I hang a lot of art in my house. Some are pieces I painted. Others are prints and paintings I’ve found over the years. I learned long ago to skip the frame shop. Their frames are beautiful but high dollar even for the Plain Janes. Instead, I focus on thrift …
I didn’t recognize this as a cheap trick until someone mentioned she thought it odd that I reseal my frozen foods with staples. And why not? It’s not as bulky as a clip and it’s more cost effective than transferring the package to a resealable plastic bag, especially for something …
We’ve used this penny up trick for years. It really helps!
In a pinch, I made these “donuts” recently and was pleased at how nice they turned out. Served warm, they make a great treat for kids and hungry husbands. A couple of extra tips. • The sugar/cinnamon mixture is to your taste. I used a 1/4 cup granulated sugar and …
Over the winter my feet got dry and sore, so I soaked them in hot water with Epsom salts. Blame it on my sore tootsies, but I broke my number one rule about recycling and forgot to reuse that water for my plants. Here’s my Cheap Trick when it comes …
My mortal enemy is the scorpion. When we first moved here, it seemed we were finding scorpions EVERY DAY. I was not a happy camper. Truth be told, I was ready to move. I might seem tough, but I’m a wuss when it comes to scorpions. They hurt! That’s bad …
Today’s Cheap Trick is an oldie but a goodie. We need to start fires regularly either to burn brush or to start the fireplace for a little ambiance. Kindling is a must, but the easiest way to get that kindling going is using dryer lint. It works! Just wrap it …
Have you heard of CLEP? University was a long time ago for me, but somehow I learned about CLEP and it saved me big bucks in the long run. I was an older student so I didn’t want to sit through a class where my knowledge base was already solid, …
I keep old sprinkle/pour type containers for flour, sugar, and powdered sugar. It makes fast work without lugging the bigger containers out.
I have to admit, Magic Eraser works. When I read what it was, I dug deeper and discovered it was nothing more than melamine foam. This is the stuff they use in big sheets for insulation and sound proofing. Here the Wiki link on melamine. It didn’t take long for …
I watched a couple of little kids climbing the apple bin at a grocery store once. Their little hands had touched everything from snotty noses to picking stuff off the floor. A few seconds later, an old man had picked through the same apples. Someone else waited patiently until …
I must’ve bathed dogs thousands of times. My dogs and other people’s dogs. I don’t even look at it as work. It’s just something that has to get done. I’m short so most of the time my breasts ended up plastered against the tub. It could be torture depending on …
A quick tutorial on recycling empty cardboard rolls. • Take your empty and cut 1 inch slits across one side. • Fold the slits down until it forms a flat surface. • Pack a little potting soil inside each tube. • Plant your seed. • Stand them up in …
I’ve used this trick for decades so I know it works. One extra tip: After you’ve pinched off the lower leaves, gently scrape the sides of the stem with a fingernail. It will help to form roots more quickly. If you use rooting powder it’s even better. Once the tomato …
I’m no guru to fixing things, but I’ve learned everything from how to do a Photoshop special effect to how to help a goat while she’s in labor. There are all kinds of things you can learn on YouTube. Greg has troubleshooted many an electrical problem just by Googling for …
I keep a jar of bacon grease in my fridge. If you don’t think you’ll use it in six months, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze. Don’t waste the grease. It gives food another level of flavor. Have you ever used bacon grease in your recipes? …
I’ve done this recently with a power inverter we bought for Greg’s solar array. It was the most expensive piece of equipment we bought for the solar panels, and it was something we watched for a long time before we bought it. On a hunch, I loaded it …
