Spending Money to Save Money
Good girl. A mama after my own heart. I would add: Buy the best quality of items you can afford if its something you need to have for a while. Towels, boots, linens, blankets, clothes. And also, invest in a sewing machine and know how to use it. I can often...
How Do I Get Rid of Coffee Stains on My Teeth?
Hi there! Personally, I avoid fluoride like the plague (neurotoxin, very bad!) so I avoid store bought stuff. However, a local health shop sells a tooth powder which has sea salt and other natural ingredients. Following the advice of another thriftyfun person...
Acne Remedy?
Hi there! I would seriously look into the possibility of a parasite problem. Check out humaworm.com and I would also look into the use of ivermectin. I believe that there are very small worms (possibly a type of threadworm) that cause this. I dont know if you...
Nail Polish Remover on Leather?
To do it right, contact a shoe or saddle repair shop, as they will have actual leather dye and can help you put it back correctly. Or a Tandy Leather Store, and it will probably be a two step finish to restore both the color and the shine. Good Luck!
Buying Rosewater?
Hi! You might check into some health related causes for your dark circles. I get them too, havent figured out me yet, but when my daughter gets them its from too little sleep or food that shes allergic to. Corn seems to be a problem, undoubtedly because most...
Why Did My Truck's Fuel Pump Fail After Only a Month?
IF you installed a re-manufactured (or new, for that matter) pump and its electric, well, sometimes it just happens. However, if its electric, any type of power surge from something arcing or grounding out under the hood can cook a pump quite nicely. Good luck...
Use Vodka for Disinfectant
Hi! Juniper Berry oil or Oregano oil added serve the purpose of addition, natural disinfectants. Good Luck!
Homemade Skin Toner?
I see lots of references to witch hazel, which does work well. One thing I will add to facial care, is that if you want to avoid wrinkles, you must exfoliate. A good daily scrub seems to work well for me. I dont use a toner, because I add some homemade skin...
Tips for Cleaner Healthier Skin
Hi! Im sure there are thousands of different opinions on many different vitamins and supplements. I have always found that I need plenty of Vitamin E--I couldnt have children without it and had problems with scar tissue and other issues that it really helped...
Dry Cracked Bleeding
Fingertips?
Lanolin--all natural, no petroleum. The kind for nursing moms works great, or get some from a health food store. You can also heat it up and mix it with olive oil. The big thing is to take Vit. E internally. Start with 2 per day and see how it goes. Cheap, easy...
Weaning a Breastfed Baby
?
Well, yes this is a complicated question. I can tell you what Ive done with four of mine. I nursed for roughly a year, then started them on fresh goats milk. Its MUCH easier to digest for a child than cows milk. The doctors will say that theres not enough B...
Homemade Skin Oil
The grapeseed oil can be found at grocery stores--generally not Walmart. A better grocery store will have it. Its full of antioxidants, and also great to cook with. Health food stores will have it also.
Car Heater Not Blowing Warm Air?
IF you see a sudden abrupt change in the engine temp, or if you check under the hood and BOTH the upper and lower radiator hose are not hot at operating temperature (if one is cold and one is hot) then your thermostat is not functioning. However, sounds like...
Grease Stain on Suede?
I believe that the appropriate substance is called Fullers Clay, and it will absorb the grease. Washing suede is darn near impossible, but if you go to a shoe or leather shop and explain the problem, they should be able to fix you right up. Good luck!
Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas for Nurses?
Hi! One of my favorite gifts--for someone I have not already gifted with this--is to make a rice bag. You can take either a nice hand towel, or some inexpensive polar fleece (I usually use the fleece) and sew a square packet, then fill it with rice, and sew...
Use Kitchen Sponge to Clean Mushrooms
Just wanted to add that you can also take just the edge of a paring knife and peel the mushroom. You lose a bit, though not much, and if its past the point of conveniently washing it, its a good way to salvage them.
Build Your Own Emergency Medical Kit
Walgreens or the pharmacy section of most stores will have most of the butterfly bandages, etc. If that is not going to work, try to find a medical supply store. I once found some great finger splints at one for a very nice price. Good Luck!
Covering Windows With Plastic to Reduce Heating Bills?
