Dollar Stretcher Tips for herbs, gift tags, shopping lists and more.

Razor Care

Do not leave your razor in the shower. After each use, dry your razor (whether disposable or regular) with a towel. You can use a hair dryer if necessary. Store it where it will stay dry until the next time you need to use it. The razor blade will stay sharp much longer.
Rose

Are you getting ready to pick all your herbs and dry them for the winter? Searching for places all over the house to hang them? A quicker and neater way to dry them is to clean them and place them in a clean white pillowcase. Tie an elastic band over the end to seal it and turn the dryer on air. You can dry your herbs quickly and with little mess this way with no leaves falling all over the place.
Fran

This time of year is great for getting free magazine/book holders. We go to the store and pick up empty "boxes" that the stores put their two-prong and pocket folders in. They can be easily painted or decorated and then your children have a free-standing holder for books, etc. on a desk. Our children cut pictures out of magazines or calendars and paste them on the box. We then cover the box with clear contact paper. They last almost forever.
Dawn

Instead of buying gift tags for presents, use the color cards that paint companies produce to show the colors of their paints. They come in various sizes and you should be able to find any color to match your wrapping paper. If you don't have any color cards around the house, ask a paint store for their cards of discontinued colors that they are going to throw away anyway.
Kristel W.

Ask your local carpet dealer if they ever sell samples or if they ever donate them. I recently purchased several very large, well-made sample rugs for $35 each from a local Habitat Restore. They have a small square on the ends with the word "sample" printed on it, which is the backing only. I positioned the rugs so the wording is under furniture. The look is beautiful, elegant, and much more quiet and warm since I have hardwood floors.
Jackie D. in Durant, IA

I decided to make a customized shopping list for my local grocery store to save me time and money. I went through my local grocery store in my usual route. I wrote down each aisle I usually visit in order. I then went home and typed up a shopping list template that I hang on the side of the refrigerator. Whenever I am out of something, I quickly jot it down. Now when I go shopping, I don't forget necessary items. This saves me time because I can quickly go down each aisle and look specifically for the items I need. It also saves me money because I'm not browsing for yummy treats. I am on a mission to get what is on my list!
Jan J.

One of my best money savers is the use of a bike! I save money on gas and improve my health at the same time. I know commuting to and from work isn't practical for everyone, but if you live within a 10-mile radius of work, you're adding 10 minutes or less to your commute and getting in at least 30 minutes worth of exercise without having to go to the gym! Just riding a bike only once a week to work saves over $150 a year in gas and the health benefits are immeasurable!
Kristen C. in Alpine, UT

My daughter is the very fortunate recipient of hand-me-downs from a couple of family friends with older children. Sometimes while out shopping, however, I'd spot an item (say, a pair of jeans) in the next size up for a good price. Try as I might, I couldn't remember what hand-me-downs she already had in the next size, and would often make a purchasing mistake (duplicate something she already had, or resist buying and realize later she needed the item). I recently realized that the solution was as close as my cell phone!

I took out the box containing the next size up of hand-me- downs, sorted them according to item (tops, bottoms, shoes, outerwear) and spread them on the floor. I then took a picture with my camera phone of all of her tops, then all her bottoms, etc. Now I have about four pictures on my camera phone, readily viewable at any time, of the clothes she has waiting for her in the next size up. I used to try keeping a written log, but it took much longer to do this and even then sometimes I couldn't envision the color or design of the items.
Alicia P.

It has been a long hot summer here in Arkansas. Keeping the sun from heating up the house is a high priority, but winter will be here before we know it and then we need to keep the heat in! An answer to both problems is a removable window covering that can be turned for whatever season you are in.

I purchased a box of fabric at an auction and in the box was a piece of thermal fleece, metallic silver on one side and white fleece on the other. There was not enough fabric to cover much, but it gave me an idea. I have fleece fabric. I cut the fleece to fit inside my window frame. I then used a spray adhesive and put heavy-duty aluminum foil cut to the same size as the fabric on top of that. The spray adhesive held them together. I used my rolling pin to roll over the foil, making sure I got a good adhesion to the fleece.

These can be held into place on the window with anything, including hook and loop tape or thumbtacks or attach them to curtain rod. If making to fit the outside of your window frame, then cut the fabric and foil at least one inch larger on both sides. Foil faces out the window in summer and towards the room in the winter.
Joan B.

Need more time and money? Visit TheDollarStretcher.com for hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your dollar. You'll live better...for less! Copyright 2008 Dollar Stretcher Inc.Dollar Stretcher Tips for September 4, 2008