Destination dissent

Dear Readers: We received a lot of mail about a recent letter related to DESTINATION WEDDINGS, and the following are some of the comments made. — Heloise

“Destination weddings are hurtful to family members who cannot attend but wish they could help celebrate the happy day.” —An Old Auntie in Kentucky

“To me, the answer is simple — ELOPE. You can have your Hawaiian wedding, and no one else has to come.” — Helen in Iowa

“Why would someone want to get married but not have family and friends come to help celebrate the day? It seems selfish to me.” — Gail M. in Michigan

“It seems to me that the couple are saying, ‘Send us a gift but don’t bother coming to our wedding’ when they have destination weddings.” — James B. in California

“I see nothing wrong with destination weddings. A friend of mine had a destination wedding, but all the couple got from me was an email with my best wishes.” — June R. in Nebraska

A SICK PUPPY

Dear Heloise: In one of your columns, you advised people to not buy animals online. I didn’t listen! I bought a puppy online for $300 and got a very sick little guy who cost me over $1,200 in vet bills due to health issues. The veterinarian said it was due to inbreeding and probably a sick mother dog. That breeder is nowhere to be found now! In the future, I’ll only get a pet from a shelter or the pound. — J.F. in Ohio

LOVE YOUR FEET

Dear Heloise: Working in a podiatrist’s office, I see people with foot problems all the time. It’s the one part of the body people seem to neglect the most. To help keep your feet feeling better, try a few of these:

1. Go barefoot or just in a pair of socks around the house. Let your feet breathe and stretch. 2. Walk. This is good for all parts of your body, but your feet need to be exercised. 3. Roll a tennis ball or golf ball around with the bottom of your foot for at least 15 minutes daily. 4. If you have foot pain, weight loss will usually help. 5. Be certain your shoes fit properly. So many people wear shoes that pinch, are too narrow or cause pain.

— T. in Texas

IS IT REALLY FREE?

Household Hints

Dear Heloise: I got an offer to try a free sample of cosmetics, but they asked for my credit card number. I thought that was odd because if it’s free, they don’t need my credit card information. The woman on the other end of the phone said my card would not be charged, so I told her I’d love to have the free samples, but she was not getting my financial information. That was when I realized it was just another scam! — Lois in Utah

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.