Being frugal oftentimes means being creative – making do with less, and making it into more!  I’ve often told my husband that if I could get a gold medal for only one thing – it would probably be the ability to “Make Do”.   When something I want/need just isn’t on hand – or isn’t within my budget – I can usually look around and find something and “make it work”.  (Case in point – the Tinfoil Heart Pancake Molds I showed you a couple weeks ago.)

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This time, I’d like to show you one of my favorite make-do items ever – the humble Coffee Filter.  This has come in handy so many times for me – here is a list of 8 things you can use coffee-filters for.

1.) Popcorn or Snack Bowl  When my kids are asking for popcorn for a movie – I look at my overflowing sink and think “Do I really want to wash bowls right now?”

No – I assure myself – I certainly do not.  Hence was born the coffee-filter popcorn holder.  (I suggest a double layer to help maintain the bowl shape)  Coffee-filter snack bowls are great for kids sleepovers, after school homework snacks, and tons of other little occasions!

2.) Waffle Sleeve. Some mornings when we find ourselves rushing to school due to unheard alarms – I’ll toast frozen waffles or pancakes, slather peanut butter between them – and take them on the road for quick filling kids’ breakfast.  Coffee filters are great peanut-butter waffle sleeves!

3.) Grease Drainer.  Being a procastinator, I run out of paper towels more than you would think.  Today I was cooking sausage & biscuits and when I had nothing to drain my patties on – who did I turn to?  Coffee filters!!

4.) Splatter Screen. Need a splatter-screen for reheating a bowl of something in the microwave?  Coffee filters to the rescue!

5.) Clean your computer screen.  I do this one pretty often!

6.) Cookie Tin Liner. When I filled round tins with homemade cookies and candies this Christmas – flattened coffee filters separated the layers of cookies.  They fit perfectly in a cookie tin!

7.) PopsicleDrip-Guard.  Poke your popscicle stick right through the middle of the coffee filter so keep the kids hands from getting messy!

8.) China Storage.  Keep your pretty dishes from getting scratched by layering flattened coffee filters between the plates.

9.) Flattering Flash!  Soften the light from your camera flash by putting a filter over the flash.  This is great for close-ups.

10.)  Clean Windows & Mirrors. Coffee filters leave no lint!