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Submitted by: Tip Hero  03/09/2010 10:02 AM   Because time is money, we want to know if you have any good time-saving tips. Please share your tips in the comments section below. One comment will be chosen at random to receive a $10 Amazon gift card and another $10 Amazon gift card will be awarded to our favorite comment. Winners will be selected on March 17th at noon eastern time. You must include an e-mail address to be entered. Limit 1 entry per person (but multiple suggestions and comments are welcome!) --------- Editor's Note: Winners Announcement Update The winner of the random selection was #47: Link --- And the winner of the editor's choice selection was Tricia R.: Link Thanks to all Tip Heroes that submitted comments! --- Photo credit: zoutedrop --- sponsored: Find Free Grocery Coupons --- Get free Tip Hero updates via Email, Facebook, or Twitter.            Tweet             Comments:   .................................   To save time on shower cleaning, we keep a bottle with 1 part bleach to 10 parts water in our shower. The last person to shower each day, sprays the tile and it keeps the grout looking clean. When it is time to do a major cleaning of the shower, it takes much less time to scrub.   Posted by anonymous on March 09, 2010 12:44 PM .................................   A few decades ago I moved into an 1850s farm house. When we cleaned all the outbuildings, I found artifacts from the original house owners, including many small carved items. One particular treasure was a hand-carved fiddle neck, fiddle back and side pieces. The fiddle neck was especially well carved. The neck and back have been hung as a decorative item in my living room ever since. I could easily share dozens of tips about saving time, but instead I wanted to share about this unfinished fiddle. It is remarkable to me that 150 years ago someone who lived in this house had the time to attempt to make their own fiddle. Think about it: No electricity and no time-saving appliances... clothes were hand-washed, brooms instead of vacuum cleaners. Most of all food they ate they grew themselves. No effortless delivery of fuel oil... they would have cut and chopped a couple dozen cords of wood annually to heat this house, which would not have had storm windows and would have been uninsulated. Likely they made their own clothing. If they wanted to drive anywhere, they had to hitch up horses and plod slowly to their destination. And yet, someone who lived in this house had time to try to make a fiddle. At the time I first hung up those fiddle parts, home computers had not yet come into common usage. I never thought we would have one. Even after we got our first one, I didn't allow kids to have them in their rooms, even purchased with their own money. Now my kids are all legal adults, a couple still living with me, and we have more computers than family members. I am appalled at the amount of time these young men give to playing computer games. Easily, a couple hours per day. Television is also a waster of time, but at least I can do productive tasks at the same time. But I simply don't get the tremendous waste of time playing computer games. So now I look at those fiddle parts in a different way. We have a whole generation that is learning almost no skills, outside of the skill they need to earn a living. I can't think of anyone I know that is doing anything as remarkable as attempting to carve a fiddle in their spare time. It's not hard to figure out how to save time, as the ways that we waste time are pretty obvious.   Posted by Arlene123 on March 09, 2010 12:48 PM .................................   This is more of an approach to time. My biggest thing is not being late. Ever since I heard Dr. Phil proclaim that lateness is a manifestation of arrogance, I have really picked up my game. In the past I would calculate forward in figuring out when to leave to get to a place on time. Now I work backwards. In other words if I have to be somewhere at 5 pm, I start subtracting how much time I think it will take to get in my car, get gas etc. and them I figure out what time to leave. And stick to it. Try it and let me know.   Posted by Rinchen on March 09, 2010 1:10 PM .................................   I was trying to think about the times I run late and why. Usually it's lack of planning on my part. I do try hard to be more organized around my home, which helps. Example...I have one spot for my car keys and cell phone when I come in the door. That way I don't waste one second looking for these items when I need to dash out the door to pick up my kids or be at an appt on time. My daughter's Drama teacher told them, "If you're early..you're on time, if you're on time..you're LATE and if you are late..you're FIRED!"   