Christmas letters supplement genealogy records

Dear Heloise: I love reading about the daily lives of previous generations in historical-society newsletters but have only basic genealogical data about my family. To provide family stories for future generations, I’ve begun saving the annual Christmas letters that we send and receive. I store them with our genealogy papers. Bobbie Frush from Illinois

Bobbie, you and your family will be happy you did, especially many years from now. I do the same, and also save greeting cards with family photos. It’s a treat to go through them and see how the children have grown and hairstyles have changed! Heloise

Dear Readers: Here are three hints to save money on grocery shopping:

•Shop alone — bringing kids or others may result in unnecessary purchases.

•Check the store’s coupon policies, double coupons, etc.

•Buy generic products and give them a taste test — many are great!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read where a reader complained about the donation of clothing that was 25 to 30 years old. Doesn’t she know that some people love vintage clothes? Virginia Austin, Houston

Yes, they do. However, most charities can’t pass on vintage clothing to those who need clothing to wear today, but if they have a resale shop, then the clothes can be of benefit. Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I’m washing my hands after cooking in the kitchen, my hands are often greasy, and the regular soaps in dispensers don’t seem to get the grease off. I keep a soap dispenser filled with dish detergent, and it does the job much better! B.P., via e-mail

Dear Heloise: When repairing my dryer, we couldn’t remember when or where we bought it, and we never wrote it down, so I thought, Why not write on the appliance with a marker?

This way, if sold, the new owner would know this info and what and when you replaced something. Sure wish I’d thought of this years ago — then I’d know if it was really time to repair it or get rid of it. Kathy Benson, North Versailles, Pa.

Dear Heloise: My favorite coffee cup was stained, ugly and in need of a good cleaning. So I made a paste of baking soda, salt and water. I put this paste on a sponge and was able to easily scrub the mess away. Now my cup is sparkling-clean, just waiting for a fresh cup of coffee. Kelly, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I am so upset about people who leave food on the grocery-store shelves, especially items that need to be put in the refrigerator or freezer sections, because they don’t feel like buying it, or those who leave items at the end of a checkout lane instead of handing it to the cashier to be restocked. It’s no wonder prices go up and up! Roslyn, via e-mail

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