Dollar Stretcher Tips
Dollar Stretcher Tips courtesy
of TheDollarStretcher.com.
Email your time or money saving tip to Tips@stretcher.com.
Veggie Wash
When washing fruits and veggies, white vinegar comes in handy.
Fill a bowl with cold water and a few tablespoons of vinegar.
Put the fruit in to soak a few minutes and wipe dry. I was amazed
how much junk came off on the towel I used compared to the soap
and water method, which I used to use. And there is no vinegar
taste left on the fruit.
BO
Let Your Fingers Do the Vacationing
Here's another tip for saving money when visiting attractions.
Check the phone book in your hotel room. Most have coupon sections
now, and you may find savings on museum fees, local restaurant
prices, etc.
Also, call local supermarkets and ask if they
are selling discount tickets to amusement parks, etc.
Mary W.
At the Ready
I leave a backpack in my car with a complete change of clothes
for all three of my girls. (Don't forget socks and underwear!)
Even though they are way past the diaper stage,
they are not past the "falling in a creek at a park stage"
or the "spilling a milk shake down their shirt stage"
on the way to visit out of town friends. I also keep pain relievers,
indigestion medicine, Band-Aids, a plastic silverware set, bug
spray, pens, and hair ties for them.
It is something that does not take up a lot
of room but has been a real life saver in many situations. In
the summer, I also keep a swimsuit in the bag.
Mandy I.
Juice Box Geysers
We don't buy drinking boxes often, so when we do, it is very
disappointing when one of the kids squeezes it and wastes half
the contents. We solved this problem by replacing the attached
straw with a longer "regular" straw. No more spills,
messes or waste.
Kathy R.
Ready for Bills
I found a great way to make sure I always have plenty of money
to pay the bills when they come. I opened another checking account.
At my bank, this is free. My only cost is the checks, which
I would be using anyway if I only had one account.
I add up what my bills usually are each month
(there are only two that vary in amount from month to month)
and then divide by four (usually four paydays in a month). For
me, my bills add up to $1700 a month, so I take $425 out of
my regular checking and put it into my bills account. Then,
when my bills come in the mail, I always have plenty of money
to pay them!
Also, since there is four "extra"
paydays a year (meaning five in one month instead of four),
I end up with an extra $1700 at the end of the year! What could
be better than that? I never have late bills, and I have nearly
two thousand dollars to put toward vacation, retirement, or
whatever every year!
Sarah in TX
Soap Savings
For those who prefer liquid soap, I have a suggestion. The ingredients
in liquid hand soap are essentially the same as those in liquid
bath soaps, and it's a better value for the money (especially
when the bath soap is purchased from a dollar store). Substitute
the liquid bath soap in your hand soap dispensers. Not only
do you save money, but also you have a greater choice of fragrances.
Also, many liquid bath soaps are so thick that
your dispenser will pump out more soap than you really need.
These can be mixed with water in 1:1, 1:2, or even greater ratios
for more- than-adequate cleansing. This also holds true for
regular liquid hand soaps, so if you have a favorite type that
you're partial to, you can make that brand last longer by diluting
with water.
Donna L.
Border Patrol
I always shop the perimeter of a supermarket before I go into
the center. I find lots of bargains in the "perishable"
departments. I also find the most bargains on the day the sales
end. By bargains, I mean marked down items that usually need
to be cooked, frozen or eaten within 24 hours of purchase.
Mary L.
One Mom's Junk
I'm a part of a weekly Young Moms' Bible Study.
Every now and then, we have a "Junk Swap." We get
together and bring everything that we would normally put in
a yardsale or donate to charity. We set our things out on tables
and then we look through each other's junk. We take things that
we think we could use, and then after we're done, we take all
the things that are left and give them to Goodwill or some other
charity.
Since we are mostly mothers of young children,
there are always lots of children's clothes that others can
use, as well as kitchen things, household objects, linens, toys
and books.
And Goodwill gets a big donation that they
might otherwise not have gotten. I may never have an occasion
to "de-junk" if I didn't have the deadline of the
"junk swap" event. It's always fun to see what other
people bring, and it's free! It feels so good to be rid of "junk"
that was cluttering up my house and could be useful to someone
else.
This idea could apply to any group (church,
neighborhood, playgroup, etc.) as long as the group is not too
big and as long as you have someone with a big van or truck
who can take the "leftovers" to Goodwill when you're
done.
Betsy in Tennessee
Remember That Purchase...
I work downtown and pass by the same stores often. I picked
up a handy tip when shopping with a friend. She bought a few
simple necklaces and earrings that were on sale to give as gifts
to friends and family. A few days later, we stopped back into
the same store and the same jewelry was greatly marked down
from the original sale price. She had the receipt with her and
asked that the store honor the marked down price. They did,
and she ended up getting all the pieces for less than what she
paid for one originally.
Since then, I have gotten into the habit of
carrying my receipts with me for several days and checking back
with the store a few days after a large purchase to see if the
merchandise has been marked down further. This works great as
long as you don't make unplanned purchases when you visit the
store for the second time!
Jodi in Boston
CD Repair
I have found a way to fix scratched or scuffed CDs. I use Brasso,
the brass polish. Put it on the CD and wipe outwards from center
to edge with a soft cloth. After a couple of rounds, the disk
will be like new. Also, toothpaste and Pledge furniture polish,
used in the same way, work just as well.
This works for CDs, DVDs, and Playstation/PS2
videogames and costs a lot less than one of those expensive
repair kits. Just make sure that you have all of the polish
off of the CD before you put it into the player!
Lisa S.
Electricity Saver
If you own your home, we have found that purchasing an electric
heater timer from your local home improvement store will save
loads of money and will pay for itself very quickly. It is installed
between the water heater and the electrical connection. It's
very easy to do. It can be set for certain hours to come on
and go off by itself. Great savings!
Dena
Clothes Protection
To save your clothes, always wear a full apron (barbecue style)
when working in the kitchen. I have saved many of my clothes
from serious stains by doing this.
Terry in Alberta
Do you have a good idea for saving time and money? Send it by
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