I love spring for so many reasons but mostly for the flowers. The anticipation for my sweet peas to bloom is nearly killing me. I have lots of healthy, sturdy vines but so far not a single bloom. I can't wait to start cutting bushels of sweet peas that will fill every vase I can get my hands on.

With the arrival of spring comes a whole set of gardening challenges that, if you're not careful, can get expensive. But my book "Tiptionary 2" has got you covered. Here are some quick spring tips for when the weather starts to get warmer, and you head out to the yard:

CUT FLOWERS. When you get your flowers home, cut off the ends of the stems, and add a dash of salt to the water to keep your flowers fresher longer. When your flowers start to droop, give them a second life by cutting the stems off near the blossoms and floating them in a bowl of warm water into which you have mixed a crushed half of an aspirin tablet (pages 215, 220).

SPROUTING DRIVEWAY. If your driveway or patio seems to sprout weeds through the slimmest of cracks, here's a very cheap way to alleviate the problem: Pour boiling water on the cracks. Kills 'em dead (page 345).

GARAGE CLUTTER. Here's a solution for all those half-full bags of fertilizer, potting soil, kitty litter and pet food that can make a garage a real mess: frosting buckets with lids. At most bakeries they're free for the asking (page 294).

DIRT CHEAP! Next time you are at the home improvement center or garden store, ask them about their "ripped bags" containing dirt, mulch and 3-in-1. Typically, when the bags become torn, contents are re-bagged and sold for half price (page 344).

MARKING TERRITORIES. Place cut oranges or lemons in the areas around your home where you would just as soon the neighborhood cats not "mark" as their territory. Apparently they are not interested in a lovely citrusy scent and it repels them. It works really well (page 343).

Looking for more clever timesaving and money-saving tips to help out in the garden plus every other area of your home? Pick up a copy of "Tiptionary 2" from the DebtProofLiving.com bookstore today! Use the coupon code TIP2 from April 30 through May 31 to get $5 off the purchase price of $14.99; that's just $9.99 plus shipping and handling.

And if you've got a great tip for me, send it to mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723 to enter the Tip of the Month contest. You'll receive a year's subscription to Debt-Proof Living Online if we pick yours as the winning tip for May.

Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." 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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