Gift cards are not appreciated by everyone

heloise

Gift cards are not appreciated by everyone

Dear Heloise: Gift cards may be fine for some of your readers, but they do not work for me. I always get a gift card from my family to a restaurant that I don’t even like. I don’t want to hurt my family’s feelings, of course, but I wish they would just give me cash instead. A gift card to a restaurant forces the recipient to use the card as the giver sees fit, not as the recipient prefers. A Reader, Houston

Very good point! Gift cards may be considered a nicer way to gift cash, but you are absolutely right! I’ve been thinking about this lately.

Guess who makes money on the card? The issuer! Cash is always the right size and color, and can be used anywhere. You can put it in the pocket of a garment, fold it like a little fan, put it in a special card, make it fun with all new or even $2 bills from the bank, or make it silly using dollar coins! Be creative, and the gift is still nice. Heloise

P.S.: Readers, what’s your opinion on receiving and giving gift cards?

Fast facts

Dear Readers: Other uses for wheelbarrows:

UUse as a movable planter.

UUse to cart groceries from the car.

UIt can be a cute prop for toddler or puppy photos.

UUse to store rolled-up garden hoses. Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I need a ladder inside the house, I put oven mitts on the top end before leaning it against the wall. This protects the wall from being marked by the ladder.

Also, I received a catalog for plants from a relative. The plants are very expensive. When I find a plant in the catalog, I take the catalog to a nursery to see if it has the same plant. Chris Greene, Houston

Dear Heloise: I work in a dental office off and on. We go out for lunch and then return for our afternoon patients. We have noticed that even after washing our hands, the onion/food smell can still remain on our hands, which is not appealing in a dental office — or anyplace, for that matter. We came up with this idea: After washing our hands, we pour a bit of mouthwash over our hands, rub it in and then rinse it off and dry. Works great. I even use this at home after chopping onions. J.M., via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I had trouble holding nail clippers when cutting toenails and fingernails. I had some fabric tape with the sticky stuff on back. I cut pieces to fit where my fingers rested on the clippers. No more dropping — I can hold on fine. Mattie Carr, Fairview, Tenn.

Mattie, adding rubber grippers also will help when you hold nail clippers. Thanks for that helpful hint. Heloise

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