You’re all ready to dust those cookies or cake with powdered sugar, and realize you’re out!  Don’t worry, you can make your own powdered (confectioner’s) sugar. It couldn’t be easier!

With all the holiday cooking, this is a nice little tip that’s both economical and thrifty.

When buying celery, try to get the bunch with the most leaves.  A nice head of leafy greens is the best, and ensures that the celery is fresh.

You don’t have to spend money to give a thoughtful gift.  Give the gift of your time. Think about how important your time would be to a loved one.   What do you do well?  Offer your services to a loved one that is in need or too busy.  Walk the dog, wash the car, clean up the yard or prepare a meal.  Offer to teach someone to knit or sew.

A turkey carcass with a little meat left on it makes a tasty broth.  Try this recipe:

This is an easy project to save on your budget and the environment. Take a package of soft cloths (e.g., generic brand of J-Cloth) and cut them in half. Soak in fabric softener, wring out well, and hang dry.

When ready to put a load of clothes in the dryer, slip a dried softener sheet in. These can be used a few times over and then you can start the soaking process over again. The sheets last forever and you’ll never need to buy fabric softener sheets again.