photo by ronnie liew
You can remove pilling on clothing to make them look new again. This can be especially helpful when buying secondhand sweaters. There are various ways to remove pilling, such as using fabric combs, pumice/sweater stones, duct tape or electric beard trimmers. I like the first tip, too. It works like a charm. Just be careful not to snag the material.

RETHINK: A note on Fuzz Buster clothes shavers: You can just use a disposable double-edged razor, and it will work just as well. In fact, in my experiences, it works better. Just shave the surface gently. Dry-cleaning shops use this all the time. So if you don’t want to spend moolah on a Fuzz Buster and the batteries to go with it, grab a generic razor and go to town. — Shelly, Kansas

REFILL: My sister and I are often sharing ideas to save in new ways. She came up with this one, and I think it’s one of the best. We both like to use the square tissue boxes because they take up less space and we have pretty decorative covers for them. But the square tissue boxes are much more expensive per tissue than the rectangular ones – about two to three times more when you do the math. She took the empty square box and opened the folded seams (very easy, they just pull apart). Then she took out a bunch of tissues from the rectangle box, folded the stack in half, and placed them in the opened square box and taped the seam back up. You get instant savings because one large rectangular tissue box will fill three smaller squares. — Jodi B., e-mail

REPURPOSE: Use the vinyl-stick tiles (where you pull the paper off the back) underneath your kitchen sink and bath vanity. It makes wiping up super-easy. — Jan, Indiana

RECHECK: We’re redoing our kitchen counter so everything under the sink had to be removed. In the back was a can of cleanser. I almost threw it out. I shook it, and there didn’t seem to be anything much in it, but I decided to take a look and see how much was there. So I opened it with a can opener. I was surprised! There was a lot more than I thought. So if you want to save money on cleanser, the next time you think it’s all gone open the can with a can opener. If you’re like me, you’ll get at least one more use out of it, or maybe two. — Judi, New Hampshire

REPAIR: I’ve saved hundreds by performing DIY auto-repair projects and skipping expensive service shops. I definitely recommend that everyone buy a repair manual for their car. Many problems can be fixed easily without seeking professional help, even brake repair, and the amount of money you save really adds up over the years. Car issues can be the most annoying and unplanned expense. I’ve learned that it’s much less painful when I can fix my car without relying upon a mechanic. Getting a repair manual is the best tip I can offer. — Caitlin, e-mail

REUSE: Quilted mattress covers for twin beds (got them cheap at a yard sale) with the “fitted” parts trimmed off are stuck to the insides of my metal exterior doors with peel-and-stick magnetic tape to act as insulation. — Vail, Washington

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