Dear Heloise: About eight months ago, my husband and I decided that we spent too much on lunch every day. With the rising costs of dining out, it was now making a sizable dent in our budget. I consulted your book “Heloise From A to Z” and got a lot of ideas on how to make our lunches ...

Dear Annie: My best friend is 58 years old and recently divorced. She spent the last four years grieving terribly over her lost family life in an affluent neighborhood and is finally onto the next chapter of her life. Suddenly, she’s dressing to the nines to come to a simple picnic at our ...

Dear Heloise: Here’s my tip to open jars. Tap an ice pick or small nail onto the lid of the jar, making a small hole in the lid, which thereby releases the pressure after vacuum-sealing. Then open jar with ease. -- Todd Tanner, Oxnard, California RUBBER SPATULAS Dear Readers: If your ...

Hallo from Germany! This is, without a doubt, the fastest summer I have ever had. Having surpassed the halfway mark of my time in Ulm, I have been reflecting on all the new experiences I have had and the places I have visited. Last weekend, for example, I traveled to Berlin, Germany’s ...

Dear Readers: Lately, I’ve been asked if pouring grease down the sink with hot running water is OK. The answer is “no,” unless you like paying a plumber to come and unclog your sink. Pour the grease in an empty can or jar and let it solidify; then dispose of the grease in the garbage or a ...

There’s something about having a toddler around for a few days that makes you feel young again. My wife and I recently hosted our toddler grandson, whom she has decreed the Cutest Little Boy in the World, for a weekend. He brought along his parents to serve as his driver, valet, chef, ...