Don’t you wish your tax return arrived before the holidays? It’s been many years since I’ve received a tax return. I owe every year and look forward to the summer months when expenses are lower because the holidays and tax season have passed. Sometimes I miss having that little extra money to add to my emergency fund. Back then, it was a bit easier. There was a simple form to fill out and it was filed in no time. But I hated to wait for the return to arrive. Now it seems many people have their returns before I’ve even filed. Times have certainly changed over the years. Now you can e-file and wait for a paper check or get direct deposit which takes typically 10 days. There’s even Visa Prepaid cards which are ideal for loading your tax refund, because it directly deposits your refunds on your card, which is faster than waiting for a check in the mail, too. Plus, because of Visa’s “zero liability” policy, your tax refund is safe, even if your card is lost or stolen. However, when going to a tax preparer, many people do not know the account number or routing number of their Visa Prepaid cards. As a result, they are unable to take advantage of directly loading their tax refunds onto their Visa Prepaid cards.

To help people get ready for tax season, Visa created the Know Your Numbers instant win game, where one can play a game for a chance to win a tablet PC or $15 Visa Gift card while learning about the importance of knowing one’s accounting and routing numbers. Furthermore, each game play gives the user an opportunity to win the grand prize of a $2,000 Visa Gift card.

Tell me how you file your taxes and what are your plans for your tax return? 

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Saltshakers are plentiful at thrift stores, or you may have a few spares around your home. These handy little containers can be used in a variety of ways. Many of these uses will work for plastic Parmesan cheese shakers, too.

Cinnamon and sugar:

Combine cinnamon and sugar into a shaker and you’ll have it ready for toast or French toast, oatmeal, hot cocoa or coffee.
Glitter: Add glitter to shakers for craft projects. You can add colored sand to them, too.

Easy ornament:

Clear glass salt and pepper shakers filled with candy make great gifts or Christmas ornaments. Just slip a thin satin ribbon through the holes on the top, tie closed and use the ribbon as the hanger.

Stop splattering grease:

When cooking eggs, grease often splatters. Keep a shaker of cornstarch ready and sprinkle a bit in the pan to stop the splattering. Or fill the shaker with flour and use whenever you need to dust your counters or for pans when baking.

Air freshener:

Add a cotton ball soaked in vanilla or essential oil, or fill with coffee grounds, baking soda, vinegar or potpourri. The holes in the lid release the scents and help draw in any odors.

Terrarium:

Add tiny plants, soil, small pebbles and moss to a clear glass saltshaker and you have a cute mini-terrarium.

Colored sugars for baked goods:

Put a drop of food coloring in a container that has a tight lid, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar and shake. Spread on a plate and shake again if it clumps. Store in an airtight container. Save spice jars with the shaker top or reserve a saltshaker to store the sugar.

Vases:

Group various shakers and use them as miniature vases for wildflowers. They fit perfectly on a window ledge.

Photo stand:

Use a saltshaker as a base to create a photo stand. Coil 20-gauge craft wire. Insert the wire into the holes in the lid. Use sand, salt, buttons, beads or any small items and fill the shaker to stabilize the wire so it can hold a photo. For a tutorial, visit whimsy-love.com/2009/11/salt-shaker-photo-stand-tutorial.html

Pincushion:

Fill the shaker with fabric scraps or buttons. Add fiberfill or a piece of wool at the top and put the lid back on. Pins go into the holes and are secured by the wool or fiberfill.

In the garden:

Use a saltshaker to dispense tiny seeds evenly when sowing. One reader, Susie from Minnesota, shares another idea: “Getting seeds to sprout can be difficult. I use gelatin to help fight disease. I sow my seeds and add gelatin to a saltshaker and sprinkle the gelatin over the seeds. Then I mist the seeds and cover with wet paper towels. Once the seeds have sprouted, I remove the paper towels. When watering, I add a teaspoon of gelatin to a gallon of liquid fertilizer, too.”
Popcorn seasoning: Create your own popcorn seasoning mix and store it in a large saltshaker. Sprinkle it on your freshly popped popcorn. For popcorn seasoning recipes, visit recipegoldmine.com/popcornsav/popcornsav.html.

