It pays to be a pack-rat! More frugal money saving ideas.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
June 10, 2008 4:35pm CST
This week I learned a very valuable frugal lesson. Never throw anything away! Even if you think it's ruined, hang onto it.
Awhile back, one of my spouse's white shirts was ruined from a tea stain. I had considered throwing the shirt away. But, my frugal side made me hang onto it. Last night, I tried bleach on the shirt and now it looks brand new. Of course, it's a white shirt, so bleach is permissable.
I wet the shirt down completely and sprayed it with bleach and water. When that didn't work, I spot applied full strength bleach to the spots. And, it faded to white, right away. Now the shirt looks great!
Have you ever had a favorite shirt get ruined in the laundry? What did you do? Did you keep the shirt, just in case you found a way to clean it? Did you toss the shirt? How did you get it clean? Please share your best frugal tips.
3 people like this
5 responses
@snowy22315 (180870)
• United States
10 Jun 08
I once washed a teeshirt with some green sheets the t turned green. I decided just to keep it because the shirt is a nature scene with a moose and forest on it. The green blends in because it is fully colored.
3 people like this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
10 Jun 08
That's so cool! I'll bet you love it now more than before. sometimes there really are happy accidents.
2 people like this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
12 Jun 08
mornin, beautyqueen...I am the consumate saver. If I stain or rip something, I find a way to repair it! If stains are unremovable, like blackberries, I will come up with an embroidery design, that makes it look like it belonged there in the beginning! Same with adding patches! When I needed to re-do the upholstery in my son's camper, I went to the thrift shop, bought all the old jeans...cut them in random squares/rectangles/shapes, sewed them together like patchwork, as a bolt of material...then re-upholstered all the seats & backs! Looks fabulous..and is a great,sturdy, easy to clean finish...! I find a way to re-use most things....and tend to limit packaging..so take my cloth bags shopping. Have a rainbow day!
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
13 Jun 08
Those are phenomenal tips! I had not thought to use blue jeans for such a purpose. I love arts and crafts too. I will try to use those ideas. I am still always learning! Thanks for the brilliant ideas.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
12 Jun 08
Wow, pergammano sounds just like me. I always try to repair or camouflage a stain or rip if I can't fix it. One thing I've discovered is that if you scrub a stain with plain bar soap, it will more often than not, come out.
I embroider small flowers, etc., when a hole is in the appropriate place, or appliqué something over it if it's too large. I made a storage/seat from a packing box my husband brought home from work long ago, by using old clothes as padding, then covering the top with old jean material, sewn together in a crazy patchwork pattern.
I've turned collars on shirts, made short sleeve from long when the elbows give out and so on. I don't give up easily! 
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
26 Jun 08
shirts I usually cut up for rags. there is always something huh? My frugal tip is this, instead of sending out dry cleaning, I hand wash or put in washer on gentle then air dry and iron. This saves on drycleaning bills. I have a second frugal tip. I have a 14 year old daughter. She goes through a lot of jeans. Now we save them when she outgrows and use them for patches for jeans that fit but have a hole. She loves the different denim patches!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
26 Jun 08
I never throw away stained clothing. I will wear it regardless of stains, usually as a night shirt or an around the house shirt. After so many washes, stains do tend to disappear.
Clothing that has been damaged can always be used for something else, a cleaning rag, craft fabric, stuffing for crafts. Possiblities are endless.
@msyang (18)
• United States
6 Jul 08
Oh neat. I never clean my out to make it look nice again. Maybe because I have no bleach materials to clean it. I should. I thought this story was going to say something about selling all your junk and getting money off of it even if it's something ruin. Haha.. but good discussion. I shouldn't throw anything away and clean it if it helps.
