DEAR HELOISE: Our household consists of five people, working four different full-time shifts in three different counties. Needless to say, the coffee is always brewing. To keep the continuous heat, drips and occasional overflow from damaging the counter, I purchased an inexpensive, deep-rimmed cookie sheet and cooling rack. The cookie sheet is wrapped in foil and rests on the rack with the coffee maker on top. The rack raises everything a half-inch off the counter, keeping heat from building up. And the cookie sheet catches any coffee and grounds that would otherwise make a mess on the counter. The foil is easily changed when it gets messy.

My second hint is to consider, whenever possible, using wax paper instead of aluminum foil or plastic bags/wrap. It's a lot cheaper and more environmentally friendly than foil or plastic, plus it is easier to work with than one would think. (Only use for cold things, like wrapping a lunch sandwich or sealing odd leftovers in the refrigerator -- never for baking or covering a hot pan.)

I have read your and your late mom's column for decades. Thanks for all the advice over the years.

-- Kimberly L., Piqua, Ohio

DEAR HELOISE: Need some filler to keep things from shifting in the package you're mailing? Use those little individual-size bags of chips to fill in the spaces. They provide shock absorption, and the recipient gets a snack afterward. No waste, and none of those annoying Styrofoam pieces flying all over the place!

-- Donna R., Oakton, Va.

DEAR HELOISE: Please remind your readers who have hummingbird feeders to just use plain nectar (regular white sugar and water only) when refilling their hummingbird feeders on a weekly basis. Nectar purchased from a store is premade with chemicals, colors and additives, which can be potentially harmful to hummingbirds. I really enjoy your column! Thank you.

-- Suzanne F. in California

DEAR READER: It is always a good idea to check the labels on products to find out exactly what is inside.

DEAR HELOISE: I saw the letter from Chet about his daughters' beloved stuffed animals. Large lingerie bags work well for laundering stuffed animals. If at all possible, try to purchase duplicates of beloved blankets and stuffed animals. They might wear out when they are still needed. My daughter went through three of her special blankets.

DEAR READER: Those beloved stuffed animals get so much love and attention that they do get dirty. If you don't want to put a stuffed animal in the washing machine, instead, freshen it up by sprinkling baking soda all over the "fur" and allow it to stay on the stuffed animal for a bit. Then you can carefully brush through the fur to remove it, and teddy will be cleaner.

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email

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