DEAR HELOISE: With summer coming, a lot of people will be traveling abroad, but there are some common scams they should be on the alert for if they want to avoid being taken advantage of.
• Sometimes a taxi driver will tell you that your hotel is closed or burned down. However, he'll tell you he knows of another place as good or better. Stop the taxi, get out and get another driver. Do not go to the hotel the driver is suggesting. Confirm your reservation before traveling.
• Phony police officers will stop you and demand to see your passport and wallet. Once you hand over these items, the fake officers disappear. Don't give them anything until you see their badge numbers, names and proof that they are real police officers.
• Someone calls your hotel room and asks to confirm booking details, and they ask for credit card information. Never give them credit card details or financial information.
-- James in Nevada
DEAR HELOISE: I read the Sound Offs, and I have one that has been bothering me.
I'm speaking of the clothing and sheets that have combined fibers or are all synthetic. We are lucky to get one season out of these items before they start to pill. I wish manufacturers would stop this because. What happened to quality?
-- Ann Marie P., Florida
DEAR READER: Pilling (the formation of small fuzz balls) happens due to fabric strength and friction. Synthetic and blended fabrics are most prone to forming those fuzz balls. You can cut down on pilling by using a liquid fabric softener, which will help reduce friction in the wash. To remove the pills, you can use a shaving razor or a battery-operated pill remover.
DEAR HELOISE: I used to use a popular water repellent spray on my husband's ties because he had a nasty habit of getting food on them. That product is no longer made, but there are other sprays that work just as well. Saved us a small fortune.
-- Christine in Colorado
DEAR HELOISE: I kept losing my hair pins, small scissors, tweezers and other small metal personal-use items. Finally, I bought a magnetic metal strip used to hold knives in the kitchen, and attached it to my bathroom wall. Now I don't lose them anymore.
-- Connie in Maine
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
MovieStyle on 04/03/2020