Got the wrong makeup? Return it for a credit at most stores

Dear Readers: Did you know that you can return makeup for credit at most stores? That bronze-, red-, pink- or orange-toned lipstick may look great in the store, but once you get home and try it on your lips, the color just might not seem right. If this happens to you, take the receipt and the product back to the store for credit. Be sure to ask the cosmetics assistant to clarify the return policy before the purchase, if you are unsure. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Even though most people have cellular phones with cameras or digital cameras, disposable or single-use cameras still can come in handy for a multitude of uses. Here are some of my favorites: Give one to your children when they go on a school trip.

Place them on tables or around the room when you have a family wedding or party. Put a note on it that encourages guests to take photos. Then at the end of the night, retrieve them all. You will have many one-of-a-kind photos from this practice.

My husband’s favorite is to keep one in his fishing tackle box. Now he will have proof when he tells us a fishing story. K.M. in New Braunfels, Texas

Dear Heloise: My mother and neighbor always had different recipe books, and when they collected more recipes, they would just shove the clippings into the already-overstuffed books. This, of course, led to lost recipes and clippings falling out all over the place. My sister just throws her recipes in a plastic bag, so she is always calling me for the same recipes that have been misplaced or lost.

I have found that if I buy an inexpensive photo album with pockets, this keeps recipes organized and easy to find. My husband also appreciates this neat and orderly way of keeping recipes and has no trouble finding something to make.

I love your column in The Daily Freeman Journal in Webster City, Iowa. Julie Campbell, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I save the salad plate/bowl from a fast-food restaurant to use under my plant pots. Perfect! L.H., Peoria, Ill.

Sound Off

Dear Heloise: My Sound Off is product “downsizing” that seems to be rampant now. Everything from sugar to ice cream to cat food to makeup — you name it — is being replaced by smaller sizes, but the price remains the same or even increases! In my opinion, this is just a way for manufacturers to give people less and charge more.

In some cases, like the cat food, it affects the amount of product that is supposed to constitute a “serving,” or it can mess up a recipe. Why can’t manufacturers leave product sizes alone, or offer the smaller size as well as the standard size and let the customer decide? Shirley Richardson, San Angelo, Texas

SBlt 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