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| T I G H T W A D T I P S |
| KITCHEN SAVINGS TIPS |
 Surreal Cereal Savings
Cereal companies make tons of sugar coated profits on
their artificially sweetened prices. Most of their rich tasting price is due to
advertising costs, so fight back! Get some of your money back by using every
bit of their product. The cardboard boxes are useful as project placemats. The
plastic cereal liners replace what used to be wax paper. These liners have lots of uses,
so always save these liners after the cereal is gone. Carefully pull the seams apart and
you'll have a long length of liner paper to use for baking, cooking, lining shelves or any
other purposes. When making pastry crust, roll dough between two sheets, pastry pulls-up
nice. Liners can be torn into squares and used to cover items placed into the
microwave oven. These liner squares don't catch fire and they keep moisture in the
food and the splatters off the interior microwave walls. |
| HARDWARE TIPS |
 Hair Band Bonanza
Ponytail hair bands are the perfect tool for gathering together cords and
cables. Available in large quantities from discount drug stores, these hair bands
come in two sizes and are available in many colors.  The
plastic balls on the ends wind together to keep the cords tight. Bundle your kitchen
appliance cords, or contain those computer cables. Every loose cable or cord has one of
these banded together in our house! Specialty hardware companies sell
specialized wraps and Velcro straps for similar purposes at 20 times the price. |
| STORAGE TIPS |
 Savings that Knock your Socks Off
Always stock-up on old socks! These used cotton wonders have millions
of uses. Once they're hopelessly worn-out, use them as the perfect covering for
packing or moving bottled wines, mugs or glasses. They stretch over bottles and
allow for close packing without breakage. Used as sock gloves, old cotton socks are
great for polishing or cleaning. A perennial favorite for covering golf clubs, they
can also be used to cover well oiled tools and parts. The higher the cotton content,
the better they'll clean and absorb liquids. |
| KITCHEN SAVINGS TIPS |
 There's No Such Thing
as an Ugly Mug!
Old coffee mugs are very useful, and not just as pen holders! It
seems everyone's in a rush today to spend money on the newest kitchen gizmo, but here's
one ready and willing to be used. The coffee mug is the perfect size for heating
small servings of frozen vegetables, without using bigger containers. The ceramic
mugs heat from the sides and cook better and faster than other containers. After
dinner, use the mug to have a scoop or two of ice cream. Better than carrying around
a bowl and it's got an insulated handle. Fewer spills with the mug too. Try
it. You won't go back to bowls. |
| KITCHEN SAVINGS TIPS |
 Easy Pop-Top Drinks
Are you a sodaholic? Most Americans have carbonated themselves into a
corner. Those carbonated aluminum container drinks do have the advantage of
easy storage, portability, disposability, instant use and flashy looks. It's hard to
compete, unless you consider your health. Studies have shown carbonation can rob
your body of nutrients, not to mention caffeine headaches, and the big tummy that comes
with a routine of drinking sodas! Considering the disadvantages of sodas, you'll
save money and improve your health by competing against them. Portable
plastic-ware filled with premixed drinks works very well. My favorite is the
Rubbermaid brand, one pint (500ml) container. It's one of the only brands that doesn't
leak, it's graduated and very durable. Get a few containers and fill them with juice
concentrate or health drinks at one-forth the cost! Keep a bunch in the fridge for
instant use. For longer storage, premix frozen concentrate for the one pint mix and
add the concentrate to the container, but don't add the water. Freeze and when
needed, remove and add water to the pint level and shake. An instant drink! If
the kids complain that the drinks aren't cool enough, attach your own fancy black, red or
orange labels that say "POISON SWILL" or something similar. Your kids may
think you're nuts, until their friends think it's cool. |
| ENERGY SAVINGS TIPS |
 A Bright Idea!
Compact Florescent Light Bulbs are the ideal way to save on lighting costs.
Replace those old energy sucking incandescent vampires. New long-life florescent screw-in
to most incandescent fixtures, produce more light, and use far less power.
"Instant-on" technology means no flickering delays before receiving light,
like older florescent. Odd types, sizes and three way bulbs are now available. Cool
savings can be significant over the hotter burning incandescent bulbs. A 15 watt compact
florescent replaces a 75 watt incandescent bulb, saves about 75% in lighting costs and is
estimated to save $75.00 over the life of the bulb. In addition, the compact florescent
bulbs usually produce greater light output, measured in lumens, as compared to
standard incandescent. Checkout these lighting manufacturers for ideas: Lights-of-America or Philips Lighting. |
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