Frugal Friday: Using What You Have (Part 4)

My family taught me well when it comes to "using what you have" - just to mention a few things...yogurt containers would be using to start tomato plants, old sheets would be torn into strips to tie up the tomato plants and Christmas cards would be used the following year for name tags on our gifts. And remember grandma using road maps from AAA to wrap our Christmas gifts? To end this series, I am posting several really cool and interesting ways to "Use What You Have" - check these out..

• Turn old worn blue jeans or khakis into a book bag or pocket purse or lunch bag
• Mike and I made our own game of Yahtzee with an empty film container and 5 dice - you can print the scorecards here
• Make an airplane from a Styrofoam meat tray using this pattern or use the trays for a paint palate
• Make a bracelet out of an old toothbrush (honestly, I have my doubts on how this one would turn out)
• Soap pieces can be made into liquid soap as described here (as well as used in other cool ways)
• Stuff for kids and teachers ...from egg cartons to Altoids containers
• Make postcards out of your greeting cards - using these instructions
• According to Heloise...cola that has gone flat can be poured into the toilet bowl. If left to soak for an hour, it will clean the bowl...if you own a freshwater fish tank, instead of throwing out the water when cleaning, use it water the plants (as a fertilizer)...recycle pantyhose by making a ponytail holder or no-scratch scrubber...remove excess salt from soup or heated liquids by adding a sliced raw potato to absorb the salt (remove slices when they begin to soften if you don't want to eat them)...reuse spice bottles (fill with cinnamon sugar, store glitter for crafts, put embroidery thread in them and feed through the holes to prevent tangling, fill with flour to sprinkle on meat before frying

Those are just a few - there's a ton more out there...If you have any, please share!