Readers' Tips

Uninsured Baby Delivery

Get to your local Social Services Department NOW and apply for Medicaid. You may think you won't qualify but the fact is that rules are very different for pregnant women. In most states pregnant women with no insurance (or no maternity coverage) are automatically eligible for Medicaid for the duration of the pregnancy and until their 6 week checkup. The only time you're not is if you're in a pretty high tax bracket. The government has (finally) started to realize the savings they receive in the long run by ensuring that women get prenatal care, rather than having someone do without care and deliver a pre-term baby or a baby with unexpected medical problems. So call your local DSS immediately and apply. And don't think of this as applying for "charity" or "welfare" - your taxes pay for these programs, and you are doing this for the sake of your baby. So while you can expect some red tape and a few hassles, hang in there!
Debbie in Virginia

more solutions to paying for an uninsured baby delivery at www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011126a.cfm

Being a Responsible Houseguest

I travel quite a bit to visit relatives, friends, etc. What I usually do (depending on the length of my stay) is:

1. I go to the nearest supermarket and buy the items that I like to eat for breakfast, lunch, etc. (Many of my friends work and leave me at home while they work and I roam around in my car until they return home or snack watching TV, a movie, etc.).
   
   
2. I usually buy a pizza, or Chinese for the whole family at least twice during the week.
   
   
3. I also buy a gift certificate at a local grocery store and send it back in a very nice Thank You card. Most of my friends call back to say what a nice gesture that was.
   

Do you think that I save money doing ALL this? You bet, the savings on lodging are unbelievable.
EE

more ways to make sure you're invited back again at www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011126b.cfm

Gift Wrap

When I have a gift to wrap, instead of spending money on wrapping paper that I know will be torn off and thrown away, I spend that money on another gift I can wrap around the first. For example, for a recent baby shower, I bought an inexpensive flannel receiving blanket, and "wrapped" my gift in that. There were so many comments on "what a great idea!". I used regular gift ribbon to tie it securely (criss-crossing the package as usual) and then made a bow by curling some ribbon. I bought a package of pacifiers and tied them onto the bow to complete the look. I probably didn't spend a whole lot more, and the lucky new mom got two extra gifts this way!
Carol

Please send in your best holiday ideas to gary@stretcher.com with "Holiday" as the subject. We'll continue to include the best ones in future issues.

Leftover Management

One thing I hate to do is waste food. However, I inevitably ended up throwing away leftovers because I'd forgotten how old they were. I finally hit on a simple solution. Every time I put something in the fridge, I use a dry-erase pen to write the date on the container. Even when I am in a rush and just put a pan of food in the refrigerator, I write the date on the lid. This helps me to decide later whether something's safe to eat or not, and also draws my attention to the container when I look in the fridge, making it more likely that I'll use the food before it gets too old. Just make sure you use the dry-erase pen on a smooth surface, and it will wash right off when you wash your containers.
Kimberley

Oven Cleaner

I have found it's easy to get burned food off pans, etc by putting some dry dish washer detergent in the pan. Fill about 1/2 full of water and boil a few minutes. I also boil the burner liners by boiling them in water and dish detergent. Mix hot water with dish washer detergent and clean the oven. It works on the toughest jobs and it doesn't have the smell of commercial oven cleaner. You can only put in a little water at a time so if oven is very dirty, you need to repeat.
Janice T.

Christmas Card Savings

This year, due to my finances being very tight we are changing a few holiday traditions. Instead of Christmas cards, we are mailing Christmas postcards. It stills allows us to send something to loved ones, but cut back on postage. I have also decided to give baked goods for my family, instead of shopping for the "perfect gift." This allows me to cut back on spending, and time away from my family. We let our 2 year old "help" frost the cookies, and that lets us spend more time together as well.
Sara S.

Worth the Extra Cost

When we bought the farm, I realized that lighting the barn could add up to a lot of money. I saw compact fluorescent bulbs on sale and decided to take a chance. Several bulbs are still going strong after 4+ years on a timer, in all kinds of temperatures. In one area we hung a shop light with the long bulbs. It has saved us a lot and the quality of the light is better to work in than ordinary bulbs. I also have them in my laundry room, stairwell, living room and bedroom. Not having to stand on something to change bulbs is worth the extra money they cost.
Val N.

