Everyday Cheapskate

By Mary Hunt

Do Your Back-to-School Shopping in Someone Else’s Closet

If your cash flow has been reduced to a trickle, you may be finding the thought of back-to-school shopping more than a little stressful. Of course you want to send the kids back to school with new shoes, clothes and school supplies, but what can you do if the funds are just not as available as they once were? Get creative! Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

• ThredUP. With this amazing website, America’s busy families are exchanging their kids’ clothing online. Here’s how it works: Go to http://www.thredUP.com to register. The company will send 10 empty boxes to you. While you’re waiting for them to arrive, start browsing the website for boxes of clothing that interest you. Once you find a box of clothes you want, you will pay $13 for shipping and the person who posted that box will send it to you. Then you list a box of clothing you want to swap. Once your box is chosen, you are notified, and you ship it for free. ThredUP even will arrange for UPS to pick up the box from your home at the time you specify. Membership at thredUP is free; premium is $29.99 per year. There are thousands of boxes full of clothing just waiting for kids like yours to wear to school this fall.

• Consignment stores. Most areas have specialty consignment shops just for children’s clothing. Once Upon a Child, a national chain, offers once-loved items, many with tags still attached because they never have been worn. You can find locations at http://www.OnceUponAChild.com/locations.aspx.

• Uniforms. More and more schools are moving to school uniforms. Even with all the benefits, uniforms can be expensive, especially if you have several children. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can save money on school uniforms. More and more stores are stocking them, including Costco. Be sure to check clearance racks in late September and early October, after school has started. You also can buy uniforms used. Check children’s consignment stores frequently. If your school doesn’t have a uniform resale night already, organize one yourself. Have parents bring outgrown uniforms to swap or sell.

• Neighborhood swap. You could have a neighborhood swap organized by next weekend. Consider the clothes you have to swap, and multiply that by all the houses in your neighborhood. Get the neighbors together. Serve some wine and cheese and just see how creative you will be. It’ll be good for your pocketbook and fun for everyone.

Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Fun Housecleaning Wins Tip of the Month

Just wait until you read the July Tip of the Month. If you’re looking for a great way to cool off in the hot sun and get some housecleaning done at the same time, here’s a great way to do it. It even may win you some help from the little ones in the house. Congratulations to Joan V. for winning a one-year online membership to Debt-Proof Living (http://www.DebtProofLiving.com) for this tip:

BLIND HOUSEKEEPING. For $9.99, I bought a 42-inch wading pool. I put it on my patio table, filled it with suds and water, and washed all of my window blinds in it. I didn’t have to bend, stoop or make a mess in the house. After I washed the blinds, I hung them over outdoor chairs, rinsed them with a hose and let them dry. Now it’s time to refill the pool and give the dog a bath! — Joan V., e-mail

TRASH TALK. We have a trash compactor in our kitchen. I don’t use it because I recycle everything and we barely put out two bags of trash a week. I always have wished it were another cabinet instead. Then I got the idea to use it as a temporary recycling stop. Now I put only recyclable plastics and glass in it. That way, I don’t have to carry recycling outside more than once or twice a week. — Jodi H., e-mail

WALNUT WONDER. When I was growing up, our cats would jump onto our dark hardwood piano and scratch it. My mom used to rub the scratches with the meat of a walnut (no shell, of course!). Most of the scratches on that piano are invisible to this day. I still use walnuts for furniture scratches, and they work well. Test the method on a less visible area to be sure it doesn’t darken the wood, but I haven’t had that problem yet. — Bonnie, e-mail

AMAZING SAVING. When my son was an infant, he received $20 or $30 in cash for special occasions, such as Christmas and birthdays, from grandparents and friends. I opened a savings account for him and put all the money in it. At his age, he never missed it. Then I had young neighbors who liked to host weekly parties. Afterward they were more than happy to drop off sacks of aluminum cans at my house. I sold the cans and matched the profits out of my pocket, all of which I added to my son’s savings account. Eventually, I went to a stockbroker and had him set up a fund for my son with me as the custodian. I transferred the savings money into it and added to it regularly. When my son turned 15 years old, this account was worth $28,000. The amazing thing about it was that saving the money was painless. — Debra M., Colorado

5 Clever Ways To Cut Pet Costs

Even a free pet can turn into a major expense unless you are careful to cut the costs whenever possible. Today’s great reader tips do just that — and in some new and unusual ways.

