HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: My parents lost the memory card for their camera after taking a vacation. My hint is to write your name and address on a 3-by-5-inch card. Take a picture of it. That way, if you lose the memory card, maybe whoever finds it looks on it for a clue to who you are and sends it back.

  • Kim in Lowell, Mich.

DEAR READER: Why not add an e-mail address so the “finder” can contact you? If the person does send it on, a special thank-you would be in order.

DEAR READERS: Parents have been trying to save money by buying secondhand baby gear forever. But there are items that should not be bought used, for the safety of your child. Here are two that you should not buy secondhand:

Car seats: A car seat should never be reused after an accident. When bought secondhand, you don’t know the seat’s history.

Cribs: Safety standards on cribs frequently are updated. Never buy a crib with drop down sides.

Many things can be bought secondhand. You must inspect them before purchasing. Do not buy if the item has any loose, damaged or missing parts. For the latest recall information, visit recalls.gov.

DEAR HELOISE: In reference to your column about keeping cats out of flower beds: I put moth flakes in mine at times when cats come in, and this makes them stay out. I also sprinkle it in my yard if dogs come in for bathroom use. It doesn’t hurt the yard, and the smell leaves in a day or so. Hope this helps.

  • Mary W. in Houston

DEAR HELOISE: I used to carry hand sanitizer in my car for use after pumping gas.

Instead, I now carry gardening gloves in the side pocket of my car door. When I pump gas, I slip them on, and when finished, I return them to the car door. My hands stay clean, and when the gloves get dirty they are easily added to a load of wash.

  • Selena P. in Houston

DEAR HELOISE: I discovered that my snow shovel works great to help scoop up leaves and yard waste along with my rake. Just use the shovel like a dustpan and rake the leaves into it. You can pick up much more than using just your hands, and you don’t have to bend over as much.

  • Nancy R., Ohio

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or e-mail [email protected]

MovieStyle, Pages 32 on 07/12/2013

Upcoming Events