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Readers' Tips

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Keeping Toddlers Warm at Night

We have the same problem with our 3-year-old. My mom came up with the idea of adding a larger blanket horizontally to her bed after she is asleep. We tuck our daughter in with a couple of fleece blankets and she inevitably kicks them off by the time we go to bed a couple of hours later. We re-tuck her under those blankets at our bedtime and then I add a wool blanket sideways to her bed. She sleeps in a toddler bed so the twin size blanket lays across her in a perpendicular way and is large enough that it hangs on the floor on both sides of the bed. We've been doing this for a few weeks and she has yet to toss that blanket off with all her thrashing.
Amy

more suggestions on keeping toddlers warm at night

Preventing Freezer Burn

Freezer burn is caused by moisture loss from the surface of the frozen item in a process called sublimation. This is when water goes directly from a solid state (frozen ice) to a gaseous state (water vapor), skipping the liquid stage. Ever notice that ice cubes left in the tray too long are much smaller? They were full size when new, but over time, the ice on the surface turned into water vapor.

The same thing happens to food. Ice in the outer layer of the food turns to vapor and disappears. This dries the outer layer of the food. They call this dried-out layer "freezer burn."

To remedy this, I use freezer bags, making sure they are sealed tightly and have as little air in them as possible. For me, this second tip helps most. I also freeze the item on a non-stick plate, cookie sheet, or whatever before I wrap it. Then I spray really cold water on the frozen item on the top, bottom, and sides. (Or, I dip the item.) Personally, I use filtered water (Brita) that I have put in a bowl in the freezer until it gets a thin coating of ice on top. When you spray this very cold water on a well-frozen item, or dip a well-frozen item in it, a coating of ice will form almost instantly. I do this two or three times, making sure each layer of water is frozen before doing the next layer.

Now, even if some sublimating does occur, it will be the top layer of ice that looses moisture, not the top layer of your food. The thicker the ice, the longer the food will last. As an experiment, I kept some ham slices and hamburger patties in the freezer for just over a year. I had dipped a thick coating of ice on them and sealed them well in zipper bags. When thawed out, they had no freezer burn, but the ice coating was definitely thinner than it was originally.
Tommy

Potted Tree Problem

In Monica Resinger's article about recycling Christmas Trees, she missed a pretty important point. I used to hate to throw away a live tree too, and thought I could plant it outside the home. However, when my pragmatic husband asked me if I was planning on buying a small park to plant my trees in year after year, I realized that while we could probably manage one pine tree growing larger and larger on our home section, eventually we would be lost in the woods if this became an annual event. It would be okay if you had a farm and needed a shelter belt, but it's a bit much for the average townie. Throw it away! Cut it up for firewood! Get a fake and warm some pine-scented oil! You'll have a happy Christmas anyway with the right spirit.
Stacia S. in New Zealand

editor's note: my parents bought their first home when I was just a toddler. Dad, being an old country boy, bought a bunch of small evergreen seedlings. They grew even faster than I did! I can still remember Dad digging a tree out to give to a neighbor or friend as a house-warming gift on more than one occasion. And how cutting the grass was made a bit more difficult because you couldn't go more than 20' without turning to avoid a tree. Sure was pretty though. So if you live in the city, you might want to consider Stacia's advice!

Losing Socks

Want to keep from losing one sock to the "laundry black hole"? Save your old nylons or pantyhose that had runs. Put your socks inside your pantyhose and tie opening closed and you won't lose any socks while they get clean.
Autumn M.

More on College Tutoring

I would like to add one little known fact to Nancy's article about saving money as a student by using the resources available.

Universities often have free tutorial services. As an undergraduate student, I was hired and paid by the University's Student Support Services to tutor Economics. My services were completely free of charge to the students, yet they were helpful to both my pocketbook and the university. I visited each class one time per semester to introduce myself to the students and explain the program and you would be surprised at how few people ever contacted me (I did this for three semesters). Contact your university's support services and see what free help you can get!
Andrea B.

Picking Up Pet Hair

We have two large, double-coated, long-haired dogs (Great Pyrenees) and two long-haired cats. I was constantly vacuuming. Unfortunately, the hair clogged my vacuum roller and filled it too quickly. The vacuum couldn't pick up the hair that bonded to the carpet. After years of matted hair on carpet and daily vacuuming, I discovered a great way to remove it.

I purchased a deck scrubbing brush for $3 and attached a screw-on telescoping handle (from a previous painting project). I use it to brush the carpet before vacuuming. This removes the top mat of pet hair, keeps the vacuum from having to work as hard, and raises the pile on the carpet. My floors look and feel cleaner now.
M.A.

Locating Drafts

A way to locate leaks and drafts around your home is by holding a strip of toilet paper or Kleenex tissue close to the edges of windows and doors. If there is movement in the tissue, you have located a draft and will want to find a way to block it.
Jan G.

Ready Recipes

I buy picture albums with the plastic that folds over the page with mild adhesive. I open the plastic, stick down my clipped recipes, and then fold the plastic over again. When I need the recipe, I just look at the clipping in the album. The plastic is a great protector when the cooking gets a little messy, too.

If you have a large collection to organize, you can sort the clippings and printouts into different colored albums, using a different color for each type of recipe. I use red for desserts, blue for main dishes, green for side dishes, and beige for appetizers and sauces.
S.E.P.

