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Yes, despite your good intentions, you were wrong to leave a tip for your friend as if you had been staying in a hotel. What you are supposed to do is send a thank-you note, bring a host gift, and most importantly reciprocate by inviting your friend to visit you.
Amy
editor's note: For more on Saying Thanks, please click here or check out the discussion in The Dollar Stretcher Community.
I love my garden and really love eating my bounty in the middle of winter from canning it in the fall. This past weekend, it was time to make applesauce. Our kitchen gets unbearably hot on even normal days when I cook a lot. When I told my husband my plans, he suggested we buy a turkey fryer. That enabled me to do my canning outside with the added bonus of just hosing down my mess when I was done. I will never go back to the steaming kitchen again. The turkey cooker worked perfectly. I just alternated cooking my batches of applesauce with the processing, and the timing was just right.
We had to search quite awhile to find a turkey fryer, but I am about sick thinking of how many times I've seen them at garage sales and passed them up. We wanted to make sure we had the proper valves, and that everything would work, so we purchased a new one. My husband figured out quite quickly that the cost would quickly be recouped in air conditioner savings. (On a normal hot/humid day, our A/C costs about $10 a day even when turned up to 75-78 degrees).
The cooker would also work great for doing corn on the cob or any other large batches of garden produce. I am done making a disaster zone of my kitchen. And I need to watch for an additional cooker, so I can process and cook at the same time.
Laura D.
You can slice and caramelize a bunch of onions and freeze them in a popsicle mold, saving time on your next dinner-in-a-hurry without sacrificing flavor.
Rivka in NY
editor's note: You can also do this with a variety of ingredients. I'm always glad when I can save a step or two just by grabbing a baggie out of the freezer and adding it to my recipe.
I make my own foot and body scrub. I pour about 1/4 cup of table salt in a bowl. I then mix enough body wash or shampoo to make a paste. I sit on the edge of the tub and slather the "goop" on my feet, concentrating on my heels, ankles, knees, elbows, etc. I rinse well with warm water. I take my shower after this. I just have to make sure that I rinse the bottom of my feet really well so I don't slip in the tub. I moisturize after the scrub treatment for extra softness.
This scrub is not recommended for your face, as the salt is too harsh. You can substitute granulated white sugar instead of the salt, but make sure you test on your face because the skin on your face can be very sensitive and a harsh scrub may cause irritation to the skin.
Also note that this is an excellent way to use shampoo or body wash you don't like or extra shampoo when you don't have a matching conditioner. In a pinch, I have used conditioner. This works well, but I honestly think I like the shampoo formula better.
Kim J.
editor's note: If you have a method for making you or your family feel good without spending money, please send it to gary@stretcher.com.
Recently, we had work done on our home. The workers laid a piece of plywood on the outside A/C unit to protect it from falling debris. Later that night, we noticed our home was getting hot. My husband went outside and found the outside unit was not on. The next day a service person came to check the unit and found that because the plywood had been left on the unit almost all day, the pressure built up and tripped the pressure switch. He showed my husband where the switch was to reset it. He also said that this happens occasionally when the weather is extremely hot or there's not enough airflow due to weeds or the unit needing to be hosed off. He showed my husband how to properly wash the dust off the coils and how not to bend them. He also showed my husband how to reset it if the switch tripped. If we knew this before, it would have saved us a $130 service call.
Jo
We love pasta in our house. When I cook spaghetti or linguini, I always cook enough for two or three meals. Cook it al dente (or slightly undercook it), rinse with cold water, and put in plastic storage bags in the freezer.
When you want to use it, run hot tap water over it and microwave it for a minute or so per serving. Voila! You have pasta on the table in a couple of minutes. This tip saves at least half of an hour of prep time.
You can do the same thing with rice, and it tastes much better than instant rice. We like brown rice and wild rice, so freezing ahead really is a time saver.
GC
At all the local gas stations near our house, it costs us $0.75 to $1 to put air in our car tires. To avoid those charges every time we need air, we have bought a flat tire repair emergency kit that includes a portable air compressor. Now, we can just plug the air compressor in the car and put air in the tires right at our home. We also use the compressor for putting air in our bicycle tires. In addition, the tire sealant can come in handy in case of a flat tire. The kit costs around $15-$20.
