Still have some pumpkins laying around the house? Here are some things you can do with them.
Carve out the inside and use it to hold mums, daisies or other seasonal flowers. You can also use it to make a natural planter. Fit a flower pot into the inside of the pumpkin.
For the insides that were cut out, you don’t have to use it up right away. You can can it for a later use. Cut the pumpkin into small chunks and place on a baking sheet at 500 degrees. Once it is slightly browned, let it cool and then put into freezer-proof containers such as Ziploc bags or Rubbermaid containers. For more information, visit http://www.dealseekingmom.com/.
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You can save this Thanksgiving by cutting down on the amount of food you cook. It may be nice to have leftovers but making one or two fewer dishes and just enough to feed the group coming over, will cut down on throwing out the food that is not eaten. For more information, visit http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/frugal-thanksgiving-feast-tips-for-saving-time-and-money.htm.
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If you plan on buying gift cards for some of you Christmas shopping this year, you don’t have to buy them at face value. Gift card websites such as plasticjungle.com and certificateswap.com offer discounted gift cards. Just be sure to verify that the cards are valid. For more places to buy discounted gift cards, visit http://cbs13.com/savewithdave/Save.With.Dave.2.1321173.html.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
Do you ever feel guilty tossing away those heels in your loaf of bread? By flipping them over, you can still create a sandwich and no one will ever know. What about bath poufs that are falling apart? Save them for scrubbing the shower, sinks and tub. For more information, visit http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/category/frugal-tips.
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Check out these Veteran’s Day meal deals for next week. On Monday, Hometown Buffet in Sacramento is serving a full buffet breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. Military members eat free and friends and family members only have to pay $5.99. On Wednesday, Applebee’s is offering a free meal from a special menu for all veterans and active duty. And on Nov. 16, Golden Corral is hosting a military appreciation dinner from 5 to 9 p.m.to anyone who has ever served in the military. The offer is good at all restaurants nationwide. For more information, check out Save with Dave at http://cbs13.com/savewithdave/Save.With.Dave.2.1292529.html.
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Constantly buying candles? If you chill them, or freeze them at last 24 hours prior to burning, they will burn slower and more evenly. For more information, visit http://www.thedigeratilife.com/blog/index.php/2008/04/07/frugal-tips-how-to-make-10-ordinary-things-last-longer/.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
It’s time to stock up on coffee filters since you can always buy so many in a package. And, there are 14 different uses for them. Here are some of those ways:
• Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave.
• Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so windows will sparkle.
• If you break the cork when opening a bottle of wine, use a filter filter out the broken cork pieces.
• Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent soil from leaking out of the drainage holes.
For more coffee filter uses, visit http://frugal-fabulous.blogspot.com/search/label/Reuse%20Stuff.
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Your dinner tonight will only cost you $1 if you go to Boston Market. They are offering a Real Chicken Meal, which includes 1/4 white or three piece dark with mashed potatoes and corn bread, for $1. They offer one per person per visit. The coupon is good until Nov. 1. Click here for the printable coupon. For other coupons that are offered, visit http://www.frugallivingandhavingfun.com/search/label/Printable%20Coupons.
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This tip may not sound appetizing but I think it might be worth a try. You can drink recycled coffee by reusing your coffee grounds. Just add about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grounds in the with used to brew another fresh cup. I just may try this myself when I get low on coffee grounds. For more information, visit http://www.fun-frugal-mom-survival-tips.com/frugal_food.html.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
Is your sink stopped up? Don’t use those drain cleansers that contain harsh chemicals. Just pour baking soda down the drain, followed by vinegar and then put the sink stopper in. After 15 minutes, flush with boiling water. For more information, visit http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/frugal-cleaning-tips-being-frugal-with-your-cleaning-supplies.htm.
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If you have extra ice cube trays laying around, there are several uses for them.
• Make Kool-Aid flavored ice for kids and mix up the flavors for fun.
• Use trays as drawer organizers for paperclips or sewing notions.
• Freeze small portions of leftover baby food.
• Freeze tablespoon-sized amounts of broth or special sauces for cooking soups and casseroles.
For more information, visit, http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/frugal/51kitchenitems.htm
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If you don’t have the funds to eat lunch out anymore but just don’t have the time to make a sandwich every night, see a step by step illustration how one person made a whole week’s worth of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
Everyone knows keeping receipts can be a pain. They get lost. They take up extra space. With texthog, you can have a paperless track record of your purchases. The next time you go for an afternoon coffee or fill your car up with gas, send the amount to texthog with your phone. For more information, visit http://cbs13.com/savewithdave/Save.With.Dave.2.1224804.html
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When bananas get old, don’t throw them away. Put them in the freezer, peel and all, and then a couple of times a month shove them into the ground next to roses. The pure potassium of the banana will produce georgeous colors and blooms next year. For more information, visit http://www.tiphero.com/tips_1916_septic-tank-help.html.
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The season is changing again, which means a need to switch out the summer clothing with the winter clothing. With storage containers costing between $8 and $9, just store your seasonal clothing in your unused pieces of luggage and then slide it under the bed. For more information, visit http://www.stretcher.com/stories/09/09oct05t.cfm
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
If you are one, like me, that gets annoyed by those plastic bread tabs, you will be pleased to know there are actually uses for them. They make great scrapers for counters, floors and dishes. They can also be used as a bookmark or attached to a roll of tape so it doesn’t fold over. For more uses of bread tabs, visit http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-special-occasions/article_57a4d8ce-a55e-11de-ba1f-001cc4c03286.html.
