THE DOLLAR STRETCHER

"Living Better...For Less"

December 1, 1997
Volume 2, Number 48

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"The Dollar Stretcher" does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.

In this issue:

Introduction

'Share' Food Program
by Sherri Goodwin

A Less Is More Christmas List
by Gary Foreman

Grandma's Clutter Solutions
by Roberta Paola

Ask Bob: The Automotive Answer Guy?
by Bob DeP

Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions

NEW ON THE WEB THIS WEEK:

Eat Better, Spend Less
Southwestern Pasta
by Julie Davis
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971125c.htm

Homemade Breakfast Bars
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971125a.htm

Eliminating Field Mice
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971125b.htm

UPCOMING CHATS
http://www.talkcity.com
in the Finance Center at 8:30 to 9:30 U.S. Eastern Time

12/3 - Christmas Tree Shopping
12/10 - Year End Tax Planning
12/17 - Calculating Your Expenses

Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com

---

Hello to all my Frugal Friends!

Hope all of our U.S. readers had a great Thanksgiving. Looks like a busy holiday season. Please don't forget to send in your frugal gift and decorating ideas. I'll be updating pages on a regular basis.

This week on the website we'll also be highlighting past articles on uses for baking soda and 'Desperation Dinners'. You might want to drop by and visit.

Oh, one last thing, don't forget to forward a copy of the newsletter to a frugal friend!

All the Best!
Gary

Want to know one of the best kept secrets around? Here it is: the SHARE food program that is implemented in every state and many places around the world. SHARE stands for Self Help And Resource Exchange. It allows my family to get about $30 worth of groceries for $14.50 plus two hours of volunteer community service. And the service can be absolutely anything you do for someone else for which you are not paid.

The food packages (called Shares) vary each month and in each region of the country. Primarily the SHARE buyers buy from local farmers and producers and buy in bulk. This is not a gov't subsidized program and there are no monetary guidelines. And in many places food stamps can be used to purchase a Share package. If you eat, you qualify. And each person can purchase as many Shares as they need - as long as they do the two hours of service for each Share.

One really nice addition in the past few years are specialty Share packages: holiday packages (including a 9 pound turkey), grilling packs for the summer, seasonal baking packages (comprised of all the goodies necessary to stock your kitchen for baking) and more. You can purchase these separately or in addition to the regular Share each month.

I often include my small children in my SHARE work hours so that they understand that people work for their food. And since I always have many more hours of service (from church things, school activities, etc) I can donate my hours to someone else if I choose - often they go to an elderly person who is housebound.

I have been involved in SHARE for about three years now in two states and find it a good savings and a rewarding thing to do. Besides all my other community service (and that of my husband as well), I go to my local host site on D-Day (distribution day, once a month) and set up and bag food for each participant. I have met a wonderful crew of people there and really enjoy getting to know the people who regularly purchase Shares and come through the site each month. It takes about three hours of my time one Saturday each month. And I love to go do it.

I would say the only draw back to this program is that you can't be picky about your food. It is always good quality food, but you have no choice in what you get (unless you swap items with others as I sometimes do!). Everyone gets the same things, and it always includes frozen meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and some canned goods or staples like pasta or rice. And each month there is usually one or two items I will not use (turnips, acorn squash, kielbasa, etc...). When this happens I ask my neighbors and church friends if anyone will use what I won't and then I give it away. So this way I help others as well. And often my host site orders an extra Share each month just to be sure we have enough. If no one buys it on D-Day or no one else needs it, I then take it as a donation to one of my neighbors who is struggling financially.

I would encourage everyone to check this program out. In many places SHARE is listed in the white pages/business section of the phone book. You can also reach your regional SHARE affiliate by calling 1-619-544-2980. This is a toll-free call and will route your call automatically by the area code you are calling from and connect you directly to the office covering your local region. I am told that a web site is being implemented and will available soon, however I was not able to find the URL for it at this time. Many of the social welfare offices have a contact number the local programs as well. In the Milwaukee area alone there are over 25 host sites - one near just about everybody in the city.

Get involved and save money too!

I am a "professional parent" (according to what my husband puts on our tax form every year) with two small children. I enjoy the community service and the many opportunities I have for volunteerism. If the adage "if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it" is true, that explains why the only bumper sticker on my car says "If I am a mother-at-home why am I always in my car?"

"What's the best Christmas present you ever got?" Mary asked the question almost absent-mindedly, but John knew that there was something behind that innocent question.

"Probably those old records you found for me one year. I listen to them all the time. Why do you ask?"

"Just thinking about our Christmas shopping list. We shouldn't spend so much this year and yet I don't want to feel like we're cheating our friends and relatives. Thought that maybe remembering our own best and worst gifts would put me in the right frame of mind to put a good list together."