Posted by Trish on March 09, 2010 2:18 PM .................................   The very best time saver is organization.If you have all your ducks in a row,so to speak,you can accomplish what you set out to do-sometimes one just has to let go of a few things to be able to manage a full day.If your plate is too full,clean it up.Keep good records and write yourself notes so you don't forget something.Dealing with kids,a job,a house,laundry,food,a husband and all that encures is sometimes overwhelming.Always give yourself some time for yourself,even if it's just a few minutes,claim your time.Be consistent and don't slack,you'll be glad you did.A little effort can go a long way.Remember we're all humans and no one is perfect   Posted by Gale Osborn on March 09, 2010 4:23 PM .................................   When my husband and I travel, we "divide and conquer" at the airport. Upon arrival, one of us waits for the bags and the other picks up the rental car, then picks up the other with the bags. This gets us out of the airport and starting our vacation twice as fast.   Posted by anonymous on March 09, 2010 4:46 PM .................................   I travel frequently for business, and have a few methods to save time in packing. If you travel a lot, keep a small separate bag always packed with tolietries/cosmetics, etc., that way you can just grab it and go, instead of re-packing every time. I also use the same travel bag/carry on for trips, and this is also ready to go with basic essentials. Also, I have a few outfits that work well for travel. when I return from a trip, I wash them immediately and can then repack them again ready for the next trip. Also, "reverse packing". As each outfit is worn during a trip, pack it back in your suitcase at the end of the day. That way by the end of your trip you are already packed to go back home.   Posted by anonymous on March 09, 2010 4:55 PM .................................   A few more time saving travel tips: - use your airline's "pre check in" service on line to check in, pre-pay for checked bags and print boarding passes - if the check in line is long inside the airport, use a sky cap if available, they usually provide quick service - keep some dollar bills in a certain pocket or space in your purse or wallet handy for tips - go take care of the rental car paperwork while waiting for your suitcase to arrive in baggage claim. Once you have the paperwork in hand your suitcase will most likely already be waiting for you, instead of the other way around - having someone drop you off or pick you up curbside if possible is a big time saver(at least for you) instead of self park, shuttles or cabs - have a way of quickly recognizing your suitcase in baggage claim for quick pick up - $ saving tip -bring an empty water bottle through security and fill up on the other side, instead of paying $3 for a new bottle - $ saving tip -if you travel often to the same places, many airport bookstores allow you to return books (within a certain time frame) previously purchased there for $ back or credit towards a new purchase - there are lots of sick people and germs on planes - bring wipes to clean your seat tray table and a small container of antibacterial gel for your hands during the flight   Posted by anonymous on March 09, 2010 5:13 PM .................................   Use "auto pay" service to pay as many regular recurring bills as you can. Most companies and service providers can set this up, including mortgage banks, utility companies, government agencies, phone and cable companies, etc. Once you set up auto pay your bills wil be paid automatically from an account you designate on the same day every month and on time. This is a big time saver not to mention you no longer have to worry about missing a payment due date.   Posted by anonymous on March 09, 2010 5:21 PM .................................   Stop over-committing yourself to the point that you run out of time in a day! On a more serious note, if you are online and want to make sure you are not wasting time online, set an absolute time limit on yourself. To help, use http://e.ggtimer.com/ to set a time limit that will sound an annoying alarm and halt whatever you are doing with a dialogue box and a whole page telling you that time has expired. For example, if you want to set a 30 second limit, type in the URL http://e.ggtimer.com/30 If you want to set a timer for 5 minutes, type in the URL http://e.ggtimer.com/5minutes If you want to set a timer for 1 hour 30 minutes and 3 seconds, type in the URL http://e.ggtimer.com/1hour30minutes3 Just typing a number means seconds.   Posted by anonymous on March 10, 2010 1:29 AM .................................   