I can tell you that the plastic will help--I cant tell you how much. However, consider using something like either the Warm Windows product line from a fabric store, or purchasing radiant barrier material from a hardware store (or you can order it online from...
Reuse Mascara Brushes to Clean Hard to Reach Places
Im ashamed to say I never would have thought of this...and Im fairly thrifty. You rock!
Baby Wipe Caused Leather Couch To Peel?
Wow! Id be changing to homemade baby wipes right about now! Ok, so I make my own anyway, but that just goes to show why you might not want to use storebought wipes on a tender little rump. I would find a Tandy leather or similiar store that will advise you...
Halloween Themed Party
Hi! I just saw in a magazine a tip for buying some cheesecloth-like fabric (can usually be found for $1 per yard at Walmart), then tear it and stretch it a bit and tea-stain it and lay it over all normal furniture. Looks all scary and cobbwebby. Also, if you...
Substitute for Candied Fruit Peel in Recipe?
Hi! I dont really have any suggestions here that havent already been said. However, I would LOVE to have your recipe for the green tomato mincemeat! I love mincemeat pie, but its pricey, and we always have green tomatoes by the bushel in the fall before the...
Substitute for Candied Fruit Peel in Recipe?
Just wanted to say thanks for the mincemeat recipes folks! Yall are great!
Balancing Life's Demands?
Hi! Ive been there, too. I agree with a whole bunch of folks here;get something going that you enjoy. Just you. If you use up yourself on everyone else constantly, pretty soon you implode--then you are no good to anyone, least of all your children. One other...
Shoeing a Horse
?
Hi! Thats a bigger question youve posed than what can be answered here. And its not the farriers job to train your horse for you, but rather the job of the owner. As someone whos retrained many, many horses, I would suggest checking into a private session with...
Keeping Dough Ball on the Hook?
I have no input about dough balls, unfortunately, however, if you ever decide to sacrifice a worm for the cause, my husband introduced me to something called a worm threader that works great for such a purpose. A couple of dollars at Kmart or Walmart, etc. Will...
Set Up Pup Pool for Summer Heat
Our Aussie has a puppy pool too. Not only does he love it, but it keeps him and his muddy paws out of the kiddie pool!
House Smells Stale?
Beyond all the other wonderful suggestions. If you have wall to wall carpeting, that can hold a great deal of icky stuff (thats a technical term...lol) that wont necessarily vacuum up. Consider going to hard floors, instead, with rugs you can take outside to...
Treating Dog With Lung Congestion?
I would consider trying oregano oil capsules. Please do some research as far as dosage on such a small animal--and possibly Miracle Mineral supplement or colliodal silver in her water. Check out earthclinic.com Great info that has been tremendously helpful...
Using Tea Tree Oil for a Skin Fungus?
Yep, tea tree oil is good stuff. If you really want to kick it, mix some tea tree oil with some oregano oil in a little bit of vodka to dilute and disperse. Shake well and dab on. I cured a horrible case of thrush (horse hoof fungus) with this recipe. Good...
Getting Rid of Calluses on Elbow?
Ok, the olive oil trick is a good one, but I would pick a time when that callous is really good and dry and take a smooth foot file to it. File it down however much you can stand (dont draw blood!), and then apply the olive oil (or mix olive and coconut oil...
Painting Roof to Reflect Sun?
Hi! I think you will have a terrible time getting anything to stick to a shingle. However, there are some really, really good roll insulation that reflect radiant heat. 97% of it. Its the same principle as a space blanket for camping, or thermal reflective...
Natural Remedies for Tinnitus?
Try looking up earthclinic.com. They have info on almost everything and all of it Ive tried has been very good. Good Luck!
1968 Briggs Hard to Start When Engine Cold?
Theres a reason why we used to call them Briggs and Scrapiron... Sorry, no help, but I couldnt resist...lol.
Corn Starch for Dog's Hot Spots
Wow! My Dobie gets those sometimes, too. I will definately try that cornstarch--non-toxic, too. I would also say that I wormed him with a double dose of horse wormer (Wait! ONLY pyrantel pamoate like Exodus paste is safe. Some horse wormers are toxic to dogs...
Getting Help With Vet Bills?
Hi! Weve been through our own problems with Giardia, and you might try looking up Miracle mineral supplement. We bought some for people troubles, but I have used it recently on a goat with a bacterial problem and it worked...and the price is right. Roughly...
