DEAR HELOISE: Please do not let other people make the same mistake we did. In June of 2010, we leased a new vehicle. With that came free satellite radio for three months. After the three months of free radio, the radio was automatically shut off. Since November of 2010 until December of 2013, we were billed $16 a month on our credit card.
We acknowledge that we did not pay attention to our statement, as we noticed this only when we paid off our card as a New Year’s resolution. When we called the radio company, it would not reimburse us, and even the credit-card company would go back only three months to help us out.
- M.O. in New York
DEAR READER: A good consumer warning. Remember to check credit-card statements every month.
DEAR HELOISE: I travel often with my two daughters for dance competitions requiring overnight stays. Hotels typically provide three to four bath towels, which simply are not enough for three females with long hair.
Here is my hint: Leave a note with a small gratuity for housekeeping. I even specifically ask, in the note, for the exact amount of towels I would like to be left in the room. I have never been disappointed, and my requests have always been taken care of.
- Linda W., via email
DEAR READER: You also can call housekeeping and ask for extra towels as soon as you arrive. Please do always tip housekeeping.
DEAR READER: Recently, I shared information about the difficulty of recycling prescription bottles. At Heloise Central, we started brainstorming all the uses for these bottles and wanted to give some hints to help keep these bottles out of the trash:
Keep one in the car to hold change.
When traveling, use to hold cotton balls or cotton swabs.
Pack with thread, needles and safety pins for an emergency sewing kit.
Readers, now it’s your turn. Let us know how you reuse these bottles.
P.S. You can ask your pharmacist for “not child resistant” caps. These caps can be taken off, turned over and reattached to the same bottle. Now the bottle can be opened with a simple turn instead of having to press down and turn. Only do this in households without children.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email Heloise@Heloise.com
Style, Pages 28 on 03/04/2014