I now receive my prescriptions by mail. Wish I had done this years ago! No more driving at rush hour through the busiest part of town to get to the pharmacy before it closes. Saves money on the pills and on the gas, too.   Posted by Terry on March 10, 2010 10:59 AM .................................   This goes hand in had with the egg timer suggestion. Here are 14 tips for super fast web browsing: http://zenhabits.net/2009/10/14-simple-tips-for-super-fast-web-browsing/   Posted by Rinchen on March 10, 2010 1:32 PM .................................   We have been enjoying using natural cleaning products - like vinegar and peroxide!!! Lemon juice... The sunshine... :)   Posted by Amy on March 10, 2010 11:06 PM .................................   We plan out our menu for the entire week - saves time because we don't run to the store constantly or debate what's for dinner/lunch. Seems like that should be common sense, but I grew up in a family that winged it for dinner and that takes time/money. It's good to be flexible, but better to have a plan (especially for school lunches).   Posted by Peter on March 11, 2010 9:22 AM .................................   Peter is 100% correct about this time saver. I grew up that way also and unfortunately it takes some of us longer to fix it. Good tip~   Posted by Trish on March 11, 2010 10:54 AM .................................   To save time I have three laundry baskets (one for bright colored clothes, one for light colored clothes, and on for towels). When it is time to wash, you just take the basket you need. NO sorting!   Posted by meredith on March 11, 2010 11:30 AM .................................   Honestly, the biggest thing about saving time and trying to get to places on time is this; don't worry about it so much to where you get stressed about it. I know from personnal experience that getting stressed over saving time actually takes even more time than just following your normal day. We also plan our menus for the entire month on the first of the month. Not only does it save time on not having to scan the cupboards over and over again trying to decide what to have, but it also saves money because there will be less running out to the store for little things and picking up a treat on the way home and not going out to eat when there's nothing to have. Thanks for the great giveaway!   Posted by Kait on March 11, 2010 12:09 PM .................................   The base of my time saving strategy is to simplify belongings as much as possible. Less things equals less clutter, less to maintain, and a home that's easier to keep clean.   Posted by ldenny58 on March 11, 2010 1:45 PM .................................   Use the crockpot to cook meals. 5 minutes in the morning and dinner is ready when you get home. Saves electricity also!!   Posted by Renee on March 11, 2010 1:48 PM .................................   My children take a packed lunch every day to school. This not only saves money but I know they are not wasting food that they do not like. The time saving factor is all prepare a spot on Sunday eve for the entire week for each child. All lunch items are picked except for the sandwich. That is made the night before and the bag or pail go in the fridge the night before. Not such a rush each morning as it is all figured out and ready.   Posted by Maria on March 11, 2010 2:00 PM .................................   Before bedtime, collect all the things that you will need for the next morning. Examples: Clothes - choose your outfit, inspect for stains, lost buttons, swap with another item if needed. Keys, phone, purse/briefcase - line them up next to the door for a quick grab and go. Bag Lunch - assemble/pack and leave in fridge overnight. Other - dry cleaning, library books, etc. Again, a quick grab and go. Now your morning routine will be easy and orderly instead of rushed and choatic.   Posted by L.B. Taylor on March 11, 2010 2:17 PM .................................   Almost forgot a tip that I've used since my kids were really young. When they take off their clothes from the day to put into the laundry, have them get into the habit of turning them right side out immediately. This way it saves me so much time doing it myself so I can check for spots and pre treat! (or the dirty socks, which I hate to stick my fingers in and pull right side) Now that my 4 kids are all teenagers, they still do it and it saves me tons of time on the huge amount of laundry I do on a daily basis~   Posted by Trish on March 11, 2010 2:28 PM .................................   To save time in the kitchen when I do anything that will make a big mess on my hands I wear plastic gloves. Washing my hands over and over when I am working with dough, or raw meat I end up using lots of water, and lots of soap. This way I keep my hands clean and do not spend long periods of time washing my hands. (for working with dough spray your gloves a bit with cooking spray, or a light coating of oil of some sort to avoid it sticking to the gloves)   Posted by anonymous on March 11, 2010 2:38 PM .................................   