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Dear Heloise: I wanted to tell you about my success in stopping a company from charging items on my credit card. I hadn't paid that much attention to the charges because I was in the hospital and didn't look at the statements carefully. When I did, I saw that a company had charged me for items I hadn't ordered for several months. I had ordered something from them that was a one-time item, but they used my credit card information to charge me again.
I wrote a letter to the credit card company with "Credit Card Fraud Report" written in red on the envelope. In a few days, I received a letter from them saying they were investigating. To make a long story short, the charges were removed. I'm careful about reading statements now. -- Carolyn McDonough, Canaan, Connecticut
HANDY RUBBER BAND
Dear Heloise: I like to keep a rubber band on the countertop so when I lay something down that has a mind of its own and wants to roll away, such as an egg or avocado, I lay it inside the rubber band. This corrals it and keeps it from rolling away. -- Lyle Henry, Bluffton, Ohio
TWO-IN-ONE HINT
Dear Heloise: For removing garlic odor from fingers, I buy cheap plastic gloves (100 come in a box) and wear those when cutting onion and garlic, making bread, etc. That way, I can just take them off and discard them! So simple.
Also, opening cans with tabs is difficult for me, too. (I'm 84.) I have a pair of pliers that I keep inside my scissor drawer in my kitchen, and things like that become a whiz with pliers. Plus, it works for pulling back tabs to remove a tight-fitting lid on an object. Make it easy! -- D.M., in California
EMERGENCY LIGHTS
Dear Heloise: The other night, we had a power outage due to a thunderstorm. Instead of using flashlights and candles (which can be dangerous), I went out and retrieved a half dozen solar-powered marker lights from the walkway and around the flower beds, and I placed them around the house. A couple were in the bathroom and the kitchen and such. It was enough light to see safely without having to worry about flames or dead batteries. -- Chuck Stahl, Cortland, Ohio
CLEANING BARBECUE GRILL GRATES
Dear Heloise: For cleaning barbecue grill grates, try this home solution. Apply (maybe with an old toothbrush) liquid dishwasher gel to the grate on top of some old paper and let it stand overnight. Then, brush with a metal brush, like a steel-wool type. --Tracy, in Houston
WILLS AND PETS
Dear Heloise: This is just a reminder that when you have pets, you need to include them in your will. I don't necessarily mean to leave them your entire estate, but you should designate someone who will take care of them, after you have found someone who is willing to give them a good home and any required medical care. I recently made up my will, and after discussing it with my younger brother, it was agreed that he would take my two dogs, while my daughter would provide a home for my cat. At 88 years of age, I felt it was important to get this done. -- C.R., in Indiana
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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won't be answered personally.