Dear Heloise: Thanks so much to you, your loving mother, and your awesome readers for all the wonderful hints and ideas throughout the years! Here are a few of mine:
At 63, my hands are getting less useful, so I am using binder clips more often to keep things closed. I use the larger ones for dog food and chip bags, the medium ones for freezer items that also go into zip-close freezer bags, and the smallest ones to help me get out the last dab of toothpaste or lotion out of a bottle. Luckily, they’re found in any discount store!
Also, scaling down to toaster-oven and air-fryer cooking has saved me so much time and money. It helps with losing weight, too. When cooking, parchment paper works the best for us and the environment!
I save so much money by using baking soda, white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide for everything. They can especially be used for cleaning. My teeth have never looked whiter, by the way, even after dental treatments!
Since I invested in a portable washer along with a rolling rack, I hang up almost all of my clothes indoors. This adds to my indoor humidity, and I pay less than $1 for a load, even with the cost of electricity (compared to $2.50 plus the cost of laundry soap at our community laundry room).
But the biggest savings, besides using my public library to its fullest, has been all of the free television available online, thanks to legal sites like Freevee. Mom always said that I could watch the shows I liked as reruns when I was an adult. How did she know? Thanks again, and have a blessed 2025, everyone!
— E., in Iowa
DOUBLE THE RECIPE
Dear Heloise: Whenever I cook soups, stews, chili, lasagna, or a few other one-dish meals, I double the amount of food I prepare. We eat one batch that day, and the other batch gets wrapped up and put in the freezer.
Many times, I’ve had to work late, and it’s so nice to thaw something out in the freezer by placing it in the microwave while I change into comfortable clothes. By the time I’m done, dinner is, too. I can add salad if I want, but on these cold nights, a warm meal is so nice to enjoy.
— H.R., in Colorado
TWO-IN-ONE HINT
Dear Heloise: When doing needlework, I used to take the printed pattern to the craft store with me to buy extra thread, if needed. Then I started using the thread to stitch its color number in the border of the canvas, which would eventually be covered by a frame.
This was particularly helpful for stamped patterns in case I lost the sheet with the codes, as well as the times when I used a different color number than the one recommended. I can have a hard time reading my own writing!
And here’s a good use for unmatched socks: Stuff them inside shoes to keep bugs and debris from getting inside. This is very helpful for socks that sit around in the warmer seasons.
— D.K., via email
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