Use your Crockpot to make breakfast. Start it right before you go to bed and a hot breakfast awaits you in the morning. Soak the pot while you get ready for work (which reduces the amount of scrubbing required to get it clean) and refill with dinner for that night. Have each person wash their own plate and silverware after they eat, that way you are never faced with a mountain of dishes. Wash pots etc as you go so that you aren't eating your meal and worrying about the washing up waiting for you. Have a family chore list and give everyone their own job to do. This cuts down on the amount of time to takes to clean a home. Shop once a month for dry and frozen foods. Then make one quick trip to the store each week for sale items, dairy and produce (if you don't grow your own) Listen to books on CD during your commute time. This helps you keep up with what is going on it the world but doesn't cut into time needed for other matters. Don't do everything for your children...aren't we all guilty of this to some extent? I stopped picking up after my children (8 and 10) and I now find I have time to do some of the luxuries I used to enjoy before I was a mother (reading, sleeping, eating my food while it is still warm). They benefit from learning that they are responsible for their own stuff and that there is no "cleaning fairy". When the day comes for them to go out on their own they will be able to cope. If you don't use it regularly, don't keep it. Sell it, give it again to the less fortunate...but get rid of it! More stuff = more cleaning. If a job is worth doing...use the best paint whenever you have to decorate, not having to repaint every two years is worth the extra money. As my elderly friend used to say, "Buying cheap is dear" both financially and in time. Don't run a hotel/diner. Another thing I was guilty of - I used to spend all day cooking for my (then) husband who was a meat eater, my eldest child who had food allergies (and did eat meat) and my 2 younger children and myself (kids have allergies and we are all 3 vegetarians). No more. If I make it you will eat it. If you want meat you can take some of the pre-cooked (by me) eat from the fridge and add it to the meal. I made a list of allergies and I don't buy those items anymore. If that means no butter, milk, wheat etc for everyone then so be it. I no longer make gluten free pasta for 2, wholewheat pasta for 1, and "regular" pasta for the rest...I can not believe I actually did that! Oh the time I now have! So much time in fact that I am planting a larger garden this year and contemplating both chickens and goats. An unexpected bonus from all this...I cut my food bill by 2/3rds. I have more time to spend with my kids doing things we want to do. We are all happier because mommy is less stressed.   Posted by GD on March 11, 2010 2:41 PM .................................   This is such a little tip that saves so much time! When I put my forks, spoons, knives, etc. into my dishwasher silverware holder, I put them each in a separate section. It doesn't take any longer than putting them all together, but when you are ready to put them in the drawer-that really saves time! Just grab out the whole bunch and put them the the right tray section.   Posted by Dianne on March 11, 2010 2:48 PM .................................   Time Saving Tip: My husband and I reduce the amount of dish washing by eating cereal from one large bowl together at the same time. We use one set of dishes for dinner, one person eats first and reuse the plate and cup for next person. The dishes I do wash - I air dry. I cook large meals twice a week to reduce time spent cooking during the work week. We have recently sold extra furniture in our house that had become a shelf to store knick knacks that needed to be dusted often. We sold one- to- two pieces of furniture per room and made some money, and also donated the knick knacks stored on each end table or bookcase. Our house is easier to clean (less dusting) and is roomier.   Posted by anonymous on March 11, 2010 2:58 PM .................................   