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The Frugal Life News – 08/19/02


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Published Weekly by Randal Watkins
https://www.thefrugallife.com

August 19, 2002

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tulips#2_reworked33

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PLEASE NOTE: Due to the large volume of email we receive
from The Frugal Life site and response from the more than
15,600 subscribers, we cannot reply to your questions and
suggestions, but we will try to post all of them as time and
space permits within the context of this newsletter. This is
a caring and sharing newsletter, so feel free to participate.

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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE:

A NOTE FOM RANDAL
New Source of Finance Articles
Keep Checking the The Frugal Life Article Index

FINANCES
Rental Houses As An Investment

GARDENING
Homemade Rooting Mixture For Cuttings

SIMPLICITY
Natural Household Cleaners

FRUGAL TIPS
Fluorescent Lights

SHARING WHAT YOU KNOW

ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS QUESTIONS

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

SUBSCRIPTION INFO

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A NOTE FROM RANDAL

Hello Everyone,

I am pleased to say we have been given permission to reproduce articles from
well known author Larry Burkett. Larry specializes in a Biblical approach
to Finances. In fact, I have personally been using his materials for many
years and have found great help from them. I will be using his articles
from time to time as they seem appropriate.

Make sure you continue to check out the article index. I am continually
adding new content to it. Presently, I am through all articles starting
with the letter “F.” https://www.thefrugallife.com/thefrugallife/articles.html href=” https://www.thefrugallife.com/thefrugallife/articles.html “>

I appreciate how you are sending in the questions with each response. That
has been a great help.

One more thought concerning the responses, if you want me to attach your
name for recognition please include it in your response. I used to get the
name from the actual email. However, I am not sure who wants recognition or
not. So from now on, I will only include your first name if its in the
response. Please don’t give me anything but the first name. I won’t print
email addresses or other non distinguishable terms.

Summer will soon be gone and we will be starting into Fall. With that
thought in mind, please tell me what uses you have for the leaves or any
other garden tips you care to share.

Until next time!


Randal Watkins

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FOCUS ON FINANCES

I’M THINKING ABOUT INVESTING IN RENTAL HOUSING. WHAT CAUTIONS DO YOU HAVE?

Rental housing can be a good investment for the average family because most
families are familiar with how to select and maintain a home. Generally
speaking, the better you understand an investment, the better it will pay
off for you.

There are some advantages to rental housing as an investment: (1) You can
depreciate the house and write off that depreciation against income from the
house. (2) The rental payments are actually retiring the mortgage on the
house. (3) Rental housing has been relatively inflation proof and can become
a good retirement income supplement. (4) You can employ your children to do
some of the work, such as lawn care, painting, and rent collections, and you
can teach them about business and work ethics.

Rental housing also has disadvantages. The biggest is being a landlord.
There is nothing more irritating than getting a 2:00 A.M. call from a tenant
who says the plumbing is stopped up. You must have the right temperament to
be a landlord. It‚s not easy for anyone, and it‚s impossible for some.

In addition, you can get caught in a cash flow crunch when your rental house
is vacant and you have to carry the payments. If your budget won‚t
accommodate this, you probably should avoid rental housing.

Used with permission from Crown Financial Ministries, http://www.crown.org

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FOCUS ON GARDENING

HOMEMADE ROOTING MIXTURE FOR CUTTINGS

Store-bought rooting compound isn’t expensive, but did you know it can be
toxic due to the fungicide included to protect plant cuttings from disease?

The first hormone discovered to cause root growth is auxin. The synthetic
version of auxin is what’s in commercially sold products.

The willow plant is a natural source of auxin, so you can make your own.
Here’s how:

– Gather a handful of willow branch tips and chop/mash into smaller pieces –
Put in a small container, fill with water & allow to sit overnight – In the
morning remove the willow from the water and it’s ready to use – Dip cutting
into water, covering the stem and put into potting mix or sand – Cover with
a plastic bag to retain moisture until roots form

If you don’t have access to willow, dissolve a few aspirins in a jar of
water. Aspirin is made from willow bark, so it can have the same effect as
the willow water.