FLEA REMEDY. For more than 30 years, I’ve treated my dogs for fleas and never had a single flea enter our lives. I use brewer’s yeast with garlic. You can purchase the pills at any reputable pet store or Walmart. I buy the large economy size because it must be consumed daily, and I have three dogs. There are no harsh chemicals, and the dogs do not smell of garlic. There are added health benefits to both garlic and yeast, so it is my choice over chemical flea treatments. — Barbara, Colorado

BUCKETS OF CENTS. I own two feline companions, so I keep a supply of cat box filler on hand. I like the handiness of cat box filler in buckets, but it is more expensive. The buckets run between $15 and $18 unless they are on sale. One day, I discovered a bag of the brand I use for about $5. I have empty buckets at home. I started buying the bags and filling up the buckets I already have on hand. — Pam, Florida

PET MEDS. It’s true that you can get some pet medications online for less than you can from your veterinarian. Before you order online, however, ask your vet to price match the medications. Most will do so, even if they only make a couple of dollars on the transaction. The pet owner keeps the relationship with the vet in case of emergency, receives professional advice on how to use the product, and has a way to deal with any problems that may arise. Drug manufacturers only inform vets of product recalls and only honor guarantees through them, so meds purchased online come with no protection. In the long run, those “cheaper” medications may cost you a whole lot more! — Susan C., Georgia

BARGAIN BED. Recently, I emptied a bunch of foam peanuts into a plastic trash bag. Before I could get rid of it, one of my cats discovered that it made a comfortable bed. All I need to do is cover the bag with a soft fabric, and he has his own bed! How cheap is that compared with the cost of a “real” pet bed from a pet store? — Dottie S., New York

COMPOST BOOST. I always am looking for ways to recycle things. We got two rabbits about a year ago. They’re in a cage, and I put a cat litter box filled with shredded paper from junk mail and newspaper for them to use. They do their business, and I add a fresh layer each day. After about three days, I dump the whole thing into my compost bin. I have very rich compost with lots of worms, and my garden is fantastic! It’s all about the cycle of life. — Barbara M., e-mail

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com.

How To Determine a Good Deal on Bath Tissue

There’s a question that shows up in my mailbox a lot, and it’s one that has gone unanswered until now. “How can I compare prices for toilet paper when there is no standard size?” For years, I’ve searched for a formula that would offer a way to find a bargain on bath tissue. Today’s first reader tip offers just that: a quick and easy way to compare across all the variations and packaging sizes.

TIP OF THE MONTH. Shop for bath tissue the way you shop for carpet or fabric: by the price per square foot. There is no standard square footage for a roll, but the measurements are listed on the package. I have found that the closer the price is to the square feet of tissue in the package the better the deal is for two-ply tissue. For example, if there are 525 square feet of tissue total, the price should be no more than $5.25. I have seen 360 square feet of tissue selling for $9. That is almost triple-price! This same strategy works for figuring out the best price on paper towels, too. — Terri D., Minnesota

COLOR KEEPER. Years ago, I worked for the Gap, back when you still could buy unwashed Levi’s. We always suggested that you dry-clean your jeans or slacks just once before laundering them for the first time. The chemicals in the dry cleaning process help set the dye into the fibers, so they do not fade as quickly. — Diane K., Ohio

PURSE-FREE. I don’t carry all of my membership cards everywhere I go, and I even have stopped carrying a purse or a wallet. I only carry my license and any cards I know I’ll need that particular day. This may seem a little extreme, but it happened as a gradual result of leaving my credit cards at home. Instead of swiping my rewards cards, I just give the cashier my phone number, and I still get all the benefits. This arrangement rarely has caused me a problem, and I have found living purse-free to be incredibly liberating. — Lorelei O., e-mail

MUSICAL MICE. When I heard a mouse in my bathroom drawers shredding my cotton swabs and leaving droppings, I put small headphones in the drawer, found the most obnoxious music station I could, and turned the volume up to high. Rodents hate loud noises, and it drives them away. Once the mice leave, block all entrances. — Elizabeth M., e-mail

SMART CAR. I saved money on my auto repairs when I found a good mechanic and made friends with him. He and I take my car to his house and do the repairs there, together. I have saved more than $600 this year alone, and the next time the problem occurs, I know what to do. — Scott, Georgia

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com.

