HELOISE Hints make buying gifts child's play

Dear Heloise: Here are some hints for buying gifts for children, just in time for the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays.
U For small children, open the box containing the toy and remove all of the ties securing the item to the box. Reseal, then wrap. You will be amazed at how well-secured some toys can be. I have counted up to 20 ties on one toy, and some had to be cut off.
UHave some wire cutters and both a Phillips and a flat-head screwdriver on hand when gifts are opened.
UBuy the proper batteries ahead of time. Some toys come with batteries, but make sure they are not temporary ones that run out of juice very quickly.
UAlso, check the instructions closely -- some toys need special batteries, cords, bulbs, attachments, etc., at additional cost. This might factor into your decision to buy the toy.
UAnd always follow the recommended ages for a toy. These age specifications are there for the safety of your child or loved one.
Have a great holiday season! Leslie A., via e-mail
Good advice, and well worth remembering when shopping for toys. Thanks for taking the time to write. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I bought an address book to record all of my favorite Web sites in. I also record my user name and password for each address listed. This really comes in handy when I am going to a Web site.
The book is kept in a safe place, and I do not record passwords for bank accounts in the book. Kathy Thompson, Baytown, Texas
This is definitely a good way to keep track of all your passwords if you don't use a basic one for all nonbusiness Web sites. And think about using a number or two in the password to make it difficult to guess. Heloise
Dear Heloise: With the upcoming holidays, we are all going to be visiting malls, shopping centers, etc., a little more frequently. In light of this, here's a hint that I hope keeps you from forgetting where you parked in those packed parking lots.
Once you've found that precious parking spot and you've gotten out and locked your car, take a look around for a parking-lot sign, row number, landmark, etc. Jot down the info at the top of your shopping list.
When you're through shopping, you'll have a reminder of where you need to go to find your car. Sue Graves, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Dear Heloise: I wear a prescription hormone patch that needs to be changed twice a week. It seems easy enough, but I sometimes forgot if it had been changed or not.
I started placing the patch on my right side when I changed it on Monday and then on my left side when changing it on Thursday. Which side it is on tells me when it was last changed. After sharing this with several friends, one of them found that it helped her when she used nicotine patches to quit smoking. Rita, via e-mail
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.
King Features Syndicate