THE DOLLAR STRETCHER

"Living Better...For Less"


January 10, 2000
Volume 5, Number 2

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In this issue:

Introduction

Turn Up the Heat on Mold, Mildew to Cut House Odors
by Warren Cook

Football Postseason Feasts
by Brenda Hyde

Budgeting Top Ten List
by Jane Chidester

Brighten Your Home in the Gray Days of Winter
by Annette Rogers CID

Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions

Additional Articles on Dollar Stretcher Website

Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com

Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
We've contacted the winners of the December sweepstakes. Lynn from Oklahoma was one and we are waiting to hear back from the other. Each one will win copies of both of Jonni McCoy's books: "Miserly Moms" and "Frugal Families". If you didn't win and would like to find out more about these two books visit www.miserlymoms.com. We think that they're two of the best guides available to making the most of the money you have.

Speaking of winners, you could be a winner in the Y-ZOO-K contest. Friends of our at StockZOO have having a contest to predict the close of the Dow at the end of the year. You could win the $4,000 grand prize of financial software, books and memorabilia. The top 20 finishers will win more than $9,000 in prizes. The StockZOO is an investment site dedicated to educating and amusing the individual investor. You can find out more about the site and the contest at www.stockzoo.com

All the Best!
Gary

Turn Up the Heat on Mold, Mildew to Cut House Odors
by Warren Cook
courtesy of Clark Public Utilities

Dear Energy Advisor,
My question is about mildew odor. Our neighbors live in a mobile home that has homemade skirting and sits on ground level on three sides. The house is closed tightly all day while they are at work. The problem I've noticed is that their clothing -- especially in winter -- has a very strong, almost unbearable odor. What can the cause be and what can I suggest they do? Please --no names if you print this --I don't want to embarrass anyone. Odor is a tricky problem.
Anonymous

There are varying sensitivities to mildew odor -- your neighbors may not notice any odor at all. They may have grown accustomed to mildew conditions in their home, like folks get used to cat litter odor, cigar smoke or fuel odors from various heating appliances. However, a mildew odor is cause for concern, even if your neighbors can't smell it. Mildew and related mold can be damaging clothing, harming wall and ceiling surfaces or even eating away at the framing of their home.

Mildew is the common name for a variety of molds or fungi that can often be found indoors. Mildew can produce a pungent odor in some cases, but not all mildews will have an odor. Typical mildew in our climate will have a black appearance ­ the surface might appear dirty. Looking closer, mildew can have a fuzzy texture. Black is the most common color, but white, rust and green mildews can also be found.

Like any living thing, mildew needs to eat to thrive. It can live in showers or on wall surfaces, feeding on the organic material in the grout between tiles or on minerals in the wallboard. It's also common in laundry areas where damp clothing might accumulate. When mildew lives on a fabric surface, it will eat and weaken the fibers of the host cloth.

There are probably a number of factors contributing to your neighbor's mildew troubles. Mobile homes are usually small residences with low ceilings, and don't have many cubic feet of air inside them. Thrifty homeowners might keep their home closed tightly in winter to conserve heat, perhaps even covering windows with plastic. Infrequently used and low-powered exhaust fans can't keep the home adequately ventilated.

Under the house, moisture may build up, especially during rainy weather. Mobile homes have skirting around their bases, much like site-built homes have short walls around crawlspaces. If moisture collects and stagnates beneath the home, it can migrate into the living space -- feeding molds and causing odors. The crawlspace should have vents and a plastic ground cover to keep soil moisture captured.

If there are any leaks in the home -- places in the walls, windows or roof that allow rainwater to infiltrate -- the moisture from the leaks can feed a fungus colony. Molds inside walls are impossible to see until the wall becomes visibly damaged.

What can your neighbors do to reduce their household mildew? If their clothes are the only mildew casualty, they may be able to combat the mold with rigorous cleaning. Bleaching --1/2 cup bleach per wash load -- will kill mildew, but bleach will weaken clothing, too. Heavily mildewed clothes may be unsalvageable.

If their clothing is tainted with mildew from a closet wall where there may be a water leak, a carpenter may need to be called in to make repairs. Hidden water leaks can cause serious damage, and homeowners shouldn't wait for a wall or floor failure to investigate.

