LITTLE ROCK — DEAR HELOISE: What can one do about the volume of unsolicited catalogs that keep coming? What a waste of paper, and it’s extremely annoying! I can get 25-30 in one mail delivery, and I have never even heard of most of them. Is there any solution besides calling each one individually? I and many others would love some help and suggestions with this.
- Barbara in Arizona
DEAR READER: I hear you, and the millions of my readers do, too! For the mounds and pounds of unsolicited commercial mail and catalogs, you can register online with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service at dmachoice.org. You may mail your request (with a $1 processing fee) to: DMA choice, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.
For unsolicited credit or insurance offers, the Federal Trade Commission recommends going to optoutprescreen.com or calling (888) 567-8688. Operated by major consumer-reporting companies, you have the choice of opting out for five years or permanently.
While these may not get rid of all of your unwanted mail, it definitely will help reduce the amount you see in your mailbox.
DEAR HELOISE: My toddler son wasn’t eating as much as usual. Whenever we put him in his highchair, he just refused to eat. I tried many things. Finally, one day, I let him sit in one of the regular chairs at our table. He ate!
Apparently, he just wanted to be a “big boy” and eat at the table with my husband and me. He now has a booster seat and eats every meal at the table.
- A Reader, via e-mail
DEAR READERS: On an airplane trip years ago, I learned a valuable lesson. I wore my cowboy boots. Once on board, I removed my boots to be comfortable during the long flight. (Yes, I had on clean socks and my slip-on “footies.”)
Well, several hours later when the plane landed, I could not get my feet back into my boots! My feet had swollen due to the altitude and would no longer fit. Note to self and readers: Wear loose-fitting shoes on a flight.
Luckily, I had that pair of footie “slippers”! I stuffed my boots into my carry-on and acted like nothing was wrong.
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 Heloise@Heloise.com
MovieStyle, Pages 36 on 02/15/2013