Take care of what you have.

A simple idea, right? How many of us polish our shoes, repair damaged clothing or rewire lamps? They're simple things for the most part and they can save a lot of money.

Duct Tape

The use of duct tape suddenly took off a few years ago and wound up to be a sort of art - or craft, if you will. Not to lose out on an opportunity, companies started making it with colors and designs. Thank heavens we can still find plain old gray duct tape that works. Keep some handy to make repairs or for more creative projects. Hem a pair of jeans, cover a splintery rake handle... or close a leaky duct.

Twist'em ties

A peeled twist'em tie wire is handy to have around! Strip it to the wire and use it as an emergency repair to replace a screw in your glasses, hang pictures, repair jewelry... or use it without stripping to hold things together. Let your imagination run with it.