Making Huge BubblesWhen your kids want to blow bubbles, use a coffee can that you've cut both ends from. Put your bubble solution in a bucket and dip the can. You can either sway the can through the air or blow into it, either way makes huge bubbles that kids love.
Grocery Store Play SetMake a play grocery store for your preschoolers. It is free and great for ages 3-8.
Cheap Homemade Toy Blocks for ChristmasI make blocks for my three grandsons by going to the cutoff bin in my local Home Depot store. They have lots of short pieces of wood that can be cut into blocks. I sand them while watching TV. I round the edges, apply stain and then polyurethane them.
Making Special LotionsYou can make your own special hand cream by just getting unscented lotion and adding a few drops of your own essential oils, such as lavender, etc. to the lotion. Unscented lotions sometimes are cheaper than scented.
By Robin
Bath Cookies (Non-Edible)24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.
Makeshift Bathtub StopperIf you can't find the stopper to your bathtub, the clean lid of a butter dish works well.
By Camilla
Holiday Fire StartersI found this tip at make-stuff.com, it is a great site.
"Fill an empty roll with dried leaves in the fall. Wrap it with newspaper, 4 inches longer than the roll, and twist the ends of the paper, for easy lighting. If you wrap them with decorative paper and put them in a basket they make a nice accessory to a fire place. They can also be covered with Christmas wrapping paper for the holidays."
By Racer
Turning Bath Gel Into a Great ScrubI have found that when you have a bottle of bath gel and want to make it go farther, find a nice glass jar, one that has a good lid on it, and pour some Epson salts in the jar, then pour the bath gel over the salts. You now have a great scrub!
Thank You Cards From Gift BagsI was so thrilled when I figured this out yesterday that I had to share it! My son's grandmother gave him a Halloween gift in a Halloween themed lunch bag. As I was putting the gift away, I was thinking of writing thank you notes for his Halloween gifts.
Car Snow ShovelHere is a tip for anyone that lives in a snowy area. Sometimes we get so much snow that besides having to dig out the car to get it on the street, our cars look like they are wearing big white hats.
Decorative Tins for Gift ContainersLooking for a way to get rid of clutter and save money? Get rid of any decorative tins you've been collecting by using them to put gifts in instead of using wrapping paper or buying another expensive gift bag.
Thrifty MouthwashOur dentist told us to mix 1/3 mouthwash, 1/3 peroxide, 1/3 water for an effective way to prevent gum problems. I buy generic mouthwash and peroxide. We have very healthy gums at limited cost.
Saline Solution Eye DropsMost eye drop solutions are nothing more than saline solution. Buy an eye dropper and fill it with saline solution (that costs 99 cents a pint on sale) and use that when your eyes are dry. Much better than paying $3-$5 for 1 ounce of eye drops!
By Kathy
Soothing Oatmeal Facial CreamWater poured over a small amount of oatmeal and rubbed on the face is very soothing and good for the skin. It is easy to do, just use a small amount. For more treatment, add water to oatmeal and put the whole glop on your face and leave until it feels a little tight.
By racing2elrod
Make Your Own Furniture PolishThis furniture polish is easy to make. You'll need turpentine, boiled linseed oil and lemon juice (or vinegar).
Homemade Antibacterial WipesCut paper towels in half with serrated or electric knife. Place cut side down in airtight container. Boil water, add cleaner, pour over paper towels. Remove wet cardboard tube. To use, pull out wipes from center.
Chest and Sinus Herbal ReliefHere's a recipe that may help your household during this cold and flu season.
Safe Baby and Adult WipesRecipe for baby and adult wipes using water, baby oil and baby bath or shampoo.
The High Cost of Baby FoodWhen my daughter began solid foods, I was shocked at the price of jarred baby food! It is easy to make your own, and is much, much cheaper!
At Home Highlighter For Dark HairPut 1 teaspoon allspice,
1 teaspoon crushed cinnamon,
and 1/2 teaspoon cloves in 1 cup water. Simmer.
