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It has been a while since I posted some thrifty tips.  So here is a round of really good ideas from readers.  I especially like the one for Mother’s Day.

Buy Vacation Gifts At Regular Stores

When traveling, on vacation etc, Don’t buy from the gift shop. Check out department stores, dollar stores, Walgreens etc. One can find a large variety of small gift items with the name of the location at very good prices. Just takes a little looking.

–Hairy Wolf from Memphis TN

Use Vinegar On Windshield Wipers

To extend the life of your car’s windshield wipers, wipe the blade with a rag that was soaked in white vinegar. This softens and refreshes the wiper blade. A cheap and effective treatment.

–Gail from Rapid City, SD

Using Newspaper Under Mulch

Mulching is a pain, so if you’re going to put all that work into making your beds look nice, why not make it LAST longer? I’ve found that putting several layers of newspaper down BEFORE laying a layer of mulch helps to keep the weeds out for at least one whole season! The newspaper is porous, so water and nutrients can still pass through and reach the plants, but it blocks the light so that weeds can’t germinate. As an added bonus, earthworms LOVE to eat newspaper, and will slowly “compost” it to enrich your soil.

–Katy from Nashville, TN

A Mother’s Day Memory Box

This is a great gift for the new mom or grandma or to start a new tradition. A Mother’s Day Box is a wooden box that will store all the Mother’s Day cards, pictures, dried flowers, etc., every year from the child (ren). Include a small journal for the mom/grandmother to put her special thoughts into.

Take a wooden box 12×8x8 in size, with a hinged top, On the lid write “MOTHER’S DAY MEMORIES” (or “GRANDMA’S MEMORIES”) then the child’s name. If possible, save room on lid for the child’s hand prints or you can put them on the front side of box. Have the child decorate the box anyway he/she would like. On the inside, place a small journal or diary so mom can write what they did that day, thoughts, etc. Every year mom can add the cards, pics, etc she received. Everything is kept in one place and it is nice enough to keep out on the coffee table.

–Christy from Fulton, MS