Readers' Tips

Self-Watering Plants

I wanted to share a frugal way to create self-watering plant containers. All you need is a 2-liter bottle, scissors, a piece of cloth and duct tape. Cut off the top half of the bottle and punch a hole in the cap. Turn it upside down and put a piece of cloth at the bottom. Place water in the bottom half. Put the up-turned part inside the bottom half, but not all the way down into the water. Duct tape the two halves together, and put your soil and plant in the top half. Your plant will self-water for a long time through evaporation at little cost or time on your part. Just soak the plant with water when it gets low. A great alternative to more expensive "self-watering pots" and a great idea for taking care of your plants while on vacation.
F.

Credit Counseling Comment

I would like to add an additional note of warning to those in need of credit repair. I consulted with a credit counselling service and they were very helpful, but I opted not to use their services. The main reason is because I was still in good standing on my credit report, but was concerned about my high interest rates. If you use a credit counseling service, the fact that you did so will be noted on your credit report by the debt holder. While this is a good move for people with bad credit, if you have good credit, this can be seen as a strike against you by future lenders.
N.

Razor Blades

If you soak disposable razer blades in vinegar, it loosens and disolves the calcium deposits from water, and other grit. The blades last much longer and you get a smoother shave.
Bob

Reunion Table Decorations

How about making a time capsule for each table, with small objects from the year of graduation, such as peace sign necklaces, incense, tape cassettes, 45 records, love beads, etc. The History Channel could yield stories about the year of graduation that could be included. Photocopied yearbook pictures, glued onto colored cardboard, could also help fill out the capsule.
Laurann

Let the Scouts Do Decorations

In response to Loyal D. of Hickman, Neb., who wanted advice on inexpensive table decorations, contact a local Girl Scout troop or Cub Scout den--they are always looking for community service projects and are quite creative with craft ideas on a budget.
Marge P.
Mom of one Cub Scout and one Girl Scout

Check Out the Yearbook

For the reader who is looking for ideas for a small rural high-school reunion - think flat! Why not photocopy a yearbook and "decoupage" each table with miscellaneous photos covered by clear heavy plastic tablecloths. Along the same lines, you could photocopy LP covers and intersperse them with class photos. Guaranteed to bring on the nostalgia (at any age, not just 40!)
Jean

editor's note: many more great ideas on "Reunion Table Decorations" at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980521a.htm.

Chicken's Ready

This is about the "Frozen Assets" method of cooking. I buy chicken on sale, boil it, de-bone it, and freeze it in sandwitch-sized bags. Most of my recipies like these call for deboned, cooked chicken, and it's my favorite meat. You can buy chicken like this in the canned meat isle, next to the tunafish, but I like my method better because I can cook seasoning into the meat if I choose to. This takes up less freezer room than a whole batch of recipes, already made up.
Kit L.

Christmas? It's in the Closet!

I thought I would share my simple strategy of saving money for Christmas and birthday gifts. I keep a "gift crate" in the bottom of one of my closets. Throughout the year, I shop clearance racks of off-season clothing and other items at significant discounts. I add any purchases to my gift crate, and usually by the time a birthday or Christmas arrives, I have all the gifts I need. I typically find that I can buy high-quality items at more expensive department stores for a fraction of the cost of buying them at discount stores! For example, Dress Barn now has their last year's sweaters for $12.50. These are sweaters with a sticker price of $40 or more! And they're nice. I plan to buy one for my mother and sister. I also have a Gap outlet near where I live, and have gotten good clothing at low prices. For people who are "tag-conscious" like my sister, gifts from such places mean that they will wear/use what I get them, but the purchases are not painful for me!
Amy

Water Fun!

Here's a low-tech water toy I discovered by accident. My husband had run over one end of a garden hose with the car, and the brass coupling on the end was smashed flat. I was halfway finished cutting the end of the hose off so I could replace the coupling when I got called away. Weeks later, I turned on the hose to see what would happen...and water came out of the cut area like a sprinkler! A small amount still comes out at the smashed coupling, but the kids really enjoy this hose. It has no moving parts to break, nothing to get cut on. You can put the hose on the ground and the kids can run through the water, or they can pick it up and run around with it. If you have an extra hose, or can pick one up cheap at a garage sale, it's cheap fun for a hot day.
Patricia E.

editor's request: Any other cheap, entertaining ideas for our kids? It's nearly time for summer vacation!

Homemade Baby Wipes

I have a great recipe for making baby wipes. Here is the recipe (if you want to call it that)!

