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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Save a buck: Free museum day 9/9/08 • Save a buck: Free concert at Alderwood Mall 9/1/08 • Save a buck: Web sites help find best prices 8/31/08 • Save a buck: Web site helps compute total on car rentals 8/30/08 • Save a Buck: Planning to drive? Try these ideas to save fuel 8/29/08 • Save a buck: Get free coffee recipes 8/28/08 • Save a buck: Make your own candied ginger 8/27/08 • Save a buck: Get rid of old refrigerator 8/26/08 • Save a buck: Free movies 8/25/08 • Save A Buck: Snohomish Picnic in the Park 8/23/08 • Save a buck: Old Time Fiddlers 8/21/08 • Learn some secrets of secondhand shopping from an expert 8/21/08 • Save a buck: Free car washes 8/20/08 • Save a buck: Reuse old jeans 8/19/08 • Save a buck: Free health fair 8/19/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, July 31, 2008 Nuts and bolts: Save a buck on 'used' Web sites Worn in, not worn out: Reusing furniture that already exists is the best and kindest choice for the environment and a great way to save a lot of bucks. First ask yourself if anything in your home can be repurposed or found at a local flea market, thrift store or antiques shop. Two of the best places online to check are Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org. These communities offer free, local classified ads for all kinds of furniture. Items listed on Freecycle must be given away free. Classic colors: Why is it that when black and tan are used together, the look is smashing? There is something very sophisticated, classy and rich about the combination. says Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., and author of "Mystery of Color." Take a sofa that is all light tan, add pillows that are black mixed with tan -- it doesn't matter what the pattern is, be it plaid, paisley, geometric, floral -- and the combination will truly lift that sofa up in design caliber. A bedspread that is black with tan is very attractive to both male and female tastes. Couple the bedspread with a light-colored wood for the bedroom set and floor. Cream-colored walls, and woodwork carry out the neutral theme. Window treatments can also be cream with black accents, such as a decorator curtain rod or cornice upholstered in the bedspread material, Pick lamps that accent the bedspread pattern. Pictures on the walls should do the same. If family pictures are used, opt for frames that match the wood on the furniture and matte the pictures in black. Sharpen your blade: For a healthy lawn, be sure mower blades are sharpened frequently. Set the mower blade to 3 inches, and never cut more than one-third of the total height of grass at one time. Lawns need about an inch of water per week (11/2 inches in sandy soil). To find out how much that is, set out a few empty coffee cans under the sprinkler and watch the clock. When an inch of water has accumulated, you'll know how long it takes to water properly. It's important to water deeply and slowly so that moisture reaches roots. Not sure when to water? If your footprints are visible after walking on the lawn, it's time to turn on the sprinkler. Herald staff

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