Unique Gift

I got a gift that I thought was the coolest. My step-mother had taken an average vase (the short, fat kind) and put some stones on the bottom, filled it with water and put a fish inside. She then got a plastic little cup that fits inside the top of the vase. She put a few stones to cover it and put a handful of plant stems that she had rooted in the hole of the plastic stopper. Tied a bow that matched my kitchen around the neck of the vase. I absolutely loved it and think of her every night when I feed the fish.
Lisa

editor's note: make sure that the person receiving the gift is willing to provide appropriate care to the fish

Drink Dispenser

I have used this hint for years. So have my friends. When having a party, fill your washing machine part way with cold water then add cold drinks--soda, beer, wine---whatever----then add a bag or two of ice. This keeps everything cold for hours--even overnight. When you clean up the next day, just empty any extra cans then put washer on spin or fill and add clothes.
Kathy

Inexpensive Luggage Made New

My husband is a minister and we travel a lot. Good luggage is very expensive, and I have seen a lot of pieces at rummage sales, but they usually smell musty. I bought a set of beautiful Samsonite luggage at a sale for about $5.00 and filled them with crushed newspaper and put them in the closet for a week. When I came back and opened them again the musty smell was gone! This is a good thing to do with musty smelling books also. Put newspaper between the pages or, put the musty book in a box filled with wadded up newspaper. The paper absorbs the smell!
Tanya

Sale!

It is good to remember that many "sale" items are marketed when they first get to the store with signs saying, "sale" or "Save 40%." Many times it is a gimmick, because shoppers love sales. I work at a national department store at a mall and see it all the time. Many sale prices are the original price.
Jill

Christmas Wrap

For the past two years my wrapped Christmas gifts have been received with comments like "I can't open that - it's too pretty."
If you want to create sophisticated, gorgeous wrapped gifts just:

1. put your gift in a box - whatever size will accommodate the gift
2. wrap the box in plain white paper - buy a roll of office paper at any office supply company.
3. get out your roll of waxed paper. Tear off a piece of waxed paper large enough to wrap the box (if it is a very large box, you may have to use a couple of pieces or more)
4. before using the waxed paper - crunch and roll it into a ball, then smooth it out.
5. using the waxed paper, wrap the box
6. choose a ribbon 'color theme' for your gifts - I use gold and it looks fabulous against the white paper. Before Christmas I visit a craft store or a fabric store and search for unusual items - i.e. cording, heavy thread or anything that may be used as a decoration.
7. use your imagination to accent the box. Almost any color ribbon or cording looks great against the white, shimmer of the waxed paper.

Freezer Management

I really hate defrosting my freezer. I do know that it must be done to keep my electric rates low. My husband showed me this tip that makes the job much quicker - use a fan! After shutting off the freezer and removing the frozen food, direct a fan to blow into the freezer. It will defrost in about half the time. I put my frozen food into coolers and into my laundry basket covered with a blanket until I am finished. I wash out the freezer with a hot cloth and dry it - the fan helps with this too. I try to defrost before I restock; my freezer is important in my bulk buying and gardening plan.

I also keep an inventory of what is in my freezer taped to the door. When I remove an item I mark it down. It quickly helps me see what I've been using. Marked items usually need to be restocked. I also know what I should put emphasis on using. I never buy meat unless it is at a super special price. Then I stock up. I also store bulk yeast, bulk dry milk and rice, flour, etc. in the freezer.
Susan D.

Healthy Alternative

I want to add my "two cents" regarding cooking with ground turkey in lieu of ground beef. I have found if you knead spices into the ground turkey the night before you plan to cook it, the flavor will be greatly improved. I frequently spice ground turkey this way for spaghetti and chili dishes. For spaghetti I work Italian seasoning, garlic & onion powder throughout the meat and for chili I use chili powder, garlic & onion powder. I use lots of spices and my guests seldom know the meat is turkey! The little extra time it takes is definitely worth it.
HF

Organized Bed Clothes

I learned this tip in college and have used it since and told friends about it. Keep a set of sheets folded up in one of the matching pillowcases. When you need to change sheets, just grab the set you want. Everything is there and there isn't any rummaging around for the missing pieces. This tip also keeps the linen closet looking tidy.
Bev

At Home Dry Cleaning

I read the article you have posted this week regarding dry cleaning kits. I recently saw a television program where a professional dry cleaner stated that you can achieve the same effect as the home dry cleaning kits much cheaper than $10 a box! Simply put your garments in a bag (I reuse the one that came with the last home dry-clean kit I bought) with a regular dryer sheet and pop them in the dryer on low for 20 minutes or so. This will freshen your garments just as well as an over-priced home dry-cleaning kit!
Katie B.

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