Helpful Hints

DEAR READERS: If you are thinking about buying a home or condo sometime soon, here are some hints to think about:

• Check your credit reports now, not later. You might be able to fix anything that is wrong. Trust me, this can take some time, and bad information can affect your ability to get a loan.

• Really sit down and figure out what you can afford. Don't forget taxes, insurance and regular upkeep.

• A good real estate agent can help, especially if you are new to the area or are a first-time buyer. Ask friends, co-workers and neighbors for recommendations. Real estate agents have a lot of experience, and a good one can help you be aware of red flags that you may not know about.

• When looking at houses, remember to look at the neighborhood and surrounding area as a whole. Are schools important? Medical facilities? Shopping? Near an airport or not?

Home buying can be a wonderful and exciting experience if you are prepared.

P.S.: Don't make a snap decision, because the house isn't going to sell the next day. This usually is a big investment, and you don't want to make a mistake that is hard to rectify.

DEAR HELOISE: Several family members take a yearly trip to the beach. We always rent a house that we all share. The first year we did this, we ended up bringing too much food.

Now we divide the meals. One of us will bring everything we need for breakfasts. Another, everything needed for lunch, and the other brings food used for dinner. Then we all bring whatever snacks and drinks we want.

We rotate the "meals" yearly so it evens out financially. This makes the trip much easier -- no food or money is wasted, and we usually have everything and don't have to make an expensive trip to the store.

-- J. and L.

DEAR HELOISE: My husband and I are avid golfers. They often have staff driving around the course selling drinks and snacks. We were spending a lot of money buying these, without even thinking about it. Now, we take the individual-size drink packages, and I put some small snacks in a zip bag.

-- V. and G.

DEAR HELOISE: I save used tea bags and keep them stored in the refrigerator. When my eyes are tired or a little puffy, I take some time and place a couple of them on my eyelids. It is very soothing and refreshing, and cheaper than a store-bought eye mask.

-- Paulina

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email

Heloise@Heloise.com

MovieStyle on 09/19/2014

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