HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I don’t think I’ve seen this tip before: I’ve started folding up a plastic grocery bag as small as I possibly can, and I put it in my purse before sporting events. Then when I get to my seat, I remove the bag and put my purse in it, so when I put the purse under my seat, it stays clean. Hope this helps someone else.

— Cammie Brantley, San Antonio

DEAR HELOISE: Whenever I travel, I pack a pair of night-lights to place around the hotel or motel room. If someone has to get up during the night, it helps prevent them from tripping over something in the dark and helps them find their way around an unfamiliar room.

I leave the packaging where it can easily be seen so I don’t forget to pack them in the morning. It’s also a good idea for when you’re staying somewhere overnight while visiting friends or family.

— J.L., via email

DEAR HELOISE: While some Mexican vanilla is made from tonka tree beans, this is not the real, good stuff. True Mexican vanilla is made from the processed seed pods of the vanilla orchid, which is a different kind of orchid than the one Madagascar vanilla is made from. The process for both is very similar.

And not all American vanilla extract is made with vanilla beans. Some are synthesized flavorings, which are supposed to be labeled as “an imitation of vanilla.”

— Tom Cain, Fort Wayne, Ind.

DEAR HELOISE: Many of today’s beauty products are applied with brushes, but some are flimsy and inefficient. I have found that the best way to apply powders, foundations, etc., are with a man’s shaving soap brush. It is sturdier, more compact and easier to use. It’s less expensive, too. Try it, ladies!

— Jean Milici, Torrington, Conn.

DEAR HELOISE: In response to your hints about what to do with old landline phones, you can also buy an adapter that allows you to receive calls from your cellphone on your landline phone for more comfortable chats.

— F.V., via email