Count it out for a change

Dear Readers: Today’s Sound Off is about salesclerks who don’t know how to count your change.— Heloise

Dear Heloise: My wife and I read your column in the Antelope Valley Press in Lancaster, Calif. We have never been disappointed. I personally enjoy the

“Sound Off” issues.

One of my pet peeves is watching a retail clerk trying to return change from a $20 bill. One of the first things I learned in grade school was how to count change. We were told that the reason was so we could be assured we got the right change.

I have had to call a manager while at the checkout on three occasions just last week. Being retired, I have the patience to help, but why should I have to?—John and Karen H.,

Lancaster, Calif.

Fast Facts

Dear Readers: Here are some other uses for ashtrays:

Use it in a bathroom to hold guest soaps.

Use to hold seed to feed the squirrels and birds.

Store hair ornaments in the larger ones.

Use it to hold your car/house keys so you’ll always know where to find them.

Keep lose change in them.

—Heloise

No Oil Leak

Dear Heloise: I went to

a beauty-supply store and bought a straight-tip, leakproof applicator for hair color. Just pour up to 8 ounces of olive oil into it, tighten the lid well, and you have the perfect applicator to dispense olive oil. No spills, and no awkward tipping of a large container.—Frances M., Fayetteville, Ark. Frances, what a great idea! So many times we forget that useful products can be found in many different places. With just a little imagination, you can repurpose any number of things.—Heloise

Plants and Air

Dear Heloise: As pretty as plants in our homes can be, they have another very useful benefit: Green plants clean the air and improve the quality of the air we breathe in our homes. Plants have air-purification capabilities that allow them to absorb gases through pores on the surface of their leaves. But a word of caution: Some plants are toxic to children and pets, so choose wisely when buying a plant for your home.—Hollister H., Stamford, Conn.

Hollister, thank you for this information. I love the look of indoor plants and the benefits they provide to the air quality in my home.—Heloise

Did You Know?

Dear Readers: The U.S. Postal Service handles about 47 percent of the world’s mail.—Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise

P.O. Box 795000

San Antonio, TX 78279-5000 Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com