Close to a year ago, my colleague Savannah asked me for some help with the home-repair directions in what was then a book-in-progress, now the bona fide book Be Thrifty. My qualifications are not, shall we say, extensive. I can tell a Slotted screwdriver from a Phillips, and I rarely require more than four attempts to strike any given nail. So my edit process involved a trip to Home Depot’s website; some practice hammering; and an inspection of the various doors, windows, and fixtures around the office—what we like to call method editing.

The bonus of method editing (aside from the fact that it gets the job done) is that you truly learn while you edit. The next time I visited my parents’ house, rather than just jiggle the handle on our chronically running toilet, I was actually inspired to take a look inside the tank, diagnose the problem, and replace a faulty shutoff valve. (You’re welcome.)

More recently, I had an opportunity to strut my stuff when my downstairs neighbor, Kate, came up to ask if I could help her install a new doorknob. Step One: Remove the old knob. With no screws in sight, Kate had wedged a Slotted screwdriver between the plate and the door in an attempt to pry the whole thing apart. Poor Kate. Had I not read Be Thrifty, I, too, might have tried to rip the knob in half. But I knew we needed to release the internal spring catch, easily accomplished by pressing any narrow, sturdy tool into the small hole on the stem of the interior knob. I removed and replaced Kate’s doorknob in all of about five minutes, and walked away feeling highly self-satisfied, and yes, a little bit manlier.

P.S. Props to colleague and master editor Ruth Sullivan, the original method editor.

Having recently purchased a cream colored rug, and then promptly spilling a glass of red wine on it, I’m always looking for a quick rundown of stain removal tricks. I can never remember if you’re supposed to use warm or cold water, if vinegar sets stains or lifts, and if an ink spot means your shirt is heading for the trash can.  But, Pia Catton and Califia Suntree’s Be Thrifty gives easy tricks to get out commonly smudged, smeared, and spilled substances. My impractical-colored rug will thank me…

To prevent stains from sticking around for good, you need to be quick and targeted. The following formulas work on clothes, furniture and carpets, though each type of material will respond to different tricks in its own way.

Antiperspirant: Combine half a teaspoon dish detergent (or castile soap), a few drops of white vinegar, and a half-cup water. Press into the stain with a rag. Flush with water and blot.

Blood: Spit on it. It’s true—your own saliva is the best thing for getting your own blood out fast. Next line of defense: Soak the stained item in cold water mixed with a handful of salt, or apply equal parts ammonia and water with a sponge. Weirdly, bleach doesn’t work well on bloodstains.

Chocolate: Rinse the stain thoroughly, from the back if possible, with cold water.

Coffee: With a sponge, apply a mixture of half a teaspoon of white vinegar to 2 cups of cold water.

Gum: Freeze it by applying an ice cube to the gum. The frozen gum should break off.

Hair dye: Use a little shampoo—it gets it off your skin, and it should work on your clothes.

Ink: Gently massage some aerosol hairspray into the stain, then run it under cold water.

Makeup: Regular detergent should do the trick. First pretreat the stain with alcohol or a stain remover. (This should work on any grease.)

Red wine: Apply a little white wine if available. Then sprinkle liberally with salt (it absorbs) and rinse immediately, rubbing the stain out.

Sweat: Apply a mixture of water and baking soda or a few teaspoons of white vinegar. If this doesn’t work, soak in salt water.

Vegetable oil: Use a liquid dish detergent that cuts grease.

Wax: Scrape off what you can. Put a paper towel over the wax and iron until all the wax is absorbed.

Your shoes can take a beating. They get soaked in an unexpected rainstorm. Heels are caught and scraped in sidewalk grates. Boots get squashed in the back or your closet during the summer months. Worst of all, shoes are expensive, and when you find a pair you love, you want to hold onto them for a while. Thankfully, Pia Catton and Califia Suntree’s Be Thrifty gives easy-to-follow tips to save your shoes and preserve them for many seasons…

Five Ways to Extend the Life of a Shoe:

1. If your shoes get soaked or muddied, wipe them clean while they are still wet and apply a coating of matching shoe polish to the damp uppers. Then stuff the shoes firmly with a newspaper, pushing it compactly into the toes with the handle of a wooden spoon.
2. The only shoes that cannot be dyed successfully are made of smooth plastic or nonporous synthetic materials. Most other shoes can be dyed to extend their life or freshen their appearance.
3. Canvas, denim, and satin shoes can be protected against stains. While they are still new, spray them with a fabric protector.
4. Use a matching permanent marker to touch up scuff marks on scratched or worn heels.
5. To store out-of-season shoes and boots, polish or clean them as usual, making sure they are dry before you put them away. Vinyl footwear can be stored in plastic bags, but leather and suede shoes should be wrapped in soft cloth or tissue paper. Ideally shoes should be blocked with paper or shoes trees; stuff the shafts of boots with paper.

All those Tupperware containers stacked up in your fridge with leftovers, you can’t throw them out, but you also don’t feel like eating the same meal over and over. Why not reinvent them to make a fresh new dish, while at the same time using what you already have in the kitchen. With these tips from Pia Catton and Califia Suntree’s upcoming book Be Thrifty, you’ll never look at leftovers the same way again.

Upcycling Your Leftovers and Odds and Ends:

Soups, stews and other “mixed-up dishes”: Resuscitate them and change the flavor by adding a different liquid—clam juice instead of tomato juice for example. Or add a new herb for freshness.

Casseroles such as rice pilafs and baked bean dishes: Add stock, toss in an additional ingredient, and serve as a hot soup.

Stir-fries: Refry with a new ingredient; add salad dressing and eat chilled or at room temperature; or mince, thin with a sauce, and toss over a bowl of pasta, lentils, or grains.

Poultry, veal, pork, and fish: With leaner flesh, it’s best not to reheat. Small amounts of leftovers can be chopped and gently warmed in soups, stews, or pasta dishes where texture doesn’t matter as much. Use them cold in salads or as sandwich stuffers. Use leftover seafood within a day.

Red meats like beef and lamb: Chop into pieces and reheat in soups, stews, casseroles, and stir-fried dishes; use in salads and sandwiches; or mince into burrito or taco fillings.

And don’t forget celery!: Chop and mix into green salads; slice into matchstick sizes; serve with hard cheeses; use in vegetable broth; chop and toss with carrots, garbanzo beans, scallions and olive oil for a quick salad; as a side dish braise in the oven with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of vegetable stock or water.