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Readers' Tips

Making a Cozy Closet

We did this for our kids as they got older. We took the doors off the bedroom closet and hung up "hippie" beads (you can get them in stores like Bed Bath & Beyond or Spencers) as a privacy curtain. Then, we painted the inside of the closet whatever colors they chose and added some painted designs with glow in the dark paint. We put in a black light and a regular light (small lamp with a 40-watt bulb). We didn't have electricity in the closets either but ran a cord along the wall and floor trim and tacked it down good. As long as your lights are of a low wattage, you should be fine. We put in a blow up chair or one of those fabric covered foam seats you can get in any discount department store. For one child we actually used several hippie bead curtains and made the opening to the closet even larger (a few feet out from the original opening) and added several blow up chairs for her and her friends. Eventually we bought her an inexpensive hippie looking telephone at Radio Shack and ran the phone line into the closet. She really appreciated the privacy. There's a lot you can do with an empty closet for a pre-teen. Just use your imagination.
Joan

editor's note: more suggestions on creating a special private place for your kids

Great Lo-Cal Snacks

I make "Skinny Shakes". There is a basic recipe and many variations. The basic recipe is in approximation. Dump into your blender about 1/2 cup of skim or 2% milk, one banana that is broken into pieces, a packet or two of sugar substitute. Then whiz until smooth and start dropping ice cubes into the mixture, one or two at a time. Keep adding the ice cubes until your shake is as thick as desired. Delicious! For a variation, add fresh or frozen strawberries, chocolate syrup to taste, crushed pineapple, or a fresh peach. The possibilities are endless. But always include the banana. It makes the shake smooth and creamy.
GH

editor's note: more great Lo-Cal Snacks

Dimmer Doubts

We thought we were saving money using dimmer switches. My husband recently took a class on electricity for the homeowner at our local community college. He learned that dimmers do not save money, and that if you do not turn them off all the way to the click, they continue to use as much electricity as if they were on all the way. We just received our first full month's electricity bill since we started to turn our dimmer switches off all the way. We used almost 4 kilowatts less per day. It is not a lot of money, but it adds up over a year.
Jane B.

Warmer Hands

Now that I am older (74), the circulation in my body isn't what it used to be. I wear socks on my feet 24/7. When the temperature here in Texas goes below 70 degrees, my hands also get cold. I found that I can get one size fits all washable gloves at Wal-Mart for less than $2. I cut the tips of the fingers off. By doing that, I can wear the gloves on my hands during my waking hours while doing housework, etc. (all except washing dishes). I even wear these gloves to the grocery store. I'm extremely glad that I figured out a way to keep my hands warm without having to turn up the heat.
Susie Q.

No More Fabric Softener Needed

I am chemically sensitive and cannot tolerate fabric softener scents (liquid or sheet). A neat tip to prevent static build- up on your clothes in the dryer is to use 3 or 4 aluminum foil balls (approximately 2 or more inches wide) with every load you dry. You can reuse them over and over. It really works!
Julie L.

The Cost of Soda

My dearest hubby is a soda addict, but I've almost solved the problem. It wasn't so much that he had to have the soda. Instead, it was the convenience of the bottle itself. The 'grab and go' concept was at work here.

Not wanting to buy the rather expensive plastic drinking containers (yes, made well but infuriating when lost), I gathered up his vast collection of 16 and 20 oz. 'contraband' that he had stock piled and cleaned all of them. I keep them full and ready to go in the fridge. Guess what? His average of 2-3 bottles of soda (upwards of $3.50 a day problem) turned into a once or twice a week sneaky treat. This is great in the summertime for freezing water and using with much less ice in coolers (making an easier clean up and it will thaw out for drinking water later in the trip).
Dawn M.

Cayenne Convert

I have discovered that Cayenne pepper has some great benefits, aside from cooking! It is an inexpensive pest repellant. Put a couple of teaspoons of the pepper into a spray bottle, fill with water, shake and spray. Specifically, animals, such as rodents, do not like it. Spray in suspect areas, including the garbage can. It's natural, inexpensive, and quite a deterrent. Another use is to keep your feet warm. Sprinkle in your socks before heading out skiing or snowboarding into the winter chill. You will see it doesn't take much and your toes and feet do stay quite toasty!
Jeanie W.

Next Year

Here's a post-Christmas tip for your readers. I've found that many Christmas get-togethers are during the first week of December. They often take place before we've even decorated our home. The best way to be prepared for next year is to keep two boxes accessible when you put away your Christmas items in January. I keep handy one box of new, small Christmas gifts, such as candles, mugs, kitchen towels, and other items for a gift exchange or hostess gift. These must be non-perishable and are always purchased at deep discounts after Christmas. I also keep one box of Christmas clothes far back in my closet. That way when I go out during the first part of December, I can grab a red or green sweater and look festive. This is one way I have found to de-stress early December and keep focused on the reason for the season.
Chris in CA

Insider Reports:
Buying a Vacuum

I have been in and around the vacuum cleaner industry for over 16 years. In that time, I have sold and serviced almost all the various brands of vacuum cleaners. The best advice that I can share with you is to always look for value. What are you getting for your money? Disregard the bells and whistles!

Miele makes a great unit that will meet all of your requirements. It's "THE BLUE MOON" dollar for dollar best value in vacuums. With it, you get German engineering and craftsmanship. It is also quiet, powerful, and provides a Hepa clean. It has a larger bag capacity than the Flamanco II and a motorized power head. All the tools store in the unit and it has a crush prove hose with all the controls in the handle. It also has upright use capability for stairs and will lie down to three inches for those hard to reach places.

Find a local dealer and negotiate a fair price. You will not regret it. As for Oreck, it is highly overpriced and has problems with the belt/brush roller and the fan. Instead, check out the Riccar Supralite, which weighs less than eight pounds and is half the cost.

And finally a message to Kirby, Elextrolux, Rainbow, Hoover, Eureka, Kenmore, Sharp and the rest of the Panasonic knock offs. Please keep manufacturing the same quality as you have been, as it keeps the repair industry thriving.
J. of Chicago

Cold Comfort

I found a double duty item - cotton gloves! I recently began using a heavy hand cream at night to combat my winter dry skin. I put the cream on my hands, and then I put on a pair of light cotton gloves to keep the moisturizer on my hands, not on the sheets. To my delight, the gloves not only worked for the cream, but they also kept my hands at the perfect temperature all night. My chronically cold hands were toasty and I was very happy!
Julie in Washington State

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