Readers' Tips
The first year of home ownership is a daunting experience since things you've never thought of come into your life. One should take a good look at their home, inside and out, at least monthly. Look for deteriorating areas, standing water, cracks, etc. and get any problems fixed as soon as possible. You can save a lot of money by catching problems early, before major damage is done.
Make sure any gas appliances burn with a good blue flame. Yellow flames signal poor combustion and pose a safety risk. Have the coils cleaned on your furnace by an expert yearly. Late summer is a good time as they aren't swamped with other calls. Vacuum your refrigerator coils (underneath and on the backside) yearly too.
Look for areas on your roof that hold onto ice in winter. Have a reputable roofing contractor look at any you find. Ice damage to your roof can occur without any obvious early signs of damage. Stained ceilings and/or mold growing on the walls and ceilings signal either a humid home or moist walls. Get this checked immediately if you find any.
Many of these things can be remedied early before damage occurs. Just keep your eyes open to things that seem out of sorts. You can do many repairs yourself for your time and a little money. Usually you'll find that most of the problems I've mentioned won't occur at the same time, but over the lifetime of your home. It's worth the investment of your time and money to take care of your home.
Tasha in MO
more on schedules for maintaining your home
As an alternative to hiring a Claims Assistance Professional at up to $80/hour to sort out medical bills, people on Medicare can contact their State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). Trained volunteers provide the same service for free. Call 1-800-Medicare or go to www.medicare.gov and click on the link for "Helpful Contacts." Click on the link to find a specific organization, then choose "SHIP - State Health Insurance Assistance Program" from the drop-down list. Select your state, and then click "View Results."
Alice C. in Gorham, NH
I grew up in a cold climate. My bedroom was located underground and was very cold. The only heating source was an electric heater. The heater was turned on for an hour before we went to bed, and then turned off.
To ensure that we still kept warm, survival blankets (the silver ones) were put onto our beds under the sheets. The blankets radiated our body heat back to my sister and me. The blankets are inexpensive and can be thrown out after the winter is over. They can be purchased at camping stores. There is one minor problem. It will take time to get used to crinkling sound whenever you move.
Lisa
I live in Oklahoma, and my family lives in New York. When a family member is hospitalized, I call that hospital's gift shop. They charge less for the flowers or plants and there are no delivery charges. The flowers are sent up almost immediately. The gift shops seem grateful someone thought to use them. The shop employees have always been very helpful in choosing the right gift.
Kathy K.
Cleaning supplies are expensive and pollute the ground water and the earth. Just use vinegar and baking soda instead. For extra tough dirt and grime, we buy bon-ami. Everything else gets cleaned the good old earth friendly and cheap way.
Darcy
I like to drink juice in the morning and find the prices of store bought juice to be very high. I received a juicer as a gift and make my own. I find fruits on sale, juice them and freeze the juice. It is still a bit pricey, so I do not do this every day. To me, it is worth avoiding the preservatives and extra sugars that the manufacturer adds.
When I started making the juice, I was disturbed by the pulp left over in the juicing machine. I now freeze the pulp and use it in sweet breads and muffins. I make a large batch of honey bran muffins and throw in the pulp and they come out tasting very moist. They freeze well and I avoid stopping at the convenience store for a muffin on the way to work.
Erica P. of Meadville PA
My sister, the most frugal woman I know, taught me this one. To save for a yearly vacation, take each fifth paycheck (both you and your spouse) and stick in a separate vacation account. You each will get four a year, so that's quite a bit of money to stick away for a great vacation. Or for bi-weekly pay periods, you should receive two extra checks each year, which would also equal four weeks of pay. For example, if you each made $300 a week, you would have $2,400 for vacation!
Ginger in Scottsburg, IN
I purchased a three-ring binder, tabs, and plastic page sleeves. I've slipped each of my recipes into a plastic sleeve, and then organized them using the tab dividers. The really great thing about this system is that your recipes never get food splattered on them. You just wipe it right off!
Then, when I'm ready to cook, I just use masking tape to stick my recipe to the cabinet. It keeps the recipe out of the way, yet it's easily accessible. The tape comes right off the plastic sleeve when it's time to put the recipe back in the binder!
Keleigh M. in Richardson, Texas
I learned this from a hairdresser. For little girls with tangles in their hair, use conditioner, let it sit in the hair and on the tangle for three to five minutes, and then rinse. This works! Less tears when you're combing out the hair.
Sally R.
The airport near our house has a play area for kids, and we can watch planes come and go from there. There is also a washroom right next to it. When meeting people at the airport, I take my kids, and pack snacks and drinks for them. I arrange to meet all my company there. That way, my kids get a fun, free outing and there is no problem if a flight is delayed.
Also, when picking up someone who is familiar with the airport, you can prearrange an outside spot to meet. Then, I park away from the airport (for free) until 15 minutes after arrival time, then make periodic loops until they come out. Only once have I needed to make more than two loops, and I save at least $5 in parking to boot! Only do this if you have confirmed their arrival time or you could be in for an unpleasant surprise!
Elouise
If you are planning to get married, go to your local blood bank to donate blood. Take your marriage license application with you. In the process of donating blood, all the tests required for your marriage license will be done for free, and you will be helping someone that needs a pint of blood.
P.
I got this idea while shopping for Christmas tree ornaments to pass out as gifts in the office. In the store, I saw the prettiest display. Clear wineglasses were filled with gold tinsel. The effect made the glasses sparkle, and looked absolutely gorgeous under the lights.
Instead of purchasing gift bags, I decided to purchase clear coffee mugs ($1 each), fill with gold tinsel, and put the ornament ($1 each) inside the mug and tinsel. Then I "fluffed" the tinsel to hide the ornament. The effect was gorgeous, especially under the bright office lights, and the "package" turned into another gift!
Lynn
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