photo by steakpinball
DEAR SARA: Do you have a recipe that includes jelly beans as an ingredient? I have a half-quart of these things, and rather than eat them mindlessly, I’d like to do something creative. Thanks for any advice. — Kellie V., Arkansas
DEAR KELLIE: They are good on top of frosted cakes, cupcakes (can arrange 5 jelly beans like flower petals), brownies or sugar cookies, or added to Rice Krispies …

photo by miheco
Homemade toys can be made from the simplest materials. The first tip is a wonderful way to recycle milk cartons. Kids can decorate them with printed pictures, stickers, crayons, etc. While you’re being creative and crafty, reuse any oatmeal containers, shoe boxes or paper-towel tubes you have for this fun project. When it’s time to put it all away, a container such as an empty plastic kitty-litter tub …

photo by Janet Dancer
Parties can be expensive. One way to combat the high cost is to have a frugality party. Typically, when you entertain, you might not consider recycling or creating less waste. These aren’t simply parties on the cheap. Frugality parties are environmentally friendly, too. One reader, Sarah in Illinois, shares: “I got invited to a frugal party! How funny is this! I think it states the way the …

Reuse it instead of throwing it away. You hear this often, but you don’t want to save too many containers and create clutter. This is why it’s important to reduce the amount of packaging you buy in the first place. You pay more for items with excessive packaging, and you create more waste.