Freezing Butter?
Definately. I tend to take the quarters out of the box and wrap them in plastic wrap and/or put them into a big freezer bag as extra insurance against developing an off flavor in the freezer. Also, if you think your butter may have an off flavor, you can always...
Planning a Wedding on a $500.00 Budget
You rock! I love your attitude, and I have to say that Ive been married three times, and had four ceremonies (dont ask) and by far my favorite was the most recent one (weve now been married for 9 years and 4 kids!). We had just us two at sunset in a beautiful...
Planning a Wedding on a $500.00 Budget
Ok, I cant resist adding one more thing (I do have a big mouth). Nine years after the fact, the thing that stands out in my mind about my wedding was the fact that our vows were unique and I wasnt all freaked out about being in front of a bunch of people. It...
Dog Has Bacterial Skin Infection?
Couple of things to try: Check out miracle mineral supplement online--we bought it for people trouble, but I just cured a bacterial infection in a very nice goat with it. The other thing is to try applying some oregano oil topically. I put some into a little...
Inexpensive Ways to Lose Weight?
Hey all! I see lots of wonderful hints on here already. I dont have much to add about food and excersize. I do have something terribly important to add about health and weight. After being exposed to fluoride and perchlorate in our water, I finally figured...
Make a Fence Look Nice on Both Sides
HI! As a professional fence contractor, I will say that the down side of such a fence is that it reduces privacy and also makes a trap for debris to become stuck in. We call it a shadowbox. Another fast inexpensive option is to apply 4 x 8 sheets of lattice...
Can Your Water Make You Itch?
Hi! Consider getting a water panel run. Aqua MD is one I used before, but theres lots of labs out there. Unfortunately, we discovered some really nasty stuff in our water like high nitrates, fluoride and rocket fuel. Its worth checking it. Especially if you...
Reviews of Tide Free Laundry Soap?
Hi! Try the home made detergent recipes from this site. I use borax, Zote, and washing soda to make my detergent, and it works great for sensitive skin, babies, etc. And I can make 16 gallons of detergent for less than $10.00. Did I mention that it works great...
Overcoming Anxiety in the Dentist's Chair
Hi! This reminded me of my personal favorite. When getting a shot or something, pick the area farthest from the incoming boo boo, and wiggle it. If you are getting a shot in your right arm, for instance, wiggle your left little toe. It does actually help quite...
Using Resolve Multi-Fabric Cleaner for Grease?
Gojo, the handcleaner for mechanics, scrubbed in with a nail brush will usually disolve grease stains. Just double check when it comes out of the washer, cause if you dry it when it really needed another round of degreaser, it will set the stain. Good Luck...
Tear in a Nylon Winter Coat?
Hi! Arent kids amazing? I thought I was destructive until I had kids and met the true masters of the sport! Take the coat to a fabric store and beg for help. There are patches for nylon fabric. If theres any fabric missing--and possibly if there isnt--remember...
Black Ink on Gray Carpet?
Wow! I see alot of answers much more scientific than mine is about to be. I once made a really, really big mess with a bottle of black leather dye. I salvaged my marriage..um...I mean my living room, with a bit of nail polish remover. Now, Id be a wee bit cautious...
Are Chive Plant Flowers Edible?
Is it edible...?!!! Why, thats like asking if the Popes Catholic!! Seriously, though, I put them in salads, herb butters, smoked goat cheese, sauces--you name it. They are awesome! We started out with one plant years ago, and kept dividing it and now we have...
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Hi! Boy, my suggestion is short for once! Check out earthclinic.com. Weve gotten good stuff there about all kinds of illnesses. Good luck, and take care of yourself!
Well Water Tastes Bad?
Hey there all-- I wish I didnt know so much about this, I really do. Ok, so here goes. You MUST test your water. Our water may have tasted like battery acid for all I know, because I didnt drink it. Fortunately. I wont go into what all just bathing in the stuff...
Meat Tenderizer For Bug Bites And Stings
Hi all! I was recently amazed by my four year old. Mostly because she stood on an ant hill watching the ants crawl all over her legs. Ok, and also somewhat because she was truly suprised when they started biting her! Anyway, after removing the offending creatures...
