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The Energy Contest- We are trying desperately to cut down on our utility bills. This month I came up with a fun way to get everyone to pitch in. We are playing a game in which every family member can earn points by saving energy. If someone is caught leaving a light on in the house that they are not using, a point is deducted. Everyone who helps hang clothes on the line, take them down, fold them and put them away, earns a point for each load. There are weekly prizes planned and a grand prize at the end of the month. Angela B-F
Bowl Breakfasts- Rice saves amazingly well in the fridge, so when I make a pot of rice, I make enough to last our family of five for two days. I purchased Tupperware bowls that fit one serving perfectly, and I put the rice, cinnamon and sugar in the bowls and pack them in the fridge.
The kids pull a bowl out, microwave it, and have a hot healthy breakfast ready for them with the right amount of sugar! I also fry sausage links every other day so that they have two sausage links to go with their rice and I keep fruit that they can grab and milk. They have a healthy breakfast every morning! You can also do this with flavored oatmeal, grits, and healthy cereal. If the bowl is made ahead of time, you know your kids are getting the right servings.Theresa G.
Old Socks- When traveling with a bottle of refrigerated water, I put it into a sock that is long enough to cover the top. Carrying water this way in my bag or tote keeps it cool even in the summer. Also, if you accidentally neglect to screw the top on the bottle tight enough, the sock absorbs some of the spilled water before it leaks into your tote.Hilary S.
Daily Gift- I received a Zen page a day calendar this year. I save every page (I cut off the date), and at Christmas, I will buy or make a nice container and put all the folded-up sayings inside it. Voila! My sister will have a Zen saying every day! I’ve also collected inspirational quotes. Following the same procedure listed above, I will have several presents that will last all year and some very happy recipients! They will also know that I put time, effort (very little!) and love (a lot!) into their gift.Rebecca S.
‘Real’ Savings- After a couple years of cutting my own hair, I thought about all the money I’d “saved.” Then it dawned on me that it wasn’t “saved” at all. It just wasn’t spent on a hair cut. Starting the first of this year, I decided I did such a good job of cutting my own hair, I budgeted and paid myself $20 a month. The $20 then gets put in the savings account. Now, it is saved.KG
Custom Cold Packs- I have bad knees, so I often need to ice them. I was using ice cubes or frozen bags of water, but all those corners are terribly unpleasant. I went to the pharmacy to buy one of those reusable gel packs only to find out that they are terribly expensive! My husband joked that we should fill a bag with whiskey and put that in the freezer, which gave me an even cheaper idea. I took an 89-cent bottle of rubbing alcohol out of the medicine cabinet, poured some into a freezer bag with twice as much water, and stuck it in the freezer. I had a reusable gel-pack with no sharp corners for less than a dollar. I have two in my freezer all the time, so after I’ve used one, I can exchange it for the other.Janine S.
Cabinet Protection- When we installed our new cabinets about 10 years ago, we used new floor linoleum to put under the sink inside the cabinet. Water leaks no longer cause damage to our cabinet. You can get scraps cheap at any store that sells linoleum.Lakie A.
Ceiling Fan Cleaning- Don’t waste your money on special fan blade cleaning brushes or your time trying to dust them by hand only to have the dust fall into your hair and eyes. Instead, when you change the bed linens, take your used pillowcase and slip it over a blade. Then grip it firmly on both sides of the blade and pull the pillowcase towards you. Both sides are now dusted, and the mess is contained within the pillowcase. When done, just toss the pillowcase into the washer.Barbara P.
Just a Bit- When you need just a portion of a cabbage or lettuce head, remove the undesirable outside leaves/skin but keep the root end intact. Cut off from the top as you need it and wash well for use. Keep root end portion stored in refrigerator as usual. This works for onions as well. Gladys
Camping Cooler- Every summer my husband and I attend a big camping event for eight or nine days. Before we leave, I buy bottled water and freeze enough to fill our cooler and we take these bottles with us. This provides two benefits. We don’t have to buy ice until four or five days into the event (when everyone else we know is making almost daily ice runs), and we have ice cold water for several days of camping.Tammy
Dent Removal- How many of us have moved heavy furniture and saw those dreaded indents in the carpet where the furniture sat? Just take a steam iron, place a cloth under it on the indent, and let it sit a second. The steam will swell the padding back to it original level. Janice H.