How To Stop the Charity Junk Mail Monster

Dear Mary: Every day, I receive donation requests from charities. Usually, they enclose “gifts,” such as calendars, greeting cards, address labels, notepads, religious tokens and even gloves and blankets. I’ve tried sending requests for no gifts, but they are ignored. Some charities send mailings on a weekly basis. If I could, I’d donate to them all, but I can’t, and I’m getting both frustrated and angry. I’m reluctant to make any donation at all because my name immediately goes onto a list. How can I stop these donation requests and be sure that what money I do have to give goes to reputable charities that will use it wisely without adding me to mailing lists for others? — Joy M., e-mail

Dear Joy: Sadly, with so many people unemployed, there are fewer dollars available to charities. That means charities are competing and scrambling hard to capture as many of the available dollars as possible. Some, as you are learning, are pulling out all the stops.

Donating once to a charity without a donor privacy policy in place can result in an onslaught of mail appeals from numerous unrelated businesses and other nonprofit organizations because they do sell their lists. You can limit the amount of mail you get by following these tips:

• Only donate to charities that have written donor privacy policies in place. Look for a link on the charity’s home page or donations page, and read the policy carefully, or look for this information on the printed material.

• Get in touch with the charities directly. Request that they stop sending you appeals. While you are on the phone, be sure to get the names and numbers of the third parties to whom your name may have been sold. Contact them, as well. Responsible and well-run charities are grateful for your donations and should be willing to comply with your requests.

• Concentrate your giving. Sending small donations to a variety of organizations is a sure way to get your name on a shared mailing list. Instead, focus your donations on just one or two worthy organizations to reduce your chances of getting inundated with other requests.

• Give anonymously. You can give to any charity through Charity Navigator (http://www.CharityNavigator.org) and request that your donation be sent anonymously to that organization. This will ensure that you avoid any future contact from the organization you’re supporting, and it will prevent your information from being shared with third parties.

Stopping all of this unwanted mail will take time. The normal avenues for stopping junk mail are not likely to work in your situation, as nonprofits are not bound to following direct mail rules and regulations. Do not respond to the mail you want to stop. Contact only confirms that your address is good and that you are reading their material. Your silence will get you off the lists. In the meantime, place a wastebasket next to your mailbox, and drop the junk in there as it arrives.

Do you have a question for Mary? E-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com.

6 Clever Ways To Give Trash a Second Life

I don’t know who invented dryer sheets, but I can tell you that they’re good for lots more than softening clothes. Even after they’ve done their duty in the dryer, dryer sheets come out ready to go back to work. They make dandy dust cloths for TV and computer screens. They make quick work of cleaning up a yucky casserole (just fill the pot with warm water and a used sheet, and come back the next day), and, my all-time favorite, a dryer sheet makes a perfect stabilizing layer inside a quilt block. Today readers share other ways they rescue “this” and use it for “that.”

FREE SHIPPER. I sell books online through Half.com when I no longer need them. To keep from having to buy boxes for shipping, I carefully pull the glued side of a cereal box apart and turn the box inside out. I insert the book and use plastic bags as filler. Then I tape it shut. Besides the tape, I have created a completely free shipping box. — Kim, Ohio

SEEP STOPPER. My kitchen sink stopper doesn’t hold water very well. It allows the water to seep out. I discovered that the plastic top of a yogurt container holds water way better than my sink stopper ever did. — Jacqui F., Florida