Rakesh A. in Gaithersburg, MD
Sometimes recipes call for small amounts of herbs and produce. I used to throw away so much produce, especially herbs. Now I chop and freeze them in little resealable bags. I do the same with unused vegetables. Not only do I save money, but also I save time and always have the items on hand.
Roseann
I like the flavored packets of instant oatmeal for breakfast, but I had to use two packets to have enough to satisfy my appetite. I found a scoop leftover from another product that measures approximately the same amount as the oatmeal in a packet. I add a scoop of oatmeal from a large round container (which is much more economical than the packets) to a flavored packet of oatmeal to make it go further and still have the added flavor.
RC
One really good way to earn some extra cash in college is tutoring either other college students (in your later years) or high school students. As well as earning you some money, it keeps your basic skills well honed, which is beneficial to you as well. Most often, each department will have a list of tutors, so ask to be added to it. You can also call the high schools in your area and ask to be added to their list of tutors.
Sarah B., Mathematics Educator
editor's note: For additional ways to earn extra cash while in college, please click here.
If you go to church on Sundays, you know that the pressure is on to go out for breakfast or lunch and this can get expensive. Our church has a nice lawn and there are nearby parks. I started packing a picnic basket and stopping after service with my family. We told a few other families to join us. At first, they brought fast food, but now they pack picnic lunches, too. I have saved several families the cost of an expensive lunch or breakfast, and we have more fun since the kids can play outside.
Vanessa M.
editor's note: If you have a method for making you or your family feel good without spending money, please send it to gary@stretcher.com.
Sometimes, when I purchase a new pair of shoes, I will get a blister. To help prevent this, I use a "foot stick" or some type of foot cream (the kind you put on your heels to soften them). I had a pair of shoes that were tight across the front. I rubbed this ointment on my feet and the shoe did not catch my skin and I did not get a blister.
Missy C.
When I go out to eat, I go during the early happy hour. I do not go to drink, but to get appetizers on special. Generally, this requires buying a beverage, but the appetizers are half price, and the sodas are bottomless. Some restaurants don't even require you to purchase a beverage; they just want people to eat during less busy times. Add a bowl of soup, and I usually have enough to take home for a second meal. Also, I get to eat things I don't make at home like cheese sticks and fried mushrooms.
Karen T.
I purchased an $8 plastic laundry basket from a local dollar store. I removed the rope handles and painted it with a mauve color (spray paint for $1). I then drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. The total cost was $9 plus my time. Comparable planters at Wal-Mart cost $25 to $30. Since this is plastic, I can re-use it over and over and year after year.
Bobbi C.
Combine one head of peeled garlic and two cups of water in a blender and blend on high until garlic is finely pureed. Store covered for a day and then strain out the pulp. Add one gallon of water. Put brew in mister bottle and spray tops and bottoms of plants' leaves. Insects don't like the smell and will keep off. Use weekly.
EB
editor's note: For more on safe and natural pest control, please click here.
To earn some extra cash, my daughter used skills I had taught her before she ever left home. She sewed on buttons, fixed hems, and made other repairs. Sewing is a skill that is always useful. There was always someone that was desperate and she would take care of the problem. A sewing kit is a good thing to send along to school with a young student. And they need to know how to use it as well.
Caye H.
To add a sense of spaciousness to my small apartments, I covered an entire length of wall with inexpensive full-length mirrors, so that the room looks twice as large and open as it would otherwise. You could also get the same effect from using mirror tiles.
BJ
editor's note: If you have a method for making you or your family feel good without spending money, please send it to gary@stretcher.com.
I read that instant oatmeal is not the healthiest form of oatmeal. I buy the steel cut oats (which make a much heartier and more flavorful bowl of oatmeal) and make a huge pot full. It does take about half of an hour to cook, but then I cool it and then freeze it in serving-size baggies. With just a quick zap in the microwave, I have hot, fresh and healthier oatmeal. I top mine with a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter (made with just peanuts and no salt, sugar or other additives) and a big splash of pure maple syrup. Delicious!
Donna G. in upstate New York
I use the crumbles in the bottom of the cereal bag in homemade granola bars. Switch out an amount of oats in your recipe for the amount of crumbles you have. It gives an interesting texture and adds nutrients (if you're using healthy cereal that is). Also, it uses something you would normally throw out. This is especially good with frosted wheat type cereals.
J.
editor's note: For several homemade breakfast bar recipes, please click here.
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