HELOISE: Useful items fill needs of bereaved

Dear Heloise: Reading your column regarding food taken to those who have lost loved ones, there was the suggestion of offering money or chores instead.

When I lost a friend who was a member of a large church, I knew there would be lots of food, so instead I took a big bag of paper towels and toilet paper to the family. If they were not needed with all the extra people in the house, they could be used later. Nothing spoiled and nothing wasted.

Zelda Wade, Springfield, Mo.

Zelda, help can be offered in many ways. This is a hint I learned many years ago from a friend, Pam. Paper products, including plates, napkins and towels, and plastic utensils, storage containers and even trash bags are much needed.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: With a little organization, checkbooks can be balanced, and all categories for taxes and other budgeting tasks can be identified by doing the following steps:

Write the category of the expense on the line, perhaps using an extra column in the register and highlighting or otherwise marking the items that will be important for tax purposes (e.g., put an asterisk after the payment amount in your register). This makes it easier to find when you are planning for taxes.

Remember, the more you do regularly during the month/year, the easier it is to perform the monthly and annual jobs.

Doris in Arkansas

Dear Heloise: I had three of my prescriptions refilled, and a couple of the bottles had pink caps. Since I take two of the medicines in the morning and the other at night, I decided the pink caps would be perfect to help find the bottles of medicine I needed in the mornings. I make sure that when I get the prescriptions renewed, I keep the pink caps to reuse.

Theresa of Houston

Dear Heloise: When my plastic boot trees died of old age, I found that I could replace them very cost-effectively and preserve the environment as well.

I roll several sections of the newspaper into a tight roll, tape together and place it in the plastic bag that the newspapers come in. This works well to keep the boots upright in the closet.

Sue in McKinney, Texas

Dear Heloise: In response to bumps at clothing shoulders where the hanger has left a “dent,” just turn blouses, dresses, etc., inside out and then hang them up.

Patsy Y., Columbus, Ohio

Dear Heloise: I shop at a warehouse discount grocery where you bag your own groceries. I use plastic bags for the durable things, such as canned goods, and paper bags for the fragile things. When I’m loading the groceries in my trunk, the paper bags get the special attention, and these things arrive home unbroken.

Pat in California

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate