Your Dollar Stretcher tips for February 26, 2009

Your Dollar Stretcher tips with ideas on removing dried on grime,  organizing warranties and receipts, saving on top quality pork chops and more.

Cheaper Pork Chops

When boneless pork loins are 50% off, I buy two. When I get home, I cut my own chops and put them in freezer bags of four or five. Just one loin on sale for $4 to $6 will cut up to make at least three to five packs of chops.
Julie C.


Dried Grime Remover

I keep a spray bottle of 2/3 white vinegar and 1/3 water next to the kitchen sink. When I have dishes or utensils that need extra scrubbing because of dried on grime, I simply spray with my spray bottle, wait a few minutes and wash as usual. No more elbow grease needed!
Jacqueline K.


Small Object Finder

If I drop something on the floor that is hard to see (like a small earring or pin), I just roll a lint roller across the floor, and the item will stick to it. If I don't have a lint roller handy, I wrap a piece of any type of tape I have available (duct, mailing, etc.) around my hand and run my hand across the floor. The dropped item will stick to the tape.
Teresa R.


Just Us Two

Form a babysitting co-op with your friends. In a typical month, you'll get three dates out with your spouse for free and only have to babysit one night. We send an email to all families to have them sign up to take one Saturday night out of the month. Then each couple drops their child(ren) off at the babysitting family's home. We never pay for a babysitter and get to go out on a date three weeks out of each month.
Celia LeV.


From 'Average' to 'Special'

My short legs prove costly as petite clothing is usually sold out and the average items go on sale. I have saved hundreds over the years in pant and skirt purchases by buying clearance in average sizes and hemming them myself with my sewing machine. Even if you don't sew, you can use the fusible tape to hem them. Just be careful to not use a super hot dryer or the tape will let loose.
Joyce G.


The Warranty Organizer

When I need to save receipts and warranties for products purchased, I use my scanner to save the image on my computer. I have a folder for warranties and another for receipts. The name of the image is the item purchased. If I need to read a warranty, I have it on the computer. This is much easier than looking through paper folders.
T. D. in Chicago
 

No More Sinus Headaches

I used to have sinus headaches all the time. I had to buy sinus medicines on a regular basis. I heard about a Nedi Pot from a friend. It's like a little teakettle to put warm water and salt into to flush out your nose. It comes with instructions. It's all-natural. They are sold at health food stores, and I bought mine for $11. I started using it and the sinus headaches were gone. I have not had to spend any money for sinus medications since. What a savings!
Michele B.


Tax Preparation Help

Every community has a volunteer tax service. Some have income limits, but they are generally quite high, so most people can use this free service. Call your local community resource center (sometimes it is an "over age 60" center) and see what they say. My taxes are prepared free of charge by a retired IRS agent. Yes, last year I had to wait 45 minutes for my turn, but the average wait time for "appointments" at a pay-for-tax-prep center is 30 minutes. I verified the wait by phone with Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block. They said that during late March to early April, wait times could be over one hour even with a verified appointment due to high volume and double booking. They assume some people will miss appointments or run late.
CC


Double-Dip Hair Care

Here's a tip that I got from a hairdresser on how to cut your shampoo/conditioner bill at least in half. This is also a time saver! First of all, don't buy those expensive bottles of shampoo and conditioner all in one. Buy large bottles of whichever inexpensive shampoo and conditioner you like. When you get into the shower, wet your hair down first thing. Then in your hand, put a blob of shampoo and a blob of conditioner, about the amount you'd use of each individually, and mix together. Apply to your hair as usual, and don't rinse immediately. Let the mixture sit on your hair while you finish your shower. Just before you get out of the shower rinse your hair. You'll find it to be as clean as if you'd washed twice, and it'll be properly conditioned!
Olga J.


The Benefits of Walking

Everyone knows that if you walk someplace, you save money because you don't use the gas to get there. Yet, not many realize another benefit of walking to the store. If you are walking, you tend not to buy as much, as you can't carry it all back home!

I walked to the grocery store today, and the Valentine candy was on clearance. It was so tempting! I realized, though, that it would add too much weight to the load I was carrying. I already needed to get a gallon of milk, along with other items. So, along with saving money by not driving, I saved money by not buying!
Jari in Texas


Pet Medications

I called a pet catalog company and asked them to send me their latest catalog. When the catalog arrived, I noted the prices for all the vaccines and heartworm pills my two dogs needed for the year.

When it was time to take my dogs to the vet for their yearly vaccines and heartworm pills, I quoted the pet catalog prices for those items to the vet and told him he could either give my dogs the items for the prices I quoted for them or I would order them from the pet catalog. The vet gave my dogs these items for the prices I quoted him. This saved me $15 on the heartworm pills for each dog, for total savings of $30. Plus the cost of the vaccines each dog needed was much less, too. The total amount I saved for both dogs was over $50. I will do this every year at vaccine and heartworm pill refill time.
Lori S. in Sheboygan, WI

Want to live better on the money you already make? Visit TheDollarStretcher.com to find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar! Copyright 2009 Dollar Stretcher, Inc.