Heloise

Dear Heloise: Most spam callers are not criminals, and if you say the words “Do Not Call List,” you will never hear from them again. However, some of them are criminals and just want to record your voice so that AI can use it for fraud. In this case, just hand the phone to another member of your family and have them say “Do Not Call List.” I almost never get spam calls anymore. — Roger K., via email

Roger, it might be a better idea to simply not answer the phone when it’s a number you don’t recognize. — Heloise

Dear Readers: Did you know:

— The cap of certain small bottles of vanilla can hold 1 teaspoon, and with larger bottles of vanilla, the cap can hold 1 tablespoon.

— If you save yogurt cups, they usually hold exactly 8 ounces and are recyclable. This way, there are no messy cups to wash!

— Got grapefruit spoons you never use? Try coring an apple or a tomato with them.

— Wooden spoons need to be seasoned before use. First, wash all your wooden spoons in hot, soapy water. Towel them dry and let them sit overnight. Next, heat some cooking oil to medium/hot and dip the spoons in the hot oil. Let them cool, then wipe the spoons dry. (Seasoning wooden spoons keeps them from absorbing cooking odors.) — Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have to wash several aprons (maybe 6-10 or more) at one time for my business, and they often come out of the dryer in a knotted mess of apron strings. The strings are long enough to wrap around the back and tie in the front. Do you have any hints to avoid this annoyance? — Carolyn, via email

Carolyn, there are a few options for you. Pop a few aprons into a mesh lingerie bag; this will lessen the tangling. Another option if the aprons are white is to throw several white towels in the load. The towels will create a buffer to reduce tangles.

A gentle slipknot may also help. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: This week, I read an article about why you should pick a college based on price:

— You can avoid high student debt this way.

— You can give your parents a break from having to pay for all your expenses.

— You’ll get a better return on your investment.

With all the jobs I’ve had, where I went to college was never an important factor. It was what I could do for them now that I had a degree. — Lloyd, in Kansas

Dear Heloise: If any of your readers are planning to travel outside the United States, their first step should be to consult the travel advisory section online at travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html. In every country, travel conditions can change rapidly, so travel advisories can help you determine where to go and alert you to any civil unrest or problems for travelers.

You can see the world at a glance by using the color-coded map that the website has provided. — Thomas D., in New York

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Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.