October 1, 2004

Individual Birthday CakesI found a neat way to give each kid at a birthday party a great surprise. Instead of one big cake or in addition to your big cake, you can make them a small cake of their own. Buy a box of Ding Dongs (the round chocolate cupcakes with cream filling.)

 

Aloe Vera For Sore GumsSqueeze out a pea size of pure clear aloe vera gel on a clean spoon and add two to three drops of clove oil. Stir together with a cotton swab until you can't see the clove bud oil anymore. Using the cotton swab, you can now dab a little of the mixture lightly on your gums and voila, the pain is numbed. If using for an infant under the age of three, use only one drop of clove bud oil. You can buy the aloe vera gel in its purest form in most grocery stores. Look in the suntan lotion area. You want to make sure it's the pure clear aloe vera, without dyes or other colorants. By Monika

 

Storing and Caring for Lawn and Garden ToolsTake a large bucket and fill it half way with sand and the used motor oil from your car. Clean and sharpen your shovels and other cutters and place into the sand and oil to store.

 

Make Your Own Frozen TV DinnersLooking for ways to use your leftovers? Place individual portions of meat, veggies and dessert if desired on freezer and microwave-safe plates, cover tightly with foil, and freeze.

 

First Day On The JobOk this is a joke - but I thought it was so funny - I just had to share! It's called 'The First Day At Work...'

 

Egg Shell Slug DeterrentSave your egg shells from your favorite recipe to help out your garden. Crush your clean egg shells into small, but not powdered pieces, and spread them around the base of your plants.

 

Milk Jugs to Protect Plants From RabbitsUse empty gallon milk jugs for back yard planting season. The rabbits would eat all our new pepper plants. The only way to keep them away was to cut off the bottom and top of the milk jug and bury the wide bottom part in the ground a couple inches.

 

Fresh Bagel TipThis tip is for when you buy fresh bagels from the bakery or bagel nosh shoppe. Upon arrival at home immediately cut the bagels in half or quarters and freeze in a paper bag inside a heavy duty freezer bag.

 

Cheap Strips for French ManicuresIf you don't want to buy strips made for French manicures, just use Scotch tape. Place tape exactly where you want the nail polish line to be. If you mess up and have to get it straight, you still have plenty of tape. By Jacqui

 

Fleece Cartoon Character CurtainsIf you have decorated your child's room with the latest cartoon characters and those light weight curtains just don't cut it in the winter, why not make some out of Polar Fleece?

 

Buy Big, Freeze SmallBuying meat in the "family packs" is almost always cheaper. I buy the small freezer bags so I can freeze in portions that I will use later. I wrap each chicken breast (for example) in plastic wrap and then put the pieces into one or two gallon freezer bags.

 

What are the best buys at Sav-A-Lot?I have started shopping at Sav-A-Lot in my home town but it has been years since I have shopped there. Can anyone tell me of some particularly good buys they have? Thanks in advance! Cookiepom

 

Uses for Cut off Blue Jean Legs?Last night I cut off my husbands blue jeans and made him some shorts. What can I do with the bottom portions that I have left? It has to be something really easy as I do not sew and don't have a machine and I have no little ones at home, just three little doggies! Thanks in advance! You ladies and gentlmen are the best! :) Cookiepom

 

Bathroom Sink Repair?Can anyone tell me how to repair or reglaze a bathroom sink where the finish is worn off around the drain? Pat

 

Saving Money on Food, Electricity?There seem to be great tips, but what do you recommend, when I don't buy name brand food, I buy generic, so I can not use coupons. Also I can't seem to get my electric bill to go down. We live in a mobile home, so insulation isn't the greatest. In the summer we leave our AC on 77 degrees and our electric is still running $250.00. That is half of our house payment. What do you recommend?? - Hope

 

Cat Repellents?Tips and advice about cat repellents. Post your ideas here.

 

Removing Masking Tape From Tinted Windows?After 4 hurricanes, my windows have masking tape Xs. I have window tinting film on the windows so I don't know how to get masking tape off? Lucinda in FL