Controlling ‘Cling’ Wrap

Plastic wrap or cling wrap often gets wasted as it tears apart or
sticks together. A simple solution that I found is to keep it in the
freezer. It pulls apart easily with no more wasted wrap.
Angie

Spot Free Dishes

Instead of buying expensive spot eliminators for the dishwasher (i.e.
Jet Dry), fill the reservoir with plain white household vinegar. It
works just as well and it is much cheaper. It’s probably better for the
environment as well.
Lorre J. in Phoenix, AZ

Easy Dusting

I keep an old paintbrush with my cleaning supplies. Whenever I have to
dust the bookshelves, I spray it with Endust and brush the dust away.
It’s also made dusting a favorite job for my two kids.
Iris S.

Need Extra Freezer Space?

I have a small apartment refrigerator with a freezer above. I have
found that I double my freezer space simply by taking the frozen contents
out of the boxes that they are purchased in. Most frozen items are
sealed in plastic inside a box or other container. I simply cut out the
instructions for cooking and tape to the plastic. This works really well
for pizzas or boil-in-bag vegetables. Now I take advantage of sales on
frozen items and stock up with no worry about freezer space. If you’re
concerned about the sell by date, then just cut the date out as well and
tape it to the item.
Charyl S.

‘Gentle’ Dishwashing

When my son was an infant, we had received a little basket to use on
the top rack of the dishwasher to hold the bottle nipples and bottle
rings. That came in handy then, and when he was a toddler, I used it for
sippy cup parts. Now six years later, I’m still using it, but I’m using
it for the little plastic containers and such. We don’t use the heated
dry on our dishwasher, so I can even toss in the cream cheese container
to wash and re-use for storing single servings after dinner.
Jen B.

Last Year’s Backpack

My 5- and 8-year-old boys share a room so storage is an issue. I almost
threw out their backpacks from last year because they were a little
ratty, but instead, I washed them and use them to keep things in under
the beds.
Cindy B.

Funding Next Year’s Garden

I love to vegetable garden. I always have more than I can use. I take
my produce into the office and have a “Take Some and Leave a Quarter”
cup next to them. I use this to buy my plants for next year. They get
fresh produce, and I haven’t had to pay for new plants in three years! I
even take requests.
Christian F. in Olathe, KS

Delightful Souvenirs

We travel several times a year. We like to go to a local “antique/junk”
shop and browse for a souvenir. There are always local items available
that delight us. We have a framed painted feather with the Tuzigoot
parrot symbol from AZ, a pair of a child’s Chinese slippers, a enormous
skeleton door key from England, and a myriad of other souvenirs. Each
time I see one of these items displayed in my house, I think of the place
we visited and the money I saved that I can use toward the next trip!
Lyn

Used Auto Auctions

We just bought a used van at an auto auction. We took our time and
shopped at the auction over a six month time period until we found what met
our needs and what constituted a good deal. When we took possession of
our recently purchased van (a bank repo that we got for 50% of
retail), the engine light was on. We weren’t worried because we did all of the
checks. The engine sounds wonderfully quiet. When I took the van to
the auto repair shop, they wanted $78 to scan and tell us what the engine
light code meant!

Being a do-it-yourselfer, I went home and researched what was needed to
do the scan. Just imagine when I found out that I could buy the
software and cable hook-up that scans the van for a mere $120. That’s less
than having to diagnose two engine lights! We may also let our friends
and neighbors know that we will provide this service for a small fee! Our
scanner will pay for itself in no time! So, shop and research to make
sure that you know what you are getting and what you are paying for! By
the way, the scan showed that it was time for an oil change.
D. B. in Manitoba, Canada

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar never gets lumpy in my house. I always have it available
and I never have to pay the extra price to purchase it either. Instead, I
put together just the right amount of brown sugar when I have a recipe
that calls for it. I always have granulated sugar and molasses on
hand. When I have a recipe that calls for brown sugar, I first measure the
granulated sugar for the exact amount the recipes calls for and then
pour in a drop or two of the molasses at a time (it only takes a little)
and work it in until I get just the right color.
Cheryl C. in Midlothian, VA
Gary Foreman
The Dollar Stretcher