How to Reuse "Junk Mail" Envelopes to Make NEW Envelopes

This Thrifty Tip is a way to both save money by not buying envelopes again and also a way to be a little "green" by actually reusing something you would usually toss into the recycling bin.  As with any tip, you need to determine the time you put into it vs. the cost savings.  But, with this project, it can actually be something fun to do with your kids so that adds into the value factor.

For this project, you'll need envelopes from junk mail, a butter knife or letter opener, and regular school glue (rubber cement also works).  Use the "Reply" envelopes that come in your junk mail - the envelopes they enclose for you to send back your payment, donation, etc.  If you pay bills online rather than mailing checks, you may end up with a lot of these.

Most junk mail envelopes have a lot of other typing besides the address.  They often have a bar code on the bottom of the envelope, which helps direct it through the postal system.  If these are sent to an address other than originally intended with the bar code still showing, it can be a problem!  So you need the envelope to be free of all markings.  Here is how:

The first step is to take the knife and gently slide it along the inside of the seam on both the left and right sides of the envelope.  Try to do it gently so as to not tear the paper.

Once you have opened the seems, unfold the envelope and lay it flat.  What was originally the outside of the envelope will now be the inside.  Refold the envelope with the OUTside now IN.

After refolding, place a thin line of glue on the seam area.  Fold the edges back over and press to seal.  Let dry and VOILA - new envelope!  When sealing in your letter, you will want to fold the top flap inside the envelope as the glue will be on the inside edge.

If you have envelopes that have very little markings on the outside of the envelope (like the envelope at the bottom of the picture at the top of the page) your process is a lot simpler:

All you need to do in the case of these envelopes with few markings is to cut a small piece of scrap paper (I use paper that was inside these junk mail envelopes) just big enough to cover the pre-printed address and then glue it in place.  To use the envelope all you have to do is write over that paper with the address where you are mailing.

Clean Your Combs & Brushes with Listerine & Baking Soda

The best way to extend the life of your combs and brushes is to take care of them. To clean, first remove as much hair as possible from the bristles. Then create a solution of warm water with a healthy splash of Listerine and a good shake of baking soda. Mix all together and let soak for 30 minutes. Rinse with clean water.

To save a little money on your solution you can use this printable coupon for  $3.00 off when you buy any TWO 1.5L Listerine® Zero Mouthwash.

How to Substitute Bulgur Wheat for Ground Beef in Your Recipes - Save Money & Be Healthy!

While some people eliminate or reduce the amount of beef in their diet for health, religious or ethical reasons, many others do so because of economics - beef can be an expensive part of a grocery budget.  An easy way to replace ground beef in recipes is to substitute bulgur wheat.  Bulgur is a quick-cooking type of whole wheat, commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking, that has been cleaned, parboiled, dried, and ground. It offers 7 grams of fiber in a serving (1/4 cup uncooked), which only has 140 calories and half a gram of fat.

It makes a great stand in for ground beef in dishes like tacos, chili, casseroles, "meat" sauce for pasta, etc. When using bulgur wheat, one cup uncooked will replace about 1 pound of ground beef.  Preparing it is very easy. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil with 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 1 cup of bulgur, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. This makes about 2½ cups of cooked bulgur.

If you're hesitant to jump in and totally "de-meat" your recipes, you can start by replacing just half of the ground beef with the prepared bulgur.  It will really stretch the meat in your recipes, saving you money and making them healthier.

You can find bulgur wheat in the natural foods section of your supermarket or at your local health food store.  Many health food stores will even sell it in bulk.  I like to order mine from Vitacost.  They sell Bob's Red Mill Light Bulgur in a 28 oz package for only $6.30. This package contains just shy of 5 cups, which means it would replace 5 pounds of ground beef. That would be the equivalent of only $1.26 per pound!  (If you haven't ordered from Vitacost, you can get a FREE $10 credit to use on your first order - great deal!)

One of my favorite recipes to make with bulgur is this Vegetarian Tamale Pie Recipe.  Mario LOVES this recipe and actually likes it better with the bulgur than with the ground beef.  If you make a recipe using bulgur, I would love to hear how it turns out and how your family likes it!