Tips for Restless Legs at Night?
Hello! Ok, I know Im crazy, so let me get that over with right now! But, after a whole life around livestock, I started worming myself. Now, I tend to use a type of horse wormer thats safe--according to doctors and vets--but Im not necessarily recommending...
My Frugal Life: How Coupons Made Me Richer
HI! You rock! Weve got four small kids and we cant quite do the $25.00 per week thing--but we do the best we can. We also garden, and while we dont have a dairy cow--we do have dairy goats. If folks would rely more on producing their own food, theyd have more...
Relieving Plugged Ears?
Hey there! At our house, most things are handled by Dr. Mom, and she has found out through a friend that oregano oil works wonders. I buy the capsules and if you take it three times a day while ill, itll kick most things in short order. It works particularly...
Hives After Eating Ice Cream?
Check out earthclinic.com. Im not an advertiser, I just use the site for advice, but I remember reading about reactions such as this to icecream. Generally the advice from the site is great! Check it out! Good luck!
King Sized Bed in a Small Room?
Having read the responses, I must say that I agree on several points...Under the bed storage is excellent. Anything you can hang up--including in those sets of hanging baskets intended for fruit or veggies, works great. However, if you looooove that king-size...
Painful Pressure in the Back of the Head?
Ok, I know that its wise to have the tests to make sure that nothing more serious is wrong. But once youve exhausted that route--try a consultation with a good chiropractor. I had horrid headaches because I had a pinched nerve in my neck.. Chiropractic adjustment...
Using Advantage for Dogs on Cats?
Please be careful with these potent but supposedly safe medications. For a natural alternative, try diatomaceous earth powder. Its cheap, safe and works great, both externally and internally--and theres no poisons in it!
Valentine's Fun for the Financially Challenged
Hey--thanks for the poem--made me feel special before Valentines day! Ok, the chocolate covered cherries...Dont soak them in rum unless you really like rum. Hubby ate all he could handle, then took them to work. Got most of a dirt moving crew drunk on them...
Buying Food for Puppy with Pancreatitis?
Try looking up earthclinic.com for natural solutions. They have a pets section, and if you dont find what you want, you can request info. They have been wonderful for advice.
Making Banana Bread Moist?
Hi! This is an easy one! Look up Martha Stewarts banana bread recipe. Ive been using it for years, but I dont have it in front of me today. It uses about a cup of sour cream and it always turns out moist and excellent. Thats a hint Ive used lots of times, too...
Warts on My Face?
Check out the site earthclinic.com. I believe Ive seen a lot of people using plain iodine to remove warts and even mole--and by that I mean the cancerous kind--with success. That site is very awesome--check it out!
Help Filling Lotion Pump Bottle?
Yep--heating it works! Ive made homemade lotions and baby butt stuff, and when its nice and warm, it flows!
Recipes for Someone with Chronic Renal Failure?
Something that could be critically important--do a google search on fluoride poisoning and renal failure. Processed foods that may have been made with fluoridated water can be very damaging to persons with kidney problems. Dont take my word for it--look it...
Treating Heart Worms Naturally?
Hello-- Really, really important note about ivermectin. As far as I know, the injectible kind IS SAFE for dogs. However, dont make the mistake of thinking that ivermectin oral wormer for cattle or horses is ok--CAUSE ITS NOT! The carrier agent can sicken or...
Help For Invisible Eyebrows?
I dont know if this will help, but I saw a company making an all natural yucca based shampoo and conditioner line that wasnt expensive and was doing great things to regrow hair in some women. I cant remember the name, but if you google yucca shampoo and maybe...
Swollen Feet?
When I had my first child, it was a long, traumatic labor, followed by a C-section. My legs were so big they looked like they belonged on a pachyderm, and after they didnt go down the first couple of days, I thought they never would! Someone told me to drink...
Dog with Irritable Bowel Disease?
Hi! I absolutely agree with the acidophilus idea. I should ask--has your dog been treated at all with antibiotics? They will wreck a digestive tract! You can actually order probiotics for dogs--try Jeffers Vet supply on line. Most digestive disorders appear...
Recipes for Breadsticks, Cookie Sticks, Etc?
