Dollar Stretcher Tips courtesy of TheDollarStretcher.com.
Email your time or money saving tip to [email protected].
At the Ready
I line my clothes hampers (2), one for whites and one for colors with a
large green leaf bag. When it is time to do laundry, I just pull out
the bag and off I go. If you choose to do so, you could even leave a
supply of soap for the load in the hampers.
With
my wastepaper baskets, I leave a small pile of plastic grocery bags in
the bottoms of these baskets and use one to line the basket. When it
needs to be emptied all I do is lift it out and get a new bag in the
bottom of the basket for a liner.
Marie S.
Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me
I just returned from my friends that live out in the country. They had
a bad case of flies on their front porch. They were told to hang closed
Ziplok baggies of plain water from the eaves of the porch roof. At
first they didn't believe it would work, but surprisingly it does! They
tacked up 4 or 5 baggies along the inside eaves on the porch, and we
weren't bothered by a fly at all. Supposedly it messes up the fly's
eyesight. Doesn't help the mosquitoes, tho.
Lisa
Saving Magazines
As a librarian, I have found that laundry detergent boxes make sturdy
magazine holders. Cover with inexpensive wrapping paper or butcher
paper, etc. or spray paint to make attractive holders.
Carol R.
Jay, Oklahoma
Restaurants and Toddlers
Our children (4 and 2) are not big eaters. My husband and I usually
just order something for ourselves that we know the kids will eat also,
and then just ask for small plates for the children and we share
whatever we ordered. Restaurant meals are so huge nowadays that we can
seldom finish our own entrees anyway.
Nadia G.
Before You Wire Money
Instead of wiring money to help a family member or friend pay a bill,
check on the Internet to see if the company they owe has a website that
can deduct that payment from your checking account or allow you to make
an online payment. Many utility companies and others have that option
and it would save you the cost of the money transfer and the money
would get credited faster.
Zack
Port St. Lucie, FL
Fixing Chipped Tiles
We had a few badly chipped tiles replaced in our shower. Luckily we had
some left over tiles, but it was pricey (about $100). When I noticed a
recent smaller chip, I decided to try to fix it myself. I bought a
bottle of nail polish in a matching color and dabbed it on the smaller
chip. It blended almost perfectly! This will keep the small chip dry so
water can't get under the glaze and cause the tile to chip or peel
further. It works great for now and I'll see how long it lasts. In any
case, it's much better than letting the problem go or paying for a full
tile replacement now.
Laurie
Grandma's Plant Food
My great-grandmother soaked eggshells in water in a jar and poured the water on her plants. My plants love it!
TE
Good Neighbors
I live in the suburbs of Upstate New York. To cut the high cost of
fresh vegetables, my neighbors and I started a Crop Share. Our yards
aren't big enough for a "full size" garden, so we decided that we would
each make a list of things we would like to grow. Then, each of us
selected several plants that we had the space and soil conditions to
grow. With most plants started from seeds, there was very little start
up cost. We can all "help ourselves" to each others fruits and
vegetables as needed. There is no need to ask prior to going over to
pick a bucket of berries or a few peas. We have really enjoyed the
benefits and the support of group gardening.
Since
I am the newest homeowner in the group, my kind neighbors have blessed
me with free perennials from their own over-crowded gardens. It's a
win/win situation. They thin out their bed and I get mature plants and
bushes for my yard.
Jude
Wasted Wallpaper
Don't throw out those partial rolls after wallpapering. They make
excellent shelf liner in kitchen, bathroom, pantry and linen cabinets.
Cut to fit, and if it's prepasted, soak it as you would for walls and
place on the shelves. It's fast, easy, and they wipe clean like magic.
You
can even use the large pieces that are considered a loss when trying to
match up patterns. And you can buy leftover odd rolls at the wallpaper
store for a dollar or two each.
Mimi
Itemized Construction
We were having a patio enclosed (1/2 walls, screening, roof) and had
already shopped around for best contractor & price. We were happy
with the price; then I casually asked if they could itemize the bill.
We discovered that $50 of the quoted price was for disposal of the old metal-awning-type roof. Since we knew we could take it to the landfill for a $5 fee, we had them strike that from the bill. However, when work was underway, our next-door neighbor asked if he could have the old roof -- so our "disposal" efforts consisted of handing it over the back fence to him! We saved $50, performed a neighborly good deed, and enjoyed a free meal with the neighbor on his newly redecorated patio after he installed the roof!
We have since
learned that some contractors are building in a fee for delivery of
materials. You may be able borrow a truck and pick them up yourselves
to eliminate this fee. Or you may be able to do some of the prep work
(removing old flooring, wallpaper, whatever) and save in that way. It
doesn't cost anything to ask!
Becki H.
Logansport IN
Nature's Pesticide
My 6 year old kindergartner has been studying about insects for the
past few weeks. While learning about lady bugs, we decided to buy some
at our local nursery to see if they would eat the aphids that were
munching on one of our favorite plants. The lady bugs (beetles) were
packaged in a plastic see thru container which made it more interesting
and educational to observe.
After "sharing" the
lady bugs with the class, we let a few of them go in our garden each
night & sure enough, they ate the aphids! No need to buy expensive
pesticides that are harmful to humans and the environment! The lady
bugs cost us $6.99 & did a lot more than get rid of our aphids, it
also provided a real life learning experience for all of us!
Teri
Cheaper Commuting
As gasoline prices rise my boyfriend and I have managed to cut our gas
expenses dramatically. We purchased used mopeds. Not only are they fun
to drive, they get up to and often over 100 miles to the gallon. They
cost only $15 to register for 4 years. They are perfect for quick trips
across town or to our nearby jobs.
We've also found that we spend less money on entertainment since driving around on our peds is entertainment enough.
Audrey Z.
Cheaply Organized
My favorite deal is finding dirt cheap organizing stuff. There are a
lot of well-intentioned people who do spend the big bucks for
corralling their junk, then, for whatever reason, don't continue to use
them and set them out in their next garage sale.
I
don't remember ever going to a garage sale (and I've been to
gazillions) that didn't have at least one type of organizer - usually
for 50 cents. Other people's trash? Hardly!
Doreen B.
Just Add Water
Since I have been learning how to live in the land of the frugal
instead of land of the frivolous, I've been watering down almost
everything I use, I'll buy a huge jar of dishwashing liquid have a
smaller empty one on the side, I pour in maybe 1/4 cup and fill the
rest with water, it cleans just fine.
You would
be amazed how concentrated our cleaning goods are. I do the same with
my body soap, shampoo, even carpet cleaner. I've saved a ton of money!
Annabell of Houston, Texas
Do you have a good idea for saving time and money? Send it to Dollar
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