Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/558491
Whetherit'smaking sure a mailing label re- mains legible all the way to its des- tination or packing light for va- cation, my readers have the best ideas, tips and tricks. Here's a small sam- pling from my mail that is sure to both educate and amuse. JUST LIKE GRILLED. If you want the same taste as grilled corn on the cob but don't have a grill or the time, place one corncob (do not shuck prior to cooking) in the microwave on high for exactly three min- utes. Use a potholder to remove the corn from the microwave and while cutting through the en- tire cob and shucks at the bottom of the corn. The corn will slip easily right out of the shucks and it will taste just like grilled corn. Mmm ... good. — Suzy WATERPROOF LABEL. When mailing packages, I rub a candle across the mailing label to make it waterproof. There's noth- ing worse than a package not arriving because the address label met up with a rainstorm en route. — Macy LOAD UP ON SAM- PLES. All through the year I obtain samples from var- ious websites or phone apps like SampleUp.com, FreeSamples.org, Hunt- 4Freebies.com and Free- bieFindingMom.com, then save them for vacation. Taking sample-size con- tainers of shampoo and other personal care prod- ucts reduces the volume of stuff in our suitcases and leaves nothing to haul home. — Carla MAGIC PLASTIC POOL CLEANER. I wanted to offer a tip for those of us out there who have those soft-sided pools, the kind where you inflate the top ring and fill the pool with water. Well, I got tired of using those stu- pid scrub brushes they sell to clean the pool. So one day I whipped out the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges. Instead of scrub- bing for an hour or more, I was done in about 20 min- utes on a 15-foot pool. It only took one wipe and the dirt was gone. It may not have saved me a lot of money (after all, I was us- ing something disposable) but it sure saved me a lot of time and a backache. — Myriah SPILL CONTAINER. When cooking something in my microwave that might boil over, I place a large paper plate under the container. It catches what boils over, making cleanup much easier. — Ethel CLEVER SUB FOR CEL- ERY. Celery usually sells in a bunch, but my husband and I can't use that much before it spoils. Instead, I keep around cans of water chestnuts to use as a sub- stitute because they are moist and crunchy, similar to celery. They work great in stuffing, casseroles and Chinese wok meals. — Melody BIRTHDAY TRADI- TION. We have six chil- dren and their birthdays fall in the months of Au- gust and September. I don't like wrapping pres- ents or paying for wrap- ping paper. We have a tra- dition using a "birthday bag" — the largest, uni- sex-colored, sturdy gift bag I can find. It comes out for each family birth- day celebration. Multi- ple gifts are wrapped in tissue and loaded into the big bag. Our last bag lasted two years, and it only had to be given up because we moved. Re- gardless of how each child celebrates, we al- ways start each birthday with cake and ice cream for breakfast. The birth- day bag is as much a part of our traditions as eat- ing cake in our pajamas, a faux-fur birthday hat and getting thrown into the pool. — Juanita Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Ofsamples,spillsandsubstitutes Mary Hunt Seven youth and four adult Tehama County 4-H members took to the water Aug. 14 at Whiskeytown Lake for their first 4-H Kayak project meeting. The goal for the project is to teach healthy living and paddling safety and for youth to gain an ap- preciation of the outdoors. The smoke from nearby fires didn't hamper this group; they were very ex- cited to get out on the wa- ter. All of the youth had been in a kayak at least once; some being a few years ago. Members were ages 8-18 and they all enjoyed the experience. A very special thank you goes to Joe and Terri Arbuckle of Headwaters Adventure Company in Redding for hosting the group, tak- ing them out on the wa- ter, showing them some paddling tips and getting them excited for our up- coming events. Project leader Paula Speers is working to get the members their re- quired hours of instruction for this year and hopes the project gains popularity for the next program year. Tehama County 4-H is accepting enrollments for the 4-H Program Year now through November. If you are interested in joining 4-H or looking for more information, call 527-3101 or visit http://cetehama. ucanr.edu. Kayaking project takes to the water COURTESYPHOTO Tehama County 4-H Kayaking members a er their float. TEHAMA COUNTY 4-H As difficult as it may be to digest, each tick of the clock reminds us we cannot control the passage of time. How- ever, there is comfort in knowing we can man- age how we use time and when we can use certain strategies to our best ad- vantage. This is particu- larly the case when we consider energy conser- vation and ways to save money in doing so. Many people don't real- ize the cost of electricity varies from season to sea- son and even from hour to hour. For example, electri- cal utility rates increase on hot summer days when ev- eryone is running their air conditioners and swamp coolers all at once. Energy management is more than 'how much;' it's also about 'when' energy is used! Just as you get lower airfare by flying on certain days and times, the time of energy use dictates your monthly utility costs. Timing is everything. Right in step with the principles of supply and demand, we are all paying extra to ensure we receive power during times of strong demand. To avoid paying inflated rates, it is best to avoid using power during peak hours when demand for energy is the greatest. Peak hours oc- cur between noon and 7 p.m. on weekdays. Shifting higher energy use to a low- demand or off-peak time period will save money by lowering energy costs and will relieve strain on the electricity grid. A time-of-use rate plan is available to help reduce or shift your use of elec- tricity. In addition, the use of smart meters makes it easy to save money and energy by allowing you to monitor your energy usage and avoid peak demand and peak energy costs. Time-of-use rate plans don't just save you money; they also help the environ- ment. Shifting your energy use to an off-peak period avoids having to buy ex- tra power from outside the grid which often is gener- ated by inefficient plants that don't use clean-burn- ing fuels or renewable en- ergy. Consider these tips for saving with time-of-use rates: Use larger appliances, such as washing ma- chines, before 11 a.m., especially on warm sum- mer days when energy use peaks in the after- noon. Leave the dishes for later. If you're the type who likes to clean up im- mediately after an early dinner, rethink the best time to use your dish- washer. You can still load the machine and get ev- erything ready, but just hold off on running it un- til after 7 p.m. Many newer models of dishwashers have timer features that make this easy. Expand your menu op- tions to minimize oven use. Especially during warmer months, try rec- ipes that don't involve cooking. Your kitchen will be more comfortable too. There is no time like the present. Enroll in a time- of-use rate plan in Tehama County today. Take advan- tage of online tools like a rate checker, energy alerts and more by visiting En- ergyUpgradeCA.org. This website also features tips about how you can better manage your energy use and connects you with lo- cal utility rate plan op- tions. This article was submitted by the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County, a California Special District that assists citizens with managing, conserving and improving the natural resources of Tehama County. Energy Upgrade California is a state initiative to educate residents and small business consumers about energy management. CONSERVATION Ti me i s on y ou r si de w it h th es e sa vi ng t ip s PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thankyou! Call 877-4DAD411 or visit www.fatherhood.gov be a dad today. Take time to FRIDAY,AUGUST28,2015 7:30 PM Fulltime DentalAssistant Needed Willing to train on the job. Fax resume to 530-527-6551 Preferably with xray license or RDA. 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