Thrifty Tip Contest (May 1 - 31, 2014) | ThriftyFun

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Thrifty Tip Contest
(May 1 - 31, 2014)

This contest is over. See the winners and other entries below.

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Duration	Entries
May 1 - 31, 2014	49

Tip: Repurposing Desk Drawers into Display Shelf

May 20, 2014

I remembered seeing somewhere that someone took old drawers and repurposed them into knicknack shelves. Now I have a attractive display shelf for some of my Hot-Wheels die cast cars.

Comment Pin it! Was this helpful? 10

Craft: Refurbishing an Old Table and Chairs

May 15, 2014

We got this idea from a estate sale we attended several weeks ago. The chairs were just throw-aways. With a few visits to the local thrift store and a couple of hours of work, we transformed these old chairs into useful items again.

Comment Pin it! Was this helpful? 11

Tip: Use All the Lotion in a Tube

littergitter
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 418 Posts

May 12, 2014

When you can't squeeze any more lotion out of a plastic tube, save what is left inside by cutting the tube so you can dip it out with your finger. I trim the tube so the top will fit over the bottom and this keeps it from drying out. It works great for me.

Comment Pin it! Was this helpful? 6

Tip: Use Vinegar for Rust and Wood Treatment

May 9, 2014

Vinegar is really great stuff with many cool uses. Here are the the 2 best ones I know of. Remove rust from metal. Just let the metal soak overnight in the vinegar.

Comment Pin it! Was this helpful? 9

Tip: "Reasons I Love You" for Mother's Day

Donna
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 555 Posts

May 5, 2014

I created this for my Mom for Mother's Day but I have also done for anniversaries and I even a friend or child's birthday! It is a personalized book dedicated to someone with REASONS you love them. For example, if it's Mom's 50th birthday, write down 50 reasons why you love her!

Comment Pin it! Was this helpful? 6

vinyl siding cut for a plant marker

Durable Plant Markers from Vinyl SidingEveryone seems to have a tip for making plant markers. I've posted a couple here, myself. From the standpoint of durability, I think I've found the ideal material. Scrap white vinyl siding.

Use Foil to Sharpen Can OpenerI read somewhere that you can use foils to sharpen your can opener blade. Just fold it twice then run your can opener through them. I've done it several times before and it works.

1 Comment Comment

Clean Jewelry at HomeScrub your good jewelry clean with an old toothbrush and some toothpaste. Rinse it clean in warm water and drop it into a small container of gin. Leave it for a couple of hours or overnight. Jewelry sparkles as good as new.

1 Comment Comment

tick on cotton ball

Dawn Dish Detergent for Removing a TickI saw this on Facebook and tried it this morning. It works!

4 Comments Comment

Dental Floss to Thread Sewing NeedlesYou can use dental floss to thread needles. Put a loop of it through the needle and use it as a threader to pull the thread through the sewing needle. Those cheaply made metal ones always break.

4 Comments Comment

Don't Water Down Summer DrinksDuring the summer, I make my own ice cubs out of tea, lemonade, and leftover fruits and juices. I then use them in ice tea or fruit drinks instead of ice cubes made from water. As they melt, it makes your drink more flavorful instead of getting watery.

Give Deodorant Time to DryGive your deodorant time to dry before you get dressed. I get out of bed, make a pot of tea, and shower. I put on the deodorant. Then I sit and drink the tea (in bed). A lovely treat in the morning!

Nail Polish Remover for Sharpie on SkinUse a cotton ball and nail polish remover, works every time!

9 Comments Comment

Radio Reading for the BlindI am a volunteer reader for a radio reading service for the blind. The service provides free of charge radios, which only receive the service broadcasts of the local newspapers, best selling books, magazines and even the Sunday comics and the grocery ads. Broadcasts are 24/7.

Rain-X for Clean Shower DoorsSpraying Rain-X on your shower doors will make the water bounce right off and will also reduce the build up of soap scum.

Cleaning Laminate FloorsUse equal parts water, white vinegar, and rubbing alcohol together in a squirt bottle to clean laminated floors. Use a soft towel or microfiber cloth. The rubbing alcohol will make floor dry quick and not leave a film or spotting.

4 Comments Comment

A disposable coffee lid being used as a pot scrubber

Coffee Lid as Pot ScrubberI found this useful as a dish scrubber. It is easy to grab and does the job quickly and efficiently.

Dollar Store for Cheap UmbrellasDollar General has them. That's where I go when I get caught in the rain

1 Comment Comment

Product Review: Spin Mop Works Well

Product Review: Spin Mop Works WellI was given this mop as a gift, and I didn't have much faith in it, to tell you the truth. BOY was I wrong. Not only does it not drip and picks up everything like a dream, it also spins out nicely. I have a puppy that makes a ton of drinking water around his bowl, and this is perfect.

Quick Fix for a Squeaky DoorWhen a door starts giving me sound effects worthy of a good horror flick, I make a grab for the can of aerosol oil spray that we all have in the kitchen. Original, canola, olive oil, it doesn't matter. Give a quick shot to the hinges on the door, and your door will be as quiet as a silent movie.

Recycled Jewelry Display

Recycled Jewelry DisplayOld picture frames can have a new life when transformed into an attractive jewelry display piece, the big, the better. All you need is some 1/4 hardware cloth, a old picture frame, a hand stapler, and some small "S" hooks from your local hardware store.

