10 Random Helpful Hints

[sky.eyes.woman]

1- When making Hamburger Helper or a similar type dish, cook the ground beef and drain it, then mix the sauce powder stuff in with the drained meat before you add the water and pasta. You'll never have any lumps of undissolved powder.

2- Use rubbing alcohol to get chewing gum off of carpet.

3- If you're parking your car in a large lot like at a mall, try to park with one of those concrete islands with grass and trees in front of your car. I learned this after some idiot broke one of my headlights out at work. :mad2:

4- If your cat likes to jump on furniture and other things you don't want her on, place things like empty cardboard boxes in the landing spots she'll most likely use and she won't jump. This has protected my bird for a long time, Kit N. (affectionately known as The Crackhead) sees things in her way and doesn't try to get at BooBoo anymore.

5- When you pick up a jug of milk at the grocery store, always turn it upside down and squeeze the sides. Choose another one if it leaks. The one time you don't do this, it will leak all over the back seat of your car in summer and reek for months. (One guess as to how I learned this!)

6- Don't use liquid fabric softener on your towels. It makes them less absorbent.

7- Your dishwasher is good for cleaning lots of other things besides dishes. I like using it to clean my bird's and hamsters' cages. It also works great for cleaning plastic Yaffa blocks that would take forever to clean by hand.

8- Always go to the bathroom right before painting your fingernails, if you don't, you'll have to go before they are dry.

9- Save a few bucks...instead of buying Tylenol PM, get the cheapest store brand allergy medicine that contains diphenhydramine Hcl. Compare the active ingredients on the Tylenol PM and then ask yourself if you ever noticed how you don't have a runny nose when you take Tylenol PM. :D
If you want the pain relief and sleep medicine, just take some acetomenophen with the allergy pills.

10- Always carry a lighter, even if you don't smoke. You never know when you might need to light something on fire.

Now share some of your random helpful hints with me!

:idea2:

[Dangerdoll]

hehehe, lots of goodies here but for some reason, I think there's something behind Number 10 :D

[Kasakato]

Always travel to somewhere that gets an XM signal. :D

[saltyc]

When I cook hamburger for Hamburger Helper or spaghetti, I put enough water in the pan to make it sort of soupy. That way, you don't have to stand there & break it all up until it's cooked-just break it up after you add the water, then cover & cook at around 250 deg. Strain off the water just like you would strain spaghetti, throw the meat back into the pan, finish seasoning/preparing.

[mvigor]

#5---

Don't *ALL* plastic gallon jugs of milk leak of you turn them upside down and squeeze them?

[maaltan]

10- Always carry a lighter, even if you don't smoke. You never know when you might need to light something on fire.

hmm all the time, especially at rude retail establishments (walmart, etc) .. probably why i dont carry one :)

[FishSeller]

1- Never fry anything naked

2- Paintballs look like bubble gum

3- Never trust anyone but yourself to put the plug in the boat

4- Fireworks, your buddies, and a single-cab truck are a recipie for disaster

5- Labs like roadkill

6- Leave your most trusted friend with a blank check. You never know when you may need it.

7- Tracers work both ways

8- Two words for the workplace: Courtesy Flush

9- Little guys have something to prove

10- Never uderestimate a Southerner. Just because they speak slower doesn't mean they think slower.

[Dangerdoll]

:laugh:

[Timmain42]

When working on your aquaria, dry your hands throughly before touching any powerstrips.

Always keep a $20 bill folded in your wallet/purse.

[flyingfish]

Dryer sheet style fabric softener can also make your towels less absorbent. They can also clean the yuck off the top of the washer and dryer.

[rich311k]

Rinse you towels with white vinegar it makes them more absorbent.

[Leopardess]

If you're trying to clean out old melted wax remnants from a candle stick, put it in the freezer for a little while. Then take it out and it will pop out all the wax much more easily and fully.

Don't assume the anchor in a boat is attached (I made this mistake....but I mean, come on. What reason is there for it not being attached?!).

[Kasakato]

Don't assume the anchor in a boat is attached (I made this mistake....but I mean, come on. What reason is there for it not being attached?!).
:laugh: Iv done that before. The 30lbs thing went bibi :hi:

Luckily one of our friends goes scuba diving the lake, and got it back.

[led_zeppelin]

2- Paintballs look like bubble gum.

very true, especially the orange ones....



4- Fireworks, your buddies, and a single-cab truck are a recipie for disaster.

Man i could tell some stories on this subject,more like an SUV, but its amazing how much more fun bottle rockets are when your doin 65 and there are cars comin in the other lane.... :devil:

[sky.eyes.woman]

#5---

Don't *ALL* plastic gallon jugs of milk leak of you turn them upside down and squeeze them?

Really, no. The ones you don't want in the back of your car when it's 90 outside will. Try it. You'll see!

All of these are funny and helpful! Keep 'em comin! :D

[125gJoe]

When going fishing, dump the ice into the cooler - but save the plastic bag(s) to wrap up the fresh fish fillets. You don't want that ice to smell fishy, or your favorite beverages! ;)

[FishSeller]

You can mix ice and saltwater and make beer colder faster.

[windeindoiel]

When exploring pond life keep in mind, cars are not boats.

[Dangerdoll]

Wear sturdy shoes when fishing in your local ponds.... there "might" be a 2x4 with a nail gaping out, just lying in wait for an unsuspecting and scantilly shoed foot.

(wow does it hurt!)

[JSchmidt]

Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things.

:D

Jim

[Dangerdoll]

hehehe, Jim, that's GREAT!! :laugh:

[aknif]

1) A portable DVD player on long car trips with small children will keep you from having to find a spot to hide their bodies...

2) Turn the self-propel OFF on your vacuum cleaner and save yourself that 45 minutes on the treadmill...

3) If you want your kids to eat vegetables, grow a garden! My kids eat everything because they grew it! Ok, except beets... they won't eat beets.

4) Keep small pads of sticky notes and a pen in various locations around your house. In the bathroom drawer, in the nightstand, on/in the side table or coffee table. How many times have you been on the cordless phone and someone says "Here, let me give you my number.." and you're no where near a pen and paper? Or, how many times to do you think of something you MUST remember to do when you're brushing your teeth or in the middle of the night? Jot it down really quick and take your sticky note with you when you wake up!

5) Keep one of those cheap $5 small plastic kiddie pools with a little water in it and an old kitchen towel on your back porch all summer.... Aside from playing in it all the time, when your kids get filthy in the sandbox, playing in the dirt or covered with popsicle drippings, they can get into the pool to "pre-wash" before coming into the house. Saves me from sweeping a ton of sand off my kitchen floor every year!

:clap:

[SomethingFishy]

Don't assume the anchor in a boat is attached (I made this mistake....but I mean, come on. What reason is there for it not being attached?!).

My older sister did this years ago in Key Largo. Dad told her, "Throw the anchor in!", and she did. :duh:

[Kasakato]

1) Get a GPS, it’s a live saver if you hate asking people "where are we"

2) Get a PDA, Palms are the best. They are fun little wonders. GPS, games, Mp3s, notepad, the list goes on...

3) Read before you buy! Even if its small. Take the name of the product; add "reviews" at the end, and google. You get the ups and downs of it all.

[odiechef]

I've learned you can learn something (from small tidbits of info, to life changing revelations), from anyone, however unlikely it may seem with some people.