It's possible the clothing is stored in a room closed off from ventilation air and heated air circulation. It's not at all uncommon to see mold growing in rooms that have been closed off to conserve heat. The walls and windows in closed rooms become breeding grounds for molds when air is not allowed to circulate. Many homes have some degree of mildew growing in the tracks of metal windows because moisture in the air condenses on the cooler metal surface. The same trouble can pop up in the bathroom, especially in corners where moisture can condense and air does not circulate. A thorough cleaning with a bleach solution will kill and remove most surface mold.

It might sound harsh --and not energy-efficient -- but one secret to preventing this kind of mold is to turn up the heat and open the window. The room needs lots of ventilation and a higher air temperature to keep moisture in the air and off the walls and windows.

Removing the moisture sources is not always possible -- occupants will always need to bathe, launder and cook. Run ventilation fans often and air out the home when the weather is mild. Look for sources of excessive moisture -- plants, aquariums and humidifiers. Mildew thrives when the indoor humidity is 50 percent or greater, so a good measuring device for humidity -- a hygrometer -- will help homeowners keep tabs on their environment.

Warren Cook is an energy consultant for Clark Public Utilities. You can send questions to energyadviser@clarkpud.com

This article originally appeared on the Clark Public Utility District website www.clarkpud.com

Football Postseason Feasts
by Brenda Hyde

This time of year many of us are glad that football season is almost over, while the fans are holding on to these last games wanting to stretch out the season. Whatever your reason for celebrating, a Football Feast is fun and easy. The game fans can watch football and eat, but you can also set up activities and games for the kids in another room. If you have two televisions and a VCR you can rent videos too. Think of it as setting up "stations" for your company to have fun while eating and visiting. Be creative and this may become a new tradition in your household!

Shopping List:

  • 2 pounds ground chuck
  • 2 green peppers
  • 2-3 jalapeno peppers (1 for recipe, others extra) garlic
  • cumin
  • oregano
  • cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce
  • 2 cans chili beans, or one large
  • 3 (15 ounce) cans black beans
  • tomato sauce
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 1 can Mexican style corn
  • 2 large Roma tomatoes
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 2 limes
  • 2 lemons
  • 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with chilies oatmeal
  • 1 bag chocolate chips (plus standard baking ingredients)
  • 3 bags assorted tortilla chips
  • small flour tortillas
  • Desired toppings for chili: sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.

    Brenda's Big Pot of Chili

  • 2 pounds ground chuck
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds cleaned out and diced 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 cans chili beans, or one large can
  • 2 (15 ounces) cans black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water

    Brown ground chuck, onion, green pepper, jalapeno and garlic. Drain grease if necessary. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Put the chili in a crockpot, and it can cook on low as long as you need it to. Stir occasionally and add a little water if it needs it. Set up the crockpot with a ladle, bowls, and toppings such as green onions, sour cream, shredded cheese and extra jalapenos. Also have bottles of Tabasco and hot sauce for those who like it extra hot.

    Mexican Black Bean Salad

  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
  • 1 can Mexican style corn
  • 2 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped 3 green onions, chopped (use white and green) 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (or few drips hot pepper sauce) Salt and pepper

    In mixing bowl combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Add red pepper, oil, lime juice and cumin. Blend with the cayenne, salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, or overnight. Makes about 6 cups.

    Homemade Salsa for a Crowd

  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with chilies 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano leaves, crushed
  • 1/8 tsp. ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

    Drain tomatoes. Take out 2 cups of the diced tomatoes and set aside. Put the remaining tomatoes in a blender or food processor and lightly process. (About 30 seconds). Add all tomatoes to a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate several hours to blend flavors.
    Serve with tortilla chips.

    NOTE: Have several bags of tortilla chips, some flavored and some plain, to serve with all the above. You can also have some small flour tortillas on hand to warm and use as bread to accompany the salad or the chili.

    Oatmeal Chip Cookies

  • 2 sticks margarine, softened (1 cup)
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups old fashioned or quick oatmeal
  • 1 bag (11 1/2 ounces) chocolate chips

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with mixer on high speed, beat margarine, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt until well blended. Add flour just to blend. Stir in oats and chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack. Store airtight at room temperature up to one week.