These are a compilation of ideas I researched for over a year or so, but I melded them into an entire process. I used to despise grocery shopping: I am a fulltime intern, with a family, and no time to wander around stores, but no extra money to plop down to save time from wandering in store after store. And, I love to cook. So, I developed a grocery shopping procedure, and these are its parts: Every month I scour recipes (books, online recipes and newspapers), and make a list of which recipes (and where they are) I'm going to make. I have a shopping list, on the back of a used envelope, tacked to a corkboard inside an upper cupboard, to put needed ingredients, others groceries, and other shopping items. I scan weekly ads for coupons and grocery store sales. When it's time to shop, I used a spreadsheet program (Excel) and notes the item type, the amt I need, the store I want to shop for it at, and the aisle or location I expect to find it in, and the recipe it addresses (important if you change your mind about getting it, or can't find it, and whether I'm using coupons). I circle specific items in sale ads, so I can get find them quickly, and get the exact right item. I sort the list by store, then location. I put the coupons in the old envelope, and take a clothespin with me to tack to the cart. After each store, I try to bag my own groceries, so that the bags correlate to where they will get put away (pantry, fridge, freezer, etc...)..and the rest of the family can help put them away. I even time getting home to when "help" will be there. And, I try to remember to bring a hot coffee along, to avoid in-store coffee drink. The first time my husband went with me on my monthly mega-shopping trip, he was absolutely floored to what extent I would go to save money, and time- I don't have either to waste! :).   Posted by anonymous on March 11, 2010 3:15 PM .................................   Share the load -- Dishes, Cleaning, Etc. 4 people can do in 10 minutes what it would take 1 person and hour to complete. Divide cleaning tasks each evening evenly and enjoy the down time doing something fun together.   Posted by Kellie on March 11, 2010 3:33 PM .................................   Cook several extra servings when you can. Example, on Saturday mornings, make extra pancakes, waffles, hashbrowns, etc. and freeze extras (wax paper between) in zipper bags. Weekday mornings will be much simpler when you can just nuke or toast your entree in a hurry.   Posted by Kellie on March 11, 2010 3:35 PM .................................   I shop a discount grocery store that carries one brand of almost everything. Who needs to compare, say, ten different brands of corn flakes? Not me! The choice is simple: need it, put it in the cart; don't need it, move on. Even faster when you have memorized the layout of the store and can make your list accordingly. I am in and out in less than 30 minutes for a full week's worth of groceries for my family.   Posted by Kellie on March 11, 2010 3:38 PM .................................   Keep up your basic auto maintenance. Most major problems can be avoided this way. Time in the shop means less time to do what you want.   Posted by Kellie on March 11, 2010 3:39 PM .................................   Hang, fold, and put away laundry straight out of the dryer. Takes less then ten minutes. No more time wasted looking for an article of clothing, undies, or a mate to your sock!   Posted by Kellie on March 11, 2010 3:41 PM .................................   Bed Making: Use a dust ruffle and a quilt, not an easy to wrinkle bedspread. Before you get out of bed, pull the sheet and quilt up. Slip out and turn and quickly fluff your pillow and finish neatning the quilt top. When you return from the bathroom, finish the other side. If you have a parner still in bed, they are more likely to finish if they only have to do their side. Time it takes, about one minute.   Posted by Dee on March 11, 2010 5:40 PM .................................   De-clutter, simplify and keep it that way by avoiding shopping for non-necessities. For example, get rid of vertical surfaces that accumulate dust and only become places to stockpile things. Over a year ago we got rid of all the end-tables in our living room. We have our two chairs and a couch arranged around an ottoman with a nice wooden tray on it(so it doubles as the coffee table) and we use floor lamps instead of table lamps. We do not have to dust tables, knick-knacks and clean up the things that accumulated on those tables so weekly cleaning is a breeze! Our living room always looks simple, spacious and ever-ready for the unannounced guest! Buy quality instead of quantity. First, you save time wasted walking aimlessly through stores and malls. You will also spend less time at the office working to pay for all those things and will invest much less time maintaining all the stuff you really didn't need in the first place. Above all, living in an environment that is tidy, organized and simple frees your mind up so that you can focus better and be more productive.   Posted by Nancy on March 11, 2010 5:50 PM .................................   