HELOISE: If offer says ‘free,’ read the fine print

Dear Heloise: I e-mailed you about a fee I was charged, without my realizing it, to use an online service. Here is the follow-up:

I called my credit-card company and said I did not authorize this charge. The company sent a form in the mail stating as such. I signed it and sent it back. About 10 days later, I got a letter from the online service apologizing and refunding the charge. My credit card also refunded the fee.

The take-away? Read the fine print of everything you sign up for online, especially if it says it’s free! Chances are it is not free at all, or it is free for a very limited time, like one week or so. And don’t forget about your bank or credit-card company — it usually is more than happy to go to bat for you and resolve these kinds of issues.

Consumers have to recognize that we have rights, and we can’t let big companies use misleading advertisements and limited-time, too-good-to-be-true offers. Thank you for this platform to educate the public.

A Reader in Texas

Chalk up one for the consumer! And good for the companies that stepped up and did the right thing.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: To steam an unmarked stamp stuck to an envelope: Place a moist napkin under the envelope where the stamp is and microwave for 45-60 seconds. The stamp will peel right off. Have an envelope you want to use immediately? Put the stamp on the new envelope.

A Reader in Minnesota

Dear Heloise: We have a lot of family heirlooms, so we decided to give them to our kids and grandkids for Christmas and their birthdays every year. We have more stuff than we need anyway, and this way we get to see their excitement when they receive things of ours that they have always wanted.

Joan, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I place a tinfoil baking cup in the bottom of my pencil holder; it fits most holders. It is easily changed as often as needed and is very effective, especially if you put pens in the holder.

A. Alfano in New Jersey

Dear Heloise: When filling the steam iron at my mother’s home, I needed a very small funnel, and then I noticed the flip-top cap from a shampoo bottle on the sink. I lifted the flip top and used it as a handle while overturning the cap and centering the small hole over the hole in the iron!

Sheila Beer in Argos, Ind.

Dear Heloise: The other day, I lost my keys, but fortunately, they were found quickly. This gave me a good idea. I put a tag on them saying they should be returned to the police. If everyone did this, it would relieve a lot of anxiety.

Christine Vaught in Oregon

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