Seven Surprising Ways to Save Money in Kitchens

(CBS)  All of us like to save money whenever and wherever we can.

So how about - the kitchen?!

On "The Early Show on Saturday Morning," Lisa Quinn, author of "Life's Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets," shared seven tips to help you cut costs in what's probably the most popular room in your home.

They're all innovative and easy - somewhat bizarre, yet cost-effective!

1. Put a raisin in a bottle of flat champagne to bring it back to life with bubbles! The natural sugars in the raisin make that magic happen.

2. Prevent cheese from drying out by smearing butter or margarine on the parts where you've cut into it. That prevents moisture from escaping and works best with hard cheeses partially sealed in wax.

3. Use the rind of hard cheeses to flavor soup stock. Just add the rind when you're simmering the stock, then remove and strain before you serve.

4. Bad eggs float, fresh ones sink. So, if you're not sure whether an egg is fresh, don't throw it away -- put it in a cup of water!

5. When your recipe calls for just a few drops of lemon juice, don't cut the lemon in half -- it will dry out quickly that way. Instead, puncture it and squeeze out just what you need. Save the rest in the fridge, wrapped in plastic.

6. Keep apples away from already ripe fruits, because the gas they let off can lead to early spoilage.

7. Revive dry cookies by placing them in a jar overnight with a slice of apple. The moisture from the apple will soften them up a bit.

[msay3]

The reason the egg floats is due to the build up of the gases as the egg gets older. The older the egg, the more gases.... by mich8410 September 4, 2010 8:52 AM EDT
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Gee, sounds a lot like husbands...

[tsigili]

Yo want to save money in the kitchen.......figure out that all of those shows on HGTV and DIY network, are convincing people they "need" things they don't need at all.

When they say everyone "wants" granite counter tops, that is what they WANT you to believe, and they have every intention of convincing you its true. It isn't. Those will cost you an arm and a leg, and they simply are NOT needed.

Same with stainless steel appliances.....they want you to believe you need them, even though many carry premiums of $1000. or more, per appliance, just to get a stainless steel front, which adds not one minute of additional life to the appliance. One reason they push that, right now, is simply because it is more cost effective for the manufacturers, not to have to make things in colors. Less inventory to make and carry, and they have a higher ticket product. I might also point out, that almost none have stainless on the sides. If it was really that beneficial, why wouldn't you want it on the sides????? Silly people, being taken for a ride, by advertising, disguised as programming.

[psu83alum]

I agree - I call it the HGTV'ing of America. My oak kitchen with brass hardware and laminate countertops is quite functional. But HGTV would have me believe I need granite and tile and stainless steel appliances. Oh well, no renovations = no debt = peace of mind!

[thejoker12]

Cookies don't last long enough in my house unless it is a Newton. Use already squeezed lemmon from plastic lemmon shaped container and save money. Most chanpagns don't make it long after opening. Don't buy so much cheese or eggs if you aren't going to use them. Both come in small packaging. This isn't exactly money saving, unheard of tips. Most of us have moms or mother in laws who love to offer up tips. If you offered up info on how to fix common drain/ garbage disposal issues to save money on a plummer that it something. How about time saving tips on how to keep the fridge clean longer in a household of teens? Doing a comparison of dish washer soap or otc disinfectants would be helpful.

[AuntAudrey]

It is not a mystery that old eggs float. It is the science of bouyancy due to the pourous nature of the eggshell that allows moisture to be lost over time and this creates a large bubble-like air space within the egg membranes that allows the egg to float.

[mich8410]

The reason the egg floats is due to the build up of the gases as the egg gets older. The older the egg, the more gases in the shell resulting in the egg being able to float.

[amanda43055]

I dont like the last one for cookies.. I have a better way to save cookies and them not taste like apples. just use a couple slices of white bread and it does the same trick..