Since John hated shopping he was all for anything that would make Christmas shopping easier. If Mary could make it cheaper, too, she'd really have something! "I'll tell you one rule we should use this year. If someone already has one of something we shouldn't buy them a replacement. Take your Dad, for instance. Last year we bought him that new putter. After six rounds of missing puts with it he was ready to throw it into the lake. Don't think we bought any real happiness with that gift!"

Mary chuckled, but she knew that John was right. "Remember those shirts we got for your brothers? I was looking for something where I could buy two and give one to each. I ended up getting something that really wasn't right for either of them. This year, I'm just not going to buy the same gift for more than one person."

John hadn't told Mary, but one day last spring Bill had mentioned that he returned the shirt. "What we need to figure out is what to do with all of our friends. If we don't have enough time to see them regularly how are we supposed to find a gift that they really like?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you. Susie and I were talking on the phone the other day. We decided that instead of trading meaningless gifts that we would save the money and use it to go out to dinner together in January. It's set for the 9th. We thought that would be a good chance to catch up with what's going on in each other's lives."

"Great! Why don't we do that with Jim and Nancy, too?"

Mary responded to John by making a note on her list. But she was still concerned that there were too many people on the list where she just didn't have any good ideas. "What about Ellen and Tony? She always says that they don't need anything. But I can't just skip my own sister."

"How about this, Hon? With the three kids they never seem to have any time on their own. Why don't we babysit the kids while they go to dinner or a movie?"

Mary thought for a moment, then a frown crossed her face. "Even if they want to go out, Ellen will never call to ask. It'll be like giving them nothing."

"I can solve that. Do the same thing you did with Susie. Pick a date and then just remind Ellen about a week before. That way they have to do something specific to avoid going out."

Mary brightened. "Oh, I like that! I was thinking of something similar for Joannie. Since the divorce she never gets any time away from the kids. I thought that we could babysit while she goes to the mall or has lunch with some girl friends. Now I know how to get her to actually take me up on the offer!"

John joined Mary on the sofa and peeked at her list. "Oh, I've got an idea for your folks. Heard it on the radio. You always talk about how much they mean to you. Why don't you write it down. Sort of like a tribute to them. Include how they've helped you and why you love them. I'll use the computer to print it up fancy and we can frame it for them. The guy on the radio said that he's seen parents break down and cry when they get one." John wasn't too sure, but he thought that his bride's eyes were just a little bit teary at the thought.

"What'll we do about Aunt Edna? Guess we can't get by with a fruitcake, can we?"

Mary shot an elbow at John's ribs. He never missed an opportunity to poke some fun at her aunt. "I've got that one covered, wise guy. She's always saying how she wishes she could see more of the kids. So I'm going to get a little photo album and fill it with a bunch of family pictures. I can put it in the mail to her and it'll almost be like a visit. You know, you should be more respectful of your elders!"

John grinned and gave her hand a squeeze. "Ok, now all we've got to do is figure out what to do with all the kids. Is there something in the Christmas rule book that says that children's gifts all have to be electronic or cost over $20..."

Grandma's Clutter Solutions
by Roberta Paola
robertapaolo@juno.com

---

I watch my two grandchildren ( 2 1/2 and four years old ten hours a day, five days a week.) I always struggled with my own children to get then to put their stuff away. I made a conscious decision to do it differently with my grandchildren. Following is an article I wrote that recently appeared in my newspaper column, Resource File. I hope you find it helpful.

"Grandma. Grandma." Nicole and Steven called excitedly as they came in from the back yard. "Come and see what we did." They grabbed my hands and pulled me into the back yard to show me that they'd picked up all of the toys from the yard and put them away in the garage. "Wow!" I said, "You cleaned up all of the toys." "Come look in the garage," Nicole said, opening the door "we put everything away."

I haven't made an issue of the kids picking up their outside toys. Frequently, when we come in from outside, we're all tired or otherwise stressed. And, it just doesn't make sense to push the issue. About once a week, when it was getting close to time for Mom to come and things were going reasonably well, I'll start picking up the toys and say, "Your Mom will be here soon. Let's pick up the toys and put them away so they don't get lost in the yard." Steven will usually join right in and start picking up the toys. Nicole frequently needs a little more coaxing but eventually she joins in.

Inside the house, though, I am much more demanding when it comes to picking up toys. Again, I don't make a big issue out of it I just state that they can't do anything else until they (blocks, papers, dolls, etc.) are picked up and put away. If I get any flack, I don't argue with the kids. I simply go on about my business until they want something like a cup of juice, or want to do something else, like color. It usually takes no more than a few minutes before some such opportunity comes up. When it does, I simply say, "Yes, you may.... as soon as you put the toys away." This approach works particularly well when things like scraps of paper from their latest cutting session are all over the floor. When I first started doing this it generated a number of bouts involving tears and throwing one's self on the floor. They soon got the message that Grandma meant business, though.

