Take notice when buying gift cards

Dear Heloise: Gift cards are great to receive, but watch out – some of these gift cards, if not used within a year of the purchased date, the bank will start deducting a fee from the balance each month until it gets used. Check the gift card’s fine print on the back of the card. I learned the hard way, as I won a gift card for $200 that was good until July 2023.

When I called the bank to verify the amount, I was told there was only $28 left, due to a $2 service fee that was being deducted each month starting after the first year. The supervisor said there was nothing he could do, but that I better use it before Feb. 22 or another $2 will be deducted. Before you send a gift card to someone, check the fine print on the back.

P.S. I tried to cash out the card at a bank branch, and they refused to do that either. Lesson learned!

– Mary, Chino Hills, California Mary, thanks for the heads-up. Readers,

when you receive a gift card, be sure to read the fine print. Many gift cards do, indeed, charge service fees for activation, shipping and inactivity. – Heloise

Dear Readers: When your child’s favorite stuffed animal gets a bit dirty, try this to give it a quick clean. Sprinkle baking soda on its “fur”and let it remain on until it sets. Then, just brush it off, and the fur will be refreshed. Also, the top layer of grime should be gone.

My pamphlet “Heloise’s Baking Soda Hints and Recipes” provides even more hints about how baking soda can be used for cleaning and deodorizing. If you haven’t gotten your hands on this pamphlet yet, just send $5 along with a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX, 782795001.

FYI: If your books smell a tad musty, sprinkle a small amount of baking soda throughout the dry pages. Let sit for a day, and then brush out the soda. That smell should be gone. However, do not apply to antique or damp books.

– Heloise