LITTLE ROCK — DEAR HELOISE: I use reusable bags for my groceries, and over time the cardboard bottoms get bent. This hint was suggested to me by a checkout girl at my favorite grocery store.
First, wash each bag as directed. Next, purchase plastic needlepoint canvas from a craft store - the heavier, the better. Cut each sheet to fit your bags, using the old cardboard as a pattern. You can cut this as large or as small as you like. I cut mine to fit inside the bottom seams for each bag. Then you can simply slip-stitch the canvas inside each bag. I used heavy-duty thread and stitched all around the bottom of each bag.
I fixed all my bags this way several months ago, and so far they all are in very good shape.
- Betsy L., Camp Hill, Pa.
DEAR HELOISE: I purchased a pretty good postal scale, as I do a lot of mailings. At each group of mailings, I calibrate my scale to zero to make sure everything goes OK. Then I take five quarters (25-cent pieces) and check my scale, and it should be exactly 1 ounce.
I told clerks at a post office about my system, and they were a little skeptical, but tried it. Sure enough, it came to 1 ounce.
- Ed M., East McKeesport, Pa.
DEAR HELOISE: I wanted to let you know what I do when I’m looking through the sales ads in the Sunday paper.
I look at the ads for the stores I shop in. When looking through the ads, I put a heart on the items I might buy. Then I look at the page number and write that page number on the front of the ad.
When I shop, I look only at the pages already labeled on the front of the ad. I find them quickly, and it saves a lot of time!
- Isabelle D., Follansbee, W.Va.
DEAR HELOISE: While dressing recently, I noticed that my blouse collar turned (curled) up. Since I was in a hurry and my curling iron was hot, I quickly sprayed some hair spray and ironed the curl away.
- Nancy Z., Portage, Ind.
DEAR READER: Great hint, just be careful about using hair spray, because it might stain your clothing, so don’t do this on an item of clothing that requires dry cleaning.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or e-mail
Weekend, Pages 36 on 04/05/2012