HELOISE: Lost car title causes chaos

Dear Heloise: Here are some suggestions based on some experiences we have had in the past few weeks:

We recently purchased a new vehicle and traded in an older vehicle. We could not find the title for the vehicle to trade in. It had been paid for for several years, and I do not know if we never received the title from the bank, or if we mislaid it somewhere. I searched all of my files and could not find it!

The bank we borrowed from had changed names and owners about three different times since the loan was paid off, so it took two or three weeks for us to get a letter/release of lien.

Meanwhile, the car dealer can’t sell our old vehicle, and it will not give us the paperwork to transfer registration from the old vehicle to the new vehicle for obvious reasons. A word to the wise: Make sure you get that title when your vehicle is paid off, and be sure to keep it in a safe place!

Something I wish I had done through the years is keep a diary of events such as when we put the roof on the house, bought the new furnace, put the floor in the kitchen, bought a vehicle, etc.

Gloria in Indiana

Keeping up with important paperwork can save problems later on. Thanks for writing.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I enjoy hosting visitors, and I clear plans so I can be with them.

But sometimes a visit, a free bed and cooked meals also seem to come with a host of unreasonable and sometimes rude expectations. I once hosted four people who came into town for a specific event, but instead of being grateful for the free room and the food I cooked, one wanted absolutely no carbohydrates, one didn’t like vegetables, and one wanted protein every two hours.

Now I cook what I want, or we will eat out — which also comes with specific ideas and expectations.

A Reader, via e-mail

If you are kind enough to open your home to guests, they should be kind enough to appreciate all that you do. We would love to hear from other readers about this issue. So, what’s on your mind?

Heloise

Dear Heloise: Shoes are a good place to put earrings, car keys and other small, important items when trying on clothes in a dressing room.

Jamie in Texas

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