photo by toofarnorth
DEAR SARA: I have started to hang up a couple of loads each week on a clothesline rather than throwing them in the dryer. I was wondering how much money I save by doing this. Do you have any idea how much money it costs per hour to run an electric dryer? I realize that utility rates are higher in different parts of the country, but I’m looking for a rough amount. — Kay, Louisiana
DEAR KAY: Your utility company’s Web site might have a list of how much appliances cost to operate. You can calculate this yourself, too. You need to know the amount of power your dryer consumes. You can find this information either in your manual or on the model tag. It will be reflected in watts. If it’s listed in amps and volts, then remember that amps x volts = watts. You need to know how much your electricity costs, so check a recent bill. You need to know how long (in hours) you use the dryer each week, too. So your math will be: kilowatts x kilowatt-hour price x hours = cost per week.
DEAR SARA: I’ve been living with a bed without a headboard for years. I feel it’s time for a big-girl bedroom, but I don’t have a fortune to spend. Any ideas? — Alana F., Nebraska
DEAR ALANA: Without knowing the style in your room, I’ll share some ideas that lean toward a casual look. Headboards don’t have to be expensive. You can make a padded headboard using plywood, batting and fabric. Use a staple gun to attach the batting and fabric in place. You can use materials like door panels, a trellis or picket fencing as backdrops, too. A great way to decorate is to give the illusion of a headboard by painting a pattern, hanging a quilt, using arranged artwork or window frames, or frame that section with either wallpaper border or molding. You can then paint the framed section a different color than the rest of your room or use a scenic mural. Other options include using a decorative curtain rod and suspending either artwork or decorated grapevine wreaths with ribbon, or try a coronet bed drape.
DEAR SARA: I’m a stay-at-home mom who’s looking for new activities to do with my daughter. She’s preschool age but attends school twice a week. I can handle only so much coloring and painting, and there’s never enough time for my housework. Help! — Liz, Ohio
DEAR LIZ: There are many activities for that age, but I’ll share some that are easy, cheap and fun. My kids love balloons. I cut foam pool noodles in half, and they play hockey inside with the pool noodles and balloons. We’ve played balancing games with pool noodles, too. Place a beanbag on top of a pool noodle that is held upright and see how far she can walk before the beanbag falls. You can play basketball inside with empty plastic coffee cans and nylon bath scrubbies. These scrubbies are great for teaching kids to catch and throw, too. If you need a few minutes to do dishes, you can set her up next to you with a dishpan filled with soapy water and coins. Give her a toothbrush or a nylon scrubbie to scrub with, and that can keep her busy while you’re cleaning, too. If you need a few more minutes, give her a sponge, microfiber cloth or nylon scrubbie and let her “clean” in the kitchen.
译文:
自然晾干衣物，你能省多少钱？
亲爱的SARA：我已经开始每个礼拜把一堆洗过的衣服挂在晾衣绳上晾干了，而不是把他们丢到烘衣机里。我在想，我这样做的话，能够节省多少钱呢？你知道电子的烘衣机每个小时要花费多少么？我知道在国家的其他地区，可能水电费要更贵，但是我只是想知道个大概的数目。－－Kay,路易斯安那州
亲爱的KAY：在你水电公司的网站上可能会列有你操作这些机器运行的费用。同时，你也可以自己来计算。你所需要知道的就是你的烘衣机消耗的电能是多少。你可以在你产品的小册子或是型号吊牌上找到这些信息。它将会以瓦特的形式表现出来。如果它写的是安培和伏特，那你要记住，安培X伏特＝瓦特。你想知道你的电器花了多少电费，去查一下最近的账单好了。你要清楚你每个礼拜用了多久的烘衣机（以小时为单位）。这样的花，你计算的公式就是瓦特数X瓦特数－小时单价X小时数＝每个星期的花费。
亲爱的SARA：我睡一张没有床头板的床已经睡了好几年了，我觉得现在是把房间弄成适合大女孩的样子的时候了，但是我又没机会尝试，有什么建议么？ －－Alana F., 内布拉斯加州
亲爱的ALANA：在不知道你的房间的风格下，我先和你分享一点想法，他们可以让你的房间看起来更加休闲风一点。床头板不用买很贵的，你可以用加班，绵絮和纺织布料自己做一个包层的床头板。用一个钉书机把绵絮和布料固定在一定的位置上。你可以用一些诸如门板，格板的材料，或者是用小桩做成围栏当背景。装饰床头板一个很好的方法就是在床头板上画图案，挂一条被子，可以用艺术品，或是窗框，或是有墙纸边的或是突出的框。然后你就可以在有框的部分刷上和你房间颜色不同的颜料，或是用一幅风景画来装饰。你也有其它的选择，包括用装饰毯的横杠来挂艺术作品或是带有丝带的装饰性的葡萄藤花环，或是用一个帐型的帘子。
亲爱的SARA：我是一个全职妈妈，想要找些活动来和我的女儿一起做。她现在还没到上学的年龄，但是每个星期要去学校两次。我只能处理像填色和画图这样的事，而且我做家务的时间永远都不够用。请你帮帮我！－－Liz, 俄亥俄州
亲爱的LIZ：对于那个年纪的孩子来说，有太多的活动可以参加了，但是我想和你分享的是一些很简单的，不费很多金钱的，和很有趣的活动。我把泡沫塑料的泳池里用的条条对半切开，然后孩子就在室内用这个条条和气球打曲棍球。我们也用泳池里的条条玩过平衡游戏。把一个小布袋放在条条的头上，然后拿直，看她能在布袋掉下之前走多远。你可以在室内用空的塑料咖啡罐和尼龙的沐浴球玩篮球。这些沐浴球用于教孩子你丢我拣的游戏也很好。如果你要花些时间去洗碗，你可以把孩子安置在你的旁边，给她一个装满肥皂水和硬币的洗碗盆。给她一把牙刷或是一个尼龙的沐浴球去刷，这样她在你做清洁工作的时候就有事情做了。如果你要更长的时间去做别的事，给她一个块海绵，百洁布或者尼龙球，然后让她去“打扫”厨房。