Dear Heloise: There is a new scam going around the United States. It goes like this: They tell you you've won $2.5 million from a well-known publisher's clearing house, plus $7,000 weekly for the rest of your life. Sounds good, doesn't it? However, there are some government charges ($9,763) involved, and you'll need to pay those first. Then they ask for your bank account number and your routing number -- supposedly so they can transfer your winnings into your account. The recorded message frequently tells you to push button No. 1 to claim your prize. DON'T DO IT. Also, don't give anyone your banking information. These people are looking to take every dollar you have.
Remember, prize winners are usually notified by mail first and not called out of the blue. Protect yourself by NEVER giving out financial or banking information to a stranger on the other end of a phone call. --Jerome D., Dallas
SEND A GREAT HINT TO:
Heloise
P.O. Box 795001
San Antonio, TX 78279-5001
Fax: 1-210-HELOISE
Email: [email protected]
Dryer Sheets
Dear Heloise: I wanted to offer some hints for uses of dryer sheets that some of your younger readers might not have thought of before now: Place one sheet behind a furnace filter to freshen the whole house, in luggage or suitcases, under floor mats in vehicles, inside pillowcases, under sofa cushions, inside shoes, in a linen closet or in a dirty hamper. Hope these are helpful to pass on to your readers. -- Raymond C., Brownsville, Pennsylvania
Moving Rugs
Dear Heloise: I've tried everything to stop my room-size and throw rugs from crawling. They move a lot. How do I stop this? -- Sylvia V., Mantua, Ohio
Sylvia, you can buy an anti-slip mat at many carpet stores, or you might try double-sided sticky tape on the underside of the rug. About four rows, the entire length of the rug, should keep your rugs from moving. There are also corner grippers that help, and you can usually find those in a hardware store or a store that sells area rugs. -- Heloise
Gifts for the Birds
Dear Heloise: I have always tossed out my eggshells in the backyard for the birds. Is that the right thing to do for the birds? -- Karen Y., Holland, Michigan
Karen, according to the Audubon Society (www.audubon.org), birds use a lot of calcium when laying their eggs and can always use a calcium boost. Spread the eggshells over a cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 10 minutes. The shells only need to be dry, not browned. You can then crush the shells and mix with bird seed to scatter on the ground or to place in a bird feeder. -- Heloise
Pancakes
Dear Heloise: I found an easy way to make pancakes. I pour the batter into an empty plastic ketchup squeeze bottle. It allows me to make pancakes about the same size, which my kids love. The only time I can't use this method is when my family wants blueberry pancakes. But other than that, there is less mess to clean up with the ketchup bottle method. --Laura M., Hillsboro, Oregon
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