I wanted to give a safety tip about monogramming backpacks or clothing. I once read that it is much better to put initials (AJK) on an item than the child’s name (Allie). This is because a predator has instant trust if he can say, “Hey, Allie! Your mother said…” The child may think, well, he knows my name, so it must be real.
Andrea

Bowls of vinegar (it doesn’t need to be heated first) can be used for any unpleasant odors in the home. I always use it when I cook fish. Also, I put it on the cloth when I wipe out my microwave and/or oven. It’s great for removing the odors from carpeting and upholstery as well.
Sharon in Virginia

I never liked the taste of any type of bread that had been frozen and then thawed. The crust always seemed “funky” after it thawed. Having recently adopted three little girls, we now go through about three loaves of bread per week. I was always running to the store for bread. My friend told me to thaw the bread on a rack to get airflow underneath it. I now buy bread every time it’s on sale, and it tastes fresher than the first day that I bought it. I think the airflow underneath is the trick. Who would’ve known? This has saved me numerous trips to the grocery store for that fresh loaf of bread.
Shelly of Fort Lauderdale

I liked the look of the floor wand/mop with the end that swivels to clean behind toilets and comes off for cleaning sinks and counters. However, I didn’t want to pay for the expensive cleaning pads. So I decided to make my own pads. One of my husband’s old socks fits well over the end and I add my own cleaner or just use water. Then I can throw the sock in the wash and reuse it.
Rita R.

I know salt isn’t expensive, but it really is a shame to waste. Don’t you just hate it when in this humidity, salt (especially sea salt that is not iodized) clumps up in the shaker? I roast raw rice (any kind) in a dry stick-proof or cast iron pan on medium heat until it’s golden brown and very dry. Then, I let it cool, pour some in the salt shaker, and then add the salt. You will find free flowing salt every time. When it’s time to refill, I use the same rice over and over.
Trudy

At a young age, children like to pick out a new backpack every school year. $5 to $10 is a good price for a backpack. However, these will only last one school year (or less), but youngsters like a new one every year so this is acceptable.

When my children reached eighth grade, they needed a bigger, sturdier backpack. We let them choose one at a heftier price. The backpack was to last through high school so they better like the color and style. My oldest son is going into his second year of college and he still uses the backpack he got in eighth grade. They take care of it, but they certainly are not gentle with it. My theory is that “you get what you pay for.”
Susan L. (mother of three teenage boys)

 
I buy onions and peppers when they’re on sale, and then cut/slice/dice them up and freeze in a resealable bag. We like vidalia onions and the color peppers. I always ask the produce manager if I can have a discount on slightly overripe peppers, the ones with slight dimples that people will generally pass over for the smooth ones. I can often get six to ten of them for a dollar. I slice a bunch of different color peppers with onions and bag them together for quick stir-fry. Dice up onions and green peppers and freeze for quick chili. You can even freeze halved peppers to stuff down the road. It also works to dice and freeze celery and parsnips. When I get a slew of bargain veggies, I sit down and have a dice-a-thon while watching a DVD! I’m wheelchair-enabled, so this is a great energy-conservation technique!
Rani
 

I am in the middle of potty-training my two-year-old. He does fine in training pants during the day, but he always wakes up in the mornings and after his afternoon nap wet. I considered buying Pull-Ups for him until I thought about swim diapers. I happened to have four swim diapers on hand, and for the last two weeks, I have used them in place of the cloth diapers. I love them! I’m enjoying the convenience without the price!

However, they are not as absorbent as regular diapers so I wouldn’t recommend using them in place of disposable diapers for smaller children. You will end up with a mess on your hand. Use for potty training accidents only!
Jennifer

I have found a way to save some on electricity. Since towels and jeans take a long time to dry, I discovered that if I wash these items just before bedtime and dry them the next day, I use less electricity. The clothes have dried slightly but not enough to cause a problem and you don’t get wrinkled clothes either. I use a fabric softener sheet as I do with other clothes. Just don’t forget to dry them early the next day.
Janice T.

I buy old birdcages at thrift stores. With a pair of wire cutters (to make “entryways”) and a drill (to drill holes in the bottom for drainage), I can transform them into squirrel- free bird feeders.
Barb

I figured out a way to freeze chicken breasts so they are easy to thaw out. I buy boneless breast in bulk, and before I go to package them for freezing, I rinse them thoroughly. I put one chicken breast each in its own quart or sandwich size resealable bag and then put all of them in a freezer bag. When we have friends over or I just want to bake one breast for a salad, I just reach in and pull out the number of pieces I need!
P J S in Fishers, Indiana

Yesterday, I was about to leave home wearing my brand new casual shoes, and although they were comfortable, I felt the strap across my instep would probably rub a blister on my foot by the end of the day. It’s hot summertime in the South and I did not want to wear hose. I started to grab some Band-Aids, but they would show through the strap. At the last minute, I decided to experiment by rubbing my instep with petroleum jelly. Amazingly, there was immediate comfort and this lasted all day. At the end of the day, I had no blisters at all.
Jane

We use a bit of “Armor-All” on the attached lids of the 95-gallon trash carts we have. The raccoons have a hard time standing on the slick surface and they don’t like the taste on their paws. Besides, it shines up the lids rather nicely, preserving their life, too.
Heather
 

Gary Foreman
The Dollar Stretcher
gary@stretcher.com