Vinegar Plus

Many of us use vinegar to clean because it is fairly inexpensive and non-toxic. I use white vinegar to clean counter tops and toilets. I also use it as a fruit rinse, in the laundry rinse cycle, and in the dishwasher.

To reduce the vinegar odor, I fill a glass jar with citrus peels (orange, lemon, etc.) and then add white vinegar to cover them. I let the solution sit for three days or more. I add more peels and vinegar as needed over time. The end result is a fantastic smelling citrus vinegar rinse. This makes the laundry smell great when used in the rinse cycle (1/4 to 1/2 c.) and can be used the same way plain white vinegar is used in cleaning recipes, solutions, etc.
Zoe S. in CT

Fancy Ribbons

I used to buy cheap ribbon and bows and use them for gifts, but then my sister started wrapping gifts with beautiful gauzy wired ribbon bows. I thought it was so beautiful, but I also thought it was too expensive! However, I learned that I could easily untie those bows, and the ribbon was as good as ever. I could wrap the wired ribbon around my hand and it kept its shape. I put these ribbons in a box and used them next Christmas!

Now I've been doing this for awhile and I hardly ever buy ribbon anymore. If I were to buy ribbon, I'd probably buy some of this "real" ribbon, because we can reuse it almost indefinitely, and it's so much prettier than the cheap stuff.

You just tie it into a pretty bow. Because of the wired edges, you can shape it with your fingers. You can use it on just a plain box, or on a box wrapped with white tissue paper or cheap paper, and the gift looks wonderful! Plus, this kind of bow looks just fine after mailing, too!
Anne W.

Toastie Tootsies

Keeping the heat turned low has always been a practice in our home. This year, it will be done even more so because of the price of fuel. Getting the kids into bed when the sheets are cold has always been a problem, so I fill water bottles with hot water and put them where their feet will be. If their feet are warm, it is easier for them to go to sleep, and their own body heat will do the rest. Please check them before the child crawls into bed to make sure they don't get burned. The bottle can be left in the bed if it is not too hot, or it can be removed. Also make sure the top is tightly screwed on or it will wet the bed!
MJ

Shipping Secret

When I ship goodies for the boys in the service, I use popped corn for the packing. That way, every bit of the "care" package is edible. Popcorn fits into every nook and cranny and is light weight.
Esther H.

Wrapping Paper Saver

To re-use wrapped boxes, wrap just the top of the box and not the bottom half. The ribbon holds it together, and when untied, the lid lifts off. You use less wrapping paper and the boxes can be used to store Christmas decorations later on.
Linda Cameron in Richland, WA

Furnace Fan Trick

We used to have the furnace fan come on only when the heat came on in the house. We like to keep the humidity fairly high, and as a result, we found a lot of water condensing on the windows and pooling on the sills, causing mold and water damage. Running the furnace fan continuously has reduced or eliminated the condensation buildup. Two winters ago, I had to clean the mold at least every couple of weeks. Last year, while running the fan, I only had to clean a little bit of mold as part of spring-cleaning. Overall, the air temperature is much more comfortable, and our humidifiers run less, as the humidity from activities (cooking, showering, laundry) is effectively circulated in the house.
Evelyn

Last Minute New Car

We just bought a new Camry and I did research before the purchase. I was amazed at how much the price varied from dealer to dealer. I did get a good deal from a co-worker's brother who manages a dealership. He told me to buy at the end of the month. Sometimes, the individual dealers need to make their quota to get incentives on monthly sale rebates from the manufacture. They will sometimes sell a vehicle at or below their cost to get their number and get a greater rebate.
Betty

Favors Flavored Drinks

Anybody who turns up their nose at flavored water drinks because they are "Kid-Stuff" has never tried any variety of powered packet brands. The secret is only using half the volume of recommended sugar. It is more flavorful and far better for both your pocket book and health. The best buy we have found has been at Aldi stores.

I am now looking at a 12-pack of assorted flavor packets that will yield 24 quarts of pleasure at the outrageous cost of 69 cents. That is less than three cents per quart. Your cost of water and sugar may vary. And, yes, filtered tap water does make a difference in the final taste.
Jerry B.

Losing Student Standing

One little known fact about college student insurance is that often the student loses their eligibility to be on your family insurance policy if they are not considered "full time." Dropping a class or two because the student fears a low grade that will affect their GPA can change their student status from full time to part time, depending on the institution. Dropping from full time to part time can also affect the parent's ability to take the college student as a dependent on their income tax return.

Therefore, parents need to thoroughly research any health insurance plan they're signing their student up for including full-time versus part-time status and summer coverage to avoid insurance gaps. The coverage may also change as the student reaches certain ages. Then they need to communicate this to their student so he or she is aware of any adverse consequences of dropping classes. One option is that if a student is planning to drop a class that will change their status to part-time, they sign up for an additional class on a self-study basis (since it may already be too late to get into a regular class) that will provide enough hours to qualify them as full-time.

I am a CPA, and when my daughter was in college, my insurance carrier contacted her school every time she had a medical claim to make sure she was still full-time. Once the school actually made a mistake in her hours, and we had to provide proof to the insurance company that she was full-time before they would process the claim.
Arlene C.

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