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Recently, I bought a supply of coffee filters that turned out to be the wrong size. And I mean so wrong they could not be altered to fit because they were just too small. And I didn't realize this until I opened the package - the economy-size package, I might add. Since then, I've been looking for unique ways to use coffee filters. I really believed I'd thought of every possible use. That is until I heard from Amy W. of Michigan, who suggested using coffee filters to make a tea bag.

"My English mother-in-law sent me some "proper" loose English tea with a tea strainer, but I didn't like the mess of the strainer and felt as if I was wasting a lot of tea," says Amy. "So I scooped about a tablespoon into a coffee filter, used a twist-tie to close it (which doubled as a dunking string), and made my own tea bag. Even though it took a few extra minutes to steep, I got my tea fix."

Other helpful household hints:

Leather scuffs. - To repair scratches on leather furniture, I have had terrific results with shoe scuff cover in an appropriate color. Sponge it on, and wipe the excess off immediately.

Pan liner help. - Use a few wooden spring-loaded clothespins when lining a pan with wax paper, parchment paper or even aluminum foil. Anchor the paper across one side with two or three pins, leaving hands free to help mold the paper across the bottom and up the other side. After you fill the pan, just remove the pins, and it all stays in place.

Pasta jars. - Save the large plastic jars that mayonnaise comes in and use them as storage for pasta and rice. Empty the contents of the plastic bags or boxes of pasta and rice into the jars. The jars keep the food fresh without any moisture problems. They are a great size, and they're easy to store.

* Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.