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Lock it down

4 min read

Dear Readers: Many of you commented on GARAGE-DOOR OPENERS being stolen out of cars parked in driveways. Here are just a few of your hints:

Barbara S., via email, said: “It’s a good idea to disable the garage-door opener by locking it from the keypad, unplugging it or pulling the cord that disables the motor, which makes manual opening the only option. Also, engaging the manual lock that slides into the door track from the door itself makes opening the garage door completely impossible.”

Pete in California wrote: “We have a shut-off switch on our garage-door opener (Heloise here: which is mounted on the wall), since we can’t remove built-in openers. It was very simple to install. I turn the garage door off every night or when we leave for vacation.”

Marylin, via email, said: “There is a switch inside the garage, and it has an ‘on’ and ‘off’ button. During the night, we turn the door off.”

Good hints all around to stay safe! Take a look to see if the wall-mounted opener has a shut-off switch. Use it when necessary. — Heloise

PRICE PICTURE

Dear Heloise: I had to get price checks or corrections every time I visited a store or big-box retailer. This holds up the line. But now I cut out the middleman. I take a photo with my smartphone of the price tag (Heloise here: I am assuming it’s the tag on the shelf) of the items on sale, keeping the small numbers and date of sale in focus. I include the purchase item/display. I show the photo to the clerk, who confirms the date and inventory number on both the photo and the item. — Debi in Dallas

PROTECTIVE PONCHO

Dear Heloise: I know I am not the only one who colors his or her own hair. Here is my hint: Turn a 30-gallon trash bag into a hair-color (drips) poncho! Cut holes (or a slit) for your head and arms in the sealed end. Just slip into your poncho. Wipe off any color that gets onto the bag before slipping it off. — A Reader in New York

Children can use a kitchen trash bag to make a smaller poncho for when doing arts and crafts, to protect clothing. — Heloise

BULGES BEGONE

Dear Heloise: I put on a knit top the other day, and to my dismay, there were hanger bulges at the shoulders! I grabbed a clean washcloth, dampened it and laid it on my shoulders while I put on my makeup. No more bulges, and I was good to go! — Esther F., via email

COLD PACK

Dear Heloise: My cold pack is a bag of frozen veggies. In my case, it’s black-eyed peas, because I know I will never eat them. I label them with big letters for extra security. — Lois G., Mansfield, Texas

Good hint, but wait — you won’t eat them? I love black-eyed peas! What Southerner doesn’t? — 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 email it to Heloise(at)Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.

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