Daytipper Blog

His tip says...

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Here is Vishal's suggestion on how you can fight the common cold...

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It's not uncommon to get what I call 'witches brew' tips. These tips recommend creating elixirs and potions, all with the intention of curing some ailment. While it's possible I've turned down some brilliant concoctions, I typically error on the side of caution. I'm looking out for you people. :) Here are two good example of what I'm talking about...

Often thought of as an additional family member, the household pet can bring unadulterated love into any home. That means you have to do you part to keep little Lucky or Fido happy! Here are few top tips:

Keep Their Water Cold: Summer is rapidly approaching and the temperature is already rising. Help keep your pet cool and hydrated by making sure you always have a plentiful supply of drinking water available.

TIP: Fill empty plastic margarine bowls with water and freeze. Remove the block of ice and refill for next time. I use the 1 lb size margarine tub for my 2 dog's water bowl but the half lb tub would be good for a smaller water dish for one pet.

Summer is also a popular time for people to move and/or relocated. Don't underestimate the effect this can have on your pet.

TIP: If you are moving to a new house or are getting a new cat this is a great hint for making your cat feel at home quickly. Rub a cloth around the cat's mouth and ears, where scent glands are, then rub this cloth on the walls, floor and furniture in the new house. Humans can't smell it but your cat can- they'll feel relaxed as it's marked out as their territory.

One issue many cat owners face is to claw or declaw. There are two schools of though: have nice stuff/be inhumane OR deal with a frayed couch/be humane. Thankfully, there's now a way to reduce the impact of your cat's claws without removing them.

TIP: If your cat scratches you, your furniture or your small children to the point where you are thinking of having it declawed, save your money and spare the cat a painful operation. Use glue-on claw covers, available online or through vets. They're made of vinyl or plastic, and the cat usually doesn't mind them. You may need the vet to help you put them on, and they will have to be reapplied eventually.

How do you keep that "extra" family member happy?

Summer is around the corner and even a slumping economy will not keep travelers off the road. Here's how to get the most miles per gallon possible:

1) Roll up the windows. When air flows into the car, it causes resistance - in turn - producing a drag that will reduce gas mileage by 10%.

2) AM/PM. When filling your tank, try to do so early in the morning or late at night. Your goal is to do it at the coolest time of the day. Cooler temperatures mean denser gas, and that means you're getting more mileage for your money.

3) Humpday. Buy on a Wednesday. I don't care what anyone says, these gas guys jack up the prices late in the week to bang us into the weekend. Once sales slow down in the middle of the week, they need to compete for your business by dropping down prices.

Read more gas tips here. And share your own in the comments section below!

One of the best things about being a kid is that you can't put a price on entertainment. In many cases, little children enjoy the wrapping paper more than the gift that was wrapped! Exhibit 473 that fun is inexpensive: Silly Putty. For about a buck fifty kids can copy comics, create silly characters, and mold the unbreakable toy into just about anything.

But the combination of dimethyl siloxane with hydroxy-terminated polymers (plus tons of other junk) can produce even more uses.

According to this article, here are some often overlooked functions Silly Putty can perform:

Collect lint by flattening Silly Putty and putting the surface of an object. This also works with cat hair.

Remove dirt from car seats by molding Silly Putty into the shape that fits the crevices of the seat.

Clean typewriter keys of ink and ribbon fiber by simply rolling the Silly Putty into a ball and pressing over the keys on the typewriter.

Calm your nerves by playing with Silly Putty. It has a therapeutic value in calming nerves and relieving emotional pressure.

Who knew that the toy, created by accident by an engineer at General Electric, could have so many uses.

How do you use Silly Putty?

The DayTipper blog is your source for the best advice on the Web. But it doesn't end with just tips. Every now and then we'll also turn you on to the newest Websites that can help improve your life. Let's take a look at a Tuesday Threesome:

Get Skinny: Making the right food choices isn't enough for optimal health. A major factor is portion control? But who the heck knows what 3 ounces of chicken looks like. Figwee wants to change that. The Website is a collection of over 30,000 food photos, showing you portion size and nutritional information, all adjustable with a sliding bar.

Get Smart: If you're a high school student who wants to study on the go, or an adult looking to improve your vocabulary, why not turn to your mobile device. TexTutor, a paid service, utilizes text messaging to teach you word definitions by delivering brief quizzes on your phone.

If you know of a great Website that's flying under the radar, let us know about it in the comments section below.

As a kid, whenever the ketchup bottle was low, mom would magically make more appear. Het secret was really no secret at all. As they say, 'just add water.' It wasn't a solution born from poverty, rather convenience.

It appears my mommy isn't the only one who knows how to stretch a product.

