Can You Help?

how to whiten lingerie fabric?

cherylm — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:03:13 GMT

i have some bras that are in good condition, but dingy. what can i use to make them white again without damaging the fabric?

Quality appliances II - stand mixer?

TizzyLizzy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:05:36 GMT

The food processor thread got me thinking about a stand mixer again. I'm afraid dh might be trying to get me one for xmas, and I'm not sure of the quality brand names anymore.

I had a KitchenAid that dh bought me 6 years ago that only lasted 4 years! I was so disappointed - someone said they sold out and were now using plastic bearings and didn't last. And it was not cheap.

I've been buying yard sale ones since then and I only give $5.00 or so and buy another when it gives out, but they're really only for cake mixes and light cookies. I'd like a heavy duty one again that would do heavy bread doughs and double-batches of things.

Any recommedations? What's the better quality one out there right now? Liz.

quality food processors

kay in canada — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:49:14 GMT

Can anyone recommend a quality food processor? Mine died after only a couple of years of moderate use, and I need to replace it without spending a fortune. I'm not afraid to spend the money on a good one if I know it will last a long time. I'm also willing to buy used ones if I can find one. Someone on DS also mentioned a model with a 'berry seeder' for making jam, that would be a wonderful option to have. Can anyone recommend brands/models that they have had good luck with and are available in Canada? Also any brands to avoid? Mine was a Black & Decker basic model. I have had nothing but bad luck with Black & Decker and would not recommend them. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

kay in canada

Cleaning a leather chair

Pat — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:49:47 GMT

Here's a question from a reader:

Is there any way to clean a leather chair? My husbands chair has "oil/grease" marks from where his head rests.
Any ideas would be great. thank you in advance,

Does anyone have experience or ideas about it?

How long will frozen strawberries keep in fridge?

seaturtle — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:03:14 GMT

Hello, all good people here,

A friend gave me a large bag of frozen strawberries from her garden yesterday. I thawed them and have them in a container in the fridge. How long will they be good?

Thanks as always!

Frugal crockpot liners?

Pat — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:50:54 GMT

This question from a reader:

I am wondering if any of the readers have a frugal idea to replace those
expensive crock pot liners? I try to make something in the crock pot
once a week, to eliminate those meals on the run.
The liners make clean up a breeze, but are expensive and just add to the
plastic in the land fill. Does any one have a frugal or environmentally
friendly solution? I have noticed that frugal and environmentally
friendly seem to go together most of the time.
Thanks!

Any ideas?

Need Some Advice & Suggestions Before I Do Something I'll Regret

Virginia Needlewoman — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:07:51 GMT

Mom has almost 50 acres of farm land immediately behind the 8 acre yard. Once upon a time the backyard didn't flood. That was in the days before the ____________ farmer decided to work on the ditches surrounding the fields.

1) He did not ask permission to change the ditches. He did the work himself. He did not even talk to me about doing it.

2)All the water drains from the fields into the ditches and into my backyard plus it overflows the ditch that runs down the side of my yard into the ditch beside the hard surface road in front of my house. The water from the back fields now floods both my yard as well as the road when we get a lot of rain.

3)All this wetness messes up the phone wires indirectly. Wet wires = static on the phone line = no phone service. No phone service = A grumpy and ticked off Virginia Needlewoman, who needs the phone to work for 1)the security system and 2)for phone calls to and from Mom's nursing home.

Thursday morning he called about paying the rent check. I told him to please put the check in the locked mail box because I didn't have any electricity. I also told him that my entire backyard was under water from the rain and the overflowing ditches. He thought that was funny.

Needless to say, I'm fuming about it. Before you think that I'm just being petty, let me say that both my computer geek and my cleaning woman noticed the flooding and they said that it should not be happening.

Who do I need to talk to about this problem ? Should I talk to my realtor who knows all sorts of legal land use stuff or should I talk to my friend who installs septic systems and who has heavy equipment ?

Mom gets a tax credit for having the land farmed, but , truthfully, the rent is not that great. Our taxes (real estate) went up this year.

Thanks.

