Cheaper, Better, Faster (14 page)

Gift stash—for hurried
and free gifting

Create a gift box in a closet or cupboard into which you can put any free samples you receive, door prizes you win, and gifts you don't like but somebody else might. Always be on the lookout for things to add to your box. When you need a present in a hurry or don't have the cash to buy one, go directly to the gift box, and chances are you'll find just the right thing.

Heirlooms

Perhaps you have something that a friend or relative has long admired and enjoyed. If you're tired of dusting it, give it as a gift for a special occasion. Be careful though. Not everyone is sure to cherish your possessions the way you think they should, so be confident you have a perfect match before you wrap up that Ming vase or special possession.

Mug—drink mixes
and a book

Fill a nice or comical mug with flavored coffee, tea, or hot chocolate mix. Wrap it along with a suitable book.

Mug—with candy

A simple mug or teacup and saucer (either antique or new) can be a wonderful gift when filled with special candies. Wrap in a piece of clear cellophane gift paper gathered at the top and tied with a lavish bow.

Pet care

Offer to care for a pet during a vacation.

Photos—framed
copies

Before spending a lot of money for enlargements and reprints of color photographs, consider making color photocopies at your local stationery or quick-print shop. For example, an 8- by 10-inch color copy enlargement costs less than the price of a color-print enlargement. The paper is not as sturdy, but once a photocopy is framed or mounted, it is very difficult to detect any difference. Framed photos make great gifts.

Photos—vintage

Everyone has a box or two of old family photographs. For a special vintage touch, choose a black-and-white photo that has a special meaning for the recipient. You can frame it in its original form or have a photocopy enlargement made at the quick-print shop. An inexpensive black or silver frame will turn this treasure into an heirloom.

Recipe—book

Foolproof recipes are always welcome gifts. Make a pretty little notebook and copy (by hand or photocopy) twenty of your favorite recipes. Add a personal note, if you like.

Recipe—favorite family
dessert

Write down a favorite family dessert recipe and place it along with all the required ingredients in an appropriate new baking or serving dish. Wrap everything and top with a big bow.

Shipping and packaging—addressing

Enclose a piece of paper inside the box on which you've written the address of the recipient and yours as the return. Use a waterproof marker if you write the recipient's name directly on the box. And the US Postal Service says address labels should be legible from 30 inches away. That's about an arm's length.

Shipping and packaging
—antistatic for Styrofoam “peanuts”

If you use Styrofoam “peanuts” as a packing cushion, first spritz them with an antistatic spray.

Shipping and packaging—diapers for baby gift padding

If you need to send a fragile gift for the new baby who lives far away, pack the breakable object in a box of disposable diapers. The soft padding will keep the gift well protected, the packing material will be as usable as the gift, and you won't have to worry about finding a suitable box.

Shipping and packaging—mark it
fragile

Mark “Fragile” in three different places on packages that contain breakables: above the address, below the postage, and on the reverse side.

Shipping and packaging—padded envelopes

Make your own padded envelopes. Start with several layers of paper grocery bags and cut to the size you need. Sew three sides of the bag on your sewing machine using a zigzag or decorative stitch. Once stitched, trim close to the stitching. Address, fill, and then sew the fourth side closed and trim to match. You can make great-looking parcels in just minutes that will please your recipient, and you'll save a lot of money.

Shipping and packaging—paper
tubes

Cut empty wrapping-paper tubes to line a box you are mailing. They cushion the contents, but add little weight.

Shipping and packaging—plastic bags

Surround dishes, glassware, and other fragile items that you're sending as gifts with plastic air pillows by filling resealable plastic bags with air and sealing.

Shipping and packaging—recyclables

When you need to pad a package, recycle wherever possible. Instead of bubble wrap and Styrofoam, use newspaper. If someone you know has a paper shredder, ask for a bagful of shreddings. Or use stale air-popped (not buttered) popcorn and include a note instructing the recipient to leave the popcorn out for the birds or other wildlife.

Shopping to save—at art supply
and stationery stores

Search art supply stores for stationery items (mine sells lovely writing papers by the sheet, ounce, or pound—and matching envelopes), imported brushes ideal for makeup, fine writing instruments at reasonable prices, photo albums, and all kinds of wonderful portfolios. Chalk, crayons, pads of modeling clay, and packets of construction paper make terrific gifts for kids who will always be attracted to the simple things.

Shopping to
save—at office supply stores

Search office supply stores for memo books, calendars, pens, and pencils. An appreciated gift for anyone would be a nice box with a lid (or any other kind of unique container, even a wastebasket) full of those items you need around the house but can never seem to locate: colored paper clips, staples, clear tape, labels, write-on-anything pen (Sharpie is the best), coin wrappers, index cards, and yellow sticky notes, or any combination thereof. Great idea: yellow pads or any kind of writing paper and a personalized rubber stamp. Rubber stamps are fairly cheap and can be ordered from an office supply store.

Shopping to save—in unique places

Unique places for shopping for gifts include military surplus outlets, marine supply stores, garden centers, health food stores, damaged-freight outlets, restaurant supply stores, antique stores, and museum and gallery gift shops.

Shopping to
save—on make-your-own stationery supplies

You can avoid spending if you get into the habit of making your own cards, stationery, postcards, gift bags, and so on. You can purchase paper and envelopes in bulk, then use the paper cutter at the local copy shop to cut it to the sizes you need. With a few carefully chosen rubber stamps and colored markers, anyone can make beautiful and unique cards and stationery for personal use or to give as gifts. Use postcards whenever possible. This way you'll not only save the cost of the envelope, but you'll save on postage too.

Subscription—large-print newspaper

A great gift for a senior or someone with impaired vision is a subscription to the
New
York
Times
large-print edition. This edition is published weekly and provides a summary of the week's news. Cost is up to $3.30 per week, depending on the method of shipping. To order go to http://homedelivery.nytimes.com and click on “Select a Subscription.”

Subscription—magazine

Go to a magazine stand and select a magazine you know someone would enjoy, maybe because of a hobby or a secret desire to sail or skydive. Wrap the current copy of the magazine with a note saying, “Look forward to this all next year!” Be sure to mail in the subscription card with a check.

Wood for sharing

Share a cord of firewood with a neighbor. Announce the gift in a card tucked between
several logs wrapped with a wide ribbon. If possible, stack the wood between your properties.

Wrapping—box lids

If you use a plain-colored box, wrap only the lid. It saves paper and makes the gift easier to open. If the box is not plain colored, wrap the box and lid separately. It's easier to open and allows the box to be reused.

Wrapping—construction paper decorating

Wrap a gift in plain white paper and decorate with curved shapes cut from red, yellow, and blue scraps of construction paper or other colored paper. Use a glue stick to attach them.

Wrapping—large baby shower gift

Wrap a large baby shower present in a crib sheet or baby blanket, and secure with colorful diaper pins. Attach a rattle too.

Wrapping—organization
, flower shipping boxes

Ask a nearby flower shop for their shipping boxes from long-stem roses. The boxes are the perfect length to store wrapping paper rolls, and you will be recycling boxes that usually get broken down and discarded.

Wrapping—organization, paper caddy

Store rolls of wrapping paper in the legs of old pantyhose. This will prevent your paper from getting wrinkled and torn between uses, and you won't run the risk of ruining any of the paper by having to tape the rolls.

Wrapping—organization, paper-towel
holder

Store rolls of tape and ribbon on a paper-towel holder.

Wrapping—paper tablecloth for oversize gifts

Don't waste time and expensive wrapping paper trying to cover an oversize package with regular-size wrapping paper. Instead, buy a colorful paper tablecloth. It works great, and you'll have enough paper to wrap a refrigerator—depending of course on the size of the refrigerator—for just a couple of bucks.

Wrapping—paper, brown

Brown paper is not just for mailing packages. Dressed up with stickers, doilies, fancy ribbon, and such, it's a wonderfully inexpensive way to wrap gifts. You can either purchase craft paper in a roll or recycle brown grocery bags. Cut them open and lightly iron them on the nonprinted side. (A very light misting with spray starch will help iron out stubborn wrinkles and folds.)

Wrapping—paper, cutting

A coupon-clipping tool works beautifully to cut wrapping paper quickly.

Wrapping—paper, kids' artwork

Save your kids' drawings and use them to wrap gifts. Tape several together if the package is large. This will especially be a big hit with grandparents.

Wrapping—paper, matched with the
gift and recipient

Find paper that's appropriate for the gift or recipient. For example, wrap a cookbook with pages from a beautiful food magazine or use sheet music for a music lover's package.

Wrapping—paper, removing creases and wrinkles

To remove creases from folded or wrinkled wrapping paper, lightly press them out with your iron set on the lowest setting. Don't steam the paper. For persistent wrinkles, spray the wrong side lightly with spray starch. (Not recommended for waxed or foil papers.)

