For more years than I like to admit, I've been collecting and disseminating timesaving and money-saving tips. Readers email them to me, hand them to me on little scraps of paper and even send them in the mail. Some are hilarious; others are downright weird. The very best ones are in this column.

I will admit that not all of my favorite tips could singlehandedly turn a person's financial situation from red to black. Or free up hours every day. Take the tip of sharpening scissors, which is currently in my personal top 10: Tear off a length of aluminum foil. Fold it in half three or four times to create multiple layers. Cut several times through all those layers with your dull scissors. They'll be sharp as a razor in no time at all.

My common sense told me such a tactic would make slightly dull scissors totally worthless. But I was wrong. This tip really works, and it works so well I offered up my good dressmaker shears to its power.

OK, so let's look at the big picture here. As much as I appreciate a sharp pair of scissors, I must admit to having never paid to have scissors sharpened professionally. I cannot say the effort saved me any money at all.

So, if this tip for keeping scissors sharp doesn't really put any money in my pocket, why do it? Or more importantly, perhaps, why am I such a fan? Because it empowers me. To know that every pair of scissors in my home has a sharp cutting edge makes me smile. I love knowing that I can do something that brings me pleasure and makes my life a little easier and doesn't require forking out money. Perhaps it's like the 2-year-old who, after learning to dress herself, insists on always doing it herself. It feels grown-up.

There's something to be said for finding new ways to be independent and self-reliant. When I can figure out how to launder items that clearly state "dry clean only," I'm giddy with joy. Dry cleaning is anything but cheap these days. When I make a gallon of my own hardwood and laminate floor cleaner (a wonderful substitute for the pricey Bona Pro Series Hardwood Floor Cleaner), I avoid spending at least $15.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.