As a child, you might have grown a sweet potato plant in a glass of water. The tuber’s eyes grow slips, and the slips can be removed, rooted and planted outside. You can plant avocado pits, celery bottoms (cut off the end from an entire bunch), garlic, carrot tops or green onions, too. The first [...]
Frugal families sometimes splurge on technology. For example, it might seem odd for a family on a budget to have a landline phone and multiple cell phones. But there are plenty of valid reasons to have both phone services. If you’re considering dropping your landline, think it through. You might want to cut back in [...]
DEAR SARA: Iron or dryer? I often will delay ironing until I have a huge pile of it. If I have enough for a full dryer load, which is cheaper: ironing for over an hour or putting it in the dryer for 20 minutes? I have a dryer that’s only a few years old, so [...]
Decoupage can give ordinary objects a new look. It’s simple cutting and pasting. You can use fabric, tissue or paper (magazine cutouts, wallpaper, greeting cards, old calendars, etc.) to achieve beautiful results on most any material, such as plastic, wood, metal, glass, canvas and wax, to name a few. Use decoupage medium such as Mod [...]
Hear the words “head lice” and you probably start itching. Parents dread to discover their child has lice. They’re contagious, and, while they don’t jump or fly, they travel from head to head easily. With kids close together at school, this becomes a likely place for kids to get lice. Here are a few ways [...]
Most gardeners, on some level, are concerned about the state of the local ecological environment. Gardening and wildlife are synonymous with one another, with certain members of the natural world playing a key part in pest control for the ornamental plant and vegetable grower. Whilst some of us may not like the huge spider lurking [...]
DEAR SARA: I need help with old glass-top canning jars. I was given two boxes of glass-top canning jars. They have the orange rubber seal and the metal that is around and on top of the jar. How do you use these? I wanted to make a small batch of spaghetti sauce. My sister-in-law got [...]
This contest is sponsored by BISSELL. I own another brand steam mop that had awesome online reviews. In fact, the hype partially encouraged me to buy it. It didn’t live up to the hype. I was disappointed. I’ve only used it three times in the last year. It’s sad when you prefer a mop and [...]
With Christmas only just around the corner its time to get creative, and for the garden minded fantastic gifts can be easily and cheaply made from a variety of bulbs. By creating a gift incorporating both seasonal and forced bulbs, a beautiful and cheerful present can be given which will continue to inspire for months [...]
A dusty ceiling fan can damage the motor. Dust can fly around whenever you turn it on, too. Some people can reach their fan with a step stool or small ladder, but even that can be a hassle. There are ceiling-fan cleaning tools that have an extension pole, but why buy a tool when you [...]
The top tip I get is for cutting dryer sheets in half. Using them twice ranks second. Many people don’t use dryer sheets. They prefer liquid fabric softener; vinegar; a combination of vinegar, baking soda and water; cheap hair conditioner; Charlie’s Soap; or none at all. If you do use dryer sheets, you can reserve [...]
DEAR SARA: I am looking for homemade dish-washing soap recipe. Not the homemade automatic dishwasher kind. — Yvonne, Texas DEAR YVONNE: Here are two dish soap (not dishwasher) recipes. 1/4 cup soap flakes (grated ivory) 2 cups hot water 1/4 cup glycerin 1/2 teaspoon lemon or lavender essential oil Dissolve soap flakes in hot water. [...]
photo by jams_123 DEAR SARA: How do you handle the mess of winter boots? Ugh, already the entryway is a mess from winter boots dragging in the snow, dirt and mud. I have a small carpet at the door, but it’s not helping much. — Cindy, e-mail
photo by Dannynic Tortilla wraps are light, frugal fare. Assemble them hot or cold. Fill your tortilla with your favorite fixings such as omelette, salad combinations or sandwich fillings, and fold them in half or roll them up. Serve them whole or slice them into sections. They travel well and are great for grab-and-go snacks, [...]
It’s time to spring clean. One overwhelming task can be organizing toys. It can be next to impossible if your child knows what you’re up to. Suddenly, toys that have been long since forgotten become precious novelties. And, as a parent, you don’t want to be the meanie who threw away a childhood favorite toy [...]
photo by Gaetan Lee DEAR SARA: I heard that a plastic laundry basket could be used as a cheap bassinet/crib for a baby. What are your thoughts on this? — Lori, e-mail DEAR LORI: I’m not a medical expert, but I wouldn’t use it. I realize many people used to let their babies sleep in [...]
Peanut butter balls can be time consuming to make. You have to roll the peanut butter and dip it into the melted chocolate. Your hands can cramp before you’re done. Luckily, you can get the same delicious flavor by making peanut butter bars instead. PEANUT BUTTER BARS: We make peanut butter bars instead of peanut [...]
