Save time, reduce worries by signing up for direct deposit

Dear Heloise: You often share timesaving hints with your readers. I would like to give a tip to people who get Social Security and other federal benefit checks -- switch to direct deposit. Using direct deposit means one less thing to worry about. It also safeguards against identity theft, which can be traumatic, costly and time-consuming to resolve.
Plus, direct deposit eliminates the risk of stolen checks and forgeries. With direct deposit, you also will have more control over your money and immediate access to funds from virtually anywhere.
For all these reasons, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Banks are sponsoring the Go Direct campaign to encourage all people who receive federal benefits to use direct deposit.
It's easy to sign up for direct deposit of your Social Security or SSI payments -- simply call the Go Direct toll-free help line at (800) 333-1795, or sign up online at www.GoDirect.org. You also may visit your local bank, credit union or Social Security Administration office. Richard L. Gregg, former commissioner, Financial Management Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury
Direct deposit is the only way to go! Why waste precious time standing in line (not to mention money or gas) or worry about forgetting to deposit on time?
Mr. Gregg, I'm giving all my readers a big Heloise Hint: Do direct deposit! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I've used this hint for years. When I have "cut" flowers, the leaves become a problem (wilt easily -- Heloise). I remove all the leaves and insert leaves on stems from silk flowers or good-quality plastic leaves. Even if the leaves are not the same as the real leaves and stems, no one seems to notice. Teri Linscheid, Mesa, Ariz.
Update: The leaves do serve a purpose -- they help draw water through the stem and up to the flower. It's best to remove only the leaves that will be below the water line, of course, but "leaf" a few near the flower. Heloise
Dear Heloise: My 9-year-old daughter is allergic to nickel. It causes a skin rash that sometimes needs to be treated with an antibiotic. One of the things that cause her to break out is the snaps found on most pants. At first I bought only elastic-waist pants, but as she grew, it was more difficult to find them. My solution was to buy iron-on patches, then cut a piece that's a bit bigger than the snap and sew it on that area of the pants that touches her skin. The patch is on the inside of the pants, so it doesn't show. It works like a charm -- no more rash.
Everyone said it was such a great idea that I should share this with people, so I'm sending it to you. Kathy Doughty, Nipomo, Calif.
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate