Dear Heloise: In a recent column about using a battery tester before throwing away used batteries, you wrote, "Please recycle the batteries removed." The only problem is finding somewhere that will take them. Nickel-cadmium and lithium batteries can be recycled at home-improvement centers, but no one will take alkaline batteries.
We've asked a number of places, including a store that sells batteries, and have been told to just throw them away. If you know of somewhere that we could send alkaline batteries, please share it in your column.-Dan, via email
Dan, contact your recycling center or government agency (or call city hall) to see if there is a "hazardous-waste day." These programs usually take many types of batteries. Sometimes the collections are once or twice a year.
Alkaline batteries used to be a concern because of the high amount of mercury in them. Today they can be safely disposed of with normal household waste if necessary, since mercury has been eliminated from the batteries.-Heloise
DOTTED PLUG
Dear Heloise: I was always looking twice when plugging in my electronics. No more. Using a permanent marker and a bottle of correction fluid, I fixed all the cords. If the cord was dark, I marked the top side with a dot of correction fluid. If it was light-colored, I made the dot with the permanent marker. For USB ports, I did the same.-E.R., Bluffton, Ohio
FANCY FLIP-FLOPS
Dear Heloise: I bought a cute pair of plain, black flip-flops with a raised heel. To make them a little fancier, I took an old pair of my mother's clip-on earrings that were gold and turquoise and clipped them to the "Y" part of the shoe that goes between your toes. It really dressed them up and created a new look. There are endless possibilities.-D.M.H., Manassas, Va.
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to [email protected].
King Features Syndicate