Meda in Alamo, TN says: Get twice the frosting from a single container
When you buy a container of cake frosting, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You will be able to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

Dancer in Idaho says: Get more sauce for your money. When you finish up bottle of sauce (BBQ, mustard, tomato paste, etc.) that comes in a plastic bottle, cut it open and scoop out the remaining contents. You'll be amazed at how much food product actually goes to waste.

Mary in Secaucus, NJ says: Double your portion with smaller plates. Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows that portion control is a key to success. Invest in smaller plates. That way, you will be forced to eat less (or at least make more trips for seconds!).

Maybe you were on to something, mom!

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. ;-)

Are you a bargain hunter? If so, you already know that it's not where you shop - but WHEN you shop. Picking the right day and time can save you money AND result in a higher-quality product.

Here is some advice about when to buy certain things or when not to shop.

SUPERMARKET

You don't want to go to a supermarket to buy produce: fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. late on a Saturday or Sunday night. You're not going to find
new stock. Rather, you're gonna get the stock that nobody else picked while they were shopping earlier in the day.

CHINESE FOOD TAKE OUT

It might sound odd, but you don't want to order it on a rainy day. The reason being that the food often arrives soggy. Moisture in the air will attack fried food and make it a little mushier than it often is.

McDONALDS

If you're gonna eat fast food, do it on a weekend during lunch when turnover is great. If not, you'll be getting food that has sat under heat lamps for a long, long time, and in turn, it won't be as tasty.

DEPARTMENT STORES

Before you take a department store up on their offer to save an additional 10% by signing up or using their credit card - make sure you understand what the APR or interest rate is. Keep in mind that you will likely need to pay the item off within the first month to truly enjoy a "discount."

CAR WASH

One other way you can save money if you're getting your car washed, is to go
at night. If you visit on a weekend morning on a sunny day, not only will you wait on a long line, but you can expect to pay a premium. Get your car washed at night, during the week, and you can potentially pay up to 50% less. It's the same soap and water - so why not go for it!

Now it's your turn. What tactics do you use to save money when shopping? Leave a comment below or submit your tip and make some money!

What do these two tips have in common? Well, they both have to do with rear ends - and they're both - REJECTED!
Randy from Texas says: Take empty egg cartons, spray paint them the color of your car, get some double stick Velcro and stick them to the back of your bumper. This will protect your vehicle's back bumper, especially when you're parallel parking in crowded areas.

Doesn't sound like a horrible idea, but I think there might be an easier way. Meet the Bumper Badger. Since 1996 these guys have been selling protection for only $39.99. Specially designed to attach inside your trunk, you just flip out the impact/weather-resistant PVC when you're parking in a 'danger' zone.

Margaret from New Jersey says: Cover up nasty bathroom odors by putting a few drops of nail polish remover into the toilet.

The remover definitely can get rid of the stink of - let's say - a yucky elimination. But one thing is certain, you’re going to replace one bad stink with another. I recommend the old match trick, It doesn't smell pretty, but the sulfur will get rid of the smell - and at least that odor will fade quickly.

From protecting your rearend to keeping the lavatory smelling fresh, how do YOU protect your assets?

Tis the season for garage sales. Warmer weather means hot deals. Assuming you're not a pretentious snob, garage sales, tag sales and flea markets can be a whole lotta fun. You might even find a good deal (like the time I nabbed the first set of Garbage Pail Kids for mere pennies).

So gather up all that stuff you no longer have any use for and get ready to sell, sell, sell!

Donald in Ottawa, KS says:

Holding your own yard sale? You will increase your sales if you have items separated into categories - like women's, girls, boys', men's, etc. People most times are looking for certain things and do not want to search through piles of clothes to find it. I have found that people who have an easy time finding what they want will buy more and take the time to look at everything you have. Also, make sure your prices are clearly marked.

Aside from clothes, you are likely to have all sorts of small knick-knacks that you want to get rid of. |
Anonymous says:

When you have a yard sale, take many small things (like pens, pencils, kitchen gadgets, notepads, stationary, makeup, costume jewelry) and put them in their own baggies. Price them between 50 cents to $1. People like a great deal!

What if you're like me and don't technically have a garage?
Ron in Jamestown, NC says:

If selling an item on eBay, the best time of day to list an item is at 10 PM Eastern (7 PM Pacific). By listing at 10 PM EDT, you are hitting the prime time all across the country. Most listings have the most traffic when first listed and in the last hour before the auction closes, and this prime time on all time zones guarantees the most exposure.

Now you know when to post - but what should you charge? |

Anonymous says:

A little research will save you in listing fees and wasted time. Before you list an item, do a search for similar items in terms of condition, size, color, feature set, etc. and add them to your Watch List. Wait for these listings to expire and then check to see which items sold. Price your initial listing price 10-50% below the lowest winning bid. If you don't find similar items in a search, use 10-25% of the retail price new.

Don't forget that one man's trash is another man's treasure.