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You might wait to see what it looks like when it's dried all the way. That may take a few days to happen. Often wood finishes will look white when they've absorbed water. It may feel unfinished because the wood has absorbed water and the fibers swell up. If it's still hazy/white when totally dry, you can sand just that area and refinish it. If you haven't done this before, you could talk to someone at the hardware store to make sure you get the right sandpaper grits and then stain and finish so it matches.
CAJudi
editor's note: For more on Removing Hardwood Floor Stains, please click here or check out the discussion in The Dollar Stretcher Community.
Here's an idea for the cold winter months. Windshield washer de-icing fluid is a great help for those freezing winter months, but it is usually two to three times the price of regular fluid. Instead of filling the washer reservoir with the de-icing fluid, I fill a squirt bottle with the fluid and keep it inside the car. After a few quick squirts, I turn the wipers on, and the windshield is clear. Using this method can make one gallon of de-icing fluid last quite a long time.
Paul I.
Everyone sends greeting cards, but they are so expensive. Some of the new popular cards have old-fashioned black and white images on them. Why send a card with a picture of someone you don't know? Acquire old photographs from grandma or mom and do some scanning. Print them out yourself at home or at a print center and paste them onto card stock. Your family and friends will love them. My family has enjoyed cards with photos of them from even 10 years ago. If you're real creative, you can add unique backgrounds or borders to the photographs before you print them. These cards are more likely to be framed than tossed out later.
Lori Lee B. in Wayland, MI
I had been doing this trick for about two years. Now is the time of year the clothing sales are huge! Most of what is left is small sizes or big sizes or something marked with the wrong size. I size up and then take it home to alter it myself.
I bought a lovely elastic waist skirt this season in a much larger size. I came home and shortened the elastic and removed a little fabric at the seam. Not only did I find a "designer" item on sale, but also it is now "tailored" to be the proper fit for me.
Cindy in South Carolina
Our countertops were old and stained, but we could not spend the money to have new ones put in. I brushed primer on them and then spray-painted them with American Accents Stone Creations paint, although any similar paint would work. You can see what the colors will look like on the lid. I used about 2 1/2 cans and then protected the countertops with several thin layers of polyurethane. Everyone thinks that we have installed new countertops! This was a quick fix without much expense.
Carolyn H.
Try buying glasses online for a fraction of the cost. I paid less than $15 each for my children's glasses with clip on sunglasses. I have done this several times and have not had any problems out of the ordinary. I just take them to a local shop that repairs glasses if they need to be adjusted or if they lose screws or nose pieces. They usually do any repairs for $5 or less. Since my children's prescriptions change every year, I can order a whole new set of glasses and not worry about the cost.
I have also ordered bifocals for myself from them. They were under $40, but this may not be for everyone as they just automatically cut the bifocal at a certain point on the frame and there is no personalized fitting. My optometrist advised me not to order bifocals online, as there is very little room for error.
In addition to your prescription, all you need is a PD or Pupillary Distance. Unfortunately most optometrists leave this measurement off from your prescription, but you can measure this yourself. Mine was happy to write my PD on the prescription when I asked for it.
VS in Arkansas
editor's note: Find more information about buying glasses online here.
I find the best winter coats and clothing from a local military store or online. A "field jacket" that comes in different colors like black is a good choice. They come with a removable liner and have a hood that can be hidden. They also have many good-sized pockets for a cell phone, power bars, hand warmers, etc. It's a real coat that keeps one warm and can be counted on especially if there is car trouble in bad weather.
Camo pants now come in black and they are very functional and durable. Lightweight black military socks are designed to keep the feet dry and warm. High tech sweatshirts are great to keep warm and are very durable. Nylon t-shirts are great for the very hot days.
The prices are far more reasonable than the high cost of fashion sports wear.
Ann, A Troop Supporter
As a landlord, I occasionally need to clean really grubby tubs and showers when prepping for the next tenant. I buy the cheapest hair shampoo I can find. Greasy hair formula works best. I just coat the surface with a thin film and let it sit for a couple hours. It usually cleans everything off with minimum effort and expense.
John in Ohio
I was buying ponytail holders every time I went to the store. They would break after one or two uses, and it was getting very expensive. I decided to use an elastic band from the top of a pair of knee-highs. Not only does it work, but they also stay in while sleeping. I have suntan and nude and they match my hair pretty well. They can be used for a long time. I have been giving them to friends that have extremely thick hair and one friend has used hers for a couple of months so far. You can actually buy knee-highs in all different colors to match your hair or wardrobe. I have not had to buy pony tail holders in six months. What a savings!
Pamela B.
Three friends and I get together about every six weeks to cook five meals times five. We cook five different entrees and make five of each of those. Each of us goes home with five meals to freeze and we have an additional set of five meals to give away to someone in need or someone who has just had a baby.