    NOTES: Place cookies in a basket to be munched on. You can double the recipe depending on the number of people you have coming. Use any leftover lemons, limes, or green peppers as garnishes. A nice addition to the entire buffet would be a raw vegetable platter with a simple vegetable dip. You could also serve iced tea, coffee and assorted sodas.

    Brenda Hyde is a 38-year-old wife and mother of two boys, 4 and 5 years old. She runs her online bookshop of out-of-print and collectable titles, designs her own site and still finds creative ways to cook on a budget! Be sure to visit Brenda at Seeds of Knowledge www.seedsofknowledge.com, where you can share family memories at Tea Time, and explore The Treehouse to learn about backyard nature.

    This article originally published by The Family Corner.com www.thefamilycorner.com

    Budgeting Top Ten List
    by Jane Chidester

    Here we are in the month of "lists." There are the "to do's," "party preparation lists," "invitation lists," "the who's naughty and nice list," and of course the great "shopping lists!"

    To take a break from this, and just for a smile, I thought I'd share a "budgeting list." Here are...The Top Ten List of Reasons Why You MIGHT Need to Budget! :)

    10. If you think your checkbook register is a good place to play tic-tac-toe.

    9. If your cat mistakes the clutter of bills on your desktop for a litter box.

    8. If your credit card debt and your blood pressure are both over 300.

    7. If your idea of achieving your dreams is taking a nap.

    6. If at the end of a telephone conversation your friend says "Bye now," and you unconsciously answer with "Pay later!"

    5. If you carry enough credit cards to shingle the roof of a reasonably sized suburban dwelling.

    4. If you think checkbook balancing is an unusual circus act performed by skilled acrobats of the Ukraine.

    3. If your credit counselor is on speed dial.

    2. If your local catalog order department is on speed dial.

    And the number one reason you might need to be on a budget:

    1. If your annual spending is equal to Microsoft's Bill Gates' earnings!

    Jane Chidester Jane@TulipTreePress.com is the author of BudgetYes! 21st Century Solutions for Taking Control of Your Money Now! Visit her Web site at http://TulipTreePress.com. Budget Central: Personal Budgeting Information and Resources Repository of information and resources on personal budgeting, financial planning, and household money management--a complete budgeting education.

    Brighten Your Home in the Gray Days of Winter
    by Annette Rogers CID

    Bringing a little warmth into your home in the dead of winter may be more challenging for some than others, depending on where you live in the country. Here in Southern California the sun shines most days and there are blooming plants and flowers all around us. But, many of you live in areas where the colors seem to disappear and the days seem grayer.

    An easy way to bring a little warmth to a room decor for those that live in cold gray areas is to display pictures of outdoor summer scenes. Try flowers, green pastures, cottages with window boxes filled with blooms or any other subject that will remind you of the warm summer season. A great frugal way to achieve this is to frame photos from trips. Planned gardens such as Buchard Gardens make wonderful photo opportunities and displayed in bright colorful frames will bring a little warmth to any décor.

    For those of us in warmer climates, make use of the natural flowers and bring them indoors. There is nothing like fresh flowers to brighten up a winter day. I use decorated clay pots and baskets with blooming plants in them a round my own house; the blooms will last longer than fresh-cut flowers.

    Nostalgia - such as collections of old photos, picture frames, books and things from our childhoods - are great items to display. These are things we enjoy having around us on a cold dreary winter day.

    Rearranging furniture is a great pastime of mine. Try arranging a room that might make it cozier in winter. Add colorful throws to the backs of sofas and chairs. Accessorize with textured throw pillows and books stacked on a coffee table.

    Surrounding yourself with the things that make you feel good will add a little warmth and brighten your cold winter days.

    Annette Rogers, CID, is editor of AMI DESIGN NEWS, a print newsletter filled with frugal decorating how-to projects, tips and ideas. Send a SASE for a FREE copy to:
    AMI Design and Associates
    1523 E. Rose Ave
    Orange, CA 92867
    www.angelfire.com/pe/frugalhomedecor

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    Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions

    Aerobic Shoes

    On the question of good and reasonably priced aerobic shoes, I have some advice gleaned from my shoe hunting excursions:

  • Shoes have changed so much in the last two years, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the options.
  • If the shoe fits, wear it. Most shoe stores will take back unsatisfactory shoes if the sole does not look used or marked. I take my new shoes home and wear them on the carpet for a day to see how they feel. If they hurt, take them back. A very knowledgeable sales rep once told me that if the shoe isn't comfortable when you try it on, it won't stretch enough to ever be truly comfortable.
  • You get what you pay for in shoes. A cheap brand of aerobic shoes doesn't last long. A friend of mine went the cheap route and ended up spending as much as she would have spent on a name-brand pair. Even she admitted that a good name brand could be found for a reasonable price on sale.
  • Athletic shoes are always going on sale. Watch your area trends. Scout out your discount stores like Warehouse Shoes, Famous Footwear, and even Sam's Club.
  • Go to a store that specializes in athletic shoes and try on every aerobic type and brand there. Discuss the pros and cons of each brand with the sales rep. You'll find that there isn't a whole lot of difference between brands. Nike and Reebok run narrow for me. Lady Spirit is made for a woman's foot and that's what I wear.

    In summary, fit comes before price. A poorly fitting pair of shoes will hurt you as much as a poorly cushioned pair will doing aerobics. Once your foot finds the shoe, start watching for the sales! Happy Hunting!
    Sonja J.

    Editor's note: more advice for buying athletic and aerobic footwear at www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110a.cfm

    Homemade Furniture Polish

    The three ingredients are boiled linseed oil, distilled white vinegar, and turpentine, in equal parts. Use 0000 steel wool. Do not make more than you can use in a short period of time because the turpentine evaporates and the linseed oil can be a fire hazard. I usually make 1 cup at a time (1/3 cup of each). This will not work on the newer urethane or other polymer finishes, but is great on older furniture. Be careful in disposing of the steel wool, as linseed oil in rags or paper can spontaneously combust and cause a fire in your trash can.
    Gretchen K.

    Keeping Warm

    'Tis the season for...cold weather! I got a great deal this morning. I was looking for a scarf for a coat (a friend got tired of the coat, so she gave it to me!). Scarves cost anywhere from $10-$25 (or more!) and at the local thrift store, many are too 'pilly' to use or not the right color. I went to our local fabric store and purchased a fleece piece of material in the exact shade I was looking for. I then took home the piece of material and just cut a fringe at each end. Voila...no sew. The result? A made-to-order scarf for $1.24. Works for me!
    W.

    Editor's note: if you like time and money saving tips send a blank email to subscribe-ds-tips@xc.org and we'll begin to send you Dollar Stretcher Tips twice each week.

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    Additional Articles on Dollar Stretcher Website

    Tackling Your Credit Card Debts
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000106a.htm

    Buying Athletic Shoes
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110a.cfm

    Car Buyers Choice: Lower Interest Rate or Rebate Check
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000105a.htm

    Learning to Avoid Late Fees
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000103.htm

    Teaching Children About Money
    by Kelly Jo Landers
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110b.cfm

    Ways to Reduce Your Expenses Now
    by Ginita Wall, CPA, CFP
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110e.cfm

    Ask Miserly Moms: Living on One Income
    by Jonni McCoy
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110c.cfm

    Ask Miserly Moms: Homemade Recipes for 'Easy Bake' Ovens
    by Jonni McCoy
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110d.cfm

    Home Improvement: How to Avoid Paying Twice
    courtesy Nolo Press
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110h.cfm

    Piled Higher and Deeper (Avoiding Diploma Scams)
    by Bob Osgoodby
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110j.cfm

    Investing in Collectibles
    by Michelle Kennedy Hogan
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110k.cfm

    How to Shop On-Line Without Problems
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000104.htm

    Turn Your Yearly Bonus Into a Nest Egg
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000105.htm

    Mortgages for People With Slightly Less Than Perfect Credit
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000106.htm

    Lousy Winter Gas Mileage
    Ask Bob: The Auto Answer Man
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110i.cfm

    Winter Condensation Problems
    by The Natural Handyman
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110f.cfm

    Make Money With A Home Biz In 2000
    by Liz Folger
    http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000110g.cfm

    Reducing Your Overhead Expenses
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000106b.htm

    Even Entreprenuers Need a Vacation
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000103a.htm

    Stationery Could Be Costing Your Business a Forture
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000103b.htm

    Rule of Thumb Comparisons: The Average Beauty Shop
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000104a.htm

    Making Financial Projections for Your Business
    http://www.stretcher.com/brm/000105b.htm

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