photo by spduchamp http://www.flickr.com/photos/duchamp/2171841087/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Air fresheners smell great, but they only mask odors. To really rid the air of smells in your home, open the windows and let the fresh air in. Bring in houseplants, keep things clean, remove smelly shoes and empty trash daily. If you enjoy scents, you can combine a few drops of essential oil and water in a spray bottle and use as a room mist. Simmer natural items such as apple and citrus peels, cinnamon or fresh mint leaves and water in a slow cooker or on the stovetop, or soak a cotton ball with vanilla or essential oil.
The following suggestions can help freshen the air, too:

Clean and deodorize the microwave:

Microwaves get dirty and smelly. They can be a pain to keep clean if you don’t clean them immediately after splatters or spills. To clean your microwave with ease, simply combine a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 cup water (or 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water) in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a wooden spoon to the bowl to prevent super-heating. Cook on high for three to five minutes or until steam condenses. Wipe down the interior of the microwave with a cloth. If any smell remains, repeat the lemon and water procedure, but add a couple of cloves to the mixture.

Castile soap:

Dilute and spray on counters or floors. Peppermint scent makes the kitchen smell fresh.

Fireplace scent:

Use dried citrus peels or dried herb bundles for added scent. Make the bundles using dry herbs and natural materials, such as rosemary, lavender, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and eucalyptus. You can add raspberry canes and pine cones to various dried herbs, too. Cut them to about 10 inches and bundle them together (with the stems facing the center of the bundle) using raffia. Place them in the fireplace as fire starter, or add them to a smoldering fire for fragrance.

Garbage disposal:

Pour baking soda and vinegar into your garbage disposal. Cover the drain and let it sit for five minutes. Flush it with boiling water. Afterward, grind ice cubes, salt and citrus peels to give it a fresh scent.

Try coffee grounds:

Set coffee grounds (either unused or used and dried) in a bowl or Dixie cup in an inconspicuous area to add scent and absorb bad smells. Putting them in a sachet works best, but you can use a section of nylon pantyhose, too. If you don’t want to use coffee grounds, you can use baking soda and a few drops of essential oil instead. Place in a mason jar and cover the mouth of the jar with tulle, using the jar ring to hold it on.

Closets:

Hang a cedar block. Use crumpled newspaper or baking soda inside shoes, or pour kitty litter into a spare sock and place it in the shoes. Put the shoes outside periodically to air out.

Use soap bars:

Open up a few cakes of bath soap and put them in your drawers to add scent. Dryer sheets or free perfume samples from magazines will work, as well. Both can help your bathroom smell nice, too.

In your vacuum:

If you have a central vacuum system, put several drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and put it in the vacuum receptacle to fill a room with essential oil scent.

Trash cans:

Sprinkle borax into your trash can to prevent it from smelling, or toss a dryer sheet into the bottom. Speaking of dryer sheets, put a sheet in a linen closet, a suitcase when traveling, sneakers, the trunk of your car, at the bottom of your clothes hamper, in your vacuum bag, tucked inside a toilet paper roll or around the holder, etc., to keep odors at bay.

Carpet deodorizer:

Borax is a good product to use on pet “accidents” and spilled milk on carpets. Blot the spill with a cloth. Pour borax onto it and let it absorb and deodorize, then vacuum. Test an inconspicuous area of your carpet beforehand. For simple carpet deodorizing, combine 1/2 cup borax and 1/2 cup baking soda in a bowl. Add 20 drops of essential oil and stir. Transfer powder to an empty Parmesan cheese container. Shake the powder onto your carpet. Vacuum after 15 minutes.

photo by smart goat http://www.flickr.com/photos/mabray/142413896/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Hosiery gets snags and tears pretty easily. While a snag or tear doesn’t always make them unwearable, most of the time, they go straight to the trashcan. Instead of throwing them away, they can be used around your home.
Here are some suggestions:

Skin exfoliant:

Rather than spending money on a costly skincare product, go natural. One reader, Lori from Illinois, suggests: “Cut a leg off of a pair of pantyhose or knee-highs and fill the foot part with equal parts baking soda and brown sugar. Tie the end. Double the pantyhose thickness to make sure the ingredients don’t seep out too fast. Wet the skin and, if you want, lightly lather with a body shampoo, soap or olive oil. Use the nylons as a loofah and gently scrub your skin. Afterward, apply a light moisturizer.” Along the same lines, you can wad a section into a ball and use as a little scouring pad for cleaning.

