Dear Heloise: I believe you wrote a hint years ago about finding your car in a crowded parking lot — just pop the trunk! I use it every time I go to a large supermarket or the mall. Thanks!

— Carolyn W., via email

Carolyn, in a place where you trust everyone, it might be safe, but today you risk losing something if someone decides to help themselves to whatever you have in your trunk. You might want to use your key fob to honk the horn a few times and follow the sound.

— Heloise

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Dear Heloise: My husband hates to let anything go to waste, so when the plastic hand lotion bottle is almost empty, he will cut a couple inches out of the middle of it with a utility knife. Then he inserts the bottom portion into the top part of the bottle. It’s easy to open up the two parts to reach the remaining hand lotion. This also makes cleaning up the bottle for recycling much easier!

— Margie B, Madison, Wisconsin

CUTTING CHEESE

Dear Heloise: Cutting a block of cheese on a charcuterie board can be awkward. So, I like to use one of the little holders that are used for corn on the cob as a handle to steady the cheese when guests are serving themselves. This works best on hard or semisoft cheeses.

— Elizabeth J., in Columbus, Ohio

CLEANING THE COFFEEPOT

Dear Heloise: I use a 12-cup glass coffeepot and make 6 cups of coffee daily. Even though I washed it daily with dish soap, a brown film collected on the glass. I added 1 teaspoon of stain remover powder to hot water in the pot, and it got clean very quickly. It has stayed clean for a long time. I’ll repeat the process when the film develops again.

— Gail N., in Cleveland, Ohio

MAGAZINES AND BOOKS

Dear Heloise: From time to time, someone will ask what they should do with an abundance of reading material. Call various nursing homes and see if they would like some reading material. I contacted a nursing home that’s only a mile from where I live, and they were excited to get new books in their collection.

Hospitals also like books. A local hospital here in town tells patients that they can take the book with them when they are discharged if they haven’t finished reading it yet.

P.S. I read your column daily and appreciate all of your wonderful hints.

— Grace W., in Mesa, Arizona

USING COUPONS

Dear Heloise: My husband also pooh-poohs coupons and says it makes us look hard up and cheap. He will help me unload the cart while we’re at the checkout line but then will walk far away when I bring out my coupons. I have always been a frugal person, especially while raising our children, and I enjoy clipping and saving. We can afford to forgo the coupons, but I enjoy the savings, especially when I use one to try a new product. Ten cents here and 25 cents there add up, and it’s cash in my pocket.

— Barb, in Wisconsin

Send a great hint to Heloise@Heloise.com.