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For a sample copy of The Dollar Stretcher newsletter, send $2 to: Dollar Stretcher Sample, 6695 Cortez Road W., Bradenton FL 34210. Copyright 2007 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Visit The Dollar Stretcher for even more tips & ideas!
Child’s Play
My four-year-old daughter loves to play outside after school. To keep her wardrobe in good condition and to cut down on clothing expenses, I came up with a way to help her change into “play” clothes. When I’m taking care of our laundry, I fold her play clothes inside out. That way, when she’s pulling clothing from her dresser drawer, she knows which items are okay to wear for play outdoors. I considered keeping them in a separate drawer, but they could easily get misplaced. My inside out plan works perfectly, and she’s proud of her new independence. Valerie in Michigan
Extend Your Mattress’ Life
It’s hard to remember to flip and turn your mattress, but it’s well known that this is the way to extend the use of this expensive part of your home. Use Daylight Savings time changes to help you remember. Spin in Spring so that the head is now at the foot of your bed. Flip in Fall to bring the underneath side to the top. Over the course of two years, your mattress will be back where it started. Sharon F. in Coronado, CA
My Allowance = Impulse Control
I have a calculated allowance that I grant myself every week that I keep in a separate wallet. I then remove all credit cards (leave them at home) and only keep my bank card for emergencies. I find that when I have a set amount of money for spending, I only look towards that wallet, and if the item I want goes over what’s in there, I find it easy to keep away from the impulsive purchase. Annette
Boxes-of-Boxes
When it’s time to relocate to another home or apartment, finding an inexpensive source for moving boxes is always a challenge. I found the perfect solution with my last move, and that is the shoe store! Each day, shoe stores receive dozens of large boxes filled with nothing but smaller boxes (which in turn are filled with brand new shoes). Though I’m not ordinarily a “dumpster diver,” my local store manager gave me permission to take whatever I needed from his bin outside. The boxes were clean. Best of all, they were plentiful and free! Glenda in Chicago
Breastfeeding Pumps
Here’s a quick idea on breastfeeding. You can borrow a breast pump or get one used and replace the tubing, which is where the sanitation issues lie. The pump itself is nothing more than an engine to get the pump to work. I did this with my second child and saved hundreds of dollars on buying/renting a pump. JHM in Boston, MA
Outbound!
We placed a cork board on the front door so that we can see it as we are leaving the house. On this, we post a monthly calendar where we list all of our activities and are able to post notes. We also have a slot that we can put rented movies or other things that need to be returned. This has saved us a lot in gas by not having to travel back home because we forgot something. It also saves in late fees from forgetting returns and helps our family of 5 (all going in different directions) run smoother. Theresa G.
Got It Covered
After Hurricane Isabel flooded our home, our furniture needs were so great. We got a fantastic deal on several pieces with a local furniture store. With five children, we were concerned about them scratching the coffee and end tables with their toys. We invested less than $50 on used plastic sheeting (Lexan) from a company that considered it scrap. We cut it to the right length and placed it on the top of the tables. We used little felt ‘feet’ attached to the bottom of the plastic to lift it off of the tables. That allows for air flow. The plastic does not affect appearance, is waterproof for drinks, and has protected the surface from scratches, crayons and markers. Not only is it saving the furniture, but also it saves time in cleaning. I can pick up the plastic sheeting and see exactly where it needs to be wiped off. It’s been well worth the small investment to protect our tables. Wendy A. in Hayes, VA
Let’s Do That Again!
My favorite time tip is to put little post-it notes on the pages of my favorite recipes in my cookbook. It’s great when I’m feeling uninspired or need something new to make for dinner. I just flip through the tabs where I’ve marked our favorite recipes and choose something we haven’t eaten in a while. Kathy
Fresh Flowers Plus
I’ve always loved having an arrangement of fresh flowers, but the cost was too much for me. Also, they would die too quickly! Now I indulge myself without guilt. I buy a small potted flower and set this on my dining room table to enjoy for about a week. Then I plant it outside. My yard looks beautiful! Lataine from N.C.
