CUTTING BACK
The question has been asked, “What could your family do to cut expenses by $100 a month?” The answers are as varied as the people involved, but perhaps one or more of these ideas will work for you and yours as we face the challenges of a changed economy and family circumstances over the next months and years.

Here are some of the ideas sent in over several weeks of questioning:
By eliminating movies on cable, we could save at least $25 a month.
If I get fewer minutes on my cell phone, I could save at least $25 a month.
I could cut out the cell phones and the cable bundle and we would save $170 a month. We could go back to using a land line and the free tv.
I can cut back the kids’ cell phones back to basics with only minimum minutes and save a fortune. It costs a bundle for the music, call waiting, text messaging, internet over the phone, and other junk they think they need. I wonder how long they will have to have all the bells and whistles when I tell them they have to cough up any extras on their phones?
If I make my own coffee and toast a bagel to take to work, I would save $5.50 a day – that’s $27.50 a week, or over $100 a month right there!
If we quit eating out so much it would save us at least $50 a week or at least $200 a month! A lot of the time we just don’t feel like cooking at the end of the day so we eat out.
We need to buy one of those things to put on a faucet instead of buying bottled water. I buy at least 6-8 bottles a day. I could save $10 a day – just on water!
I buy bottled iced tea and it’s $6.99 for six bottles. I drink a whole six-pack everyday – that’s $50 a week for tea! I know I can make my own a lot cheaper, in fact my kids gave me an iced tea machine last Christmas and I’ve never taken it out of the box!
If we cut out all the soda we drink in a week, we can save at least $30 a week – that’s over $100 a month right there!
I can take my lunch to work instead of buying it everyday and that will save us about $200 a month!

There are just a few of the ideas that were tossed around. I’m sure you have more ideas of your own to stretch those precious dollars and I’d love to have you share them with us. Please send in those dollar-stretching ideas and I’ll print as many as space allows.

KITCHEN CUPBOARD HAND CREAM
Need a good hand cream, but don’t want to spend the money? I’ve found that a small bit of plain kitchen shortening does the trick. I put it on my hands and give them a good rub. I usually don’t have any excess to wipe off as it sinks right in. It doesn’t contain any chemical preservatives and keeps my hands nice and moist.

LOTION WARMER
We have a new baby girl and my neighbor taught me the neatest trick last week! I just had to share it!
When you get ready to bathe the baby, put the bottle of baby lotion in the tub along with the baby. The lotion will warm up some and when you go to rub it on, it won’t be so cold on her skin!

TIME SAVER
Always carry a phone book in the vehicle with you. If you need an address in a hurry, all you need to do is pull into a parking lot and look it up. I also use this method to inquire if certain items are in stock during sales. If it’s not there, I don’t bother to stop at that particular store. It sure saves me time!

TEA SACHETS
I love the smell of herbal teas and occasionally will buy the sampler boxes. However, there are some that I don’t care for the taste. So, to avoid wasting time, I now put a couple of tea bags in my dresser drawers and under the linen press (linen closet) where I keep my pillowcases, tablecloths, and doilies. The linens come out smelling lovely and the bags keep all of the bits together.

BUZZ THAT BLENDER
To clean your blender really fast, put a few drops of dishwashing soap in the bottom, fill it half full of water, put the lid on, and buzz a couple of seconds – and voila, it’s clean!

MAGIC BUNNY FOOD
Mix glitter and rabbit food (available in a pet store). Put a handful or two in a plastic bag and add this verse:

Sprinkle on your lawn at night,
The moon will make it sparkle bright.
The Easter Bunny may wander and roam,
But this will guide him right to your home.

NO-BAKE CRAFT CLAY
1 cup cornstarch
1-1/4 cups cold water
2 cups baking soda
Food coloring (optional)
Craft paint

Combine the cornstarch, water, and soda in a saucepan and stir over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes. The mixture will look and feel like moist mashed potatoes. Add food coloring, if you like. Remove from the heat, turn onto a flat dish, cover with a towel, and let cool. When cool, knead like bread dough until smooth and ready to use.
As a teacher, I usually make at least three batches at home, cool, and put in heavy-duty plastic bags or recycled jars.
At Easter time, the children are given a share of the clay and make shapes such as eggs, chickens, and bunnies. They are then air dried for several days, painted if the child chooses, and taken home with them.

MILK JUG RECYCLED
I cut the tops off empty milk jugs and keep them under the kitchen sink. They work great to put the used coffee grounds in or to scrape plates into. Then when I take out the garbage, I don’t have to worry about a wet mess in the bottom of the bag or the trash can if the bag has a small hole in it. After I have collected all the trash, I set the milk jug in the bag the very last thing and then tie it up – no sloppy messes!

USE FOR PRODUCE BAGS
I save the little produce bags from the grocery store and when I peel an onion or garlic, I put the peel inside the bag, tie it shut, and keep the onion and/or garlic smell out of my house!

HARD WATER HELPERS
We have really hard water with a lot of lime and other minerals. I keep an old bath towel hanging in the bathroom and we wipe down the shower walls and faucet after every shower. Sure makes cleaning easier at the end of the week. I have also discovered that the white magic eraser thing works wonders to remove those hard water stains from the shower walls or chrome faucets.

CARDBOARD KEEPER
I use an empty toilet paper tube to hold my curling iron cord together to eliminate a tangled mess. Simply fold the cord plug end up about to the barrel of the curling iron, then fold the cord in half again, and maybe again, depending how long the cord is. Now, slip the tube over the cord and handle part of the curling iron and tuck it neatly away in a drawer.

If you have hints or ideas to share, please send them to PennyWise, Box 518, Kadoka, SD 57543. We will print as many as space allows. Please be sure to mention this publication when you write.