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| Dollar Stretcher Tips for November 13, 2008 |
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| Written by Gary Foreman | |||
 Save money on kitchen cleaning supplies, clothing, gifts, kitchen organization and more with Dollar Stretcher tips for November 13, 2008Getting Ready for Bed I have found that if I turn my electric blanket on "high" for about 30 minutes prior to going bed, the bed is warm when I'm ready to get into it. Then, I usually turn the blanket back to a medium setting, depending on how cold it's supposed to get that night.Rebecca Cheap Kitchen Scrubbies I just discovered that bath puffs made of net work wonders on pots and pans. I had an extra new bath net, so I decided to give it a try. It works great. It really took off some burnt beans on the bottom of a two-quart pan in no time. Sometimes you can purchase them two for $1 and get one for the bath and one for the kitchen.Judy What I Learned at Thrift Stores One really great reason to shop at the thrift store is to learn which brands of clothing (and other items) hold up well over time. If/when I have to buy something brand new, I feel far more confident spending money if I know I'm buying a brand that will still look great, wear well, or be durable enough to pay for itself. On the few occasions when I've needed to pay retail prices for any of these items, I stick to the brands I know are worth the expense.JD A Worthwhile Gift for Teacher Each year I organize a gift card for a teacher. I send a letter to all the parents that explains the concept of donating any dollar amount to give the teacher one giant gift card. We have purchased cards to garden shops and sporting goods shops. The parents like the idea because the gift is taken care of and the teachers like it because they can purchase whatever suits their fancy. We all just sign a "You're a Great Teacher" greeting card. Parents don't feel obligated to spend big dollar amounts and the teacher usually ends up with a pretty good-sized gift card.Trina Kitchen Organization Metal or plastic lunch boxes make wonderful storage boxes. They are portable and of uniform size. You probably already have a few at home. Others can be acquired inexpensively at thrift stores and yard sales. I use them to store individual packages of cocoa, cider, instant oatmeal, etc. It is a great way to store crayons, art supplies, make-up, condiment packages, and curlers. These boxes are easily stackable and storable and can be labeled for easier use.Bobbie All Wrapped Up I have always had problems keeping up with wrapping paper, tape, tags, scissors and ribbons. Every time I wanted to wrap a present, I would have to collect all the supplies needed and Christmas wrapping was a nightmare. One day I was shopping a local thrift store and found a nearly new garment bag for $4. I bought it, and as soon as I got home, I collected all my wrapping supplies and put them in the garment bag. It now hangs in the back of the hall closet until needed. The pockets are wonderful for storing tape, scissors, tags, etc. The rolls of paper all fit inside easily even with different sizes. It is easy to check for dwindling supplies and my hubby no longer has to ask me where the wrapping paper and tape are when he wants to wrap a gift for me. DD Reducing Travel Stress Here are a few potential money and stress saving tips for the upcoming holiday travel season. If you're expecting company to fly in, make sure you have extra shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, shower soap, contact lens solution and other appropriate toiletries for your guests to use so they don't have pack them in their luggage. Providing these amenities will save space, stress through security check-in rules and potentially money for your guest so they don't have to pay extra for added weight. Also, make sure you let your guests know that you're providing these items and tell them that they can use your washer and dryer too. If guests can wash a load or two, they won't need to bring as much. Use of a washer and dryer can save parents of small ones a lot of excessive packing too. Although you may have to spend a few dollars to get the toiletries, any of the items you provide for your guests can be then used by you and your family or saved for the next round of visitors. These tips are just great courtesies to help each other out during the upcoming holiday season, making it less stressful for those traveling.Tanya Avoiding Impulses We just went through parent-teacher conferences in our district. As both a teacher and a parent, and with book fairs at multiple schools, I knew I would be tempted to purchase books. Books are good, right? And your purchase supports the schools, so it sounds like a good thing to do. And it is if you need the books and can spare the money. To avoid temptation, I left my checkbook and credit cards at home. I went to the fairs, and I wrote down one book that I was interested in getting. I decided that I would think about it, and if I decided I really wanted it, I could stop back later with a check. That removed the possibility of making an impulse purchase, and I saved $20, not to mention it's one less thing cluttering up my house that, while I would like, really didn't need.
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