Put your bills on auto pay
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯
This is in regard to Vance from Topeka, Kansas, who recommended not putting credit card bills on auto pay. I disagree. You should put credit card bills on auto pay, but for the minimum payment only.
If you ever forget to pay the bill timely, or you are incapacitated and unable to pay your bills, this will stop the card from charging you late fees and interest charges each month. If you normally pay a larger amount on your card each month, you can always make a second payment in addition to the minimum payment.
As always, check your credit card bill each month for “strange” charges. Most cards require you to report fraudulent payments within 6090 days.
— Terry King, Costa Mesa,
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯ It takes a few days for me to fully load my dishwasher. Intermittently, I run the rinse-and-hold cycle. It's a hot-water rinse and a great way to minimize the buildup of plastic residue from the gel packs.
— Steve Howard, Tarzana
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯
When sending holiday cards or newsletters, be sure to include your current email address and cellphone number. So many people no longer have landlines and haven't let their friends know of the new ways to reach them. Hearing the voice of an old friend can mean so much.
I love to read your hints in the Houston Chronicle. — Carolyn W., The Woodlands, Texas
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯ Many of us find it necessary to wear a sanitary napkin daily. When disposing of the used napkin, I highly recommend wrapping it in the plastic of the new pad, then putting all of it in a “junk mail” envelope, which can easily be rolled up to conceal its contents when placed in the kitchen trash basket.
I keep a supply of envelopes handy in the bathroom drawer, so I no longer have to wrap the soiled product in toilet paper. That way, I put these envelopes to good use with no additional expense to me.
— Barbara Hoch,
San Antonio
DEAR READERS ❯❯ Keep dishwasher hoses and drains clean and smelling fresh by adding vinegar to the rinse cycle every two to three months. This is a good idea for washing machines as well. Add a generous splash or two of white vinegar and run a small-load cycle.
I have put together a sixpage pamphlet called “Heloise's Fantabulous Vinegar Hints and More!” that contains many helpful vinegar hints. To order a copy, go to Heloise.com or send $5 and a long, self addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯ This is Cindy and Ken's Jack Russell Chihuahua (or Jack Chi), Wily Fox. To quote the movie “Rainman,” he is “an excellent driver!”
Readers, to see Wily Fox 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.