Deodorize shoes:

Pour some litter into a pair of socks or cut sections of hosiery. Place the litter “tubes” in your shoes to absorb odors. This works well to keep moisture away from camping gear, such as tents and sleeping bags, too.

Store onions:

Drop an onion in, tie a knot above it, drop another onion in and repeat with a knot, and so on. Then hang them. This keeps them separated while allowing plenty of air circulation. One reader, H.M. From Michigan, shares: “Garlic bulbs won’t sprout if tied up in pantyhose.”

Mr. Grass Head:

Make your own mock Chia Pet. The only supplies needed are a section of stocking, grass seeds, potting soil, a baby food jar and some wiggly eyes.
For directions, visit frugalvillage.com/2005/12/08/frugal-winter-fun-with-kids.

Skimmer:

Use a rubber band to attach a piece of pantyhose over the end of your vacuum, then go over an area where you dropped a small object. It will get picked up without getting sucked into your vacuum. Another reader, Darlene from New York, shares: “My mom used to make bug and leaf skimmers out of panty hose for our kiddie pools. She’d take a wire coat hanger and bend it into the shape she wanted, then slip it into the pantyhose and tie it.”

Indoor tennis:

Make a game by stretching cut legs of stockings over wire hangers bent into circles to make tennis rackets. Hit balloons back and forth with your homemade rackets.

Soap slivers:

Place soap slivers in a section of hosiery and attach it to your bathroom faucet for cleaning up, or hang it near your outside faucet for washing up after working in the garden. Speaking of gardens, use a small portion of pantyhose to line flowerpots so water can drain out but dirt won’t fall through the bottom, or cut the legs into rubber-band-like circles and use them to tie garden plants to stakes. Another reader, Sam from Ohio, shares: “At our Girl Scout camp, they use laundry detergent containers as hand-washing stations. They put a small bar of soap in a section of panty hose and tie it onto a laundry detergent pump jug.”

Sachet:

Add potpourri to a small section of pantyhose. Tie it off and place it in your closet or dresser.

Gift wrap:

Use strips to tie your wrapping paper so it doesn’t unravel while it’s being stored. Another reader, Missy from Colorado, adds: “You can put a roll of wrapping paper in each leg and hang them in the back of a closet to keep the paper from getting mangled throughout the year.”

photo by lizhenry http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizhenry/3413309290/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Baby powder is a popular baby shower gift. If you’re a new parent, you’ll probably have more than you know what to do with. Many parents don’t use much of it for their baby, so rather than let it collect dust, you can use it around your home.
Here are a few suggestions:

Halloween:

You can make your hair white by sprinkling baby powder in it. One reader, Palooka from Missouri, shares: “When I was a teen, I dressed up for work as an old lady. I put my hair in a bun, poured tons of baby powder in it to make it look gray and wore my mom’s robe and slippers.” This works well for school plays, too.

Hot sheets:

During summer months, your bed can feel hot and clingy. Sprinkle baby powder between your sheets to help with humidity and perspiration. It gives your sheets a fresh scent, too.

Deter ants:

Leave a powder line near doors and windows to prevent ants from crossing over.

Add it to your beach bag:

If you sprinkle baby powder on yourself before you get in the car, the sand will slide right off.

Clean grease:

Baby powder also works well for removing grease on kitchen walls. Rub the grease spot with powder and a soft cloth. Another reader, Lisa C. from Texas, shares: “Sprinkle cornstarch or baby powder over the grease stain, let it sit for a few minutes, then brush it off. The powder absorbs the grease. You can use Dawn dishwashing liquid for grease stains, too.”

Baby powder also works well for removing grease from suede. You can absorb the stain by blotting it with a soft, dry cloth and then applying baby powder, cornmeal or cornstarch. Let it set for a few hours. Use a suede brush to remove the absorbent product. Do this a couple of times, until the grease stain is far less noticeable. Lastly, gently rub a pencil eraser over any remaining stain.

