HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: My doctor has prescribed a medication that costs $140 per month (and that’s the generic brand). A dear friend of mine needs to take heart meds that cost over $300 out-of-pocket each month. I heard a case on the news a few days ago about someone who must decide whether to fill a script for insulin or get their heart medication instead. Something must be done to help those who skip their medications in order to have enough money to eat or pay rent.
— Renee in Arizona
DEAR HELOISE: I love my indoor plants but always had a problem with the dripping mess that I seem to make while I water each one. I had to be especially careful when I watered my orchids. Finally, a friend suggested I use ice cubes with a little fertilizer added to each one. Now there is no mess on the floor to clean up and each plant looks healthy. My orchids are blooming with beautiful flowers. It’s so easy to walk around with an ice cube tray instead of a heavy watering can.
— Helen in Mississippi
DEAR HELOISE: I saved a piece of very pretty floral wrapping paper and covered a coffee can with it. Then I put a plain glass inside to hold fresh flowers. I love the way it looks, and I can change it out with other wrapping paper designs when I get tired of this one.
— Doris in Nevada DEAR READER: This would be such fun to change the paper according to the occasion … birthdays, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc.
DEAR HELOISE: When I bring home a bunch of bananas from the grocery store, I often notice fruit flies in my kitchen. How can I get rid of these pests and prevent their return?
— Hannah in Florida DEAR READER: Most people don’t realize that the eggs of fruit flies can already be on the skins of the bananas. A warm kitchen makes it easy for them to hatch. Try rinsing your bananas in tap water and drying them with a paper towel before placing them on your counter. That should eliminate any eggs before they can hatch.
For the pests already making themselves at home, fill a bowl halfway with water and stir in a tablespoon of sugar and a couple drops of liquid dish soap. Set the bowl next to the bananas, and the flies will be attracted to the solution and drown.
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