HELOISE: Keep privacy when online

Dear Heloise: With social-network usage on the rise, here are some privacy hints to keep in mind:

Don’t list phone numbers or other personal information, such as your address.

When you are going on vacation, don’t post it on a site. The entire world doesn’t need to know that your house will be empty for a few days.

Keep your profile at the highest security (privacy) settings possible.

Watch what you post; you never know who is looking at your profile, especially future employers.

Don’t post pictures where you are holding beverages, no matter what’s in them, or pictures that show you engaging in suggestive or questionable behavior.

Information is never truly deleted from the Internet; people with the right knowledge still can access things you deleted years ago.

Luke, a college student in Lubbock, Texas

Luke, all good hints to keep in mind! Use caution with your home address, phone number and other identifying info.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: If you slide a small, stiff paper bag over your sun visor in your car, when you pull the visor over to the car door, it really blocks out the sun and fills in the space where the sun usually hits you in the eye. Sorry I didn’t think of this years ago.

John in Vero Beach, Fla.

Dear Heloise: Please remind folks to keep those used-up mall gift cards. I made purchases on this type of gift card and threw it away after it was “empty.”

I tried to return a pair of shoes. The shoe store in the mall needed the gift card to make the credit to, and because I didn’t have the card anymore, it would only give me a store credit, not a cash refund. The store didn’t have any shoes that I really wanted. When I went home, I asked my husband to never give me a gift card again!

Faye in California

A good hint to keep in mind. Check the return policy before making a purchase, anywhere.

Heloise

Dear Readers: When subscribing to magazines via those postcard inserts, carefully read the offers. Many times they are tempting you with wording such as “Seventy percent off the newsstand price,” etc. This still may add up to more than a hundred dollars for a weekly magazine. It may be more cost-effective to buy only the issues that interest you.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When composting, the smaller the pieces you use, the faster you will have compost and the better it will be. Take the time to cut veggies in smaller pieces, and shred paper with your paper shredder. Trust me, the extra effort is worth it!

Tammy in Kentucky

Dear Heloise: As soon as I receive catalogs, advertisements, etc., that I did not order, I look for the phone number, call the company and tell it to take me off the mailing list.

A Reader in Ohio

King Features Syndicate