We always bake birdseed in the oven on low for an hour or two before feeding the birds. This prevents sprouting completely and does not affect the nutritional value or the edibility of the seed. Prior to learning this trick, we had some awful surprises in the flower garden underneath the bird feeder!
Pat

The individual, microwavable cake mixes that are popular these days are delicious and convenient when you want dessert but haven't prepared anything in advance. Unfortunately, they're also on the pricey side, considering it's just one serving.

So recently, I decided to try an experiment using a box of regular cake mix. In a microwavable bowl, I put a little of the cake mix, just a dab of mayonnaise (which contains the two ingredients cake mix calls for, namely eggs and oil), and stirred in enough water to make it into a batter. I microwaved it for a couple of minutes, and it turned out great. It was very moist and quite tasty.

The individual cakes usually come with some sort of topping to drizzle over the batter before microwaving, and you can improvise with some chocolate syrup or fudge or caramel sauce, stirring in some chocolate or butterscotch chips, nuts, or some bits of jam. You can also add a spoonful of frosting on top after it's baked and let it melt over the warm cake like a glaze.
Diva

With gas prices as high as they are, we're all looking for ways to get a few more miles to the gallon. I made one change recently. I commute 30 miles each way to work, all highway. A few weeks ago, I dropped my speed by 9 miles an hour, from 79 to 70, while on the highway. I am now getting on average about 40 additional miles out of my tank before filling up again.

And the added benefit is that I am so much more relaxed when I get to where I am going because I wasn't being a "speed demon" down the highway. I just get into the right lane and get there when I get there. It's a new found freedom, and I'm getting better gas mileage to boot!
Beth B. in Northfield, MN

My best money saving trick is not taking no as a final answer. No one is infallible. Mistakes are made on everything from your grocery bill to your taxes. Take a minute or two and make a phone call. It could save you some money.

Suppose your medical insurance declines paying a bill. Make a call, as maybe there was a reason. For example, when I was pregnant, my insurance company declined my second ultrasound. When I called, I found that all that was needed was a letter from the doctor that stated why it was required.

If your car needed some work but your warranty doesn't cover it, and it seems like something that should be under warranty, make the call.

Your IRS refund is less than you expected and the "explanation" is vague. Give them a call. Even the IRS can make a mistake.

Your child gets a B on her report card for math, but everything that has come home has an A on it. Call the teacher and ask her about it. I would say that at least once a year, there is a problem with one of my children's report cards. One quarter, my son got notes on his report card. One note stated that he was a delight to have in class and the other one said that he was disruptive. I called the teacher who apologized to no end and said that the second comment was meant for the next child down the list.
Judy S.

I discovered ants entering my home near my kitchen sink. I remembered reading that ants will not cross a line of baking soda. I poured a line of baking soda around the floor base near the sink and the doors and windows. The ants have disappeared!
B.

My daughters (14 and 12) love having their sleepovers in our camping tent. They pile all of the girls in there and gossip and laugh until late. The beauty of it is that my husband and I can't hear them much in the house since the tent is well insulated, so everybody is happy. I would think it would also work for a regular retreat. Sometimes it's weeks before we take our tent down after a party since the girls like to hang out in it.
Melanie B.

Instead of buying sliced deli meat at $4.99 (and up) per pound, I buy spiral sliced hams, whole turkeys, and London broil when they're on sale. After cooking and cutting, I freeze them on a cookie sheet with wax paper, and once they're frozen, I store them in resealable bags. This way, they're individually frozen. You can just take out enough for a sandwich at any time. They don't get freezer burnt, and they defrost quickly in the microwave. Not only is this cheaper, but also it's much healthier, as processed meats are usually loaded with preservatives, fillers, and sodium!
Lacey

Since an incident involving a dark night, an open door and a broken toe, I have put four-watt nightlights throughout my house. It saves turning on the main lights when entering a room. I also took CDs (usually advertising throwaways), cut them in half, and taped or glued them in back of the lights, which doubled the light source. You can also buy small fixtures that light up only when the room is dark, saving a bit more money.
Lillian G.

When my family goes out to eat (which isn't very often) and my meal comes, I automatically divide it in half on my plate. One portion I eat right then, and I eat the rest of it for lunch on the following day. I can spread out the cost of the meal over two days. And I don't feel "tempted" to eat more than I should!
Cindy T.

With gasoline prices soaring these days, it dawned on me that I should actually do the math on some of the trips that I make, especially the trips I make in an attempt to "save money." Here's how to calculate the cost of your trips. First figure out how many miles per gallon (mpg) your car gets. Mine gets on average 21.1 mpg. Divide the cost of one gallon of gas (I just paid $3.55 per gallon) by the number of miles per gallon your car gets. I divided $3.55 by 21 miles per gallon. It costs me about 17 cents to drive each mile. Figure out how many miles it takes to get to and from your destination. If you don't know this number, go to "driving directions" within Yahoo Maps (http://maps.yahoo.com/) and input two, complete addresses. That will yield the number of miles between the two locations. Double the number of miles you just found to calculate your round trip. Finally, multiply the number of miles in your round trip by the amount it costs you to drive a single mile.

The number you get back will surprise you! If you take a minute to actually do the math, you will likely become more thoughtful about where and when you decide to drive.
JR in Houston