• 1 roll of paper towel (I have found that Bounty works good, and I use plain white ones)
• 2-2 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons baby shampoo
• 2 teaspoons baby oil

Cut the paper towels in half lenthwise and place in large container. Mix together water, baby shampoo and baby oil and pour over paper towels. Let soak for 1-2 hours. Place in airtight container to store. I heard of this on the Crook and Chase show's Viewers Helping Viewers section, so the credit goes to a lady that sent it in to them. I hope this is helpful to your readers. I have made them several times and really like them. They are much cheaper than buying commercial baby wipes.
Vicki

Sandbox Suggestions

A very inexpensive sandbox is an old tractor tire. Find a good, flat spot to lay the tire down & fill it with sand. Measure & cut a circular plywood cover to lay on the top. Keeps the kids happy & the neighborhood cats out. The kids can sit on the sides of the tire as they play & you can control the use of the sandbox as the cover is just a little bit too heavy for the kids to move. My kids thought it was great. When they become too old to play in the sandbox, replace some of the sand with dirt & plant strawberries or flowers. I have seen some tires spray painted but have never tried it.
Carol

Kid-Friendly Sandbox

Advice for the sand box: We went through a little more work but it was worth it. We dug down a foot with an 4x4 or more area to fill with sand, and put support boards and seating at ground level ...sunken sandbox. This avoided every kid crawling in and out and tripping over the otherwise raised walls (blood and crying). It had wonderful memories and became the "conversation hang-out" for the tikes in the neighborhood. You have to make the effort to cover it each night to protect from cats...blue plastic works fine with rocks at corners.
Jill G.

Keeping the Cats Out

To keep it from becoming a deluxe sized litterbox we simply use a 8x4 lattice panel that I had purchased but never used. It covers perfectly to keep the cat out but lets rain in which keeps the sand moist and formable. Our three kids (ages 7, 7, and 6) just slide it off and climb into the box for hours of fun time! I have made hash marks on the sides of the box. When the occasional squabble over "territory" develops, I draw the proverbial "lines in the sand" with a stick- it divides the box into thirds and everyone is happy again!
Wendy H.

editor's note: many more suggestions and designs; some simple, others more complicated at: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980521b.htm

Gel Scents

Gel scents can be made by mixing 8 oz. liquid potpourri (I use use Wal-Mart brand at $1.96 a bottle) with 4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (bought in bulk of course) or 4 pkgs. of Knox. Heat until gelatin dissolves, add the other 8 oz left in the bottle. Pour into glass containers. It will gel as it cools. This beats the heck out of paying Glade prices or doing without.
Teri

Insurance for Seniors

I wanted to comment on Insurance for Senior Citizens. Just recently I had my elderly mom move in with me because she became ill and unable to take care of herself. She receives her monthly Social security check which is next to nothing and receives Medicare Not Medicaid therefor she is liable for 20% of any medical expense after she has met her yearly deductible. Since she lives on a very limited income I did some research and signed her up with an HMO program which cost her only what is automatically taken out from her check to cover her Medicare premium which is 43.80 per month. Anybody who has Medicare gets that amount deducted from their check. I signed her up with an HMO which covers 100% coverage all she pays is a 5.00 CO-pay for office visits 5.00 CO- pay for prescriptions. She just had back surgery and had a $6,000 plus hospital bill which was pd 100% by the HMO Ins. I have been so pleased with the service I received wish I would have known this was available for Sr Citizens years ago. I contacted the Social security Administration in Texas and asked for information on the Texas Dept. of Insurance and they provided the #. I am sure you could do the same in any state you live in. These HMOs cover a lot more than the regular Medicare Ins does for Sr Citizens. The program is called HMOs for Medicare Beneficiaries. I hope this information will help others who are caring for their elderly parents. I know you hear a lot of negative talk about HMO's but I for one have been enrolled in one along with my family thru my husbands employment and have nothing but Good, Positive things to say about the kind of service we have received from them. I was so pleased how Choice 65 the HMO program my mother is enrolled in serviced us as well.

Medicare is an insurance program, designed and administered by the federal government. Medicare programs are the same throughout the United States. Medicare is for most people, regardless of income, age sixty-five and older. Medicare is also available for people under sixty-five who have disabilities and have received Social Security disability pay for at least two years, and for certain people with permanent kidney failure. Medicare is divided into two parts: hospital insurance, called "Part A," and medical insurance, called "Part B." Part A. Medicare pays for part, but not all of hospital and other health care expenses, and a monthly premium must be paid for Part B. Medicare. For information about Medicare, contact the Social Security office. For information about Medicare, contact the Department of Human Services, the local Social Security Administration office, American Association of Retired Persons, or your state and county health and welfare office.
Mrs. S.

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