DEAR HELOISE: I am a United States veteran. Having lost one leg and a hand while serving my country, I have a service dog, Chip, who helps me and who I couldn't get along without. People in my little hometown understand that my dog has to go where I go, but on planes, in airports, in businesses and doctor's offices, I get some ugly stares or comments because of my dog. People need to understand that service dogs are there to help someone and are greatly appreciated by veterans. They're not dangerous, and legally we have the right to take them with us wherever we go. My dog is well-behaved, always clean, always on a leash and well-fed. He's my buddy and my friend, and where I go, Chip goes, too.
-- John G., United States
veteran, via email
DEAR HELOISE: My husband and I travel a lot, and we enjoy different cultures. We try to learn some of the language before we visit a place, and some of the local customs. So often, what is OK in America may be offensive in a foreign place. We make a point of learning to say "thank you" and "please" in the language of the country. We also look for what is unique to that country, which is the point of traveling to different places.
-- Jean K., Joplin, Mo.
DEAR HELOISE: I have discovered that stringing an open chain of a necklace through a straw and then hooking the necklace together is a foolproof way to arrive with an untangled necklace when traveling. This keeps those chains from becoming knotted and eventually ruined.
-- Susan M., Monroe, La.
DEAR HELOISE: We just returned from our honeymoon, and while we were planning our trip, the travel agent gave us some very valuable hints to help keep us safe:
• Take mostly credit cards. You'll need some cash, but never carry a lot. You'll have very little, if any, liability if a thief uses a stolen credit card.
• Never let a cab driver take you to a hotel that he claims is a better deal than the one where you have booked a room.
• Never wire money to your hotel when making reservations. If they won't take a credit card, that's a red flag, because any reputable hotel will take a known credit card. It's almost impossible to recover wired money.
-- Carrie and Mike H.,
Jacksonville, Fla.
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
MovieStyle on 09/22/2017