Hints From Heloise: Cut back on catalogues

Dear Heloise: What can one do about the volume of UNSOLICITED CATALOGUES that keep coming (Heloise here: especially during the holiday season — actually, all year long!)? What a waste of paper, and it’s extremely annoying! I can get 25-30 in one mail delivery, and I have never even heard of most of them. Is there any solution besides calling each one individually? I and many others would love some help and suggestions with this. Thank you! -- Barbara in Arizona

Barbara, I hear you, and the millions of my readers do, too! For the mounds and pounds of unsolicited commercial mail and catalogues, you can register online with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service at www.dmachoice.org. You may mail your request (with a $1 processing fee) to: DMA choice, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.

For unsolicited credit or insurance offers, the Federal Trade Commission recommends going to www.optoutprescreen.com or calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT. Operated by major consumer-reporting companies, you have the choice of opting out for five years or permanently.

While these may not get rid of all of your unwanted mail, it definitely will help reduce the amount you see in your mailbox. -- Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795000

San Antonio, TX 78279-5000

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

E-mail:

EAT RIGHT

Dear Heloise: My toddler son wasn’t eating as much as usual. Whenever we put him in his highchair, he just refused to eat. I tried many things. Finally, one day, I let him sit in one of the regular chairs at our table. He ate!

Apparently, he just wanted to be a “big boy” and eat at the table with my husband and me. He now has a booster seat and eats every meal at the table. -- A Reader, via e-mail

TRAVEL HINT

Dear Readers: On an airplane trip years ago, I learned a valuable lesson. I wore my cowboy boots. Once on board, I removed my boots to be comfortable during the long flight. (Yes, I had on clean socks and my slip-on “footies.”)

Well, several hours later when the plane landed, I could not get my feet back into my boots! My feet had swollen due to the altitude and would no longer fit! Note to self and readers: Wear loose-fitting shoes on a flight.

Luckily, I had that pair of footie “slippers”! I stuffed my boots into my carry-on and acted like nothing was wrong! -- Heloise

DRIVING NO-NO

Dear Heloise: This may be common sense. My dad always taught me that when you’re waiting to turn left at an intersection, do not start turning your wheel. If someone rear-ends you, since your tires are already starting to turn, you can be pushed into oncoming traffic. This is something I still remember today. -- Kellie in Illinois

CAGE CLIPS

Dear Heloise: I have a parakeet, and he got out of his cage when I was unaware. He did not get out of the house, thankfully, but it scared me. I found some large metal binder clips. For extra protection, I clip one on each of the two cage doors. -- Sheila in Texas

Send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Tex. 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. Please include your city and state.

, King Features Syndicate