Another sure way to get toys or other things picked up is to remind the children that "If I see it laying on the floor, I will think it's trash and throw it in the garbage can. Or, I announce that I am going to vacuum the floor. All it took to get their attention was to follow through on a threat to put a toy in the trash. And, that which went in the trash did not come back out. The same with the vacuum. One crayon sucked up into the vacuum was enough to forever send the kids scrambling to pickup everything when I take the vacuum out of the closet.

Shortly after the kids arrive in the morning, off come their shoes and socks. It's been this way since they've been old enough to remove them by themselves. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Grandma is usually bare footed. For a while, each day ended with me and their mother going through the house trying to find where they'd left their shoes and socks. We found them in some amazing places, usually one item at a time. To eliminate this problem, I borrowed and idea my daughter used at home. She established a shoe basket. I placed the shoe basket on a shelf near my chair. When the children were smaller, I would put the shoes and socks in the basket as I collected them through the day. As they grew, I taught them to bring their shoes and socks to me. Now, that they no longer play with their shoes, the basket sits on the floor near the front door.

When deciding where to keep children's things there's a lot to consider. When Nicole and Steven were very young, I kept their toys where it was convenient for me. As they became more mobile, there were toys that I did not always want them to be able to access, particularly toys with lots of parts. These toys, I keep in baskets on higher shelves and bring them out at specific times. Not only does it keep pieces for getting lost, and left on the floor for me to step on with my bare feet, it keeps the toy special. The first toy I treated this way was a plastic tea set I bought for Nicole. Three years later, this $1 garage sale find is still a favorite toy.

Keep in mind the ages and abilities of the children. I introduced Nicole to the concept of picking up her toys when she was about six months old. At that time, she was just sitting up well by herself. I started by sitting a basket near her. It was natural for her to place what she was playing with in the basket. Then I made a game out of it. I handed her the toys and she put them in the basket. Of course, sometimes, she'd take a toy out of the basket and at other times she'd dump the whole basket. The important thing, though, is that she was getting the idea.... and experience.

Do yourself and the children a favor and don't repeatedly bring put yourselves in situations that are unnecessarily stressful. At one point, for example, I had a gallon plastic jar full of large beads. I brought out the beads on three occasions. Each time, although under my direct supervision, the beads ended up in every corner of the living room. The kids loved stringing the beads but soon went from stringing to throwing them. When it came time to pick them up it always turned into a real battle. The third time this happened, I told them that we would no longer play with the beads. That was almost a year ago. They have asked about the beads a number of times but we have not played with the beads since. As a result, they take me seriously when I remind them that we do not throw our toys.

I am teaching the children that we have a place for everything. I am also teaching them that having everything in it's place makes it easier to find what you want. An addition advantage for Nicole and Steven is that because I can make them responsible for cleaning up after themselves, I tend to allow them to do more potential messy things than I might otherwise. The other day, my son David came to watch the children while I went to the doctor. After I returned home, we were sitting in the kitchen and he was telling me about what they'd done while I was away. Nicole came into the room and asked David where he's put her marker. When he responded that he'd put it on the shelf, she informed him that it didn't belong there. "If you don't put it were it belongs," she explained, "I won't be able to find it."

Roberta Paolo is a former career woman who is now a writer and stay-at-home grandmother.

Dear Bob,
I have a 1995 Chevy Astro van that I bought new in Jan 95. It has been a good vehicle and I have put 80,000 miles on it. Last summer it began to give me electrical problems. The unit is a LT with front and rear air-conditioning and the other basic components of these units. What began to happen is that when the front and rear AC were on and the headlights added in the evening the battery goes to discharge. I took it to a repair shop and they claimed it needed a new alternator. The existing one was rebuilt plus I added a new battery. The same problem continued. I then took it to the local Chevy dealer who claimed the newly repaired alternator was not working correctly and replaced it with a new unit. That did not solve the problem. I have spent $500 on these repairs with no solution. Normally the voltmeter used to read about 14V but now when I run the front AC and the lights I get a 12V reading and when I add the rear unit it goes to more negative. Any ideas?
--Terry

Dear Terry,
I am assuming by your questions that this is not a normal occurrence for your car. In most of the cars that I have seen, whenever you put on a lot of high draw devices, the needle will drop.... I am surprised that they did not just say that it is normal....

