HELOISE: Not all own, have access to computer

Dear Heloise: Something that I think needs attention: computers! I think they are great and provide a good service. But companies need to know that not everyone has a computer — seniors like me, and people who can’t afford them. Everywhere you look — on labels, cans, beauty products, offers for contests, recipes, you get my point — “For more info: -.com”; “to enter contest: -.com”; “to get more recipes: -.com.” They all say the same thing: “Reach us at: -.com.” We can’t reach them if we don’t have a “com”-puter!

We folks in No Computer Land are missing a lot and are left out of so much. If “com”-panies would list an 800 number (or a mailing address) on the label, we could learn a lot, too, and not feel left out!

Joyce in Montgomery, Ala.

Joyce, how right you are! The largest demographic of the population in the United States today is people over the age of 50! Companies need to listen to their customers and understand that not everyone has a computer or even access to one.

If you don’t have a computer, your library, senior center or a public school that allows access to its library most likely has computers that you can use for free. So businesses, please remember that not all of your customers are online!

Heloise

P.S.: It costs more to get a new customer than it does to keep one, so companies, pay attention! Provide alternative contact info or risk bad consequences. While on this topic, when providing a contact phone number, be aware that the keypad on many cell phones does not have the letters listed on the numbers. So 800-CALLNOW, should translate as 800-225-5669, but on some cell phones you don’t know what number to dial for each letter.

Dear Heloise: I feel like everything needs a use, so I often decorate toilet-paper rolls and put pens and pencils in them. Sometimes if the roll isn’t sturdy enough, I’ll cut open another one and stick it around the first roll.

A Scotland Reader, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: While wrapping a shower gift today, I discovered a use for the small amount of wrapping paper that was left over. I needed some tissue paper to cushion the gift inside, so I put the leftover gift wrap and a few sheets of tissue paper through our paper shredder. I had a colorful batch of paper shreds inside the gift that matched the outside paper. It was cute, thrifty and impressive.

Cathy Driver, Ames, Neb.

Dear Heloise: The large plastic containers that coffee comes in are great for leftover paint projects.

Laura Quigley, via e-mail

Great idea! You can put a little dot on the top of the container so the paint color can be easily identified.

Heloise

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