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Whether it's a sagging closet rod, kale down the garbage disposal or premium fuel in the gas tank, EC readers are always anxious to share their best tips, tricks and ideas for ways to save time and money -- and avoid potential headaches!
Sag no more. To fix a sagging clothes rod, buy a piece of ¢-inch galvanized pipe and a piece of 3/4-inch polyvinyl chloride piping, or PVC piping, both the same length as the rod. You can get these at your local home improvement center, such as Home Depot or Lowe's. Remove the sagging rod. Slip the pipe inside the PVC to create a new rod, and slide this into the rod brackets. If you are bothered by the printing on the PVC, clean it off with rubbing alcohol. -- Bob
Sticky, messy sap. A cheap and safe way to remove pine tree sap from your car without damaging the finish is to rub it with a soft cloth soaked with plain 70 percent isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), which is available at the pharmacy or drug store for a buck or two. -- George
Secret info. When you finish refurbishing a room in your home, write down this important information on a piece of paper, and tape it to the back of the switch plate: the brand and color of the paint, how much it took to paint the room and the circuit breaker number that serves the room. You'll be happy to find the information next time. -- Trevor
Kale, no! I made a big mistake recently when I cut a bunch of kale up into smaller pieces and put it down the garbage disposal. I let it grind like crazy and followed it with tons of water, and still, it clogged up the system in my apartment building for three floors down. It took maintenance four hours to clear it. They said, "The lettuce turned into something similar to glue/concrete!" -- Naomi
Super cube. This is a crazy simple tip, but it works for me. I love ice-cold water and must have it at all times. However, at work the water is just cool, not the icy deliciousness I require. I solved this issue by taking a bottle of water slightly less than half full and laying it down sideways in the freezer. (We are lucky enough to have two refrigerators in our break room.) Later, I grabbed the frozen half bottle and filled it up with water. Voila! Ice-cold water for several hours. I just keep filling it up until its time to get out another one. Just make sure not to put too much water in the bottle, or you won't be able to fill it with water. -- Laurel
Stick with regular. Most gas stations offer unleaded premium for 10 to 12 more cents per gallon more than unleaded regular. Many customers think they're giving their car some kind of extra care or treat by filling up with what they think is the best. Don't do it. Virtually all automobiles run just fine on regular unleaded, so unless your owners manual specifically states that your car requires a premium grade of gas with higher octane, save your money and stick with regular. -- David
Mary invites questions, comments and tips at mary@everydaycheapskate
.com, or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740.