DEAR HELOISE: Recently I required a couple of stitches in my finger after pushing something into the trash. The culprit was the lid from a can of vegetables, which sliced through my skin like a razor. So that this would never happen again, I decided to keep these lids separate from the trash by storing them in an empty potato chip canister. They fit perfectly, and on trash day, off they safely go!
-- Debbie in Texas
DEAR READERS: New uses for common kitchen gadgets:
• Use a numbered cookie cutter on top of a birthday cake and fill with sprinkles.
• Use clean, empty glass jars as terrariums.
• Fashion parchment paper into individual cones, tape closed and use as a server for snacks.
• Use a potato peeler to make butter curls.
DEAR HELOISE: I try hard to be conscious of how much water I use. So I finally stopped letting the water run while brushing my teeth. However, I then had to deal with washing away the toothpaste drips in the sink. So I now run a little water in the sink with the drain plug in. When I'm finished brushing, all I have to do is let out the water, and the drips go with it. This makes me feel better all around.
-- Joe in Arizona
DEAR HELOISE: My fiancee and I are getting married in the spring. What is the biggest problem people face when planning a wedding, and how do we avoid it?
-- Kathy in Penn.
DEAR READER: Of course, the first consideration is your budget. You need to allot a certain amount of money for food, flowers, dress, etc., and be disciplined enough to stick to your budget. Vendors will tempt you with exotic floral arrangements and beautiful but outrageously priced gowns; family may want you to invite extra people to your wedding. But it's really up to the two of you what kind of food, flowers and formal wear you choose and who is at your wedding. Do not be led far from your budget. Sticking to the limits you have set for yourself will make your special day less stressful as you start your life together. Congratulations!
DEAR HELOISE: I was always losing my phone charger, and having to replace it was no fun, so I decided to place an address label on it. Now, when I've left it at someone's house, they know it's mine, and I haven't had to buy a new one. Come to think of it, as forgetful as I am, I probably should put address labels on other things I tend to misplace.
-- Helen in Missouri
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