HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: It’s nice that some companies offer discounts for seniors, but I wish more would consider doing this as well. Most seniors enjoy going out to dinner or lunch, but not enough of our local restaurants offer discounts, and even if they do, you have to ask for them. All businesses could increase their patronage if they offered a decent discount. Remember, we seniors live on very little and what we get in Social Security has to stretch a long way.
— Michael in Texas
DEAR HELOISE: While I was wrapping a birthday gift, I realized I needed something inside the box to pad and protect the gift, so I took leftover gift wrapping paper and put it through our shredder. I had plenty of packing material and it looked colorful and attractive to the eye.
— Frances in Massachusetts
DEAR HELOISE: I found that my garage door opener wouldn’t work even with new batteries installed. I looked for some sandpaper, but found we had none, so I used an emery board to sand the contact ends very carefully. Then the garage door opener worked just fine after that little bit of sanding.
— Lois in Washington
DEAR HELOISE: I’ve discovered that when wrapping a gift, it’s always best to put the greeting card inside the box rather than taping it to the outside. This way, it won’t get lost or accidentally torn off.
— Grace in Oklahoma
DEAR HELOISE: My husband and I love to travel, and appreciate the hotels and motels that provide coffee machines. We take along our own bottled water because the taste of water can vary from place to place. We also pack our own pillows because they’re clean and familiar.
— T.J. in Florida
DEAR HELOISE: I sunbathe and love the beach. While I use sunblock on my skin, I’ve noticed that my hair looks brittle and dry. What can I do to protect my hair from sun damage?
— Jodi in California DEAR READER: To protect your hair from the sun’s damaging rays, always wear a hat or scarf when you’re out in the sun. Dry and brittle hair needs to be cut regularly, and always use a good shampoo and conditioner. And, if you venture out without a hat, there are SPF sprays made especially for hair to protect from sun damage.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com