Don’t use That number
Dear Heloise: I bought some USED CAMERA EQUIPMENT on an online auction site from a camera dealer. As forewarned, the previous owner had etched in some identifying numbers. It was his Social Security number!
With the very real possibility of ID theft, it may not be a good idea to engrave your whole number on things. At the very least, you should obliterate the number on things you sell, give away or toss into the trash bin. — Tom H., Costa Mesa, Calif.
Very good point, and one most people may not think about. Thanks for sharing this with my readers. — Heloise
LEAVING A PHONE NUMBER
Dear Heloise: When you leave your phone number for someone to return your call, please repeat your number. With my job, when people leave a message they often speed up when they give their number, requiring me to play back their message three or four times.
When using a cellphone, it is especially important. Often, these messages are so broken up that I can only get part of the phone number. Then these people are upset because no one returned their call. — Mary Anna, via email
NO MORE FAT CATS
Dear Heloise: I am a longtime reader of your column, and I, too, ride a Ural with a sidecar on my daily commute. (Heloise here: Don’t you love the Ural motorcycle? Visit my website, www. Heloise.com, to see me on Svetyania.)
My hint concerns pets. Our cat was diagnosed as being overweight and has been on a restricted diet. However, she is still not losing enough weight. Now we make her chase her food. We throw each piece of kibble down the hallway, and she runs to get it. The process is repeated over and over until she gets tired.
Now she is eating less and getting her exercise, too. It might seem time-consuming, but actually it isn’t, because it can be done while watching TV, cooking dinner, etc. — Garry in Oregon
EMAIL SUBJECT LINE
Dear Heloise: A previous reader suggested that when emailing a quick note, you can put the short message in the subject field of the email.
This is acceptable if you add the letters “EOM” at the end of your message in the subject field. “EOM” is the acronym used for “End of Message.” — Sophia in Augusta, Maine
Sophia, read on for a contrasting opinion from a reader, via email: “I disagree with the hint to put the entire message in the ‘subject’ line when emailing a quick note to a co-worker or friend. I don’t always read the subject line and am frustrated when I open a blank email. It’s only a couple of seconds before I realize that the entire content is in the subject line. If you’re going to put the information in the subject line, please put it in the body of the email as well.”
— Heloise
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 e-mail it to Heloise(at)Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
(c)2011 by King Features Syndicate Inc.