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Do you have a whole chicken but are unsure of how to use it? You can stretch it into four meals. That is almost a full week’s worth of meal-planning. For the first day, roast it. For day 2, use chicken stock, veggies, chicken meat and ramen noodles for chicken noodle soup. For the third day, make stuffing, use leftover chicken and gravy to make a chicken stuffing casserole. And, on the last day make chicken curry. To watch a video about this, visit http://www.frugallivingnews.com/322/making-four-meals-out-of-one-chicken/.
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Apparently, you can place a bid for a hotel stay, possibly getting a less expensive rate. That is what my sister did while booking their trip to Disneyland next month. You can place a bid for a room in the area you want to stay. For a room that regularly runs $135 a night, she was able to book it for $60 a night. You can also save on flights and car rentals. I plan on trying this the next time we go on vacation. For information on how this works, visit http://travel.priceline.com/default.asp?rdr=1&session_key=3F0011AC400011AC20090924185640450160605820.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
The next time you find that last little bit of cereal in the box, don’t throw it out. They may not be enough to enjoy by themselves but can be incorporated into everyday meals. For example, coco sweetened cereal or leftover cookie crumbs can be saved in plastic containers and used as a topping for ice cream or yogurt. Or, potato chips can be incorporated into breadcrumbs for a meatloaf. For more information, visit http://www.frugal-living-tips.com/little-bits-can-go-a-long-way.html.
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To cut down on inconvenience and the cost of a new watch battery, start turning off your watches when they are not in use. Just pull the stem out and then the watch should be able to last longer. For more information, visit http://www.frugal-living-tips.com/making-watch-batteries-last-longer.html
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Barbecue season may be just about over but if you still have charcoal left, don’t throw it away. It can be used as an air freshener. It works just like Arm and Hammer Baking Soda. It can also be used to keep plants fresh by dropping a chunk into a vase. It acts as a water purifier and keeps it clear and clean. For more uses of charcoal, visit http://www.tiphero.com/tips_1888_8-clever-uses-for-charcoal.html.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
Craving a nice dinner out? Visit restaurant.com. There are over 10,000 restaurants across the country who offer gift certificates. For example, you can get a $25 gift certificate for $10 and a $50 gift certificate for $20. For more information, visit http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Money/Debt-Management/How-to-Be-a-Super-Saver.html.
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Save your fives. Another saving’s account option is to save your $5 bills by stashing them into a jar. You can open an interest-bearing account just for the fives. One the first of every month, make a deposit. For more information, visit womansday.com.
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After the outbreak of World War II, a government booklet, “Make do and Mend,” was published to give people tips on how to live frugally. Seventy years later, a modern edition has been made. Here are some of its tips:
• Freeze leftover pieces of cake until you have enough to make a trifle.
• Unwrap a new bar of soap and store it among towels and bedding. Not only will the soap scent the linen but it will harden it to make it last longer.
• Shine up shoes using the inside of a banana skin. After they dry, buff them off with a soft cloth.
For more tips or for more about the book, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8224494.stm.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
Keep those magazine subcriptions! I just stumbled upon this website where you can sign up and order special deals on magazines. Each day, they offer a special deal on a different magazine, some as low as $4.69 for year-long subscription. They even offer gift cards too. Check it out at http://www.bestdealmagazines.com/index.asp?AID=9921826&PID=3461884.
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If you’re tired of wasting money by throwing out flat soda, you can invest in a soda pump. Once you take off the bottle cap, screw on the pump cap. You can find one here http://www.spacesavers.com/fizzkeeper.html. For more information, visit http://ourfriendben.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/frugal-living-tip-33/.
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The other day, a co-worker told me there is a way to save on your Comcast bill. If you have signed up for a Comcast special, you must pay the bill in full for two months. Once that time frame is up, you can call back and ask for another special to lower your bill.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.
Are you in need for the perfect versatile but cheap snack? Try a box of Saltines. You can fix them in a variety of ways. They can be made into a pizza snack by dropping a small dollop of spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese on them. You can make confetti crackers by spreading peanut butter or cream cheese and then adding a topping such as coconut, sunflower seeds or raisins. Or, you can make cracker stackers. Create sandwiches by using small cheese squares, baloney or other lunch meat and boiled eggs. For more information, visit http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/saltines.htm.
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If the inside of your home needs a facelift, there are easy and inexpensive ways to update the decor. Removable contact paper can be cut into strips and used as a border around windows, chair rails or along the ceiling line. Gift wrap with beautiful or unique pictures can be decoupaged onto a wall. Or, an inexpensive curtain rod can be draped with sheets, quilts or fabric to add a backdrop to the room. For more ideas, visit http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06aug14d.cfm.
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You can always find something for free if you visit freesnatcher.com. It could be nuts, perfume, a candy bar or a magazine. Every day there is something new for free. For more information, visit http://cbs13.com/savewithdave/Save.With.Dave.2.1122620.html.
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Do you know of a way to save money or know of a great resource that explains how to save money? Contact Pam Bauserman at 369-7035 or send an e-mail to pamelab@lodinews.com.