DEAR READERS: There's concern about privacy on the Internet; here are some hints that can help you stay safe on social media sites:
• Allow access to your social media pages only to people you know.
• Don't list your complete date of birth, physical and/or email address or phone number. This information could be used to steal your identity.
• Be careful with pictures you post. Think of everyone who could see them.
• Make sure you approve a post you are "tagged in" before it goes on your social media page.
• Change your password often.
All of these hints can be taken care of in the "Settings" section of a social media website.
Staying safe online is your job; check your teen children's pages also.
P.S. Before you comment on a post, think: Are you damaging a reputation? What is the tone of what you're writing? Can what you're writing be used against you?
DEAR HELOISE: When I'm driving, my passengers in the back seat can have their headphones on; they can play games or listen to music. But what about whoever is in the front seat? That person must be alert at all times, to help me navigate the road and watch for pedestrians and bad drivers.
-- Ken P., Cibolo, Texas
DEAR HELOISE: I dropped a liquid laundry detergent bottle on my vinyl floor, which made a real mess.
I sprinkled baking soda on the spill, completely covering it, and swept the mess into a pile and then into the dustpan. I could then wash the area without a lot of bubbles.
-- Becky H., Ohio
DEAR HELOISE: I use masking tape to pick up small pieces of glass. Works great, and it's safe.
-- A Reader, via email
DEAR READER: Vacuum thoroughly afterward to make sure you get all the splinters.
DEAR HELOISE: I've painted the interior of my home in multiple colors. Touch-ups are needed when a wall or baseboard gets nicked.
I fill and label small jars with the different paints so I have them readily available in my home without opening a huge can in the garage. I place these jars in a shoe box.
-- Sandi B.,
Moreno Valley, Calif.
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 on 06/12/2018