Making good habits dealing with inflation

Dear Heloise: You recently had a letter about dealing with inflation from Harriet S. Your answer was correct. I would like to say, I try to shop by only buying things on sale — all the time, not just when there is inflation.

If we shop semi-frugally all the time, a bump in the road won’t hurt as much because we already are used to doing things that way. Things will get better. We just have to be patient.

— Rich S., Connecticut

Wearing clothes a second time

Dear Heloise: Regarding the letter of having an area in the closet for clothes you wish to wear again before laundering, I simply turn those items inside out. That way, it reminds me they have been worn more than once, and I feel it also airs them out a little.

— M.G., via email

Lumpy gravy solution

Dear Heloise: If all else fails with your gravy, just put it in your blender, and that will quickly smooth it out. The first Thanksgiving at my house, my mother-in-law had lumpy gravy, and it was my husband who suggested tossing it in the blender. It turned out great.

— Marie, Claremont, Calif.

Ants be gone

Dear Readers: If you have an ant problem, with them marching all over your counters, simply mix a solution of half vinegar and half water to wipe the counters, and ants will stay away.

Vinegar is such an indispensable and safe household product, which can be used for cleaning, deodorizing and cooking, as you have discovered. I’ve put together a six-page pamphlet full of vinegar uses that you can have by visiting www.heloise.com or by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (78 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: If you want to fluff up your meringue, add 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar to three egg whites.

— Heloise

Stretching food dollars

Dear Heloise: You asked about economizing during inflation. I used 2 pounds of ground beef to make taco meat. I invited some friends for dinner; five of us each ate two tacos. The next day, I used the leftover meat to make a pasta skillet dish with frozen vegetables, spices and tomato sauce. My husband and I ate that for two days. That two pounds of meat went a long way.

— Linda Richter, via email

Pet pal

Dear Heloise: Cherie is our rescue from Puerto Rico. We adopted her on her first birthday in 2019, so she is called a COVID-19 rescue pet. She is the most lovable, affectionate, spoiled Dachshund/Jack Russell mix we have ever adopted.

— Richard Perreault Readers, to see Cherie and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.”

Do you have a furry friend to share with our readers? Send a photo and a brief description to Heloise@Heloise.com. — Heloise

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@ Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.