DEAR HELOISE: My family and I recycle our Christmas and holiday card fronts. We send them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children, where the kids make them into new cards that are sold online and in their gift shops -- such a worthy cause!
-- Melissa in Ohio
DEAR READER: Here's a Heloise hug for you! The card program teaches kids about running a business, setting goals, time management, quality control and other life and work skills.
Hhere are some more points about the program:
• No Hallmark, American Greetings or Disney cards, due to copyright restrictions.
• Brand-new cards are also accepted, with envelopes or without.
• Monetary donations are accepted.
Send your cards (no writing on the back) to: St. Jude's Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude's St., Boulder City, NV 89005. Mail donations to: St. Jude's Ranch for Children, 200 Wilson Circle, Boulder City, NV 89005, or you can donate through the website: StJudesRanch.org.
DEAR HELOISE: How can I charge my cellphone more quickly?
-- Anita R. in Florida
DEAR READER: Here are some hints to try:
• Make sure there's no dust in the connector port - pick out debris with a clean and dry toothpick.
• You'll want to prevent the phone from getting too hot. Removing the phone from its case will help to charge it more efficiently.
• Powering off the phone completely can help. If the phone isn't using energy to run apps, the entire charge is going to the battery.
DEAR HELOISE: Over the years, I would buy postcards when our family was on vacation. Wherever we went, each kid picked out a postcard.
These postcards were gathering in a drawer when I had a great idea. After the kids went away to college, I sent them the postcards periodically.
They loved receiving them and the memories that went along with each one.
-- Jill in Temecula, Calif.
DEAR HELOISE: I wanted to go on a vacation but I couldn't afford it. I put every $5 bill I received into a jar, and when the jar filled up, I put it in my savings account. I did this for a year, and by the time the year was up, I had enough to take that vacation.
-- Sandra S., Tyler, Texas
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
Style on 01/28/2020