RECYCLED ART. The art teachers at our local public schools take donations, including toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, coffee cans, empty plastic ice-cream buckets, milk jugs, plastic and glass containers, baby-food jars, and other materials. They use the donations for class art projects. It’s amazing what they can create out of what you normally would throw away, and the teachers are so appreciative of the donations. — Carrie, Michigan

SAY CHEESE. I use Parmesan cheese containers to store baking soda, cornstarch and salt. It is much easier to measure and serve from these containers than it is from the boxes in which these products are packaged. — Kathy B., e-mail

BUCKET MANIA. We buy cat box filler by the bucket. Then we store fertilizer, ant treatment and small things, such as paintbrushes and rollers, in the containers once they are empty. I just pop the lid on and mark in big letters what’s inside. In one bucket, I cut a hole in the side and put reusable store bags in it. I screwed it to the wall so it is accessible but out of the way. — Nancy, Texas

SWEET SWEEPING. Instead of using a Swiffer sheet to pick up hair and dust on my laundry floor, I use dryer sheets. Even though they’ve been through the dryer once, everything sticks to them, making it easy to swipe the floor while I am doing laundry. — Deb, California

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com.

22 Ways To Slash the Grocery Bill

With our busy lives and harried schedules, it’s easy to forget the basics of wise grocery shopping. Here is a quick collection of the best tips I know for slashing your grocery bill:

1. Don’t shop hungry. Studies find you will spend at least 17 percent more.

2. Shop with a list. Use the store’s weekly sale ads found in the newspaper or on the store’s website as a guide, and build your menus from there.

3. Go for loss leaders. These are the items that are deeply discounted in order to get you through the door.

4. Don’t buy anything that is not a sale item.

5. Know your prices. Keep a written record of the regular per-unit prices of the items you buy most often so you’ll know whether a “special” is really a bargain.

6. Buy in season. Fruits and vegetables will be the best quality and the lowest price when they are in season.

7. Shop with cash. Take only the amount of cash you have decided to spend on one grocery trip. If you come across a fabulous bargain and don’t have enough cash, you always can return to the store to stock up.

8. Carry a calculator. Keep a running total of the items in your cart so you won’t be embarrassed at the checkout.

9. Shop at larger stores. Their regular prices might be higher, but supermarkets have the best sales.

10. Find a bakery outlet. They offer wonderful bargains if you can be highly disciplined.

11. Buy in bulk. But remember: If you can’t use it before it goes bad, it’s a bad deal no matter how good the bargain was.

12. Don’t buy more than you have storage space for.

13. “On sale” without a coupon is sometimes cheaper than the regular price with a coupon.

14. Buy the smallest size or quantity that the coupon allows for the greatest percentage of savings.

15. Always check expiration dates on food items. If you have a choice, choose the date farthest into the future.

16. Consider generic and store brands. Many times, the product is identical to the brand name except for the lower price.

17. Shop solo. Distractions can be costly.

18. Look high and low. Expensive brand names purposely are positioned at eye level.

19. Avoid individual-size packages. Buy the big container, and divide into smaller portions at home.

20. Learn sale cycles. Study sale fliers until you recognize predictable cycles. Buy enough when it’s on sale to last until the next sale.

21. Look for “two for one.” These days, scanners always ring up each individual item, so if the deal is “two for one,” you likely will be able to buy one for half-price. Check the store’s policy.

22. Keep moving! One study reveals that the typical shopper spends about $1.75 for every minute spent in the store. Know why you’re there. Get what you need, and get out!

Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com.

Ease Your Mind With These Surprising Travel Tips

Today I have a couple of pre-emptive tips for those of you who will be traveling this summer. The first is for those who will be traveling abroad, and the second is for travelers who plan to pay bills early before they leave town for extended periods of time.

Tip 1. Here’s what international travelers need to know before they take off this summer: American Express, MasterCard and Visa charge your bank (usually 1 percent) to convert dollars to the local currency when you travel. The bank that issues your card also charges a fee for each transaction (typically 2 percent). This international transaction fee is added to any purchase, whether it be a $3 piece of pizza or a $5,000 piece of art. You can avoid this fee by comparing credit cards and choosing the right card before you leave. An additional 3 percent, on top of all your other travel costs, is going to make your vacation even more expensive.
Capital One is currently the only major issuer that does not charge a foreign transaction fee. In fact, the bank also eats the 1 percent charge from Visa and MasterCard. That means that if you were to make a $500 purchase abroad with a Capital One card, you would save up to $15.