Lightweight Treadmill

Toni B. — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:58:57 GMT

Can anyone recommend a lightweight treadmill for a good workout? I do have a EZ Glider which is like cross country skiing but it takes up too much space, is awkward and hard to move. Please share both good and bad experiences

I Need an Unfrugal Christmas Gift Suggestion, Please

Virginia Needlewoman — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:38:24 GMT

Every Christmas I spend $25.00 each on my nail tech and my hairdresser. My hairdresser's gift is easy.....a $25.00 gift certificate for a pedicure with my nail tech and homemade rum balls. My nail tech's gift is the problem. There is no one else who does great pedicures so I can't give her a gift certificate for a pedicure. She likes Pleasures by Estee Lauder, but that starts at $28.95 and goes up in price.

She likes to cook. She especially likes to bake things like cakes and cheese cakes. I'm at a complete loss as to what to get her for Christmas.

Right now the only thing I can think of is $25.00 worth of cream cheese, but somehow I don't think that's what she wants.

You see, the entire beauty shop goes on a diet right after January 1 until March or April.

Help !!!!

*** N Span powder still available??

TizzyLizzy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:00:55 GMT

I only buy it once a year, to clean mine and my mil's cabinets and walls. Only one store has carried it the last few years, and now it's not there at all. I pulled it up on the 'net for a product find, and it kept saying the info was not available for my area, so I don't know if that means it's not around here anywhere (St. Louis) or it's been discontinued altogether.

Has anyone seen it or know anything about it? I've tried the liquid and there's no comparison, too weak for what I want to clean - I need the 'grit' for the grease and grime on my cabinets. Liz.

ETA: Lol at the edit...sorry, don't know how to replace it...

How to handle this with landlord (serious need)

seaturtle — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:32:36 GMT

The landlord had my apartment and basement weatherized last year. He had to pay half, I believe - the program is offered by BROC, the local relief agency.

IIn the basement (about 40'x50'), they left just the polyurethane sheets of insulation, no covering. On the sheets is states clearly that this is highly flammable, dangerous material unless covered by a fire barrier. This MUST be fixed. I do not understand why the state weatherization program did not cover it, unless that's supposed to the landlord's responsibility.

I don't feel I can approach the landlord directly on this. I looked on gov't regulations, and they said contact the local building inspector. Since I'm on section 8, I do get a yearly inspection from the Housing Authority, but I'm not due until August. The woman heading it has no tact, and probably would call the landlord and tell him I am complaining. She has gotten me into trouble with him before this way.

Any thoughts on how else I can handle this:? Ideally, someone else would call him and not let him know it's me complaiing.

Thanks. This is the third time I am in danger here because of fire potential.

I can't remember a name

nanagain2000 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:44:04 GMT

and I know someone on this site will have it. There is a web site that's advertised on tv where people can check out local business, drs, charties ect. I've got a few things I'd like to go on it for but can't remember the name of it. The site is the one where people who've used this service, charity in the past have commented on their experiances for others as a future reference. It's driving me crazy which right now is a pretty short drive!!!

iPhone apps?

Karen M — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:25:02 GMT

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this question. First I searched through this forum and the one about stretching you shopping dollars and I didn't see where it's been already discussed.

Does anyone have any experience with iPhone apps for frugal use? I know that may sound like it doesn't make any sense. An iPhone doesn't sound like a frugal choice for a phone but really, I LOVE my iPhone! I have had it for a couple of weeks and I don't know how I ever lived without it.

I love having everything in the palm of my hand. I have been looking at price book apps but I wondered if anyone has already tried any of them and have any recomendations? I would love to use a price book and I have tried a few times to start one but I get frustrated when the prices keep changing and I thought it would be so much easier to update plus like I said, you can't beat having it fit in the palm of your hand LOL.

I also downloaded a budget app and a check register app. I do not have my info transfered from my paper planner to those apps yet. I think I will need a good part of a day to work on those to get them started and I haven't had a chance to do that yet. I think those also will make life so much simpler when I have them set up. Since I don't have those set up yet I would welcome any input on those as well.

One last app I'm looking for right now is a daily planner. I don't think I can let go of my paper planner just yet but I have been looking at planner apps and so far I don't see any that would hold all the info my paper one does. Has anyone found a planner app that they like?

TIA! Karen

Steers across fence eating my trees

zohnerfarms — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:34:19 GMT

We bought this home 3 year ago; it was built in 2000. Across the back fence is a property with animal rights. They were here first. My back yard is small - we are on less than 0.2 acre. When we bought the place, there was no shade.The only trees were tiny aspens she had planted along the back fence to look cute (across the fence from the main irrigation pipe for the subdivision- those came right out. I don't want the city tearing up what little yard I have in 10 years because the aspen broke their pipe).

My back fence is woven wire, with 2 strands of barbed wire on the top. Over the fence are two longhorn steers. Usually the neighbor sends them to slaughter at 2 years old, before the horns have really developed much, & before the steer has really learned how to use them, but 2 years ago when they got the new calf, they sent the younger steer instead of the older one, because he had grown well & was mean - would just as soon gore you as look at you.I would have done the same thing. Unfortunately, that means the older steer is now over 3, & has learned to leverage with his horns. I had triple lattices behind my fruit trees to protect them from the steers, & that had worked well for 2 years. Before that, they just reached over the fence & munched on my baby trees whenever. Sometime last night or early this am before 7, the big steer used his horns to totally demolish the middle lattice behind the pie cheery tree & ate the back half-plus of it. If you hold your arm upright, & flex your hand back with your fingers curled up, that is what my tree looks like.

The simplest solution would be to build a secondary fence 3-4 feet into the pasture to keep the steers away from the boundary fence, & that is what the neighbor on the far side of MY neighbor did to protect other back yards from his horses. Unfortunately, my neighbor doesn't want to do that, & I can't legally make him, because he was here first & his animal rights trump my subdivision rights. Add to the mix the fact that the neighbor is easily offended, & I need to stay on speaking terms with them.

Before I put up the lattices, I considered just electrifying the fence, but it sits within 5 feet of the main pressurized irrigation pipe coming into our subdivision, running buried on his side of the fence, and is closer than 50 feet to an overhead electrical line. There is no place in my backyard I could put in the ground that would not be within 50 feet of a water line or an electrical line, because the water pipe runs about 5 feet on the other side of my back fence.

When I am in the backyard, the steers generally stay away from the fence - they didn't used to, but I have a buggy whip, & I know how to use it. I don't hit them, of at least I haven't yet, but I know how to flick it close enough to make them move, & they don't like it. So, as far as steers can be "trained", they know it is forbidden. I have also sprayed them with the hose from time to time, when they are trying to eat something through the fence.

Any ideas?

Cat box woes....

dmc_2008 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:36:24 GMT

I have a covered cat box that my two cats share, I scoop it in the morning and at night and anytime in between that I am home and there is a mess. I add baking soda to it, but I just can't get rid of the odor. I tried the multicat but the smell of the litter alone is offensive and really messed with my sinus.

I need a tried and true system to keep my box clean and odor free, not to mention the DUST! Yikes. Even the cover does not seem to help much with that problem.

If any of you cat lovers out there have a method for me, I would be ever so grateful!

dmc

How Much Should I Spend on Misc. Gifts ?

Virginia Needlewoman — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:11:45 GMT

Last year I was given gifts by two different people at Christmas. They were what I call misc. hostess type gifts. One gift was a can of spray for the house. The other gift was a hand towel with embroidery and some matching hand soaps. They were things like you'd see at Claire Burke.

I have access to Dollar Tree. What should I get that is a hostess gift ? Do I buy something that is already put together or do I assemble it myself ?

I don't want to get caught short this year but at the same time I want to stretch my $$$. My local gourmet shop is expensive.

The reason I'm asking is that in the past Mom kept gift sets from Whitley Peanuts as gifts. That still sounds nice, but-----forgive me for sounding like a real tightwad-----the gift sets are close to $30.00 each nowadays. Sorry, but I don't spend that much on presents for people who aren't Mom. I'm not a tightwad; I'm just trying to stretch my budget in today's economy plus I don't want to embarrass anyone by spending more money than they do.

Thanks a bunch !