For shoes:

Baby powder keeps sneakers dry and comfortable. If your shoes are squeaking, sometimes sprinkling powder inside them can stop the noise.

Unstick items:

Playing cards often stick together. If you place them in a bag, add some baby powder and shake the bag, they’ll stop sticking. Baby powder works well on inflatable beach/pool toys, too. Once they’ve been deflated and folded up, inflatable toys tend to stick to themselves and can rip easily. Sprinkle them with baby powder to help keep them intact.

On hair:

Sprinkle baby powder on your hair and brush it out to give your hair volume. Another reader, M.M. from Georgia, shares: “If I don’t have time to shower before I go out, I brush my hair with baby powder from root to end. It absorbs the oils so my hair looks freshly blow-dried.”

Detangle a necklace:

If the chain gets tangled, apply a bit of baby powder or baby oil to help slide the tangles out with a pin or needle. Baby powder works for detangling shoelaces, too.

photo by mandimaibe http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandimaebe/3020295963/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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An ice cream scoop is an essential kitchen tool. If you use it solely to scoop ice cream, you’re missing out on getting full use of the perfectly portioned servings from this frugal-favorite item.
Here are a few ways to use your ice cream scoop:

Mounded side dishes:

Think: rice, macaroni dishes or mashed potatoes. Bring that school cafeteria concept into your home.

Perfect pancakes:

An ice cream scoop makes it easy to pour pancake batter onto your griddle. It’s less messy, and all of your pancakes will be of consistent size. One reader, Margery from Canada, shares: “I put my ice cream scoop (a spring-loaded model) to good use for faster pancakes and muffins in the morning. I spray the muffin tins with Pam cooking spray and then, using the scoop, I portion out a drip-free glob of muffin batter, perfectly sized for a standard muffin cup. I have also been using it to make the most perfectly proportioned little circles of buttermilk pancakes. There are no drips, and everything is measured precisely so the pancakes don’t run over the edge of my electric nonstick griddle; nor do they run into one another and become distorted. I use my small mini-scoop for meatballs, too.” For freezer meatball recipes, visit frugalvillage.com/forums/oamc-homecanning-freezing-preserving/40163-freezer-meatball-recipes.html.

Cupcakes:

Much like using it for muffins, you can use a scoop to make cupcakes, too. Not only can you scoop the batter and pour it into your baking cups, but you can you scoop frosting onto each cupcake after they’ve cooled. This makes it easier and less messy for kids to help frost the batch.

Cookies:

Use an ice cream scoop when making drop cookies. Bake them immediately or flash-freeze the cookie dough balls and transfer them to freezer bags to bake later. One reader, S.B. from Pennsylvania, shares: “I use an ice cream scoop for perfect cookies! Everyone always comments on how nice they look. Here’s a recipe from the 1930s:
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix shortening, butter, sugars, egg and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and blend in. Mix in nuts and chips. Bake at 375 degrees F on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Makes 4 dozen cookies.”

Hamburger patties:

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop patty portions onto wax paper-lined cookie sheets or cutting boards. Flatten. Top with more wax paper and repeat. Freeze as-is. Later, when frozen, cut the wax paper, leaving it attached to the frozen burger patties, and transfer to jumbo freezer bags.

Removing seeds:

Use a big scoop to clean out a pumpkin or a small scoop to scrape out vegetables such as butternut squash or green bell peppers.

Stuff it:

Use a scoop to stuff peppers or to scoop out chicken salad or meat spreads for sandwiches.

Ice cream treats:

You can portion scoops of ice cream and freeze ahead of time for a party. Another reader, Gina from Ohio, shares: “Make ice cream balls on a stick by using a small ice cream scoop. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Insert a wooden craft spoon into each, and place in the freezer.”

Digging:

Ice cream scoops make fun beach/sandbox toys for kids. Pack one in your beach bag. Kids can use them like a shovel or as a mold. Use one for re-potting houseplants or to dig in your garden, too.

photo by ms tea http://www.flickr.com/photos/teagrrl/88671152/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Shaving cream can be used for more than a close, smooth shave. Use the following tips to get the most out of inexpensive cans of shaving cream.

