Dear Heloise: Two years ago, a friend asked me to attend a self-defense class with her because she felt uncomfortable going alone. So, I agreed, and it was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.

This past Christmas while I was out shopping one evening, I was busy placing packages in the trunk of my car. A man came up behind me, grabbed my hair, and said I’d better give him money or else. He had a small gun aimed at my neck. I said that I had no cash and usually shopped with my credit cards. I figured this would work to get rid of him. It didn’t.

He took my car keys and told me to get in the car. I refused and used three moves that my self-defense instructor taught me to use. Dangerous? Yes, but if I got into the car, he might have killed me out in the middle of nowhere. If he shot me, there would have been a loud noise, and in a busy parking lot, someone might have heard and called for help.

He got away, but I was unhurt. I urge other women to take self-defense classes. It might save your life someday. It saved mine, and I was alive to see my first grandchild born a few months ago. — Joan D., in New York

COFFEE POT CLEANING

Dear Heloise: I read the helpful hint from a reader about cleaning glass coffeepots. Instead of a special stain remover, I use baking soda and dish soap; it works great! No chemicals, just natural products. — Michele C., Cypress, California

Michele, if you happen to forget to turn off the pot at night, and you have some nasty burned coffee stuck to the bottom of the pot in the morning, just take 2 tablespoons of baking soda, a handful of ice cubes, and a squirt of dishwashing soap. Then swirl the mixture around in the glass pot. It will loosen up the gunk on the bottom. — Heloise

KEEPING PERFUME FRESH

Dear Heloise: A couple of years ago, I was given a beautiful, decorative box that sat on my dresser. It was fairly large but empty. One day, I decided to store all my perfume bottles inside of it. This reduced clutter on my dresser, kept sunlight off the bottles, and kept all of my perfume at about the same temperature. People tell me that I’m hiding all the pretty bottles, but what good are the bottles if the perfume has lost its fragrance or evaporated? — Bianca, Kingston, Rhode Island

HONEY VS. SUGAR

Dear Heloise: Which is better for you: sugar or honey? — Betty, in Michigan

Betty, honey and sugar are both comprised of glucose and fructose, although honey contains less of each. Honey has been used for centuries as a sweetener and a medicine. It has vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids and enzymes. Sugar does not.

However, sugar has about 49 calories per tablespoon while honey has 64. Honey is sweeter than sugar, which means you could probably use less honey than sugar. It is not recommended to give honey to children under 12 months of age due to a risk of infant botulism. — Heloise

LEVERAGING AN OPENING

Dear Heloise: I found it hard to open tin cans that have a metal ring on the top. So, I put a screwdriver through the hole in the metal ring and pry the lid up. It comes up easily this way! — Shirley, in Illinois

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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.