$.55 Off 2 Dozen Eggs Printable Coupon + How to Freeze Eggs

Get a printable coupon for $.55 off two dozen eggs (any brand).  Lots of stores will have eggs on sale this coming week in anticipation of Easter, so you should be able to get a great deal! 

If two dozen eggs are more than you can use before they go bad, did you know that you can freeze eggs?  Just crack them into a bowl and scramble them up.  Then pour into ice cube trays.  Once they are frozen transfer the cubes to a freezer bag.  Two cubes will be the equivalent of one large egg once defrosted.

How to Save Money on a Disney Vacation - Useful Tips, Tricks & Ideas

To be 100% truthful, a Disney vacation is NEVER going to be cheap.  You will spend money on your trip, even if you are within driving distance, but Zack and Katie from Look Before Spending can help you make your Disney vacation as thrifty as possible with these very helpful tips. 

Free In-Store Events for Kids this Weekend

If cold weather will be keeping you inside this weekend, here are some some fun in-store crafts and activities to do with your kids.  Thanks to Mommy Savers for the list!

Bass Pro Shops: Free Boat Show: family activities, savings and seminars. For dates, times and pro schedules find your local store here.

Guitar Center: Free recording workshops. Every Saturday at all locations from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Lakeshore Learning Store: Make a groundhog puppet. Saturday, January 28th 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Lowes Build and Grow: Kids build a cool dinosaur and then choose the stickers to make it a cartoon or a realistic dinosaur. Saturday, January 28th 10:00 a.m. - Noon

Target: Check for free museum events in a city near you (Ongoing dates)

Walmart: Special in-store events – enter your zip code to find events in your area

5 "Cheap Date" Ideas - Have Fun without Spending a Fortune

"WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER? (just released in Unrated Ex-tended Cut), is a fun romantic comedy starring Anna Faris (Scary Movie Franchise, The House Bunny) and Chris Evans (Fantastic Four, Captain America) .

In a panic that she has missed out on finding Mr. Right, Ally Darling (Anna Faris), with the help of her hunky new neighbor Colin (Chris Evans), starts tracking down all her ex-boyfriends, hoping to find her real true love while she helps him escape his latest fling. At the beginning of the movie, Ally loses her job and Colin is a struggling musician, so having fun on a budget and going on cheap dates was a must for them. For example, Colin planned a cheap, romantic date of making Mexican food at home and watching lucha libre on the DVR.

Here are more cheap date ideas great for those actually seeking Mr. or Mrs. Right or for Date Night with your spouse:

Go to a Baseball Game
Most every major city has a baseball team, and seats in the bleachers are very inexpensive (some ballparks even offer deals where for a small sum you can get tickets, hot dogs and drinks). Since baseball season lasts for about seven months of the year, you have tons of opportunities to munch on peanuts and Cracker Jacks and cheer for your local team. Get out of the house with either a date or your friends, grab your mitt in case of fly balls, and enjoy this great American pastime!

Get Outside!
One of the best and most inexpensive ways to spend time with your friends is to do something outside. Go for a walk or a jog, play basketball, Frisbee or soccer in the park, spend time at a local lake, go for a hike, ride a bike – there’s something for everyone in the great outdoors! Getting together with a group of friends to get outside and be active is both cheap and fulfilling – you’ll have fun and feel great while doing it!

Have a Rooftop Picnic
If you have access to your building’s rooftop, entice your friends or a date to join you for a view of the city and a casual meal! This fun dining experience can be made inexpensive by asking your friends to bring food and drinks. Make sure you have some blankets and pillows (or other suitable seating arrangements) and, if you’re going to dine in the dark, some lights or candles. A rooftop picnic can also be easily transformed from a fun group activity to an intimate date night under the stars.

Go On a Walking Tour of Your City
Ally lives in Boston, a city full of rich history and amazing architecture. No matter where you live, you likely have some cool sites or unexplored areas that you can venture to! The best part? A walking tour is of little or no cost to you! Convince some friends or a date to come along, and then plot your route. Try searching online for interesting places to visit, and make yourself a walking map of the different places you want to go. Not only will you learn some cool new things about your town, but you’ll also get some free exercise. It’s a win-win!

Have a Themed Date Night at Home
Ally and Colin have a Mexican-themed date night in, and you can easily and inexpensively do the same! Take this as an opportunity and a challenge to learn to cook a new type of cuisine, and to expand your horizons. Try making homemade pasta sauce, meatballs and spaghetti, grab a bottle of vino, and rent an Italian classic like La Dolce Vita. Or try your hand at making chow mein and watch some badly dubbed kung fu movies at home. The possibilities are endless!

Save Money by NOT Wasting Food - Check the Expiration Dates

One of the easiest ways to save money is to always make sure to not WASTE money.  If your family tends to take a while to use up the groceries you bring home, you want to make sure that everything gets eaten before it goes bad.

To extend the time you have to do this, be sure to check the expiration dates on the packages before you put them in the shopping cart at the store.  If it's something you always use in a hurry, it's no big deal, but if there is a chance of it going bad, you should check!  Often two products sitting right next to each other may have expiration dates days or even weeks apart.  By checking you also get the very freshest products every time.

As an example, I went to buy bagels today.  I'm not crazy about the bagels Mario likes to eat, so last time they were on the very edge of going bad before he ate the last one.  When I checked the bagels today, one was dated 1/20 while the other was 1/23.  I grabbed the 1/23 bag (of course), so they should be super fresh and also give us at least 11 days to use them up.

Do you have any tips to help avoid wasting food?  Leave us a comment below and share.

Should You Switch to a Credit Union? What are the Pros & Cons?

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about switching from the big corporate banks to smaller local banks and credit unions.  The new fees and other policies implemented by the large banks have spurred much of this discussion.  Last Saturday, November 5th, was declared "Bank Transfer Day" and many people actually did pull their money out of their big bank and transferred it to a credit union.

I do have an account with our local credit union, but most of our banking is still done through two of the biggest banks.  I seriously considered switching on the 5th, but didn't have time to weigh all the options.  Today, the Learnvest newsletter had a great article that I wish I had seen earlier!   The article, titled Should You Move Your Money to a Credit Union? explains some of the best features of credit unions, like lower fees and better customer service. It also lets you know reasons that you might need to think twice about using a credit union, like if you need a lot of technology/online banking or if you move or travel often.

Read the article for yourself to come to your own conclusion.  I have to say I am really enjoying the articles from the Learnvest newsletter - it's free to sign up and the education is priceless!

Paper Plate Spiderwebs: An Easy, Fun & Inexpensive Halloween Craft Idea

Last week in ECFE, my nephew made this super cute Halloween spiderweb craft.  It is very easy to do and costs next to nothing.

Supplies:

Small black paper plates
White Yarn
Hole Punch
Tape
Plastic Spider (or plastic spider ring)

How to:

Use the hole punch to randomly punch holes around the paper plate.  Then give your little one a long piece of white yarn with some tape wrapped around the end to make it easier to "thread" through the holes.  Tape the other end of the yarn to the back of the plate. Let them loop the yarn back and forth through the holes to create a spiderweb design.  Leave a few inches of loose yarn at the end and tie on the plastic spider.

Find more fun Halloween projects here:

eighteen25, momnivore's dilemma, Someday Crafts, Momfuse, Somewhat Simple.

How to Make Your Pumpkins Last Until Halloween - Keep Them Off Cement

It's fun to have Halloween decorations up early, but pumpkins bought early in the month can sometimes rot before Halloween.  To prevent this from happening, do NOT set your pumpkin directly on your cement front steps.  Place a piece of cardboard between your pumpkins and the cement. Also, if your temperatures will be dipping below freezing, take your pumpkins inside for the night.

Thanks to Eveland Family Farm for the tip!

How to Make Your Produce Last Longer & Avoid Spoilage

Photo by william couch

One of the best ways to save money on produce is to not let your fruits and veggies go bad.  How often do you go to pull a pepper or a head of broccoli from the fridge and find out that it is already on it's way to the garbage bin or compost heap?  Here are some simple tips to make your produce last longer:

Tomatoes:  Do NOT refrigerate tomatoes.  They do the best when they are set out on the counter to use.  They may last a bit longer in the fridge, but the cold will damage their texture and flavor.

Lettuce & Other Fresh Veggies:  Removing excess moisture from your veggies' environment can work wonders.  (Too much moisture leads to early rot.)  You can help by placing a paper towel in the plastic bag that they came in.  For veggies like green beans, cucumbers and zucchini leave the bag open.  However, for lettuce or other leafy greens, close up the bag.    