Do I Owe My Neighbor Anything?

peach1277 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:05:29 GMT

Two years ago my now neighbor bulit a home on the lot next door. With the home, he built a privacy fence. My wife and I had no fence at the time. My wife and I are now the proud owners of a beautiful 6 mo old black lab. We decided we needed a fence. While the men were setting the post for our new fence, my neighbor came out and told them not to tie onto his fence, so we did'nt. Later that day he informed me that he believed that I owe him 1/2 the cost of the shared fence and 1/2 the cost of repairs needed due to damage from Hurricane Ike in Sept. of 2008. Do I owe him anything?

Rv Living to cut costs

margo — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:13:56 GMT

I have been toying with the idea of buying a small RV and parking it in an RV lot to cut costs instead of renting an apartment (very expensive where I live). I currently live with family but would like to move out. I am 55, single without children/pets and do not want to spend a lot of money. Has anyone else done this? How difficult is it to hook up the RV and does one use the hook ups at the RV park and will they do all the hook up for you? I have never even been in an RV but have read that more people are doing this....any ideas and feedback would be most welcome. I work a couple of part time jobs but even put together I cannot make enough to rent even a studio apartment. Ideas about what to look for, what type of RV and park restrictions would be most helpful

Thinking of getting a pay as you go cell phone-need advice.

kitekrazy — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:17:47 GMT

I am more interested in the pay as you go phones. I've never cared for cell phones. In fact I hate them. But as Winter comes along it will come handy when I'm stuck on the highway for over an hour and my employer or anyone would have no clue where I'm at. To me having a regular cell phone even at $25 a month is a waste of money waiting for the "what ifs" in life.

What pay as you go cell phones would anyone recommend or had experience with? I've read reviews but they all come out as saying they are all good.This is something that is going to be for very limitied use.

BTW, I'm only interested in using it as a phone. I'm not interested in additional crap like texting ect.

What is this bug in my apartment?

seaturtle — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:12:56 GMT

Hello, everyone,

I have found several bugs in my place. They don't bite, just crawl up a wall or window. They are black with a little red striping on top (one on each side), a red triangle in the head. About 1/8" long. They look as though they should be flying, but they don't.

Anyone know what they could be?

Seed Seperating for next Spring

charly — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:19:31 GMT

I have a lot of Zinnia's that i have taken off the main stem and taken apart and I don't knoe the easiest way to get the seeds out of the pile because seems like there are seeds and then just a simple dried flower stem along beside them. I have been using tweezers but there has to be an easier way. I am seperating seeds for four familys. Does anyone out there have a simple way?

thank you,

Charly

Security & Motion Detectors

Toni B. — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:18:20 GMT

Our new Walmart carries some new items including motion detector lighting and alarm systems. Most of them were from General Electric and some other brand I hadn't heard of. They were relatively inexpensive. $40 for a base unit. $29 for three additional alarm units that could attach to a window or door. Has anyone here had experience with these units? Ever since we paved our driveway, we never hear anyone driving up and its unnerving.

Where Do I Get A Good Shredder ? How Much Should It Cost ?

Virginia Needlewoman — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:06:12 GMT

I need to shred some papers. I have been told that if I get a cheap---poorly made----shredder the motor will burn out before I finish shredding stuff.

Okay I realize that we're talking at least $50.00. Where do I buy one ? What do I look for in a good shredder ?

Please remember that I can go to Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, abd Super Walmart. I do not buy things online. I'm the kind of person who either calls an 800 number or I go in person.

Thanks.

Insulated curtains

Kimmary — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:05:28 GMT

I want to make insulated curtains for the winter but I do not know what type of fabric to use for the back side to keep the cold out. I thought of fleece but it is expensive even at Wal-Mart.They will be tabbed at the top for hanging. I'd appreciate any ideas.Thanks for the help.

Kimmary

cat food and dog food prices

charly — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:55:50 GMT

this may sound crazy but my cats which i started on wet cat food will not eat any dry cat food. they bother me until i give in and finally feel sorry for them and give them their wet food, and of course they only like the certain kinds, which of course isnt the cheapest. I also have to dogs that have several treats, and also eat canned for along with dry good. i dont even want to mantion the cost i spent last mont of my animals becuase it is embarrassing. but when i try and get them over to dry and wont eat. does anyone out there have any ideas that will help me? by the way i four cats and two dogs, one cat doesnt eat much at all because it stays out doors most of the time. I cant get rid of any of them because i have had them since babys and their like my children.