HELOISE: A few facts about Flex Fuel

Dear Readers: When looking at cars in the Sunday newspaper, or shopping in person, you may see that a lot of the newer vehicles are Flex Fuel vehicles. One of my office assistants just bought a car with a Flex Fuel badge on it, and she had no idea what it meant. Here’s what we have found out:

Flex Fuel means that a car can use regular fuel and fuel that contains up to 85 percent ethanol. Using ethanol can reduce emission of greenhouse gas. Fuel with 85 percent ethanol is still very limited, and is only sold at a small number of gas stations.

There are a few different ways you can tell if a car is a Flex Fuel vehicle: It typically has a yellow gas cap; there may be a label on the fuel door stating the fuel type; often the vehicle has a badge on it that says “Flex Fuel” or “FFV”; also, check the owners manual.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: My boyfriend and I have way too many gift cards that have been stored in the drawer throughout the years. We decided to go on gift-card dates! When we want to go on a date, we go somewhere for which we have a gift card. Now the gift cards don’t go to waste!

Jennifer in Houston

Don’t let those cards just sit — it’s like money wasting away! Be sure to check the expiration date, especially if the card is older.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: We are getting older and are “empty nesters.” We have started a “house” binder in case of fire or death. It has copies of what is in our safe-deposit box, its location, a copy of our current bank statements, and pictures of all our household items (with notes on their value and for which child each item is intended). We also keep copies of our wills, warranties on household appliances, all maintenance and updates, plus all of our computer passwords.

We take this binder with us in case of evacuation and have notified our executor of its location, just in case.

A Reader in The Woodlands, Texas

Dear Heloise: I bought a product that I really liked, and I needed to buy another. After going to four stores and wasting time, I finally found it. As soon as I came home, I wrote the store’s name on the bottom so I would not have to go through that again.

I sometimes even write the cost of the item.

I also write in a notebook the address and the phone numbers of the companies that I have ordered from.

Dorothy in Ohio

Dear Heloise: My skin color is drastically different in the summer and winter. Just a reminder to gals out there: Don’t wear the same color foundation in the summer and winter. You really can tell a difference.

Heather, via e-mail

Send a 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