Strain, cool, and pour over freshly shampooed hair. Rinse off with clear water.
By Suzanne S.
For Brunettes or Redheads - Home Highlights for Dull HairBrew a pot of black coffee and rinse your hair with it after shampooing. Rinse it all off until water runs clear.
By Suzanne S.
Homemade Rave Drawing Hair Conditioning TreatmentCombine 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup honey, and the juice of 1 lemon and set aside. Rinse your hair with water and towel dry. Work in a small amount of conditioner (refrigerate extra) and comb to distribute evenly. Cover with a plastic bag or wrap for 1/2 hour. Shampoo and rinse thoroughly.
By Suzanne S.
Remedy for Dull Lifeless HairWant to give life back to dull, lifeless hair? This works for "all" types. Beat 3 eggs; add 2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Apply to you hair and cover with plastic wrap. Wait a half hour and then shampoo well. You get revitalized, lustrous shine and bounce.
An Oatmeal Bath for Sensitive SkinIf you love the way baths relax you, but your sensitive skin finds them irritating, try oatmeal in your bath water.
Keep Shoes Smelling FresherTo keep shoes smelling fresh(er), fill the foot portion of an old pair of nylons with baking soda and stuff into the shoes when not being worn. Makes a big difference!
By Leann D
Making Thrifty TableclothsTablecloths to fit my large dining room table were quite pricey and I had a very tight budget. One day while folding laundry, the idea came to measure a twin flat sheet on my table. Off I went to the fabric store for appropriate lace, edged one, then another I'd purchased from a yard sale.
Thrifty Toy Blocks, Soap BoxesMake toy blocks out of soap boxes. They are fun for kids to stack up and you can collect a lot of different ones and fill them with paper and tape them shut. For the really creative, you can cover them with paper and tape and put the alphabet or the child's name on the blocks.
Papaya Skin Treatment for Dry Skin1 wedge of papaya
Scrape out the seeds, scoop out the fruit, and mash it. Smooth over entire face. After 5 minutes, wipe off with washcloth. Follow by splashing face with cool water.
(*also works well on flaky skin)
By Suzanne S.
Make Your Own HandsoapYou can make your own handsoap from one bar of soap. Grate one (1) small bar of any kind of soap and add 3 cups of water. Put mixture in a microwave safe container and zap for 3 minutes. Pour into a handsoap container with a pump when cool. Makes 24 oz.
Tinted Lip GlossIf you melt a chunk of lipstick (or two) and petroleum jelly you can make a really nice lip gloss that moisturizes your lips.
Mallory D
Making Mock Condensed Milk (like Eagle Brand)With the holidays coming sooner than we think, it is time to make those delicious recipes that call for Eagle Brand condensed milk. But it is really expensive to buy. So make your own with this simple recipe. I guarantee it works as well as the real thing!
Make Your Own Board and Card GamesFirst, I need to say that this can become addicting especially if you are all ready a graphics junky. So don't say I did not warn you. On the internet there are many sites that have free board games that you can print out and then glue the printouts to cardboard.
Homemade TeetherMake a homemade teether for babies. Wrap an icecube inside a wash cloth and secure with a rubber band. Feels great on their gums, gives them some water to drink, and catches the drool too!
By Kim in NJ
Homemade Outdoor Twister GameBuy a tarp that has grommets at the corners. Use four tent stakes to hold it down. Paint on your colors for your circles. Make a spinner out of a paper plate with the paper clasp in the middle of the dial.
Sunscreen Moisturizer LotionTake 1/2 sunscreen (cheapo brand) and 1/2 moisturizer and mix together in the moisturizer bottle. Affordable moisturizer with sunscreen!
By Lisa T.
Make Your Own Saddle SoapSaddle soap is an effective leather cleaner. Especially for saddles, saddle shoes, and other thick leather. Please read the cautions before using.