Tip 2. There are two common reasons that homeowners send extra money to their mortgage companies:
–To pay down the principal. When you pay down the principal, your loan balance goes down, but you still have to make the next scheduled payment. Let’s say you make your regular mortgage payment in May, plus three extra payments. You enclose a note that the additional payments are to pay down the principal balance. You still will have payments due in June, July and August, as scheduled.

–To pay the account ahead. On the other hand, let’s assume that you send those three extra payments because you are going to Europe for the summer and you want to pay all of your bills in advance before you leave so you won’t have to think about it. In this scenario, you want to “pay ahead.” You’ll be back before the September payment is due.

If you are not clear on how you want the extra funds handled, the lender might assume you want to pay down the principal balance. You head off on your trip assuming you’ve made your mortgage payments. You don’t get the late notices because you’re not at home. You arrive home, only to learn that your house is in foreclosure for failure to pay. You cannot assume the mortgage company will pay your account ahead automatically if you do not send clear instructions.

When you make prepayments on your mortgage, always enclose clear instructions. Then follow up with a phone call in a week or two to make sure those instructions were understood and followed.

Happy travels!

Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com.

6 Clever Ways To Give Old Stuff a New Life

Hoarding useless stuff wreaks havoc on your peace of mind, but putting something to use in a new way saves money and makes you feel as if you’ve done something good for both the local landfill and your wallet. Let these great reader tips inspire you:

PERFECT PORCH. We had a rusted metal rack in the bathroom. It was the kind that has shelves and sits over the toilet. When we got a new shelf, my husband cleaned and painted the old one with rustproof paint. Then he attached it to the wall on our front porch. Now I have a beautiful unit for my small plants, statues and decorative watering cans. I put a larger plant under it that gets watered from the plants above. Visitors love it. They always ask where they can get one for their porch. — Aleta, e-mail

SHEET SHAKE. I use retired bedsheets in my car to keep dirt, grime and other things that might leak from soiling the car’s interior. I haul everything from plants to motorcycle and vehicle parts in my SUV, so this is a great way to keep things nice. When there is dirt, all you have to do is pull out the sheet and shake. It has saved me a lot of work on carpet cleaning and vacuuming. — Connie R., e-mail

METAL-MAKER. You can sell an old car for the metal weight to a company that recycles junk autos. Most junkyards are equipped and eager to pick your car up for free and pay you for the metal. I live in a small town, and we have three junkyards that haul autos away to crush them. After that, the flattened cars go to metal mills, which chip them into smaller pieces and sell them to other companies. It’s a great way to recycle. Processing metals means less mining and landfill waste and a way to bring in some cash! — Caroline C., e-mail

TRASH KEEPER. If you buy pet food, use the empty bags for your garbage. It saves you from having to buy expensive plastic bags. To keep your trash from spilling, simply staple the top together. An ordinary paper stapler works well. — Hermie S., e-mail

PAPER SAVER. I recently got a good shredder at work that shreds almost anything into small pieces. We ship truck parts and accessories all over the United States, so I save the shreds for packing material. I also take whole pieces of used paper, cut them in half with the paper cutter and staple them together for the mechanics to use as scrap paper next to their phones. This saves me from having to buy notepads. — Cathy S., Florida

GREASE GRABBER. I use an old, worn-out doormat under my grill. It catches all the drips and has rubber backing, which keeps my wooden deck free of grease. — Sue C., Pennsylvania

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Include your first and last name and state. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including “Debt-Proof Living” and “Tiptionary 2.” To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

8 Things To Do With a Tax Refund

It’s easy to see a tax refund as some kind of gift from the universe. It’s not. It is a chunk of your annual income you should have been getting all along in your regular paychecks. Plan now for how you’ll manage it, or this refund easily could evaporate.

