Reducing Household Expenses

If you need new carpet but are not too picky about color and selection, look for "rejects." Find a carpet store that offers a "complete satisfaction guarantee" and inform them that you are interested in looking at any customer returns. Usually, there's nothing wrong with the carpet, the customer was just not happy with how it looked once they got it home. You can usually get these returns for a huge discount because the carpet store is hoping to get rid of them without taking a huge loss.

If you have to strip wallpaper, skip the expensive store mixtures, and create a solution yourself. Just combine a solution of 50% white vinegar and 50% hot water in a spray bottle. After scoring the wallpaper, spray on the solution and you'll find that it works even better than the expensive stuff.

If you have an ink or blood stain on an article of clothing, use milk to remove the stain. Just pour a little milk on the stain and let it set for a few seconds. If necessary, repeat, and watch as the stain begins to lift. Then wash as normal and the stain should be gone.

Fire safety experts recommend changing batteries in smoke alarms when the time changes so the alarms will always be fully charged. Don't throw away the batteries though, because there is still plenty of life in them. Save them to use in flashlights, radios or toys.

Instead of buying boxes of individual dryer sheets, consider a less expensive alternative. Pour one part liquid fabric softener and three parts water into a container with a lid. Soak a sponge in the container and when you are ready to dry your clothes, toss in the soaked sponge. This will serve the same purpose as the dryer sheet and the sponge can be used over and over. Just return it to the sealed container after each use.

Instead of buying expensive pre-mixed weed killers at a garden center, make your own for a lot less money. Combine 7 parts rubbing alcohol with 3 parts white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray directly on unwanted weeds. This mixture is cheap, environmentally friendly and safe for pets.

If you use dryer sheets, cut them in half first. You'll get twice as many uses from one box and you won't notice any difference in your laundry.

Save some of those individual pump soap dispensers, and fill them with shampoo for the kids. A lot of shampoo dispensers have a big opening and it's easy for kids to pour out way more than they actually need. If you waste less shampoo in the shower, you'll waste less money on shampoo.

You can protect your PC from hackers and viruses by downloading a free firewall at Cnet.com. The free versions may not have all the features as the ones you can purchase, but some are rated excellent by Cnet and should do an adequate job of protecting your PC.

Instead of paying for dust buster replacement filters, just wash out the existing filters with warm water and a mild detergent. The replacements are very expensive and washing out the filters makes them as good as new.

When selecting new draperies, make sure they are lined, or line them yourself to insulate the windows. This will help keep the hot or cold air out or in, depending on the season. It also protects the more expensive and sensitive drapery fabric from sun damage.

If you have a heavy laundry load, like lots of towels, set your washing machine for an extra spin cycle to remove excess water and reduce the drying time. Since it costs more to run your dryer than your washer, this will reduce your energy costs over time.

To prevent dark colors from bleeding in the laundry, set the colors the first time you wash these items by adding one cup of white vinegar to the wash water. This will not only prevent laundry accidents, but it will help keep the garments looking newer longer.