I must second the biscotti idea. Look on Martha Stewarts site for recipes. Ive used her recipe before, for Christmas gifts, actually, and it turned out great.
5 Quick Frugal Tips For Keeping Warm
Hi! To me, the ol rice bag, a few minutes to make, a few minutes to nuke in the microwave, warm for hours under a blanket in bed or on the sofa, is one of my best hints. I make these up for Christmas gifts, etc. but the thing only uses a couple of minutes worth...
Advice For 2 Year Old With Bad Perspiration?
Hi there! The kidneys, along with the liver, eliminate toxins from the body. If one or both arent working correctly, things like body or breath odor, or skin eruptions can occur. The body will try to fast track toxins out through through the skin to get rid...
Help Getting Cat With Urinary Infection To Eat?
Hello, I know this may sound bizarre, but try herbs, too. Does your cat have any interest in fresh greens? Oat grass, sometimes sold as cat grass is full of antioxidants, and I have used powdered dandelion root with great success on other animals to cleanse...
What Medicine To Use On Dachshund With Burst Mole?
Ok, I love vets, dont get me wrong, and I think in general that they are much brighter than most human doctors...However, sometimes skin eruptions are caused by the body trying to eliminate toxins in the fastest way possible--straight out through the skin. The...
How Can Santa Come If I Have No Money?
I can identify. Seems like the closer to Christmas it gets--the broker we get! Its amazing,though, how far a $2.00 aquarium from a garage sale and some 30 cent goldfish from Walmart can go. Very cool for kids--especially if you leave the aquarium light on for...
Food Christmas Gift Ideas?
One of the things I treasure is a cookbook of family recipes that my grandmother put together for me when I was about 10 or so. One could pick up a largish album or journal at the dollar store and give all those favorite recipes as a gift, in your own handwriting...
Allergen Free HE Laundry Detergent?
Hi, Have you tried the homemade detergent? Its great for high efficiency machines, because it hardly suds up, it works phenomenally well at removing stains and odors, it has been great so far for my friends with sensitive skin and allergies--and I use it on...
Be Thrifty in the Kitchen With Eggs
Ah, the incredible edible....well, anyway...We have hens, and its amazing how little space and work it takes to have your own fresh eggs. I even know people who live in town who keep a few hens. If you have no rooster, by the way (to the chicken uneducated...
Can I Return A Lemon Poulan Lawnmower?
Ok, theres a reason why we used to call them Briggs and Scrap Iron!!! Where did you buy it? Any place with any kind of reputation to uphold should take it back or offer service for the lemon. Personally, I avoid Briggs etc..like the plague!
Unique Wedding Dress From A Vintage Pantsuit
Hey all, I said I HAD it, I didnt say I could FIND it...!!! Sorry to be so un-fun, but its somewhere in storage. Id do it again in a heartbeat if I found another nice pants suit with lots of leg...No more weddings for me, though. Im worn out...! Seriously, though...
Problems Getting Pregnant?
I had interesting problems myself until I started taking quite a bit of vitamin E....Four kids later...Vitamin E is very good for reproductive issues. Also, rather than going the traditional drug em to death doctor route, try seeing a naturopathic physician...
Problems Getting Pregnant?
Sorry--I forgot to mention maybe the most important part--watchout for anything that could be tinkering with your hormones. For instance--soy, beef laden with growth hormones, previous birth control like depoprovera (bad, bad, nasty stuff!!), and the one that...
Fly Deterrents that are Safe for Dogs?
Diatomaceous earth. Its ground up prehistoric diatoms, and its basically just calcium and other minerals. It can be used topically or internally. Works great as a natural wormer, as it is totally nontoxic. It works mechanically against pests, no chemicals or...
Saving On Electricity In The Summer
Hi! Hey, I learned after I began to use the clothesline (well, ok, and I had a broken dryer and no money for detergent) that if you stop using store bought detergent, you will stop having stiff, cardboard-y clothes. I pulled a recipe from this site and started...
Saving Money on Laundry Soap
I just made the homemade detergent yesterday. I used 1/4 plus 1/8 bar of pink Zote, 3/4 cup borax and 3/4 cup washing soda. It made two gallons. It gelled up great, is light pink, smells good.....AND IT WORKS!!!!! I soaked my husbands jeans overnight in the...
