Thrifty Tips 12/27

I am sure some have wondered what happened to me.  Well my blog was doing very weird things and since the purpose of my writing is to help people not have hackers attack their computers I decided to stop writing until I could figure out what was giong on.  With the help of my hosting company I think I have some good security measures in place to help with the hacking problems I have had over the last few months.  That being said lets get back on track with a few Thrifty Tips!

Crayons Fix Nicks in Colored Leather Shoes and Boots

When I was a small child, I remember my mother raiding my crayonbox to color in nicks and scuff marks on her brightly coloredhigh heels. Well, these days it may be colored leather tennisshoes, a leather vest or fancy cowboy boots, but the idea stillworks. (Especially if you have a box of 64 colors!) First heat the area with a blow dryer, that way the color of thecrayon actually melts into the leather. Finish by buffing with asoft cloth or soft paper towel.
--Cyinda from Seattle

Save On A YMCA Membership By Volunteering

 I'd been reading a lot about the advantages of exercising inwater, but felt my lack of access was an obstacle I couldn'tovercome. Living in the Northeast, community pools are only openfor a couple months a year. And, I wasn't sure how to fit a Ymembership into my family's tight budget, especially since wedon't actually qualify for a scholarship. (Never mind the moreexpensive health clubs with pools!) But ... guess what? The localY is desperate for volunteers, and I was able to negotiate a freemembership in return for volunteering some of my time. Now I cango to all the water aerobics and other fitness classes I like, aswell as use their extensive facilities whenever I want! I just thought I'd post this in case others were in similarsituations. If you think you can't afford access to a pool (orother facility), call your local YMCA and talk with them.Different departments may even yield different results; the dealI hoped to negotiate wasn't available through the general Ycontact person, but *was* possible through the AquaticsDepartment specifically. Who knows? In return for a little of your time--about 3 hours a week for me--you may be able to get afree membership, too!
--Sterghe from Pennsylvania

Use Bread To Clean Up Broken Glass

An easy way to pick up small pieces of broken glass withouthurting yourself is to just scrunch up several pieces of any typeof bread, then use this ball of bread to pick up the pieces ofglass, by pressing the bread into the glass. This is especiallyimportant for those of you taking blood thinners!
--CKD

Vinegar for Cleaning Paint Brushes

 Vinegar wins again. I was replacing a few floor tiles. I uses afloor patch that is sort like a cement. I used a old paint brushto feather the edges. The floor patch dried on the brush andparts became hard. I did not want to throw my $1.00 brush away. Iam a bit thrifty. It has many other uses to come. I soaked invinegar water for a day and the brush cleaned up, no more driedfloor patch. I will get a few more years out of my paint brush.
--Shirley C. from Calumet City, IL

Temporary Wall Decor

If you live in a rental place that doesn't allow painting or ifyou just don't want to paint, try materializing a wall. Pour someStayflo (liquid blue clothing starch) in a bucket and soak asheet or material. Squeeze it a little and smooth onto your wall.It will dry just like wallpaper. If you get tired of it, just useyour fingernail to pick a corner. Wash it and it will be softagain and not ruined. The wall will be just as it was before.
--Mary from Houston, Texas

This last tip is a great one for college dorm rooms.  It allows a student (usually female) to customize a room that looks exactly like all the other rooms on their hall.