Fruit:  Fruit actually keeps best if you take it OUT of the plastic bag and store it in your fridge's crisper drawer.  Bell peppers (both red and green) also fall into this category.

Onions, Garlic, Potatoes:  These all do best when stored in your pantry rather than the fridge.  If you have a cooler area of the pantry or house, that would be optimal.  Keep your onions away from your potatoes however as their gases can speed up spoilage.

Find more great Works for me Wendnesday posts here.

Finding the Best Deals on School Supplies

Shopping for school supplies can put a significant dent in your budget if you’re not careful. These tips will help you save money as you shop for school supplies with your kids.

Do a School Supply Inventory
Know what school supplies you already have before heading to the store to buy more. Dig through craft supplies lying around the house, and gather up materials that can be used for the new school year. These could include pencils, notebooks, reams of paper, folders, glue, scissors, and more. Set them all on a desk or table and compare them to your child’s school supply list, narrowing down what you need to go out and buy.

Keep it Simple
Companies market to children just as they do to adults, and this includes school supplies. The fancy gel pens that smell like different kinds of fruit concoctions are expensive, and items like these will quickly destroy a budget. These bright and shiny products may be tempting for both you and your children. Grab your school supply list and stay focused on what you need to purchase, sticking with the more inexpensive items. Instead of those gel pens, choose the regular, less expensive kind to save some extra pennies – they add up!

Use Your Smartphone
If you have the technology, use it while shopping for school supplies. Mobile apps like RedLaser turns your Smartphone into a scanner that you can use on bar codes of the products you want to buy. This app then finds where else you can purchase the products along with comparable prices - this could definitely help you find a better deal on the school supplies you need.

Go Online
Along with a Smartphone, there are many online resources you can use to find the best deals on school supplies. Using your favorite search engine, research money-saving blogs that are local to your area – many of them will have school supply deals sorted by store. Search out printable coupons that you can take with you, along with any particular store deals that you want to take advantage of. If you have a favorite retail chain, take a look at their ads online to make the most of your shopping excursion for school supplies.

Donate Extras
If you find a great deal, this is the time to stock up in order to give to others. Use those extra school supplies that you found for great prices to give to kids or classrooms in need. Search out community groups that support kids in foster homes or homeless kids trying to go to school to provide them with necessary school supplies based on the deals you’ve scored. This will not only help your children, but others in your community as well!

This guest post is courtesy of Kelly Wilson, a busy mom of two boys heading to school in the fall. For more information about helping kids in their local community, contact Dr. Ben Aanderud, a Dentist in Sherwood, Oregon at Pacific Family Dental.

Make Your Own All-Purpose Cleaner

I was looking through an old recipe box  today (some of those cards are over 20 years old!) and I found a recipe that I used to make for all-purpose cleaner.  I forgot how good this was and decided it's  time to start making it again.  It is VERY cheap to make and works well.

1 gallon hot water
1/4 c sudsy amonia
1/4 c vinegar
1 Tbsp baking soda

Mix well and store in spray bottles or, if using for floors, you can store in an empty milk or water jug.

Are You Wasting Liquid Laundry Detergent? How Much You REALLY Need to Use

Laundry detergent manufacturers are sneaky. When you go to add detergent to your washer, how many of you just fill up the cap and throw it in? If you do, you are wasting a LOT of detergent. If you ever stop to read the back of a detergent bottle, it will tell you that for a regular size load of laundry you should fill the cap to a particular mark. The problem is THAT MARK IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE! To prepare for writing this post, I compared three different bottles of detergent and on two of them I actually had to rub my finger inside of the cap to find the mark because it was almost imperceptible to the naked eye. And guess where that mark is....way down near the bottom of the cap! So, the correct amount of detergent for most brands is actually only about 1/4 cap-full.

Check it out for yourself. Then, if you want to make it easier to remember in the future and to judge the correct amount, take a black marker and mark the cap at the appropriate level. And (this will probably be the biggest savings) if your spouse or older kids help with the laundry, be sure to fill them in on this point too - - you KNOW they always fill the cap all the way.