Place leftover gravy in a zip lock bag. Place in the freezer, lying flat to freeze. When you desire that hot roast beef sandwich, simply crack off a piece of the gravy, place on the sandwich and place in the microwave. No need to warm all the leftover gravy.   Posted by anonymous on March 11, 2010 6:27 PM .................................   The best way to save money is not to spend any at all. When I drop off my papers at the recycle bin I look around for discarded magazines and books I can take home and read. I use rebates. Rite aid is my favorite I save loads on vitamins and get other merchandise because they offer multiple rebates-pick up the rebate book-look at weekly sales and combine with coupons. I use restaurant and fast food coupons. Today I got a roast beef for $1.98 all I had to buy was a soda for a free sandwich. If you drop off clothes at a clothing bin-look for clothing you can use for yourself. Shop freecycle and free at craig's list. Eating at the church soup kitchen is a great way for a free mail and networking with people too.   Posted by anna on March 11, 2010 7:33 PM .................................   Speed!   Posted by Katie on March 11, 2010 10:17 PM .................................   I do as much online as I can. Most banks offer online bill payment. Some even permit the bills to be transmitted directly to them. Even if they don't, you can still set up automatic payments either at the biller's website or through the bank. I pay as many bills as possible with a cash-back credit card. This includes health insurance, medications, garbage, water, satellite TV, phone, etc. Cash back adds up to healthy savings. I use an online calendar as a tickler file. I get email reminders a few days before some billers start charging late fees. End of late fees due to forgetfulness. When a bill is paid, I note it in the online calendar. Online shopping with home delivery is a big time saver and is often cheaper. With many sites you can arrange free delivery or find a coupon for this. Often, there is no sales tax, although Amazon now charges sales tax for California and New York. Ebay is a great source for heavily discounted goods and even discount coupons for things you buy at other sites. If you can't arrange home delivery because of work, see if your company will permit you to receive packages there. I recently bought a printer from a brick and mortar store using an Ebay coupon because their national website was out of stock. I had to carry a 40 pound box up a long flight of stairs instead of having the delivery person do it. Ouch!   Posted by anonymous on March 12, 2010 12:00 AM .................................   Here is a short and simple list 1. shower every 2 days and use a washcloth to clean face then underarms on the days you do not take a full shower. Saves time, water,towels to wash and $$ 2. No knead bread 2 days a week takes 5 minutes, saves money and is healthier. 3. Freezer soup- throw all veggie tidbits and bones in a ziploc kept in freezer. then throw in a pot for 3 hrs on low. Takes 3 min prep and you have a healthy soup or broth. 4. where everything 2x and save on laundry time, soap and water 5. keep only 5 everyday outfits in your closet. Makes laundry easy to do & cuts down on clutter. 6. Eat a decked out salad for dinner at least one night a week with soup from a previous meal. prep 5 min 6. always keep a bunch of boiled eggs for a filling snack, sandwich or salad 7. homemade Popsicles- quick to make 5 min cheaper than Ice cream, easier to to make than homemade ice cream and you can use fruit that is over ripe and finish up the last of the milk. 8. Cut the cable - almost anything you like can be watched online for free this can save you hours of watching stuff you just stumbled upon and could do without. Hulu and Netflix are great we have saved a fortune, our time and kept a lot of mind numbing waste out of our lives. many new TV's can be connected to the Net. 7. Spend 1 hour a week cooking the OAMC way Once a month cooking. You can save loads of time by keeping freezer cookies, shredded beef and chicken, and meatballs always on hand. Recipezaar is a good place to find some of these recipes just type (OAMC) 8. Billeo toolbar- free and recomended by BofA . Automaticly fills your pasword, address or credit card info on the internet with one click when you are paying bills, shopping online or need to enter a password to use a website. 9. Buy an extra freezer a compact energy efficient freezer can be had for less than $300 and can fit even in a small apartment. Having more frozen meat, veggies and fruit can saved trips to the grocery, let you buy in bulk and save on inflating prices. Can cut at least 1 grocery trip a month if not 2. 10. Read the (Tightwad gazette) available on Amazon. you can learn many quick fixes and ways to reuse things which amounts to time saved shopping, less money spent and better for the environment.   