A NOTE FROM RANDAL

Hello Frugal Friends!

I'm very excited to announce the launching of our new website. Donna and I have been working on it for a couple of weeks. She's got an eye for the design (and the colors you will surely guess), and I get the techie stuff done. I think we're a good team, but we'll look forward to your comments. Good and bad welcomed! After staring into the details of all of this for weeks, we can easily miss something obvious to you, so please inform us of your thoughts with a return email. With almost 14,000 subscribers, we won't be able to reply, but will be eager to read your emails.

There's a new forum which I launched about a week ago to be sure it was functioning well. Please let me know if you have had any problems. It has a lot of new features that will be helpful to you as you spend time with our Frugal Life community of friends.

We're thinking of adding a blog to the site so we can post news more quickly than the monthly newsletter. PLEASE COMMENT on this. Hit 'reply' and let us know what you think.

Frugally yours,

Randal

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FORUM

Add your advice for these questions at The Frugal Life Forum. Ask your own questions or leave your favorite frugal tips while you are there.

Gardening Forum

1. Hello everyone:

In the interest of getting rid of the grocery bill, I have begun to get very serious about vegetable gardening.

Last fall I converted a small shop into a greenhouse. This is a wood structure that required some bracing and lots of white paint.

Also late last year I made a long and deep double raised bed and built a greenhouse from scratch on top of the sunken walkway and beds. This structure is made from chain link fence top rail in a standard house configuration with 2 by 4 ends.

This spring I began construction on the third greenhouse for fruits and vegetables, also made of chain link fence top rail. This structure is a quonset hut style with 2 by 4 ends.

My intention is to get rid of the produce bill and feed us all year long by canning, freezing and drying what we don't eat fresh. We are also going to grow and harvest during the off season (late fall through early spring), with little or no additional heat in the greenhouses.

Is anyone else this gung-ho about avoiding the high price of produce and becoming more independent? I'm known to be excessive, but there are probably others that are interested in how they can do something similar with a minimal investment of money.

Sorry about the centering of text. My buttons don't work. Beginners luck I suppose. Clair

Editor's Note:
Please let us know what you think of the new forum. We value your input.

FRUGAL TIPS

Using Aluminum Foil

Do you know how to keep your aluminum foil roll from popping out of the box......Well read on........ I've been using aluminum foil for more years than I care to remember. Great stuff, but sometimes it can be a pain. You know, like when you are in the middle of doing something and you try to pull some foil out and the roll comes out of the box. Then you have to put the roll back in the box and start over. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong time. Well, I would like to share this with you. Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end of that box, it said, "Press here to lock end". Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too! I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out when I was trying to cover something up. I'm sharing this with my friends that did not know this. I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this.

FRUGAL HOME

Reupholster A Dining Chair Seat

A high-impact way to improve or change the look of any chair with a removable seat is to recover the seat fabric. Whether you have pets and children, or just love to recycle old furniture, you'll appreciate this quick refurbishing technique at WikiHow.
www.wikihow.com/Reupholster-a-Dining-Chair-Seat

FRUGAL TRAVEL

Save 10-15 Percent On Gas

With the ever rising price on gasoline at the pump world wide people need to know everything they can do to lower their costs to run their vehicles. While there are many things one can do, two simple maintenance tips can save you 10-15% on gas costs. They are replacing the air filter and checking the tire pressure to make sure its up to manufacturer's standards. While these seem very simple, they are the two car projects people seldom get to. And they're so easy anyone can do them!
Read the entire article

FRUGAL PETS

How to Make a Cat Bed from an Old Sweater

In 30 minutes and for less than $5, an old wool sweater from the thrift store or the back of your closet can become a cozy cat bed (or dog bed, if the dog is small enough or the sweater's especially big).

Get step-by-step instructions here:
www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cat-Bed-from-an-Old-Sweater

Healthy Pet Foods

Pet food ingredients can create a lot of health problems for our pets, and that can cost a lot of money with recurring health issues feeding that drain our budgets for the veterinarian. Be an informed pet owner when it comes to what's in pet foods. You already know that you feel better if you eat right. Help them to feel better too. View this video or site to be an informed pet owner.

Natural Remedies and Herbal Heartworm Programs

Yes, there are natural ways to deal with heartworms and there are herbal prevention programs also. Get more info on heartworms.

Pet Topics Information Site

Healthy Pet Corner provides informational links for dogs, cats, birds, horses, rabbits, and reptiles. Visit Healthy Pet Corner.

FRUGAL LEARNING

Singing Success At-Home Study Course

100% guaranteed. The Singing Success Vocal Training Program, by celebrity vocal coach Brett Manning, is the only vocal training program that guarantees a full octave increase in your vocal range. And you can do it at home. You'll learn to sing as easily as you speak, completely eliminating vocal strain, and you will learn to master the techniques of vocal style, including runs, licks and trills. Get a full refund if it doesn't do all it promises. Read more about the Singing Success Program.

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TIPS AND ARTICLES LINKS

Autos
Cleaning
Clutter/Organizing
Cooking
Decorating
Do-It-Yourself
Family/Life
Finances
Gardening
Herbal Success Stories
Holidays
Miscellaneous
Personal Care
Pets
Recipes
Recycle/Reuse
Unwanted Critters
Utilities
Work at Home

MORE COMPLIMENTARY NEWSLETTERS

The Herbs Place offers several newsletters with topics such as natural health, pets, emotions, and the natural world. More about newsletters.

COPYRIGHT, LEGAL DISCLAIMER & REPRINT INFO
© 2003-2007 Randal J. Watkins

Information in The Frugal Life News (TFL) has been derived from sources believed accurate and reliable. In no event shall *The Frugal Life,* Randal Watkins, or the corporate sponsor, Sunshine Life Center, Inc. staff be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of information herein.

There is no remuneration for suggestions, tips, or ideas submitted by readers. All suggestions, tips, and ideas, submitted for publication in The Frugal Life, become the property of The Frugal Life, notwithstanding similar rights of the reader submitting such suggestions, tips, or ideas. TFL publishes readers' names with their suggestions, tips, and ideas unless a reader requests otherwise at the time of the submission.

Forwarding and Use of This Newsletter
You may forward this newsletter in its entirety and/or use this copyrighted newsletter on a website if you include the following credit with an active link:

Editor, Randal J. Watkins, of TheFrugalLife.com, provides this free newsletter to subscribers. Visit The Frugal Life website to subscribe or find frugal information to live well on what you already have.