Find more great Works for Me Wednesday posts here. 

Visit Your Local Library for a Wealth of Free Services and Resources

Today's modern libraries aren't just for borrowing books. Although it is wonderful to have access to thousands of books that are absolutely FREE to read, there is a lot more your library has to offer....and you won't spend a dime using these services.

Besides loaning books, almost all libraries have a large selection of movies, CDs, audio books and more. Our local library even lends out free passes for local museums, parks, zoos and other attractions. Many of these have quite expensive admission prices, so if you can get in free through the library, that is a great savings.

If you have kids, there are lots of great free services for them to enjoy. There may be storytime for the little ones or even free weekly classes. Older kids can use library computers for free, join a book club or maybe even get homework tutoring at no charge. Many libraries also have summer reading programs where participating kids have a chance to earn or win prizes.

Adults have many options available to them at the library as well. You can join a book club, listen to presentations by authors or reserve library meeting rooms for your clubs and organizations. If you're looking for a job, the library has many excellent resources. Besides having computers to aid in your job search (either use the library computers or bring your own laptop and use their internet access), many larger libraries have online and in-library academic coaching, practice test assistance and writing resources. They may also have free job skills and/or interviewing classes.

To find out what is offered at your local library, stop in and visit or check out the library web site online.  If you haven't been  to the library in years, you will be amazed at how far they have come.

Be Green to Save Green (or How I got to Meet Ed Begley Jr. Thanks to Ford!)

When we think about being green and saving the environment, many of us first think of buying organic produce, putting solar panels on our roof, and driving a new hybrid vehicle....all things that can cost a lot of money as start-up propositions.  But there are things you can do that don't cost a lot of money and actually will SAVE you a lot of money that can make a big environmental impact.  Earlier this week, Ed Begley, Jr. personally gave me some tips to pass on to Thrifty Jinxy readers.  Read on to see how this happened and, of course, to see the tips......

You may have noticed that things have been a bit quiet around here at Thrifty Jinxy lately.  That's because I was away for a few days to attend the Forward with Ford event in Dearborn, Michigan.  All-in-all it was a fabulous event.  What made it special was that it wasn't JUST about cars...it was about trends for the future, where we are headed and what we need to do to make sure that future is a bright one.

One of the highlights for me was the session on Living Green.  Before hearing about the green vehicle options from Ford, including Hybrid Electric, Plug-In Hybrid Electric, and All Electric Vehicles (I'll share more about all of them later), we were treated to a presentation by Ed Begley, Jr.  If you don't know who Ed is, you're probably too young to remember St. Elsewhere....but he has also become well-known because of his work as an award winning environmentalist. His eco-friendly lifestyle was showcased on the Planet Green series Living with Ed.

At Forward with Ford, Ed shared with us his journey to become the die-hard eco-advocate he is today, as well as how all of us can get our foot in the door of eco-friendly living.  Ed related that he really started getting involved in the 1970s when he was living in LA and choking on smog every day.  That was also around the time (1969) when the Cuyahoga River caught fire (due to being filled with oil and debris), which sounded the alarm for many that something needed to be done.  Ed was a broke and struggling actor and didn't have a lot of money to spare.  But he did care about what he saw happening to the environment and wanted to help make a change for the better.  He started doing things that were cheap and easy to do - recycle, compost, eat a vegetarian diet, bike and take the bus.  As he started doing these things he realized that he was also saving money! 

What he did next really got the ball rolling. He took the money he had saved through his green efforts and invested it in things that further helped the environment and really helped his wallet as well. He bought a solar oven and his natural gas bill went down. He bought a rain barrel to collect water and his water bill went down. After a few months of doing these things he had saved enough to buy a $950 electric car (which he described more as a golf cart with a windshield wiper and a horn). After 15 years of doing all of this, he could finally afford solar. He bought a solar hot-water heater for his house. Later, after he saved more and also had some cash rolling in from St. Elsewhere, he invested in a wind turbine in the California dessert. 26 years later it is still working, providing power and sending checks Ed's way.

So it all boils down to the idea that you can start small, see results and then build on those results.   After his presentation, I had a chance to meet Ed (cool, right?!?!) and I asked him what I thought would be a question relevant to Thrifty Jinxy readers:  "What are 3 things that are cheap (or free) and easy that we can do that will make an impact on the environment and also save us money?"  Ed answered with:

• Ride a bike if weather and fitness permit
• Take public transporation if available near you
• Put up energy efficient lighting in your home.