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FOCUS ON SIMPLICITY

NATURAL HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS

For day-to-day house cleaning, you can save money by using these familiar
products you probably already have on hand, from Barbara Whiting,
Stay-at-Home Parents Guide at About.com.

http://homeparents.about.com/library/picks/aatpcleaners.htm href=” http://homeparents.about.com/library/picks/aatpcleaners.htm “>

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FRUGAL TIPS – From Our Subscribers

FLUORESCENT LIGHTS

It’s now possible to buy fluorescent fixtures that screw into a socket that
normally holds an incandescent bulb. They are more costly, but they use 1/4
of the energy and last 10 times longer than a regular bulb.

Jon Luoma, in Audubon magazine, calculated that, “If 2/3 of the 3 billion
incandescent sockets in America were relamped with compact fluorescents, the
economy would save $20 billion annually (the equivalent of 250 million
barrels of oil).

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We’ve been using natural pet foods since 1978. What
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to know what’s in those “premium” pet foods?
http://www.api4animals.org/doc.asp?ID=79
We always recommend natural food for a healthy pet,
so now we’ve chosen a brand that passes our high
standards. Oven-baked and loaded with good ingredients.
Check it out now! http://www.theherbsplace.com/frr.html

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SHARING WHAT YOU KNOW

Q. With the mortgage rates so low I’d like to sell our home and find
another. Where do I start to shop for the best mortgage rate? How do I go
about finding these mortgage companies to compare points, rates, fees etc.. I
seem to hear about theses low rates but it doesn’t look like the banks are
offering them – Annette

Please post your questions/answers to our new bulletin board. You can find directions here.


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ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS QUESTIONS

Q. Just removed old carpet and found hardwood flooring underneath. The
carpet was glued to the flooring. Anybody know of a product to use to get
the glue off or can you tell me how I should go about this to try to restore
the floor? Thanks so very much in advance!!- Janice

A. I had a similar situation, in a house built some time in the 1930’s.
Strangely enough, the glue was water soluble. You want to use just enough
to dissolve the glue, and avoid raising the grain of the wood. If this
doesn’t work, I’d experiment w/other solvents, moving from less to more
toxic. Or consult a floor refinishing company in your area – they may know
the path of least resistance – Loretta

A. If you have tried other methods to remove glue from hardwood floors,
perhaps Eucalyptus oil (100 percent) could be used. It certainly helps
remove annoying sticky labels off glass but be careful and test in an
inconspicuous place on certain plastics. I wish you luck and hope this
helps – Gail

A. I was going to suggest “Goo Gone” made from citrus…but then I thought
it would be better for you to go to your location hardware store and ask a
professional. I would hate for your floors to get damaged. Good Luck

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Q. When I rearrange the furniture in the livingroom the indentations from
the furniture never dissapear. Any suggestions?? – Debbie

A. Check out the great ideas that are posted at

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Q. Does anyone know how to successfully repel cats – we like them and do
not want to harm them, however they are using the kids sandbox and our horse
shoe pits as litter boxes! we’ve tried spraying the horse shoe pits with
hot pepper spray to no avail – Betty and Harold

A. Why don’t you keep the box and pit covered when not in use! It’s
simple, perhaps a bit more costly initially, but the recurring costs are
nil! Covers are included with commercially- made sandboxes. I’m sure it
wouldn’t be difficult to make a wooden cover to fit an older or homemade
sandbox – Mary


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LEGAL DISCLAIMER

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 TFL staff be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting
from any action arising in connection with the use of information herein.

TFL does not knowingly accept ads from advertisers deemed detrimental to
TFL’s readers, however, publication of an ad in TFL does not constitute an
endorsement for such product or service.

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.

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