HELOISE A discarded receipt can be an invitation for deceit

Dear Heloise: Recently, while reading a book purchased at a used-book store, I found inside a current credit-card receipt, complete with credit-card number, expiration date, name of cardholder and signature.
In the hands of a dishonest person, this can be disastrous. Would you please warn your readers to hold on to credit-card receipts or destroy them? Many merchant credit-card receipts contain all of the information needed to use the card. I have seen them discarded in stores or in parking lots.
The actual credit card is not always required to make purchases, especially over the telephone and Internet. A discarded receipt can be an invitation to steal. Nancy Jeffreys, San Antonio
Yikes! Take a look at those receipts, folks. Many now only have the last four numbers of the credit card, but play it safe -- destroy them if you don't keep them. P.S. A safety precaution that many companies use when taking a credit-card order over the phone is to ask for a four-digit code printed somewhere on the card to help prevent people from using a "found" receipt. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Use frozen peas, corn, etc., to cool down too-hot soup. Also, drop in an ice cube. Works great. Tracey, Cleveland
Winter has its grip on us, and doesn't a nice, warm, toasty cup of Golden Chicken Noodle Soup or Tortellini and Bean Soup sound delicious? Well, these recipes, as well as many others, can be found in my Spectacular Soups pamphlet. To receive a copy of the six-page pamphlet, please send $4 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (60 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Soup, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5001. If you've accidentally added too much salt to a soup, you can "thin" it by adding more water, and a small bit of brown sugar can also help counter too much salt. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Regarding your article about family photos: Since I have more time than money for gifts this year, I have gathered as many photos as I could find and scanned them onto a CD. That way, family members can have copies. A Reader, Via E-mail
Dear Heloise: I would like to suggest that in addition to highlighting a magazine-subscription payment in your checkbook, you might want to highlight your medical and tax payments. The word "subscription," "medical" or "tax" can be written in after the amount and highlighted. If a credit card was employed to pay for a medical expense, highlight that item on the monthly statement as well. This makes it so much easier when scanning your checkbook or credit-card statements prior to completing your federal tax form. Eleanor and Bill of New Jersey
Dear Heloise: Here is a wonderful hint for you "icebox magnet" fans. Tissue boxes offer a wide variety of paintings, pictures and cartoons. You can cut them to the size you want and stick them to a sheet magnet. Example: For the one with a sunflower on the box, cut the center from the flower and replace with a picture of your darling grandchild or pet for a "frame of love." N.D., San Antonio
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