Streak-Free Glass CleanerPut all the ingredients into a clean spray bottle and shake to mix. Use as you would a commercial glass cleaner. Spray on glass and wipe dry with a clean cloth or newspaper.
Natural Wood Cabinet CleanerRemoves grease and dirt without harming the wood.
Make Your Own Coffee FilterWake up looking forward to your coffee and realize you've run out of filters? Can't decided whether you should cry and hug the maker or drop and kick it?
Homemade Dandruff TreatmentHere's a recipe using cider vinegar to help treat dandruff.
Easy Homemade Hand LotionA very simple homemade hand lotion recipe.
Homemade "Cotton Balls"Don't you hate how cotton balls leave fuzz on your face or get so soppy it takes more than one to do the job?
Witch Hazel TonerAn inexpensive alternative to the cosmetic counter toner is witch hazel. It helps reduce breakouts and is clean smelling.
By Sharon
Debbie's "Secret" Recipes for Bath SaltsMy "Secret" recipe for bath salts
Baby Food TipThis is a great tip for baby food. I learned this from my Mom when I was pregnant with our first child. We bought squash and carrots. We cooked them till soft, then ran through a food processor or you could use a blender.
Make Your Own Liquid SoapMakes 3 cups
Safe and Cheap Sting TreatmentTake a small bottle or lip balm tube, stuff it with cotton and saturate it with vinegar. It applies easily to insect stings and bites, can be used on scrapes, scratches and sunburns as well. Keep several in car, tackle box, backpack and don't forget the garden or back yard.
By Dr. Jose
Gifts for the Grouchy Old ManThe following are the answers to a request for our former ezine,
the "Thrifty Gift Digest". We are not saying that your husband, dad or grandpa is grouchy but there are some great gift ideas here for the "I don't need anything" sort.
Homemade Saline DropsDon't go out and buy the OTC drops for plugged noses! Use things you have a home. This recipe works for all ages, my infant benefited a lot from it!
Inexpensive Lip GlossFor an inexpensive lip gloss use a little petroleum jelly. Also works for treating dry lips.
Make Your Own Clorox Ready Mop PadsAfter reading about the shrunken wool for refill pads for the Swiffer Wet Jet Mop, I thought I'd share how I economize for the Clorox Ready Mop. For pad replacements, I use old cloth diapers (I couldn't bring myself to get rid of the diapers after my kids were potty-trained).
Make Your Own Rubber BandsFree rubber bands. Cut fingers of older rubber gloves. Can make any width. Good place to keep them is on faucet in kitchen sink.
By Susan
Make Your Own SourdoughIf you make homemade bread, why not try sourdough. You save lots of money on yeast (which can be expensive) and once you get the starter going, it is pretty simple.
Homemade Cucumber Facial CleanserThis is a gentle cleanser for dry skin.
Frugal Outdoor Umbrella StandNeed a stand for your umbrella but your short on cash? Here is a
recycling tip you are sure to enjoy.
Inexpensive Fabric for Baby ClothesIf you have a baby but cannot afford the new clothes they need, go to a jumble sale (rummage sale) and buy an outfit that has seen better days to unpick (take apart) and use as a "pattern".
Make Your Own Bubble BathHere is a simple recipe for making your own bubble bath. It will leave your skin soft and smooth.
Make Your Own Baby WipesWith a serrated knife, saw a normal roll of paper towels into two half-sized rolls.
Make Your Own Organic Baby FoodI wanted fresh organic baby food for my daughter which wasn't always easy or affordable. So I would puree/mash a lot of food at one time, usually in my blender then put the mixture in ice cube trays until solid.
Make Citrus Oil for Insect ControlMake citrus oil to keep aphids, white flies, fire ants, and mosquitoes away! Soak the rinds of 2 orange peels in 1 gallon of water (closed) for about 10 days. Strain out the rinds/peels and store in mason jars until ready to use.
Keeping Soap DryI keep bath soap in an old nylon stocking in the bath. I can then use the soap just fine and hang it up after use for drying so it doesn't get mushy.
