December 11, 2004

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Swapping Clothing With Other MomsSince my son was born the biggest money saver for me has been a group of moms I swap with. We all have children within a year or two of each other so we just rotate the items the kids outgrow.

Make Your Own KiteYou can make a kite with just about any piece of thin plastic, some tape and thin dowels. The site below has nice instructions for building a simple kite.

Grocery Store Play SetMake a play grocery store for your preschoolers. It is free and great for ages 3-8.

Holiday Gift for a Co-WorkerI found cute snowman glass jars at the dollar store. I filled with home made hot cocoa & put mini-marshmallows into the lid (snowman's hat) I attached a card that was made from an old xmas card front that I cut with decorative scissors, tied with a ribbon & done. No large expense & they had a re-useable cute jar. By Mary S

Preschooler's Alphabet TeacherSimply place the letter on the lid of the plastic tub, and then fill with the toy which begins with that letter. My kids enjoyed playing with this "teacher" when they were small, and as they got older, they enjoyed making them up and giving them as gifts.

Elf Sitting on SpoolTo make a Christmas elf sitting on the spool, wind some knitting wool on the spool. Glue it at start of winding, wrap around and glue a tab at the end to hold it. Leave a little piece dangling down.

Alternative to the Black & Decker Jar OpenersWhen you do not have strength in your hands: Take a nail and tap a hole in the lid. It's easy to turn when vacuum is released. Use the Food Saver tip, put a piece of tape over the hole! Takes up less space and definitely cheaper than buying the jar opener! By Syd

A Slice of Lemon for DeodorizingIf you have scorched or burned something that has left a nasty burned odor or if you just have a nasty smell in your house for whatever reason, just slice a lemon and put it in a small pot of water to boil for a while. By Robin

Keeping Toys Handy for the Little OnesOur children are pretty much grown, but occasionally we will have friends with little ones come for a visit. I try to keep a drawer or cabinet filled with some fun things to keep the children busy. You can use books, coloring books and crayons, small stuffed animals or dolls or even some games in there to keep them occupied. By Robin

Board Game and Card Game AccessoriesSmall Pudding cups washed out can be used for bingo chips or other chips that need to be used for board games.

Custom Fitted "Elasticized" Table Cloths for Every SeasonWhen on sale, buy the flannel backed plastic table cloths. Using sewing machine or sewing by hand, turn up a pocket to thread elastic through and pull elastic to the tightness you want and tie off.

Making Christmas Cards With FamilyI love to involve my children in our homemade cards and gifts that we give away. Christmas cards are a family project. Last year we made the cover of the card like Eric Carle.

Remembering Your Pet's Heartworm MedicationMost of those will come with stickers that you can put on your calendar on the exact day that the next dose is due the following month.

Healthy Snacks and Toys in the CarWhen our children were small, we tried to keep a stash of some healthy snacks and water in the van on long trips. We also kept some mesh bags with toys in them so they had something to do to keep them occupied while on the road. By Robin

ThriftyFun News December 11, 2004 - Make Your Own ToysOnline version of the ThriftyFun News. Make Your Own Toys. Volume Six, Number 48 December 11, 2004

Using the Small Size for KidsWhen we visit the dentist they offer sample tubes of toothpaste - I always have my family get the kids kind - that way I can portion control and not have the entire tube of full sized used! It really helps us not waste. This also works for kids shampoo, etc. I pour it into smaller bottles so if (when) it gets used as bubble bath or just dumped out it isn't an entire bottle! By Mary

Think Safety! Don't Be a Target When ShoppingDon't carry a purse when you shop, wear jeans or pants with deep pockets and only carry your wallet and keys in your pockets. You will find that you really don't need all that excess stuff you collect in your purse. By Syd

"In Memory Of" Cards for Cookbook BookmarksI never could figure out what to do with the "In Memory Of" cards I had collected from friends and relatives that have died.

Preserving Workbooks for the Next ChildIf your children have workbooks that you'll want them to re-do or pass on to siblings just tape the top edge of a sheet protector down to the table (we use duck tape) then lift the protector flap up and slide the workbook under.

Removing Hardware and NotionsBefore throwing anything out make sure you've removed everything that could be saved for something else. Examples: buttons, zippers etc. from clothes also hinges off of picture frames, batteries out of things, you get the idea. It's amazing what I almost throw away sometimes. I keep different peanut butter jars full of like items. By Melanie

Remembering the MailTo remember to put out the mail I always get anything ready the night before. Then in the morning on my way out the door to get the paper I take the mail that's in plain sight to the box with me since the mail and paper are side by side. By Melanie

Making Huge BubblesWhen your kids want to blow bubbles, use a coffee can that you've cut both ends from. Put your bubble solution in a bucket and dip the can. You can either sway the can through the air or blow into it, either way makes huge bubbles that kids love.

Tea Party Kit (Cost Of Disposable Camera) (AGES 4 & UP)Materials: Vintage" or interesting clothing selections from your closet, from Grandma's closet, thrift stores, etc...

Cheap Homemade Toy Blocks for ChristmasI make blocks for my three grandsons by going to the cutoff bin in my local Home Depot store. They have lots of short pieces of wood that can be cut into blocks. I sand them while watching TV. I round the edges, apply stain and then polyurethane them.

Keep Lists HandyI keep a list on the kitchen counter of things to do and things to buy. If I remember something else that needs to be done I just add it to the bottom of the list. After a day or two I rewrite the list and take off anything that's already marked off.

Remembering Chores With a Chore ListMy daughters are good at helping me clean, but so that they don't forget to do any of the specific chores, I write them down on a piece of paper and give to each of the girls. I detail exactly what jobs need to be done and they can check them off as they finish each of them.

Remembering to Get Medication RefilledWhen my husband needs medication refilled, he puts it on our computer desk right beside our phone where I will see it and remember to call it in and get it refilled for him. By Robin

Little Carpenter's Apron (Ages 5-10)Cut shoe organizer across the width, so you have a line of four pockets. (If it holds 12 shoes, this will make 3 aprons).

Cooking Spaghetti With Less EnergyAfter the water boils put the spaghetti in the pot and, stirring constantly, wait for the water to boil again. At that time cover the pot tightly and turn off the heat. Set your timer for 19 to 21 minutes depending on how well cooked you like your pasta. Your pasta will be fully cooked with no boiling over and no wasted energy. If you have an electric stove take the pot of the burner before you cover it. By Anna

Use a Leaf Blower for SnowTo keep snow off of your porch that isn't wet or packed down use your leaf blower. By Melanie

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