Lid Removal from Deodorant

Lid Removal from DeodorantIf you are like me and have no strength in your hands and fingers, then this tip is for you. When you get a new deodorant with the little plastic cover, use fingernail clippers to grab the corner of the clear cover. That way, you won't have to struggle with pulling and pulling and get no results.

4 Comments Comment

Patriotic PoppiesTalk to your kids about how poppies came into place for Memorial Day. They listen while they are making a craft!

Kids' TattoosFun craft all year! I used it for Memorial Day, parents will love how easily the tattoos wash off!

Brillo for Stainless CookwareI was reading all the tips on stainless steel cookware. I clean mine with soap pads. It seems the more I scrub the brighter they shine! Just sayin.

Permanent Marker to Repair Bleach SpotsMy bath vanity area carpet has a few spots on it where bleach had splattered. I used a 'close to' colored marker on the carpet spots and it looks like new!

2 Comments Comment

Preventing Cereal Box Spills

Preventing Cereal Box SpillsI cut or rip one end of the cereal box lid to keep cereal from flipping back at me. I also cut a triangle in the plastic bag. This keeps the cereal manageable.

3 Comments Comment

DIY and Product Remedies for Dog's Itchy SkinI had a Golden Retriever who developed welts and hotspots from flea bites and had a Labrador Retriever who had skin dermatitis. The following are some tips for you to try that have helped us (once you've eliminated mange, or other bacterial skin issues with your vet):

Oven Cleaner for Windows and Other TipsUse oven cleaner to clean stains from windows. Spray the glass, let it sit 5-10 minutes then wipe.

Monsters Be Gone KitMade about a thousand of these, LOL!

Borax for Cleaning FloorsI have hardwood and tile floors. I tried everything to make them shine. One day I was in a hurry. I grabbed a bucket, put in about 1/2 cup of borax, filled it with hot water, and mopped all the floors.

6 Comments Comment

Easy Trellis for Climbing Vegetables

Easy Trellis for Climbing VegetablesAttach the end of a string to a bamboo stick or any other wood tutor. Stitch tutor vertically into the ground. Attach a stone at the other end of the string. Put the stone next to the baby plant.

Store Bird Suet in the FreezerBirds like to eat suet all year, but it sometimes melts in hot weather. What I do to make the suet last a lot longer is to put it in the freezer; I do that as soon as I buy new cakes, and keep them there until I need to put them out.

Using Refillable Coffee PodsYou can find alternatives to buying pre-made pods on-line. I experimented with a lot of different ways and settled on the Perfect Pod EZ Cup. It comes with paper filters to contain the coffee.

Storage for Pyrex LidsI have many glass lids. In order to save room, I cut a dish drainer in half, just big enough to fit in my cupboard and line my glass lids up in the slots. This way I can stack my glass bowls and save lots of room. I also have extra lids to cover all sizes of plates with.

White Vinegar for Masking Tape ResidueUse white vinegar to remove residue left by masking tape on window glass where the tape has been left on for too long or has dried out quickly due to strong sunshine.

Cleaning Motor Oil StainsI know some people have used kitty litter to clean up oil leaks. In my experience it's been worth investing in a full-out absorbent product, although I work with cars on a regular basis so I deal with a lot of oil leaks. Stuff like SpillFix works really well

Ammonia for Removing OdorsPutting a bowl of straight ammonia in a corner of a room will clear the room of any bad odors, and you don't smell the ammonia.

1 Comment Comment

Cleaning Can OpenersI sometimes put both my hand held ones and the business portion of my electric one in the dishwasher. I also put them in a small saucepan and boil them for a few minutes.

Softsoap for Cleaning EyeglassesMy optician in Houston suggested that I use liquid hand soap to wash my eyeglasses. When I am preparing for a shower I use Softsoap for my glasses then leave them on the sink while I am showering.

Four cushions or throw pillows. Three have VW microbus motif and one is blue plaid.

Camper Van CushionsHere are some cushion covers I made from 3 tea towels - ideal for our camper van.

Cleaning Melted Plastic from a Glass CooktopWhen left with just the residue of plastic on the cooktop: turn burner to maximum for 10 minutes (exhaust on for fumes), until residue turns from black to charcoal grey. After cooktop cools, wipe with a dry cloth. The residue will be nothing, but ash.

2 Comments Comment

Drywall Sandpaper for Cleaning Pool TilesGot heavy calcium build up on your pool tiles? Don't use dangerous chemicals to clean them with, instead, use a sheet of drywall sandpaper.

2 Comments Comment

Duck Playpen

Duck PlaypenThis is Willie and Daffy's outdoor playpen. They can spend some time out here under supervision and get some nice sunshine.

Easily Opening Plastic BagsI lick my clean thumb and finger and twist it at the top of the bag to start it. I open the top of the bag then I put it back together holding the whole top together then slide my hand down pushing that little air bubble which has formed, this way it will open the bag all the way to the bottom.

2 Comments Comment

Evicting Carpenter Bees from your HomeThese bees had come back every year from about April to September. I had tried several things that didn't work. This is what has worked for me and has kept them away.

1 Comment Comment

Handprint Wall BorderMy DIL took some wide border paper, painted it white and put it just about the height of a chair rail around the room. She had the kids put the palms of their hand on shallow plates of paint in bright primary colors and put their hand prints on the border paper.

Cupboard Bath SaltsGreat for Grandma presents!

Cutting Chipboard with A Circular SawTo stop chipboard edge splitting when cutting with a circular saw, put masking tape on both sides of the edge before cutting. Mark the cutting line on the masking tape. Peel of the masking tape shortly after completing the cutting and discard.

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