Family On a Mission
Because we live frugally in order to homeschool our kids, we as a family understand this mission and everyone is expected to contribute. When my 12-year-old cleans the kitchen, I am able to have more time to cook from scratch instead of getting tired from doing all of the chores and ordering pizza. When my 8-year-old picks up after the dogs and cleans the yard, my husband has more time to fix the lawn mower rather than drop it off at the repair shop. Additional benefits include having two sons who can fend for themselves, aren’t scared of hard work, and are always courteous guests. Rachel in St. Louis, MO
Garden “Beds”
We started our first vegetable garden after reading the book “Square Foot Gardening.” We built one 4×4 bed as outlined in the book (using cedar) and used an old waterbed frame for the other. (We posted for one using freecycle.org and received several offers.) We had great results in both beds and received many compliments. No one had realized that one of the beds was literally a bed frame simply tossed onto the yard and filled with old newspaper and soil. If we can grow a great garden in our small yard, almost anyone can. Mary in IL
Amy-
I look forward to these tips!
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These are great!
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Great tips! I love the square foot gardening too.
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Amy-
Overall, good tips!
However, I cannot condone the tip about the breastpump. Being a microbiologist, I know the hidden dangers that bacteria, yeast and mold can pose. Even the manufactureres NEVER recommend sharing a pump; having just had a precious baby girl myself, I took one look at her and couldn’t even fathom the idea of risking her life to save money. HIV, CMV, hepatitis and other pathogens can be carried in the breastmilk of infected women – and be aerosolized and transferred to the inner mechanisms of the pump, thereby making it contaminated. The yeast that causes thrush may be transferred as well (it is known to live on surfaces for long periods of time).
I think the manufacturers just need to make a “multi-user” pump (instead of the common single-user pumps) that is more affordable. Maybe if we all complain loudly enough???
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Thank you for posting this valuable information. These tips are supplied to me by a third party so I appreciate your feedback on these!
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I too look forward to getting these great tips!
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Anonymous, why then does the WIC program offer loaner pumps? You’re telling me this gov’t program is risking people’s lives by doing that? Hmm, not that it would be the first time but..?
I’d like to hear other professional opinions on this too. Not that I’m doubting you, just have never heard that. The thing is, if that is true, then any machine ever used on someone who has hiv or the others you listed is therefore contaminated? Is that what you are saying?
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Amy, I love everything you’ve ever written! Keep up the good work!
As for the breast pump issue: I had planned on renting one from the hospital, but unforunately could not breastfeed due to medical issues. Does that also mean hospitals are endangering women’s lives too? That is quite scary if so.
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unOk, I am no where near an expert on bf, but i looked into the germ issue too- and we asked it in a bf class. This is what I remember-
Never borrow from anyone(but I did, a one time user and I used my own sterile equipment from the hospital)
The staff at the hospital claim their pumps get sterlized everytime someone brings them back(I also used the hospital pump for the first 2 months of nursing to establish a good supply)
I receive WIC assistance and they give you a new, unopened kit along with a breastpump(that I am hoping they sterlize after every use to). I did not need to use theirs but took it home in case my girlfriends broke.
I am sure your friendly lac consultant at the hospital or even websites like LA Lache or Medela.com also address this question.
Hope this helps some. Jakesmom
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Thrifty Blogger and Marva -
Jakesmom is right; both Medela’s and LaLeche League’s website address the question of shared breast pumps.
Hospital grade pumps are built for multiple users – this means that the pump can be taken apart and sterilized so another person can use the pump. Pumps you buy at Target, Walmart and others are not able to be sterilized. That’s why they don’t recommend sharing/buying a used pump.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy a used pump. But my sister-in-laws share theirs – they must feel as if their history is safe enough that they are not endangering each others’ kids. It IS a huge expense to buy a new pump, but in the long run, SO much cheaper than buying formula for a year+ or even renting a hospital grade pump by the month. (I checked into that here and it was $65/mo. – or $780 for a year! A new pump is only $240 or less (Pump in Style).)
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