Friday, April 4, 2008
Friday's Hall of Shame
The DayTipper Hall of Shame puts the tips with the lowest approval rating (as voted on by YOU) all in one section. Let's take a look at the best of the worst and examine why they're likely sitting at the bottom of the heap.
THE TIP: Punch hole in canned vegetables to drain liquid
Instead of dirtying a strainer when draining the liquid from canned vegetables, use a church-key can opener to punch a triangular hole in the top of the can. The liquid pours out easily and it's easy to pour it in a container if you want to keep it...such as the juice from canned tomatoes or fruit.
THE PROBLEM: First up, punching a hole into metal can be quite difficult, not to mention, dangerous. The bent metal can easily cut the person handling or disposing the can. We recommend going the straight-up can opener route. It's easy, quick and (should be) painless. The other risk with punching a whole in a can is that the jagged parts can quickly become oxidized. And the last thing you want for dinner is rust.
THE TIP: Reuse water bottles
As well as saving money, reusing plastic water bottles is a valuable way to recycle. After drinking all the water, simply fill the bottle up and place it in your refrigerator. Remember you're paying for the bottle, not the water.
THE PROBLEM: This tip sounds good on paper, but in actuality, it's definitely a bit of a sacrifice. These days, most bottles are made out of thinner plastic in order to "be easier on the environment." This means that they are less sturdy. Also, reusing the same bottle again and again means you're increasing your odds of tasting yesterday's lunch. Let's be honest, there's a carryover effect. One last problem - I also find that the bottle will never close as tight, causing the standing water to get some bubbles - and not taste as good.
THE TIP: Use matchbook to conceal surprise gift
Remove the staple from a book of matches and then remove the matches. Use a new staple to replace the folded cardboard piece. Now tape a piece of candy or small trinket to the inside of the matchbook. Fold the front flap over and tuck into the stapled area. Hand out the little candy treats to friends, family, at holidays, or use as a thank you for favorite customers if you own a business.
THE PROBLEM: Why on earth would anyone want candy, gum or any other sweet goodie to taste like matches? Even once the matches are removed, the odor is often absorbed into the porous paper container. You'd probably be better off using something like an Altoid or aspirin tin. You can wash it out, and there's a better chance you'll remove any lingering odor/taste.
If you see any other problems with the Hall of Shame tips, share your comments below. It's fun to beat on these tips when they are already down. ;-)
THE TIP: Punch hole in canned vegetables to drain liquid
Instead of dirtying a strainer when draining the liquid from canned vegetables, use a church-key can opener to punch a triangular hole in the top of the can. The liquid pours out easily and it's easy to pour it in a container if you want to keep it...such as the juice from canned tomatoes or fruit.
THE PROBLEM: First up, punching a hole into metal can be quite difficult, not to mention, dangerous. The bent metal can easily cut the person handling or disposing the can. We recommend going the straight-up can opener route. It's easy, quick and (should be) painless. The other risk with punching a whole in a can is that the jagged parts can quickly become oxidized. And the last thing you want for dinner is rust.
THE TIP: Reuse water bottles
As well as saving money, reusing plastic water bottles is a valuable way to recycle. After drinking all the water, simply fill the bottle up and place it in your refrigerator. Remember you're paying for the bottle, not the water.
THE PROBLEM: This tip sounds good on paper, but in actuality, it's definitely a bit of a sacrifice. These days, most bottles are made out of thinner plastic in order to "be easier on the environment." This means that they are less sturdy. Also, reusing the same bottle again and again means you're increasing your odds of tasting yesterday's lunch. Let's be honest, there's a carryover effect. One last problem - I also find that the bottle will never close as tight, causing the standing water to get some bubbles - and not taste as good.
THE TIP: Use matchbook to conceal surprise gift
Remove the staple from a book of matches and then remove the matches. Use a new staple to replace the folded cardboard piece. Now tape a piece of candy or small trinket to the inside of the matchbook. Fold the front flap over and tuck into the stapled area. Hand out the little candy treats to friends, family, at holidays, or use as a thank you for favorite customers if you own a business.
THE PROBLEM: Why on earth would anyone want candy, gum or any other sweet goodie to taste like matches? Even once the matches are removed, the odor is often absorbed into the porous paper container. You'd probably be better off using something like an Altoid or aspirin tin. You can wash it out, and there's a better chance you'll remove any lingering odor/taste.
If you see any other problems with the Hall of Shame tips, share your comments below. It's fun to beat on these tips when they are already down. ;-)
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