Shaving-cream paint:

Combine non-gel shaving cream with a couple of drops of food coloring. Let your children use construction paper, a sliding glass door, a section of foil or a cookie sheet, or they can just sit in the tub for finger-foam fun. It’s easy to clean: Simply rinse with water. Make puffy paint by mixing equal parts glue and shaving cream. Add a couple of drops of food coloring or tempera paint for color. Use a paintbrush and paint onto construction paper.

Spot cleaner for walls and carpets:

Apply shaving cream on the crayon-stained area and leave it for a few minutes. Wipe the shaving cream away with a damp cloth, or use a scrub pad first and then a damp cloth. One reader, Jessica from Washington, shares: “I use shaving cream — the creamy kind that I can get at the dollar store — on light-colored carpets. Squirt a little shaving cream on the spot and dab/blot it with a damp rag. Wait until it dries, then vacuum the spot. You may have to treat it two or three times, but it works. I got soaked-in, dried-out red soda out of white carpet and coffee out of beige carpet.”

Appliances and bathrooms:

Put shaving cream on your bathroom mirror and wipe it off to keep your mirror fog-free. Let kids be little helpers, too. Give them some shaving cream and a washcloth and let them clean tile and vinyl floors, sinks, tubs, faucets and mirrors. Another reader, Tisha from Canada, shares: “Shaving cream (the foamy kind) gets the grime out of the handles of your appliances. Rub it onto the handle in the dirty spots and let it sit for 10 minutes, then rub it down with a damp cloth.”

Party fun:

Let kids put shaving cream (or hair gel or mousse) in their hair and create funny hairstyles. Another reader, Sami, emails her party game idea: “Older boys often enjoy gross or messy games. We play a game where two kids partner up. One kid piles shaving cream on his head. The other stands behind a line and tries to throw Cheerios into the shaving cream. The team that gets the most Cheerios stuck in the shaving cream wins. Obviously, this is an outdoor game. Afterward, the kids can clean up with a water balloon fight.”

School desk cleaner:

It’s quick and easy to place a small dollop of shaving cream on students’ desks with a paper towel to wipe it off. Lower elementary-age kids can practice writing sight words before wiping it away.

Clean hands:

Bring a can of shaving cream to clean your hands when you go camping. Another reader, P.J. from New York, adds: “This is especially good on your hands when they are covered with tree sap. It works amazingly well on fresh clothes stains, sticky messes and yucky showers.”

Sunburn:

For serious burns, seek medical attention. But to get you through the first 24 hours of a mild sunburn (read: no blisters) that stings and causes discomfort, take some ibuprofen and drink plenty of water to rehydrate your body. Applying vinegar and aloe can help relieve the pain, too. Another reader, Jen, shares her suggestion: “I use shaving cream foam on sunburns. Yes, it is a little messy and funny-looking. I apply it to the burn as if I was going to shave that area, then I let it sit. I leave it on until it has soaked in, then I wipe it off using cool water. Don’t ask me how, but it pulls the heat out and prevents blistering. I have used this several times on myself and my daughter, as we burn easily.”

photo by katerha http://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha/5653265792/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Plastic cereal bags are reusable. Use them to store baked goods or a sandwich, contain ingredients to be crushed with a rolling pin, apply breadcrumb coatings to meat, fish and poultry, or roll up cookie-dough logs to freeze. They’re useful when making hamburger patties to freeze, too: you can cut sections of the liner and put them between the patties so they don’t stick together.
The first reader tip shares another use:

Reuse cereal bags:

I save all the sturdy inner bags of cereal and reuse them to freeze garden produce. I seal the bag with my food saver unit if it’s holding something juicy. For shredded zucchini, I bag 16 ounces, roll the top over and staple the bag closed (be sure to remove the staple when thawing in the microwave). I weigh all the food and mark the outside of the packages. I’ve also used cereal bags to freeze wild game meat; they actually work better than freezer paper. — Bob, forums

Use for hydrogen peroxide:

I use 3-percent hydrogen peroxide as a skin toner for my face. After washing my face, I wipe it with a cotton pad moistened with hydrogen peroxide. My face seems to be clearer and fresher-looking. — B.J., Indiana

Buy quality tools:

My tip is not to skimp on tools you will use a lot. Buy good quality so it will stand up to years of use. I’m still using the Estwing hammer I bought in 1987, for example, and it’s as good as the day I bought it, in spite of hundreds of hours of use in the past decades. We’ve had cheaper hammers over the years that haven’t stood up to the use; my Estwing hammer will probably last the rest of my life. Cheap tools are OK for occasional light use, but it’s more costly to continually buy cheap tools that break than one good tool that lasts through frequent use. “Tools” includes kitchen items, sewing machines and anything else that gets a lot of use and abuse. — S.D., Minnesota

Reuse coffee grounds:

I have a stainless, insulated French press. Here in Colorado the weather is very dry, and mold issues are almost non-existent. When I lived in New Jersey, I had to reuse coffee grounds within 24 hours to avoid mold, but not here; I now reuse them up to three times over a 72-hour period without issues in flavor or quality. French presses are ideal for storing and reusing grounds. Our $70 pot has paid for itself over and over since we invested in it. My exact process to reuse grounds that make a full pot is to refill the pot with half hot water and stir, steep for 10 minutes, press and drink. That’s decaf. If I want a little more “oomph” or a bit of caffeine, I add enough fresh grounds for one cup of coffee to the old grounds and fill the pot halfway with hot water, then I stir, wait and press (produces three cups finished coffee). — Constance, Colorado

Ice-cube tray use:

I make cookie dough and freeze it by placing it in an ice-cube tray. I transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer storage bag or leave them in the tray and cover it with plastic wrap. I freeze herbs in ice-cube trays, too, in water, broth, olive oil or melted butter. — Linda, Pennsylvania

photo by jonahbonahhandmade http://www.flickr.com/photos/77423179@N02/7097063893/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Pillowcases are durable pouches that can be used for creative and practical projects around your home. They come in a variety of patterns, and chances are you have one or more without a mate. You can find them dirt-cheap at thrift stores and garage sales, too.
Here are a few ideas for putting pillowcases to new use:

Story bag:

Make a cute pillow case drawstring bag, then fill it with a few secondhand books, stuffed or small toys, puzzles, workbook pages, craft activities and supplies or flashcards, etc., that follow the theme of the stories. For a tutorial, visit sewddelicious.blogspot.com/2012/02/pillowcase-to-drawstring-bag-tutorial.html. You can also use the drawstring bag as a sleepover bag, to hold laundry, unmated socks or beach gear, or as a reusable gift bag.

Organizer:

Use a pillowcase for sheet storage. One reader, M.F. from Canada, shares: “I fold fitted sheets as best I can, then store them inside the matching pillowcase, along with the top sheet and the other pillowcase. It looks tidy on the shelf, and it’s all in one place when it’s time to change the bedding.”

Fun floor cushion:

Sew five or six pillowcases together. Insert pillows into each case to make a cushioned “mattress” kids can use on the floor to lounge, watch TV or take a nap.

Pajama keeper:

Cut an opening in a large stuffed animal and remove some stuffing from the body, keeping the head, arms and legs stuffed. Insert a pillowcase that’s been cut to fit inside the body. Sew the pillowcase to the opening you cut, or remove the stuffing and sew in a zipper. Kids can then store pajamas inside.

Draft stopper:

Stuff one end of a pillowcase with unmated socks and roll it into a tube. Then put rubber bands (or ribbon or strips of fabric if you want it to look more stylish) around the tube in a few places to keep it from unrolling. Use self-sticking Velcro, placing half on the door and half on the draft stopper, to hold it in place; or, if the door is metal, glue magnets to the draft stopper. You can make a draft stopper like this out of the legs of old jeans, too.

Wash stuffed animals:

To prevent a stuffed animal from coming in contact with your washing machine agitator, place it in a pillowcase and wash it in cold water on the delicate cycle.

Pillowcase snowman:

Get started on your holiday crafts early. Stuff a white pillowcase with polyfill. Sew the opening closed, or use self-sticking Velcro so it can be washed easily. Tie a scarf around the pillowcase one-third of the way down to form the body. Add a winter hat; glue on wiggle, button, pompom or fabric-paint eyes and a felt nose; then glue buttons vertically down the front.

