Help! Prices Keep Going Up!

© Cyndi Roberts

Gasoline is going up in price constantly, as are groceries, taxes and other things we have no control over. We are all under pressure to make do with less--be it money or time.

Here are a few suggestions for saving time and money around the house:

1. Instead of aerosol sprays or expensive candles, when there is an odor in your home--from a smoker, or from cooking, whatever--try this quick method of getting rid of it: Heat white vinegar in a saucepan on the stove for a few minutes. You will smell vinegar for a few minutes, but when the vinegar smell is gone, so is the offending odor.

A slower method is just to set a bowl of white vinegar on the kitchen counter for a few hours or overnight.

2. If you have a septic system for your home, only use white toilet tissue, no colored inks which break down the chemical reactions that make the system work properly.

3. Heat-producing appliances are the biggest wasters of electricity in the home. Air-dry all the laundry you can. For fluffy towels, dry in the dryer for 5-10 minutes and then hang outside to finish drying. The same for permanent press items of clothing. Just dry for a few minutes to remove the wrinkles and then hang to dry completely.

4. Your microwave oven uses less energy to run than your kitchen range.

5. Wash your windows on a cool, cloudy day so the heat of the sun doesn't dry the glass before you can get it clean!

6. Refill empty milk jugs with water and place in the empty spots in your freezer to keep it running more efficiently. Plus, you will have ice for your ice chest in summer.

7. Save all your plastic shopping bags and use them as liners in wastebaskets.

8. If possible, route your washing machine to drain outside and water your lawn or garden.

9. Use small loads in your washer and dryer to help eliminate wrinkles. Cold water rinsing also helps keep wrinkles to a minimum.

10. When dusting, add a little liquid fabric softener to a soft cloth. Because of the anti-static properties, it helps keep dust off a little longer. Plus, it makes the room smell really good!

11. Don't throw away your old shower curtain! Use it as a drop cloth when painting. Or cover the floor or table when you or the kids are working on a craft project.

12. To remove water spots from your stainless steel sink, simply wipe with white vinegar or rubbing alcohol.

13. Instead of buying extra pillows to go in your pillow shams, store your extra blankets in them.

14. For a natural carpet deodorizer, sprinkle carpet with baking soda. Let sit for a few minutes or even over- night; then vacuum as usual.

15. Put an old sock on your hand, dampen it a little, and dust the leaves of your houseplants. Add a dab of mayonnaise and your plants' leaves will shine!

"We have succeeded in life when all we really want is only what we really need."

Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" bi-weekly newsletter, featuring creative ideas and tips to help you "live the good life...on a budget!" Visit http://cynroberts.com to download a free "Recipe Sampler". Subscribe to the newsletter and receive the free e-course "Taming the Monster Grocery Bill".