photo by Rob
The first tip was shared by a reader, and it seems like a good deal. Contact the airline, and ask them their policy and rules before buying vouchers on Web sites such as eBay. I called American Airlines, Northwestern Airlines and United Airlines. AA’s representative told me that the flight coupons given when you’re bumped off a flight are not transferable. But she also stated that there are many other types of coupons that are. In fact, there were too many to list. Northwestern’s representative told me that none of their vouchers are transferable. A United Airlines representative told me their vouchers for bumped or overbooked flights are transferable. Proceed at your own risk.

FRUGAL FLYING: Right now, it costs me nearly $600 for a round trip to Oregon, where my mom lives. Then I thought about those flight coupons that people get when they get bumped off a flight. But I haven’t been bumped off. Where could I get one? eBay! I checked there, and sure enough, people sell their flight coupons (which is not illegal). The ones I’ve found so far are for a round trip anywhere in the United States, and travel can be booked almost a year in advance; it just has to be booked by a certain date. I’ve been finding them for $250 to $320. That saves me about $300 on a flight! — Anne, Pennsylvania

REUSE DRYER SHEETS: I use the Bounce dryer sheets after they come out of the dryer and put them on my Swiffer mop to pick up the dust and dog hair. — Serena, New York
Note from Sara: You can use washcloths, cut flannel shirts, cloth diapers, socks, micro-fiber cloths, etc., as Swiffer pads, too.

DUAL-USE VASE: I really wanted a nice glass pitcher in which to place my orange juice. I buy frozen orange juice and add water to it. Heavy glass pitchers are expensive. So, as I was browsing my cheap thrift store, I saw a nice heavy glass vase. It was probably used for funeral flowers, but I could care less. It was only $1.03, so I bought it, washed it, and started using it for my orange juice. It is tall enough that I can make a full amount of orange juice with some room to spare at the top. I just cover it with a piece of aluminum foil, which I reuse. I didn’t even think about it until my sister came to visit and commented that it was a really pretty vase. — Larabelle, Texas

STAIN REMOVAL: To remove coffee stains inside a coffee mug or the coffee carafe, simply pour some table salt on a damp sponge and scrub gently. The stain will come right up. Made our carafe look like new again. — Khaski, New Hampshire

CONSIDER COSTS: Look at the price of things you’re going to buy. Take that price, and divide it by the money you make in an hour of work. That will tell you how many hours of work or days of your life that you will give in exchange for that item or items. — Natalie, Idaho

WRAP IT UP: For odd-shaped presents, I take cardboard and cut out a circle a little bigger than the base of the item. Next, I set the cardboard circle in the center of the wrapping paper, set the item on the circle, then just draw the paper up around it and tie it off at the top with either ribbon or a nice piece of jute. It probably uses up more wrapping paper that way, but it is fast and looks kind of like a gift basket when you’re done. — Donna, California

FRUGAL HOLIDAY GREETINGS: Send postcards instead of regular cards. Take your old holiday cards, cut off the front, and use it as a postcard. Remember the postcard rules for filling it out! — Sue, Ohio

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