HELOISE It pays to keep tabs on sale items at the checkout

Dear Heloise: The past few times I've gone shopping, some items on sale did not ring up as advertised. Distracted by having to place the items on the checkout conveyor, I was not able to monitor them as they were scanned and did not realize until later that I had lost out on the advantage of the sale. As a result, I have developed the following habit that I think would be helpful for your readers:
Now when I shop, I place sale items in the front of the cart, and wait until the end to place them on the conveyor, when I have the time to monitor the price. Now, I am assured that I will not miss out on the sale. Colin Mennega, via e-mail
Very good idea, and one any shopper should use. Department, grocery and other stores don't always get price changes entered into their computer system or manually changed. Heloise
Fast facts
Dear Heloise: What can you do with years' worth of accumulated keys of all kinds? I have a box of more than 200 -- just a habit to keep them. Maybe you have some ideas? Dennis Dunham, La Porte, Texas
UAttach to small-link chain or fishing line to make wind chimes.
UCheck with local schools or nursing homes to donate for craft projects.
UMake a "play" key chain for a child age 5-plus -- this could be a good training tool for future key responsibilities.
UThread several on four large safety pins -- pin each to a corner of a picnic tablecloth on a windy day.
USee about selling them to an antiques store -- you never know what someone else will pay for them. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I am always putting things away in a safe place until I need them again. Sure enough, when I need the items, I can't remember where I put them.
Thanks to our wonderful electronic age, there is a solution to this problem. On my computer, I started a "lost and found" list, and whenever I put something away, I list the item and where it is.
When looking for something, I pull up the list and am able to immediately find it. Betty A. Ripka, Lewistown, Pa.
Sound off
Dear Heloise: I don't know what you can do about this, but it is so frustrating to check into a nice hotel or motel and when you strip the sheet down, the bottom sheet comes out with it.
I know it is easier for the person making the bed to tuck both sheets in at once, but you practically have to re-make the bed to sleep in it. Thanks for listening. Margie M., via e-mail
I'm with you on this one! It is annoying to me, too. However, I've learned from hotel managers that using all flat sheets (instead of a fitted sheet on the bottom) extends the life of the sheets. Still it's bothersome. Readers? Heloise
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax (210) HELOISE, or e-mail Heloise@Heloise.com.
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