Garment bag:

Protect tops from getting dusty in the closet. This works more nicely than flimsy dry-cleaning bags. Simply cut a hole in the seam of a pillowcase and slip it over the hanger.

Classroom and party craft:

A pillowcase is like a mini canvas to draw or paint on. For a cute preschool classroom memento, have each child bring a pillowcase and apply fabric paint to each child’s hand so they can press their handprint on each pillowcase. They can write their names with fabric markers, too. For a tutorial, visit kinderteacher.com/Pillowcases.htm. This website sells pre-printed pillowcases with a clever little poem for this project.
Another reader, Neeley, shares: “When my daughter turned 8 we had a slumber party for her. I bought a white pillowcase for each girl instead of traditional goodie bags. Before the party, I used a fabric marker and decoratively wrote their name in the center of their pillow. At the party, all of the girls used fabric markers to sign each other’s pillowcase and write a short message. I put a piece of cardboard in the pillowcase so the marker wouldn’t bleed through.”

Pillowcase dress:

A pillowcase can become a toddler dress. Visit sewlikemymom.com/easiest-pillowcase-dress-ever for a free pillowcase dress pattern.

photo by lisa clark http://www.flickr.com/photos/polkadotcreations/3908634266/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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Toothpaste is a common stockpile item in frugal households, and for good reason. It can often be bought on sale, and its mild abrasiveness makes it work wonders not only on your teeth, but around your home, too. What ways have you used toothpaste in your home?
Here are a few uses for white (non-gel) toothpaste:

Prevent foggy swim goggles:

Rub toothpaste on your diving mask/swim goggles to prevent fogging. Apply regular toothpaste to the lenses and rinse them. This will sound gross, but rubbing saliva on them works well, too. Give them a light rinse afterward. You can also fill a squirt bottle with a mixture of one part baby shampoo and two parts water. Apply the mixture and lightly rinse.

Fog-free mirrors:

To keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up, put shaving cream on it and wipe it off, or apply toothpaste with a damp cloth and wipe it off.

Chrome cleaner:

Toothpaste is great for cleaning chrome. Smear it on, rub with a damp cloth, then rinse and buff with a dry cloth until it shines.

Clean a flat screen:

Use a microfiber cloth. Flannel works well, too. Dampen the cloth with either water or water mixed with vinegar or isopropyl alcohol. To prevent damage, don’t press hard or spray product directly on the screen. Another reader, Kellie J., from Indiana, shares: “My son scribbled on my computer screen with permanent marker. I wasn’t sure how I would ever remove it, but I used rubbing alcohol and it came right off. After I admitted what happened to my husband, he said I could have used a little toothpaste or a pencil eraser, too.”

Remove crayon on wall:

If you have a few scribbles to clean off a painted wall, try toothpaste and a damp cloth.

Water marks:

Have a water mark or ring on your table? Apply toothpaste and lightly scrub with a damp cloth to remove it.

Whiten nails from dark polish:

If you forgot to apply a base coat and your polish stained your nails, use some toothpaste to remove the staining. One reader, Penny from Kentucky, shares: “Use whitening toothpaste for toes that get stained from dark nail polish. I used a nailbrush, but an old toothbrush would work. Scrub and rinse.”
Along the same lines, if you cut onions and the smell lingers on your hands, you can do a quick scrub and wash to make your hands smell better and clean your fingernails at the same time.

Quick zit fix:

This isn’t intended for anyone with skin sensitivities or ongoing skin problems. With that said, a dab of toothpaste can sometimes help with the occasional bug bite or pimple. Another reader, Juls from New York, shares: “Put a small amount of toothpaste on the problem area before you go to sleep at night. Wash with cold water in the morning. It has the same effect as those pore pads. This dries your skin and gives good results.”

Clean shoes:

Apply toothpaste to leather sneakers and rubber soles, then scrub with a damp cloth or toothbrush to remove scuff marks.

photo by jonas b http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasb/394424710/sizes/z/in/photostream/

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