carols to our friends. We give them each a small candy cane and we hand them their Christmas Card. That saves on postage. Over the years we have added friends to the list. Some we have sung to every year. The kids think its silly but fun and love doing it even though they are teens.
Try this time-honored activity--it costs very little and brings joy to those sung to and those attempting to do the singing.
Pat
I save all the Christmas cards from the previous year. I use this as my base to mail off our current cards and then I cut off the fronts and use them as gift tags for my gifts this year.
Jill in Michigan
My husband is a horse genealogist and advises wealthy people how to spend their money on race horses. One of his clients sold her first thoroughbred colt and the traditional celebration is dinner at an expensive restaurant, paid for by him, which undoubtedly would be at least $300-$350. We decided that we could do a dinner for the party of eight at our home with minimal expense. I purchased a leg of lamb on sale for $1.99 lb. which we roasted on our gas grill. Last year another client of his had given us a case of champagne and we toasted the night with several bottles of the bubbly! Rolls, veggies, and twice baked potatoes rounded out the menu, with homemade apple pie with ice cream on top for dessert. The dinner was a big success, a great time was had by all. Several guests remarked that they enjoyed it more than a restaurant because it was much quieter and more private. All in all, we spent about $40 on this dinner. It took us the entire day to get the house ready, but the money we saved certainly made it worth it.
SB
If, like me, you despise the smell of bacon lingering in the house, as well as the spatters all over the stove, I may have a solution for you. I was watching a cooking show some time ago and the chef diced the bacon into tiny pieces, set it in boiling water for five minutes and then browned it in a frying pan. The water takes away the majority of the fat that would otherwise spatter, and the bacon doesn't end up taking all that long to brown in the frying pan. I then just set the water in the fridge and once the bacon fat congeals, it can then be thrown into the trash.
Anita
When I have to a mail a gift I try to order something from a catalogue or send them a magazine subscription and have it delivered to their home instead of mine. This way not only do I save on postage, wrapping paper, time etc, but I can then afford to spend a little extra on their gift (if I want to). If I'm sending something from a catalogue, I let them know it's on it's way and not to open till Christmas.
Cammie
It's a simple matter to replace the air filter of most cars, in my experience. When paying professionals to do it, they charge $25 (typically -- $20 for the new filter, and $5 for labor), when the same filter can be bought from a local car-parts dealer (e.g., Autozone) for $10! I had to buy a wrench (costing around $10), but it's cost was paid for by the first replacement of my Honda's filter! Since the owner's manual says I should change this filter once a year, I'm saving around $15/year, for a simple task requiring only around 6 minutes of my time.
Jeff O.
In my city, we have hard water, so deposits are common. After two years, my toilet had severe deposits despite all the scrubbing I could muster. After thinking, I decided to try the baking soda/vinegar cleaning method. It worked with NO effort on my part. I plan on putting this in my toilet before leaving on vacation so I can come home to a perfectly clean toilet.
Kim R.
editor's note: there are various ways to do this. One is to just add baking soda and vinegar to the toilet bowl. Another method empties the bowl by flushing the toilet with the water turned off to prevent refilling. Still another calls for placing paper towels covered with baking soda along the water line (baking soda between the paper towel and the toilet bowl). Then pour vinegar over the towel. Be careful not to flush the paper towels since they could block the sewer line.
I was raised in Conn., and in the winter time it got really cold in our old (200 years old) home. Here are some of the things that we did:
I now live in Oregon, where it isn't as cold, and our home is much newer. We turn the heat off at night, and on in the morning when we get up. It only takes about 15 minutes to heat our home. During the day we keep the temp set at 70 degrees, and since we have so many large windows, the temp in the living space is about 69 most of the time.
Loretta C.
editor's note: you'll find more home heating information in the 'energy' section of the library www.stretcher.com/menu/topic-d.htm#energy
We love to eat sausage but don't need all the fat, so I slice it and put in skillet with water to cover and let boil for about 5 minutes. It is almost completely cooked so you just need to drain and brown a little. I also do sausage links this way.
Euda
I went to the hardware store to buy a gallon of paint for my daughter's room. While waiting for the employee to come mix my choice, I spotted a clearance shelf filled with 'mis-tints'. They had the VERY brand I was buying in a beautiful shade of lavender. I was assured that the paint was simply rejected by the customer after it was mixed. The price? $4! Regular price was $15! We found the sample card and opened the paint and it appeared right on. We took it home, used it and it was perfect! They also had trim (small cans) for $1! Those would be perfect for craft/other projects. This was a great find!
Tina H.
Your article on powdered milk www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011126g.cfm forgot to mention that it is MUCH cheaper to buy powdered milk from bulk food carriers like Walton Feed of Idaho or Blue Chip Group out of SLC Utah. Buying bulk in the bag -- even with shipping -- runs around $1.3 for a gallon of milk or less depending on the brand and type. If you use the powdered milk from the grocery store, in our area anyway, it is just as expensive as fresh milk.
Additionally, there are several types of powdered milk -- instant, regular, and whey based, and even chocolate milk that is fortified. You can even buy powdered soy milk. Some varieties taste better than others, so I highly recommend spending a couple of dollars on samples that they send you, and then make them up, chill them, and have a family taste test.
My family bulk buys powdered milk and that is what we drink now. The best way to switch the flavor acceptance with the kids is to start 1/4 to 3/4 fresh, and slowly switch it over -- upping the percentage of powdered to fresh each week, and in a month or so, the switch is over. Having powdered also has an additional advantage -- no extra runs to the grocery store when we are out of milk. I just mix up more each evening. No tempting trips to the store where you end up buying extra goods.
Melanee
I have finally found another solution for all those beautiful Christmas cards that you get and don't want to throw away. I make Christmas Post Cards. I recycle them by separating the front part (the front has the picture on it) from the back (it usually has a verse and the names of the sender on it). The BACK the FRONT PART of the card MUST BE BLANK. Measuring back from the edge of the card I draw a quarter of an inch line all around the card. I draw another straight line down the centre. On the right side of the centre line I put the address of the people I want it to go to. On the left-hand side I write my message and greetings. I apply a stamp and you have Christmas post cards. That's why it is so important that the back be blank. The quarter inch line is optional but I find it to be more neater and you have allowed yourself a guideline to keep within.
Judy
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