DEAR SARA: My daughter just called and said she is cleaning out her dish cupboard and asked me if I wanted the stuff she is getting rid of. Of course I said yes. I’m not too proud. She has newer, nicer stuff. One of the things is a nice cheese grater. My question is: Is [...]
DEAR SARA: I need tips on thawing frozen bread products. I’ve never been a fan of freezing bread products because I’m unsure how to thaw them, so they are either hard or soggy. Looking for suggestions, as I’ve been given a ton of bread products like hamburger/hot dogs rolls and will need to freeze them [...]
DEAR SARA: How do I get dry paint off a Pergo floor? We painted our son’s room, and there are dry paint spots on the floor. I know some of them can be scraped up, but some look like they were stepped in and spread around the room. Those won’t come up with a scrapper. [...]
DEAR SARA: I have many small bottles of hair conditioner, and I am sure they could be good for something. Since I do not use them on my hair, I would like to know how you suggest I should use them. — Myria, Florida DEAR MYRIA: They can make nice stocking stuffers or gift-basket add-ins. [...]
DEAR SARA: How do I use a toaster oven? I just got a new (to me) toaster oven. No instructions. I need advice on how to use it, what to make in it, etc. I’ve never had one before. Never had one while growing up, either. — Julie, Florida DEAR JULIE: Toaster ovens are a [...]
DEAR SARA: I have a few large jars of grape jelly that have been rotated to the front of the pantry and will be expiring soon. I have made the grape jelly/chili sauces, used it in BBQ sauces and melted it down for syrups. My daughter used to live off grape jelly, but now she’s [...]
DEAR SARA: Please help me! I need a way to keep my spices and salt from turning into one big hard ball when it gets humid out. I have tried putting grains of rice in the salt and other spices because I heard that would take the moisture out of them but have yet to [...]
DEAR SARA: I need ideas for storing foil. How do you store saved foil to reuse? I don’t have any extra space in the drawers in my kitchen, so I keep the foil in a plastic zipper bag in the cupboard. The bag falls out nearly every time I open the cupboard. It is so [...]
DEAR SARA: I was wondering if you have a suggestion on how to clean stainless steel. I have a hard time keeping my refrigerator looking nice. — Virginia, e-mail DEAR VIRGINIA: There are tons of stainless-steel appliance cleaners on the market. I’ve tried a few with good results (Stainless Steel Magic, Sheila Shine and Weiman). [...]
DEAR SARA: I saw that Lowe’s has 1.28 gallon/flush toilets for around $90. I was thinking of getting one for each of my two bathrooms. They say they save $90 a year, so they would pay for themselves. Do they really help the water bill go down significantly? — Leigh, Florida DEAR LEIGH: A good [...]
DEAR SARA: How do you repel flies? Every time we sit outside or eat outside, we are bombarded with flies. How do you keep them away? — Julie, Florida DEAR JULIE: We have mosquito problems here. Flies aren’t really a problem. They’re mostly an occasional pesky nuisance. My cat gets any flies that get inside, [...]
DEAR SARA: Can you make powdered eggs at home? — Donna, Michigan DEAR DONNA: I don’t make them at home. I’ve read about ways to do it, which involved cooking them scrambled in a frying pan, breaking them up, spreading onto a baking sheet and baking at 135 F for 10 hours or using a [...]
photo by Jonny Hunter Coffee drinkers unite! It’s time to get green and frugal with your coffee grounds. Don’t home brew? Starbucks is on board with a program that provides free grounds for customers to use in their gardens. Establishments, family and friends can provide them, too. According to J. Trent of the University of [...]
photo by Mavis DEAR SARA: I have a question about dry beans. Do they ever expire? My parents have sealed buckets of them that they stocked up on during the Y2K scare. Are they still safe to cook? They’re trying to pass some to me. They say they are still good because of how they [...]
photo by tiffanywashko DEAR SARA: I just found out that I’m pregnant, and I want to be prepared for baby expenses. I don’t see the need to spend a lot of money, but it’s difficult to pinpoint where frugality stops and excess begins. It’s such an exciting time. Can you offer a few frugal baby [...]
photo by thetruthabout DEAR SARA: With the economic downturn, what do you think about taking in boarders? — Julie H., Indiana DEAR JULIE H.: As a young woman in my early 20s, I once took in boarders. It was a nightmare. They charged up the phone bill and were late paying rent. I was lucky [...]
photo by barkdog You can dry your washed baggies on a jar or glass filled with chopsticks. Or simply fold back the zip tops so the bag is strong enough to dry upside down on your counter. You can make your own drying rack with a block of wood and dowels, too. The first reader [...]