HELOISE Old statements and records saved her money during recent divorce

Dear Heloise: Recently, someone asked how long to keep bank statements. I suggest forever. I recently went through a divorce, and the statements from 22 years ago gave me an additional $10,000. My parents had given me the money for the first down payment on our house. These statements were able to prove it -- you need these in court.
Also keep charge-card records forever. My husband said that certain pieces of furniture cost two times as much as they really did. I dug through my records and was able to prove him wrong, once again saving myself money.
One more piece of information: If you give your children large amounts of money, make copies of the checks; write that it is a gift to that child and what it was for. It could help your child in the future.
After 27 years of marriage, I had no idea I would be divorcing, but having this information helped me to regain monies that were mine. Michelle, via fax
Good advice for many. Of course, every situation is different and might vary by state. Please check with your lawyer about specifics. Disclaimer: This is not legal advice! However, Michelle's advice is good -- you never know. Heloise
P.S. Speaking of keeping financial records, etc., many financial institutions no longer return checks; some provide copies in your monthly statement and others none. Ask how long they have them "on file," etc. You might be shocked to find that some go back only so many years -- three, five or seven. Don't get caught unaware. Heloise
Dear Readers: If you are interrupted while knitting, it could be disastrous. To keep track of your stitches, use an abacus -- easy to see, and no missed stitches. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I enjoyed the letter from the person who was moving and used different-color stickers for objects with different destinations.
It made me smile to remember what happened when I did the same thing. We were moving, and I used colored tags on each item: some for storage, to go, to stay, etc. I was upstairs tagging away while our little girl played quietly downstairs the whole time, and I got a lot done. When I came downstairs, I found out why she had been so quiet. She was playing "store" and had changed every tag. Sally Jarvis, Lancaster, Pa.
Dear Heloise: When I pick up dry cleaning and must make other stops, for security purposes I turn the dry cleaner's receipts so that they don't show. They have my name, address and phone number on them. Jill in Dallas
Dear Heloise: I use rubber-mesh shelf liner in my car trunk. When I put packages and stuff on it, they don't slide around. It's great. Carolyn Callahan, Garland, Texas
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
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