photo by somegeekintn
DEAR SARA: No salt for five days. Help me! I am kicking the salt habit. I love salt more than anything else on earth. I carry salt packets with me, can’t eat without salt, think of salt all the time, and could use a salt lick a day! — Sinopa, Virginia
DEAR SINOPA: I don’t use much table salt, so my answer will probably sound easier said than done. …

photo by clicksense
DEAR SARA: I have about 10 plastic three-ring binders that I bought for back to school two years ago. My kids never used them. Do you have any great ideas on ways to upcycle them? — Andrea, West Virginia
DEAR ANDREA: You can decorate the outside with fabric or contact paper. Insert page protectors, and use them to hold recipes, photos, appliance manuals, coupons, magazine clippings, artwork, printable …

photo by Tama Leaver
DEAR SARA: I made a ham and just froze the bone and some ham for soup later, but what can I do with the drippings? Seems a shame to waste them. I’ve never done anything with ham drippings. At the very least, I could make some suet for the birdies. Any other suggestions? Could I perhaps use them to make soup broth? — Leslie, Illinois
DEAR LESLIE: You …

photo by LeifheitUSA
DEAR SARA: How often do you vacuum your home? My friends and family think I am insane because I vacuum darn near every day. It just got me wondering, how often is normal? — Lisa, Virginia
DEAR LISA: Although I’m frugal, I want my home to be tidy. I typically vacuum daily. If you don’t have young children or pets, you might not need to vacuum on a daily …