Posted by Tricia L. on March 12, 2010 6:01 AM .................................   If I have letters to send to friends in the coming week, one day I address and stamp the envelope, and leave it in a designated spot. Another day I'll write a paragraph or two, then put it back in the desnated spot. This helps me when I have a busy week and can't afford to sit down and do it all at once. When the day comes to mail the letter, all I have to do is write a quick finish and stick it in the mailbox. This works for other tasks, too. Just do part of the job one day, and finish it up another. That way it's not overpowering, and you'd be surprised what you can accomplish in just a few minutes!   Posted by Helen on March 12, 2010 7:15 AM .................................   Choosing a well put together outfit to wear each day with matching accessories is very time consuming. I finally took the leap, de-cluttered my closet of items that I no longer wore or didn't fit. Each day thereafter I selected a nice outfit with accessories. As I laundered each of these outfits I hung them all put together in order of when I wore them. After a few weeks I had about 15 well composed outfits. Now I wear them mostly in order to avoid repeating my same favorites. It takes a little discipline, but has cut my morning indecision down dramatically!   Posted by Ginger on March 12, 2010 9:06 AM .................................   Use your sleeping time! While you are asleep, clothes can soak in cold soapy water in the washer, eliminating stains. Just turn on the washer to agitate in the morning. Let a bleach solution sit in the toilet overnight to disinfect and clean. Fire up your crockpot meal before going to bed, and have a hot lunch to take to work the next morning, and dinner for that evening. Defrost or freeze things during sleep time. Let your dishes soak in soapy hot water overnight for easy washing next morning. Use your sleeping time for beauty treatments; moisturize hands and feet well, then put them in a thin plastic bag with a sock over it. They will be kitty-soft in the morning!   Posted by Joan Mayo / Rockville MD on March 12, 2010 11:15 AM .................................   This is a thing I learned while dieting so that I would never run out of low-calorie foods to eat, but it works equally well when I am not dieting & is simple. Buy a meat which is on sale, as a beef roast, whole chicken, ham, etc. and roast, stew, bake, or whatever the meat on the weekend. then use the meat in various recipes over the week. Incidentally, the "roaster" sized chickens are really too big to be tender nowadays, so I buy the whole fryers & if not enough for the week, buy two. I even use the bones after the meat is otherwise used, because when you break them apart, cover them with water, & cook the broth it's much better than the purchased broth. Cool & skim before using to remove the fat!   Posted by anonymous on March 12, 2010 11:22 AM .................................   to save time in the morning, choose your outfit and make lunch the night prior.   Posted by Roxy on March 12, 2010 2:54 PM .................................   Take things with you in the car that need filling out or reviewing. When you stop at a red light or are waiting in carline to pick the kids up, you can get some of these chores out of the way.   Posted by anonymous on March 13, 2010 1:33 AM .................................   I love all these suggestions and the timeliness of it all. When we lose an hour because of Daylight Saving Time, we never really get it back. There is a movement to just have one time. Here is an argument for Daylight Saving Time all year: http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/24/opinion/l-isn-t-it-time-to-keep-daylight-savin gs-915695.html?pagewanted=1   Posted by anonymous on March 13, 2010 12:45 PM .................................   Listen to educational programs or audiobooks while doing housework. Put bleach or cleaner in the toilet, spray shower and lavatory with cleaner, then go vacuum other rooms. Wipe down and brush out bathroom surfaces after cleaner has had time to do its work. Clean fridge the day before grocery shopping/payday, when it is mostly empty. Do a load of wash while reading the Sunday paper. Fold and hang up when you're finished. Put a desk on the treadmill and work your brain and body at the same time.   Posted by anonymous on March 14, 2010 4:00 PM .................................   I brush my teeth and floss in the shower   Posted by SJB on March 16, 2010 12:48 PM .................................   If you're a mom, you know how time-consuming the baby can be right around the time you should be making dinner. I save my dinner prep time by doing my mise en place (chopping, measuring, setting out tools) during naptime. It's a lot faster without the little one on your hip (or worse, holding on to your leg screaming) The actual cooking tends to go faster, too, because you've already got everything organized!   