HELOISE: Check out this form of identity theft

Dear Heloise: I would like to add an additional step to the identity-theft rules you printed. When ordering new checks from your bank, have them sent to the bank instead of to your house.

One of our family members was a victim of identity theft. When her checks came to her house, she noticed that the package seemed to have been tampered with. She checked to see if all the check pads were there, and sure enough, toward the bottom of the numbered pads of checks, one pad was missing.

Mavis R., Trimont, Minn.

Yikes! It pays to be cautious!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I am browsing the Internet, it is very easy to stop by my favorite shopping sites and purchase something on impulse.

I’ve found a way to stop this and save money. When I want to make a purchase of, say, $30 for a blouse, $60 for a jacket or $100 for a pair of shoes, I write down that amount, plus the additional charge of shipping. Writing the number on a piece of paper makes it more tangible.

Then I transfer that amount, which would have come off my debit card, into my savings account. Cha-ching! I won! I’m a saver!

L.S. in Illinois

Hi, Heloise: Here’s something I’ve used for years — a business-card holder as a mini wallet.

This is the perfect size for a driver’s license, credit card or debit card. It fits perfectly in the zipper section of my purse. I don’t need to pull out my larger wallet to make a purchase.

If I am going out for the evening, I put it in my evening bag along with a lipstick and am ready to go. This also works when I don’t carry a purse. I put my mini wallet in the pocket of my jeans and am able to enjoy my outing.

Judy Rowley, Ridgefield, Conn.

How brilliant! I just saw a friend, Lynn K. in San Antonio, do the same thing.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I use a paper shredder for confidential material that has personal information on it. When the wastebasket fills up, I save it to use for packing materials when I send things to relatives.

I also “recycle” computer paper. When I want to print out an e-mail or a confirmation from a company, I print and save the information until the package comes in. Then I reuse the other side of the paper for more printouts.

Linda in Ohio

Dear Heloise: When I get a gift card, I attach an adhesive-paper sticker with the value of the card. If I don’t spend the full amount at one time, I write the balance (available from the receipt) on the sticker so I remember what I can spend on my next shopping trip.

Susanne Lazanov, Fredericksburg, Va.

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