Wrapping—ribbon alternatives

Visit a decorator fabric shop, upholstery supply store, or
sewing supply store and look for braids, cords, tiebacks, fringes, and tassels to use instead of ribbon. Bolt ends are often sold as remnants at just a fraction of their retail price.

Wrapping
—ribbon from paper

Cut strips of wrapping paper and curl it with the edge of a scissors blade the same way you would curling ribbon. This requires a gentle touch so the paper ribbon does not tear, but the final effect is really nice.

Wrapping—with garbage bag

If time is short or gift wrapping is especially difficult, use a white plastic garbage bag (two, if they are too transparent) tied with a great big bow. With presents, as with people, it's what's inside that counts!

Wrapping—with
glue stick

Instead of using clear tape to wrap gifts, keep a glue stick handy for sealing packages. Costs less, dries fast, and looks great for professional “no-tape” ends and seams.

Wrapping—with handkerchief

Wrap odd-shaped small packages in a handkerchief.

Wrapping—with lunch bags

Purchase pastel and brightly colored paper lunch bags to decorate and use for gift bags. Wrap the gift in tissue and place it in the bag. Fold the top of the bag down and punch two holes through the layers. Thread a ribbon through the holes, then tie a bow or add curly ribbon.

Wrapping—with scarf

Place a gift box diagonally on a square scarf and tie opposite corners together at the top. Tie again with gold cord or ribbon.

Wrapping—with
shoe boxes

Turn ordinary shoe boxes into colorful gift boxes. Use a utility knife to cut simple designs
like stars on the sides and top of the box. Paint the box with brightly colored acrylic paint. Wrap the gift in tissue paper of a contrasting color, and let it show through the cutouts.

Wrapping—with spray paint on carton

If the gift is really large, don't waste yards and yards of pricey paper. Just spray-paint the carton and add a bow.

Wrapping—with unique materials suited to the
gift

Use a road map to wrap up a gift for the traveler. Wrap a woman's present in a piece of fabric or a pretty scarf. Tape together several weeks' worth of newspaper crossword puzzles for that crossword aficionado in your life. The Sunday comics make great wrapping, especially for kids and teenagers.

Bandage
care

To keep a finger bandage dry and secure, pull a small balloon over it before you bathe or wash dishes.

Calcium absorption

Don't drink sodas together with calcium-rich foods or supplements. If your soft drink contains phosphoric acid (and most do), it will block absorption of calcium into the bloodstream.

Canker sores—prevention

Prevent canker sores by adding 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt to your diet each day.

Canker sores—remedy

Try applying a wet, black tea bag to a nasty canker sore. The tannin acts as an astringent and will relieve the pain and promote healing.

Exercise—golf club burn

A round of golf burns well over 1,000 calories if you
walk and push the clubs on a wheeled cart for 18 holes. That's the equivalent of running 6 or 7 miles, depending how long it takes you to get those 18 holes in!

Exercise
—health club memberships

Try the club before you join. Most offer several free visits or short, low-cost trial memberships. Join with a group of five or more friends, and at some clubs you'll save as much as 35 percent. Pay a year's dues in advance to save up to 20 percent (make sure the club has a reasonable likelihood of still being in business a year later). Ask about new member perquisites, such as a free session with a personal trainer. Also, if you need to take a long-term break for travel or other reasons, ask the club to freeze your membership and start it up when you return.

Exercise—strengthen your immunity

Want to beat the common cold? A brisk walk or exercise at a moderate level has been associated with strengthening the immune system. On the other hand, extremely strenuous exercise can actually lower immunity to colds and flu. So, take a walk but take it easy.

Exercise—winter motivation

Stay motivated to stick to your exercise program during the winter months: Put on your swimsuit and stand in front of the mirror once each month.

Eyes—emergency eyeglass repair

Here's an emergency repair for the missing screw in your eyeglasses: Insert a wooden toothpick through the hole in the hinge. Break off both ends of the toothpick, and you're ready to go.

Foot massager

Give your tired feet a mini massage by rolling them back and forth over an ice-cold soda or juice can.

Hair—barrette cleaning

Use isopropyl rubbing alcohol to remove hair spray buildup from barrettes. Some megahold hair sprays cause metal barrettes to tarnish. To avoid, allow hair spray to dry before putting in barrettes.

Hair—buildup remover

To remove a buildup of minerals, conditioners, sprays, mousses, and gels, here's a cheap alternative one professional hairdresser we know uses on her own hair: Wash hair with a gentle shampoo, rinse in cool water, and towel dry. Saturate hair with apple cider vinegar (not white vinegar, it's too harsh). Wrap hair in a plastic cap or plastic wrap, and heat with a blow dryer for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse hair thoroughly and shampoo again.

