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| Copyright ©2002, 2003, 2004 Allison Ray. All rights reserved. Updated June 1, 2006 |
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| Time & Money Saving Tips for Parents Cleaning *Wipe your TV with used Dryer sheets to reduce storage and save on papertowel * Put papertowels in your veggie and meat drawer in the refrigerator to pick up leaking or dirt and relplace weekly to avoid scrubing. * Use your childs skateboard to move around laundry baskets and trash cans * Clean lint out of your broom to make it last longer with a comb. * Keep a laundry basket in your trunk on major shopping days so when you cary in your purchases, you can carry it in all at once instead of making tons of trips. * Keep recipe index cards in photo albums to organize. * To freshen up that smelly favorite teady bear, place it in a ziplock bag with baking soda, shake it up and leave overnight, then vaccum off the extra soda in the morning. * Shoe Scuffs: buff away with furniture polish * Rip in Window Screen: Seal up temporarily with clear nail polish * Rub valsaleen on candle holders to make drips of wax come off fast. * Keep suitcases from smelling musty with a sugar cube. * Recycle an old hooded sweatshirt by cutting off the hood (leave strings attached) Tie over the broom bristles and use to dust ceiling, blinds, etc… * Degreese pots easily: sprinkle them with salt and let sit for 5 minutes then rinse off. Childrens room * Have designated bins for each type of toy: art, dolls, stuffed animals, action figures, legos etc… * Make a game out of cleaning with a kitchen timer give the children 10 min to clean as much as they can before the timer goes off and reward them with a prize. * Use refrigerator chart with stickers to show which days they kept room clean and have a reward at the end of the week. Reward does not have to be something that costs money it could be to bake cookies a cake or to spend one on one time with you. College Looking for scholarships or federal programs * Apply with local twins clubs and state twins clubs often offer scholarships for twins and twin parents trying to go back to school. * www.doleta.gov/tradeact/ * www.fafsa.ed.gov/ * www.supercollege.com Stain Removal * Wash greasy clothes with clear soda and laundry soap to break down the oils. Laundry * Use separate laundry baskets for whites, darks, and delicate. This will cut sorting time. Teach everyone in the family to use correct basket. * Use old nylons instead of dryer sheets to keep lint out of laundry. * Save money on fabric softner sheets by cutting them in half. * Hang rod in laundry room to hang clothes right out of dryer to reduce ironing time. * Put a damp towel in the dryer with the outfit you need ironed and run it for 10 min to save you time and hassle of ironing. Food * Store cheese in a ziplock bag with a sugar cube to make it last longer * Keep coffee fresh by cleaning machine with baking soda and warm water. * Put a few whole pepper corns in the pepper shaker to keep the holes from getting stuffed up. * Use serrated knife to cut chocolate for recipes to save time. * Keep a large shaker full of flour to dust cake pans quickly and cleanly. * Fluffier popcorn: keep the unpopped kernels in the freezer * Gourmet pancakes: substitute ½ of the milk or water with a flavored coffee creamer. * Food color substitute: mix unsweetened kool-aid in the frosting to add color and flavor * Keep butter empty butter wrappers in ziplock bag in freezer and use to grease pans. Crafting * If your children love to create with glitter. Use old empty spice containers and make sure the holes are big enough for the glitter to comeout. A lot less clean up! * Use left over wall paper to wrap gifts, decorate scrapbook covers, or make decorative boxes. * Attach ribbon remants to backs of frames and use to hang childrens artwork. * Glue leftover beads onto rims of lampshads or picture frames * Yarn leftovers can be used to wrap presents and make interesting bows Pest control * Spray pesky flies with hairspray Cut back on Car Chores * Plan your trips in geographical order to save time on backtracking * Compare prices in advance in circulars and on the internet * Plan your outings at non peak times * Shop on line instead of going out * Keep your hallway closet for going out. Keep packed diaper bag for the twins, shoes, coat, bonnet, etc. * Hang organizers on back of seats to keep you car clean and twins happy * Call and order before you arrive * Use supercenters for one stop shopping instead of going to lots of small stores * Keep returns in the trunk of your car so when you go out if that store is in the shopping area for that day the return is already there. * Keep a plastic crate in back of car or trunk with extras: phone book, road side assistance info, pens, paper, wet wipes, change of clothes for the twins, ziplock bags, extra diapers, gallon of water, disposable camera. More Money Saving * Ask for a lower rate on your credit cards www.CardTrak.com * Compare and combine insurance premiums to get lower rates www.insure.com * Consider refinancing your home for a lower interest rate * Eat out at nice restaurants for lunch instead of dinner the lunch prices are less for the same meal. * Consider making half-mortgage payment to pay your house off faster. * Choose reliable fuel efficient cars www.Edmunds.com www.consumerreports.org * Have your tire pressure checked regularly to maximize fuel efficiency * Get rid of voice mail and use an answering machine * Use an entertainment book to save about 50% off food, laundry, movies, shopping. www.entertainment.com * Get a free energy audit. You’ll receive a free plan that includes money-savers like wrapping your hot-water heater in an insulated blanket. www.energyguide.com * Shop for groceries in the evening most supermarkets mark down the leftover meat from the display case. * Save money, check your credit report and get a better rating. www.consumerinfo.com Easter Egg Hunts * Color code the eggs. Then if you have different age children, you can hide the eggs accordingly and put prizes in that are age,gender appropriate. Also, you can make the hunt more challenging for older children by hiding their color in more difficult places |
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