This Week’s Readers’ Tips

by Dollar Stretcher Reader Contributors

Each week we publish a new batch of money-saving tips from our frugal readers that can help you stretch your dollars and live better for less.

A Money Saver for Shoes

To make shoes last longer and/or to waterproof them, use Shoe Goo. It’s widely available in a large tube. If the sole is separating from the shoes, get some Shoe Goo and reattach the sole. It works much better than those “instant glues” and creates a waterproof barrier. You can use it to repair any shoe, purse or similar item.

Also, if you’re a hiker, you know that the waterproof version of most hiking shoes costs about $20 more. Spread a thin layer of Shoe Goo on the regular pair of hikers and you’ve got the waterproof version! My son wore the same pair of (expensive) leather loafers through high school and college, using shoe goo to repair every crack and split he got on those shoes! The stuff works!
JD of St. Louis, MO

The Right Amount for Your Dishwasher

I thought I was using too much detergent in my dishwasher. Even when I was careful, pouring dry powder was hard to control. I called my water company and found the number of grains of “hardness,” and I found I only needed to use 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of detergent.

Using a small clear plastic cup, I measured the two tablespoons and marked the cup. Now, I pour the detergent into the cup and from the cup into the dispenser. That way, I have much better control over the amount, and it is surprising how much longer a box of detergent lasts!
Bobbi

Week-Long Chicken Savings

Almost every week at Sam’s Club, I buy a rotisserie chicken. These are inexpensive and can be stretched very far! We eat the chicken for dinner the first night, which easily feeds my family of four. We typically have leftover meat on the bones, which I can pick off to make chicken salad, hash, or add to soup. I always boil the bones and either make a broth or use the meat I picked to make a nice soup, which I can put in the freezer. When we have pasta, rice or couscous, I use the homemade broth to add flavor.

After boiling the chicken bones, I carefully remove all the soft bits (so as not to get any of the small bones) and use them to flavor my dog’s food for the week. So, for the cost of one rotisserie chicken and some ingredients I also have on hand, we have several healthy, tasty options throughout the week!
C.

Knowing When To Buy

I always mark the date I open large sundry items, such as cleaners, cotton balls, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. I started doing this out of curiosity because some things seemed to last forever, even though I used them constantly, like buying bulk shampoo. By checking the date I first started using an item, I can better gauge how many I need to keep on hand or how many extra to buy when I come upon a sale.

This has saved me money because I always seemed to buy extra items when they were on sale and ended up with a lot more items than space. Now, if I come upon a sale and know that I have an extra item on hand (I keep a spreadsheet of my extra items in my planner in my purse), I know I can let that sale slide and wait for a sale closer to the time we should be running out of that item.
Lisa

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A Quick, Budget-Friendly Breakfast Idea

My new fave breakfast is easy and budget-friendly. Buy the most economical graham crackers you can find. Kroger has a store brand about $2. Then, for a quick breakfast bar, add a thin layer of chocolate frosting on one cracker and peanut butter on the other and stick together. You can add sunflower seeds or chia seeds for more protein. Makes at least 15 bars.
Amy from Toledo, Ohio

Pamper Yourself With Small Splurges

When I have a need to splurge, I buy the very best staple item that I can. For example, I’ll buy a luxury soap or imported jam and bakery bread. The item is often double or triple what I regularly pay, but it affects my budget by only a few dollars extra and I feel really pampered. Also, I get multiple “pamperings” from most of my indulgences.
Kendra

Frugal Oils for Budget Beauties

I have a suggestion for reducing the costs of beauty products.

As many of us have, I have spent so much on hair and skincare products over the years, and most did not work well. I started looking at the ingredients in each product to learn what worked and what did not.

It turns out that most products include basic ingredients that are fairly inexpensive and are better quality. Not many have special ingredients.

Almond oil is great for cuticles and nails. Just a few drops of coconut oil are great for dry hair or as a heat protector when styling with hot irons.

Abolene moisturizing cleanser is just as good as Neutrogena makeup removers — it even dissolves mascara and feels wonderful. A big jar is about $10 and lasts for months. Use castor oil for skin and feet. (Do not get on color-treated hair; it’s not a good result.) Rosemary oil is also good for hair.

I saved the containers from the name-brand products that could be refilled with the oils. It’s still like using name-brand products at a fraction of the cost, and I have found that they work as well, if not better. The only big difference is that they don’t have some of the nice scents that name-brand products have.

I read a lot about each oil first to learn about how to choose the type, quality and brands of oils and what would work best for my skin, hair and nails.

Even if you only replace one beauty product with an oil, you’ll be amazed at the quality and cost savings. It’s a great way to be frugal, and I found I like the oils better.
Julie M., South Carolina

Super Fabric Softener Stretcher

I have devised a formula for making my fabric softener last three times as long, and my clothes are softer than with the softener alone. I buy a large bottle of softener. Then, I pour two cups of softener, two cups of white vinegar, and two cups of water into a smaller container. I shake this mixture well and then use it just as I would the full-strength softener.

My clothes are soft, and the towels are fluffier than with full-strength softener. My daughter is now using this formula for her clothes, too, and loves it for her kids’ clothes.
Donna

Fried’ Bacon In the Oven

To avoid grease splatters on the top of your stove or washing an extra splatter screen, simply put bacon in a cast iron skillet with the lid on in a preheated 450-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet, drain the bacon, and the oven stays clean and so does the top of your stove.

Enjoy now and/or you can crumble up the leftover bacon to use in omelets or other recipes for later. Simply put it in a freezer bag. It’s especially efficient when you’ve already heated the oven for another dish.
G.

Keeping Hanging Plants Moist

When potting your hanging baskets, put a new Depends (cut to fit the size of the pot’s bottom) in the bottom. It will help hold the moisture in your plants. I buy them at garage sales for next to nothing. You’ll have enough for two large pots or three smaller ones when you cut one down to size.
Georgia

Do you have a money or time-saving tip you’d like to share? Just email your tip to andrea@thedollarstretcher.com.