1. Treat it like a paycheck. Give away 10 percent, and save 10 percent; put the rest into your household account. This is especially advisable if you are having trouble keeping up with your current financial obligations.

2. Stash it. Put it in your contingency fund (a pool of money you keep in a safe place for serious emergencies) or freedom account. Don’t think twice. Just get it into the bank quickly, before you are tempted to pick out a new TV or book a vacation trip abroad. Money in the bank lets you back away from the “edge” in ways that buying more stuff cannot.

3. Open a Roth IRA. Talk with your bank or go to http://www.vanguard.com to discover your options. Provided your contingency fund is well-funded and you are not drowning in credit card debt, this may be the perfect opportunity for you to boost your retirement funding.

4. Reduce credit card debt. You can send any amount at any time to your credit card account. Sending a great big unscheduled payment could be the jump-start you need to become debt-free. Determine that you will stop using that card and keep paying extra until it’s at $0.

5. Replace a monster. It might be time to replace that energy-guzzling refrigerator or furnace. Having the funds in hand to pay cash will put you in a beautiful position to negotiate a great deal.

6. Pump it into your car. Get the routine maintenance or repairs on your car that you’ve been avoiding. Preventive maintenance is almost always cheaper than repairs.

7. Build a stockpile. Set this money aside to be used weekly at the grocery to stock up on “best deals.” Carefully peruse the ads, and then match sale items with manufacturer coupons to get rock-bottom prices.

8. Invest in you. What do you need? A trip to the dentist, a couple of hours with a good therapist, a day at the spa? If that renews your joy, it might be the best money you ever have spent.

Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

A Great Gift Idea That’s Also Cheap

I always have dreamed of having a closet in my home that is stocked with gifts for every occasion. That way, when I needed a gift, I wouldn’t have to go shopping. I would just duck into my own closet and pick out the perfect item. Hey, I said I was dreaming! But I had a great wake-up call when this month’s Tip of the Month landed on my desk.

TIP OF THE MONTH. I buy seasonal kitchen hand towels at 50 to 75 percent off after every holiday on the calendar. I keep them in a box in my closet until I need an awesome household gift. They especially make a wonderful bridal shower gift — a collection of New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas kitchen hand towels for the new bride! — Pam R., Indiana

ADDRESS MASTER. When I got a new address book for my purse, I did not want to write all the names and phone numbers into it by hand. I decided to use computer labels. I had room to put the name, address, house and cell numbers and e-mail addresses. This saved so much time, and the result is totally legible. — Janet F., e-mail

TIMESAVER. When I go through the store circular and identify the items I wish to purchase, I cut the advertisements out and staple them together in the corner. When I’m trying to determine which product is the sale item, I have all of the advertised details and a picture of what I’m trying to buy. If I need help from store personnel, I can show them the advertisement. If I’m at the supermarket that I frequent most often, I arrange the clipped ads in the order in which they are found in the store. Likewise, I arrange the corresponding coupons I’ll be using with the sale items. This makes my shopping trips efficient. — Sharon J., New Jersey

VINEGAR LOVE. I have found vinegar useful this past year. We have a beautiful piece of carpet right in the heavy traffic area. Equal parts of plain white vinegar and water with a good stiff brush got out most of the stains, and it doesn’t smell. I used the vinegar mixture in the rug shampooer to remove the rest of the dirt. I also add a cup of vinegar to my laundry during the rinse cycle. It removes the remaining soap from the wash, eliminating the need for dryer sheets or softening liquid. — Linda, e-mail

BEDTIME BUZZER. As much as I waste money, I waste time. How many nights do I stay up way past what would be an appropriate time to go to sleep? This leads to extra snacking and exhaustion in the morning. I use an alarm to tell me when to wake up in the morning, so, I thought, why don’t I use an alarm to tell me when to go to sleep? I set my alarm for a reasonable bedtime with a 15-minute snooze feature. This gives me a little leeway, but by the second alarm, it is time for shut-eye. Why didn’t I think of this when my daughter was younger? It would have been a great help in establishing bedtimes! — Roz L., New York

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Include your first and last name and state. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including “Debt-Proof Living” and “Tiptionary 2.” To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.