I love opening my email inbox where messages with favorite tips land. Some days, it’s bulging; other days, not so much. But every day, your messages of support, love and occasionally a great tip charge my batteries and confirm how much we need one another. Enjoy the following tips from your fellow readers.
DIY FROZEN COFFEE DRINKS
I make my own frozen coffee drinks, better than the ones that cost so much money. It all starts with frozen coffee cubes, which I make from the flavored coffee of my choice and freeze in ice cube trays. That’s the secret. Most recipes call for adding things to cold coffee and then blending with ice. But the ice can water it down. Starting with frozen coffee means there’s no need for ice to make it cold. My favorite recipe is frozen coffee cubes, hazelnut or caramel syrup, chocolate milk or powder, light cream or milk, and a little sugar (I like mine sweet). Blend until smooth. Yummy! I keep a zip-type bag full of coffee cubes in my freezer. — Lori
BOGUS GPS ADDRESS
Since it’s not recommended to put your home address in your GPS, because in the event your car is stolen, you’ve just offered them your house as well, I’ve set my “home” address as my local police station. I figure if a thief is dumb enough to think they can steal a car, they’ll be dumb enough to pull into the police station. If my car is ever stolen, I’ll tell the police to monitor their parking lot. While I don’t know if it would actually work, I’d have the story of stories if it did! And, by the way, I do know the way home from the police station. — Tim
MORE WINE IN A BOX
For those buying their wine in a box, when you think it’s empty, take the “bladder” out, and you will find at least one more glass of wine inside! — Margaret
NO-SLIP KITTY LITTER
When I have to walk across icy or slick surfaces, I carry a zip-type bag of kitty litter with me to sprinkle ahead of me as I walk. I keep a spare bag in the car, too. It costs less than $2 for a 5-pound bag at my local dollar store, which is pretty cheap when considering it might save me a trip to the hospital. — Kay
BLANKETS ON THE GO
My children like to have blankets in the car during the ride to school in the morning. Keeping these clean on the ride home in the afternoon is hard since the kids are eating their snacks, they’re sweaty, and so on. I bought cushion covers at the dollar store. Now I quickly fold up their blankets after I drop them off in the morning, and stuff them into the cushion covers. I wash the cushion covers every week instead of washing the blankets every other day. They also serve as pillows when the kids are tired and need a little nap. — Juni
ON-CALL FLOWER DELIVERY
For months, I have been getting no response to the many job applications and resumes I’ve submitted. Last month, I decided to take matters into my own hands and drum up some employment. I phoned a few local florists and asked if they needed temporary delivery help for Valentine’s Day. One florist offered me a job. It paid at the end of the day, and they said they would keep me on their roster of on-call drivers for Mother’s Day, Easter, etc. It’s not permanent, but every dollar helps! — Donna
PIZZA RATIONING
I’m a single girl and live alone, so I’m always looking for ways to save money. I love to cook, but sometimes I opt for a frozen pizza. Instead of cooking one and then having leftovers, I open the pizza box as soon as I get home from the grocery store, cut it into quarters, wrap each slice individually in foil, and put them back in the box and into the freezer. On those days when I’m too tired to cook, I only have to pull out a slice and pop it in the oven. This way, I only eat about one frozen pizza a month, it never goes to waste, and I never eat more than one slice at a time! — Sheri
GRILL RACKS IN THE OVEN
I use my self-cleaning oven to clean the grates from my Weber grill. They’re made from the same type of material as most broiler pans. They come out with an ashy coating that washes off in the sink. — Randy
Got a money- and or time-saving tip you’d love to share with my vast (and growing!) Everyday Cheapskate audience? Send it to: [email protected]. Then keep your eyes open. You just might see yourself in an upcoming column.
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”