Okay, now assuming that there is a problem.... What size alternator did they put in.... I would how a high output model.... next, how is the voltage regulator... Is it match as high output as well.... Then, we need to look at the wiring... are all the grounds okay... especially look at the main chassis ground connection.... then look to make sure that the main wire from the battery to the starter is good as well as the main wire to the alternator.

If all these check out okay, then maybe it is just a bad gauge. One way to verify this is with a hand held voltmeter.

Good Luck!
Drive Safely!

Bob
The Auto Answer Guy?

Bob answers your auto questions. If you have a question for Bob just sent it to him at: AskBob@stretcher.com.

Could you please ask your readers for any advice regarding establishing a food or buying co-operative? We have some friends and relatives who are interested and are asking about the mechanics of such a venture. This is an Australian request, I am not aware of any buying co-operatives locally. Any suggestions?
--Mandy.

I have VERY hard water - it leaves rust stains on porcelain. I read that in this case, you should add water softener to the laundry, and I have found it makes a difference, at least with whites. However, it is expensive and the bottle of the liquid kind dribbles, leaving a plastic-y residue. Makes me wonder what kind of residue it's leaving in my clothes!

I have read somewhere that vinegar can be used as a water softener. It would be much cheaper and leave no residue. Do any of your readers know if it works?
Thanks!
Nancy E

Do any of the readers have any advice on converting a garage into a playroom? We are hoping to do the work ourselves, of course for as little as possible. We have 2 girls - 2 & 4. We live in Charleston, SC, so no basement, but we need to get the toys out of the bedrooms and have the girls sleep in one room.
Any info is appreciated.
--Paula H

I would like to recommend to Brenda to see if there is a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm near her. We joined a new one in our area where for a certain amount of money would buy a share or a half share and you work a certain number of hours during the season. We enjoyed biodynamically grown foods every week from June (as it was just started this year) and now it's pick-your-own till everything is gone.
--Susan R.

You will not be able to find organic food CHEAP all year round. Much of the fresh produce is not widely available year round and prices can soar during the winter months. Some ways to reduce your cost of whole foods is to 1) join a whole food co-op in your area. Check the North Farm Co-op web page (www.northfarm- coop.com) to see if there is a local co-op in your area. 2) Buy in bulk. Organic dried rice and beans purchased from the bulk bin and canned food by the case is always cheaper than picking up a box here and there. 3) Frequent your local farmer's market and search out the organic farmers. I found local organic farmers in my area by checking the web page of the Organic Growers of Michigan. 4) Buy organic what you absolutely have to (peanut butter, raisins {all those "red light" foods}) and make sure to wash and peel everything you cannot afford to purchase organically. 5) It is a little late in the year for this, but for next season: grow your own organic produce and freeze or can what you are able to supplement your shopping in the winter months.

Best of luck! I know this is a difficult task, but it is well worth the effort. You will be doing both your body and the planet a favor. Remember to encourage everyone you know to purchase whole foods as much as possible, because the greater the demand the better the variety and prices will be for us all!
--Lisa W

As a wildlife rehabilitator, I see many cases of animals suffering from secondary poisoning and would highly recommend that you find an alternative to using pesticides. You see, any rodent suffering from these poisons is an easy prey item for other animals including: birds of prey such as hawks and owls, domestic cats, and even your own dog (The dog that lives on the farm where my husband works nearly died this year from eating rodent poison). These animals will most likely suffer from secondary poisoning and die. One possible alternative to using poison is to attract a natural enemy of the rodents to your property. Owls, such as screech owls, eat rodents. You can attract an owl to your property by putting up a nestbox for it to roost and nest in. Not only will this rid you of some of the rodents, but it is completely natural and probably cheaper than chemical pesticides. Nestboxes can usually be found at a garden center or wild bird store. The rehabilitation facility I volunteer with also sells them, if you cannot find any in your area. Feel free to contact me with any questions about owls or nestboxes.
Melissa A. G.
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator

This tip was passed along to us by a woman who lived in a Catskill Farmhouse for years, and even though we were suburb dwellers, it turned out to be the only thing that helped get rid of our mice. Take plaster of Paris (dry) and mix it with chocolate milk powder and set it so the mice can eat it. It will be a dry powder. The good idea about this mixture is that the mice will leave the house to find water after they eat it so they will not die in the house. It is also basically non-toxic, having no poison in it. It worked for us, and we had quite a few mice that we could not get rid of other ways. I guess mice love chocolate too.
--Lida

(other suggestions for getting rid of mice are included on the web at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971125b.htm)

This is an easy recipe that can be made ahead of time and my kids really enjoy.

Breakfast Cookies
Makes 24
131 calories, 7g fat/cookie
(This may seem like a lot of fat, but for normally active children, it usually is not a problem. Just balance with lower fat foods, fruits and veggies, the rest of the day.)