With bulk shopping at Sam's Club, we are usually able to keep the cost of each entree at about $5 and we have a fun morning of chatting. One of us does the planning and shopping and then everyone else reimburses that person. In the end, it saves on gas a bit too for those not shopping that week.
We have found that plastic dishpans work well for mixing large quantities of food.
(We bought new dishpans that are designated for just that use.) Most of the entrees are able to be put into freezer bags, which can be frozen flat for those who don't have a separate freezer. We also usually make one meal that doesn't freeze as well and plan to have it the evening we cook. We bring a casserole or other appropriate dish to put that meal into and that saves on one set of freezer bags. It is wonderful to have those meals ready to go. On a busy day, it prevents just picking something up or driving through for fast food.
Lisa
I carry a couple of cardboard boxes (folded flat) in my vehicle to provide traction if I get stuck in a winter snowstorm. A couple of newspapers folded in half are another alternative that works amazingly well.
Diana C. in Spruce View, Alberta, Canada
editor's note: A winter emergency kit is something that every car in snow country should have. But what should be included in this kit? Click here for a list of items that should be included in your winter car safety kit.
I enjoy watching the shopping channels on television, like QVC and HSN, but I found I was spending too much. I chose a secret phrase that would help me to not buy the item for at least 24 hours. My phrase is "must have." Anytime a show host says that the item is a "must have," I know it is not. Usually by the time 24 hours rolls around, my enthusiasm has cooled or the item sells out.
A reader in Scottsdale
editor's note: For more on controlling spending, please click here.
I started a new job recently, and have to get out of the house a half hour sooner. I was getting a lot of grief from my eight-year-old son, who is not a morning person. He usually wears track pants and some sort of top to school, especially in this cold weather. I suggested that after his bath in the evening, he put on his clothes for school instead of pajamas. This saved a big hassle of choosing something to wear the next day and getting changed when it is cold in the morning. Also, the track pants are warmer than his pajamas, so he is not cold at night.
This has saved me from buying him new winter pajamas, saved on laundry, and saved time and hassles in the morning. Now he only has to brush his teeth and comb his hair and he's ready to go. If we have time to have breakfast at home, that's great. Otherwise, using tips I learned here, we pack a breakfast to go, which he eats in the car on the way to school.
Evelyn S.
Sometimes it is easy to forget to return an item that you did not need. I find it helpful to save my receipts in a monthly 12-section divider, so I can find it to return an item. Most stores accept returns for only a short time, so I file my monthly receipts and then look two or three months earlier to see if there is a large item that I have purchased and thrown in the back of my closet. It is helpful as I may have forgotten, and when I find the receipt and the item, I put them together in a grocery bag or tape the receipt to the item. It is like found money!
Diane
List everything from your shopping list to your day's activities to your ultimate goals on paper. It will increase your efficiency and accomplishments tremendously.
Gil D.
If you have a carpet stain and can't remove it, you can cut out the area and put in a remnant piece that you get on sale at a carpet store that compliments the color of the old carpet. It really looks nice and is quite a decorative feature. You may have to get a carpet layer to do this unless you are handy yourself, but it's worth the effort.
Leonora K. in Battle Creek, Michigan
editor's note: If you saved some of the scraps from the initial installation, you may be able to use that to fill the cut-out.
About a year or so ago, I decided to kick my soda habit of two 12-ounce cans a day. I did this primarily for my health, but also because of the cost. So, I went on water for a while and then started drinking fruit juices. Over time, I began to increase my juice consumption to the point I was drinking the same amount of sugar as the sodas.
I was at the store last weekend looking for alternatives to juice and soda that didn't have artificial sweetners and discovered club soda. This is common sense to most people, but it wasn't for me. I'd heard of club soda, but never tried it. I certainly didn't know it was zero calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar! They even have low sodium club soda, which I got.
I began putting a fraction of the amount of juice in my glass, and topping it off with club soda. I get some sweetness from the juice, and know I will be spending far less as the club soda is very inexpensive compared to other sodas. I get the fizz I missed, too. Usually after a week, I would have gone through a whole bottle of my favorite orange juice. Doing it this way, I've barely used half the bottle this week. My daughter is grown, but I think kids could be persuaded to enjoy this. It is really very tasty. I can't wait to try it with other juices.
Cheryl in Rhome, TX
editor's note: Be aware that the juice/club soda mix is not as nutritious as juice alone. But, if taste is your main consideration, it's certainly a good solution.
My tip is save your used dryer sheets for cleaning soap scum off shower and tub doors and walls. They are also good to shine up the chrome on your sink and tub fixtures. I have the cultured marble tub surrounds, and it works great to clean the soap scum off the walls and keeps them shining. You have to use a used dryer sheet because a fresh one will suds up. You can actually see the dirt on the dryer sheet. And it's free since it's already been used for drying your clothes.
Pat
editor's note: For more on cleaning baths & showers, please click here.
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