One day each week, I open my tightly stuffed mailbox and pull out a few questions from my loyal readers. This just might be my favorite day of the week. Maybe that's because I really like answering questions, and no one ever has accused me of failing to have an opinion (on anything!).

Dear Mary: While visiting a friend, a pond in her apartment complex overflowed into the parking lot and flooded my car. Approximately 8 inches of water got into the interior. I was lucky that the car started and I was able to move it to higher ground, but the inside is totally drenched. I bailed out most of the water and used a wet/dry vacuum to get rid of the water, only to find more water seeping to the surface an hour after vacuuming. Now the car smells terrible. Do you have any cheapskate hints to take care of a problem such as this? -- Elizabeth R., Illinois

Dear Elizabeth: Have you filed a claim with your auto insurance company? I'm no attorney, but you may have a claim here, depending on the circumstances and your coverage. I also would contact the apartment complex management. Ponds, even in pounding rain, should not overflow into parking lots. They may be liable for your damages. As for that smell, the job is way too big for traditional baking soda or white vinegar. What you need is Nok-Out, a clear liquid applied with a spray bottle. You will need to saturate all surfaces (carpet, upholstery), and then wipe down all hard surfaces, as well. I even would spray it under the car to get at the cracks and crevices where mildew may be growing. I just cannot say enough good things about Nok-Out. It eliminates odors; it doesn't just cover them up with a perfumed smell. Nok-Out even eliminates tough odors, such as cigarette smoke and skunks. Most importantly, Nok-Out is nontoxic, EPA-certified and hypoallergenic, and it kills bacteria, mildew and viruses, too. To place an order for Nok-Out, you can go to www.NokOut.com, write to lou@nokout.com, or call 866-551-1927 toll free.

Dear Mary: Your recent column titled "Mystery Means" is fabulous. What a great way to describe the conflict between feeling and acting like an employee, as well as the employer, when running your own business. With humor, clarity and brevity, you conveyed a lot of information in a practical way. Good for you for addressing that subject. Keep doing what you are doing, Mary. Your column is informative and lovely. -- Margaret H., e-mail

Dear Margaret: Thank you for your kind remarks. Readers who would like to read the "Mystery Means" column can go to DebtProofLiving.com and click on "Archived Articles" and then "Everyday Cheapskate."

Do you have a question for Mary? E-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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