Reader Tips - All

I love reading women's magazines. I find it relaxing to sit and read them while I wait to pick the kids up at school, or while they play at the park.

Unfortunately magazine individual copies can be expensive, from $1.99 - $4.99 each.

Well, our local library has a "used" book section that sells magazines for 5 cents each. I found three, current month, magazines, in like new condition, and paid only 15 cents total. These would have cost about $12 new. Then I make it even better by donating them to the local clinic for their waiting room.

I had a twin sized pillow that got old and ripped on the side. Instead of tossing it I washed it, patched it up with some needle and thread, put it inside of an old flanel pillow case and reused it as a doggie bed from my Yorkie. She thought it was a brand new bed! She really likes it when I put the pillow in my laundry basket. She'll hop in and stay warm all winter.

I recently went to the supermarket armed with my paper and pen to record the prices and units of all the items I use when my cell phone rang. That's when I remembered I had a camera on my cell phone.

I went around taking a picture of all of the labels of the items I use and when I got home I was able to make a list at my leisure. It was a lot easier and less time consuming then  hand writing them all in the supermarket.

It was fast and easy!

When I get low on laundry detergent, I add a little bit of water, shake and use this when I wash clothes that aren't real dirty.

I also use this same strategy with dish soap.

Another idea is when emptying a bottle of bbq sauce, add water and use this when cooking, for example in baked bbq pork chops.

A small bottle of fabric softner last me for about 8 months.  Take an old sock or wash cloth and add 1teaspoon of fabric softner.

Saw your tips on the Today Show for gift wrap. I have a similar idea. 

When my boys were young (now 19 and 16) they loved to paint pictures so I bought them the paper from office supply stores that comes in easel pads and when they were done with the pictures we used it for wrapping paper. They loved telling everyone that they had made the paper.