Posted by Cindy on March 16, 2010 1:45 PM .................................   I make 2-3 salads at a time to have lunch ready in the frig. Add some salad dressing each morning and mix it in at lunchtime. Why get all the makings out each night?   Posted by lori on March 16, 2010 9:25 PM .................................   Variety is great for Vegetables, Vacation spots, Media, and Meeting new people, but when it comes to the rest of life shun it! Find what is best for you and repeat your success over and over again. This saves both time and money. Standardize everything you own, buy and do. For example; I like house plants (I have decided to limit my collection to 12 types of plants) but instead of owning all sorts of different pots in all colors, materials and shapes I only buy red terra cotta tapered pots. This saves me time in several different ways 1. When I need a new pot I already know what type I need, I make a bee line for that specific type and don’t dote over all the “cute” pots. 2. When I add a new item to my décor – let’s say I decide to replace the worn out table cloth – I don’t have to worry about whether or not the new ones will clash with the “cute” new pot I got, because I already know all the pots are that same type. 3. Every store that has plants has those pots; I don’t have to run all over town looking at pots. This also saves me money because I can stock up when I recognize a deal. 4. The pots only come in a few, predetermined sizes. I can stack and nest unoccupied pots next to the rest of my plant supplies so there is never a storage issue. I originally got this idea from a movie called “Fight Club” (1999) with Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. The character Marla Singer and ‘the Narrator’ sit down in a restaurant to talk. A water steps up to serve them; Marla places her order in less than five seconds. She doesn’t even look at a menu. At that time it took me on average about fifteen minutes to look over a menu and decide what I wanted. That is ridiculous! And, to top it off, I always wondered “should I have ordered that other thing…” What a waste of time and brain power! Now I always order the same thing and I really, really enjoy it. Then I decided to do the same thing with the rest of my life. That’s not to say that you must to be manic about it, but use it as a tool to improve life, in all areas. The pots are just one example. I do this, and continue to do this, with every thing I can. Major things are anything that can be defined by color, size or type (Hey! That is pretty much everything!) The hardest part, I have learned, is that some times I don’t know what the best thing is for me. I continue to learn, and, as I do, I continue to simplify my life in ways that I didn’t expect. Simplicity is a great time and money saver.   Posted by Sarrah on March 16, 2010 11:11 PM .................................   save time and money by making extra for supper and putting it away for lunch the next day thanks   Posted by tina reynolds on March 17, 2010 12:33 AM .................................   My time saving tip is to make a grocery list and shop all at once for the week, planning the menu in advance. It saves multiple trips to the store. crayolaswap at hotmail dot com   Posted by cd on March 17, 2010 10:35 AM .................................   Does anyone know a alternative to these expensive coffee creamers I,m sure with cream and the right spices one could get close vs paying $4 dollars a qt for ref. creamers. --- Editor's Note: This question has been given its own page. You can find it here: http://www.tiphero.com/tips_2433_know-any-good-coffee-creamer-recipes.html   Posted by CALLAHAN on March 25, 2010 11:42 PM .................................   Callahan--I use vanilla soymilk in my coffee. Healthier than creamers -- full of Omega 3's -- and tasty. Of course, I'm planning to purchase a soymilk maker later in the year, and buy beans locally. Anyone know how to defat homemade soymilk?   Posted by anonymous on March 26, 2010 9:35 AM .................................   fascinating - had no idea there was such thing as a soymilk makers. interested in hearing how that works out for you.   Posted by anonymous on March 26, 2010 10:10 AM .................................   ----------------------------------------- Share Your Comments:   Comments may need to be approved before they are displayed.   Comments: User Name (required): Email Address (required - but your email address will not be displayed): Website URL (not required; please do not include "http://"):

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