Hair—coloring not just
for men

A woman we know colors her gray hair with a popular product, Just for Men. It produces identical results, costs half as much, and lasts twice as long as a similar product sold for women.

Hair—condition with
mayo

Slather mayonnaise on your hair. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap or a small plastic bag, and heat with a hair dryer. Leave on for 30 minutes. Shampoo and rinse well.

Hair—control with lemon and lime juices

The combination of lemon, which closes the hair cuticle, and lime, which is slightly emollient, helps break up static electricity to end flyaway hair. Mix together 1 teaspoon lemon juice,
½
teaspoon lime juice, and 1 cup water. Pour into a plastic spray bottle. Spritz on clean, damp hair. Do not rinse. Style as usual. Keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Hair—dye alternative

As a color pickup for drab brown hair, rinse it with
strong, stale coffee. Then rinse with cool water.

Hair—residue remover

Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with the amount of shampoo you use for one hair washing, and shampoo your hair with the mixture. This removes residue buildup and leaves hair shiny and bouncy. Repeat about once a month. This is a cheap substitute for very expensive commercial products that do the same thing.

Hair—shampoo, half-price

Read the instructions on most shampoo bottles: Apply, lather, rinse, repeat. Don't “repeat.” Your shampoo will last twice as long.

Hair—shampoo, inexpensive

Don't be a shampoo snob. In a
Consumer
Reports
test of 132 brand-name shampoos, the lowly cheap brands from the supermarket rated just as high as the pricey salon brands.

Hair—spray buildup remover, control dandruff

To remove stubborn hair spray buildup and to control dandruff, mix one package lemon Kool-Aid with 2 quarts warm water (don't add sugar). Wet your hair and pour on the mixture. Work well into your hair, leave on for several minutes, and follow with regular shampooing. The citric acid is the key ingredient.

Hair—spray can clogs

Ordinary rubbing alcohol will unclog the spray nozzle of a hair spray container that even hot water hasn't cleared. Just dip the nozzle into the rubbing alcohol, let it sit for a few minutes, wipe off, and spray.

Haircuts—for kids

Learn to cut your kids' hair. Ask an expert to teach you or get a step-by-step DVD or video download. It's not difficult but learn well. We don't want any goofy-looking kids out there.

Heating pad

Here's how to make an effective, inexpensive heating pad. Take a clean sock (a man's tube sock with no holes works best). Fill halfway with about 5 cups of uncooked white rice. Tie a knot in the top. Warm in a microwave on high at 30-second intervals until desired heat is reached. (Caution: Rice can burn, so watch it carefully.) This heating device will conform well to any body part and can be reused many times. Just make sure to keep it dry.

Hot-water bottle

Fill a 2-liter soda bottle about 6 inches from the top with hot water. Screw the top on tightly. Wrap the bottle in a towel, and snuggle up with your very wonderful, yet cheap hot-water bottle. A smaller bottle with just warm water works well for an older child.

Ice pack, with rice

Instead of paying big bucks for fancy ice packs, do this: Freeze raw rice in a freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. To use, wrap it in paper towels. It conforms well to most body parts, such as backs and sprained extremities, and stays cold for at least 45 minutes. Use gallon-size bags for backs and legs, pint-size and snack-size for boo-boos. Double bag to discourage accidents, and don't leave packs unattended with children.

Ice pack,
with rubbing alcohol

Make your own flexible ice packs. Pour
¾
cup water and
¼
cup rubbing alcohol into a resealable plastic bag, and close. Put the bag into another bag, seal, and freeze. You will have a slushy bag of ice whenever needed for sprains, headaches, or other ailments because alcohol doesn't freeze. Label clearly.

Jewelry—allergic to
earrings

If earrings leave your lobes sore, chances are you are allergic to nickel silver, which is an alloy in many types of
jewelry. Apply a coating of clear nail polish to the earring posts and backs or clasps, and other parts that come in contact with your skin. Only surgical steel and platinum are free of nickel silver; even 14- and 18-karat gold earrings can contain some of this alloy, to which many people are highly sensitive. You will need to reapply the polish after several wearings.

Makeup
—blush color

To find the right shade of blush, check the color of your skin after exercising and try to match that color. Blush should add a healthy glow, not introduce a foreign color.

