Combination locks can help with forgotten keys

Dear Heloise: I read with interest about the senior citizens who discussed forgetting their keys when trying to get into their homes and how expensive it is to get a locksmith. They also mentioned hiding keys in multiple spots, but the easier solution is the same thing I’ve done in my business, Olde Judge Mansion B & B, which is a bed-andbreakfast.

Get one of the combination locks and put it on the front door. You can change the combination any time you want; usually, it’s just four numbers that you type in, and then the door opens for you. It’s a great solution. Other members can also have another combination because they usually take up to 10 different combinations.

In an emergency, you can easily give the authorities a special code for them to get in. Make sure you put that on the door, and remember that it can always be changed afterward.

T.U., Troy, New York

Dear Heloise: Joe and Jean from Missouri should look into condo living for their retirement. Lawn maintenance is taken care of by the association. Snow plowing is, too.

Maddy, in Vermont

Dear Heloise: This is yet another follow-up to those who experience unexpected fees on their restaurant bills. If extra charges are not clearly posted in public view or on the menu, or the server does not inform you of them prior to ordering, you are under no obligation to pay them. Simply refuse. The business has no legal ground to stand on.

Jim Maroney, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Dear Heloise: Here’s a few really easy hints that have made life a little easier for me.

First, I often see people struggling to open up the skimpy produce bags at the grocery store by licking their fingers to get a better hold on the opening of the bag. Ew! When you head into the store, grab a wet wipe from your car or from the front of the store in order to wet your fingers.

If you are in the produce section and don’t have access to wipes, then pick up a water-sprayed produce item first (I always go for the cilantro) and then bag it. From there, get whatever else you’re buying and touch your cilantro purchase to freshly wet your fingers before you open the next plastic storage bag. Don’t lick your fingers!

Second, a rather simple way to contain different-sized rubber bands in the kitchen junk drawer is to string them on a large safety pin. You can easily slip off whatever size you need from the pin and reclasp it.

Thanks, Heloise, for all the handy tips and great recipes. Sending my best regards!