I'm an energy auditor in Needles, California and would like to give a few tips that might help. Yes, old appliances do use more electric so make sure the coils on the refrigeration are free of any dirt and dust. Check with your utilities to find out if they offer "blower door" whole house evaluation. Basically it de-pressurizes the house to locate leaks. If you could image a 3'x3' hole in an exterior wall, that could equal all the small leaks combined in a home. If you can't find this service, use common sense by looking around doors and windows for drafts. Carry a wet bath cloth and slowly run your wet hand around suspected leaks (best done during a windy day). You'll feel it if there is a leak. Caulking and insulated foam work wonders. Pay attention to pipe/wall penetrations to the outside as well as the interior walls that can lead up to the attic such as under bathroom/kitchen sinks. Where is the water heater located? If exposed, it will help to purchase a insulated wrap and insulate both inlet and outlet. They serve as heat sinks, drawing heat away from the tank. These are a few quick fixes that won't cost a lot.
Phil LeJ.

more suggestions on how to get the most from older appliances and homes at www.stretcher.com/stories/00/001211a.cfm

Cleaning Humidifier Filters

For reuse of filters...if they are made of the spongy material it is possible. Having spent years in the medical profession I know that frequently changing the water will help. Also if the water is too hard you may get a quicker build-up of lime and mineral deposits. Check to see if distilled water is appropriate. Also, there is no replacement for warm soapy water-dish detergent may work so long as there are no added perfumes. If you really want to try to go the extra step after rinsing the soap and water out, soak in white household vinegar for a minute or two, wring, then allow to air dry in a clean place. A commonly used component of acetic acid is vinegar and is used for bacterial control with respiratory equipment cleansing as well as wounds. However, in these instances the solution is sterile and mixed to particular specs.
LDH

more suggestions for cleaning filters and alternatives for humidifiers at www.stretcher.com/stories/00/001211b.cfm

Christmas Gifts

Every year since my son was born I have had him make or contribute to a gift for grandparents, aunts, friends, or other people that give him a gift. These were all easy, quick, and cheap gifts that people really liked.

The first year I got plain off-white pot holders from the dollar store ($1 for a pair). I used red and green fabric paint. We painted his hands and he put handprints on the pot holders. I used gold fabric paint to add his name and the date to them. I did 8 sets for about $10. The grandparents LOVED them!
The second year I got some red foam squares from the craft store. I cut each a little bigger than a post-it note pad (the 2" x 3" ones). I hot-glued a magnet on the back of each square. Then, after I outlined where each pad would be glued, he used paint markers to 'decorate' the borders. We glued on some beads & sequins, then I attached the post-it pad. Voila! A useful addition to the fridge door. Since I got the off-brand post-its, these cost about $0.75 each to make.
This year's gift is hand-painted mugs. I got plain mugs from Goodwill or thrift stores (white or cream work best, but I also used green, black, & gray). I bought 2 kits of Perma-Coat Air Dry ceramic paint at the craft store (comes with 5 colors plus surface preparer & sealer), plus an extra bottle of sealer (Step #3 on the instructions). We also used a few sponge shapes (star, heart, teddy bear, etc.). After I prepared the mugs he painted them any way he wished, and used the sponge stamps. After sealing, they are supposedly upper-rack dishwasher safe. The mugs were $0.30 each at Goodwill. The entire cost ended up at about $1.25 each.

These gifts have all been fun & easy for him to do, plus I believe it teaches him that we don't just GET gifts all the time, but give them too.
Deb C.

more Christmas gift ideas and traditions at www.stretcher.com/stories/00/001211g.cfm

Turning a Loss Into a Gain

I am pushing sixty and I don't drive. The past several years, my mode of transportation has been by bicycle. My bike was stolen (even though I had an inexpensive lock on it). I kept checking the police station and would be shown a shed where they kept all recovered bikes. I finally asked them what they did with the bikes that weren't reclaimed. They told me they have a police auction twice a year and sell them there. I went to the next auction and bought a bike for $65. My kids were surprised as they said my bike was like a brand new bike and would sell for around $400. I whiz through traffic jams, never suffer from road rage, plus get my daily exercise. I can get to pretty well anywhere I want to go. Also, at the auction were all sorts of things from TV's, VCR's, paintings and such.
Sandra M.

Busy Season Meals

How many of us have children involved in seasonal productions? How many of us volunteer? For us, this is Nutcracker week. A week of every night rehearsals from 4-9, and that after a day of school/work. I wondered how to save money and not eat fast food. Thank God for my calendar and my mini-cooler. With the calendar we can plan our grocery shopping for the following week. I can tell how many dinners we will need to pack for that week so that at 3 PM we have time to organize school papers, gather our things for the evening and go.

In the morning, when we pack lunches, we also pack a dinner cooler. For this past week we had

Hoagies which were packed into washed and saved hoagie containers from the grocery store (a previous fast food buy can sometimes be useful),
Shaker salads ala McDonald's using prepackaged lettuce and dressing kits, frozen grilled chicken cut into bits and put into a baggie, and saved McDonald's shaker containers (the kids felt the fast food status was still there),
Bagels and Lox and Cream Cheese, and 4) I must confess we went hungry that night! That cooler goes right into the car so we don't forget it later.

Sometimes I can't cook from scratch, or wash and tear up lettuce. But along with the freshness and money savings of using almost prepared foods, we pack into our cooler the fruits and veggies so important to maintain health. We included,

Yogurt containers of cantaloupe balls
Baggies of grapes
Easy to peel and very sweet and seedless clementines
Mini carrots
Low-priced Minute Maid 100% juice boxes
Seed/fruit mixes from the health foods store (great shelf life)<
Yogurt. I hope this helps us all at this very busy time of year.