Makeup—economy line

If you love a particular high-priced cosmetic line, ask for the name of their economy line. For example, Lancôme (available in department stores) also produces the L'Oreal line (available in drugstores). Research cosmetic lines online or call the customer service department of your favorite line to inquire.

Makeup—eye makeup remover

Use a no-tear brand of baby shampoo to remove eye makeup. Ophthalmologists encourage contact lens wearers to do this to reduce protein buildup on their lenses. Apply with a cotton swab in a brushing motion while holding your eyelid taut. Rinse thoroughly.

Makeup—lipstick palette

Don't toss the last
½
inch of lipstick in the tube. Do what professional makeup artists do. Using an orange stick or other clean implement, transfer what's left of the lipstick from the bottom of the tube to one section of a compartmentalized medication container (the kind with a little space for each day of the week, available at drugstores for less than $2). Use a lipstick brush to apply. As you accumulate colors, fill each of the compartments, and soon you will have a portable lipstick palette.

Makeup—mascara caution

Don't use waterproof mascara on a regular basis. It's hard on the eyelashes. But water-soluble types really smudge, especially in sweltering heat. Here's a reasonable compromise: Use a waterproof version only on lower lashes, because that's what usually smudges.

Makeup—curling first, then mascara

Use your eyelash curler before applying mascara. Otherwise, lashes could stick to the curler and break off.

Makeup—pencils

Long lip liner and eyeliner pencils are awkward to use and don't fit into small handbags. Solution: Break the pencil in half; sharpen both pieces. Now you have two manageable pencils for the price of one.

Makeup—remove with baby wipes

Use baby wipes to remove makeup. They're made for sensitive skin and won't cause dryness or irritation.

Makeup
—test samples

Before purchasing a new cosmetic or skin-care product at the counter in a department store, request a sample you can test for a few days before making a decision.

Medical facilities—ask questions before you choose

Inquire about specific hospital fees before you are admitted. Fees do vary considerably from one hospital to the next. Why pay for the availability of kidney machines and heart-transplant teams if you are having knee reconstruction? While you're in an inquiring mode, ask what rating the hospital received the last time it was examined for state accreditation.

Medical facilities
—avoid Fridays

Friday is the most expensive day to check into the hospital. Hospital labs usually close
for the weekend, and you may waste 2
½
days and a lot of money just waiting for the labs to open on Monday. If you must be admitted for surgery, insist that you go in the day of the surgery. An early admittance will run up your bill and is usually for the convenience of the staff, not the patient.

Medical facilities—
cash discounts

Whenever undergoing a dental or medical procedure for which you will eventually pay, inquire about a cash discount. Do not be timid about expecting as much as a 25 percent discount when you pay by check or cash at the time the procedure is done. Never be afraid to ask.

Medical facilities—examine bills

Carefully examine hospital bills even if you have full insurance coverage. If you go in for a knee reconstruction and are billed for infant nursery time, put up a fuss. A good consumer scrutinizes every charge. Report all discrepancies to the hospital, physician, and insurance company.

Medicines—aspirin miracle

Research suggests that one aspirin tablet, at a cost of 1 cent, taken every other day helps reduce risk of heart attack, certain kinds of strokes, cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, and possibly Alzheimer's disease, among other serious ailments. (See your doctor before beginning such an aspirin regimen.)

Medicines—call around for prices

Most pharmacies will quote prices over the phone. Call around until you find the best price. Or go online and compare prices at sites like Drugstore.com and TheOnlineDrugstore.com. You won't believe how the prices will vary.

Medicines—doctor
samples

Every doctor's office is flooded with all kinds of expensive prescription samples, also known as “stock bottles.”
When required to take a medication, be sure to ask your doctor if he or she might have samples for you to try. Asking for sufficient samples to make sure the medication is right for you is especially wise, particularly if you might be allergic to it. Don't hesitate to ask again every time you go to the office. Doctors can also write a prescription for a stock bottle to be filled at the pharmacy for patients unable to afford the prescription.

Medicines—measure correctly for kids

Don't use tableware spoons when giving medicine to a child. Teaspoons and tablespoons in your silverware drawer may not hold the correct amount of liquid. A tableware spoon that's off by even 1 milliliter (0.0338 fluid ounce) could mean you're giving the child 20 percent more—or less—of the recommended dose of medicine. Use a proper measuring device, either one provided with the medicine or purchased separately, such as a measuring spoon, syringe, or oral dropper. Ask the pharmacist for a complimentary calibrated measuring device for dispensing liquid medications.