Ed equated buying a hybrid electric or electric vehicle as being "higher up the hill".  He said, "You start to move up up this Mt. Everest of environmental hills by getting to base camp, getting acclimated and doing the kinds of things that are affordable TODAY...like weatherstripping around doors and windows."

And I loved this next point he made:  "I have been an actor since 1967 - never a leading man. I'm very happy with my position in the food chain as a supporting actor and I made an ok living, but I can retire now when some of my friends who made a lot more money than me cannot Why? Because my bills are so low."  The things he does like making his own electricity, rarely going to the gas pump, heating water with the sun, growing food in the backyard...it all adds up. 

So the next time you think about being green, think about all the little things you can do to start on the path to saving the environment and saving yourself a nice little nest egg.


Disclosure: I was invited to participate in this program by Ford and Ogilvy PR. Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations at the event, I was not compensated in any other manner for my time. My opinions posted here are my own.  

Cars 2 Craft Project - Make Tube Racers

Cars 2 Week at Thrifty Jinxy continues with another fun craft project. Take this idea for a spin and turn an ordinary toilet paper tube into a hot rod!

SUPPLIES:

Toilet paper tube
Acrylic paint
Scissors
Hole puncher
Black craft foam
Aluminum foil
Glue
Paper for decorations (optional)
Small paper fasteners

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Coat the tube with acrylic paint.

2. When it's dry, mark the location of the cockpit, steering wheel, and wheels as shown.

3. Snip out the cockpit and punch holes at the wheel and steering wheel marks. Fold the steering wheel flap down and the other flap up to serve as a seat back.

4. Cut 4 wheels (about the size of the toilet tube ends) and a quarter-sized steering wheel out of black craft foam.

5. Cut 4 quarter-size hubcaps out of aluminum foil. Punch holes in the centers of all the circles. Glue the hubcaps onto the wheels and decorate the steering wheel with foil accents.

6. Give your mean machine a custom paint job; you can glue on paper decorations and add numbers as well.

7. When you're ready to roll, attach the wheels and steering wheel to the tube with small paper fasteners. --- Start your engines!


See all of our other Cars 2 fun and giveaways here.

Cars 2 Craft Project - Make Tire Track T-Shirts!

We have more Cars 2 fun today with a craft project. This is a fun way to liven-up a boring plain t-shirt. Your kids could even wear these to go see Cars 2!  Using a small tire, such as a lawn mower replacement tire or a wheel from a large toy dump truck, you can leave striking patterns of tracks on your "plain 'ol" T.

SUPPLIES:
• Newspaper
• T-shirt
• Cardboard
• Wooden dowel or long handle wooden spoon
• Small replacement tire or large toy truck wheel
• 2 rubber bands
• Black fabric paint
• Paper plate
• Foam brush

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cover your work surface with newspaper or a drop cloth.

2. Place the T-shirt flat  and place a piece of cardboard between the front and back layers to prevent the paint from bleeding through.

3. Insert the dowel/spoon handle through the center of the tire. If the handle isn't thick enough to keep the tire from sliding back and forth, wrap a rubber band around the wood on each side of the hub.

4. Pour some fabric paint onto the paper plate. Use the foam brush to apply paint to the tire treads all the way around.

5. Now have your child take a practice run or two by rolling the tire across newspaper to see how the prints look. Once he/she gets the hang of it, apply more paint to the tire, and you're ready to print tracks on the shirt. Print a pair of tracks, like the ones on the shirts shown here, or cover the shirt with a crisscross of prints.

6. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before removing the cardboard. Then heat set the paint according to the manufacturer's directions.

See all of our other Cars 2 fun and giveaways here.

Easy Way to Make Your Own Pickles (Cheater's Trick!)

This is an easy way to make yourself a jar of pickles by just "reusing" your old pickle juice.  Once your current pickle jar is empty, save the juice.  Then take a regular cucumber, slice it thinly, and then put the slices in the jar with the liquid.  Let it sit in the refrigerator for a few days and that's it - you have a new jar of pickles!