E.S.B.

Homemade Microwave 'Warmers'

I was reading about the suggestion for the warmer that you put in the microwave to keep warm and wanted to offer the instructions for making one of your own for very little money. You need uncooked, long grain rice, about 1/4 yard of light-weight knit material, and two strips of nylon strapping, about 8 or 10 inches long. We made ours by measuring a piece of the knit about 18 inches long by 8 1/2 inches wide. With right sides together, stitch the long sides together and close up one end, placing one of the straps in the seam. Fill it with 2 or 3 cups of ground rice (put it in the food processor to break it down) and then stitch the top, putting the other strap in the seam. Heat it for no more than 3 minutes at a time depending on how hot you want it. I find that 1 1/2 - 2 minutes is just right. We made these for Christmas several years ago and from a 2 or 3 lb. bag of rice we made about 8 or 10 of these as gifts. They are great and much cheaper than the $5.00 it cost me for one at the discount store!
Cindy L.

Pharmacy Savings

For some insurance customers, a completely safe way to save on medications taken regularly is to ask your physician to write a prescription for a larger amount of the drug. For instance, I have to take several prescriptions on a continuous [daily] basis. During the three month intervals between doctor visits, I take the exact same dosage/amount of the meds. I pay the same co-payment for 60+ dosages/tablets as I pay for 30 dosages of some of my medication.
It may not work for all meds, health plans, or in all states but it definitely worth checking into. Talk to your pharmacist about the cost before talking to your physician.
Carolyn in Florida

Easier Silver Polishing

I picked up an interesting tip on a radio program for polishing silver. When I finally got up the nerve to try it, it worked great! Best of all, I learned that silver polish actually removes the oxidized silver from the item, leaving LESS silver on it, while this method actually reverses the tarnishing process without removing anything. Line a small pan with aluminum foil, then fill it with water. Bring the water to a boil, then add a couple teaspoons of baking soda and turn off the heat. Dip your jewelry and silverware items in it for a minute and they will come out shining like new! This method works for larger items too, but you will have to use fresh aluminum foil and add more baking soda for each item. You are using the electrons from the foil to reverse the tarnish.
Erika in NY

"The Potion"

Mix in roughly equal quantities ammonia, isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and water. I have found that the lemon-scente ammonia makes the whole thing smell much better, but regular ammonia works just fine, too. I get the alcohol in quart-sized bottles at WalMart for less than a dollar each. This stuff, which we call "The Potion," cuts grease and cleans glass, mirrors, countertops, stove tops, floors, etc., like you wouldn't believe. I used to buy a botle of store-brand window cleaner to get the spray bottle. Last week, though, I found a spray bottle at the dollar store. Two dollars' worth of ammonia and rubbing alcohol last us more than a year.
Nancy B.

No Money for a Christmas Tree

Last year we couldn't afford Christmas, but we wanted a tree. I went to several tree lots and finally found one that had been stripping the lower branches of Christmas trees for wreaths and such, they only strip up to a certain point, so they looked like a bunch of miniature trees with really long trunks. I asked nicely and they said I could take one, then the young man outside that was cutting trees lopped off the bottom for me and TA-DA I had a sweet little tree for free. That's when my then-future husband got "tickled" with my thriftiness for the first time!
Terri.

Nifty Gift Bags

Need a gift bag? Just cut the top edge off an empty potato chip bag where it's sealed (I use pinking shears) turn inside out, wash it and it's ready to go. A bit of curling ribbon, and it'll be one of the prettiest gifts around. It helps if you don't let the kids crumble the bag too much, and I think the idea for the bag was more appreciated by my son's elementary school teacher than the actual gift.
Valerie

More Winter Warmth Ideas

Thanks to Erica from NJ for her suggestions for keeping warm in winter. As she says, wearing layers of clothing is better than a single thick covering. Every mountaineer knows that. Here are more suggestions for keeping warm in winter. While living in Colorado, we were told by mountaineering friends that if your hands and feet are cold to cover our heads. The reason being that anywhere from a fourth to a half our body heat goes out through our head. We found this same suggestion in mountaineering literature took. We tried it many times and 10 or 15 minutes after donning our sox caps or hats, our hands and feet warmed up.

And we found that wearing a scarf wrapped around the neck stop the heat escaping upwards from our upper bodies. How much we put on our head depended on how cold it was. If we were in the wind we pulled over our parka hoods which not only blocked the wind but trapped even more body and head heat. We kept our thermostats around 68 F during the day and between 45 and 50 at night. During the day if we were cold in the house we would wear a comfortable sox cap or hat. Here in Atlanta we found that running ceiling fans in reverse gets the warm air off the ceiling down to the floor and not only helps with staying warm but keeps the heater from running as much.

We also found that lacing boots too tight cut circulation to some extent and contributed to cold feet. Also for that creeping foot cold we got in basements was alleviated by wearing thick mountaineering sox and lightweight, loose fitting boots that cover the ankles. If we got that "bone" cold that sometimes creeps into your body in the winter, a hot drink with cinnamon or ginger would warm us up. Fruit, fruit juices, salads, and other "cold" foods made us cold. If it was really bad a small amount of whiskey or brandy in water on a fairly empty stomach would always work. A buttered baked or mashed potato would keep us toasty during the night which we used many times on backpacking trips.
Joe from Atlanta

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